The National Press Club hosted it’s annual please-become-a-member party holiday soirée on Wednesday.

“There are plenty of hors d’oeuvres and an open bar,” the extremely friendly staff of the NPC told us when we walked in. The host was right. In addition to the elaborate display of food that included grilled pork stuffed with apricots, onions and herbs, quail, sausage (pictured below), dumplings, chicken wings and an entire room full of desserts and an open bar was a piano that played Christmas tunes on its own and a TV screen that for some reason only displayed an image of a grinning CBS News’ Bob Schieffer.

Asked to address the current state of journalism, NPC Club President and freelance journalist Theresa Werner said, “I think it’s in constant transition as we are trying to find ourselves in this every changing landscape. I just don’t think we have found what we are going to be. We are in growing pains.” She added that the NPC wanted to do everything in its capacity to ease that constantly moving landscape for journalists.

Some guests came decked out in Christmas attire — snowman ties and such. Many of the female guests showed up with the most gigantic jewels we’ve ever seen — one woman wore a huge cross around her neck that looked like it could double as an anchor for the Titanic.

Over the course of the evening, NPC staff and board members spread out over the holiday fest that occupied three rooms and chatted up guests about becoming members.

Prizes raffled:

• A Powerball ticket with five chances to win the $550 billion jackpot.

• Two sets of James Taylor newsmaker luncheon tickets for next week.

• Signed bottle of Jack Daniels

• Chef Spike Mendelsohn cookbook

Journalists in attendance: RCP‘s Erin McPike, Jen Koons, formerly of National Journal, National Journal‘s Amy Harder, and Thomas Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune. Pictured above L to R: Joel Whitaker, Secretary of the NPC and Kyle Eggerding, a consultant for Dumhumy USA.

Overheard: “I like the mustache.”– a  partygoer to Joshua Funk, director of business development at NPC. Funk grew and maintained a mustache for the full month of November for charity purposes. And another: “I hate when they don’t have obvious places to put shit.” — partygoer who shall remain anonymous.

On a side note… Eddie showed off his social skills by chatting with Joel Porter of the American League of Lobbyists. Joel and Eddie had met months before. Unfortunately neither initially had any recollection of it. Eddie told Joel that he’d met someone else who worked at the same place and had the exact same job. “That was me!” Joel ultimately told him.

The sights and fashions of the NPC party… continued…

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Incest Desk: On Sunday Politico‘s Senior Political Reporter Jonathan Martin appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” as part of the roundtable. The uncomfortably cozy part is that the executive producer is his wife, Betsy Fischer Martin. On a scale of 1 to 10 we give it a 8. The rap on Martin from bookers is he has shown up late to TV interviews and sometimes misses them entirely, so in some cases has fallen out of favor. But not with MTP.

Press Sec. makes plea for patience

“I have almost 5,000 unopened emails. Please bear with me.” — Becca Glover, Press Secretary for Chairman Darrell Issa‘s House Oversight Committee.

Sports bra/spandex spotted in Capitol basement

“Overseen in Capitol basement: Woman wearing a sports bra and spandex shorts. Really? During votes w/ senators coming and going, no less.” — NJ‘s Amy Harder.

Journo employs devious tactic

“I’m too bored to disagree with you, so I’m going to let you win the argument so easily it will be totally unsatisfying.” — The Atlantic‘s Molly Ball.

Reporter feels left out in the cold

“Am I the only journalist who did not watch #TheNewsroom last night?” — HuffPost‘s Sabrina Siddiqui.

Scribes cope with D.C. traffic

“On Sherman Ave, that scene out off Planes, Trains &Autos – ‘YOU’RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!’” — The Washington Examiner‘s David Freddoso.

“Note to self: it’s impossible to overestimate traffic in DC or to underestimate how drivers handle it. #WhyDidITake9thStreetTunnel??” — CNN radio reporter Lisa Desjardins.

Spotted: FNC’s Bret Baier Either slowly jogging or quickly walking with a stroller on Foxhall Road. He was wearing an Under Armour type shirt, pushing a stroller and looking chunkier than he does on TV. — Peter Ogburn

Consultant sees positives in travel snafu

“My LAX Virgin flight is an hour delayed. But LSG SkyChef guy just loaded the galley with the speed of a NASCAR pit crew. Impressive.” — GOP Consultant Mike Murphy.

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In a pool of sex machines like The Hill‘s Hugo Gurdon and Daily Caller’s Tucker Carlson it’s tough to imagine anyone winning FishbowlDC’s Sexiest Male of 2011 title by a landslide.  But believe it or not, the boyish good looks of Politico’s Patrick Reis clobbered the competition with over 50% of the popular vote.  Capitol Hill Ken Doll aka Kevin Madden came in a distant second with 16.3% of the vote.  Tucker Carlson, just shy of the silver, trailed Madden by only three votes.

The stress of the spotlight proved too much for Coral Davenport, Amy Harder and Olga Belogolova.  Citing migraines and lack of sleep, NJ’s Energy trio accidentally moved sexy forward when they should have been bringing it back.  The slip bumped them into second place while WUSA-9′s Kristin Fisher took gold and the title of Sexiest Female of 2011 with 38.5% of the vote.  In case you’re wondering, sultry senior seductress Helen Thomas finished third.

The title of Most Underrated went to Ryan Grim of the Huffington Post.  The rock-solid reporter earned 36.61% of the vote, pushing him ahead of Roll Call’s Paul Singer who snagged  a respectable 28.5% of the vote.

Winning by only a hair, Cabbage Patch lookalike and 2011′s Biggest Self-Promoter Matt Mackowiak upset Daily Caller’s Kurt Bardella and stole all the glory with 36.36% of the vote to Bardella’s 34.93%.  Ouch!

Congrats to Reis, Fisher, Grim and Mackowiak!   And there you have the FishbowlDC Class of 2011!

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NBC Washington’s Jim Long takes this morning photograph. He calls it “Sunrise over Washington.”

A new avenue for the Biden gaffe: Twitter

“Welcome to twitter Joe Biden, @VP, or at least Joe Biden’s press staff.” — TIME‘s Jay Newton-Small in a Tuesday tweet.

Journo Mysteries

“Just got third email today (4th since last week) saying someone is trying to reset my Twitter password. Freaking out a little.” — Reason Magazine’s Mike Riggs in a Tuesday tweet.

The Fashion Consultants

NJ’s Amy Harder: “Casual Tuesday? Sen. David Vitter, R-La., walks onto Senate floor in khakis and plaid shirt, no suit jacket.” She added, “And Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., is in jeans. Maybe the casual attire is a bipartisan protest of being in session this week.”

WaPo‘s new Deputy National Editor Terence Samuel: No suit jacket or no jacket? And did he have a tie?

Reporter starstruck by Politifact founder

“Saw@politifact’s Bill Adair on CNN while picking up a rental car in Chicago. I was starstruck!” –D.C. Digital Journalist Chris Montgomery in a Tuesday tweet.

Tread carefully around this journo today

“Late night headache. Kill. me. now.” — WaPo Social Media Producer Katie Rogers in an extremely early morning tweet.

Reporter flees scorching heat of her apartment

“Nothing motivates a girl to be up, out of the house and ready to work by 6:40 like having no A/C in her apt in DC in July.” — Roll Call‘s Meredith Shiner in a Wednesday morning tweet.

Breaking up with your BlackBerry is hard to do

“I need to figure out how to tell my BlackBerry at the end of this month that I want a divorce, and that I’m leaving it for a Droid or iPhone.” — The Hill‘s Michael O’Brien in a Tuesday tweet.

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