Franco Nuschese with Arianna Huffington at her Washington, DC book party October 2010

The owner of Café Milano and president of Georgetown Entertainment Group has a new award to add to a long list he’s received, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Franco Nuschese was born in Minori, Italy on the Amalfi Coast and has spent more than 20 years building a successful business and working to improve the lives of people across the globe. Now, Nuschese can be called “Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana,” the third of six ranks in the organization which is comparable to Britain’s Order of the British Empire.

“Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” is a prestigious honor conferred by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for promoting a positive image of Italians around the world. Past honorees include designer Giorgio Armani, race car legend Mario Andretti, tennis star Francesca Schiavone, and astronaut Dr. Umberto Guidoni. Nuschese was presented with his new title December 13th at a dinner hosted by the Italian Ambassador to the United States, Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata, at Villa Firenze, the Italian residence in Washington, D.C.

Guests included Nuschese’s son Gianfranco, a Georgetown University student; Supreme Court Justice and Mrs. Antonin Scalia; General and Mrs. Jim Jones; Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge; UAE Ambassador and Mrs. Yousef Al Otaiba; BET co-founder Bob Johnson; and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“I am grateful and humbled by this honor,” said Nushcese. “I will accept it as a tribute to my father, Giuseppe, who several weeks ago died in Italy after a long and wonderful life.”

When Nuschese opened Café Milano in 1992, it quickly became the place to spot politicos and celebrities alike. In 2008, Nuschese was so moved by being chosen to host a luncheon for the pope during his visit to Washington, D.C., he wrote about it for The Washington Post. The event for His Holiness Benedetto XVI happened to coincide on the pope’s 81st birthday and Nuschese left no detail unattended. President Bill Clinton was such a favorite regular at Café Milano, that Nuschese and legendary producer Quincy Jones were chosen to speak when Clinton was honored in May with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service at the Sons of Italy Foundation’s 2010 NELA Gala.

Much like the former president, Nuschese has devoted himself to public service. He is the director of international relations for the Robert C. Gallo Foundation for AIDS and Virus Research, and is a member of the boards of the University of Maryland’s Institute of Human Virology, the Afghanistan World Foundation, the foundation for Georgetown University Hospital, the Washington National Opera, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Congratulazioni, Commendatore Nuschese!

WHC Insider Washington Antonin Scalia, Bob Johnson, Cafe Milano, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Franco Nuschese, General Jim Jones, Giorgio Armani, Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata, Mario Andretti, President Bill Clinton, President Giorgio Napolitano, Quincy Jones, Tom Ridge, Yousef Al Otaiba

The day after Julia Roberts dined at Cafe Milano, its front facade was covered with the emblem of Tomorrow’s Youth Organization (TYO).  Terry McAuliffe and Hanri Masri greeted guests and shared their mission of TYO that works in disadvantaged areas of the Middle East, enabling children, youth and parents.  Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation, Christine Delargy of CBS and Fishbowl DC’s Matt Dornic were all in attendance.

Guests sampled calamari, buffalo ravioli and mushroom risotto while a DJ played music to the chic crowd.  Surprise guest was Representative Jim Moran.

McAuliffe introduced this powerful video about some of the problems faced in the Middle East and the hope that TYO has brought to the community.

WHC Insider Event Coverage, Washington Events Cafe Milano, Jim Moran, Terry McAuliffe, Tomorrow's Youth Organization

Former Washingtonian and Washington Post reporter Lloyd Grove has picked up the attack against White House correspondents launched by Ana Marie Cox last year.  Ana Marie, did you spend anytime with Lloyd at Michael’s when you visited your new GQ editors in NYC? Grove’s Daily Beast blog recently harrumphed against the hardworking, hard tweeting members of the most exclusive club in Washington journalism – the ones who report to work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

While I enjoy Michael’s like the next media maven, what’s so wrong with covering the leader of the free world 30 feet from his office and home? Grove’s complaint about Robert Gibbs tweeting reminds of when we began putting Ross Perot and President Bush and a former governor by the name of Bill Clinton on Larry King Live in 1992.  Our newsroom colleagues lamented the end of journalism, but social media didn’t just start on the Internet; interactivity has always been an important part of journalism.

Ask Dan Pfeiffer, the president’s communications director, how much his press shop likes responding to the five reporters who call with follows on each White House reporters’ tweet.  Take a quick look at the stories and interviews done by NBC’s Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie as well as ABC’s Jake Tapper; you want them to pull back and tweet from Café Milano?

Tell WHC Insider what you think after reading Lloyd Grove’s column.

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Word on the street has it that The New Yorker has entered the pre-party, post-party sweepstakes, with a bash before the White House Correspondents Dinner on Friday, April 30. Gawker reports the event, “to which you’re not invited,” will be on the rooftop of the W Hotel.

Washington media members cheered the news of new competition for high profile guests on a night traditionally “owned” by Time and People magazines. Bloomberg is the undisputed king of the after party on Saturday (and hosts a private dinner at Café Milano pre-WHCD). Will Time Warner challenge Conde Nast? We’ll investigate, but in the meantime, give us your tips on party plans and guest lists as they develop.

In the meantime, check out some photos from last year’s pre-dinner receptions.

gtruong DC, Washington Events Cafe Milano, Conde Nast, People, The New Yorker, TIme, W Hotel, White House Correspondents Dinner