I am very tired, I must confess!I just got back from the THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON WINE DINNER CHINESE NEW YEAR BANQUET AT ORIENTAL GARDEN with the oldest wine shop in America: Acker Merrall and Condit. I'll report on this later as I had 16 amazing wines that are worth mentioning.I am tired though because I had a very long week-end supporting the cause of Martha's Table and D.C. Central Kithchen.The fact sheet wants Alice Waters, Joan Nathan and Jos Andres to be the chefs who created SipsandSups.[caption id="attachment_3439" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="Jan Burhman,Joan Nathan and Alice Waters"][/caption]My three muses in D.C.:Jan came all tha way from Martha's vineyard and she is the reason why I am here,Joan invented everything,Alice leads the way!-over 350 people for the Sips at the Newseum-roughly 400 people for the Suppers with 20 homes and 40 chefs-$250.000 raised!!!Everything else is people getting together to share ideas about how to help those in need, how to experience better nutrition and how to be more useful and nicer to one another and...to eat and drink well.This is my third year in a row and now I feel home. Indeed, I have been fed breakfasts, lunches and dinners just like home! I have seen hundreds of people coming to help in any way or form and then sharing a meal together: on the way back to New York I travelled with Liz and Jeffrey, two of the volunteers that silently made all this happen.The Long Week End in Pictures:First came the unveiling of Alice Waters portrait at the National Portrait Gallery,

The Sips at the Newseum

[caption id="attachment_3445" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Bendetta VItali and Alice Waters"][/caption]Two weeks ago I asked Benedetta over the phone: would you like to come to D.C. to cook with me?I didn't even finish the question and she was already at the airport! I like how Benedetta answers to proposal so enthusiastically![caption id="attachment_3447" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Joan Nathan"][/caption]

The Dinners

[caption id="attachment_3455" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Nick Stefanelli and Alon Shaya"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3460" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Barton Seaver"][/caption]The Wines

The Market Walk

[caption id="attachment_3464" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Jan Buhrman and the local grower "][/caption][caption id="attachment_3465" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Me at 1500 fm Radio Show"][/caption]