This year, just like many in the past, the hottest ticket in town was one to the Bloomberg party thrown after the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The news organization had once again co-opted the Costa Rican Embassy not far from the Washington Hilton.

And once again, the party (supposedly exclusive) was packed to the gills. Guests complained of long drink lines and the small building was steamy hot, packed as tight as a can of sardines.

Not so at the afterparty thrown by Capitol File, the six-times-a-year fashion and arts magazine that has been rocking Washington since its inception. The magazine set up at the Newseum, turning the brand-new, steel-and-glass building from Snoozeum to Cruiseum.

Hundreds of the Washington's most beautiful poeple stalked the five-story atrium and danced to the cranking DJ Fallout Boy's Pete Wentz) spinning discs on a riser just under the news helicopter that hangs from the ceiling. Bartenders mixed up anything and everything (a lot of orders for vodka and Red Bull, which sounds disgusting), and there were short lines at every station.

All the biggest stars dropped by — Perez Hilton, Morgan Fairchild, and even WHCA dinner host Craig Ferguson (who appeared to be accompanied by his daughter — wink). Even though there were hundreds of partiers on the dance floor and hundreds more on the second floor — which delivered a great view — the place had plenty of room to move (huge AC vents kept the building cool and dry on the hot, rainy night). Departing guests picked up a goody bag with at least $100 worth of perfume, lotions, makeup (and even an umbrella).

Who knows how long the party went on — your blogger left well after 2 a.m. and the place was still rolling.

Back to the WHCA dinner for a few quick observations. We saw was former editor of The Washington Post Ben Bradlee inching along in line to get through the mags to his table when he suddenly said: "Oh, I need a ticket. I don't have a ticket." Your blogger offered encouragement: "Certainly YOU don't need a ticket." He shook his head grimly and slinked off; he was last seen heading toward the escalator, away from the giant ballroom.

The hottest guest? Pamela Anderson, by far. Men orbited her table all evening, snapping shots of the actress (?), who was, as expected, falling out of a low-cut dress (which carried an odd button pinned on one side — "Ban the Horseless Carriage." Hollywood humor).

Entertainment blogger Perez Hilton brought squeals when he arrived on the red carpet (but not so much for CBS' Jim Axelrod, who walked across the carpet in silent anonymity). Former "American Idol" star Michael Johns (the Australian one, left) also brought screams and hundreds of camera clicks.

The fare at the dinner was again nearly inedible (cook the meat, people) but President Bush rocked the house by conducting the Marine Corps band and Ferguson had a few very funny jokes (one in which called the New York Times "whiners"; another in which he asked the audience which way they planned to vote — on "Republican," solid applause; on "Democrat," twice as loud — Ferguson then said something like "Well, I guess that clears up the charge that there's a liberal bias.").

Excellent blogs on the dinner here, here and here (your blogger's in the shot captioned "Michael Johns and a fan"!)

So now, without further ado, the pictures:

The excitement begins on the Washington Hilton's red carpet.

Thunderstorms held off -- the scrum was fierce on the Hilton patio.

Miss USA

Jules "Miss Blogtastic" Mason

Washington Times Executive Editor John Solomon hosts the paper's pre-party.

Christina Svolopoulos of Fox News.

Fishbowl's Patrick Gavin shooting us shooting him.

NBC's Kelly O'Donnell -- what a smile!

Simply Gabriela.