Just prior to our New Year's Eve Gala, we concluded our 2005 event calendar with a Happy Hour at Indebleu. We enjoyed the opportunity to say farewell to 2005 with friends both old and new.

We enjoyed an evening of ice skating with other ICDC members. We started the evening with an ice skating lesson followed by ice skating in a beautiful rink in the heart of Washington DC surrounded by monuments. It was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a memorable session of nighttime skating in this intimate, lighted rink, convenient to so many attractions in the downtown area.

We embarked on a private tour of the National Gallery of Art to discover 19th Century French paintings. As the century began, the academic style favored by the official Salon in France still dictated the success of artists and public taste. But soon that began to change. Realists turned convention on its head to give heroic character to everyday subjects. Manet scandalized the public with his images of modern life. Impressionists tried to capture fleeting effects of light and atmosphere.

At our Discover SCUBA Splash Party we entered the magical underwater world by making a dive in the safety of a swimming pool with an instructor. We hope to see you at our next SCUBA Splash party!

During another installment of our very popular monthly fencing lessons, we learned how to fence and enjoyed an afternoon of fencing with other attendees. We invite you to join us for a future fencing lesson!

We took part in an evening of Albanian art, music, food, and drinks at the Embassy of Albania. It was a great opportunity to celebrate Albanian traditions, culture, art, food, and drinks while meeting diplomatic staff at the embassy. The dinner reception also included an Albanian art show and concert.

We braved the cold weather and even a little bit of snow to experience the beautiful scenery and tranquility of Great Falls Park in wintertime. We were rewarded by serene landscapes and views of a spectacular waterfall. It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet other ICDC members who love the outdoors.

We learned how to prepare a complete Lebanese Meal at Lebanese Taverna The cooking class was preceded by a reception with wine and followed by dinner with wine. It was also a great opportunity to meet other ICDC members who like to cook and enjoy international cuisine. We hope to see you at our next cooking class!

Our volunteer events at the Capital Area Food Bank are a wonderful way to help the community and address hunger in the Washington DC area. During our volunteer event at the Food Bank in December we packed and sorted food for distribution while meeting other caring ICDC members. We invite you to join us for a future volunteer event at the Capital Area food bank.

We celebrated the holiday season at the Embassy of France. It was a great opportunity to meet other international-minded professionals, take part in casino games, dance to a live orchestra and DJ, enjoy French food and drinks, savor European holiday chocolate, and donate to a worthy cause with holiday presents for local hospitalized children.

We enjoyed a classical concert and reception with wine at the Austrian Embassy featuring world-renowned Austrian baritone Wolfgang Holzmair. The event was organized in cooperation with the Embassy of Austria Cultural Forum and the American-Austrian Society. The concert featured songs by Eric Zeisl, Franz Mittler and Robert Fürstenthal.

Our monthly Happy Hour for November was held at Finemondo. A wonderful Italian restaurant located in the downtown business district. ICDC members enjoyed the opportunity to meet and socialize with other members while sampling light Italian food.

An international dance party the day before Thanksgiving is an ICDC tradition. We enjoyed a night of dancing at Left Bank at Adams Morgan while meeting other ICDC members who are in town for the Thanksgiving Day weekend.

We learned how to prepare a complete Indian meal, including dessert. The cooking lesson was followed by lunch to meet and socialize with other attendees who enjoy Indian cuisine.

The US Botanic Gardens, located just steps from the US Capital, is an oasis of nature and tranquility. Being amongst lush green plants and flowers in bloom was a wonderful respite from the cold winter weather in DC. Our private tour of the US Botanic Gardens also provided an opportunity to meet other ICDC members with an interest in horticulture.

We enjoyed a night of Latin dancing at Andalu. The evening started with a salsa lesson and was followed by the opportunity to meet and dance with other ICDC members. Our monthly dance parties are a great opportunity to learn or practice a new style of dancing.

Each month we host a language discussion session for our members who speak a foreign language. In November we practiced our French, Spanish, and German with the help of native speakers who have experience teaching.

We stepped back in time to experience the timeless elegance of a Viennese Ball at the National Press Club. We enjoyed a magical and memorable night of dancing to the music of the Con Brio Orchestra performing the world's most beloved waltzes. The ball included a traditional Viennese Grand March as well as a Quadrille.

We invite you to join us for our 2006 New Year's Eve Gala for another opportunity to enjoy a night of ballroom dancing and Viennese waltzes to the sounds of the Con Brio Orchestra.

The International Club of DC organizes private tours of the National Gallery of Art once a month. The tours are a great way to discover one of the world's finest art collections while meeting other ICDC members who appreciate art. We look forward to seeing you at our next tour of the National Gallery of Art.

We celebrated Halloween at our swing dance party. The event included a swing dance performance as well as a costume contest in addition to dancing to a great selection of swing music.

Our Anniversary Gala and Masquerade Ball was held at the Grand Ballroom of the National Museum of Women in the Arts and was attended by over 400 ICDC members. The evening was a memorable celebration of international music, food, wine, and dancing and featured dancing to a ballroom orchestra as well as a Brazilian band in addition to a delectable dinner and an extravagant dessert buffet.

Our October Happy Hour at the Embassy Row Hilton Hotel was a joint collaboration with the United Nations Association's Young Professionals for International Cooperation. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet and socialize with members of both organizations over cocktails. We hope to see you at an upcoming Happy Hour!

Fall is a beautiful time in Washington DC. Leaves change color creating a kaleidoscopic tapestry of colors all around us. During our final kayaking session for 2006 we experienced the beautiful fall foliage colors by kayaking on the Potomac River.

Our Swing Vs. Salsa dance parties are a great way to learn both swing and salsa dancing and spend the night dancing away to a great mix of swing and salsa music while meeting other ICDC members. We hope to see you at our upcoming salsa lesson and Latin dance party.

Our monthly Languages of the World discussion sessions are a great way to practice a foreign language with other ICDC members. Each discussion table is facilitated by a native speaker with experience teaching the language. We look forward to seeing you at our next Languages of the World discussion session.

We experienced the vibrant fall foliage colors during a memorable hiking trip to Shenandoah National Park. After enjoying a picnic lunch, we hiked along a scenic trail with waterfalls.

Kayaking on the Potomac River in the evening is a wonderful experience and a unique way to experience the monuments and the Washington DC skyline. The evening was even more memorable since we were able to enjoy kayaking under a full moon after the sunset. Upon our return, we enjoyed a picnic dinner at our Georgetown dock.

We concluded our 2005 sailing season with a wonderful afternoon sail on the Potomac River and a picnic lunch on the dock. The lesson covered the basics of navigating a sailboat with hands-on activities during the sail.

We visited the Embassy of Slovakia for a very special celebration of Slovak culture, art, food, and wine. It was a great opportunity to learn about Slovakia while you meet the embassy staff and other distinguished guests. We discovered the beauty of Slovakia, tasted authentic food prepared by the embassy chef, and tasted some of Slovakia's finest wines. While enjoying an art exhibit by the Slovak American artist Bernard Pracko, we also listened to traditional and contemporary Slovak music.

After meeting other ICDC members for breakfast we embarked on a private tour of the Washington National Cathedral. It was a wonderful opportunity to discover the history and significance of one of Washington's most majestic architectural monuments.

We learned how to dance tango while meeting and socializing with other ICDC members who love to dance. The dance lessons was followed by a dance party featuring Latin and tango music.

We organized a joint Happy Hour with the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area Young Professionals for International Cooperation at the rooftop of the EMbassy Row Hilton Hotel. It was a great opportunity to make new friends from around the while while networking and socializing amidst the downtown skyline and Washington's majestic monuments after watching the sunset.

We enjoyed an absolutely wonderful day of sailing on the Potomac River. We were fortunate to have a day with plenty of wind to learn various aspects of operating and navigating a sailboat. After the sailing lesson we enjoyed a picnic lunch while meeting and socializing with other attendees.

Our monthly tours of the National Gallery of Art are a wonderful way to discover, appreciate, and learn about the extensive art collection of the National Gallery of Art. The tour this month focused on the Italian Renaissance paintings.

We learned how to prepare a complete Indian meal with the help of the chef at Heritage India, one of DC's most popular restaurants. After the cooking lesson we enjoyed an Indian lunch while meeting other ICDC members who enjoy Indian cuisine.

We began the weekend with a relaxing cruise on the Potomac River. We departed from Georgetown and enjoys sights of DC after sunset while meeting and socializing with other attendees. The cruise also featured Tex-Mex food and margaritas.
We hope to see you at our final cruise for 2005!

We took part in a unique tasting experience at the Westin Grand Hotel when we had the opportunity to sample world renowned Macallan Single Malt Highland Scotch Whisky. The evening included a cocktail reception with an open bar and heavy hors d'oeuvres to meet and socialize with other attendees before the scotch tasting. After the reception, Caspar Macral, Macallan Brand Ambassador took us on a fascinating journey of discovery where we learned about the history, heritage, and making of scotch whisky.

Our sailing on the Potomac River is a wonderful way to experience summer in DC. We start each session with an introduction to sailing and navigating a sailboat followed by hands-on instruction on how to operate a sailboat. The sessions are followed by a picnic lunch giving the opportunity to relax and meet other ICDC members.

Watching the sunset from the Potomac River while gently floating just inches from the water is a memorable experience. After the sunset, we enjoyed watching the DC skyline come to life at a distance. We returned back to our private Georgetown deck for a picnic dinner.

Our August Happy Hour and international end-of-summer party was held at the rooftop of Chloe in Adams Morgan. It was a great opportunity to meet other ICDC members after work in a relaxed setting while enjoying the last days of summer. Attendees also enjoyed a summer BBQ. We hope to see you at our September Happy Hour at the rooftop of the Embassy Row Hilton Hotel.

Swing and salsa are two of the most popular styles of partner dancing in the Washington DC area. At our dance event at Platinum Nightclub, we learned how to dance swing and salsa from 2 master dance instructors. Over 250 attendees joined us for the lessons and dance party.

We enjoyed a day of hiking at Great Falls Park. Great Falls Park, located just minutes from Washington DC, includes a spectacular waterfall. The trip also included a picnic lunch and it was a wonderful opportunity to meet other ICDC members who love the outdoors and nature.

Kayaking on the Potomac River just before sunset is a truly surreal experience. Imagine gently floating along the Potomac River just inches above the water, while observing nature and wild life around you. After sunset, we returned to our private dock in Georgetown for a candle-lit picnic dinner and socialize with other attendees.

Our monthly tennis lessons are very popular with ICDC members . Based on skill level, attendees are separated into small groups with each group focusing on specific aspects of the game. The tennis lessons are a great way to practice, while meeting other attendees who enjoy playing tennis. The tennis lessons were followed by a catered lunch.

Our continuing volunteer events at the Capital Area Food Bank are a wonderful way to give back to the community and help those who are less fortunate. In a single afternoon, we sorted and packed food for 1,200 people who are in need of food. We thank all the ICDC members who participated and hope you are able to join us at our next volunteer initiative at the Capital Area Food Bank.

Our August Happy Hour was at Gazuza, a wonderful venue a couple of blocks north of Dupont Circle. We enjoyed drink specials while socializing with other ICDC members on the spacious outdoor patio. It was great opportunity to see old friends and make new friends from around the world.

Our popular Languages of the World discussion sessions are an ICDC signature event held once a month for ICDC members who speak a foreign language. Each month, we focus on the different languages, with native speakers who have experience teaching facilitating language discussion at each language table. Our language discussions this month included Spanish, French, Portuguese and German.

We embarked on a culinary journey to India. The Indian cooking class followed by lunch was held at Heritage, one of the most celebrated Indian restaurants in town. We Learned about exotic spices and how to prepare a traditional Indian meal at home. Following the cooking class, we enjoyed an Indian lunch with dessert while enjoying the company of other attendees. We hope to see you at our next Indian cooking class!

We enjoyed a private tour of the National Gallery of Art West Building and learned about 19th Century French paintings. As the century began, the academic style favored by the official Salon in France still dictated the success of artists and public taste. But soon that began to change. Realists turned convention on its head to give heroic character to everyday subjects. The tour was preceded by tea and snacks at the Cascade Cafe to meet and socialize with other ICDC members.

On a warm summer evening we enjoyed a luau at the Embassy of France. Our luau featured a luau band with dancers, a Latin band, as well as a DJ performing dance music for the rest of the evening. Attendees also enjoyed a luau dinner and tropical drinks while making new friends from around the world.

At our Macallan scotch tasting at the Westin Grand Hotel, we discovered and sampled world renowned Macallan scotch. We learned about the history of scotch, how it is made, pairing scotch with different meals, as well as tasting and enjoying it. The event also included a reception to socialize and meet other ICDC attendees.

We visited Luray Caverns and Shenandoah National Park from a refreshing change of scenery. It was a great opportunity to discover nature, breathe some fresh air and relax. Shenandoah Mountains is a National Park as well as a mountain range with scenic overlooks. We hiked to the highest point of the park. Luray Caverns is the largest underground cavern complex on the Eastern United States with amazing rock formations millions of years old.

We learned how to sail on the Potomac River while meeting other ICDC members who enjoy sailing. The lesson focused on the basics of navigating a sailboat including hands-on activities. After the sailing session we enjoyed a picnic lunch while meeting and socializing with other attendees.

It was wonderful to cruise on the Potomac River soon after a rain storm. As we cruised on the Potomac River while enjoying Greek food, we enjoyed spectacular views of the Washington DC skyline shrouded in fog. We look forward to seeing you at our next cruise on the Potomac River!

Fencing is one of our most popular monthly activities that requires no prior experience. After learning the basics, we learn to fence by practicing with other attendees. It's a great sport for building patience, concentration, and strength while getting a workout at the same time! We invite you to join us at our next fencing session!

During a private tour of the Washington National Cathedral for ICDC members, we discovered the history and architectural details of one of the most majestic architectural monuments in town. The Washington National Cathedral is the second largest cathedral in the United States and is built in the genuinely Classical Gothic-style as cathedrals were originally in Medieval France. prior to the tour, we socialized with other attendees over breakfast and coffee.

Salsa is the most popular Latin dance in Washington DC. With the help of an expert dance instructor from the Ballroom Dance Company, we learned how to dance salsa. The salsa lesson was followed by a Latin dance party. The evening was a great opportunity to dance the night away while meeting other ICDC members who love to dance.

The July 4th Fireworks in Washington DC is one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in America attracting around a million residents and tourists. We had front-row tickets for this amazing spectacle. After enjoying a relaxing dinner about the 65 foot schooner "America's Spirit" we sailed the Potomac River and enjoyed a spectacular fireworks display.

Our monthly tennis lessons are a great way to get a workout, improve your tennis, and meet other active ICDC members who love to play tennis. Attendees are group by skill level so the instructors can focus on different aspects of technique. The tennis lessons are followed by a picnic lunch. We hope to see you at our next tennis lesson!

We are fortunate to live in a city with so much art and culture to offer. The wonderful art collection of the National Gallery of Art is a great example of some of the artistic treasures the city has to offer. During another installment of our popular tours of the National Gallery of Art, we discovered and explored the East Building of the National Gallery of art while meeting other ICDC members who love art.

Our monthly Happy Hour for June was held at the rooftop of Club Five - a wonderful floating oasis just a couple of blocks south of Du Pont Circle. The weather was perfect and it was a wonderful opportunity to socialize and relax after work under the stars while meeting other ICDC members.

On a beautiful summer afternoon we learned how to sail on the Potomac River. After sailing, we enjoyed a picnic lunch while enjoying the company of other ICDC members. We hope to see you at our next sailing session on the Potomac River!

We enjoyed an exciting and ground-pounding game of polo at the annual Courage Cup charity polo match. It was a great opportunity to experience a wonderful sport while also contributing to the success of a program that assists high school children in need. In addition to polo, the event featured wine and vodka tastings, a live band, as well as celebrity appearances and shopping opportunities.

Kayaking on the Potomac River to experience the sunset on a Friday evening is truly a surreal experience. Imagine water so still you can see you face reflected as you gently glide just inches from the surface of the water. Watch wildlife around you return back home for their nightly slumber as the sky takes on magnificent shades of red, blue, and yellow. We experienced all this and the friendly company of other ICDC members during our sunset kayaking adventure. Upon our return to the dock, we enjoyed a picnic dinner and it was an unforgettable experience and a wonderful way to start the weekend.

With the help of the sushi chef at Singapore Bistro, we learned how to prepare sushi. The sushi chef showed us how to use the bamboo mat to make Maki rolls and, where to find the ingredients needed to prepare sushi. After the sushi demonstration, we enjoyed a sushi dinner while socializing and meeting other ICDC members.

Our "Languages of the World" discussion sessions meet once a month for ICDC members who speak a foreign language. It's a great opportunity to practice a foreign language with the help of a native speaker who has experience teaching the language. The sessions are very popular with ICDC members and often fill up well in advance. If you speak a foreign language, we hope to see you there the next time!

On a warm summer day we visited Great Falls Park to experience nature and relax while hiking the Billy Goat trail. At Great Park, we enjoyed a picnic lunch before heading back home. Great Falls is a beautiful park located just minutes from Washington DC, where the Potomac River plunges nearly 80 feet creating a series of waterfalls. Great Falls is also home to many interesting geological formations, cliffs, plants, and wild life. We hope to see you at our next hike!

Our monthly cruises on the Potomac River are a great way to start the weekend. The view from the Potomac while the sun sets and Washington's nightlife comes to life at a distance is quite memorable. The cruise also included light food and it was a great opportunity to catch up with friends both old and new.

We attended a piano concert and lecture at the Embassy of Austria titled "Famous Masters and Their Female Pupils" featuring Sigrid Trummer (piano) and Elena Ostleitner (professor at the Vienna school of music). It was a great opportunity to discover and learn about the music of female Austrian composers. The event was a joint collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Forum.

If you've never tried one of our fencing lessons, you are missing out on one of our most popular and longest-running monthly activities . The fencing lessons start with an introduction to fencing covering technique, history, and etiquette. We wrap up the session by practicing our newly-learned fencing skills with other ICDC members in attendance.

On a busy Memorial Day weekend ICDC members took some time out to join us for our tennis lessons. The attendees were grouped by skill level so we could focus on different aspects of the game. Afterwards we socialized over a picnic lunch. Our ongoing tennis lessons are a great way to improve your game as well as find tennis partners with whom you can practice.

Our monthly sailings lessons on the Potomac River are a great way learn how to sail while perfecting your "sea legs." The lessons are followed by a picnic lunch to help you meet and socialize with other attendees. We look forward to seeing you at our next sailing lesson!

Our May Happy Hour was at Club Five. Though originally scheduled to be on the rooftop, we had to move the happy hour indoors because of the rain. ICDC members still braved the weather for an evening of socializing. We look forward to seeing you at our next Happy Hour!

Our "Languages of the World" discussion sessions are an ICDC signature event and one of our most popular events since the inception of ICDC. If you speak a foreign language, we invite you to join us for a future "Languages of the World" discussion session to practice a foreign language in a friendly and relaxed setting with the help of a native speaker with experience teaching the language.

Shenandoah National Park is a wonderful place to get away to breathe fresh air, take in the beautiful scenery, and explore nature. Springtime is an especially wonderful time to visit to watch trees spring back to life with fresh green leaves and flowers blooming along the hillsides. We enjoyed a hike to a scenic waterfall and a picnic on the grass before returning back home.

We enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous spring day at Great Falls Park hiking and discovering a series of spectacular waterfalls that make up Great Falls. we also enjoyed a picnic lunch and it was a great opportunity to explore the outdoors while meeting other ICDC members who love nature.

We learned how to dance salsa just in time for our Cinco De Mayo festivities the following day. The salsa lesson was followed by a night of Latin dancing and it was a great opportunity to dance the night away while meeting other internationally-minded professionals in town.

We celebrated the arrival of springtime in Washington DC with a ball at the Embassy of France featuring the 40-member ensemble of the European Symphony Orchestra as well as dinner catered by the French Embassy chef. We are also pleased to report that we were able to raise nearly $4,000 for KidSave, an organization that finds homes for foster children from around the world.