How to Score an Invite to This Year's Swankiest Oscar Bashes

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Lest you forget, the 85th Annual Academy Awards are going down this Sunday, February 24th. If you can't bear to miss mingling with the likes of Katy Perry and Adam Lambert at another Elton John Oscar viewing party, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work because, we hate to break it to you, but your invitation did not get lost in the mail.

To help us all nail an effective entry strategy this year, we checked in with the well-connected folks over at The Daily Truffle—a homegrown blog that reveals the innards of growing up in Los Angeles, including all the perks and pitfalls of its sun and stars. Equipped with a particularly strong suit in social highlife and LA intel, The Truffle exclusively shares with Racked LA their top five tips for getting invited to Oscar weekend parties. Good luck!

1. Know where to go. "Information is key! We put together an extensive list of events that happen each Oscar season, which you can check out here. Some may be at a venue where you know the owner or a waiter. Others are ticketed events and anyone can go, such as the Elton John party or Jeffrey Katzenberg's Night Before fundraiser. There are several parties at art galleries where the door is generally easier, as they want potential patrons to be able to view the art. (This year there are shows for Mario Testino and Richard Prince.)"

2. Understand who has influence over the guest list. "Anyone with decision-making power during the workday will generally have it at night, too. If you have a friend who is a valued assistant or agent at CAA, go ahead and ask about their annual event. If he or she is new or is having an off year at the company, better to not."

3. Reach out to publicists, promoters, venue owners and sponsors. "These are your straightest shots to the list when you are not directly tied to a party's host. The guest lists are run by PR firms or promoters, and venue owners and party sponsors will often have their own lists. For instance, Bolthouse Productions handled the invites for last year's Relativity Media's Oscar after-party."

4. Ask around. "As with almost anything, ask and you shall receive. Mention to your co-workers, family and friends that you think it would be fun to hit an Oscar party this year. There are more invites floating around than you think! If you belong to a concierge company such as Quintessentially or American Express Centurion, they will often have event options that might surprise you if you just ask for it a little in advance."

5. Check in to Sunset Tower or Chateau Marmont. "These two hotels hosts some of the best Oscar parties from year to year. The Domino and Vanity Fair parties are both at Sunset Tower, while Chateau Marmont hosts a slew of others for agencies and studios."
· The Daily Truffle [Official Site]
· Postmark's Oscar Red Carpet Bingo Makes a Good Drinking Game [Racked]
· Free Trips, Facelifts: This Year's $45K Oscar Swag Bag is Stacked [Racked]