Feed

Party Report

By Jessica Shiraz 8/10/12 6:15pm

Party Report

7 Photos

Masked raver

Gawker’s Golden Night: Silent Disco at the New York Public Library

After graduating, The Observer vowed that if we should ever step inside a library again, it must be for a classy party and nothing less. (Well, maybe for a scene reminiscent of the one in Atonement.)

And Gawker’s third annual “silent disco,” held at the New York Public Library, offered us a rare occasion to go back inside, with the musical accompaniment of DJs Dapwell of Das Racist, DJ Kalkutta, and Yeasayer being broadcast into the bulky headphones provided.

The vast library hall was decked in gold. Gold masquerade masks, bows, ribbons and Big Apple Shandy cocktails littered the tables. All the girls working the party also seemed to have gold-blonde hair.

Like a magpie, we were drawn to the shiniest individuals at the party. One guest appeared to be jamming on the dance floor with a golden walking stick, the strangest accessory to have lying around the house. Naturally, we demanded an explanation. Read More

By Drew Grant 8/03/12 9:40am

Party Report

Jessica Biel at 'Total Recall' screening (Patrick McMullan)

Total Recall of the Heart: Vivica A. Fox Shakes Her Stuff While Jessica Biel Bails

“To call the remake of Total Recall a movie is like saying that watching your brother play Call of Duty qualifies as a cinematic experience,” The Observer preached to a small cluster of friends as we made our way from the Chelsea Cinema screening to No. 8 for the after party.

In fact, the movie had been one of the worst things we’d ever seen…to call it a film is really giving it too much justice; the entire 118 minutes was made up of Colin Farrell trading machine fire with a bunch of droids from I, Robots on the Death Star while occasionally mumbling “But I don’t even know who I am.”

We hated to say it, but Arnold did it better. Read More

By Drew Grant 6/22/12 4:55pm

Party Report

Refinery 29 honoree Carlen Altman with her mother

Refinery 29 Hosts Rooftop Pool Party for 30 Under 30

It was an eclectic mix of (relative) youngsters at the James Hotel last night, where society fixture Kristian Laliberte hosted Refinery 29′s party for its 30 Under 30 list.

Like the assortment of goodies from Dylan’s Candy Bar available for noshing, this year’s list was a macédoine of hipsters; ranging from Saturday Night Live‘s John Mulaney to Solange Knowles, ostensible socialite Olivia Palermo, and artist Nick Poe. (None of whom, unfortunately, attended the party.)

After accepting a Stoli Vodka Hot “Firefighter” cocktail (nothing like spicy vodka to beat the heat), we sidled up to Mr. Laliberte to find out what, exactly, the criteria for the list was. And, ahem, why no journalists made the cut. Read More

By Daniel D'Addario 6/21/12 2:00pm

Party Report

Woody Allen (Patrick McMullan)

Woody Allen Had to Accept His Oscar, and More Notes from the To Rome With Love Premiere

Last night, Woody Allen and wife Soon-Yi Previn arrived promptly for the The Cinema Society, Piaget, and Hollywood Reporter-hosted screening of Mr. Allen’s new European romp, To Rome With Love; while star Penelope Cruz sipped a soda nearby and paparazzi-embattled star Alec Baldwin breezed past the press into the theater, Mr. Allen walked the rope line of journalists, Ms. Previn trailing closely behind.

Given the sheer volume of stars with whom Mr. Allen has worked–in this film alone, Mr. Baldwin, Ellen Page, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, and Ms. Cruz–we asked Mr. Allen who’d done the best job of playing “the Woody Allen part.” You know, the shy young nebbish Owen Wilson played in Midnight in Paris or that Mr. Eisenberg played in this film? Mr. Allen demurred: “They’re very different! Owen Wilson is a sweet kid from Texas, speaks slowly, serves my script great! I would have played that part, but Owen played it better than I ever could have. Jesse Eisenberg is a fast mover, talks kind of like me–and he was great!

“The truth is they’re both better actors than me. I’m a writer who can play his own material. They’re actors who can play Chekhov.” Read More

By Jessi Rucker 6/20/12 2:15pm

Party Report

photo

Penn Badgley Has Moved to Brooklyn and Other Stories from Last Night’s Summer Party on the High Line

Penn Badgley was relaxed and sincere as he looked The Observer dead in the eye. It was the kind of human engagement that warms your heart just a little. We weren’t at all surprised when two crazed girls almost ripped the sleeve of our jacket off when we parted ways after our conversation with Mr. Badgley, and wished him well on his impending trip to Africa.

Last night at sunset, Coach threw a carnival-themed summer kick-off atop the High Line, and a slew of actors and actresses came to the West Side to welcome the impending heat wave. Among them was Maggie Gyllenhaal (looking sleek in a black trench, oversize sunglasses and red lips) and a dapper Chris Noth who both (separately) galavanted in just as quickly as they vanished into the night.

After pushing through an overstuffed human pile-up by the dunk tank—where perfectly sculpted male specimens were splashing around—it was a relief to bump into a laid back crew of cool kids: Vanessa Bayer, Abby Elliott and Bobby Moynihan from Saturday Night Live. Read More

By Jess Schiewe 6/04/12 10:26am

Party Report

Founding director Sasha Chavchavadze and Katya Redpath singing ditties on the outdoor stage.

Gypsy Songs and Tarot Readings at the Annual Proteus Gowanus Benefit

Last Saturday evening, cousins Julia Casey and Lily Warnke, squeezed into silk tank tops and mini skirts and migrated to north Brooklyn. Later that night, they planned to make their way to a bar on the Lower East Side, but first, they had to attend a benefit for Ms. Warnke’s mother’s interdisciplinary art gallery and reading room, Proteus Gowanus.

As the young women traversed the event space—pausing in front of the outdoor stage (Ms. Casey: “I think that woman just sang about a Communist eating a fish”) and quenching their thirst with red wine—the crowd thickened.

For the last year, the theme of the artwork, installations, exhibits, and classes at Proteus Gowanus has been migration. “We looked at it from the point of view of populations, objects, the future, and time travel,” said Tammy Pittman, Ms. Warnke’s mother and the executive director of the space. But its meaning was flexible, she added, and meant to be used in a variety of different contexts. Read More

By Jenna Sauers 5/18/12 6:43pm

Party Report

Peter Brant Jr. (in The Pants) and Harry Brant. (PatrickMcMullan.com)

Details about Condé Nast’s NowManifest Acquisition (and the Brants’ Pants) at Jitrois Pop-Up Party

At the party he co-hosted at the Jitrois pop-up store in Soho, Peter Brant II was saying how much he liked his leather pants. “I just think their elastic leather is really fantastic,” said the fast-talking elder son of the Brant Publications magnate and art collector Peter M. Brant and the supermodel Stephanie Seymour. “It looks great on everybody! As you can see,” he said, gesturing to his black-and-silver Jitrois leather pants. The pants cost $2875. “That’s the main attraction.”

“I sometimes wear women’s pants, because I have very very tiny legs,” said Harry Brant. The younger Brant brother declared his Jitrois pants “so comfortable. The nylon looks like leather, but it feels like you’re wearing sweat pants.” Read More

By Daniel Edward Rosen 5/14/12 11:09am

Party Report

Reveler Amanda Boccato channeling The Hunger Games. (Gabi Porter/Di Moda PR)

Bespoke Cocktails and a Lot of Obnoxious Facial Hair at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

The Observer found itself well into Friday evening standing in a VIP line outside the New York Public Library with people far better dressed than us. Although we didn’t look nearly as schlubby as another three-named journo who we passed by later in the evening, we stood patiently in our khakis and blazer while those dressed in tuxedos and cocktail dresses waited with baited breath to enter for the annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala, which kicked off several days of panels and parties that celebrate the history and craft of the cocktail. Read More