Modern Venues: Part 2 -- Equality Center

Did you miss Part 1 of my search for more modern, industrial style venues in the DC area?

My search last week led me to the Equality Center in NW DC at the corner of 17th St and Rhode Island Ave.

Above: exterior of the building.


Above: the Equality Forum which can hold up to 150 for a seated dinner. The white wall provides a blank canvas, perfect for color uplights (see rear of room). The floor-to-ceiling windows on the right provides abundant natural light. Above Photo courtesy of Todd Smith Photography for ISES.


Above: Conference Rooms A-C. Separated by glass doors, this room can be used for a wedding ceremony. These 3 rooms together can seat about 100 people.


Above: another view of the Equality Forum. There is a built-in bar in the rear of the room by the patio. The modern furniture is included in the rental fee.


Above: the outdoor patio that would be great for cocktails.


Above: the entrance for private events. The 3 glass panels to the right of the "equality" sign pivots to allow entrance into the Equality Forum space.

Stay tuned! The search continues!

Modern Venues: Part 1 -- Industrial Style Venues

Lately, I've had clients who need help looking for venues wanting something industrial and modern. I think if we were in New York, it would be easy to find a loft that would fit the bill. In this area though, the choices are slim. The Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria is a good choice, and although the Ronald Regan Building is modern, it is not quite industrial. So I went on a search for such a venue and found two that are close.

#1 - Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts "VisArts" in Rockville, MD
The spaces available for rent for private events are located on the 2nd floor. There is the Event Room (that could seat up to 170 with floor-to-ceiling windows) and the art gallery. Along with the hallway, the space has an industrial, loft-like feel. Another selling point is a partially covered rooftop terrace which could accommodate 150 for reception. The rental includes a select number of tables and chairs.

Rooftop Terrace


Left: Hallway between Gallery & Event room which is flanked by artist studios (like at the Torpedo Factory) where you can have cocktail hour. Right: the Gallery with an ongoing exhibit.


The Event Room with a wood paneled acoustic ceiling.

#2 Signature Theatre Arlington (Shirlington)
The new home of Signature Theatre rents many of its spaces for private events, including the expansive Mead Lobby (which can seat up to 250) and its black box theatres.

Mead Lobby with its floor-to-ceiling windows and partially concrete floor.


Left: The modern lounge furniture. Right: The Ali Bar.

Stay tuned! We are going to keep searching. Other locations we will be reviewing: Strathmore Music Center & Harman Center for the Arts (just realizing there are lot of arts related spaces).

Site Visit: West Belmont Place

I recently visited West Belmont Place in Lansdowne. It is part of the National Conference Center's new expansion. There is a separate entrance from the conference part so you won't feel like you are attending a work event. If you are in need of a space that can seat over 200 people, visit this location and let them we sent you or contact us for further information.


Some new display tables.

The pre-function area where cocktail hour could take place. It is very spacious.


The side stone patio that would be great for a ceremony. There is access to this space directly from the outside.


The entrance to West Belmont Place. The portico is high enough it seems to be able to fit a bus.


Left: The Loudoun Ballroom with a stage. One benefit of this place is that there are trusses already installed for lighting. Right: a small section of the National Ballroom which is gigantic. This section alone can seat 500 people. The entire ballroom can seat 1400 people! There are two smaller sections that can seat 200.


The sun lit Atrium pre-function area outside the Loudon Ballroom.

Splendid Fare Bridal Show

I got a chance to meet the staff and taste the food of Splendid Fare tonight as they hosted a bridal fare at DAR. I also got to catch up with some of my favorite event professionals. Here is a quick recap.

Well who do we have here but Laura from Soiree Special Events giving her pitch to prospective bride and groom!


As always, beautiful arrangements from Petals Edge.


Rentals were supplied by Select Event Rentals and Elegant Decor. What I really liked was the presentation of the food, as seen in the left photo of the dessert buffet. I also enjoyed the creativeness of the dishes Splendid Fare served.


Left: A brown & pink tablescape. Right: A peacock blue linen w/ feathers of similar color in the centerpiece.

Party bus by Prime Transportation

Makeup artist Tamara Robertson brought her tools and did instant makeovers. [contact Event Accomplished for Tamara's contact info]


Debbie of Cakes by Design brought along some sample of her delicious cakes. She meets with clients in Alexandria.

Love Life Images (the fabulous Jennifer Domenick), Everything Entertainment, Perfect Honeymoons

Hotel Palomar Arlington Grand Opening

I was lucky to be in attendance of the official grand opening event for the Hotel Palomar Arlington in the Rosslyn area. Like other Kimpton properties, the Palomar hotels are themed "Art in Motion" so there are lots of focus on the arts. Much like the Ritz Carlton in Tysons, the lobby is actually on the 4th floor. On the ground floor, opening this week, is Domasoteca, a wine and cheese stop. They had a chocolate and cheese tasting, as well as dessert wines.

OK. Onto the 4th Floor!

Upon exiting the elevator, I was greeted with the sounds of a trio from the Signature Theatre's Orchestra.



The 4th floor is were everything is located. Below is a picture of the lounge area outside the restaurant. Do you spot the living statue performance by the lamp? Provided by Synetic Theatre, they would pose in different poses throughout the event. Domaso is the hotel's restaurant focusing on Italian cuisine.


This is one of the conference rooms equipped with every hi-tech gadget imaginable. In the next conference room, it featured a wine tasting from a selection of Virginia vineyards.


The Vivace Ballroom is the largest function room in this hotel seating about 130 for a banquet (Kimpton Hotels are boutique hotels so don't expect any large ballrooms). Below is the pre-function area. Inside the Vivace Ballroom was a live art performance by Dan Dunn. While the music of Louis Armstrong was playing in the background, Dan actually paints a picture of Armstrong from scratch! Very cool!


I also took a tour of the 12th floor, the penthouse floor of rooms. They showed us 4 rooms, each showcasing a different aspect of the hotel: a eco-friendly deluxe queen room, a pet friendly deluxe king room (with Sparky below, the Maestro of Pet Relations!), a relaxation superior suite, and the Presidential Suite.



(left photo: living room of superior suite. Right photo: luxurious bathroom of superior suite. Lots of space and would be great for a bride getting ready)