WINE DOWN!
Last night, 15 of the region's top real estate women gathered at theBethesda home of Rand Construction Chairman Linda Rabbitt for their quarterly dose of social networking and fine wine. Linda and BrandywineSVP Janet Davis dreamed up the ?Wine Down Society? in 1994 and have alternated hosting ever since.
Although the Grgich Chardonnay and Sterling Pinot Noir flowed, the evening was special because it doubled as a baby shower for Cathy Delcoco's 10th month old, Luca Gabriel, above, whom she brought home from Guatemala three months ago. He was the hit of the party, and the only gentleman allowed to stay the entire evening. Amazing what CBRE's Cathy can juggle: she's also been busy helping one defense contractor purchase 23 acres in Chantilly, another do a built-to-suit of 40,000 SF in Loudoun, and a third consolidate 200,000 SF in an undisclosed location. Also at dinner, Pillsbury attorney Wendy White, right, who spent last week representing Lowe and Magic Johnson's joint venture in buying theWashington Hilton as we wrote about yesterday.
Studley Vice Chair Lois Zambo, above left, and host Linda Rabbittstand beside Linda?s bountiful and baby-themed table. Linda went through another passage two weeks ago: her daughter Ashleigh's wedding at theNational Cathedral. Ashleigh and her betrothed are opera singers (coloratura soprano and baritone) based in New York, and during the reception at the Mellon Auditorium he sang to her on bended knee. As a surprise, Linda lip-synced a Barbara Streisand tune, ?Look at That Face.? The event was so elegant that when Linda told someone she was ?having Barbara Streisand sing it,? some took her literally, looking around forBabs. Linda admits she doesn't know how to sing and can only explain Ashleigh's ability by the fact that Linda's mother was Italian. As for Lois, she's kept busy recently not just as a lady-in-waiting at the wedding attending to ?MOB? (mother-of-the-bride), but renovating all six of her bathrooms—for some reason, at the same time.
Quadrangle?s Helen Haerle, right, has been busy commuting toRichmond where Quadrangle just acquired its first property there, a 260 unit apartment building. She says Richmond is very dynamic and ?you?d be surprised at all the Washington real estate people down there.? With her,Brandywine?s Janet Davis.
Marty Almquist, left, who just joined Cassidy & Pinkard from Equity Office, took off two weeks in April to enjoy beautiful weather in Paris andBurgundy. Meany & Oliver?s Sharon Oliver, center, is celebrating the high school graduation one of her four kids by taking the family next month to Florence and Venice. And CB?s Roberta Liss spent yesterday golfing with the Greater Washington Sports Alliance at Raspberry Falls with other CBers in her foursome like Scott Leachman and John Germano. All her hiking at Wintergreen and biking in the Blue Ridgegive her a competitive advantage in endurance, plus a nice suntan.
Genler?s Diane Hoskins, left, one of the triumvirate that runs the giant national firm, came back early from a board meeting in Shanghai to attend Ashleigh?s wedding. With her, Holland & Knight'sTanja Castro, who has been busy recently helping the private developer of the new Swedish embassy near the Watergate sell it to the Swedish government.
