A Near Miss and Hopefully a Hit

Yesterday was the premier of "Neighbors From Hell", a show that Mario storyboarded for. We were pretty excited to see a finished show and also all the people he worked on the show with. So they threw a wrap and premier party in one. Usually the wrap parties are pretty fun. Free food, free bar, free something or other from the show. This party was at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel. It's gorgeous, swanky, and awesome to think that that all the great stars have been there at one point or another.

We were some of the first few people there. The party was held in kind of an open reception hall. There were two main rooms with an open hall area that connects them. To define the party area a bit more, they had velvet ropes around the perimeter of the two rooms with an opening at the hall to enter into the party. Then to make it a little more private, they put up these beautiful carved wood accordion room dividers. Kind of like this...

Inside the room there were a bunch of sitting areas with brown leather chairs and couches. I would have taken any one of those chairs or couches. They were all gorgeous! 

Because we were the first people there, we explored around and found the perfect spot for us to sit. We ended up in the secondary room. It was a little moodier in there. We started off with a trip to the bar and then made our way back to the little corner that we had decided was ours. It had a beautiful couch, a couple of these orb chairs, and a big couchy chair. It was a chair big enough to for Mario and Me both. We claimed it. We hung out, sipped our drinks, and chatted with friends...and then they opened the food line. 

Mario got up and headed to get some grub, as Tadao and I decided who would go next to get some food. We didn't want to loose our prime spot, so someone had to stay. I told him to go ahead. Tadao started to  head to the food table. I realized that the big chair that Mario and I had been sitting in had scooted back out of place. So with drink in my hand, I hooked my foot under the seat of the chair to pull it forward a bit. Now the chair was so big that I doubted it'd move, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out that chair was actually light in the front...and heavy in the back. In the slowest motion EVER, that chair tipped back and was headed for one of the beautiful wooden panels. Literally two inches from knocking over the 9 foot panel, Tadao dove forward and caught the chair! I swear I peed my pants a little. All I could think about was that chair hitting the carved wood divider, then falling on the velvet rope and taking the velvet rope stands down like dominoes around the WHOLE ROOM!  

Tadao and I both stood there and stared at each other for a good few minutes until Mario came back. Then we decided not to tell him. Luckily, after a few more drinks we were calmer and a lot less of a mess, not to mention a lot more graceful...or I like to think so. At least I learned my lesson and learned not to touch! I could have shut down that party in two minutes! Mario would have been pissed! Luckily Tadao saved my ass! (in payment of his saving my butt, I have agreed to put that in writing) Luckily the rest of the night passed without much excitement of that variety. 

Besides that minor incident, we had a great time. We watched part of the show, talked to great people, and drank a bit too much. I got to be a little star struck with a few people I recognized from television. Kurtwood Smith was there, otherwise known as "Red" from That 70s Show. Will Sasso from Madtv was also there. They were both voices for characters. I was really wanting to meet Jane Lynch, she's another character from the show, but she was probably off doing something a little fancier than our little party. Other than that I didn't really recognize anyone else. Although, there was an odd exchange in the bathroom with someone that now that I look back might have been Paris Hilton. I am told that Mimi Rogers was there by my dorky friend who made a cheesy rose out of a napkin and presented to her and about 8 other hot women. I have to give props to him though. He gave these "roses" to about the top 10 hottest women at the party. He aims high for sure!