Thank goodness the CoreNet "dinner in the park" last night was actually a big, elegant tent in the park, because it was a bit rainy out there. But that didn't dampen the good time of 400 developers, brokers, and corporate end-users (who give the group its special focus) who came to Reston Town Center to raise $300k for university scholarships in real estate.

Ritchey brothers Joe and Ray (if you don't know who they are, you're subscribed to the wrong publication) are so modest they could only be dragged into getting their picture taken if they were allowed to showcaseMeredith Konrad, a leasing agent for top sponsor Boston Propertieswho labored hard to bring together generous sponsors like Hitt, Jones Lang, JBG, Vornado, Brookfield, Tishman Speyer, Staubach, Vardell, Cushman, Monument, and Fox (who lent the always excitingSabret Flocos as dinner chair).

These are not the "Singing Waiters" who performed operatic comedy during dinner, but Kane Construction's Dennis Kane, Penzance Properties' Greg Meyer (yep, the former Equity Office honcho), Office Movers founder John Kane (looking more relaxed after four years as head of the Maryland GOP), and Meridian Relocation's Jacci Duncan.

Working with each other by day, dining together at night, are: Staubach?s Dan Evans, Arent Fox's Mindy Hurwitz, Fannie Mae?s Mike Pardo,and Arent Fox's Rich Brand.

Big winners were Booz Allen?s Pierce DeGross (Corporate Real Estate Leader of the Year), Gensler's Kate Kirkpatrick (Best Workplace Solution—for the Toyota government affairs office), and Himes Associates? Paul Himes (Service Provider of the Year).

Hundreds flooded in to Morton's afterwards (which had been rented out for the night) for desserts, drinks, and cigars. Debating the comparative merits of Padron versus Montecristo were Peter Nowland, Dan Purrington, and Ken Kimbrough.

Did you ever think commercial real estate could be so glamorous?Trammell's Lynne Goldberg, Cushman's Brian McVay, Gensler's Gigi Webb, Cushman's Jeanne Sundstrom, Monument's Jeff Neal,and Vornado/Charles E. Smith?s Kay Chewning. Jeanne will be even more glamorous by day shortly: she starts next week in investment sales with superstar Warren Dahlstrom.