• by Kelly Samardak , October 15, 2009

Made In Italy Campaign Launch Party, Hearst Tower, New York
October 14, 2009

Just when I think I'm about to go to just another campaign launch party, Hearst Magazines and the Italian Trade Commission throw two of the most fabulous hours onto the tracks of my party train and totally derail my brain.  And somehow two hours I spent "doing as Italians do" has rendered me near-useless today, rubbing the uptop of my noise, burping up truffles, and wincing every time the pipes bang and wail with each new huff of heat.  I had no idea that in a room pillared with light purple, floor-to-ceiling window frames and golden orange light-splashed ceilings, that I would be sharing classic Italian food and drink with some of my television favorites and a gossip rag editor with whom  I'd shared Sheep Meadow space early this summer.  All in the name of Made In Italy -- a multiplatform campaign celebrating and promoting Italian style.

I've been to Hearst Tower before for an event, but it was nowhere near the ear-popping elevator ride location of the 44^thfloor, whose floor-to-ceiling windows gape out over Columbus Circle and the gorgeous green that is Central Park -- where early this summer a young man, and I assume his wife, brought their daughter to yank piles of grass out of the ground and dump them into my boyfriend's sneakers.  This is a skill I taught her.  Usually when I encounter small children I want to rip my ovaries out and drop-kick them into the street, but this gregarious gal was smuggle-worthy.  As I made my rounds at the party, popping pumpkin truffle puffs into my mouth, I saw park dad!

"Hey! You had your blanket next to mine early this summer!" I startled this young man.  He turned out to be Jared Shapiro, Executive Editor of Life&Style, one of my go-to beach reads.  I happen to be on his video from that park day, to cherish for years to come.   My guest, Leslie Rasimas, and I held Shapiro and his pal Joe (Joe?) captive with probably the most scintillating conversation of the night.  Somewhere in there I learned about a documentary called "Zoo" which focuses on people who have, um... relations with animals.  "It's very well done," assured Leslie.

I skittered about the room, chasing the waitstaff, who wore shirts emblazoned with "If You Speak Fashion, You Speak Italian," and snapping pictures of the man, the myth, the legend, Patrick McMullan, as he snapped groups of "fabulous people."  I discovered Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire magazine, near the bar happily greeting one of the many pinstriped (wide spacing, by the way) gentleman. Nina Garcia, "Project Runway" Judge and Fashion Director at Maria Claire was also celebrating Italy not far from "Gossip Girl"'s Kelly Rutherford.   Before we go any further, anyone who is taking fashion notes should jot this down: fur and feathers.  Or fur that looks like feathers.

Mediabistro's FishbowlNY Editor Amanda Earnst was taking in the varying degrees of stilettos and booties with Lauren Streib, a reporter at Forbes, while I peered around for Padma Lakshmi of "Top Chef" fame.  And there she was, with perfect glossy bangs, acting as human Tupperware for her not-yet-ripened bundle.   I spotted a bowtie in the crowd and zipped around to meet "Mister Mort," a dapper gent who mans a blog called MisterMort.com.  He was making the rounds with filmmaker Sean Sullivan, a blogsmith as well, who runs theimpossiblecool.com.  If you like to peer at the pretty and never tire of fashion photos, you'll enjoy their sites.  And now for a fashion segue --Leslie and I accosted a gentleman in orange pants.  And that man was Paolo Costagli, jewelry designer.  Very Italian. 

A big "Ciao!" to Alexadra Carlin, Director of PR for Hearst Magazines for being awesome, and to Karen Gantz Zahler, Literary Agent and Attorney-at-Law, Lauren Wilsman of Rogers & Cowan, Josh Otten, Assistant Manager, Womens Division, IMG Models, Eliot Rabin of Peter Elliot, H.Craig Delongy, Proprieter at John Craig, Vincenza Kelly, Marketing & Trade Promotions Officer, Food & Wine Center fo the Italian Trade Commission, Sergeio Garretti of Acquolina Catering, and someone from Serafino Ziccarelli Haute Couture.

It was a blissful evening of food, drink, and fashion that whizzed by.  I cannot complain about a moment of it.  The caterer's staff was incredible, the guests were perfect photo subjects, and even the models were nice.  As for the campaign, it looks like you'll be able to experience it in Hearst Magazines and local newspapers and magazines around this country. Now that's a spicy meatball!

Try to beat THAT! Send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com

Get your fill of Gossip Girls, Top Chefs, and Mister Mort on Flickr !