• by Kelly Samardak , April 1, 2009

FriendsOfQuinn.com and "A Different Life" Launch Party, IAC Building, New York
March 31, 2009

The gods of good-for-the-soul things must have been listening when I blathered and moaned about my dying love affair with NYC, because into my inbox fell an invitation to the launch party for Quinn Bradlee's book, "A Different Life" and online support network FriendofQuinn.com. Bradlee is afflicted with Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome, and he formed FriendsofQuinn.com to create a support community for those with Learning Disabilities (LD), caregivers, family, and friends of people with LD. The biggest hurtles I've had to leap over are pinkeye, a tonsillectomy, my parent's divorce, NYC rental brokers (evil!), and a truly horrid self-inflicted haircut, so it's always a good slap in the eye to read about others' strengths in the face of adversity - especially when it's not just a one-shot deal, but a struggle that continues every single day for every day of their lives. It's also pretty freaking awesome to share the same 3-foot radius with Barbara Walters.

The sun was a toasty rose as I turned the corner onto 18th Street. The weather was nice enough yesterday evening to make the walk from 26th and Broadway enjoyable, and I opted for pants instead of fishnets, which kept the sexual harassment to a minimum. It wasn't completely eradicated because a very large majority of the men in NYC were never taught manners or public decency. The IAC building glowed with pink positivity as I switched out of my Converse and into my black heels from Target circa 2006. Checking into the party was a breeze and I as I checked my coat the very sweet Krystle Kopacz, Penn State grad and PR and product manager for HealthCentral introduced herself and ushered me into the party, pointing out the delicious food immediately. Ya'll know I love food. There were tables scattered about with all the good stuff, from sushi rolls to cubes of cheese to wedges of pita to dipping sauces. Christopher Schroeder, CEO of HealthCentral, was near the Asian-style buffet entertaining questions from Bloomberg reporter Amy Thompson.

Open bars bookended the party people and a serious-looking DJ was backed up against one of the windowed walls. The video wall (which seriously makes any event thrown at the IAC) shone green, cascading different phrases that embody the LD world -- promoting the FriendsofQuinn.com network. Weaving through the crowd with my slowly dying Canon in tow, I nearly choked on the cracker I was crunching on when I spied the super-tiny Barbara Walters in her smart little pink jacket. Internet "celebrities" and regular-style celebrities don't necessarily impress me (though I'd stalk Seth Rogan and James Franco in a heartbeat. Oh yeah, and Tim and Eric [awesome show, great job!]). But Barbara Walters' legend status is not a small-beans situation. She's someone who has traveled the globe and interviewed every notorious mover and shaker, so I wonder what impresses her. Probably boll weevils or something we would never guess. Lauren Bacall was entertaining a small table of friends and spotted me taking a sneaky shot. I may have gotten the stink-eye. I got the stink back from someone in Lorne Michaels' posse, however, when I asked "do you mind if I interrupt you for a photo?" and got the infamous nonverbal cue that I hate the most: the very intentional back to the face.

Revolving in the atmosphere outside of journalistic legends were Nicole Goulet, Sr Coordinator for IAC Corporate Communications, and Al Trombetta, Coordinator, also of IAC Corporate Comms. I recognized Shenan Reed, managing director, founder, Morpheus Media, who had just had a little convo with Lesley Stahl (who incidentally is part of WowOWow.com -- a site without an about page -- that seems to target the older demographic of women interested in talking culture, politics, and gossip) and was looking for Bob Cecere, Executive Vice President of Strategic Sales and Product Development at HealthCentral.

When Barry Diller stood on the same raised platform where I'd earlier seen a squirrely little boy in an orange t-shirt and black blazer (he must have wanted to torch that thing within the first 15 minutes, if he's anything like my nephew, Ben) hiding, I listened with trepidation. My only previous experience with Diller was as the pimp-slapping snidemaster from the College Humor TV launch party. However, he was sincere in his praise for Washington Post editor Benjamin Bradlee and former CBS Morning News anchor Sally Quinn, even saying that while he has pretty perfect parents, he would have loved to upgrade them to the former Washington Post editor and his wife. When he was given an advance copy of Quinn Bradlee's book, he snarked, "The Internet doesn't read books! They Twitter, they [destroy] newspapers!" While Diller waxed sassy at the College Humor party, his praise last night of "A Different Life" as a book that will tear your heart apart and then put it back together was downright human. A man rumored to have inspired the character of Mr. Burns on "The Simpsons," Diller apparently also has a heart, in case there was a debate raging.

You know what's really odd about parties recently? It's all books and magazines, not digital. I can't even tell you the last time I went to an agency party. Well, I could if I just look in the column archives, but seriously -- it's pretty weird. In fact, I have a book party tonight and a book party on Monday as well. Is everything "old" new again?

Send your party invitations to kelly@mediapost.com!

Here's the photo set on Flickr! *edited on 4/1/09 at 3:35PM EST*