Sip, Don't Drink. This Message Probably Supported by Robert Egger.

Everyone knows I no longer attend parties unless they benefit a social cause I identify with, or if Josef tells me to. Well today, fellow philanthro-partiers, (I literally just thought of that term) I am here to tell you about a party that not only benefits my two favorite DC non-profits, but that I found out about all by myself, and I will bring Josef as my date for once.

In fact, this article is merely an elaborate artifice that I have constructed around my desire to announce to the world that Robert Egger is the best person, and we should all partake in anything to which he is even tangentially related. For one, punk music. A bunch of  punk icons are huge fans- like the guys from Fugazi who spoke and played at his tribute party at The Hamilton last week. For another, juice. Egger is moving to LA to start a new food justice kitchen focusing on nutrient-dense fruit and vegetable juices for improved nutrition for the elderly. I named one of my juices after him at my new weekly yoga brunch parties. (It has lotus root, ginger, and pineapple in it - Do you like those flavors, Robert?) And lastly, at least for the moment, is Sips & Suppers (S&S); two nights of philanthropic parties that will make inaugural weekend look like a snooze. Suppers, on Sunday night, is über fancy dinners from famous DC chefs like Jose Andres (a genius, and what a charmer!), Kaz Okochi (the BEST sushi), and Roberto Donna (pretty sure he invented pasta). I'm fancy, but even I am not fancy enough for these dinners. Luckily for me, Sips, on Saturday, is a bigger, more festive party at the Newseum- catering to us millennial types. The fundraising planner masterminds putting on this event have got all of their bases covered here:

Base 1: Benefit great causes. The money raised from ticket sales will be shared between DC Central Kitchen, the best and most obvious idea that no one but Robert Egger ever could have had, and Martha's Table, the parent organization of my favorite thrift store, Martha's Outfitters, from which I buy most of the outlandish pieces that make me look ridiculous at this very type of event.

Base 2: Get lots of amazing collaborators on board with you. S&S has signed on over 40 mixologists, chefs and artisanal food experts to come together to provide cocktails, food tastings, and demos for the evening. The beverage highlight will obviously be the cocktail magic of Dan Searing, of Room 11, which is basically like a daycare center for me. His libations will certainly pair nicely with the glorious raw vegan delicacies of new catering group, Goûter.

Base 3: Make it interesting. Thank Xena these people have dropped the stale framework of "tell them it is for a good cause and get them wasted yay the end." While of course you will be fully encouraged to get as toasted as you and/or your date see fit (Make this decision in advance! Learn from my mistakes) you will also have the opportunity to learn something new (like how to make kunafe), and actually meet leaders in the field of food justice. Who, you ask? How about the revolutionary goddess of Chez Panisse, Alice Waters, for one? Not too shabby...

Base 4: Play live jazz. What's the deal with people not playing jazz music at all occasions? It is always the right choice, unless you are for some reason feeling dub step, in which case get it out of your system then come back to jazz tomorrow. At the Sips event on Saturday we will be hearing The J Kelly Ensemble. No relation to "R" as far as I know. I would link to them but they apparently do not exist on the internet- how exciting!

In case you didn't notice, I have just created a baseball metaphor, and the event is a "touchdown," as they say is the athletic arts. See you there.

When: Saturday, January 26, 2013, 7:00 pm
Where: Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Ticket price: $95 ($70 is tax deductible, whatever that means! Buy 'em here.)

AND how about this?

Just because we love you, and these people (read: Robert Egger) so much, comment on this article, retweet it, or share it on faceplace, and you will be entered to win two free tickets to Sips. Fun, huh?