Haute Living and Westime Celebrate Brian Grazer In LA

Terrence J and Brian Grazer
Zacapa brand ambassador Terrence J and Brian Grazer

Photo Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Haute Living Magazine

Haute Living Magazine, partnering with Westime, Southern California’s premiere watch retailer, and Zacapa rum, celebrated Brian Grazer and his September/October cover of Haute Living Los Angeles with a VIP soiree attended by his fiancee, Veronica Smiley, Imagine Entertainment team and close friends at Spago in Beverly Hills on Sept. 10.

The 64-year-old Oscar-winner arrived at Spago and immediately greeted Smiley, a freelance brand and marketing consultant who advises companies, tech start-ups and nonprofits, also the former Chief Marketing Officer of sbe, before heading into the soiree.

After he had the opportunity to mingle with guests, Haute Living Publisher Kamal Hotchandani raised a glass and gave a brief speech about how honored he was to have Grazer on the cover.

In turn, Grazer spoke affably about how he had never seen himself looking so “imperious” in photographs, but admitted that everyone he’s spoken to seemed to favor the feature.

The feature’s photographer, Taj Stansberry, then presented the producer with a framed photograph that he admired during the July shoot. He and Haute Living will also be gifting Grazer and Smiley with a photograph of them taken during the shoot as an engagement present.

Guests at the event included Terrence J, Matt Rutler, Jeff Hyland, Lori Hyland, Nicolas Bijan, Crime By Design, Michael Rosenberg, Peter Eskelsen, Stacey Greenberg, Erica Huggins, Sage Shah, Tyler Mitchell, Alexandre Dauman, Laura Herb, Melissa Dimirjian, Rachel Sumers, Giselle Reinberg, Laura Hughes, Wael El Saadi, Benjamin Bloch and Sean Bloch. 

Guests nibbled on crispy oyster Vietnamese spring rolls, chicken pot stickers, Wagyu sushi, sliders and potatoes with creme fraiche and caviar and sipped on Zacapa cocktails including the Curiously Stormy Night (named in honor of Grazer’s 2015 New York Times bestseller A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life) and Sherry Nice Rum Punch.

Entertainment was provided by violinist and cellist Tim Loo and Alwyn Davies. 

Brian Grazer and fiancee Veronica Smiley
Brian Grazer and fiancee Veronica Smiley

Photo Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Haute Living Magazine