The American Masters Dinner presented by Mercedes-Benz took Friday night as part of the second annual All-Star Chef Classic. An event space located on the L.A. Live campus was transformed into Restaurant Stadium, “a state-of-the-art venue [that brought] over 300 fans ‘kitchen-side’ in an intimate VIP setting, where they [were] as close to the action as possible without being in the heat of the kitchen. “
On Saturday the Los Angeles LGBT Center held its 45th Anniversary Gala & Vanguard Awards presented by Wells Fargo at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. The night featured “awards presentations to influential people and companies in the LGBT movement, a seated dinner, silent auction and special celebrity appearances.”
The theme for the evening was “Celebrate our Superheroes.” And celebrate we did! George and Brad Takei were the International Vanguard Award Honorees, Cort Lane accepted the Corporate Vanguard Award on behalf of Marvel, and Zev Yaroslavsky received the Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award. Holland Taylor and Tab Hunter were on hand as presenters.
At some point in your social life dinner and a movie, bowling and Broadway shows will cease to be the amazing thrill it once was. If you have even the slightest bit of creativity tipsy crafts could save your social life. The concept is simple, for a small fee you and a few friends can meet in one of the city’s hot night spots for drinks, apps and a creative class. The classes offered include jewelry making, acrylic painting, and watercolor painting. We dropped in on an acrylic painting class at Proper West a social club and bar in Midtown’s west side. We were led to one of the private rooms for our “Class.” The space was outfitted with bar and bartender as well as small work stations with an easel, canvas, and brushes. Before we got started we stepped up to the bar to get some cocktails for the tipsy portion of our evening. By the time we finished our first round class was underway.
Last week, we stopped by a private happy hour at the uber chic Hudson Bar & Books, a world, a renowned cigar lounge in the West Village. In attendance were a select group of media elite gathered to taste the hottest new cigar on the market from Davidoff of Geneva, the Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema. The evening was hosted by Cigar Expert Ibrahim Amer. Mr. Amir helpfully explained to this cigar novice what made this delicious cigar so special. The Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema is the first Puro Nicaragua ever produced by the century-old cigar company. Davidoff’s expert cigar makers led by master blender Henke Kelner, have created a cigar handcrafted from the tobacco of the Nicaragua volcanic regions. The Nicaragua Diadema has a deep smokey with flavor with overtones of whiskey and pepper. It has a flavor that truly stimulates the palate.
For New Yorkers the days of fun in the sun are officially over for 2014. The time has come for some indoor fun, and what is more fun than the circus? The Big Apple Circus has set up shop in Lincoln Square for your amusement. For over 30 years the creative forces behind this entertaining show have delighted audiences with their ever-changing act. This year’s theme “Metamorphosis” is all about the art of illusion. We visited the circus on Saturday afternoon and had an amazing time re-visiting our youth. We had premium seats right up front, but there are no seats more than fifty feet away from the one ring, so any seat is a great seat. The one ring concept and limited seating allow for a more intimate experience as you can clearly see each illusion up close. For those moments in the production where the crew needs to set up for the next act, Francesco the musical clown keeps the crowd enthralled with his antics. From his silly xylophone suit to his impromptu game of volleyball with the audience this clown will keep you laughing and completely distracted. We were so distracted by him we didn’t even see that the ring had been set up with a spinning airplane for one of their top acts.
Last night in New York City, GQ and LACOSTE hosted the hottest party in town by celebrating their GQxLACOSTE Sport Pop Up Shop and Gallery. Justin Bartha , Taylor Kitsch, and Taye Diggs hosted the affair which included cocktails and music by the lovely DJ Chelsea Leyland.
The pop-up shop will bring together these two major brands via a modern lifestyle gallery showcasing innovative fashion, active gear, tools and trends for the ultimate urban-sport lifestyle. Lacoste Fall/Winter 2014 collections will be on display and luckily for us, shoppable!
I’ve been a nerd my entire life. Not so much the math science or history type but more of a pop culture enthusiast. Despite my self-proclaimed nerd status this was my very fist year attending New York Comic Con. Just as fashionistas must eventually find their way to fashion week, every nerd must someday venture to the amazing spectacle that is Comic Con. Not just for comic book fans, the event encompasses all things pop culture with exhibits that range from cosplay makeup to original artwork. As a noob to the scene, my first venture into the convention was a true learning experience. I’ll break it down into five simple rules:
Last night Infiniti of Beverly Hills which “is the premier automobile dealership of Beverly Hills and the surrounding area…that prides itself on delivering the highest level of customer service before, during, and after a purchase” hosted a launch party that acted as the grand opening for its new dealership.
As I arrived I noticed there was a spin on what we all know as the traditional red carpet experience. Infiniti switched it up and went with a purple carpet. It was a great choice on their part; it was both hip and chic. Katherine McPhee of Scorpion, Dylan McDermott of Stalker, and Michelle Monaghan of True Detective were among those to walk the purple carpet. Julian Gold, the Vice Mayor of Beverly Hills, Michael Bartsch, the Vice President of Infiniti USA, and Seth Waskow, the General Manager of Infiniti of Beverly Hills were also on hand.
