Join the Great American Dine Out to Help End Childhood Hunger.

For once, gluttony isn’t a sin, it’s encouraged. But let’s not get too carried away, it’s only for one week! Beginning this Sunday, hundreds of DC area restaurants are offering great promotions, featuring special dishes, and donating part of their proceeds to participate in the Great American Dine-Out from September 19th to September 25th. During that week, five percent of participating restaurant’s proceeds will be donated to Share Our Strength, a national non-profit working to combat childhood hunger. For one week, we won’t judge if you eat out every night because the more that diners consume the more dollars will be donated to help make sure that no kid in America will grow up hungry.

For the third year in a row, DC area restaurants will align forces with other restaurants nationwide to support the dynamic organization and its “No Kid Hungry” campaign.  Some of my favorite restaurants are participating, such as Art and Soul, P.F. Chang’s, and Carlyle. Try newcomers such as Estadio and Ping Pong Dim Sum.

Attention Tweeters: September 20 is the first-ever Great American Dine Out Tweet-a-Thon! From 9 to 9, please tweet about the Great American Dine Out using the hashtags #DineOut and #NoKidHungry. Follow @Dine_Out  on Twitter (@Dine_Out) for the latest developments and RSVP for the Great American Dine Out Facebook event, too.

To Do This Weekend: DC’s Foodie Itinerary

Looking for some foodie fun this weekend? The Dining in DC Foodie Itinerary includes food-related events for this weekend. Below is a compilation of various, food-related events, such as tastings, fall festivals, and workshops or classes throughout the DC Washington Metropolitan area.

This time of year is peak harvest time in the area’s wine-growing regions, but harvest-season bacchanalia — festivals, grape stomps and wine and jazz nights — kicks into full gear beginning Labor Day weekend.

Friday through Sunday (Sept.17-19)

St. Constantine and Helen Greek Festival

Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church offers the largest & oldest Greek festival in the Washington, D.C. area with a world of options for those with exquisite taste. There is something for everyone, whether you’re looking to wine, dine, shop or hop. This “Taste of Greece” has authentic Greek food, authentic Greek coffee, beer, wine, and live Greek music (Hopa!). Their Greek Marketplace offers books, jewelry, trinkets and religious items. Open to the public with Free admission and parking and covered eating areas. Credit cards are accepted.

Saturday (Sept. 18)

H Street Festival

This Saturday, the Atlas District’s rocking out their 7th annual street-extravaganza with sneak peak-eats from two new kids on the block (party) such as Toki Underground offering their “Pho Real Dog” and Smith Commons dishing out delicious combos such as beer n’ tiger prawns, and their 1/4 pound Angus Beef Burger with Tequenos (a fried cheese stick). Attempt your own Man vs. Food at the pie and sandwich eating contests. Rock out to live tunes from the dude behind Bad Brains on an outdoor stage. An estimated 20,000 people attended the 2009 H Street Festival and this year should be just as good. Dig the art sales, parades, fashion shows, outlandishly decorated cars and a boxing ring. A show of art cars featuring 14 (artfully) pimped-out rides, curated by Gallery O on H. (Noon- 7 p.m)

Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 18-19)

The Virginia Wine Festival in Centreville

The Virginia Wine Festival in Centreville is one of the area’s largest and is considered the premiere Virginia wine tasting event. What began in 1975 by the Vinifera Wine Growers Association to educate the masses about the merits of Virginia wine has now become an awesome party with good imbibes. Those looking to get their buzz on will enjoy 400 varieties of wine from over 50 area wineries. Unfortunately, Centreville isn’t metro accessible, so you’ll need a designated driver. Draw straws. If it’s you, sorry about your luck. You can enjoy the festival anyway with gourmet food offerings, a juried arts show, and unbeatable musical entertainment. Designated driver tickets are $15 in advance and $22 at the door. The event is held at Bull Run Regional Park Special Events Center. Tickets are just $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. Kids 5 and younger are free.

Sunday (Sept. 19)

Vintage Crystal

Wine festivals near Metro stops are pretty much nonexistent, which might be why this Dionysian street fest in the middle of Crystal City has become so popular in just a few short years. This year, the fest is Latin themed, which means there aren’t just 30 wines, but tequila tastings. Also on tap: food from plenty of area restaurants and performances of Latin jazz. Sept. 19 from 2 to 6 p.m. 220 20th St., Arlington. $20, designated drivers $10, children free.

Stock and Sauce Cooking Class at 1789

Executive Chef Daniel Giusti and Pastry Chef Travis Olson are sharing their secrets for making great stocks and sauces. Learn how to make fish, poultry and veal stocks and the art of a fine demi-glace and beurre blanc, as well as mastering pureed sauces. The class will be held on Sunday, September 19 at 11:00 AM, and is priced at $100 per person, which includes a family style lunch, showcasing the dishes and sauces prepared in the cooking class, paired with wine from 1789’s award-winning list. Space is limited for this hands-on cooking experience and reservations are required by calling 202-965-1789.

Sunday (Sept. 19-25)

Great American Dine-Out

Hundreds of DC area restaurants are offering great promotions, featuring special dishes, and donating part of their proceeds to participate in the Great American Dine-Out from September 19th to September 25th. During that week, five percent of participating restaurant’s proceeds will be donated to Share Our Strength, a national non-profit working to combat childhood hunger. The time has finally come where gluttony is no longer a sin, but cause for honorable celebration. To find participating restaurants see the Share Our Strength website.

Loseapalooza: Help fight hunger today on social media.

Help fight hunger all day today Tuesday, September 14 just by doing what you normally do everyday … using Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms but this time for a cause. Sponsored by Weight Watchers, the one-day social media event will donate $1 (up to $60,000) to Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger for every person who mentions the “Lose for Good” campaign.

Everyone in DC should be very familiar with Share Our Strength who hosts the premiere Taste of the Nation event in DC and the Great American Dine out.

Those on Twitter can use the hashtag #LoseForGood. Facebook users can “Like” or comment on “Lose-a-Palooza” updates on Weight Watchers, Share Our Strength, or Action Against Hunger. Bloggers can mention the phrase “Lose for Good,” and any Weight Watchers members can check-in via Foursquare to help donate.

Discount tickets to 2010′s hottest foodie event!

With New Year’s Eve approaching fast, I’m sure all of us have heard about the year’s hottest party – blah blah blah. I know its hard to think about an event happening next year, but if you can recall everyone and their brother talked about this event! It’s a perfect time to get a jump on next year’s biggest foodie event! In 2009, Taste of the Nation Washington, DC raised $124,000 to help fight childhood hunger. Local beneficiaries include Capital Area Food Bank, DC Hunger Solutions and Mary’s Center.  At a crucial time, this year’s event will help meet the staggering demand to feed the nearly 1 in 4 children that go hungry in the U.S.  

In the spirit of giving back this holiday season, Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation^® Washington, DC will offer a special holiday ticket sale.  As Washington, DC’s premier epicurean celebration, the 2010 affair will feature the area’s culinary stars working together to end childhood hunger in Washington, DC. I have volunteered to be a part of this upcoming fabulous event and have attended meetings and gatherings for the last several months in preparation. I wish that I would have remembered to put this on my Gift Wish List.  

As a thank you for purchasing your ticket now, Taste of the Nation Washington, DC will offer a limited time holiday discount until December 31, 2009, both General Admission (originally $85) and VIP tickets (originally $125) will be offered at a special 10% discounted price. Tickets can be purchased by visiting TasteOfTheNation.org/holiday.  Please follow the instructions for the DC event and enter JINGLE in the promotional code field.

Each ticket purchased helps Share Our Strength’s ambitious campaign to help end childhood hunger in America by 2015.  In the wake of staggering reports that nearly half of all children in the U.S. will be on food stamps at some point in their life, there is no time to waste.  The time to act is now.

On Monday, April 12^th at the National Building Museum from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., with an exclusive preview hour for VIP guests beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Guests can look forward to a showcase of more than 60 of the area’s best restaurants, wine bars and mixoligists for an evening of exquisite dining and imbibing. Leading DC’s event are Chef Chair RJ Cooper of Vidalia, Mixologist Chair Derek Brown of The Passenger, and Wine Chair Nadine Brown of Charlie Palmer Steak.  Live DJ entertainment, interactive mixology lessons and the chance to win luxury auction items are just a sampling of what to expect at the fabulous event.

Tickets for Taste of the Nation Washington, DC are available for purchase at TasteOfTheNation.org/washington.