As graduates of fancy-schmancy schools, it's likely that at some point in your scholastic career, you were made to confront unsettling and unfamiliar truths. Like the fact that Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, or that Jeremy Piven owns toupees. Well, here's another one for ya': Los Angeles has a subway. And you've never used it. Until now, that is. Because TIPS is taking you to Station, the outdoor terrace lounge at the W Hotel, which sits directly atop the Hollywood & Vine Red Line Metro station. So leave your car at home (yes -- seriously) and come join your fellow young alums at this dazzling, new open air addition to the Hollywood strip. Go on: Feel like a New York'er, if only for one night.
Conde Nast Traveler raves about Station, "Angelenos now have a great place to booze without worrying about parking. At the W Hollywood hotel's outdoor Station Hollywood lounge, they can arrive via subway at the hotel's door. In this outdoor oasis of potted shrubbery and pillows, hotel guests and bar patrons cluster on couches and around fire pits, drinking updated classics and fruit extravaganzas like the Avenue of the Stars: Maker's Mark, honey, lemon, and muddled raspberry. Snacks include Latin fare (shrimp and chorizo pintxos) and good ole American steak sandwiches. Wear something snazzy to blend in with the attractive pre-dinner crowd. Still raring post-feed? Take the elevator to the W's rooftop and brave the up-tempo hoochie mama gyration at dance club Drai's."
RSVP
• When you register for the event, print out your confirmation screen and use that as your ticket into the event. This will ensure you can breeze through check-in and avoid any guest list or PayPal snafus.
• We will have a guest list at the door as back-up in case you forget your confirmation print-out.
• If you buy tickets for guests, they should check-in as your +1s under your name at the door.
• Advance Registration will be open through noon on the day of the event (or until we sell-out, whichever happens first).
Hum-Bug Details
*You must be 21 to attend & plan to drink responsibly. Designate a driver, call a cab, or Google "subway" to learn exactly what it is, how it works, where it's located ... and then try it for the first time ever in Los Angeles.
*No refunds or cancellations permitted.
Recent Events
Intercontinental
7.21.10 | Intercontinental -- July in Los Angeles was no time to be cooped up in a dark club lit only by the glow of iPhones. So this month TIPS took you to a sprawling outdoor garden lit by the glow of billowing gas fire pits and … iPhones. This gorgeously landscaped marvel, located in the back yard of the Intercontinental Century City, offered a soothing respite from the 10 and 405 freeways that you probably took to get there. Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch a photo slideshow.
Bar210
6.17.10 | Bar210 -- We raged, raged against the onset of 'June Gloom' by luxuriating in the newest incarnation at the Beverly Hilton: Bar210 -- the Tom Ford-designed lounge situated in the space formerly occupied by Trader Vic's. Gone were the tiki torches and vintage surf films. In their place were modern design essentials like llavish plum, black fig and Byzantium fabrics. (Don't ask.) We came for the collegiate fellowship, we stayed for the Spanish goat hair pillows. Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch a photo slideshow.
Kiva Spring Fundraiser
5.15.10 | Kiva Spring Fundraiser -- Our first TIPS Spring Charity Ball was truly a night to remember! Sequins, glitter, and sharp suits decorated the night, champagne glasses clinked and bubbled, and the rhythms of DJ Juliett brought everyone to the dance floor. Our venue for the night was Evo’s premier Penthouse, a fantastic space sparkling with breath-taking 360-degree panoramic views of the downtown city skyline.
Thanks to everyone who turned out in support of KIVA! Every ticket purchased directly helped an entrepreneur in the developing world. Please check out Kiva's website and consider making a $25 loan: kiva.org
A special shout-out of thanks to DJ Juliett and photographer Robbie Schaeffer for donating their services for the event.
Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the glitter & smiles from the night.
Cache
4.7.10 | Cache -- We know, we know: you were all still agog about this year's truly historic movie awards season: A woman, for the first time ever ... won both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year (Bullock. "Blind Side" + "All About Steve"). But you had tolet it go. Turned out she was fine. (There were plenty of truly horrific Mad Libs-generated romantic comedy scripts floating around CAA for her to pick off one by one.) Meanwhile, there was socializing to be done on the west side. That's right, it had been ages since we hit up Santa Monica, so this month we planted a flag on the west side -- in the venue that used to be owned by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Back then it was Schatzi. Next it was Hidden. Now it's Caché. (Which is, of course, French for caché.) In any case, this time the owners got it right: multiple stepped patios, eye-popping extended firepits, intimate nooks and crannies ... all steps from Main Street. So, we came on out and yukked it up with people who were capable of pronouncing French accent marks. Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch a photo slideshow.
Voyeur
2.9.10 | Voyeur -- To celebrate February, the month when Cupid draws his bow, TIPS took you into the heart of the most darkly romantic and fetishized hot spot in Los Angeles. Yes, Voyeur: where the decor is provocative enough to make Cupid himself blush. It was the perfect spot for the month of romance -- LA style! Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch a photo slideshow.
h.wood
1.13.10 | h.wood -- It was the dawn of a new decade in Los Angeles -- a time to actually follow through on your New Year's resolutions: to be more social; venture out beyond your neighborhood; maybe go to a bar with a strangely punctuated name.
For all those options, at least, TIPS had you covered. We kicked off the 2010s at h.wood -- a laid-back Hollywood bar whose old-school leather couches and retro decor lend themselves to organic social lubrication. Perfect for meeting some new friends in a new decade and a new frame of mind. TIPS set the scene. Following through on the resolutions is up to you. Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch a photo slideshow.
Holiday Penthouse
12.05.09 | LA Holiday Penthouse -- We broke out our jingle bells, mistletoe, and holiday cheer for our most fabulous holiday party yet.
Our penthouse venue was the crown jewel at Evo – downtown’s hottest new loft development. Our home for the night was the lavish penthouse suite with breath-taking 360-degree panoramic views of the downtown city skyline and LA Live (only two blocks away). This penthouse was AMAZING. Marble, polished concrete, a huge outdoor deck, soaring ceilings, stunning views…. And it was all ours for the night.
We brought in professional set decorators to transform the Penthouse halls into our winter wonderland. DJ'd music and a dedicated dance space kept the party rocking, and holiday games & activities added to the holiday cheer. Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch a photo slideshow.
Bar Marmont
11.11.09 | Bar Marmont -- It was a sell-out crowd for our most popular event of the year: The TIPS soiree at Bar Marmont -- the classic-yet-trendy cocktail lounge at the fabled Chateau Marmont Hotel. From Howard Hughes to Jim Morrison to Lindsay Lohan, the Marmont has played host to the desperate-to-be-seen and those wishing to remain unseen. And unless you belong to the latter category, you'll probably find yourself in our photo set for the night -- which you can access by clicking on any of the thumbnails below!
Rush Street
10.14.09 | Rush Street -- For our October TIPS event, we headed to the spot that made Culver City cool again. That’s right: We used "Culver City" and "cool" in the same sentence. Skeptical? Then check out these pictures of your fellow young alumni at Rush Street, and we think you’ll agree. Not only did we canoodle on the outdoor deck, we gave a few spins around the tantalizing surprise smack dab in the middle of the upstairs lounge -- conjuring memories of ‘swinging’ college parties of yore. It was a great way to shake off those post-summer blues. Click on the thumbnails below to see all the pictures!
The Standard
9.22.09 | LA: The Standard -- For our September TIPS party, we headed back to school -- on the pool deck of the ever-chic Standard Hotel on Sunset. We soaked up the last rays of summer sunshine while sporting prep school girl/boy attitude. Ladies donned plaid headbands, scarfs, skirts and knee socks, etc. Gentleman wore Burberry, polo shirts, plaid ties, penny loafers and blazers. Many of our revelers kept with the scholarly theme of the night by striking extra-studious poses in our pictures. Click on any of the thumbnails below to launch the slideshow of the night's preppy fun!
Shangri-La Pool Party
8.16.09 | LA: Shangri-La Pool Party -- Ladies donned their cutest bikinis and gents sported their darkest shades at Santa Monica’s hottest new summer destination: the Shangri-la Pool. Amidst a backdrop of tanned friends, fruity cocktails and bouncing beach balls, we splashed it up during a classic Southern California afternoon. Click on the thumbnails below to launch the slideshow of the afternoon’s smiles.
Crown Bar
7.16.09 | Crown Bar -- TIPS summer nights continued this month at Crown Bar with another laughing, smiling night. School may be out for summer, but all our fave, fun alums were still in session for summer cocktails on the patio and chandeliered booths inside. We heard from a few star-crossed lovers looking for the digits of lads & ladies who had escaped before cards were exchanged (don’t worry, we would never release info)… so we know there were at least a few cxns stirring in the house that night. Next time, make sure to "close" before the pumpkin hour arrives. Click on the thumbnails below to launch a slideshow of event smiles!
Sky Bar
6.16.09 | Sky Bar -- Hello Summer! We melted into summer with sunset cocktails at the ever-classic Sky Bar. We took advantage of the onset of balmy summer nights poolside overlooking Sky Bar’s famed City views. Perfect setting for a perfect night with lovely friends. Click on the thumbnails below to check out all the night’s flashing smiles.
Coco deVille
05.27.09 | Coco deVille -- Hovering between spring and summer, we danced our way out of one warm, breezy season and into the next blazing LA summer. Coco definitely lived up to its hype as ultra-fabulous and super swank (just like you TIPS-ers). Citysearch says "Enter this basement bar and lounge underneath STK, and you might feel as though you've stumbled down Wonderland's rabbit hole--except it's populated with Hollywood glitterati instead of the White Rabbit and company. The psychedelic, Pucci-esque decor is a kaleidoscope of colors, laced with a mishmash of bold prints in shocking pink and electric blue that enhance the intimate spot's kitschy look." And we like our TIPS glitterati even better than the usual Hollywood froo-froo which usually fill this hot spot! So, until next time TIPSers, enjoy the free goodies in your gift bags courtesy of Beautyfix.com and click on the thumbnails below to check out the flirting-laughing-connecting-digit exchanging of the night.
Green Door
4.21.09 | Green Door -- For our April young alum playdate, we were off to Hollywood to go frolic at Green Door, a gem on the Hollywood nightlife scene. What were we celebrating this month? How about…with all this depression talk, since we’re not there yet, we decided to go for a spree and party like it’s still the Jazz Age ‘20s. Behind this very special Hollywood Green Door, we found a living room and outdoor patio right out of an 18th c. French Chateau bubbling over with the laughter of LALA TIPSers...
Cabana Club
3.18.09 | Cabana Club -- March took us to Cabana Club to chase away the spring showers with a March martini or 3 at our favorite tropical Hollywood retreat. Palm trees swayed, TIPS-ers gabbed, drinks were had, and the spring night flew by. Check out all the night's smiles by clicking on the thumbnails below to launch the slideshow of event pics.
Saturday Pre-Party at Studio BeautyMix at Fred Segal
3.7.09 | Fred Segal -- Saturday night got off to a beautiful start with our Studio BeautyMix Fred Segal pre-party in Santa Monica. Huge thanks to Charlie Perer and all the Studio staff for making this event happen! Barefoot Wine kept the sparkling drinks flowing as party guests worked with a host of professional artists offering complimentary make-overs, hair styling, facials, hand massage, and more. Chocolates, pastries and cookies kept the munchies at bay, we let the music play, and made our way out for Saturday night armed with fab make-overs and all the latest beauty trends. Gift bags for all made for a great start to the weekend – who doesn’t love freebies when the economic sky is falling outside? And, ladies, Wow! You all looked gorgeous! (guys too, but you don’t really want to be called gorgeous do you?) Response to this event was huge – tickets sold out in less than a week – so we’ll try to plan another one soon, promise! Click on the thumbnails below to check out the rest of the event photos.
Valentine's at Stone Rose
2.10.09 | Stone Rose-- Roses are red, violets are blue, I went to a fancy school, how ‘bout you? For February – month of romance, love, and all things red, pink, and mushy, we hit up Rande Gerber’s Stone Rose Bar at the Sofitel. Did anyone find their Mr./Ms. Right, Right-Now, or All-Right, You’ll Do for Now? Definitely looked like there were some pairings in the air… Thanks to Sweet Riot, we had deep, dark chocolate flowing all night long, so one way or another, there was a bit of sugar for everyone. Click on the photos below to check out the rest of the night’s matchings.
Les Deux
1.7.09 | Les Deux-- Les Deux definitely left us with a new fave TIPS party-base! With its gorgeous outdoor living room dripping in red light, Les Deux was the perfect spot for TIPSers to get together to usher in 2009. No post-holiday-party-season-depression for this bubbling crowd. We gotta agree with the LA Times who says "the nostalgia here is so now. The scene could be 1920s Paris except for all the young Hollywood royals who are making it… Maybe the reason Christina Aguilera, the Hilton sisters, Joaquin Phoenix and Eva Longoria are repeat customers is the succulent lighting. Even a toad would look handsome at Les Deux, but more than likely, you'll be meeting princes and princesses." So... anyone have any tails of prince or princess meetings? Do tell. We're always happy to publish any good party gossip/ tales in our recaps, so send us anything story-worthy for next time: events@ivyplussociety.org.
Want more? Check out our extensive archive of past events here!