Norah O'Donnell and husband Geoff Tracy at Chef Geoff's Tysons Premier Party
CBS announced that Norah O’Donnell is leaving her post as a bureau reporter for NBC to take on CBS’s chief White House correspondent position. Additionally, O’Donnell will become the principal substitute anchor for Face the Nation. Chip Reid, who currently holds the position of chief White House corresponent for CBS, will see his role shift to that of national correspondent “with greater editorial range,” according to CBS.
Norah O’Donnell is an Emmy award winning reporter who joined NBC News in 1999 after a stint as a reporter for Roll Call and serving as a contributor and analyst for MSNBC.
Party-goers raised thousands of dollars for charity at the pening of the new Chef Geoff’s Tysons Corner restaurant. More than 300 tickets were sold, benefiting Children’s National Medical Center.
Mr. and Mrs. Geoff Tracy (MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell) were there to welcome guests with signature cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres. Party veterans stood near the kitchen to get first pick of the tasty appetizers: mini burgers, tuna on a crispy triangle, and other delectables.
The bar was equally impressive, serving three types of cocktails: a Strawberry Mojito, Norah’s French Kiss (!), and Subconscious Desire.
NBC White House Correspondent Savannah Guthrie and Democratic Consultant Marc Adelman were on hand, mingling with other guests in the packed restaurant’s bar, its large dining room, and cozy smaller space fit for a private gathering.
Nestled between Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co., the new restaurant, adorned with red awnings, is upscale, yet warm, with a large bar and windows. I’m sure it’s the next Happy Hour hot spot. Chef Geoff himself glowed with the anticipation of success; his new venture joins his other local establishments in downtown Washington, D.C., and Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Neighboring businesses joined in the benefit, donating luxury items such as a Tiffany’s necklace and Gucci handbag, for a silent auction. As a parting gift, nothing could be better than Chef’s Geoff’s chocolate chip cookies — the best I’ve ever had: not too sweet, not too hard … just right.
Chef Geoff Tysons is now open for lunch and dinner, and is located across from Tysons Corner Mall on Leesburg Pike.
MSNBC threw a memorable Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner after-party that stood apart from parties past. Held directly across the street from the main event at the Washington Convention Center, MSNBC turned the traditionally staid Historical Society of Washington, D.C. into a brightly-lit fete of themed cocktails, glowing neon necklaces and comfort food.
As guests walked down the blue carpet entrance, we asked them the question of the night: are you a nerd or a jock? Politico’s Mike Allen said he was “all of the above!” and Patrick Gavin thought he was a hybrid of the two. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell exclaimed she was a “total jock.” John “I’m a PC” Hodgman discussed the modern cultural divide at length during the dinner.
Inside the party, the scene downstairs included a Starbucks-sponsored coffee bar where guests ate ice cream sundaes and desserts. From the main bar, guests walked outside to a large outdoor patio, where dance music had the party-goers on their feet for “Don’t Stop Believing.” Faces and heads glowed in the light of neon necklaces and headbands.
Upstairs, special guest bartender Rachel Maddow was mixing up cocktails at her heavily-branded “Rachel Maddow’s Bar”– complete with MSNBC napkins and “Rachel’s Bar” menus. Maddow’s signature cocktail was listed as a Hearst: a mix of gin, sweet vermouth and bitters (though she told us she actually served more of her cava drink, “Airmail” which mixed rum, fresh lime juice, honey and the bubbly cava on top). Afterwards, Maddow relinquished her bar duties to catch up with Ana Marie Cox and John Hodgman.
Later in the night passed treats included mini-pancakes and mini-ham, bacon and cheese croissants. As the bars began to close, guests went out back. Among the last to leave at 3:00 a.m. were MSNBC Morning Joe’s Willie Geist, Luke Russert and many of the cable network’s junior staffers.
Media heavy-hitters spotted at the party: Steve Capus, Tamron Hall, Norah O’Donnell, Contessa Brewer with Matt Ackland, Joe Scarborough with Mika Brzezinski, David Shuster, Carlos Watson, Chris Matthews, Lynn Sweet, Margaret Carlson, and Eugene Robinson.
Politicos rounded out the guest list, including Obama senior adviser David Axelrod, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Obama economic adviser Larry Summers, as well as Hilary Rosen, Alex Castellanos, Brad Dayspring, and Kevin Madden.
Politico’s Mike Allen celebrated his birthday on Wednesday. The h/t goes to the 150+ people who turned out on a cold and damp evening for a man who is what Harry Truman called a rare Washington commodity: a friend.
The cake (candles lit by Austan Goolsbee) — and lapel pins — carried an image knocked off from another president, fitting for the editor of Politico’s Playbook.
Hosts John Harris and Ann O’Hanlon, Jim and Autumn VandeHei, Mike Feldman, Betsy Fischer, Jonathan Karl, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Hilary Rosen, Jonathan Martin, and Tammy Haddad kept the birthday boy in the dark about the true reason for the party with an invite highlighting 160 days of media coverage.
Check out all the photos from Mike Allen’s birthday party:
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