The whole family went to the strangest and funnest black tie dinner and dance in Washington last night. It's called the "Bark Ball" and it's a fundraiser for the Washington Humane Society, an astonishing group that rescues thousands of animals each year in the district from abuse or neglect (you can donate here). The guests bring their pooches, and the ballroom was a blur of wagging tails, lopsided bowties, and chewed sequins. This photo is of an elderly beagle, Salome, guarded by a young guest at our table, with his attention focused temporarily elsewhere.