Beverly Hills Film Festival 2013 Part 2

Here I am in a little black dress and ready to go to the Beverly Hills Film Festival awards ceremony, but not before taking some pictures for posterity’s sake. Also because oh-my-god I look so purty I need to get proof that I can be glamourous too:

I had on a silver pewter dragon ear cuff on my left ear. Someone at the awards ceremony complimented me on it!

Detail of the back of my dress.

Turning round and round and round.

^{Forever 21 dress // Dr. Martens boots // H&M rabbit ring // Summer Rain dragon ear cuff}

The awards ceremony was held at the Four Seasons Hotel. It was such a posh place:

These were real Lilies in the lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel. Talk about decadence. We could smell the florals immediately upon entering the building.

It was so confusing to have this nondescript sign which simply said, ‘Private Event’. It turned out that this was the sign for the ceremony.

Eil and I flanking a spiffy-looking MC in his tuxedo and bowtie! Eil was worried that she was under-dressed, but I thought that she made it work with some adjustments to her shawl. Also, the metallic shine of her shawl and blouse helped a lot with the glitz and glamour look. I was so excited to see Eil again after so long! I wasn’t a very good student under her mentorship for my final year, coming up with idea after idea and never following through on them for my final animation until right before the final year project screening. But Eil was such a genuinely nice mentor and a very supportive one at that too. I had so much fun joking with her at the event!

MC bought the both of us tickets for a cocktail before entering the ballroom! That’s the bartender in the background mixing drinks on a makeshift bar right before the entrance.

Eil with her cocktail. I got the same one, though I’ve forgotten the name of it already. Something very fruity and with pineapple I think.

And then I started taking pictures of food. Eil and I were making jokes about how pleb we were and how we didn’t need that many cutlery. MC was our guide in that respect. I guess the atmosphere of the Hollywood scene really was quite intimidating. But it was all in good fun. XD

This basket of breads was continually getting replenished, although once, the basket at our table was taken away, which caused me and another guy I was sharing the table with, make this shocked face. It was so amusing. Those breads were yummy.

First course was Roasted Farmer’s Market Peach with Pesto. I would never have thought that it would taste so good. Om nom nom!

Entrée was Honey and Rosemary Roasted Organic Chicken Breast with Mushroom Sauce. It was so good.

Finally, dessert consisting of Chocolate Truffle Cake, raspberries and White Chocolate Sorbet. Perfecto! My compliments to the chef.

Also I smuggled a bottle of Mirassou Pinot Noir to the ceremony, and the three of us shared the bottle.

MC’s [Vengeance + Vengeance] won Best Animation! I was in charge of taking photos. :D

MC immediately after walking down the stage with his award. By the way, that guy in the white suit and hat was a Japanese man who had on an awesome pair of geta. It was such great styling to a suit; I was very impressed.

Here he is updating his social media about the win. XD

There were many speakers at the ceremony, but when the host announced Jon Voight up to the stage, I. Was. Starstruck. I’ve never actually seen a celebrity I recognised during my stay in Los Angeles, and my first sighting was someone I actually adored! Check ‘Celebrity Sighting’ off of my bucket list, please.

Awards all given away, we finally dispersed and mingled for a bit in the ballroom, while some people headed off to the bar for more after-party mingling.

But first, more photos of the carnage at the dining tables:

I was so disappointed when I saw all the plates of delicious, delicious desserts that went uneaten. Table 1, how could you.

I kinda wanted to take the bread basket home…

I got to take a picture with Jon Voight! This is, unfortunately, not me, but the official photographer. The official photographer has yet to release his photos and I want to see the one that I had with Jon Voight. T^T

More brilliantly dressed, or simply brilliant people, at the awards ceremony:

And then Eil and I goofed around with our 30 seconds of fame:

We finally headed to the after-party, which was crowded with people from the ballroom.

Eil got us drinks this time! Also, we both thought that the bartender was cute. Hur hur.

And MC got us fries! It was a nommy night.

Couldn’t resist a mirror shot in front of a beautifully-decorated mirror at the lounge of the Four Seasons.

At the end of the day, MC was waiting for his valet and I was standing next to him because he was going to drop me off at home (Eil had her car and lived the opposite direction), when this old man- I say old, but he was somewhere between his 50s to early 70s, who was about to receive his Bentley, approached and said to MC, “Oriental women are the best, isn’t it?”

Whoa there, mister.

First of all, he was talking about me without acknowledging me. And then there was the objectification. And he was casting me into the pot of ‘oriental’ in such a casual way too. I don’t remember how I retorted, but I remember trying to engage him into an argument about his sexism, and to a lesser extent, racism, with that backhanded compliment. Unfortunately, his Bentley arrived and he got to escape. It made me so indignant.

Later, I was still launched on a tirade to MC regarding that incident, pointing out the things that offended me, when MC was saying how fiery I was. Oops.

By the way, I only knew that it was a Bentley because MC mentioned it. It looked just like an ordinary black car to me. I really don’t care enough about automobiles.

It was such a shame though, because before he’d approached us, I’d been admiring his colourful and quirky suit of pink, blue and white.

I have to thank MC for introducing this unique experience as part of my LA trip. It was so amazing to be in, and it made me miss Singapore all the more. I know I’d be saying the exact opposite once I’m on Singapore soil, though only after I’ve sated my ravenous desire to gorge on Southeast Asian hawker cuisine. ♥