If you don't see images, click here to view Story Ideas  .  Events  To ensure delivery, please add newsletter@bisnow.com to your address book, learn how PUBLICATIONS: Daily Business | Real Estate | Legal | Tech/Fed IT | Association/Non-Profit | Medical | The Scene CITIES: Washington | New York | Chicago     May 27, 2009              Louis Gossett & Taraji P! Kandyland at the Playboy Mansion is coming up again! It doesn't get hotter than this event, and it's not too late to get your ticket for a great cause. But we'll let the man behind it all tell you. Check out our last article for the word from Eric Lund.   We kicked off the Memorial Day weekend early last Thursday with the U.S. Dream Academy Gala at the Ritz Carlton, where actors, musicians, and news anchors convened to give children of incarcerated parents a chance at a brighter future.   Essence Magazine Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Susan L. Taylor challenged guests to become mentors and applauded Academy Award-winner Louis Gossett, Jr. for receiving the Legacy Award. (Note: Happy Birthday, Louis. He's 73 today.)   DC hometown sweetheart and Benjamin Button actress Taraji P. Henson was awarded the President's Award for continued dedication to children and mentorship. She tells us she was once a substitute teacher for special needs children when she lived in Washington. With her: Dream Academy founder Wintley Phipps (Oprah's pastor when she lived in Baltimore), USA Funds' Carl Dalstrom, and Grammy-winning gospel and R&B singer BeBe Winans. Dewey Defeats Tedium   For boredom-busting this Sunday, we checked out Dewey Beach. At Bottle & Cork, we snapped Mr. Green Jeans rockin' the Jam Session in front of a revved up crowd. Jam Sessions continue every weekend this summer with performances by George Clinton, Better Than Ezra, and Sugar Ray.   Not content with one weekend party, we hit up Fur to see Glow with David Guetta. Panorama Productions (led by the inimitable Antonis Karagounis) offers Club Glow as a regular event at Fur and other clubs that Antonis co-owns: Lima and Ultrabar. Where In The World Is John Kerry?   Your publisher has been in China the last week and on Sunday ran into John Kerry and Teresa Heinz-Kerry at the Terra Cotta Warriors museum in Xian, posing here with Austin and Elliott Bisnow. Kerry had just arrived for high level talks on climate change and told us their plane was quarantined as authorities checked out a sick passenger. Teresa is paying her first visit to China since 1986 and can't believe the dramatic changes. Taste of DC   Over 30 restaurants offered up signature lunch items for the 2nd annual Taste of Eleven at the Verizon Center last week, benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank. We snapped Levy Restaurants's Markens Isidor, Joel Jewell, and David Picou during a rare lull. (They were serving mini burgers.)   Aramark's Silvester Jones, Derrick Dawson, Dan Doyle, and Anders Egle enticed us with smoked pork tenderloin, blood orange sauce, and avocado salad. We suppose Silvester is trying to tell us the food should speak for itself, but nobody hides from our lens. Our friend Eric Lund sent over this pic from last year's Kandyland at the Playboy Mansion, as a reminder that (1) It's OK to rock a mustache and (2) This year's scintillating bash is Saturday, June 6th in Los Angeles. Snoop Dogg performs along with celebrity DJs Johnny Knight and Mister E. Hugh Hefner and his three new girlfriends will also be there. Eric and The Karma Foundation host the fundraiser, benefiting Journey Forward, bettering lives for those with spinal cord injuries. For more on $1000 Golden Tickets (top shelf open bar all night) or VIP tables, e-mail Eric or visit www.elundevents.com/kandyland. (Invitation Code: EL1133) WHERE TO BE SCENE:   Saturday, May 30, 6:00PM, the Jubilee Support Alliance has an American Road Trip Reception to raise funds for Jubilee Housing. $175 for Open Bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, music, dancing, silent and live auctions. Raffle Tickets for $25 for a chance to win $5,000 cash. 202-328-2498 or www.jsadc.org Monday, June 1 from 7:00 - 10:00 PM, join Everybody Wins DC for its Chocolate for Literacy event at Co Co Sala, 925 F Street NW. Featuring chocolate themed appetizers, desserts and drinks.  Live Art by Cargo Cult. Tickets $50 at www.everybodywinsdc.com Contributions support EWDC children's mentoring and literacy programs. Tuesday, June 2 from 5:30 - 6:00 pm VIP reception, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm general reception, join Internews Network for the 3rd annual Internews Media Leadership Awards honoring James Nachtwey at DLA Piper, 500 8th Street NW, to honor media leaders and raise funds for local media development worldwide. Wine, hors d'oeuvres, awards ceremony. Tickets: $100 general reception, $500 VIP reception. Thursday, June 4, from 6:30 -11:30 p.m., indulge your senses in Asia and get your weekend started in style at ASIAFTER DARK, the newest after hours series at the Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries. The Gallery invites young professionals to explore the arts of Asia, sip cocktails and mix and mingle to psychedelic grooves from emerging DJ artists. Guests will also enjoy food tastings from area restaurants, dance performances, hands-on activities, spotlight tours, and raffle prizes. Tickets: $15 in advance, $18 at door. http://store.freersacklershop.com/asiaafterdark.html  Thursday June 4 at 6:30, Join a strong host committee on the roof of The University Club, 1135 Sixteenth St, to celebrate and benefit the 3- year old DC Squash Academy and its partnership with The Stokes School. Stocked cash bar, Intriguing Raffle, Anheuser Busch Sponsorship and a great crowd on one of the best rooftops in DC. No Denim, No Athletic Shoes and No Shorts permitted. Info: Patrick Seelye Harris (202) 487-3957 Saturday, June 6 from 7:00 - 10:00 PM, join the Washington Humane Society for its 22nd Annual Bark Ball at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave., NW to raise funds for homeless, abused and neglected animals. Washington, DC's Only Black-tie Gala for the Four-on-the-Floor Crowd. Cocktails, dinner, auction, music. Tickets: $250 at http://www.washhumane.org/barkball.asp Sunday, June 7, from 4:00 - 7:00pm: Join The Potomac Riverkeeper for its annual Potomac River Gala on board the Cherry Blossom, 3 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA, to raise funds to restore and protect our Potomac River and its tributaries. Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, river cruise, silent and live auctions. Tickets: $75/person, $125/couple at www.potomacriverkeeper.org. 202 222-1717. Thursday, June 11-14, Watch great rock and pop tunes come alive as Bowen McCauley Dance teams up with artist Robin Rose to present "Lucy's Playlist" at Arlington's Signature Theatre, Get rock star treatment at Saturday night's performance and gala while supporting Washington D.C.'s premier contemporary dance company. More information, visit www.bmdc.org or ticketmaster.com.   Makeda Saggau-Sackey contributed to this issue. Want to see more pictures?  Join our facebook group: Send story ideas: TheScene@Bisnow.com         CONTACT EDITORIAL CONTACT ADVERTISING CONTACT GENERAL INFO This newsletter is a journalistic news source which accepts no payment for featured interviews. It is supported by conventional advertisers clearly identified in the right hand column. You have been selected to receive it either through prior contact or professional association. 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