Some Back-Story and the Rehearsal Dinner

Natalie Moar

First, I’ve gotta give y’all a little back-story.  I’ve known my buddy Chad Gutstein for about a decade.  It all started when I agreed to help throw the West Coast bachelor party for my friend Drew Goldman, and over the next ten years have aided in throwing the subsequent Las Vegas bachelor parties for everyone who was there, save one (c’mon Johnny – you’re killing my streak!).  I mean, first there was Drew’s, then Adam’s, then Carter’s, then Sean’s, then Andrew’s, then Jason’s, and so on and so forth.  And with virtually each of these, I met other people (for instance, I became friends with Sean during Carter’s weekend, and met Andrew through Sean, etc.), and basically became “Vegas Guy” for an entire circle of folks on both coasts.

Adam and Marina Cohn

Anyhow, for a long time, Chad and his friend Anthony Jacobson occupied this sensational apartment in Hancock Park (it was JFK’s home in LA while the future president was on the campaign trail), and they had a guest-suite where I would set-up shop, on my LA trips.  It was a fabulous space, and I even flew-in to DJ at Chad’s 30th birthday party, there.  It had a preppy schoolboy/naughty schoolgirl theme, and was loads of fun.

Screening of Sasha and Chad's Proposal Video

We've remained good friends over the years, and I was thrilled to meet his then-girlfriend, Sasha Ginsberg, on a trip to Vegas, last fall – just as I was launching this very site – over dinner at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas followed by dancing at XS at Encore.  Months later, over dinner at Mastro’s Ocean Club at Crystals at CityCenter, during Chad’s bachelor party (a meal during which he was dressed as Spiderman) everyone was shocked that I still hadn’t seen the infamous video Chad had made of the proposal.  I am happy to say that not only was it everything it had been built-up to be, but it was so much more; and I am proud to show it to you, here on ShulmanSays!

To view Sasha and Chad’s Proposal Video, click here!

Carter and Susan Cohn

Fast-forward to this past weekend, and the happy couple spent their last night as an engaged couple with a couple hundred of their nearest and dearest at a rehearsal dinner held at Las Casuela Nuevas in Rancho Mirage, just minutes down the road (seriously, in Palm Springs there’s pretty much just the one road – Highway 111, aka Palm Canyon Drive) from where we were staying, at The Parker.  The restaurant was a terrific choice.  There was a huge patio, large enough to accommodate the group, and they made a terrific chicken and poured a nice margarita.  What more could an hombre ask for?  It was those very margaritas that I hold responsible for the ensuing frivolity – but more on that, next time!