Inside Vanity Fair Social Club: Day 1

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e once again had the opportunity to attend the Vanity Fair Social Club to celebrate the Emmy Awards. After attending Vanity Fair’s Social Club for the Oscars earlier this year, we couldn’t wait to see the great panels and mingle with other fabulous influencers. The two-day event was held at the WeWork space in bustling Hollywood just walking distance to famous L.A attractions like the Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here is a snippet of all the amazing happenings on day 1 of VFSC.

We were able to pick up our badges right at 10:30am, and head inside the impressive WeWork space. One thing we should note is that unlike those standard paper badges you’d expect to get, Vanity Fair ups the ante with mini booklets, which contain all the daily schedules and vital information we’ll need to navigate through the two day event.

After checking in and grabbing our badges, we explored inside only to across this magical bed decked in flowers in various shades of pink and white. If you thought this was a prop, you’re absolutely right. This gorgeous flowerbed with the Viktor & Rolf logo was designed as a photobooth for influencers to enjoy. How does it work? We lay down on the bed (face up), and the hovering camera stationed at the head of the bed captures our photo or photos depending on whether we want a standard photo or a gif (4 photos shot simultaneously to create a moving photo). It was absolutely amazing to see everyone climb the flowerbed and position themselves in magazine-worthy poses. Fierce!

Now we couldn’t resist taking a peek (and bite) of the delicious brunch laid out for us. The spread started with a smoked salmon platter with mini bagels, slice tomatoes, cream cheese, capers, red onions and lemon wedges for those wanting a heartier breakfast. There was also fresh ripe fruit, quiches and mini pastries to indulge in. And fresh brewed coffee, tea and juices to cleanse the palate.

In Conversation with Matthew Weiner

First up was In Conversation with Award winning Mad Men creator and Emmy nominee Matthew Weiner.  Vanity Fair’s West Coast Editor, Krista Smith sat down with Weiner for a Q&A to discuss some of the Mad Men characters’ evolution, fan conspiracy theories, and other juicy tidbits about the iconic show. Weiner is truly inspiring. He had the room captivated with his charming personality and tales of casting Jon Hamm as Don Draper. Now for you die-hard fans hoping for a spin-off of Madmen, you will have to wait for never as Weiner has no plans for one anytime soon.

Presidential Debate:In Conversation with Tony Goldwyn

As big fans of Scandal and Olitz (Olivia + Fitz, for those new to ship names), we hiked up to attention when actor Tony Goldwyn entered the room. But let’s be honest…we were a bag of jittery excitement inside as we were literally a feet away from President Fitz. Vanity Fair’s Emily Poenish sat down with Goldwyn to talk about Scandal, social media’s pivotal impact on the show’s success, and Olivia and Fitz’s relationship. It was refreshing to see the conversation unfold as he talks about how “inspiring and challenging” he finds working alongside women.  Goldwyn isn’t just talented and dashing on screen, he is also off screen. Plus the man can sport a Brook Brother’s suit very nicely.

American Actor Story: In Conversation with Sarah Paulson

Already on a rush from meeting Tony Goldwyn, we were beyond thrilled when actress Sarah Paulson came gliding through the doors. As admirers of her work on American Horror Story, we knew we were in for a treat. And we weren’t disappointed. Paulson was a fresh breathe of air as she sat down with Vanity Fair’s Ned Zeman to talk about working with Lady Gaga, how she mentally deals with challenging roles, and her Emmy nerves. Without a doubt Paulson’s charming candor and sweet demeanor won us over. We can’t wait to see her on American Horror Story soon.

Anniversary Toast

To celebration of Viktor & Rolf’s 10th year anniversary, champagne and sweets were offered to toast this great occasion. Our favorite was the beautiful bite-size “giftbox” cakes covered in baby pink frosting and carrying the Viktor & Rolf logo. We may have sneaked in two of these yummy treats…shh! While we were mingling with others, we were told we needed to check out some of the cocktail creations being made at the bar. We opted for an Elder Fizz, which almost resembles Italian soda but with a hint of the Absolute Elyx vodka in the background. But our favorite was the Dark Horse. The cocktail has a very clean, smooth palate with hints of a sweet note for balance.

Honor Roll Call: In Conversation with Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele

Last but certainly not least was the Q&A with Key & Peele’s very own Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. Alongside them was television creator and Vanity Fair writer, Nell Schovell. They talked about the show’s last season, their six nominations and moving onto the big screen–charming the room with their famous comedic humor.  About twenty minutes into the discussion, things turned a bit interesting when a round of F**k, Marry and Kill was set in motion. Soon Key and Peele were deciding on which of their iconic characters like Luther, Wendell and Meegan would they F-M-K.  What they choose made us almost fall off our feet. We don’t think we’ve laughed this hard in a long time.