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GQ executive editor Michael Hainey, Lucky editor Kim France, and new Cond Nast editorial director Tom Wallace share a moment of quiet despair: "This magalog trend has legs, right?"

We don't know how YOUR company works, but when we don't want to do something and we can't convince an underling to cover, we put management on the case. So it was that Gawker whip-holder Lockhart Steele was forced to Skylight Studios for last night's launch party in honor of Condé's latest magalogue, Domino. With the ever-so sharp eye of photographer Eliot Shepard, Lockhart documented the fray that touted itself as, "Part opening night. Part housewarming." Shudder.

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Domino editor-in-chief Deborah Needleman and publisher Beth Fuchs Brenner yuk it up with Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden.

If one wasn't already cowering at the approach of Hamptons benefit season, last night's Domino launch party set us nicely on edge for Memorial Day weekend. Drinking inside a tent! Nearly-green sod! Trucked-in boxwood parterres! It was, to steal a phrase from the cover of Domino's launch issue, Fast and Fearless Decorating. And almost attractive.

The crowd? Heavy on the Cond . A launch this important - this is Lucky for your home, people - brought Master Newhouse to the house. Or so we heard - it's unclear if he ever actually made it inside. Our personal highlight of the night was grabbing the guy who hogged his way into the photo with GQ's Michael Hainey and Lucky's Kim France:

Us: "Hi, who are you?"
Him: "I'm Tom Wallace." [pause] "Editorial Director of Cond Nast."

(Hey, be honest: you don't know what Tom Wallace looks like either.)

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New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell and his nearly sentient 'fro work the crowd: "I know you! I know you!"

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Domino managing editor Sarah Min (center) enjoys a carefree moment before dragging her staff back to the Cond magalog factory.

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"As featured on page 532 of our debut issue, the Whirlpool Bubblemaster!"

The real booty wasn't in the massive, unwieldy gift bags but in the silent auction. The magazine put fifty or so designer items up for grabs, including an $8,800 Jacuzzi, $1,720 worth of Calvin Klein dinnerware, and the "chance to have California Closets customize a system for you, valued at $1,000." A special Gawker Party Crash correspondent reports on who snagged the goods - mainly the NYT's Stuart Elliott:

By our count, Stuart Elliott was the most prolific silent bidder of the night. He had $130 down for the Jonathan Adler Triangle and Bustle Decanters (valued at $370); $50 for the Mikasa cheers martini, flute, goblet and cordial glassware (valued at $120); and $150 on the $400 Sears Ty Pennington table top collection. (That's some table you're setting up, Stu!) Mr. Elliott also risked $25 on a Gallo Black gift bag. Bidding ended at 9:45, and we were too drunk to figure out if he actually won anything. But we did notice that Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden outbid the mere media folk for the Silk Trading Company's quilted bed sheet, plopping down $150 for a $245 item. Stuart, you could have saved ninety five bucks!

We couldn't even escape the sales environment in the bathroom, where a Domino tag was hanging off a Waterworks Free Standing Toilet Paper Holder, retailing for $600. We don't think Stu bid on that one.

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Domino features editor Zo Wolff wonders if her shirt comes in "couch."

Overheard in the men's room by a Gawker spy:

Guy 1: Dude, you didn't bring your girlfriend to this, did you?
Guy 2: No, of course not.
Guy 1: This place is fucking laced.

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Design*Sponge blogger Grace Bonney meets her heroes: Apprentice cast-offs Michael Tarshi and Kristen Kirchner.

We were chatting with Grace when the Apprentice crew stormed past. The mere hint of a camera stopped them dead. Once the photo was shot, a trailing flack handed Eliot a business card with Michael and Kristen's names, along with that of Trading Spaces' willowy Laura Day, also part off the roving reality entourage. Said Eliot, a Party Crash veteran, "I have never seen that before."

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More Dominos, including photography director Stacie McCormick at left. Suggested Domino reading for the gentleman at far right: "Can this Outfit Be Turned into a Room?" (page 99)

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The Apartment Therapy boys, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan and brother Oliver Ryan, ponder whether that comment from "Deb Needleman" on their blog was legit.

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From the "Domino Manifesto": "A chandelier is as timeless as a black dress." Who says magalogs don't do zen?

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"Really, the publication will do fine. Right? Right? C'mon, dude, get my back here."

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Domino photo stylists. They get that lacquer to glisten just so.

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Oh, and what about those gift bags? They wouldn't give us one. On the upside, though, we've got a magazine bursting with new ideas for our home. If only we had a home to use them on.