Reliable Source

A "flower child" hands out blossoms outside the Ritz's ballroom Thursday night. (All photos Marissa Newhall/The Washington Post)

Peace, love, puppies -- and an eight-hour party.

That was Thursday night's 16th annual Knock Out Abuse gala, where Washington's upper-crust ladies -- and 700 friends -- spent a lot of money in the name of domestic abuse prevention.

This year's event had a '60s theme: "protesters" at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel's front door, flower child entry bracelets (worth $500 a pop), and male models in hippie garb, handing out flowers. Our colleague Marissa Newhall was there to soak it all in.

From 6:30 on, open bars kept the cocktail reception humming. Carol Joynt, Lisa Collis, Pamela Sorensen, event co-founders Cheryl Masri and Jill Sorensen and event chair Gina Adams, FedEx's top lobbyist, mingled; rumored "Real Housewives" Mary Amons and Lynda Erkelitian were there, as was Paul Wharton, a local style-setter linked to the in-production series. Meanwhile, Marlene Cooke perused the silent-auction spread (an assortment of laser lipo packages, baby clothes and Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses, among other things).

The real spending started after dinner, live-auction style. First on the block: A real live shih tzu mix puppy. Sleeping, in a basket. Until a shirtless guy picked it up and held it aloft. Boom: $3,250.

It was rapid fire after that. Eyebrow-shaping party for 30 at Erwin Gomez's Georgetown salon: $7,000. Private tango lessons with Robert Duvall: $3,000. Catered dinner for 10 at the D.C. Firehouse: $6,000.

And here are the firefighters, on stage in yellow "I Rescue Knockouts" tees, hoping to up the bidding. How about the very shirts off their backs? $500 a piece. Not many takers. "They sweated on them!" the auctioneer offers. A few more hands shoot up. A few more shirts come off.

A shih tzu mix puppy, on the auction block, sold for $3,250.

Of course, "this is a serious event," emcee Andrea Roane reminds the noisy crowd. Actress Robin Givens, a former Sarah Lawrence classmate of Knock Out committee chair Ann Walker Marchant, achieved the night's closest thing to hushed silence. After being introduced as a "domestic abuse survivor," she spoke of her marriage to ex-husband Mike Tyson.

"I know there is opportunity in adversity. He really helped make me the woman I am today," Givens said. "Far from perfect, but on a good road. I like myself, you know?" (We'd like to point out that she's got a bright career in motivational speaking, if she wants it.)

Among the missing: Knock Out fixture Clinton Portis. The Redskins running back was expected, but halfway through the live auction someone announced he'd had "a medical emergency." It's unclear what that meant, but the Redskins assured us he's OK now: Portis was at practice Friday and is set to play in Sunday's away game against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Ritz-Carlton ballroom, awash in '60s fare.

Around midnight, the mostly male crowd from partner event Fight Night, held simultaneously at the Washington Hilton, peppered the Ritz with tuxedos. (Among them: Michael Saylor, Mark Ein and Late Night Shots founder Reed Landry.) How was that party?

Fight Night was its usual swaggering self -- 1,500 well-heeled men choking down scotch, thick steaks and cigar smoke. The entertainment: boxing matches, Redskins cheerleaders doing a stripper-ish bump and grind, a parade of aging former champs (Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard), a four-song set by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and an auction where suburban tycoons outbid each other on a single American flag from an Afghan military base until it sold for $62,500.

Amid the machismo, tribute was paid to D.C. philanthropist Joe Robert, Fight Night's founder. Robert looked fit and confident, but -- as everyone in the room knew -- is fighting brain cancer. Video testimonials praising his work came in from Colin Powell, Don Graham, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Peter Pace, KISS and Oprah Winfrey.

George Clooney in "The Men Who Stare at Goats." (Laura Macgruder/Overture Films via Bloomberg)

Good afternoon, everyone. Time to roundup this weekend's new film releases:

--Ann Hornaday says "The Men Who Stare at Goats" (George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges) has "an affable, amiable pace; it's a smart, amusing picaresque that taps into the gonzo energy and toughness of Hunter S. Thompson and Stanley Kubrick, while never achieving their ferocity and fire."

--Michel O'Sullivan says "Disney's A Christmas Carol" "is a tall glass of Dickens with a 'Beetlejuice' chaser."

--And then we have "The Fourth Kind," of which Sullivan has this to say (before rating it one star, out of four):

Someone -- or something -- has been terrorizing the people of Nome, Alaska.

It has the ability to magically levitate people. Its presence is heralded by the appearance of a mysterious white owl. In its wake, it leaves a smell. Of putrid cinnamon.

Omigod. Omigod. It's . . . What? Harry Potter? Hedwig? A mug of stale butterbeer?

Oops. Wrong movie.

Elsewhere in today's Style section: The Terra Cotta Warriors arrive at the National Geographic Museum, their new temporary home. Liza Mundy profiles Anne Schuchat of the CDC. And Carolyn See reviews John Grisham's newest book, a collection of short stories.

Tips? Sightings? E-mail us: reliablesource@washpost.com. And follow us on Twitter: @ReliableSource.

The men behind a-ha: Magna Furuholmen, Morten Harket and Pal Waaktar-Savoy. (AP Photo/Maya Hitij)

Anyone going to the Norwegian Embassy's Web site this week was stunned by news bannered on the front: a-ha is breaking up!
Wait ... a-ha has been together all this time? And they're from Norway? And this is really Norway's biggest news?

"This is a big event for Norway," embassy spokesman Arild Strommen told our colleague Marissa Newhall. The '80s synth-pop band stayed hot there into the '90s, he said, "then they kind of fell off the face of the Earth. But as with many other onetime great bands, they made their comeback."

They toured the States only once (playing Constitution Hall in fall '86), but the vintage MTV icons are still huge in Europe, Russia, Brazil, Australia -- and, yes, Japan. The band will do a farewell tour next year.

Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S. Wegger Chr. Strommen poses with members of the Norwegian black metal band Enslaved. (Courtesy of the Royal Norwegian Embassy)

Norwegians seem pretty broken up about this, but Strommen says there's plenty of other Norwegian music to enjoy. Such as? A bit of everything: electro-pop acts like Datarock; indie rockers like Sondre Lerche and Ida Maria; jazz (the embassy helps put on the annual Nordic Jazz Festival in D.C.); and a lot of metal. Black-metal band Enslaved even got a meeting with Norwegian Ambassador Wegger Chr. Strommen when in town to play the 9:30 club this summer.

Sandra Bullock (Jason Merritt/Getty Images for the Hollywood Film Festival)

Squabbling: Sandra Bullock, who with husband Jesse James has entered an increasingly ugly custody battle with his ex-wife, former porn actress Janine Lindemulder, over 5-year-old daughter Sunny Lee. The actress and the former "Monster Garage" host got custody when the mom went to jail for tax evasion, CNN reports, and are trying to make the order permanent, saying Lindemulder has a drug problem and a new husband who's a felon. Lindemulder took the battle public Thursday on "Good Morning America," saying that she's clean now and that "Sandy doesn't know what goes on in my house."

Kevin Johnson gives D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee a hug after testifying on her behalf at her confirmation hearing in July 2007. (Dayna Smith for the Washington Post)

To say that Michelle Rhee and Kevin Johnson rolled out their relationship carefully is an understatement. Last winter, the D.C. schools chief declined to say whether she and the mayor of Sacramento -- a longtime friend and close political ally -- were dating.

Not even after we saw them holding hands during the inauguration! ("I don't comment on my personal life," she said at the time.)

But seems as though they're officially a couple now. In fact, she confirmed for us, they're engaged.

Rhee, 39, spoke Wednesday night at a Democrats for Education Reform/DC School Reform Now event downtown, and a pretty sparkly thing on her left hand caught the eye of more than one audience member. Seems fitting, since this is a relationship we've largely followed via sightings of the two at various policy-wonk confabs.

They seem to have bonded over education reform. Johnson, 43, is a former NBA star who transitioned into politics as the founder of a charter school -- Rhee served on its board -- before winning his first race last year to become mayor of his home town. Rhee also served on his transition team.

When she was tapped by Mayor Adrian Fenty in 2007 to become schools chancellor, Johnson testified at her confirmation hearing. (Rhee left the board of his St. Hope Academy after starting her job here.)

What next? It's the obvious question for any bicoastal power couple, especially with both careers so closely tied to separate cities. Rhee, who is divorced with two kids, has had a tumultuous couple of months, at odds with D.C. Council members and teachers over her budget cuts and firing of nearly 400 staffers. The never-married Johnson, meanwhile, is still in the first year as mayor and dealing with the drip-drip-drip of one of those annoying municipal scandals (a city employee who allegedly handed out illegal permits to developers).

But Rhee told us she's not leaving D.C. They plan on a long engagement -- no wedding date set, and none envisioned in the near term -- and will keep this a commuter relationship for a while.

Left to right: Michelle Obama wore Moschino to her husband's health care address in September; to a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White House in May; and during a visit to the Vatican in July. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak; AP Photo/Gerald Herbert; AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Good afternoon, everyone. We wonder what Michelle Obama is wearing today. Something simple, from J. Crew? Or perhaps something fancier -- from Moschino?

Robin Givhan says the first lady's penchant for this Italian design house makes sense (it's unique and fashionable, just like she is), but it's puzzling that it hasn't attracted much attention. After all, this is the same country whose apparel unions raised hell when Jackie Kennedy showed a proclivity for French clothing back in the '60s. Writes Givhan:

For all the public hyperventilation over Obama's favored young American brands, from Jason Wu and Thakoon to the modestly priced J. Crew, the first lady's affection for Moschino has gone, not unnoticed, but unremarked upon, which is remarkable in light of a recent history that has included such isolationist symbolism as "freedom fries." But as a sign of the times -- in this age of global corporate calamity -- "made in America" now engenders a more complicated, more nuanced response.

Moschino is a perfect example. "Most of the items [Obama] has worn were done by my first assistant designer, who is from Chicago. . . . Just the fact that Bill is from Chicago gives a kind of 'P.C.' justification that Mrs. Obama is wearing the clothing," [Moscino designer Rossella Jardini] says. Adding: "We have designers from all over the world, but often American designers design a certain kind of clear and modern silhouette."

Elsewhere in today's Style section: Residents of three American towns hate traffic enforcement cameras so much, they voted to rip 'em down. Alex Rodriguez should re-think those snot rockets, it being H1N1 season and all. And here's another article about how we will all be reading e-books soon, even if we hate the idea.

Tips? Sightings? E-mail us: reliablesource@washpost.com. And follow us on Twitter: @ReliableSource.

Antonella Cinque, Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata and their twins, Giulio and Nina. (Courtesy of the Italian Embassy)

Italy's new ambassador to the U.S., Giulio Maria Terzi di Sant'Agata, Wednesday presented his credentials to President Obama accompanied by longtime girlfriend Antonella Cinque.

That Cinque is not his wife would have caused a fuss just a few years ago. Now, not so much. "I can tell you that I'm excited and pleased to have my family with me," Terzi told us.

The 63-year-old diplomat (formerly Italy's rep to the U.N., ambassador to Israel, a foreign minister in Rome) and Cinque, an attorney and former head of Italy's FDA, have been together for several years, own a $2 million home in New York, and have 19-month-old twins (a boy, Giulio, and girl, Nina). Cinque, 48, was married once before; Terzi declined to discuss his marital status due to "ongoing legal procedures."

Diplomatic protocol still notes who is married and who is not; Carla Bruni wasn't officially welcome in some countries before her wedding to French President Nicolas Sarkozy. But things are changing rapidly: Although married couples still dominate Washington's Embassy Row, bachelors and their companions have become more common -- Germany's Wolfgang Ischinger and the Netherlands's Boudewijn van Eenennaam both had live-in girlfriends and eventually tied the knot. (It was the Bush years, after all.) France's current envoy, Pierre Vimont, was separated from his wife when he arrived two years ago and entertains with his Parisian paramour at official embassy events.

"I believe it is an evolution all over the world," said Terzi, who arrived in Washington last month. "It has not been an issue in my country for many, many years."

Another barrier is about to drop at Villa Firenze, the Italian's elegant D.C. home. The ambassador vetoed Cinque's request for a swing set on the lawn -- not appropriate for a formal residence, he thought. But ..... that was before she spotted Malia and Sasha's playset on the White House South Lawn. Guess who just won that argument?

Bob McDonnell (Left: AP/Jacquelyn Martin; center and right: AP/Steve Helber.)

Virginia, meet your new governor! But it feels like you've somehow always known him, doesn't it? That's because with his crinkly-eyed smile and great hair, Bob McDonnell has an uncommon number of celebrity doppelgangers. Here are just a few -- but please leave your suggestions of others.

Left: local meteorologist Bob Ryan. Right: A young Tom Brokaw. (Courtesy of News 4; Reuters/Peter Morgan)

Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds," left; at right, Matthew Modine. (Francois Duhamel/The Weinstein Company; Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Not pictured: The guy in that Viagra commercial talking to his reflection in the store window.

PETA intern Kelsey Jaye, right, takes a shower in downtown Washington with PETA employee Jessica Levin. Note the high number of interested dudes. (Evy Mages for the Washington Post)

Good afternoon, everyone! Jump right into the Reliable Source chat, happening now. Submit a question here.

Otherwise, we've got a few things to teach you about PETA interns. You know, the ones doing all those crazy naked things on the street? PETA's are competitive internships, and people as old as 43 are psyched to relocate so they can not be paid to have one. Writes Monica Hesse:

The ones in Washington stay in a sleek, donated U Street rowhouse with dorm-style beds. There is a corresponding house in Norfolk. The interns spend their days doing the things that most interns in Washington spend their days doing -- envelope stuffing, office work -- as well as the things that most interns in Washington don't, like dressing up as bloody seals and writhing on the street in front of the Canadian Embassy.

Jaye, 18, was at that particular protest in September, one of three arrested as she belly-crawled across a crosswalk. She was also at a Times Square demo, which was another naked one. "There were 50 demonstrators in a big naked pile, with arrows sticking out everywhere" to protest bullfighting, she says. "It was totally empowering. It's great to be able to use your body as a tool."

Elsewhere in today's Style section: Part two of Caitlin Gibson's story of a teen heroin ring in Centreville, Va. Former National Symphony Orchestra music director Leonard Slatkin has a heart attack while conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; after surgery, he's doing OK. And Chris Richards recaps Bruce Springsteen's show at the Verizon Center this week.

Tips? Sightings? E-mail us: reliablesource@washpost.com. And follow us on Twitter: @ReliableSource.