Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thank you . . .

. . . for attending Blogger Prom 2009! We hope you had as killer of a time at the prom as we did planning it! Being busy bees ourselves, sorry if we didn't have a chance to mingle as much as we want to, but to refresh your memories on who we are:
And of course, also, HUGE thanks to all the sponsors who made this possible (an updated post on that soon since we had a few last-minute additions)

Don't forget blog, tweet, or add photos to our flickr group about your experience at bloggerprom. And of course, leaving comments here (and your blogpost URL if you wrote up about it already); here's to a bigger and better event next year!

P.S. check your goody bags - some items may not last through a hot summer afternoon (or even a summer night either)

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Final FYI...

Last words to live by, attendees -- we will be closing the check-in at 9 p.m. so we can start checking folks out (w the bling-bastic goody bags) at that time. Over and out and see you there!

Last But Not Least Eats . . .

Alright, now that you got the intel on the delectable noshes Andaz will be providing tonight, I'm gonna go all infomercial on you (so get your barf bags ready)

Wait Wait, there's more!

Yep, we've partnered with a few additional food sponsors who will be providing some more treats so be sure to save some room in your tummy!
Polkatots will be providing an assortment of tasty, finger-friendly mini-cupcakes.
And then there are mini-cheesecake pops from Pure Cheesecakes, no utensils needed!
Finally, Barrie Lynn (a.k.a. the Cheese Impresario) will bring an assortment of cheeses with her -- she'll even pair the cheese to whatever you're drinking; just let her have a sip of your beverage through a straw and *BAM* perfectly-matched cheese to nibble on!

This has been a bloggerprom public announcement, you may now commence with your day's activities (namely, preparing for tonight). See you there!

~H.C.

Meet Your Prom Floral Stylist: Jonathan Fong

So for this prom we stayed away from streamers, hanging banners and "Fish Under the Sea" themes opting for a classier route because, really, the prom attendees' costumes will basically steal the show anyway, right? In any case we were sooo lucky to land design/lifestyle expert, master of the glue gun and author of Walls that Wow, Flowers that Wow and Parties that Wow, Jonathan Fong, to do the floral decorations for our lil ol' prom. Wow, indeed. Jonathan has also been profiled in the likes of Life, Angeleno and Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine to name but a few, and has been featured on Fox News and "Good Day L.A."

I had met Jonathan at an underground dinner (he had created the beautiful table centerpieces there) and I mentioned the prom to him and instantly I saw the sparkle in his eyes. He was excited to be a part of such an unusual event. "I'm trying to decide between something fun or something elegant. Is there anything on my Web site that you liked?" he asked. "How about something fun with '80s colors (pastels or neons)? Everyone will be dressed in ridiculous prom attire if that gives you any ideas," I replied.

Next thing I know, Jonathan writes me saying that he's spraypainting boomboxes! Radical. Be sure to admire the wonderful creativity of his floral decorations at prom and check out his Wow books! -- Caroline on Crack

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

We Got More Than Treats - We Got Eats



Maybe we've been bragging about our awesome, Prom-themed signature cocktails a tad too much. (Nah.) But now it's time to give you the scoop on our fabulous Blogger Prom menu by RH's own Sebastian Acharmbault. It's a menu designed to be fun yet savory enough to keep you satisfied throughout the night. The following is just a peek of the night's menu to come. After all, we wouldn't invite so many foodie bloggers without making sure we could live up to the task!
  • Beef and lemon grass skewers
  • Smoked salmon maki with mango sauce
  • Braised chicken and shiitake mushroom
  • Field mushroom risotto with parmesan
Also on the Andaz rooftop where you are able to serve yourselves will be a cheese station featuring selected Cowgirl Creamery cheese - also, a charcuterie station. Not only that, but there will be a station featuring ceviche and marinated salmon. Yum!!

It's possible. You will more than likely leave the Prom full - all without ever having to select "chicken, veggie or steak."

But that's not it. After the prom at 10 PM, RH is welcoming all attendees to their restaurant on the 1st floor for the Official Blogger Prom Afterparty.

During this special time, you can enjoy 1 of 2 of their signature cocktails for $9:
  • Mr. Plant, which is named after one of two gentlemen responsible for throwing a TV off the Riot House's balcony (see where that gets you), combines No. 209 Gin with cucumber, tangerine, agave syrup and soda
  • Steelo, combining Hangar One Vodka with St. Germain liqueur, grapefruit juice and blueberries
Also, when you order a cocktail during the after-party, you will get a complimentary serving of chocolate and hazelnut-encrusted frozen bananas. No, I've never tried one but I do hear they are heavenly.

So whether it's liquid libations or delectable eats, we got your palate covered.

- e*starLA

Vote for Blogger Prom King and Queen


It ain't a prom without a king and queen! Vote for your favorite bloggers to hold the coveted titles. The winners will rule over the land...well, just the prom at the Andaz West Hollywood, but still! They get fancy tiaras and congratulatory back pats.

Just choose from the list of blogger attendees here, or if you meet any blogger tonight that you think is really deserving of a crown, send a tweet to @blogger_prom with the hashtag #promking or #promqueen.

Deadline is tonight at 9pm and we'll tally up the votes with plenty of time for them to enjoy a celebratory walk around the ballroom.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Blogger Prom Twitter Contest

We already blogged about Verizon Wireless providing MiFi access to all us bloggers during the prom, but now they are also giving away a MiFi device and a $150 gift card as well--over $400 in value!

How to enter?


  • Follow @vzwsocal
  • Between 6 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday night tweet to them with your favorite feature of the VZW MiFi, which will be on hand to check out.
  • Don't forget to use the #bloggerprom hash tag too!
  • Then, post-prom, a winner will be selected at random and contacted via direct message within 48 hours for their contact information. If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.
  • Good luck and remember to tweet away!

Update: Congrats to Kim Tracy at House of Prince

Meet Your Prom DJ: DJ WMDeez

Of course it can't be a cheesy prom without some radical cheesy music, and we were lucky enough to get a dj to man that very important responsibility: DJ WMDeez, as in "Weapons of Mass Destruction."

At the prom, since the joint will have free wifi courtesy of Verizon Wireless, attendees are encouraged to Tweet their song requests to @blogger_prom during the event. DJ WMDeez will try to honor most requests but the event is only three hours long so don't be too sad if your song doesn't get played. There will be a bunch of dance hits and nostalgic tunes to please everyone and keep the dancefloor busy.

DJ DMWDeez, aka Steve, is also the co-author of entertainment and pop culture blog, Lifting Fog. Check out his reviews! -- Caroline on Crack

Now a few words from your DJ.

"As Wednesday night approaches, I know everyone is getting more and more excited for the event. As your DJ I'm here to tell you that there will be no lack of musical magic happening with a great mix of classic songs from one of the best prom song decades of all time: the 1980s. As for me, I couldn't be more excited to be involved.

"I cut my teeth mixing songs in sweaty, grungy basement parties in college and have been pursuing gigs to expand my musical horizons ever since. Having moved to LA a year ago from the East Coast I've fallen in love with the culture of music and art here.

"My passion for DJing has grown even more which is why I'm excited to bring you a mix of heartbreakers, love-makers, and booty-shakers this Wednesday night.

"Requests are encouraged at all times via our Twitter account @blogger_prom so please don't hesitate to take advantage of it! I typically 'spin' a mix of electronica and dance with classic and new top 40 hits sprinkled on top so Wednesday is going to be a real treat for me. I write music and work on remixes when I'm not punching the clock at day jobs and can't wait to get out to more DJing gigs around the city."

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Who's Who at Blogger Prom

As this is a bloggers-only event, only bloggers are attending. So we thought it would be cool to show just who is going to be part of this oh-so-special liquor-infused prom. These are just some of the many cool peeps. If you're not listed below, please add your info in the comments and we'll update the post.

FYI, this isn't the master check-in list outside of the blogger prom committee. That's going to be printed off Pingg so, and this is very important, please make sure to add your full name and that of your guest's to the Pingg rsvp (this won't be publicized).

However, this following list, my dears, is just for fun. -- Caroline on Crack

Abby, Pleasure Palate
Adri, Once there was a girl
AJ, Confessions of a Fat Girl
Alexia, LA Weekly
Alf, Take a Swig of Alf
Alli411
Andy, Netzoo and LAist
Brainlagirl, exeuntomnes.vox.com
Bren, Hello Pretty
Brooke, Food Woolf
Carina, Uncouth Gourmands
Cathy, gas*tron*o*my
Cbeanshop, All the Days of My Life
Charity, Intellichick
Chris, Neverlost
Christine, Hot Pink Manolos
Citizen Robot
Clare, clareiswriting.com
Connie, Hey Hey Scenesters
Daily Gluttony /Rantsandcraves
Dana, Variety's The Knife
Danit & Paul, LA Decostified
Danny, Kung Food Panda
Dave, eecue.com
David, creepyla.com and la.metblogs.com
Diana Takes a Bite
Eddy & Divina, Dancing Hotdogs
Elina, LA Times Daily Dish blog
Elise, Here, Eat This
Elizabeth, Traded My BMW for a Minivan
Elliott, LAist
Emilia, Natally Wounded
Emily, LAist
Ericka, Seven Vices
Erin, LA Weekly
Fightin' Mad Mary
Film Femme
FishBowlLA
GloZell
Heathervescent
Javier, Teenage Glutster
Jaydi, Fun With J D
Jennio, I Just Lost My Stain of Thought
Jessica, LA Times Daily Dish blog
Jin Yoo-Kim, Where the Lines Blur
Joshua, Food GPS
JozJozJoz
Julia, Julia's Mexico City and la.metblogs.com
Justin, HolyTaco.com
Kaelin Burns, Hungry? City Blog
Kate, Savour Fare
Kat O'Dell, Eater LA
Katy, LA Blogger Gal
Kevin Eats
Kim Tracy Prince, House of Prince
LA Pretty

Lauren Messiah, Ask Fashion Kitty and ThisNext
Lisa Borodkin, lisaborodkin.com
Liz, Everyday Goddess
Lucinda Michele, la.metblogs.com
Matt, DigLounge
Matt, Rumdood
Michael, Mayor Sam
Michael JB, South Bay Foodies
Michelle Woo, michellewoo.com
Mike & Maria, Franklin Avenue
Molly, examiner.com
Moye Ishimoto, G4TV.com's The Feed
Nadine, Jolie Nadine
Nancy, Nanciful
Neil, Food Marathon
Nina aka SlackMistress, The Slack Daily
Noelle, Drink 'n' Dive
Pat Saperstein, Eating LA
Peggy, Totally Unauthorized
Penelope, peneloper.com
Potential Gold
Rachel, Live on Sunset blog
Recording LA
Robert Dean, Lorange blog
Ryan, Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul
Sandra, Debutante Clothing
Sarah Gim, TheDelicious Life and Tastespotting
Shelley, Faux LA Hipster
Siel, Green LA Girl
Susan, Reservation for Three
Travis Koplow, la.metblogs.com
Veronique de Turenne, Here in Malibu
Wandering Chopsticks
Wesley and Evelina, Two Hungry Pandas
Will BetheBoy, betheboy.com
Zach Behrens, LAist
Zack, Lost Angeles

Friday, July 17, 2009

No Cheesy, No Entry: Strict Dress Code Will Be Enforced

Now we can't express how much we want you blogger prom attendees to take this "prom" theme seriously. We want you to go all out with your outfit. We want you to bedazzle, we want you to accessorize, we want you to shock and awe. We want you to wear something that you would never wear anywhere else. If you don't show up en costume, sorry, but you're not getting in.

That's right, we're going to be hard asses and say that just because you're on the rsvp list doesn't guarantee you entry. If you're not dressed up in cheesy prom attire (not necessarily '80s, cheesiness of any era will do), we're not letting you in. And we can enforce it, too. Check-in for the prom will be in the Andaz lobby. Once you get past us, you will be allowed in the elevator and taken to the penthouse where the ballroom and event are.

There will be a bouncer and two blogger prom committee members who take this event seriously and who will check people off. And no amount of begging, bribing or bullying is going to get you in if you're a plain Joe or Jane.

Everyone else will have made an effort so why shouldn't you? Once you're in, you'll get to partake of all the cocktails, wine, beer and Andaz's fabulous food. There will be professional photographer, Claire Barrett, to capture your promness. You may even get a chance to win one of the many fab raffle prizes and who can forget your guaranteed bag o' goodies? Dressing up is a teeny-tiny entrance fee to pay.

And we want our guests to not be afraid of rocking the cheese, be it hoop skirts, powder blue tuxes, mullets, acid wash jeans, neon tutus, Gunne Sax bridesmaid gowns, etc. So if you were worried, "I don't want to be the only one wearing Prince's purple velvet suit!" Don't be. You are not alone and we'll make sure of that.

If you haven't gotten your outfit yet, check this post for some ideas on where to shop. There's still time to shop this weekend!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Oh, goody - everyone wins with bloggerprom goodie bags!

We've blogged about what to wear and the music that will be playing, but let's talk about the real fun stuff, the free goodies! Besides the free booze, cocktails and eats from the sponsors featured on our left side bar and giveaway items to be raffled off at the party, everyone at Blogger Prom will be going home with their very own gift bag.

In fact, everyone will get a reusable canvas gift bag from Fresh & Easy (on right), which we are filling with the following goodies:

Hungry Card Decks Los Angeles 2009: $10 off select restaurants. 52 ways to try something new.


Free margarita and free mojito cards from Border Grill in Santa Monica

A Free Taco card for the new Border Grill Truck.

A box of Extinguisher Candy a bold flavored candy that puts you in control of an intense sour experience! Eat the tangy, sour and super sour candies, followed by the blue Berry Sweet Relief candy to “put out” the sour – then start all over again!

Sleep Pretty in Pink (not to be confused with the Molly Ringwald flilm) and Hearos earplugs from DAP World. Perfect for blocking out a snoring partner, harping boss or for your next concert.

Wet personal lubricant products. Yup, everyone Wang Chung tonight! ;)








Mini sized Martin Millers Gin and Pinky Vodka

Bear Naked & Kashi items - to get your morning started right the day after!

Coupon for a free Carl's Jr. Six Dollar Burger

Hair Polish & Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier from David Babaii for Wildaid. Each retails for $9.99 and can be purchased at Sally Beauty Supply, Rite Aid or on their website.

Coupon good for a freshly baked English muffin from La Grande Orange (Santa Monica & Pasadena location)

A 120z glass bottle of the new Pepsi Natural, a premium cola made with all-natural ingredients, including natural sugar, natural caramel, kola nut extract, natural apple extract, and lightly sparking water.

A four-piece gift box from Charles Chocolates, including one tea ganache, one pecan fleur de sel caramel, one peanut butterfly and one heart ganache.











$10 off certificates for Layers Cupcakes

30% off discount coupons for Live! on Sunset.








10 ½ oz. packages of Sun Chips where the bags are made with 33% renewable materials. The really exciting news is that in 2010 though, Sun Chips plans to introduce the first fully 100% compostable chip bag. Check out this video about it, pretty cool.

Free passes for two at the Comedy Store

Silk scarf from Rosangel Tequila

Warner Bros' DVDs The Big Bang Theory! or Terminator Sarah Connor Chronicles or Pushing Daises.













'Born To Blog' t-shirts from The Gap #GapBornToFit

Free Pinkberry Fruit Parfait coupon

And who knows there might be some more last minute suprises too!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

One Week Countdown: E-vites & RSVPs

Wow, did time fly by that quickly? BloggerProm is less than seven days away! If I had two extra fingers I can count them on one hand.

Anyways, see below for the e-vites with the basic event info (click to enlarge) of course, keep an eye on this blog for additional details, last-minute updates and other juicy gossip.


Needless to say, much thanks to all our sponsors for making this happen!

And one final note for RSVPs: if for some far-fetched, outlandish reason you or your plus one cannot make the event after your replied 'yes' or 'maybe' to our Pingg e-vite site, please change your RSVP so that we can bump up the bloggers-in-waiting on our waitlist. Thanks!

~H.C.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Prom Parking, Pretty Please?

HAY GUYZ, there's a spot!

Being Angelenos of some experience ourselves, the committee's got your back when it comes to finding parking for the bloggerprom at the Sunset Strip. Thanks to our partnership with the Andaz (which also hooked us up with some nice room deals too), they are offering $7 valet, w validation, for bloggerprom attendees! Pretty sweet, considering their regular rate is up to $26 and one can easily use up just as much in gas and rates looking for spaces on the street or at other lots on the Strip.

However, discounted spots at the Andaz are limited (100) so do carpool with your +1 if possible. Or better yet, do it in the true cool prom fashion and squeeze in as many peeps as legally possible in those hot rides! Just like those days when everyone didn't have a car and a license.

We look forward to seeing you there minus the blood, sweat 'n tears of space-stalking.
~H.C. (photo courtesy of Caroline)

The Blogger Prom Yearbook Says...

Looking back at old yearbooks, it's fascinating to see who was chosen “Most likely to succeed,” “Class Clown” or “Prom King & Queen." But now we, the Blogger Prom Committee, have editorial control of the superlatives that describe us this time around.

OK, actually, most of us had opened it up to our Facebook and Twitter friends for ideas on which superlatives best suited us, and here are the final decisions. Drum roll please...

Most Likely To Be Banned From a Bar - Caroline

Most Likely To Have a Freezer Full of Baked Goods and Nothing Else- Marni

Most Likely To Have an Asterisk in Her Name - Esther a.k.a. e*starLA

Least Likely To Root for the Red Sox - Tara, who was formerly voted "Class Preppy" and "Best Smile" back in her yearbook days.

Most likely To Bring a Red Pen for Grading Something at Blogger Prom - Lindsay

Most Likely To Show Up to Dinner With Dog Hair on Her Clothes- Maya

Most likely To Drink on the Job- Natalie (only because drinking IS her job...)

Most Likely To Be the Token Male - H.C., given my inclinations for afternoon teas, brunches, desserts and the like . . . real men can, and should, handle Irish Breakfast and souffles

Most Likely To Close the Blogger Prom Bar - YOU?! We'll have to see come July 22nd.

What superlative would you like to have describe you now-a-days post school and post floppy disks?

Monday, July 13, 2009

Because Your DD Needs a Break: Special Rates at The Andaz WeHo

AS IF there weren't enough to get all Blogger Prom attendees excited about our special night - now there's incentive to not have to worry about getting home at the end of the night.


No, I won't mention that there's two signature cocktails and three sponsored spirits plus beer and wine that you weren't legally allowed to drink during that other prom. I also won't mention that Tommy's mom - the one who kept sending you to the principal's office - won't be there to chaperone.

But what I will say is that all Blogger Prom attendees will be given a deep discount and be able to book one of Andaz West Hollywood's fabulous rooms this night (Wednesday, July 22) for a one-night stay for $150. To top it all off, they will include a $50 credit to RH restaurant as part of the deal. Wow!


To make a reservation, all you have to do is call Andaz West Hollywood at 1-800-233-1234 and tell them you are part of the cool crowd. Say you are a guest of Blogger Prom to get the special rate. And as a note to party crashers, all names on the reservations made with the hotel will be verified with our Blogger Prom attendee list. If your name isn't verified, your card will be charged the regular rate - $245 for the night.

So go ahead. Stay with us. We won't be calling Mom & Dad to tell them you really aren't sleeping over at Kevin or Jane's house while watching Mallrats on VHS.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Vino and Suds at the Blogger Prom

We of the bloggerprom committee do love us a good drink and we don't discriminate, so to round off the fantastic cocktails that Natalie have created for the event, we've teamed up with other sponsors to provide us some tasty wines and beers too for those preferring grapes and suds.
First, we have the 2007 Boro Hills Sauvignon Blanc. According to the notes provided by Fresh & Easy, this is made from grapes in the Marlborough region of New Zealand, the grapes are primarily cool fermented in stainless steel tanks (with a fraction barrel fermented and aged for 3 months). The final product has aromas of "elegant gooseberry" and "ripe, tropical" fruits, with a "nicely balanced acidity on the long finish" not to mention striking a nice middle-ground between minerality and fruit. Best served chilled, either as an apertif or to pair with lighter dishes such as salads and seafood dishes.
For those preferring something more red 'n robust, Fresh & Easy is also supplying the award-winning 2008 Ambas Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. Again, the grapes are primarily fermented in stainless steel to preserve fruit notes with a portion aged in oak for richness and complexity. The flavors and aromas are "rich and concentrated"; expect "bold, ripe blackberry" with a long, velvety, smooth finish. And, if it's anything like the 2007 version, it's a "stick to your ribs country-style breakfast" kind of wine. Best paired with steak or tomato-y dishes.
Finally, for the beer-inclined - we partnered with Newcastle just in time for the debut of their DraughtKeg (using the same technology as Heineken's), a pressurized, recyclable mini-keg with a internal CO2 mechanism that dispenses up to 10 pints of "fresh-from-the-tap" Newcastle Beer, And, in case you can't finish it all, the DraughtKeg keeps the beer fresh for up to 30 days!

The best part? You can bring home the experience without a whole lot of wallet damage! At Fresh & Easy, you can get these exclusive sauvignon blanc and malbec for $5.99 and $4.99, respectively; and the Newcastle DraughtKeg will be available at select Southern California locations for approx. $23.

So no matter what glass you'll be holding (yes, even if it's a water goblet) there's something celebratory to cheers to!


~H.C.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Get Your (Jungle) Juice On at Blogger Prom!

Your blogger prom committee has been working tirelessly at lining up all sorts of cool raffle prizes, goodie bag swag, an amazing venue, sumptuous nibbles and, of course, a buzz-worthy array of lascivious libations. In addition to the wonderful spirit and wine companies providing the liquid fuel for this celebration of So-Cal’s blogosphere, we have two specialty cocktails for you to enjoy. My cocktail blog, The Liquid Muse, is the backbone to my beverage consulting & mixology services. So, what better for this committee member to contribute to Blogger Prom Signature Cocktails!

The Prom Punch Jungle Juice is, of course, designed especially for this event. Springboarding off the Jungle Juice of high school days (which was likely some variation on Everclear & Hawaiian Punch) this grown-up version is easy to make, tastes delicious and can be whipped up in big batches (should you decide to make it for your parties). Best of all, this recipe features natural juices and a quality spirit: Pinky Vodka. Touted “the most beautiful vodka in the world,” Pinky is kissed with rose and strawberry notes, making it extremely mixable and delightful chilled, straight up. The sugar rim and lollipop on this “tini” style Jungle Juice are whimsical garnishes because – hellooooo – Blogger Prom is all about the fun!

The Flor de Maria is a slightly more serious drink for the discerning cocktail-lover. Its teeny bit more labor intensive and a recipe I’m rather proud to have created for the celebration of LA’s female mixologists at the Gran Centenario Roseangel tequila party at Malo, a few months ago. In addition to the hibiscus-infused Roseangel, this drink includes a homemade ‘hibiscus cabernet syrup,’ which I created especially for this drink. This cocktail takes the tequila lover beyond the margarita and into the world of creative mixology.

I know I speak on behalf of the whole Blogger Prom committee when I say that we look forward to clinking glasses with you all!

Prom Punch Jungle Juice
© 2009 Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, The Liquid Muse

2 ounces Pinky vodka
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce pomegranate juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 lollypop (garnish)
Colored rimming sugar (garnish)

Rim a martini glass with colored sugar, set aside. Shake all ingredients with ice. Gently strain into rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a lollypop across the top of the glass.

Flor de Maria
© 2009 Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, The Liquid Muse

1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
1/2 ounce hibiscus cabernet syrup
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces Gran Centenario Rosangel Tequila
Spritz orange flower water
1 - 2" piece lemon twirl

Muddle orange zest in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Add maraschino liqueur, syrup, lemon juice and tequila. Shake, with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Spritz with orange flower water. Garnish with a sliver of lemon zest.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Verizon Wireless Computer Lab

Blogger Prom is so awesome, we are getting our own cloud! No, not the smelly kind that wafted out when you opened the high school bathroom door or these ugly June Gloom ones up in the sky. We’re talking about an internet cloud!

Verizon Wireless is decking up the Andaz roof for prom with several MiFi devices and HP Mini netbooks, so we can blog live, web tweet, upload photos, all that geeky stuff. If you haven’t played with it yet, the MiFi is the size of a thick credit card and delivers a personal Wi-Fi cloud for up to five users in a small area (Engadget article here) at one time. Plus, it’s a secure connection for anyone whose blogging may get a bit rough after several of Natali's cocktails.

So, bring your own PDA, iTouch, whatever or borrow one of the netbooks that will be set up in our mock school computer lab, either way, you’ll be wired at the prom! Be careful of drinking and blogging though, opps too late.

On the rooftop of The Andaz West Hollywood Hotel, Verizon Wireless engineer Peter Kheang tests the company's EVDO network, which will provide poolside internet access during Blogger Prom.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Stop, Raffle Time. You can't touch this!

When you check-in at Blogger Prom you'll receive a special raffle ticket that will hopefully score you some fun prizes from our many lovely sponsors featured on the left-hand side bar <--. Even if you don't win one of our giveaways during the party that same ticket will still get you one of our awesome Blogger Prom Gift Totes filled with swag (more info to come). If you're feeling lucky, though, below is a list of the awesome goodies that we will be raffling off live throughout the night. There are over 30 prizes in all, so some pretty good odds!

So, which do you have your eye on?

Monday, June 15, 2009

We Take Requests: Prom Playlist


What's the cheesiest prom song, the song that evokes memories of that special night, or the song that makes you want to pull that special someone for the night close and just slow dance? Add your suggestions to the comments and we'll add it to our prom playlist! Everyone, Safety Dance!

Here's what we have so far:

1999 by Prince
99 Red Balloons by Nena
Always by Atlantic Starr
Atomic Dog by George Clinton
Be Near Me by ABC
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order
Blister in the Sun by Violent Femmes
Breathe by Faith Hill
Cannonball by The Breeders
Crazy for You by Madonna
Don't You Forget About Me by Simple Minds
Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith
Dreams by the Cranberries
Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon
Eternal Flame by The Bangles
Fight for Your Right to Party by Beastie Boys
Footloose by Kenny Loggins
Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
Head to Toe by Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam
Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar
Hungry Like a Wolf by Duran Duran
If You Leave by OMD
If You Were Here by the Thompson Twins
I Get So Emotional by Whitney Houston
I Melt With You by Modern English
Into the Groove by Madonna
I Touch Roses by Book of Love
It Takes Two by Robb Base and DJ EZ Rock
It's Tricky by RUN-DMC
Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode
Just Like Heaven by the Cure
Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
Love Shack by B-52's
Lovefool by The Cardigans
My Prerogative by Bobby Brown
My Sharona by the Knack
Nasty by Janet Jackson
Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley
Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode
Pop Muzik by M
Pretty in Pink by Psychedelic Furs
Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
Push It by Salt n Pepa
P.Y.T by Michael Jackson
Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Rock Me Amadeus by Falco
Rockit by Herbie Hancock
Safety Dance by Men Without Hats
Stay (I Missed You) by Lisa Loeb
Straight Up by Paula Abdul
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
Tenderness by General Public
The Glamorous Life by Sheila E.
Time (Clock of the Heart) by Culture Club
Together Again by Janet Jackson
True by Spandau Ballet
Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham
Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' by Michael Jackson
We Got the Beat by the Go-Gos
What I Like About You by the Romantics
What's Up? by 4 Non-Blondes
White Lines by Grandmaster Flash
Wishing Well by Terrence Trent Darby
With or Without You by U2
Word Up by Cameo

-- Caroline on Crack

Friday, June 12, 2009

A Holler on Twitter for #BloggerProm!

tweet tweet . . . what's #FollowFriday?

Hey, H.C. here and wanting to let you peeps know (as if you didn't already) that we of the BloggerProm Committee are not only prolific bloggers, we are some crazy tweeting fools as well! Should you care to find out more #BloggerProm gossip in-between our posts, not to mention all the exciting going-ons we have in our individual lives, check us out at:

Caroline @CarolineonCrack
Esther @estarla
Marni @happygomarni
yours truly @LAOCFoodie
Maya @shopeatsleep
Lindsay @SquashBlossom
Natalie @TheLiquidMuse
Tara @tarametblog

And of course, there are our sponsors who are making some pretty kickin' donations*, from the venue to hold the event, to the alchy and food to keep us happy and full, to plenty of schwag to give out (more details on that in upcoming posts.) So a big THANKS to:

Andaz WeHo (the "Riot Hyatt") @andazweho
Martin Miller's Gin @MillersGin
Pinky Vodka @pinkyvodka
Fresh & Easy @fresh_and_easy
The Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa @LanghamPasadena
Threadless @threadless
The Lek @thelek
Lago Santa Monica @LagoSantaMonica
Goldstar @goldstar & @goldstarla
Kiss My Bundt Bakery @kissmybundt
ArcLight Cinemas @ArcLightCinemas
CKE Restaurants @HappyStar & @CarlsJr

Also, to hear every twitterer's hullabaloo about this enchanting event, do a #BloggerProm search. Got your own #FollowFriday twitterers to share? Drop a line in the comments.

All right, over, out and tweeting! Let's make #bloggerprom a top twitter trending topic on July 22!

*P.S. It's not too late to get into the sponsoring game and reach out to many of the top bloggers (and twitterers) in the Greater Los Angeles Area; for more information, feel free to contact me or the others on the BloggerProm committee.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Come get your flair!

OK, you've eagerly submitted YES! to the exclusive Blogger Prom RSVP and now you're rummaging through your closet and local thrift stores for the perfect cheesy outfit, so why not also add one of the following badges to your site? Display them proudly my friends! Oh, and of course link them back to http://blogger-prom.blogspot.com/






Also, if you have any better design submissions, we're open to them.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Everybody Wants To Be At Blogger Prom

Yes, the Save the Dates are out and yes, we have been adding names and blog URLs to our invite list via comments in that aforementioned post. We're at capacity and while we'd looove to have all of the Los Angeles blogging community there, we simply can't. This calls for more clarity about what makes one eligible to attend Blogger Prom.

  • You and your guest must be 21+
  • You must have a blog - thereby making you a blogger at Blogger Prom!

While the first is self-explanatory, the second needs some more clarification. Here, we have to go into the "don'ts."

  • You can't start a blog just to come to Blogger Prom. We will be able to tell! We want dedicated bloggers to attend and ultimately this is up to the Blogger Prom Committee's discretion.
  • We love Tumblrs but because of the work we put into the agreements with our sponsors and the reciprocal nature of our event, micro-blogs do not count.

Thank you for understanding. Things with our sponsors are surpassing all of our expectations and we are all so excited!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

What To Wear to the Prom

Lots of people have been asking us what they should wear to the Blogger Prom so here it is: Go for cheesy prom attire. Don't worry about being the only one dressed in hot pink with lace tights and huge shoulder pads because you won't be. And I'm not just addressing the ladies.

For some ideas here's what the Blogger Prom Committee is thinking of wearing:

e*starLA: B&W Houndstooth. All over. With black and white feathers in my bouffant. And tick-tack-tackity black fishnets with holes of alternating circumferences, symmatries and shapes. Work.

H.C.: Undecided on whether to do a suit jacket w fancy jeans, vest w slacks and hipstery tie, or a two/three-piece that I will have to diet to fit into (somewhat outgrew the matching slacks).

Marni: I'm going to wear the ugliest dress EVER! Because ugly is the new black? I don't actually have the dress yet, so I'm going to forage through my friends' closets till I come up with something. Or go shopping. Perhaps piece a bunch of outfits together. Doh! I don't know!

Maya: I still have my winter formal dress from high school...it's chartreuse and is poofy! We're going for funny, right?? I better not show up in this thing with everyone else wearing something that's actually, like, fashionable!

Tara: I actually just ordered a poofy, short and ugly dress on eBay that I'm hoping will fit. lol (eBay 80s prom dresses)

Me (Caroline on Crack): I'm hoping by then I can fit into that teal puffy-sleeved prom dress I wore to the Saints & Sinners prom years ago. If not, Forever 21 sure has some cute stuff. That pink dress with leopard or lacey leggings! And e*starLA and I were thinking of getting our makeup done beforehand at MAC. Fun!

BTW, here's a list of suggestions of where you can probably find some great prom wear:
If you have any other suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments!

Shhh, the Save the Dates Are Out

All right we just mailed out the save the dates last night so if you're a blogger and want to come and haven't received one, just include a link to your blog and your email address in the comments. We have to be strict with the list and monitor it ever so carefully since there’s limited capacity for this event. You know, cuz of space, booze, food, etc.

In any case, if you did get the save the date, please don't forward it to your friends. Again, cuz of the above reasons. Just have them contact us directly with their blog link. Thanks!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Shout It From The Rooftop: Venue Finalized


As they always say: Location, location, location!! We have finalized the venue of our phat Blogger Prom, and it will be on the rooftop of The Hyatt Andaz Hotel, located right on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

That's right - the rooftop. Caroline and I (Esther) made a visit to the space and were absolutely floored - so to speak! The north view is of the Hollywood Hills and the south, The Sunset Strip in all its glory.

Not only that, Andaz will be providing food featuring their very own chef Sebastien Archambault, who hails from France by way of a short stint in Mexico. He procures the menu at the hotel restaurant, RH, with fine detail and is always revising and perfecting. Our blog-happy guests will enjoy a very special Californian menu at Blogger Prom.

Photo credit to TripAdvisor.com

The Andaz Hotel just finished their serious $35 Million remodel in January of this year so Blogger Prom guests will be some of the first to really experience the "reformed" hotel known as The Riot Hyatt. Yes - this is the famed stop-off where members of Led Zeppelin have rented entire floors and driven motorcycles through the hallways (the movie Almost Famous also recreated these scenes here), Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones dropped a TV off the balcony and Jim Morrison permanently lived for years.

So be ready to enjoy nothing short of a posh, pool-side setting nestled in between some of the best views available in all of Los Angeles. Better wear your bathing suit underneath your cummerbund or sea-green ruffle dress. ;)

Because bloggers are the new rockstars.

Andaz West Hollywood
8401 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, California
90069

323.656.1234

Your Blogger Prom Committee

Esther and I (Caroline on Crack) have chosen some of the most well-known L.A. bloggers to be in the blogger prom committee, not only for the blogging personalities and their Web presence but, let's face it, for their contacts so that we can ensure that we get all the best swag for this event and its giveaways!

Here are the blogger Prom Committee members (in alphabetical order):

  • H.C. of LA and OC Foodventures
  • Lindsay of LAist
  • Marni of Happy Go Marni
  • Maya of Shop Eat Sleep
  • Natalie of The Liquid Muse
  • Tara of When Tara Met Blog

    Together we're getting liquor sponsors so there's free booze for the entire event, as well as giveaways and of course the awesome Andaz venue complete with free food!