Linx in Vanity Fair!

After a much anticipated wait, Linx Dating is featured in the May issue of Vanity Fair!

Journalist Alexandra Wolfe wrote a fun piece on the Silicon Valley social scene. The story is largely about Linx being the matchmaker of choice and a massive trend setter by having thrown an event at The Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel in Menlo Park, CA back in 2009 with hundreds of guests. You multiply the opening of the hotel by the sheer popularity of the Linx Link & Drink party that summer in 2009, and basically it started a movement of sorts. In other words, Linx was a huge catalyst in creating “the scene” at The Rosewood and more recently in the Silicon Valley in general. I’ve always loved a great party but never knew I’d be part of a movement as such!

As Wolfe states, “many attribute the bar’s crush of singles to area matchmaker Amy Andersen -a self-declared ‘love concierge’ and the founder of Linx Dating – who first helped designate the bar a singles’ destination…..it would be the first of many events at the hotel. Thus, the Rosewood scene – and its accidental by-product, Cougar Night – was born.”

Although I’ll be the first to admit I am not fond of the term “cougar” or “sugar daddy” and make a strong point not to have those phrases enter my vocabulary, many people who are outside of the Silicon Valley bubble love to anchor on those images and the story clearly caters to that kind of reader and even contains a fair amount of inaccurate information about the details of Linx.

However, big picture, I am extremely beyond grateful for the rare opportunity to have been a part of a story in a publication as venerable as Vanity Fair. From working with celebrity photographer Justin Coit doing our all day glamorous photo shoot, to my lovely conversations with Alexandra at Linx (and even on a Stanford dish hike with her “dishing”), I am so thankful to Vanity Fair. Always. Forever. As seen in the actual magazine

Actual image from Justin Coit sent to me

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A Glamourous Evening in the Silicon Valley

On Thursday evening, Linx hosted a very special event at the Rosewood Sandhill Hotel as part of a story I have been involved with for Vanity Fair magazine. The piece is on the Silicon Valley social scene.

Our featured song for this entry is Gus Gus VIP (Masters At Work Vocal mix) Our day began bright and early at Linx’s headquarters in Menlo Park preparing for my portrait photo for the piece. There is tons of prep that goes into this: hair, make-up, nails,wardrobe styling, fitness training, facials for clear skin, juicing week of, and oh goodness much more.

After my hair and make-up were done (they came to my office to do this), three guys walked into my office with countless camera equipment, lighting, etc. It was a pleasure getting to work with celebrity photographer, Justin Coit, who flew in from LA for our shoot. He has worked with Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe. 

The tech crew and Justin ended up shooting various portraits of me for 4 plus hours at my office. Let’s just say I have a new found respect for models. It is very hard work smiling, trying to maneuver your body for the right shot, and yes sucking it all in! 

At around 5:00pm, we all rushed over to the hotel to quickly regroup and get set up (and me ready) for the party and a different look for the story. We had a gorgeous private villa on the property for the event where our florist had delivered gorgeous bouquets and the butler staff was ready for guests to arrive. My hair and make-up were waiting to quickly do a new hair look and evening make-up.  Attendees included a wonderful group of dear friends and clients looking absolutely stunning! I had requested everyone were cocktail attire and that they did! 4o guests arrived on time- everyone mingling, sipping on wine & champagne and just having a grand time.  Guests were told ahead that Justin would be shooting the event. A couple of friends I invited were not ok knowing they might grace a page in VF and most were thrilled and ready for the opportunity. Justin wanted everyone do to their own thing and just be themselves. No posing for this party. The bold floral arrangements, gorgeous contemporary furniture and art work, artisinal cheeses, bubbly popping right and left, and lots of flirting and conversation provided Justin creative shot after creative shot. At around 8:00pm, we left the villa for upstairs to continue the conversation and laughter. Some left with new contact in their pockets, other stumbled towards the nearest cab, a few stuck around till the wee hours, and Justin and his crew left for cajun food in Palo Alto.  We’re not entirely sure when the piece will come out, so stay tuned and perhaps see some of your friends in one of the fall/winter issues of VF.  Below is the awesome photography crew (Santiago, Justin, and Nick).