BLACKBURN AND SWEETZER

Photos by Martha Adams; click to expand

— Text by Keri Pina

Celebrating Taschen’s latest release, Los Angeles: Portrait of a City, Fendi and Vanity Fair held an outdoor evening gala to raise money for the Los Angeles Conservancy at the iconic Crossroads of the World. The scene felt very Wes Anderson—affluent guests swelling the courtyard around the faux-ocean liner, just like The Belafonte from The Life Aquatic.

The new book features hundreds of photographs of some of LA’s most historic locations, with essays from Kevin Starr and edited by Jim Heimann. Heimann was present and signed free copies of his work for attendees, and host Diane Keaton, a longtime Conservancy supporter, conversed with fellow advocates as a lively mariachis performed on the roof. My date spotted Jerry Bruckheimer but refused to say hello despite my incessant nagging. Though I couldn’t have picked him out of a lineup.

Taschen’s goal to achieve an ambiance of “part Hollywood premiere, part colorful Los Angeles” was accomplished with complimentary champagne, hot rods on display, and a guest list including Gabrielle Union and Hugh Hefner with a stock Playboy Bunny whose name I refuse to Google.