Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Glamour Meets The Blogger at Blogger Prom 2010: Hollywood Confidential

The Blogger Prom Committee (that's me on the right!)
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog


Happy Go Marni is mostly home to baked goods, step-by-step photos, and food thoughts. But part of my identity is simply as blogger. And last Wednesday, Blogger Prom 2010: Hollywood Confidential made its grand entrance! After months and months of planning by the Blogger Prom Committee, of which I'm part, the day had arrived to put down the pencils, or keyboards, stop planning, and just have fun and enjoy the moment! And enjoy we did!

A welcome sign as you enter the lobby of Yamashiro

The event took place at the gorgeous, and historic, even haunted (!!), Yamashiro Restaurant in the hills of Hollywood. You know the views are going to be spectacular when you have to drive up a steep, curvy hill to reach the secluded restaurant at the top.

Blogger Prom is an exclusive, invite-only event for bloggers and their +1s, a chance for bloggers who only know each other by URL or twitter handle to meet in person.

The stunning view of the city from Yamashiro
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog



Gigantic doors at the entrance to Yamashiro
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog


This is the 2nd year for Blogger Prom. Last year was 80s-themed. This year, to do something completely different, we chose another era, the 1940s, and completely transformed ourselves and the venue into Golden Age of Hollywood 1940s glamour. It was so much fun to choose accessories, a dress, and even a hairstyle that reflected the era. The Blogger Prom Committee members were invited by the fabulous Studio DNA in Los Angeles for complete hair and makeup transformations. They treated us to mimosas and worked with us to get the look we each desired. My curly hair is not the easiest thing to take care of, so I don't usually hand it over to someone else to style. But I completely trusted the gals at Studio DNA, and with a curling iron, a whole lot of bobby pins, and even more hairspray, they gave me a 1940s wave up-do and attached my grandmother's hat to my hair! I love the look! Thank you so much, Studio DNA, for making me feel glamorous!

My glamour shot
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog


Blogger Prom 2010 was so well-planned, we had thought of everything! There was even a designated driving service called Y Drive stationed outside near the valet so attendees could be driven home safely (the driver drives YOUR car and packs his scooter in the trunk so he can get back to the party venue).

Yamashiro is truly beautiful. Once you've driven up the winding road to the top, you enter the party through gigantic, grand doorways into an amazing courtyard with walkways on all four sides. The party made use of the entire space, plus a bar area and a room with a million dollar view. I must say, working with Yamashiro to plan this prom could not have been more ideal. The entire staff at Yamashiro were so helpful and hospitable, and the venue itself is so fabulous, I just can't say enough positive things about Yamashiro!

The beautiful courtyard at Yamashiro
plus our twitterfeeds on a giant screen


The food at Blogger Prom was incredible! Chef Brock of Yamashiro, who is absolutely adorable and charming, not to mention uber-talented, prepared and personally served his signature tacos for guests. Barrie Lynn, the cheese impresario, was on hand to pair cheeses with your beverage of choice, plus, she even encouraged putting some delicious spreadable cheese on candy brittle! Wha? Coolhaus, the ice cream sandwich truck, had a booth and was serving up delicious ice cream flavors like Strawberry Jalapeno and Chocolate Orange Cointreau (which I ordered because I'm nuts for chocolate and orange together). Crumbs Bake Shop contributed mini cupcakes for the night. ChocolateBox Cafe provided an assortment of chocolates.

Chef Brock of Yamashiro preparing his signature tacos for long lines
of anxiously awaiting bloggers
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog

Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches!!! Usually they're a food truck,
but for Blogger Prom, they were a station!

Crumbs Cupcakes station

Choosing chocolates at the ChocolateBox station

We even had liquor sponsors, and our very own Committee Member Natalie Bovis who runs The Liquid Muse invented a signature cocktail drink just for us.

A few weeks ago I approached my friend Heather Kincaid, who I know from grad school at USC. She is now a professional photographer and I find myself constantly ooohing and ahhhing over her photography blog that features weddings and portraits and all sorts of other exciting events. The photos are so clever, beautiful, and playful. I asked Heather to be the official Blogger Prom photographer, and she said yes (haha it's as if I proposed to her!). Heather's photos from Blogger Prom are amazing. Visit her site for lots and lots of photos, including both color and black and white . She also blogged about her favorite photos of the night here.

And here I am with photographer Heather, all dolled up!

Heather and Marni
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog

DJ Steve provided us with great music from the era. Lots of big band, jazz, Sinatra, that sort of thing. And behind the dance floor was a giant projector screen, the entire size of the wall, where we had the movie Sunset Boulevard playing silently with subtitles. Aren't we clever! And speaking of giant projector screens, out in the courtyard, there was another giant projector screen, but this one wasn't displaying a movie. It was displaying twitterfeeds that mentioned Blogger Prom. Bloggers were on their cell phones tweeting away the evening and checking to see if they had won any of the awesome giveaway prizes the Committee had collected from sponsors.

But whether or not you won a prize, everyone went home with a gift bag filled with fun, and in some cases really valuable goodies. A $100 gift certificate for eye lash extensions at LuxLash, a $20 gift certificate to Border Grill in downtown, a free facial at Dermalogica, $25 to spend at Goldstar.com, Unite hair products, free Sprinkles cupcake coupons, tickets to the Grammy Museum, and more! Read about all the gift bag items here.

Showing off one of the 200+ gift bags we stuffed until
late Monday night before the prom


The committee hanging out in the bridal suite at Yamashiro one night
before Blogger Prom, finishing up the last of the preparations

The partying continued even after Yamashiro closed its doors. Test Kitchen hosted our after party! From 11pm to 1am, and yes, on a school night, we met up at this almost underground establishment, sipping specialty drinks as we got sleepier and sleepier. I'm going to need a long period of recovery from this midweek party craziness!

Last year, attendance to Blogger Prom was completely free. This year, the committee selected a charity we could all get behind, Operation Frontline, and required a $10 donation to the organization for attendance to Blogger Prom. People purchased their donation via Goldstar, and some attendees generously gave much more than required. We were moved by how surprisingly sweet bloggers could be! It is not too late to donate. Regardless of if you attended Blogger Prom or not, Goldstar has left the donation page open to the public for a few more weeks. Operation Frontline helps families with nutrition education. If you're feeling generous, donate here, and help more families learn to prepare healthy meals at home.

@TaraMetBlog and @laocfoodie
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog


@carolineoncrack, @happygomarni, and the hand of @shopeatsleep
This photo should host a caption contest!
Photo credit: heatherkincaid.com/blog


@squashblossom and @estarla manning the Check-In Table

As this was a blogger event, dozens of blog posts are popping up, post-event, to recap the evening. Take a look at some of the coverage, including from The LA Times and Brand X!! I am so proud to be a part of something so cool, so unique and special, and I've made so many new blogger friends along the way. Blogger Prom 2010 is one of the brightest spots of the year for me.


Some of the Blogger Prom 2010 Coverage:

LA Times: Parties: Blogger Prom's Take on Old Hollywood Glamour
Brand X: Blogger Prom 2010: LA's Twitterati Goes Glam
Recessionista: Getting on My Vintage Vogue for the Los Angeles Blogger Prom
When Tara Met Blog: Blogger Prom 2010
Shop Eat Sleep: All the Glitz and Glamour: Blogger Prom 2010 Hollywood Confidential
L.A. and O.C. Foodventures: I've Been Busy
Confessions of a Fat Girl: COFG Goes to Blogger Prom...Again!
Kevin Eats: Blogger Prom 2010
Franklin Avenue: Scenes From the 2nd Blogger Prom
Sure Beats Work: Blogger Prom v2.0
Marian the Foodie: Event Recap: Blogger Prom 2010 - 9/22/10
Caroline on Crack: Studio DNA: On How to be Lovely for Blogger Prom
Hey Hey Scenesters: Blogger Prom 2010
Busy Beth's Blog: Blogger Prom 2010 - Hollywood Confidential
Diana Takes a Bite: Blogger Prom 2010: Living the Glamorous Life
Naked City: The Blogger Prom is Decadent and Delightful
Fete LA: Getting Hollywood Confidential
Here, Eat This!: Blogger Prom 2010 at Yamashiro
Once There was a Girl...: Hollywood Confidential


Photo Album!


Beginning with the committee doing hair and makeup at Studio DNA...

@shopeatsleep

@happygomarni

@happygomarni

The back of my do

@carolineoncrack, @squashblossom, @estarla all beautified!

@shopeatsleep

My grandmother's hat!


Here is a sampling of the amazing attire people donned at Blogger Prom!







Glamorous poses with friends...

@amandajoy, @happygomarni, @valleyfilmfest

@intellichick, @happygomarni

@toastymuffin, @happygomarni

@shopeatsleep, @happygomarni, @tarametblog

@estarla, @happygomarni, @carolineoncrack

2 comments:

Mom said...

What a fabulous review of what looks like an incredible event! I am so impressed to see the pictures and all of the coverage you've received! Congratulations!!

Jon said...

Great photos! I hope to make it next year.

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