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Star Studded White House Correspondents Weekend in DC

Every year I look forward to visiting Washington DC for the White House Correspondents Dinner events. It’s a weekend filled with non-stop parties and the time of year when celebrities take over DC and we get to see President Obama’s comedic side come out. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the organization’s founding and featured headlining comedian, Joel McHale.

WHCD Weekend Recap: Parties, Places and Faces #WHCD #NERDPROM

What a weekend! As you saw from my earlier posts I have made the rounds this weekend in DC in honor of the White House Correspondent’s Dinner (WHCD). Here’s the full run down on my weekend starting friday night through Saturday’s festivities. I was fortunate enough to have Amy Harder of the National Journal as my hostess, tour guide, and friend extrodinare throughout the weekend to get ready with and introduce me around to the DC crowd.

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Lara Eurdolian, Amy Harder and Elahe Izadi at the New Republic Office Party
Myself with Amy Harder and Elahe Izadi at the New Republic Office Party

Friday we kicked the weekend off at The New Republic Office Opening Party. Highlights included a tour of the new office location for The New Republic, as well as in between glasses of Veuve Clicquot (The New Republic doesn’t skimp…), I had an amazing whisky tasting thanks to my new friends at the Distilled Spirits Council who may or may not have introduced me to my new favorite whiskey, Jameson 18 year old reserve. Nancy Pelosi was also in attendance.

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After a quick outfit change, we headed over to the National Journal/The Atlantic/OURTIME.org Making News Party. Hosted at The Powerhouse in Georgetown, a super cool 2-floor event space, I got a little nostalgic for New York when I saw my friends, The Bumby’s! For all of you that don’t know The Bumby’s (which just so happened to be every person in that room but me), they are disguised duo team Gill and Jill and they offer creative and unbiased appraisal of your outfit by way of a report card of which they type up on a digital type-writer in front of you as they rate your style. I was graded a 9.5 so I must have done something right that evening.

Amy Harder, Lara Eurdolian
Amy’s in Calvin Klein, I’m wearing a pink Badgley Mischka dress & Bestey Johnson jacket

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The Bumby's
Gill & Jull of The Bumby’s

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Unfortunately the disfunction of this photo has nothing to do with our intoxication level and everything to do with how uncoordinated we were in our grabbing props and posing in time. (Although I think it adds character.)

Lara Eurdolian, Amy Harder

And then for the best moment of the night… meeting Gerard Butler at the final stop of the evening at the Funny or Die After-Party. Hosted at Hogo, this was apparently the party to be at, attracting the likes of Kate Walsh, Michelle Dockery, Kate Walsh, Jason Sudeikis, Olivia Wilde, the cast of House of Cards and as I mentioned our highlight of the night, Gerard Butler. Because Guess what? If you didn’t already have a crush on him (which I actually didn’t), meeting him will most certainly seal the deal — he’s just that funny, charming, handsome, personable… sigh!  

Lara Eurdolian (moi!), Gerard Butler and Amy Harder
Lara Eurdolian (moi!), Gerard Butler and Amy Harder

And that concludes our Friday night! Most of Saturday I covered in my earlier posts, starting with The National Journal/CBS News/The Atlantic pre-dinner reception (click HERE for the post), where the highlights were meeting Jeremy Renner and Hugh Dancy! Then came the red carpet coverage (click HERE for the post), which I’m particularly proud of the shots I took of WHCD host, Conan O’Brien and Sophia Vergara (although that’s just the tip of the iceberg for your celebrity watchers). Amy and I then ended the night at the Capitol File Magazine 8th Annual After Party.

2xf2It was the perfect way to complete the evening. Hosted at The Carnegie Library (the space is absolutely stunning!); guests were treated to RSVP catering, touch-ups by Saks 5th Avenue, photo booth, and a full on dance party at one of the wings of the library. The party went strong all night, as did we, until our feet couldn’t take it anymore and then we walked home.

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Until next year!

National Journal x CBS News x The Atlantic Pre-WHCD Reception Jeremy Renner, Claire Danes, Hugh Dancy, Julie Chen…

Jeremy Renner, Lara Eurdolian, WHCD
CBS News x National Journal x The Atlantic pre-WHCD reception with Jeremy Renner

Saturday night my lovely date Amy Harder of the National Journal and I got all glamed up and headed to the Washington Hilton for the pre-White House Correspondent’s Dinner reception hosted by the National Journal, CBS News and The Atlantic. This one of the few events noted in my calendar where I can justify adding a full-length gown to my wardrobe. The private cocktail party is a great way to kick off the evening and have some time to mix and mingle before the notables in the crowd head

WHCD: PC on the Red Carpet with Conan O’Brien, Sophia Vergara, Michelle Dockery, Gayle King and more #nerdprom

Conan O'Brien, WHCD
On the red carpet with Conan O’Brien, host of the 2013 WHCD

Every year, I look forward to visiting DC for the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner (WHCD). Nicknamed ‘nerd prom’ it’s that special time of year, when celebrities take over Washington and the President gets to debut his stand up comedy routine poking fun at everything from the press, his Republican opponents, the popularity of Michelle’s bangs to, of course, himself. Hosted by Conan O’Brien at the Washington Hilton, it’s arguably DC’s social event of the year. Or for some, an excuse to wear a gown and mingle with your favorite celebrities. Spotted on the red carpet…

Sofia Vergara, whcd
Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara

A full Hollywood showing for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

I wish Fred Armisen was my date to nerd prom! Until then I'll settle for a photo...

I find it extremely entertaining that I can completely burn out on the NYC event scene, and yet have the time of my life participating if it’s in a different city… Maybe it’s time to move or just that the weekend of The White House Correspondents Dinner (WHCD) DC is just that fun. (I’m going with the latter).

First off, the fact that the WHCD is referred to as nerd prom is kind of hilarious — which would only be outdone if it actually involved more cuberbunds, awkward glasses and the most outlandish frizzy hair possible; while in actuality it’s a very formal affair with the crowd dressed to the nines and more celebrities in one evening then all of fashion week combined.

The only people not expected to be on their best behavior is our President and host, Jimmy Kimmel who take the stage as though it’s an episode of Comedy Central’s Roast — and maybe Woody Harrelson as the representative of the stoner community.

{My lovely fellow writers with the ever-so-classy (and gracious) Diane Sawyer}

The event takes place at the Washington Hilton and right before the dinner the pre-cocktail events begin in the hotel. Amy and I hit up the CBS/National Journal/Atlantic party which was pact! We had a few glasses of wine, took pictures in the photobooth and mingled with the crowd.

{The most hilarious picture of Claire Danes and Bob Schaffer}

I saw Lindsay Lohan’s head pop through the crowd, but all eyes we’re on Claire Danes, who was standing next to Bob Schaffer! As I made my way over, he moved out of the way, so humble trying to not block the way; only to be surprised that he was the one I was gunning for! It didn’t seem appropriate to say, I’ve been watching you since I was a child, so I went with, “I’ve been watching you forever” — to which he replied, “I’ve been on forever”.  All I needed was Charles Osgood and my evening would be complete.

{Me and Bob Schaffer!}

Rosario Dawson, Mary J. Blige and Gayle King formed a nice corner and mingled amongst themselves and fans. Rosario Dawson, who is STUNNING (how is she not a spokeswoman for a beauty brand? Her skin is amazing!) and I bonded over Burning Man.

{Mary J. Blige could not have been sweeter}

{I’ll see you on the playa!}

{Rosario Dawson chatting with Gayle King}

{Mary J. Blige and Norah O’Donnell}

The cocktail party concluded and the dinner guests filed downstairs, while the rest of us formed a viewing party and had dinner upstairs in the hotel. It’s funny to eat dinner and watch Obama speak knowing he’s directly one floor below. Then once the dinner concludes we all regroup in the lobby, which is an even larger red carpet scene then the actual parties!

{Diane Keaton!}

{Barbara Walters!}

{Mother and daughter duo Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson}

{Bruce and Kris Jenner with Kim Kardashian}

{Calling Malin Akerman!}

{Viola Davis}

{I wonder what Ivanka Trump thought of the hits on her dad}

{I never thought Newt Gingrich would make my blog…}

{My lovely date Amy is wearing BCBG, and I’m in a one-of-a-kind hand made Daniel Feld (head designer for Kymerah), and Betsey Johnson jacket (pictured above)}

Eventually, I’ll update the Pretty Connected Facebook page with the whole album, so check back for more photos from the evening…

White House Correspondents’ Association Weekend

While the world’s been obsessing over Kate’s dress, I’ve been doing a bit of that myself over what to wear to the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) parties. That’s right, I’ll be live from DC! I’ve been in LA all week and I’m flying direct to DC today, so I had some advance planning to do when leaving NY.

I think the winning dress is this lovely Nicole Miller number…

What do you think of my Nicole Miller dress?

The invitation…