David Willis is the BBC's West Coast correspondent, based here. He has reported on several continents, and returned to L.A. in 2004 after completing a fellowship at Oxford. For six months, however, he is taking a leave from the BBC to see if he can make it as an actor in Hollywood. To further the goal, he hit a bunch of Oscar parties—and even got in to some of them.

A woman in a low cut dress and legs up to here shot me a suspicious glance as she sashayed past the "Nazi" on the door.

In Hollywood, people would rather die in a fire than not be On The List....

Despite my indisposition I had to make it to Vanity Fair - the "Holy Grail" of Oscars parties - and with a brainless expression on my face I lurched down the street to Mortons, the restaurant in which it was being held.

There my heart sank at the realisation that Eva Braun's long-lost daughter was presiding over the guest list.

Photo: BBC website