Oscar Partying Into The Night
And award season is officially over!
As Meryl Streep clutched her third golden statue and Jean Dujardin danced his way out of the show, the entire A-list audience thought the same thing — "Thank God, that's over." Though Billy Crystal's tenured efforts made a good showing, let's face it and say that the red carpet fashion (Michelle Williams! Jennifer Lopez! Angelina's leg!) and Sacha Baron Cohen's ash antics with Ryan Seacrest were the highlight of the Oscars this year.
Celebratory winners and "just-grateful-to-have-been-nominated" losers did they only thing they know how after a nearly four-hour ceremony — they partied. And boy, do they know how.
The Governor's Ball, the official after party of the Oscars, was the first stop for attendees and big-name executives. The ballroom at Hollywood & Highland plays host to this big-time event annually and it was a bit different this time with chef Wolfgang Puck's menu serving as a buffet rather than a sit-down meal. Guests like Octavia Spencer, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Viola Davis, and Sandra Bullock didn't seem to mind, as it was easier for them to mingle without having to run back to their seats for the next course. But the ball was just a stop on the never-ending party train for many celebrities, as they continued on into the star-studded night.
Editor-in-chief Graydon Carter's Vanity Fair party serves as a two-fold party — the bash is a popular place for stars to watch the Oscars telecast and also draws big names after the event. Actress Olivia Wilde put it best when she said, "I got dressed up to watch TV with my boyfriend [SNL comedian Jason Sudeikis]." As the nominees, presenters, and ruffled seat-fillers piled into the actual ceremony, famous faces like Steve Martin, Sofia Vergara, and Claire Danes headed to the Vanity Fair Oscar viewing party to catch it up on the silver screen.
The party was held at West Hollywood's Sunset Tower Hotel. Post show, the party was buzzing with attendees like Jessica Chastain, Jonah Hill, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Michelle Williams. A whole lot of comfort was on the menu, with everything from fried macaroni and cheese balls to In-N-Out hamburgers.
As the revolving door continued, a blur of the same faces continued on to Elton John's 20th annual AIDS Foundation viewing dinner and after party at West Hollywood Park, which raised a record-breaking $5.25 million in one evening. Draped in blue and white, the tented affair was a fête for all.
Music's finest, like a blue-haired Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Steven Tyler, as well as a ton of tube stars like Chace Crawford, Nina Dobrev, Darren Criss, were in attendance. The guest list was amped up to some 900-plus guests, as Oscar winners poured in from the other parties as well. Chef Cat Cora prepared an impressive five-course menu that included sautéed sea bass with pepper saffron sauce, beef tenderloin with leek bread pudding, and apple-pear tart for dessert.
All in all, the night seemed to go off with a bang. The soirées surely went on into the wee hours of the evening, with celebrities fist-pumping their golden statues in the air and then some. We're sure the cast of Bridesmaids had a pretty good time — they had a head start with their Scorsese drinking game during the ceremony. Stay classy ladies.