It's that time...

PROM.

And that means that FishbowlDC will be all over every party, every lonely journalist, every super model, every Hollywood star every American Idol candidate and whatever else crazy happens this weekend.

As always, send us your tips, observations, overheards and photos and we'll get them on the blog.

In the meantime, it's time for our annual Prom Buzz-o-Meter (see last year's here). Using Craig Ferguson as a star system, we rank the parties.

After the jump...

WHAT: Politico, Viacom screening of Martin Scorcese's "Shine A Light"
WHEN: Friday night
WHERE: National Cable & Telecommunications Association Theater
BUZZ: It's a good movie
BUST: It's already been screened in D.C. and odd timing: As one D.C. journo told me last night, "Why would people coming in from out of town want to sit in a movie theater their first night here?"
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: David and Katherine Bradley's dinner party
WHEN: Friday night
WHERE: Their home.
BUZZ: You can expect lots of VIPs for this evening, themed "No State Left Behind, an evening inspired by the cuisine of the two forgotten states, Florida and Michigan." Lots of bling, too, as GM is providing three special vehicles or concept cars parked in the driveway.
BUST: Don't expect many people under 30. Hell, under 40.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: People magazine party
WHEN: Friday night
WHERE: Park & 14th
BUZZ: Expect to get your first glimpse of out-of-town celebrities (Tim Daly, Marcia Cross, Jenny McCarthy, Ace Young, Meghan McCain) and fancy, flavorful drinks.
BUST: Good luck tracking them all on Park & 14th's staggered floors. And good luck trying to get people to go all out when they'll be saving their energy for the next night.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: Tammy Haddad's "Garden Brunch" (co-hosts: Ted Greenberg, Hilary Rosen, Alex Castellanos, Debbie Dingell, David Adler, Kathyrn Leyman and Beth Viola)
WHEN: Saturday afternoon
WHERE: Her Palisades home
BUZZ: One of the least stressful parties of the weekend. More celebs, a more casual atmosphere, good food, drinks and service and, of course, funny clothes to look at.
BUST: Please weather...hold up.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: Pre-Parties
WHEN: Early Saturday evening
WHERE: Washington Hilton
BUZZ: It's the most democratic event of the weekend. Dress up and you can largely go anywhere you want within the Hilton's myriad parties. Plan it right and move fast and you can get your picture snapped with some of the weekend's top celebrities.
BUST: Long lines. Huge crowds. Annoying 20 year olds. And that looming thought, "Should we go ahead and get in line for the dinner?"
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):


WHAT: The White House Correspondents Dinner.
WHEN: Saturday night
WHERE: Washington Hilton Main Ballroom
BUZZ: Journos would never admit it, but the jokes and comedy routines are pretty good and it's what you'll be talking about on Monday.
BUST: Crowded, crowded, crowded. A typically loud and rude crowd. The fear that a waiter is going to drop a tray in your lap.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: Bloomberg After-Party
WHEN: Saturday night, after dinner
WHERE: Costa Rican Embassy
BUZZ: This is always the weekend's most posh after-party (remember the slippers last year?!?) and Bloomberg goes all out making it fancy and swank. Oh, and the Straight Talk Express will be shuttling people back and forth (only the really cool people).
BUST: With tickets always hard to come by, don't expect a lot of your friends to get in. And then worry about how you're going to split your time between this and Capitol File (and Vanity Fair if you're lucky). And no swag bag.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: Capitol File After Party
WHEN: Saturday night, after dinner
WHERE: Newseum
BUZZ: For whatever reason, we keep hearing buzz that Capitol File is going to be the best party this year. Who knows. But you can expect Debbie Dingell to max out her Rolodex in getting top VIPs at this "Steel & Glass" party. And a swanky Saks gift bag.
BUST: It's 3.1 miles away.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):


WHAT: Vanity Fair After Party
WHEN: Saturday night, after dinner
WHERE: The home of Christopher Hitchens and Carol Blue
BUZZ: This was once the party to get into and remains one of the hardest tickets to get (namely due to the small size of Hitchens' place). Expect lots of 50 year olds talking about the glory days and lots of VIPs talking with their guard down.
BUST: Most of the celebrities you want to see (sorry, Justice Scalia) won't be here and last year's party didn't quite meet the buzz. Ignore friends texts about how hot Jenny McCarthy looks at that other after party.
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):

WHAT: John McLaughlin Brunch
WHEN: Sunday morning
WHERE: Hay Adams
BUZZ: It's a nice way to end your weekend. Good food and good mamosas.
BUST: Lots of people too tired or too hungover and if Secretary Gutierrez is one of your best VIPs, well, then...
RATING (Out of Four Craig Fergusons):