Sometime in late February, I was hired to DJ at the VIP Preview Reception on April 16th, that was being held to welcome Sarah Jessica Parker to her as-yet-to-be-built-by David Steen pop-up shop, on the first level of The Shops at Crystals to house the SJP Collection (her line of shoes and bags), that would thereafter be sold via Zappos Couture.  The pop-up was open to the public, for two days, from Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th.

So, I did what any rational person in my position would do – I immediately reached-out to SJP’s and my mutual pal (and a Musical Sensei of mine) DJ Billy Beyond.  But Billy was travelling and my epistle got lost in a pile of others, so I never heard back – until I texted the afternoon of the event, itself (roughly two hours before I had to leave my house) saying “Well, I hope SJP likes disco, ‘cause she’s about to get an earful!”

My phone started buzzing.  And over the next few minutes I got instructed on the musical preferences of one of America’s most beloved actresses of our day.  First of all, I learned that her favorite song (from her favorite movie) is “Through the Eyes of Love (Theme from the Motion Picture Ice Castles)” by Melissa Manchester.  She’s also a huge fan of Hall & Oates, and ‘80s music, in general.  This was fantastic!  But as I was furiously writing all of this down, it dawned on me – much as I love Melissa Manchester (and really, who doesn’t?) she’s not who I would ever think of to play at an in-store shopping affair, in the best of times; let alone this weepy ballad.

Now, Billy has a very dry sense of humor, but I had to take it on faith that he wasn’t punking me; because this would either be brill, or it was gonna flop, and in a really ugly way.  But I had to get going, so I burned the songs onto a zip drive, and skedaddled.

Well, the event was a blast.  The food from BARDOT Brasserie was completely on-point (Mini Lobster Thermidors, Mini Ham Sandwiches, and the most wonderful Macaroons, in a quartet of flavors); the four-walled venue (quite literally, as it had no ceiling, to take advantage of the view from the Mezzanine, above – from which people looked, and stared, and took photos, and waved – often to receive a finger wave and a smile back from the charming Sarah Jessica) provided the ideal presentation for SJP and her Collection; and by all accounts, the music added the perfect atmospheric ambiance to the gathering.  To wit – it’s always a good sign when the managers of the adjacent boutiques come by, saying they’ve turned-off the music in their own shops, because they’re having so much fun bopping along to what I had programmed for our aural pleasure (which was being broadcast throughout all of Crystals).

Then the moment of truth – I segued from Chaka Khan to Melissa Manchester.  Now, I should explain that the SJP Collection shop was kind of done in SJP scale – so it was petite.  So petite, in fact, that the DJ booth was set-up adjacent to the shop, itself, and with a bunch of velvet roped stanchions, created the borders of the reception area.    So, I was the first point of entry, and then a focal point of the reception.  So, as I bring the tempo down (I mean way down – like from crazy to coma), people start looking at me, trying to fathom what I’m thinking.  Of course, some of my ladies were living for it (Cheers, Dawn Hume and Heidi Sarno Straus!); so when people started asking “Are you playing Melissa Manchester?  Isn’t this the theme from Ice Castles?”  I just smiled and replied “By special request.”

As the evening ended, and Sarah Jessica was literally being pulled out of Crystals, I got the attention of Las Vegas’ premiere photographer Denise Truscello, (“Yo, Truscello!  Let’s hit it!”), and we headed SJP off at the proverbial pass.  What follows is the brief exchange that transpired between us:

MS:  Hi!  I just wanted to introduce myself.  I was your DJ, this evening.

SJP: (stopping in her tracks and giving me her full attention) Hi!  Thank you SO much!  The music was so good!  It was so… creative!  How did you know that those were some of my favorite songs?

MS: Well, thanks!  Actually, I kinda cheated.

(At this point, her handlers are once again anxiously pulling her)

SJP: (to her people) Hold on, a second!

SJP: (to me) How does one cheat at DJing?

MS: I called Billy Beyond.

SJP: OH!  I adore Billy!  Would you please send him my love?  He’s just the best!

MS: Sure!  Can I trouble you for a photo?

SJP: Ok. Quick!

(Denise takes two quick shots)

MS: Thanks again, and welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas!

SJP: Thank you.  It really was wonderful.  Bye!

Fare thee well, Sarah Jessica Parker.  It was real.  And thanks to Cherie Flannigan, Judy Stone, and Melissa Costa; and especially the super kind servers from BARDOT Brasserie who kept me fed and stocked in macaroons.  It was an especially fun gig!

SJP – The New Collection by Sarah Jessica Parker
Zappos Couture
Click HERE for info

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#SJPxZapposCouture

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