Saturday, October 13, 2007
Quick, In the Know
Two-Faced
Social butterfly Caren West shows her many colors
Dave Grohl, Caren’s current crush, rocking the Tabernacle.
CREDIT: Perry Julian |
By Caren West
Last week, I realized for the millionth time that I live a life of ultimate extremes. I am a bipolar event enthusiast set on not committing to any type of social scene or event circuit. Perhaps that’s why The Atlantan included me as a social scenester in the October nightlife issue along with Janelle Monae, Nathan Abbott, DJ Rhythm and Patti Krohngold. I am honored, to say the least.
After being led astray by Google Maps for a good hour, I finally figured out how to get to the gorgeous home of Glennis Beacham for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Patron Party. The intimate cocktail reception gave me just a small taste of what I was in store for (read: champagne and extravagance galore) during the 2007 Symphony Ball, honoring Norman Mackenzie, the ASO director of choruses who has led the ASO chorus and soloists to garner five Grammy Awards. The event will be held Nov. 17 at the InterContinental Hotel Buckhead and promises to transport patrons to “La Vie en Rose,” a time when Edith Piaf dominated the cabarets and Paris emerged as the City of Light.
The incredibly charming and gracious 2007 chair Victoria Palefsky and her diamond accessories courtesy of Mednikow had me transfixed for most of the evening, until I spotted the pool house. After chatting with A Legendary Event’s design and floral genius Sanders Hulsey, I beelined to the pool house to fully embrace my jealousy over a little bubbly. As I imagined, the pool house was bigger than my loft and obviously came with a pool. Sigh.
While secretly hoping Beacham would adopt me, take me in like a stray puppy, and let me live in the pool house forever, having the opportunity to meet 2008’s chair Gail Starr momentarily distracted me. Before calling it a night and heading to my digs sans a private pool house, I could not help but to admire the branding our firm created for the one of Atlanta’s most anticipated events of the year and put all jealousy aside and considered myself lucky to be part of such a prestigious event.
Popping the Foo Fighter’s latest release “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” into my car’s CD player, I switched my focus to dreaming about having my very own pool boy to rocking out at The Tabernacle two days later with my imaginary boyfriend Dave Grohl. Kicking off my make me 6-feet-tall-please platforms, I concentrated on the band’s newest effort and prepared myself mentally to rock my face off at the sold out show.
Pre-Foo Fighters festivities, I threw on a new comfy outfit I bought at Jac. boutique earlier that day—right before they celebrated their official grand opening with 100 of their closest friends. As I looked for a parking spot close to the venue, I noticed a line wrapped around the Tab waiting to get in and decided to hit Sidebar first to catch a bit of the playoffs and grab some grub a cheap beer.
Perhaps it is random that one night I was decked out in cocktail attire and hobnobbing with the city’s elite and then, just two days later, I was completely smushed against a bar swigging beers with Eric Toldeo, the lead singer for Trances Arc, and screaming like a groupie as Dave Grohl jumped on the bar in front of me during one of the band’s signature high energy performances.
Random, event bipolar, call it what you will. I call it Atlanta and all the options she has to offer. SP
When not attending Atlanta’s hottest parties, tracking down celebs or shopping for shoes, Caren West runs her own PR firm. E-mail her at carenwest@sundaypaper.com.