Thank You from Operation Frontline + Goldstar

Thanks to you guys and gals, we not only had an absolute blast at this year's blogger prom, to date we also have raised $2,400 for our benefactor charity, Operation Frontline Los Angeles. And here's a little note of thanks from their program coordinator Catherine Luu, who was staffing the OFL:LA table at the event:

I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone for donating to Operation Frontline Los Angeles. We had a fantastic time at Blogger Prom and really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with all those who came by the OFL table!

Thanks to you all, Blogger Prom raised $2,400, and 100% of your donations will go directly towards supporting an Operation Frontline class for underserved families in Los Angeles. One OFL course for 15 individuals and their families costs about $3,500, and your contributions will enable us to cover course costs including food, class curriculum, staff time, graduation materials, and cooking supplies.
OFL relies heavily on the resources that are available to us from our community. In our first program year since our LA launch last May, we completed 18 courses and reached over 225 low-income families. Our goal for this next program year is to offer 24 courses and reach over 275 families. Your generosity will go a long way towards empowering families with the knowledge and skills to prepare healthy meals for a lifetime. Thanks for partnering with Operation Frontline LA, Share Our Strength, and the Center for Community and Family Services to support healthy families and build sustainable communities.

A special thanks to the Blogger Prom Committee, Yamashiro, and Goldstar for making this event possible!


Best,


Catherine

And speaking of @goldstar, not only have they generously donated their energy & time to help us process our OFL:LA donations and RSVPs, they are also giving all bloggerprom donation ticketbuyers a $25 account credit good towards a future purchase from their roster of fun and significantly-discounted events! Woo hoo!

Last but not least, our Operation Frontline donation page is still up and live through the end of October, so please do consider donating more, and encourage your readers, followers, friends and fans to do so by including a link in your recap blogposts, tweets, facebook updates, etc. Thanks!

Our Leading Man & Lady Are . . .

Just in case you missed the announcement, a big congratulations to . . .
Neil of Food Marathon & Jocelyn of JozJozJoz for being crowned this year's "Leading Man" / #bloggerpromking and "Leading Lady" / #bloggerpromqueen! Enjoy your reign until next year ;)

Photo Credit: Heather Kincaid

Our Official Photos Are In!

Our official photographer extraordinaire, Heather Kincaid, has done an AMAZING job working the photobooth (right behind our live-twitter screen) and roaming around site capturing the festive action, not to mention the hard work to get it all up and ready for the day after!

Check out her photos of the event here, and feel free to blog/publish with photo credit to heatherkincaid.com/blog.

And of course, give her a big round of applause online @HeatherKincaid.

Thank You for Attending!

The committee on the day before

Thank you so much for coming, mingling and having a great time up @ Yamashiro last night! We hope you had a blast at the event and the afterparty.

The committee is busy tallying our donation total & taking care of post-event odds and ends, but we are definitely stoked to look at your photos and read your recap posts, so feel free to comment with a link to your blogposts, and share your pics on our flickr group page.

In the meantime, enjoy your gift bags (and giveaway prizes to the lucky winners,) and give a shoutout to @YamashiroLA and @ChefBrock for being such gracious, awesome hosts.

Tonight's Leading Man & Leading Lady Finalists!

OK, after our #bloggerpromking and #bloggerpromqueen hashtag tallies from the twitterverse open nomination, the ones who made the final audition are:

"Leading Man"
1. @djjewelz
2. @FoodMarathon
3. @FreshHubby
4. @Kevin_Eats

"Leading Lady"
1. @brokeassbride
2. @JozJozJoz
3. @Olivejina
4. @thegirlblogger

Blogger Prom attendees, tonight cast your ballots for the Hollywood Confidential royalty to take home the glammy & fab fedora and tiara (and maybe a surprise) and bragging rights! Stay tuned and keep an eye and ear out around 8:30 p.m. for the big announcement....

Heather Kincaid, The Official 2010 Blogger Prom Professional Photographer!

Heather Kincaid blowing bubbles at YOU!

Blogger Prom has its very own photographer! Yeah, yeah, you guys are bloggers and probably carry your cameras with you everywhere. And yes, you should bring those cameras to Blogger Prom, too. But this is different. We have an OFFICIAL photographer who will be on hand to take your portrait since you dressed up all special for the night! She’s bringing a photobooth! And her gorgeous high-res photos will be available for purchase after the event and she will also make free versions available. We are SOOO excited!!!

Heather Kincaid is an incredibly talented photographer based in Los Angeles who does shoots all over Southern California. Take a look at her website. It’s not your average business website, it’s a very personal, intimate blog of her adventures photographing interesting people. She lets you inside her world. For example, she shoots a wedding, and then gives teasers of photos to come, or posts her favorites from the event. Plus she adds colorful commentary and kind wishes. And these photos! They are wonderful, moving photos that really capture the moment. Creative, clever compositions in color or black and white.

If her photography skills weren’t already enough, Heather is a warm, fun-loving person. So in every way, Heather will be a fantastic addition to the 2010 Blogger Prom. We are SO thrilled that Heather will be at Blogger Prom to document the evening for us!

The Drinks of the Night . . .

We got eats, we got swag bags and giveaways, we even got an afterparty -- last but certainly not least, we got the drinks on too! Whether you prefer sipping on our signature cocktail, a simple glass of wine, or an exploration through beers or fine spirits, we got you covered.
First, we welcome Pinky Vodka back again; in addition to supplying our swag bags with mini bottles of their product, they also teamed up with our committee member Natalie (a.k.a The Liquid Muse) to create the signature cocktail of this event! Coasters with the recipe will be available tonight, but just to give you a little preview, here's how it's made:

Pinky Confidential
2 ounces Pinky vodka
1 ounce Chambord
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup
½ ounce egg white (optional & NOT used in the bloggerprom version)
Powdered sugar (for garnish)

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake for 15 seconds. Add ice, shake again. Strain into a powder sugar-rimmed martini glass.

Additionally we are partnering with the fine beverage sponsors below:

Cabana Cachaca, which will be making caipirinhas on-site.
Zaya Gran Reserva Rum and Casa Noble blanco and reposado tequilas, which you can enjoy straight-up or in a cocktail.
The Beer Chicks will be doing refreshing tastings with locally-made Eagle Rock Brewery beers.
And The Dalmore representatives will take attendees on a tour through their range of Single-Malt Scotch Whiskys.
For wine lovers, Fresh & Easy is again providing some wines that taste great and is even better for the value! Here are their notes on the white & red wine of the night:

The Vine Yard Chardonnay, 2008 – Under $12
From the Columbia Valley of Washington State, the Vine Yard Chardonnay is a fruit-forward wine with impressive length and well-balanced finish. It has fresh green apple accompanied by generous amounts of ripe juicy pear and framed by warm vanilla and a hint of citrus. Pairs well with seafood and white meat dishes.

Chianti Re De Castello, 2007 – Under $10
Coming from the beautiful area of Tuscany, the grapes are picked at optimum ripeness. It has brilliant ruby red color with bright raspberry fruit aromas and a touch of spice. Harmonious and well structured, this is a full-bodied red with persistent length of flavour. Ideal with Bolognese and strong Italian cheeses such as Parmesan.

Finally, another official note from the committee: This year, to ensure everyone has a wonderful BUT safe time and so that all attendees gets to try a little of everything, we are providing each attendees with 3 drink tickets. Each ticket is good for 1) our "Pinky Confidential" signature cocktail, 2) Cabana Cachaca Caipirinhas, 3) the featured red & white wines from Fresh & Easy 4) drinks made with Zaya Rum or Casa Noble Tequila OR 5) for you teetotalers, a non-alcoholic beverage of your choosing. Additionally, each attendee will have an opportunity for a beer AND a Scotch tasting. Afterwards, a cash bar is available for additional drinks.

And if you do feel like you've had too much to drink, Y Drive LA will be on hand at the valet stand ready to drive you and your car safely home. They'll offer all Blogger Prom attendees 10%. Stop by their table for more information!

So raise those glasses and toast in style, and don't forget to tip your hardworking bar staff. Cheers!

Verizon Twitter Giveaway

Win a Mi-Fi personal hotspot from Verizon Wireless!

Be the master of your wireless domain! With the Mi-Fi portable hotspot, you can connect up to five WiFi devices at once. Hook up your PDA, your game console, that tablet computer that never seems to get signal in your bedroom and so much more – actually, only two more – which begs the question: who would you share your MiFi with? Tweet about it @vzwsocal during Blogger Prom and the MiFi could be yours!


To share or not to share: that is the question…


They will also have a booth set up with devices you can tweet from. Last year, the lucky Verizon twitter giveaway winner was @KimTracyPrince, will it be YOU this year? Good luck!

The Night is Young: Our Official After Party!

It wouldn't be a proper prom without a proper After Party, would it?

Sure, it's a school night, but there's only one Blogger Prom a year, and, thus, only one Blogger Prom After Party.

We are thrilled to announce that our Official Blogger Prom After Party will be from 11PM to 1 AM at the much-talked about Test Kitchen. We think that if this were the era of Walter Winchell and Hedda Hopper, these two would be printing up a storm about this hot spot.

Since it's after hours, this free, private event will be focused on libations.

In the house and with their brand ambassadors:
Bacardi Rum
Original Moonshine, a corn whiskey/@MOONSHINE
Luksusowa, a Polish vodka
Real de Mexico Tequila, @realtequila
& Cognac Landy, @CognacLandy

Behind the bar:
Julian Cox (Rivera), Joel Black (Caña), and Pablo Moix (La Descarga).

Your bar will be hosted, but do bring some cash to tip your bartenders!

How do you get into the After Party?

- If you're attending Blogger Prom, it's easy: You're already on the list.

- If you will not be at Blogger Prom, but would like to join us for a drink, you must RSVP to us via email BY 1 PM on WEDS. 9/22. *UPDATED

Test Kitchen will take a maximum of 100 Blogger Prom guests.

Hope to see you there!

Where: Test Kitchen @ 9575 W Pico Blvd LA-35
Who: Blogger Prom Guests & Official After Party Guests
When: Weds. Sept. 22 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Photo: Julian Cox behind the Test Kitchen bar/djjewlz via Flickr

Your Swanky Hollywood Parting Gifts

Last year's swag bags were quite well received and blogged about, and not to toot our own horn, but we think this year's gift bags are the bees knees!

Every attendee will get one reusable canvas gift tote from Disney Store (on right) with vintage 1930s comic book images of Hollywood's most beloved mouse from our prom's era and today. Twitter: @DisneyStore

We'll then be filling these nostalgic totes with the following goodies, totaling over $300 in value:

$100 gift certificates to LuxLash Beverly Hills, the nations first specialty spa focusing on lash extensions and all services and products focusing on Eye, Lash and Brow beauty. Now you can make your lashes lush and your brows just the way you like 'em. Twitter: @LuxLash

The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE is giving all of us free admission tickets to explore their four floors of cutting edge exhibits, interactive experiences and films to feel the power of music. Twitter: @TheGrammyMuseum

Want more cool tickets to LA happenings? The American Cinematheque at the Aero and Egyptian Theatre has provided everyone with free passes to see the film of your choice at one of their historic movie theatres. Each night there is a different movie - from the classics of Hollywood and International Cinema to new documentaries, shorts and independent films to Sneak Previews, Premieres, Pop Culture Gems and even he hottest new websisodes, the Cinematheque's screenings often feature the filmmakers in person for discussion following the film. Oh and did you know that The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922?

Pinkberry is offering $5 gift cards good for their yogurt goodness, now available in Watermelon and Mango flavors. Pinkberry caused a pop-culture bang and lots of lines when it launched in West Hollywood in 2005 and we're excited this popular LA dessert will be a part of our Hollywood Confidential prom. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Twitter: @pinkberryswirl

Relax post prom with a free 20-minute microZone® facial treatment certificate from Dermalogica Spa in Santa Monica on Montana Ave. This quick treatment gives your skin a glowing pick-me-up, removing congestion and leaving your face healthy and bright. Besides the free facial they will also be providing their skincare product samples developed by The International Dermal Institute. Twitter: @dermalogica

Also, expect one full-sized Degree® Women Natureffects deodorant and body mist, which infuse Degree’s top odor and wetness protection formula with fragrances inspired by natural ingredients. Available in Honeysuckle & Tea Tree Oil, Olive Leaf & Pink Pepper and Orange Flower & Cranberry. Twitter: @DegreeWomen

It's getting hot in here talking about all this great swag, which is why we're also adding Proactiv (R) Solution Oil Blotter Sheets to the frey, a $16.50 value. Proactiv's Blotter Sheet Duo instantly and easily absorbs excess oil on the face. It controls shine without using powder and leaves skin fresh and clean. Each sheet is made from natural fiber paper without artificial ingredients. It is conveniently packaged in a pouch with dispenser top.

Thirsty? Try O.N.E. Coconut Water, the 100% natural Brazil coconut water, which will be in each bag. Also, you might want to go ahead and sip this drink after prom as it's supposedly a hangover cure. Twitter: @onecoconut

If you're looking for some hair of the dog, we'll have tiny bottles of Pinky Vodka in the totes too. Pinky Vodka will once again be one of the ingrediants in Natali's signature cocktails that we'll have brewing during prom. Pinky Vodka also supported last year's blogger prom, so cheers to that! Created by champion wine tasters in Sweden, Pinky Vodka is the world's most beautiful vodka that makes any drink taste better. Twitter: @pinkyvodka

Hungry? Border Grill is once again supporting Blogger Prom, this time with $20 dining certificates for their new downtown LA location opening in October as well as $10 Border Grill Truck dining certificates. With a menu of dishes based on the home cooking of Oaxaca and the Yucatan, Border Grill takes Mexican food to a whole new level! Twitter: @BorderGrillDTLA

A restaurant that lasts 30 years is as rare as a long lasting Hollywood marriage, not even ones from back in the golden age. Hugo's Restaurant in WeHo, the home of the Power Breakfast, vegan cuisine and a mainstay on the Southern California food scene, is providing us with free drink coupons with the purchase of any meal there. Do try their Pasta Mama, which has appeared on the Food Network. Twitter: @HugosRestaurant

No meal is complete without a cupcake though, right? Well, we have cupcakes gallore. Sprinkles, LA's first cupcakery, will be donating free cupcake coupons tot. Twitter: @Sprinkles

Also, L.A.'s first Filipino Food Truck, The Manila Machine, will be providing free coupons for their Ube Cupcakes with a coconut buttercream. Twitter: @ManilaMachine

Can't get enough sweets? Well, you're in luck, as we'll also have Cost Plus World Market chocolate bars. Whether you want high cocoa content, flavor infusions or sweet and savory fillings like Caramel Sea Salt, Peanut Butter, Orange or Raspberry, you'll find a mouth-watering bar made from the finest quality ingredients for every kind of craving. Twitter: @worldmarket

We'll all have a free coupon and grocery list notepad from Arnold/Oroweat Sandwich Thins. The flavor you crave. The whole grains you want. Eating healthy has never tasted so good. Be sure and say hi to them over on Facebook www.facebook.com/SandwichThins

That's not all! Product samples from UNITE Hair Care - an all natural, nutrient rich, premium, boutique line proudly free of: parabens, sulfate, gluten, dea & mea ingredients will be adding their glamorous product to our bags. All of their 30 cleansing, conditioning, styling, and finishing items are made with uncompromising quality to keep hair beautiful, natural, and healthy. The line already has a list of celebrity devotees such as: Heidi Klum, Eva Longoria, Hilary Duff, Jennifer Hudson, Matthew Fox, and many more.

Plus, $1.00 off coupons for Lovin' Scoopful Gourmet Light Ice Cream – 13 rich and creamy flavors with 1/2 the fat and fewer calories than premium ice cream. Plus 25% of profits are shared with Special Olympics and other causes. So go ahead – get a little Lovin', give a little lovin'. Twitter: @lovinscoopful

America’s favorite convenience store, 7Eleven, will be providing goodie bags with free glazed doughnut and coffee coupons good at their many SoCal locations. Twitter: @7ElevenSoCal

Last but not least, we'll be receiving Goodberrymint mintwater, an all-natural combination of pure water, 100% real mint and berry essences, including acai berries, pomegranates, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. It’s the latest variety from the line of all natural Metromint, pioneer of the mintwater category. Along with refreshing hydration, the beverage offers a unique cooling sensation and the natural benefits of mint. Named “Good”berrymint due to Project Goodberry, in which 10% of sales profits are donated to local non profits. No sweeteners, no artificial flavors, and no calories.

BLOGGER PROM COMMITTEE NOTE:
Please be sure and follow our awesome sponsors on twitter. Also, do try and thank them for their participation and support of this year's prom in any blog posts or tweets that you might do about Blogger Prom. After all, they help make all of this possible.

Thank you!

A quick reminder for RSVP'd guests

We are excited to meet and party with you all tomorrow night @ the beautiful Yamashiro - but just a little heads up:

1) If you haven't already, make your minimum donation ($10 per guest) via the goldstar link that was sent your way when the committee confirmed your RSVP. This is the only way to officially seal the deal of your RSVP.

2) Also, please let us know if for some reason you and/or your guest cannot make it to the event, we are around capacity with a few more peeps in waiting so much appreciate the update so we can open up the room to let in as many folks as we can to enjoy the festivities.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming . . .

Meet the Music: DJ Steve

You enjoyed his DJing skills at last year's prom, and DJ Steve is back. This time throwing some jazz standards into the mix to keep your feet flyin'. And you don't have to be Fred & Ginger to enjoy it. Got a song you want to dance cheek to cheek with your honey to? Tweet your request to @DJ_Steve during the party!

From DJ Steve:

Hollywoodland was a time of excess and partying, not unlike the Hollywoodland of today. As your resident DJ for the night, I'm going to make sure the music stays moving all night and you have place to come dance and let loose like the stars and starlets of yesteryear. Plan on a modern mix with plenty of "old school" gems to keep you nostalgic and hip shaking!

Please add me to your twitter feed (@DJ_Steve), if just for the night, so you can shoot requests and shout-outs to me throughout the night. I'll make sure to keep checking them and RTing anything you want to share with the prom!

Giveaway Time @ Blogger Prom!

One of the highlights of the inaugural prom was the giveaway, so you can definitely count on us doing it again this year. Thanks to a stellar, well-connected committee and a slew of generous sponsors, we have some amazing goodies for attendees to win!

But first, a few things different with the giveaway this year:

1) Our theme may be retro, but we are modernizing the announcement process. Instead of straining to call out numbers over conversation and music and all that fumbling for the itty-bitty ticket, we'll be tweeting out winners by their twitter handles! (We'll even have a projector screen with a live feed, so you don't need to be checking your newfangled techy devices every 5 mintues.)

2) If you happen to be a plus-one without a twitter account, we'll call you out by your companion's name (e.g. "@carolineoncrack's +1 won the XYZ prize!")

3) We're also tying this year's giveaway to our charity benefactor, Operation Frontline LA! All attendees (invited and their plus-ones) will receive one entry for the giveaway, but if you want to up your chances, you can donate $10 (or more) at the door for an additional giveaway entry! 100% of the proceeds goes to the charity, and guests who have already RSVP'd with additional donations will receive the corresponding number of extra entries (e.g. if you donated $40 on top of your $10 admission, you will receive 5 entries total.)

4) We'll be tweeting our giveaways @ regular intervals from 7:30 p.m. until the end of the evening, so donate for your extra entries early to increase your opportunities to win.

5) Finally, you don't need to be present to pick up your prize (in case you leave early, didn't notice it on the twitterfeed, etc.)

Phew! Having said all that, here's all the fab goodies that you can win this year:
From ChocolateBox Cafe (also our official chocolate sponsor for the event) a build-your-own box of sweets, simply bring the box to their Malibu location and fill it to your heart's fancy.
1933 Group is providing a sweet set of drink tokesn good for free cocktails at any of their bars.
Church & State is donating a $50 gift card for its bistro grub.
At Ortega 120, you can win 2 spots to their Tequila University classes, plus a $20 gift card for food or drinks at another time.
CakeMonkey donated a gift certificate good for their Snack Treat Gift Box for one sweet-loving soul.
The House of An family of restaurants is providing $75 gift certificates for AnQi and Crustacean
A gift basket of goodies, including teas, a bottle of wine and a $70 gift certificate, courtesy of Hugo's Restaurant
A tasty dinner for two gift certificate at Comme Ca in West Hollywood
And another dinner for two @ Zengo/La Sandia in the swanky renovated Santa Monica Place
For movie-goers, a ten-ticket pack for American Cinematheque's Egyptian and Alex Theaters
At La Descarga, you can win a rum & cigar aficionado package with 1 bottle of Zaya 12-year-old aged rum with sipping glasses, 2 hand rolled Payne Mason Haban Unos Corojo #5 cigars with cutter and a $50 gift certificate at the bar itself.
Nic's Beverly Hill donated a dinner for two with a full VODBOX experience.
Culina is giving out a "lunch for 4" to the fortunate winner.
Shell Vacations Hospitality donated a two-night stay in their Las Vegas Desert Rose Resort
At the Raymond in South Pasadena, someone will get $300 (equivalent of 2 chef's tastings w wine pairings) to spend on fine cuisine.
The Edison is generously giving a person and a downtown dream package with a $200 gift card, a night's stay in a downtown LA hotel plus a bottle of copper-encased Beau Joie champagne!
And The Sunset Strip is donating a package of its own, with a night's stay at the Andaz Hotel (our bloggerprom venue last year!), dinner for 2 at its restaurant, the RH, and 2 VIP passes plus 4 drink tickets for The Comedy Store.

Good luck to everyone, but feel free improve your odds (and do more good) with an extra donation!