Mayor Gray Checks Out 'Thrill Of The Chase'; Friendship Heights Formally Welcomes Chevy Chase Pavilion

NORTHWEST -- Judging by the wait list for reservations at RANGE or Civil Cigar Lounge, Washingtonians are already more than aware that the sparkling new floors at Chevy Chase Pavilion are open for business.

Still, every belle of the ball deserves her debut and so parent company Clarion Partnerns hosted a blowout grand reopening party for the recently renovated Friendship Heights property on Thursday night attended by plenty of local notables, including D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray.

Guests to the early evening private affair began things at the lower level atrium of the Pavilion, which provided expansive views of the 894,921 square foot space, including the eye-catching 30x60-foot synchronized graphic LED display wall designed by Streetsense.

Everyone was then invited to enjoy a sumptuous dinner at Chef Bryan Voltaggio's inaugural D.C. proper restaurant, RANGE, which boasts its own kitchen and mixology all-star team, including Executive Chef Matt Hill (formerly the Executive Chef at Charlie Palmer) and beverage director Owen Thomson (formerly lead bartender for Jose Andres' Think Food Group).

The celebratory occasion was but the feather in the cap for the showcase restaurant, which announced this week both the launch of its new lunch service as well as the news that a second Voltaggio eatery would soon join it at Chevy Chase (h/t Washingtonian).

A celebration as good as the one on display last night doesn't just end with dinner, of course. So guests soon found themselves ushered into tony Civil Cigar Lounge as the night grew long for the occasional stogie puff and craft cocktail.

The 'thrill of the Chase', after all, is nothing if not hospitable.