Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., CNN hostJake Tapper, and D.C. chef Spike Mendelsohn all donned Nationals helmets and swung a bat on Wednesday night for the annual Home Runs for Horton's Kids at Nationals Park. Organizers estimate the event raises about a third of the budget for Horton's Kids activities, such as mentoring, health services, and food deliveries for families living in Anacostia.

Thirteen members of Congress and more than 60 staffers will join CNN’s Jake Tapper and celebuchef Spike Mendelsohn to hit up the 5th annual Home Runs for Horton’s Kids. Mendelsohn will help fete Horton’s Kids at Nationals Park. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo) The invite-only Nationals Park event, scheduled for Wednesday from 5 p.m.

Four members of D.C.’s “Top Chef” contingent helped exhausted journalists and government types relax from a whirlwind weekend of White House Correspondents’ Dinner events Sunday morning. Spike Mendelsohn, Mike Isabella, Bryan Voltaggio and Bart Vandaele joined the Reuters/Yahoo News brunch atop the Hay-Adams Hotel, passing out dishes inspired by politicos and talking new restaurants. Mendelsohn, likewise, took a fairly unexpected approach.

SOON after President Obama places his hand on the Lincoln Bible on Monday, he will join lawmakers for a luncheon of steamed lobster, hickory-grilled bison and New England chowder in the Capitol’s ornate Statuary Hall. Meanwhile, in the trendy corridors of this city, the Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill will be gearing up to serve its signature Prez Obama Burger (with applewood bacon and Roquefort cheese) and its Michelle Melt turkey burger (free range, of course, on a whole ...

Visiting Washington, D.C. for the Inauguration? NewsHour political editor Christina Bellantoni gives an insider's guide to sites that are off the beaten tourist path.

Face it, if you're planning on attending the inauguration on Monday, you should be bracing yourself for crowds of biblical proportions. It may not be projected to be nearly as packed as Obama's first go around, but don't expect getting around to be easy. That said, don't let the patriotic hysteria keep you from enjoying a few good meals in the nation's capital.

Cayman Cookout: The food fest circuit's hottest ticket Picture the ultimate winter get-away in the Caribbean. Then throw in 30-plus celebrity chefs, including Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert and Spike Mendelsohn and you have, quite possibly, the hottest ticket in the culinary fest circuit. Grand Cayman’s 5th annual “Cayman Cookout” (January 17-20) features four days of beachfront brunching, lunching and dining on fresh Caribbean cuisine … no shoes required.

The polls close election day. Come in to order and place your vote. 

From: Food Trucks DC Spike can really throw down! Complete with a photo booth, all star dj @Josh Madden and swanky digs - the vibe was definitely great that night. Unfortunately, I don't have a macro lens - so I won't degrade this post by posting blurry pictures of delicious food.

From: ARLNOW Spike Mendelsohn brought some glitz and glamour to Crystal City Friday night at the private opening party for his newest Good Stuff Eatery location. Read more here.

From: NBC 4 They may be Washington Capitals, but they are Washington Wizards in the kitchen. Defensemen Mike Green and Roman Hamrlik along with goaltender Tomas Vokoun joined local chef Spike Mendelsohn of "Top Chef" fame and four auction winners for a cooking lesson at the Old Naval Hospital in D.C. The auction winners won the chance to participate in Saturday's lesson with a $11,500 bid at last month's Caps Care Casino Night and Auction.

From: Tablet Mag There is kosher and then there is kosher. I have known this truth for years, but last month I learned how much trust enters the axiom when cooking in a private home. For the past four years, I have been one of the chairs of a joint fundraiser for DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table, two institutions that fight hunger and poverty in our nation’s capital.

From: Burger Days We’re always up for a trek when it comes to burgering, but if that trek involves Miami and 30+ burgers from the some of the best-known burg chefs in the biz– we’re there with beefy bells on. It all goes down this Friday at the super-duper-swanky Ritz-Carlton in South Beach where Burger Days will be all up in that sweet, beefy action at the gala of all burger galas– the 2012 SoBe Burger Bash. (Ok, the official name is the Amstel Light Burger Bash presented by Allen Bro...

From: Chicago Tribune Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery, center, works on his creation while competing in the Burger Bash at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 24, 2012.

From Eater DC By Amy McKeever Last night was the return of the DC Central Kitchen's annual fundraiser, the Capital Food Fight. The event pits four local chefs - Haidar Karoum, Jeff Black, Todd Gray and Brian McBride - against one another in three Top Chef Quickfire-style challenges in between live auctions, sponsor speeches and tastings from some of DC's finest restaurants. There were also food celebrities!