Governors Ball in Preview

My ONE allowed picture of the night...

Saturday night, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Preview Party for the 84th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball in the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood & Highland Complex.  It was a wonderful night filled with savory Wolfgang Puck Hors D' Oeuvres, Moet Champagne and lots of Swarovski shimmering crystals.  The Ballroom was elegantly re-designed to give a huge, square space a more intimate feel with lots of varied lounge areas to discover as you mingled.  
The one big surprise of the night came after some well-deserved recognition announcements for all the hard work that goes into orchestrating such an event... They were going to lead us into the theater so we could be a part of the Oscars dress rehearsal.  So fun!  Billy Crystal was careful not to give any hints of his original content, assuring us that he didn't want to spoil the laugh for the actual night. Then came a special performance by Cirque Du Soilel that was simply amazing. I hope you tuned in to see it live along with all the grand set changes!  It really was a complete nod to old Hollywood style.

What a special night out and really exciting to be a TINY part of it all...

 

 

Inside of the Grand Ballroom...

The signature cocktail for the Ball courtesy of Moet & Chandon is the Red Carpet Glamour (recipe here).  It was topped with a red rose petal which was pretty presentation, but def. needed to be removed to make having a sip way easier.

Favorite of the evening:  Super savory lobster, crab & heirloom tomato salad with a creamy kick of wasabi dressing layered on the bottom. 

Mini baked potatoes topped with creme fraiche & caviar.  They looked perfect with the gold foil wrapping.

In the back VIP area, Award Winners can take their coveted statue to the engraving machines so expert staff can make the official mark right there on the spot... Otherwise, the awards are given blank and you must return it to the Academy at a later date for the customization.  Who could wait??

All photo credits go to Getty Images... At least someone could take some pictures!!