Holiday Party Round-Up: The Magical Elves Tenth Annual Holiday Party--Elf Fest X!!

Magical Party...

Project Runway Couple: Nick Verreos and Kit Scarbo at the Magical Elves Tenth Annual Holiday Party

This last weekend was the Tenth Annual Magical Elves Holiday Party. Magical Elves were the original producers for the first five seasons of Project Runway. They currently are the people behind Top Chef, Top Chef Just Desserts, The Real L Word, and others. The company--headed by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz--has been having a Holiday Party for the last ten years!

For the "ELF Fest X", they went "all out" as usual, fake snow blowing at the entrance, fully-stocked bars, food for DAYS (the Vegi-Pizza slices and Pigs-in-a-Blanket were my fave), a Sushi Bar and much more.

Bieber Fever: "Elf Fest X" Hosts Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz pose with Justin Bieber cut-out

There was a Photo-Booth and even a fake cut-out of Justin Bieber for drunk--and not-so-drunk guests to live out their "I LOVE ME SOME Justin Bieber" fantasies. I brought along a couple of my best friends, naturally.

Say (Holiday) Cheese: Nick Verreos with friends Erik Moreno (l) and Matt Brubaker (center), Magical Elves Tenth Anniversary Holiday Party

The annual party also asks its guests to bring a toy to benefit the USMC Toys For Tots Program. Waiting to get into the party--with my huge Barbie Gift--it looked as if I was the only guest who obliged by this special "Gift Request", but once I got in, it was nice to see that the "Toy Boxes" were full!

Disco Anyone: The Scene at the Magical Elves Tenth Anniversary Holiday Party

Outside, the party was in full-on "Dance Fever" mode as the house's pool was covered in Plexiglas and transformed into a fabulous dance party with the DJ spinning tunes--from Hip Hop to Disco and 80s.

Producer Love: Nick Verreos and Michael Rucker, Emmy-nominated Producer (and friend)--Love his Vintage X-mas Sweater Vest--yes, it's a SWEATER VEST!

As always, I had a BLAST (I always do at the Magical Elves Parties) and it was especially nice to re-connect with my old Project Runway "family" from back-in-the-day (Gosh, Season 2 was SOOOO long ago!). They've always been kind and respectful to me, and I will always return the sentiments. Can't wait for next year's Holiday Party!

Nick Verreos enjoys the Magical Elves Holiday Party!

Lifetime Meets Bravo...at the Elves Holiday Bash!Posing Ladies: John Wade, Joey Maalouf and Nick Verreos, Magical Elves Holiday Party

The weekend before I left for Washington DC, I was invited to a special Holiday Party. Every year--for the last three at least--Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth, the minds behind Magical Elves throw a fabulous Holiday Party and once again they were kind enough to put me on the list. Magical Elves are the prolific producers of Top Chef, Air Guitar Nation, Project Greenlight and of course, Seasons 1-5 of Project Runway, when it was on the Bravo Network. Even though Project Runway is no longer produced by them, it is nice that they still have me on their "party radar".Disco Divas: My friends Matt Brubaker and Joey Maalouf (being very shady) dance atop the Plexiglas-covered pool

To come to the party, it was de rigueur to bring an unwrapped toy as a present for Toys For Tots. So naturally, I bought a big Barbie Doll with its accompanying dresses. I also brought some of my "boys", including my buddies John Wade, of Marc Jacobs (and from my Season of Project Runway) as well as Joey Maalouf, Rachel Zoe's DIVA hair and make-up stylist, and my life-long friends Erik and Matt. It was a very rainy Saturday night in LA but that didn't stop Jane and Dan from throwing a fun crazy party. In addition to a Plexiglas floor atop their backyard pool (which was the official party dance floor), they also rented a big ol' tent to protect the party guests.
The house was packed with guests dancing, drinking and enjoying the food (loved those mini burgers!). Among the guests, I said "Hello" to my fellow Season 2 cohort, Daniel Franco. I also spotted some Top Chef boys as well as People's Revolution founder Kelly Cutrone, who coincidentally has a new reality show, produced by Magical Elves (I guess that's why she was there) as well as... Australian celebrity chef, cutie Curtis Stone, whom my friends were swooning over (sorry Curtis, I guess you have a gay following). It was a fun party and thank you to Jane and Dan for inviting me. See you next year (I hope)!

Xmas Party Nick Verreos Wrap Up--Part 1

Holiday Party Roundup: Project Runway's John Wade and Top Design's Wisit?The Joker and Thurston Howell? John Wade, Michael Rucker and Nick Verreos at the Magical Elves Holiday Party

It's Holiday party time! Last Saturday was a busy night for yours truly. I was invited to a couple of Holiday Parties, one a Birthday for a good friend and another the Magical Elves Holiday Party. The problem was that the day after, I had to get up at 5 AM to catch an early morning transcontinental flight to Miami. So what is a boy to do? Well, go out, naturally!

Art's Fashionable Birthday:Sexy 'Stache: Marc Jacobs' John Wade and birthday boy, Art Conn, Benvenuto Cafe, West Hollywood

I enlisted the go-out aid of my buddy, Season 2 Project Runway designer and Marc Jacobs West Coast "head honcho", John Wade. John was featuring his long hair (I know, it has grown a lot!), giving you a sort of Heath Leger-as-the-Joker vibe. He was also sportin' the very UBER hip moustache which he has had for a while now. Note to Brad Pitt: You were not the first...
My deadline to get home was MIDNITE. I began my night at 8 PM (early for me) and headed to West Hollywood to Benvenuto Restaurant and Cafe' to celebrate my friend Art Conn's Birthday. Art is a successful Hollywood stylist and has worked on projects ranging from American Idol to Vogue Italia shoots with Arianne Phillips (Madonna's stylist and costume designer). Birthday Thriller: Elissa Buchter of Bridge and Tunnel PR, stylist Will Clark and TMZ's Johnny Lopez, sporting his "Thriller" red jacket and deep V t-shirt

Every year, he holds his Birthday at Benvenuto and this year was the same. Why break with tradition? (maybe by now, he gets an "Art Birthday Discount" to use the space!)
Soon after greeting the Birthday Boy, we enjoyed cocktails and munched on meatballs, pizza and chicken skewer hors d'oeuvres (I ate, John did not!) and mingled with other guests, including my other good friend, TMZ writer and fellow UsWeekly Fashion Police commentator, Johnny Lopez, looking very Michael Jackson in "Thriller"...But time was ticking for my Midnight deadline and so we continued on...

Magical Elves Holiday Bash:
TimeBandits Boy: Nick Verreos with TimeBandits Watches designer, Jonathan Stephens and his festive and beautiful wife (love the sequins huney!)

Next stop: The Magical Elves Holiday Bash. After I dropped off my unwrapped toy (it was the necessary get-into-the-party ticket), we instantly said hello to the party's hosts, Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth, the reality gurus behind such shows as Top Chef, Project Runway and Step It Up And Dance. The party was in full swing when we arrived at around 10:30 PM, with faux snow blasting from snowman-shaped machines, a photo booth, and an entire backyard pool covered in Plexiglas and turned into a dance floor. This is how you do a Party!

We immediately ran into Magical Elves "Centerfold", producer extraordinaire Michael Rucker, who was working a tartan "smoking jacket" and matching bow tie, along with his accessory du jour: A pipe. He was a sexy yet odd combination of Hugh Hefner meets Thurston Howell III. I also saw Jerrel of Season 5 Project Runway and Kit Pistol from Season 4 as well as a couple of former Top Chef contestants, but that was it, in terms of Bravo "talent"...except...Top Design Meets Project Runway: Season 2 Top Design contestant, Wisit, his partner Nick, Nick Verreos, and John "sexy" Wade, Magical Elves Holiday Party

Soon afterwards, a guy tapped me on the shoulder and said "I'm a big fan...my boyfriend is Wisit from Top Design...Would you like to meet him?" We'll, I almost wanted to do a La Boheme aria right then and there! Of course, I am fan of Top Design and of Wisit. He was reserved yet very friendly as we bonded over the fact that we are both instructors (Wisit also teaches fashion design at a local design school). He told me that he gets asked to sing opera almost as much as I get told "Nick, you should have been a Finalist...and What are you doing NOOOOOWWWWWW??"
John and I danced a while and realized that it was probably way past my bedtime. It was 1 AM and I had to go home to get my 4 hours of discombobulated sleep in order to be somewhat coherent to board my American Airlines flight to Miami the next morning...Bye for now.