Moet and Belvedere Flow Freely During Josephine’s RED Hot VIP Preview Party!

NORTHWEST -- The District’s nightlife and media VIPs painted the town RED on Tuesday evening, as downtown nightspot Josephine unveiled a brand new, chic interior after a two month-long revamp.

A frequent stop among A-list celebrities and athletes since it first opened in 2008, it wasn’t uncommon for patrons to bump (or dance) into the likes of Sean Penn, Ashton Kutcher, Shaquille O’Neal, Will.i.am, Spike Lee or Jay Sean during any given Friday or Saturday night.

And now the city’s beautiful people will have even more of a reason to flock to the Vermont Avenue-located club, thanks to a facelift that created an additional 1,000-squarefeet of usable dance and mingling space – all of which is bedecked in a gleaming new interior that comes courtesy of Miami-based designer Mark Lehmkuhl.

The visual mastermind behind celebrity hotspots Mokai, Suite/Snatch, and Living Room, Lehmkuhl has brought his signature modern touch to Josephine, which now boasts a main bar illuminated in shades of lavender and hallways lined with diamond-shaped mirrors.

Probably the biggest change, however, is the complete overhaul of the club’s back bar area, which has been dramatically expanded and transformed into a posh Gold Room, complete with gilded art deco accents, leather couches, and reflective walls.

Last night, a handful of the city’s movers-and-shakers had a chance to preview this new nightlife nirvana during an event that also served double-duty as the D.C. launch for Belvedere Vodka’s new RED Special Edition Bottle benefiting the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa.

Signature ‘Belvedere Red’ cocktails were mixed-up by the venue’s beautiful bar staff, as servers mingled about with platters of passed hors d’oeuvres courtesy of sister restaurant/lounge Current Sushi.

In a nod to the club’s newly introduced wine and champagne by the glass menu, chilled flutes of Moet & Chandon champagne were also liberally bandied about along with souvenir red bracelets.

Public Bar Co-Managing Partner Tony Hudgins, Capitol File Magazine Editor-in-Chief Kate Bennett, One Lounge owner Seth McClelland, and Luxxery Medical Boutique Plastic Surgeon Dr. Ayman Hakki and his wife Hiba Hakki were but some of the VIPs spotted mingling with Josephine co-owner Alain Kalantar and General Manager Rich Boykins.

So you think you can dance D.C.? Josephine will be the judge of that…