Gala Auction Items Announced

The Shaw Main Streets gala is here!  As part of the amazing event on Wednesday, April 18, 2012,  the following eleven auction packages will be auctioned off by the hilarious and larger than life drag queen Lena Lett.  Don't miss out on the fun or the opportunity to win one of the fabulous packages; be sure to purchase tickets here and attend the extraordinary  event!


1. The Bitten Word Dinner Party for Six- The Bitten Word is an internationally known food blog written here in Washington, DC, by creators Zach Patton and Clay Dunn. The website chronicles the men's culinary adventures through beautiful photography and engaging tales from their kitchen. Saveur magazine named it a 2011 Best Food Blog, and in 2009 the London Times named it one of the World's Best 50 Food Blogs.

Zach and Clay will work with auction winner to curate a menu for six that they will cook – and potentially document on their blog – for the lucky winner and five other guests. The dinner will feature four seasonal courses (wine included) served at a to-be-decided location on a date that works for all parties.

Estimated value: $300

2. Dinner for Two at Corduroy - Tom Power’s highly acclaimed fine dining establishment Corduroy relocated to Shaw in 2008. The restaurant’s modern American menu is served in a tranquil elegant setting.

The winner of this package will receive a chef's surprise five-course tasting menu for two, available Monday through Thursday.

Estimated value: $130 value (excludes pairings, tax and gratuity)

3. Wagtime Services Package and Gift Basket – Wagtime is a star business in the Shaw neighborhood. Its adorably renovated and sparkling facility on 9th Street is always abuzz with activity by way of its retail store, grooming center, and daycare and boarding facilities.

This package includes a gift basket of dog toys and treats, as well as a gift certificate for $250 dollars in services at Wagtime. The certificate is not valid for holidays.

Estimated Value: $300

4. Seasonal Pantry Pasta Making Class for Six – Seasonal Pantry has been drawing foodies to Shaw since its opening in 2011. From its tiny storefront on 9th Street, Seasonal Pantry sells prepared foods, hosts gourmet dinners, and holds cooking classes. Seasonal Pantry won Shaw Main Streets’ best new business of 2011 award.

This package is a pasta making class class for six at Seasonal Pantry. Learn how to make pasta from acclaimed Chef Dan O’Brien in DC’s most unique, foodie market.

Estimated Value: $294

5. Dinner for Four at Ristorante Tosca – The award winning Italian eatery Ristorante Tosca in downtown D.C. is owned by Shaw resident Paolo Sacco. It has been consistently named by Washingtonian Magazine one of DC’s top 100 restaurants.

This package is for a dinner for four for up to $200 (food only) at Ristorante Tosca

Estimated Value: $200

6.  Beau Thai Dinner Party/Cooking Class for Six - Beau Thai began serving its authentic, made-from-scratch Thai cuisine in the Shaw neighborhood in August 2010. It has quickly garnered a loyal following and fantastic reviews – it has been named in City Paper’s Best Of DC Readers’ Poll for two years in a row.

This package is a hybrid dinner party and cooking class for six. The creative forces behind Beau Thai will host six people at a centrally located, beautiful Shaw row house for a meal that’s part cooking class and part dinner party. During this intimate evening, you will nosh on delicious Thai appetizers and sip signature cocktails and wine while the main meal is prepared for you in front of you. Enjoy dinner by candle-light and then take a few recipes home with you to make on your own later.

Estimated value: $360

7. Rogue 24 Journey Dinner for Four – Rogue 24 is an interactive culinary experience where the kitchen is at center stage and diners experience a progression of 24 courses created by James Beard Foundation award winning Chef RJ Cooper. Chef Cooper’s vision is to remove traditional barriers to dining and showcase seasonal flavors in novel textures and presentations served directly from the creator.

This package is a dinner for four Rogue 24. The diners will enjoy Rogue 24’s signature twenty-four-course “Journey Menu.”

Estimated value: $480 (excludes pairings, tax and gratuity)

8. DC Taste Cooking Class for Four – DC Taste is the amazing caterer of the Shaw in Bloom Gala. Chef/owner Jennifer Tye is formerly an assistant chef instructor at L'Academie de Cuisine, a two-year veteran cook at award-winning Michel Richard Citronelle as well as Central Michel Richard in Washington.

This Package is a cooking class for up to four people in your home with Chef Tye. The winning bidder can choose from a variety of cooking classes (like hors d’oeuvres, classic French dishes, breads, pasta, desserts, and knife skills classes).

Estimated Value: $500

9. Four In-Field Box Seat Nationals Tickets - This package is for four in-field box seat tickets to a 2012 season Nationals game. Tickets are based on availability on a mutually agreed date, excluding opening day, post-season, marques and prime games.

This package made possible by The Washington Nationals.

10.  Have a Drink Named for You at The Passenger – The Passenger, Shaw's nationally-recognized home of creative cocktails, will name a drink created with your preferences in mind (flavors and ingredients, like sweet, gin, cherry, vodka, etc.), which will be available at the bar for one week and promoted on Facebook andTwitter. You'll be able to go to The Passenger and ask for the "Joe Smith" (insert your name), and have your friends (and total strangers) do the same.

This prize has a suggested starting bid of $250.00.

11. Virginia Getaway for Two – Flint Hill, Virginia, is a peaceful retreat that feels worlds away but that is about an hour and a half from Washington. The historic community is nestled in beautiful Rappahanock County, Virginia, where wine tasting, antiquing, dining, and hiking are part of the way of life.

This package is a two night stay at the beautifully renovated Flint Hill Public House and Country Inn. Stay in one of the Inn’s luxury suite features, each of which feature a king-size bed and a private bathroom with an oversized shower, luxury linens, cable TV, free high-speed Internet, and much more.

Nearby Rappahanack Cellars has donated a Premium wine tasting, tour, and olive oil tasting for two.

Estimated Value: $300