Party Report: Diggnation Live @ the Beach Chalet

MEGAN MCCARTHY — Digg loves itself, and Digg loves Kevin Rose, and Kevin Rose loves Diggers. Hence Diggnation Live, a Rose-led podcast, Digger social event, and drinky party at the Beach Chalet on Ocean Beach. Or, as one attendee said, "It's a frat party for people who never left their room in college!" Diggers from all over certainly left their rooms to get here, hailing from Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and some strange land known as "Minn-eh-soh-tah." Bemused local surfers were cruelly shoved aside by scruffy nerds who took over half the bar, keeping the doors open to let in the coastal chill. Sundry Diggers, babies, dogs, and film crews rounded out the circus. Check out the amazing gallery of joy shot by Lane Hartwell, and journey after the jump for party notes and photo highlights.

Outside the Beach Chalet, a tent "simulcasted" the Diggnation podcast to an audience of zero, since all Diggfans were clustered inside around the bar and its sweet, sweet alcohol. Rose and interlocutor Alex Albrecht mugged for the crowd, doing the podcast thing between rounds. Digger chrispcade came up from Sacramento because "It's so close". A family of three from three hours north — including a 10-month-old who really should have had his ID checked — stopped by on their way to Tahoe. One guy named Michael, visiting from the Midwest, wanted to see Diggnation because "You don't have this in Minnesota". Then there's Katie, a.k.a. katiedesu, who came up from Santa Cruz to show off her homemade Digg shirt (hastily thrown together in 30 minutes because the blue Digg shirt she had ordered failed to arrive in time). Since social media is The Shit right now, local media types all but pounced on super-cute Katie, including a film crew; look forward to her appearance on the Discovery Channel.

Rose worked the crowd amicably, as did a few other leading lights. At one point during the podcast, he and Albrecht held up a copy of JPG magazine open to an arty picture of nearly naked woman with star-shaped pasties. That pic was shot by none other than Valleywag's own Lane Hartwell, whose photos grace this very post. Synergy! Later, Digg t-shirts and other swag were hurled into the crowd, temporarily sating their bloodlust.

A local beardling observed the proceedings with confusion. "I'm just here for the band. I heard they were taking an hour break and couldn't believe it." Dreadlocked surfer dude Marc pronounced the Digger crowd "corporate," and I don't think he meant that in a good way. Bartender Nick, who was serving drinks in the background the during the podcast, had never heard of Digg before his prominent cameo. At the end of the night, he wrote down "Diggnation" in capital letters, murmuring that he ought to check it out.

Below are a few photo picks from the evening. Plenty more here.

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