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By Kalea Dunkleman
I’m going to the Oscars. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting
to say that. As a native Angelino, I was
brought up watching every minute of pre and post show coverage. Pre- Tivo during the Billy Crystal years, I
used to tape the awards and watch them over and over, memorizing opening
numbers, hair styles and fashion faux pas.
I loved Joan Rivers. I’d break
out my finery and wear it, nestled on the comfort of my couch. My high school
senior page included a picture of me next to Jack Nicholson’s mailbox. You get the idea.
Though not attending as a nominee, which decidedly was
how I thought I would be attending in my teenage years, I will still get to
walk the red carpet. Wolfgang Puck will
be catering his 16th consecutive Governor’s Ball (for the uninitiated it’s the “official Oscar
after party”) and we will, amazingly, be there with him. While this year’s menu features an array of
luxurious ingredients, like the signature 24 Carat Chocolate Oscar, the main
course at this year’s fete will be a bit more homespun- it is a chicken pot
pie. Granted, it includes organic
chicken, glazed root vegetables and shaved black truffles, but a pot pie all
the same. A pot pie that will no doubt
be devoured by the throngs of celebrities who have spent the last few weeks
avoiding anything that didn’t end with the word “broth”.
Not only can you make the pot pie at home but Wolfgang has
also parted with some of his signature recipes that have been perennial favorites
at Governor’s Balls of the past, like his Smoked Salmon Pizza with Caviar, Mini
Burgers with Remoulade and Sesame Ahi
Tuna Cones for your viewing party. To
complete the gilded experience, whip up a batch of Golden Boy cocktails
courtesy of Beverage Director Lucas Paya from The Bazaar by José Andrés. A blend of sherry, cava, lemon and gold dust,
you can carry the libation around all night as if it was your own golden
statue. The doyenne of Oscar Pastry,
Sherry Yard, offered tips on how to make store bought ingredients stand
out: melt chocolate in a double boiler
to make fondue for dipping pretzel rods and berries or use a melon baller to
carve out small orbs from a cheesecake before rolling in your favorite crushed
cookie and freezing them into lollipops (they look especially fetching when
arranged in colored sugar in a vase).
Add these all together and you have your own personal Governor’s Ball. Black tie optional.
Watching the Oscars is an escape, for sure, but for one
gleaming, glittering night, it’s nice to indulge the fantasy. In past years I’ve considered rolling out a
mini red carpet and stacking on costume jewelry, but the idea has been met
with some push back, mainly from my husband.
I doubt we’ll make it onto any pre-shows, but if you
happen to see a short girl with dark hair glancing over shoulders and angling
for a prime spot next to Meryl Streep, avert your eyes. There’s no telling what could happen next.
What I’m:
Reading: The Lost City of Z: A Tale
of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
Watching:
Modern Family and Academy screeners
Eating: Um… not much. I’m trying to fit into my dress!
Listening
To: Nina
Simone and “Mike & Mike in the Morning” on ESPN Radio
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