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Daniel Dae Kim of Lost and Hawaii 5-0  fame attended Thursday night’s Spin Room party at D.C.’s Heist nightclub — a collaboration by Rock the Vote, Neuprofile and FinePoint PR.  This event, which also brought in Breaking Bad, Once Upon a Time and Revolution star Giancarlo Esposito and saxophonist Ski Johnson, served as the unofficial kick off to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) festivities.

Daniel Dae Kim at the Rock the Vote party. (Cara Ann Kelly/The Washington Post)

Upon entering the event, partygoers were given the their choice of trendy Modify watches in an ultra-patriotic red, white and blue.  DJs .rar Kelly and Adam Max played the latest hit music as D.C.’s young media pros danced, swapped stories and took goofy group shots at the Poshbooth photo booth.

DJs Adam to the Max and .rar Kelly. (Abbie Elliott/DC on Heels)

Local photographer Kris Connor’s work was displayed throughout the crime-themed venue as part of the Polirazzi exhibit. The photos epitomized the WHCD, showing moments when Hollywood met Washington, like one of reality star Kim Kardashian at last year’s dinner. Ten percent of the photographer’s profits from the night were donated to Rock the Vote.

A photograph taken by Kris Connor of Kim Kardashian at the 2012 WHCD. (Abbie Elliott/ DC on Heels)

Social media lovers were rewarded for tweeting about the event with chic Henri Bendel swag bags, which offered a bounty of celebrity-style offerings to pamper the crowd before they headed to the WHCD. It included items from Amala, Baked by Melissa, Bel Essence, Be Rested, Bib & Tuck, Burt’s Bees, Deborah Lippman, Dirty Knees Soap Co., Erbabiva, Eyn, Hydrostem, iTrain, The Kitchen’s Bounty, Mario Badescu, Primavera, Shobha, South Moon Under, Stila, Teatulia, Uber and Vibe (photos below).  The next day, we spoke with Kim at Voto Latino’s Our Voices:  Celebrating Diversity in Media event.

“Nerd Prom”, a.k.a. the 99th annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend, officially kicks off at D.C. night club Heist with an event titled “The Spin Room” on Thursday at 8 p.m. This private, invitation-only event (think 100 people max) is co-hosted by Rock the Vote, Neuprofile founder Jessica Hoy and FinePoint Digital PR founder Meredith Fineman. The Spin Room serves as a celebration of new media and its influence on engaging young people in voting and civic engagement.

photo courtesy of HEIST

Renowned photographer Kris Connor will unveil his Polirazzi exhibit, with 10 percent of the proceeds benefiting Rock the Vote. The Polirazzi exhibit highlights the role that celebrities play in politics, and includes images of stars testifying on Capitol Hill, lobbying members of congress, speaking at the White House and, of course, attending The White House Correspondents Dinner. Guests will also enjoy music by DJs .rar Kelly and Adam to the Max, VIP swag bags, print-ready photos by Poshbooth, exclusive party treats by Baked by Melissa and much more!

Get excited, D.C., because, like the rest of “Nerd Prom” weekend, this event is exclusive, celebrity-filled and shouldn’t be missed!