SKIING IN SNOWMASS

Ever since I was little my mom would take my sisters and me skiing in the winter. I was never a big fan, preferring to hang with mom in the lodge sipping hot chocolate or basking in the sun off the side of a trail with my stepsister, Leona.

Then one day, out of the blue I decided maybe I would move to Colorado and become a ski bum. It seems an odd choice for the fair weather skier, but I was a bit lost and confused about my next step in the world and Aspen seemed like a cool place to take my first real independent move.

I meant to stay for a year to “find myself” but instead I found love (my first love and first real boyfriend, Dallas) and fell head over heals for the mountain air. I stayed almost 4 years (year round). Legend says that the Arapahoe Indians put a curse on the mountains making it impossible to leave… I believe it.

Even now, almost 9 years later when the snow begins to fall and the mountain opens to skiers, I can’t help but return. I love the full on ski bum life, crashing on my friend’s couches, teaching skiing and playing in the snow (Peanut loves it too! He was born in Littleton, CO in May 2003 and still has a soft spot for the mountains. He loves running thru the snow wearing his little white sweater, freezing his little paws).

I am so blessed that Aspen Ski Company lets me come back and teach every year. When I first started I taught Bears (3-4 year old) and Grizzles (5-7 year olds) full time in Snowmass (the biggest of the four mountains in Aspen). It’s amazing how quickly these tiny kids pick up skiing. By the end of the third day most are ripping down Fanny Hill (the bunny slope).

Now when I return I mostly teach private lessons to kids that I have been teaching since they were little. One little girl named Sabrina, I have been teaching since she was a 3 year old who was more interested in drinking hot chocolate and coloring pictures than hitting the slopes. Now, at 9 years old, she cruises all 4 mountains at mock speeds and I totally have to push myself to keep up (I better keep working on my skiing or she is gonna be WAY better than me in no time)! It’s amazing to watch and be a part of that progression.

Through my teaching and my trips to Aspen, I have found an amazing love of skiing. I would rather be cruising on the blue runs, than hiking in double black diamond terrain any day BUT I would definitely rather be out skiing than sitting in the lodge with a hot chocolate (or working in an office for that matter)!

Skiing in Snowmass (Aspen) is FABULOUS!!

THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS

Last week, my siblings and I traveled to Washington, DC for the KENNEDY CENTER HONORS where my mother was awarded one of the distinguished awards. Congrats to MOM!

Each year, the KENNEDY CENTER HONORS give national recognition to 5 individuals who through their lifetimes have made significant contributions to American culture through the performing arts. This year’s Honorees included my mother (beautifully, strong and talented performer, singer actress and above all great mom), Leon Fleisher (amazingly talent composer and pianist), Steve Martin (super funny comedian, actor, writer), Martin Scorsese (iconic academy award winning film-maker), Brian Wilson (kind hearted musician and songwriter best known for the Beach Boys).

I love Washington, DC so I was excited as we flew in over the Potomac River. I reminisced about my college days as I spotted Georgetown’s campus from high above.

The festivities started with a welcome brunch at the Kennedy Center. The invitation said business attire and we were by far the most shnazzy family in our designer duds surrounded by a sea of coats and ties (business in LA is very different than on the East coast). We sat at the front table with all the honorees and their families. I sat directly across from Steve Martin (I love him!) and pushed some nasty seafood stew around in my bowl (yuck!) The chairman of the Kennedy Center spoke and honoring began.

That evening, we dressed in black tie (I wore a pale pink floor length dress not a black tie) and headed to the State department for a Gala dinner hosted by Condoleezza Rice. Each of the honorees were toasted with a list of their achievements and highlights from their careers. It was a lovely affair (and it’s always fun to get all dolled up) and the food was better than at the brunch.

Back at the hotel that night, we hung out with the family and honored our mom in our own way (We laughed and snacked and watched movies). I am so fortunate to come from a supremely FABULOUS woman and have such a close-knit family!

The next day, I took off and strolled Georgetown (my old hood). I cruised the waterfront (Potomac river) and the boathouse where I spent almost every morning of my college career (I rowed varsity Crew all four years!) I checked out all the new high-end shops and boutiques (boy, have things changed in the many years since I lived here). I strolled across the campus and read my book on the lawn. It’s so weird to be back because its been years since I was a student here, but I don’t feel that much older and I don’t feel like it’s been that long (BUT it has been!)

That evening, we got all dolled up in black tie again and headed to the White House. There was some talk of boycotting because of conflicting political views with the president, but in the end it is not about politics. This is about the Arts and our Mom.

How odd to find myself in the Great Hall of The White House! I would never picture myself saddled up next to the President for a photo by a huge Christmas tree, but there we were. It was surreal, but cool and Bush was actually very personable and nice (I still may not think he is a FABULOUS president, but after meeting him I actually kinda felt bad for him.)

The president said a couple words about each of the honorees then we dined from a great buffet spread to the tunes of a choir. After dinner, we headed to the Kennedy Center for the actual taping of the TV honors.

Each of the honorees sat in the President’s box right in front of the stage (right next to the President) with their spouses seated behind them. My mom doesn’t have a significant other, so I was voted to fill the seat. We watched the touching and heartfelt tributes to Martin Scorsese, then Steve Martin, then Mom.

Smokey Robinson said a couple words from the Motown days then introduced the video montage off mom’s career highlights and achievements (Not a dry eye in the place. It was beautiful!) Jordan Sparks sang a Supreme’s medley, Vanessa Williams performed highlights from Mahogany and Lady Sings The Blues and Ciara rocked out to some of mom’s more recent 90’s hits. It as FABULOUS! You must tune in and watch when it airs on CBS December 26 at 9pm.

After the show, there was a grand dinner dance, but we stayed only a short time because everyone was exhausted and our flight was super early the next day. The KENNEDY CENTER HONORS were FABULOUS and the whole weekend a whirlwind of amazing experiences in our nation’s capital.

What a great honor for my mom to be recognized at such a high level for her talents and achievements. It was amazing to be able to be a part of this super FABULOUS weekend!

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Congrats to me! I’ve finally gotten a FABULOUS book deal with HarperCollins and soon my books will be on the shelves of your local bookstore…. So keep your eyes peeled!

I’ve been working on a series of middle readers (chapter books with pictures) called BEAN’S BOOKS for what seems like FOREVER. Getting a book published is a super long process of creativity and perseverance. While sitting at the Coffee Bean or hanging out the library, I have been writing and writing, and writing some more. Now that writing is starting to pay off! I landed a great NY literary agent and now an impressive offer from one of the best, most highly acclaimed publishing houses. FABULOUS!

Even though the contracts are signed, there is still much work ahead of me (re-writes and more re-writes… so don’t hold your breathe while you are waiting for it to hit the shelves).

There are a ton of amazing children’s books out there to entertain you (and your kids) till BEAN’S BOOKS hit the shelves. Here are some of my favorites from childhood and many that have inspired my writing today:

Shel Silverstein is my number one favorite writers of all time. His books of poetry (WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS and THERE’S A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC) still inspire me, make me laugh and fill my heart with joy. Growing up, I would memorize poems from the collection and perform them for my family at dinner. I still know many by heart and they dance through my head right now as I write about them.

IF YOU ARE A DREAMER,
COME IN,
IF YOU ARE A DREAMER,
A WISHER, A LIAR’
A HOPE-ER, A PRAY-ER
A MAGIC BEAN BUYER…

Shel Silverstein also wrote THE GIVING TREE, an amazing story of love, sharing and giving. I keep this book on my shelf and still today give it as a gift to loved ones. It’s a beautiful story that makes me smile. Also by Shel Silverstein is THE MISSING PIECE about a circle missing a part and trying to find the one thing that will make him whole. THE MISSING PIECE is FABULOUS story of finding yourself and realizing you have everything inside to make you whole.

Other picture books that stand out from my childhood are those by Dr. Seuss. His rhythmic style is amazing. I can’t imagine how he came up with a whole book (actually a ton of books) that are completely in rhyme and still tell fun, silly stories. OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO is my favorite. It’s an inspirational story that’s fun and the pictures and characters are amazing. I received multiple copies at both my high school and college graduations. Other standout titles by Dr. Seuss are HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, GREEN EGGS AND HAM and HOP ON POP. They are so funny with creative characters and silly pictures.

Another standout Picture book is WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Are by Maurice Sendack. This book opens up a wild world of imagination with Max in his wolf suit as your guide. This was one of my favorite bedtime reads.

When I started writing and my first lit agent suggested I write middle readers, I started to read all that was out there. There are a lot of ones that don’t stand out in this age group (which is why it was so exciting to step into this venue) but I did find a couple series that are FABULOUS!

The JUNIE B. JONES series is hysterical. Each story is relatable and funny. Targeted at a little younger age group than I write for, I still learned so much about character development from this series.

JUDY MOODY is also very current and hip with a fun and relatable characters. The stories are fun and a little closer to the audience I am writing for.

Another series that is still pretty new is CLEMENTINE. I like these because they have multiple story lines and more sophisticated writing, but are still fun, entertaining and dealing with real issues kids face.

When I was young, I loved all books by Beverly Cleary. She has an amazing talent to make you laugh out loud while reading about characters that are going through things you go through too. The Ramona series is what I aspire my BEAN’S BOOKS to be like. A young, fun, silly main character that we root for at every turn and yet feel for because of her shortcomings. The Ramona series was a long lasting, inspiring series that spanned not only books, but TV shows, film and merchandise (OH... the possibilities!! I’m can’ to captivate the world with my stories!)

Judy Blume is also a stand out author from my childhood. FRECKLE JUICE, SUPER FUDGE, TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING made me laugh and I understood the things the characters were going through (everyday struggles of regular kids growing up). Listening to my sisters read out loud from Judy Blume’s, ARE YOU THERE GOD, ITS ME MARGARET was the first I learned about girls maturing (getting boobs and periods and stuff). I giggled in the darkness, but related and delighted in Margaret’s growth and struggle.

If I can make people laugh the way SUPER FUDGE made me laugh, teach like I learned from MARGARET and relate to kids like RAMONA THE PEST, I will be the most ecstatic writer around!

Though I’m not big into fantasy and science Fiction, I have to give recognition to the Harry Potter series which brought a love of reading back to children in an age where TV rules. My brother was obsessed with the books and I read most as well (and saw the movies… Obviously!)

Another fantasy hit from my childhood was The Chose Your Own Adventure series. At the end of each page you could chose where to go and what to do. “If you want to travel to the moon, turn to page 6. If you choose to stay on earth and hide in the jungle go to page 12.”

I loved reading while I was growing up. Being a little awkward and a bit of a nerd, there was always a great escape waiting in the pages of a book. Kids these days use the TV for this same feeling, but a book can stimulate your mind in ways that a TV just serves to you. I still love reading today and I’m excited to bring my creative fantasies into the lives of young readers. It’s truly FABULOUS to be able to call myself an author!

Now it’s time for holiday shopping, people. Get out there and inspire young minds with BOOKS as presents!!

ETHIOPIAN FOOD

Very often I am asked, “What’s your ethnicity” or “What’s your mix.” I think my beauty (a girl’s gotta have good self esteem), my unique, strong features confuse and interest people. Most often because of my name people think I am Indian, but I get asked at least once a week if I am ETHIOPIAN.

My mom is black and my dad is white and Jewish. My big eyes and high forehead come from my mom and my nose from my dad. The mix gave me caramel colored skin. I am happy with my unique look (though nasty blogs and the people who read and comment on them would rather I never leave the house since they obviously feel my features are offensive. GRRR… I hate those nasty bloggers).

An older ETHIOPIAN man in DC once told me the story of the Jews who fled Israel for Egypt after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE. Many settled in ETHIOPIA and mixed with the locals… My mom and dad just did the mix later!

It’s funny that people (even ETHIOPIAN’S themselves) think that I could be ETHIOPIAN. I always respond, “no, I’m not BUT I love the food.” Here in LA there is a little gem of a neighborhood called LITTLE ETHIOPIA, 2 blocks filled with the yummiest restaurants. I have eaten at almost every single one and even a couple in other areas.

My favorite spot by far on Fairfax is MERKATO. It’s a little grocery store with a small restaurant attached and its always filled with locals. It’s inexpensive and the portions are big. Also on the street and very yummy are Rosalinds and Nyala. Both are FABULOUS and super delicious, but they tend to be a bit more touristy; the prices are a bit higher and the portions a bit smaller.

My friend Carolyn and I head to Fairfax often (in October we were feeling wild and went once a week). We always order the same thing and it’s always FABULOUS! We start off with the Vegetarian combo, which comes with red lentils (my favorite!) cabbage, greens, split peas and salad on a large circle of ingera bread.

You eat ETHIOPIAN food with your hands (Not one utensil at the table) and you use the ingera bread to scoop up the food. It’s fun and so delicious! We always add Yodoro Tibs (chicken in red pepper sauce) or some other meat (they use a lot of lamb and beef too, but we tend to stick to the chicken). Also Carolyn’s favorite is the Tim Tim Fit Fit (a vinegary, cool injera bread mixed with salad) so we always get a side of that too.

ETHIOPIAN food is healthy, delicious and FABULOUS. If you haven’t tried it you must go out and find your local ETHIOPIAN spot!

LADIES CLOTHING SWAP

One persons junk is another persons treasure (or new winter outfit) so come on over and lets swap clothes and goodies!

A couple years ago, my friend Pearl invited me to a clothing swap. Basically, a bunch of women got together and brought all of their old clothes. It was a big free for all with clothes all over the floor, but it was fun. I took the idea and made it my own and now each season my friends and I get together in my living room for A LADIES CLOTHING SWAP and potluck.

Maybe I’m a bit of a control freak (ok… definitely), but I set out a bunch of rules that must be followed closely. Here are the rules: (I’ve patented them, but I will let you use them for free)

Everyone trading clothes must bring at LEAST 4 items of clothes plus accessories, anything really (the more the better!!). But remember bring only the cool ones u no longer wear NOT your old underwear or moth eaten sweaters, and no half used lotions or hotel shampoos (you would be surprised at the weird things people have showed up with).

Everyone sets up their stuff on the floor, couch and chairs (like a little shop). The mingling, eating and viewing of clothes ensues and the SWAP STARTS PROMTLY AT 8PM!

When the swap begins everyone chooses their first item, which is called “First Picks”. Once everyone chooses their first item, we move onto second and third and fourth. Once we get to five, the floor is usually opened for a free for all where everyone rushes around grabbing all the items they want (organized mayhem) till everyone has enough new stuff.

Here’s the fun part! If more than one person wants the same item, both try it on the rest of the party goers decide on who it looks best (mini-fashion week in my own living room). That person gets the keep it (everyone is friends so this rarely happens and when it does it is all in fun).

Anything that is left at the end of the night, I donate to Good Will (you get new clothes and donate to charity all in one night!)

You should try this at home with your friends!!

MY BIRTHDAY

MY BIRTHDAY is Nov. 4th and I decided to celebrate bi-coastally (One celebration in NY and one in LA). Paris Hilton had 4 parties, so I think I am at least FABULOUS enough to have 2! Having grown up on both coasts, I have friends that are spread all over. It was a FABULOUS treat to party with my new and old friends on both coasts. I’m a LUCKY girl!

The party preparations started with the hunt for the perfect BIRTHDAY dress in NYC. My friend Samantha and I cruised the east village boutiques with no luck. Then, I headed uptown to try BARNEYS (too expensive), BERGDORF’S (MUCH too expensive) and finally BLOOMINGDALES (Whew! Finally more in my price range!) BLOOMINGDALES has an ALICE AND OLIVIA section (my favorite designer of the moment)! I tried on 3 dresses and adored each sparkly, sequined one. I finally decided on a black sequined (my signature color) turtleneck mini MINI dress!

Friday, I celebrated the first leg of my bi-coastal BIRTHDAY in NYC. Annie and Schuyler from high school, Celeste, Amy and Sarah from college and Samantha and Grason transplants from LA congregated at my apartment for a glass of bubbly!

Then, we walked to PHILIPPE CHOWS (A delicious, upscale, Chinese restaurant opened by the former chef of Mr. Chows in LA… which I LOVE! YUM!) More friends joined us, Cheryl my old room-mate from Aspen and new friend Miguel (Golly, I’m popular and this is only the east coast party! LOL). We devoured chicken satay, crispy beef, squab lettuce cups (delicious) and more!! It was truly wonderful to be surrounded with so many friends from so many different eras of my life. Everyone was laughing and eating and having a blast!

After dinner, we headed to a club/hookah bar called KUSH. It may not be the hottest NYC spot for a Friday night, but at a table in the corner with all my NEW YORK friends dancing and partying, the evening was truly SPECTACULAR! Let’s see in my LA BIRTHDAY can live up to the FABULOUSNESS of NEW YORK!

Saturday evening, I flew back to LA and spent the night resting up for Sunday, my real BIRTHDAY (November 4th! Mark your calendars!) After a good night rest and morning snuggle with my dog, I went to the Coffee Bean (My favorite way to start the day) then the Farmers Market. I met up with my Dad (visiting from CT) and my sister Tracee for a yummy lunch at Mao’s Kitchen in Venice (cheap and delicious Chinese food). I had a family birthday dinner with mom before my birthday since she is touring.

That night I checked into the Standard Hotel on Sunset (easier/safer option than driving home after all the festivities) and I dressed in my BIRTHDAY sequins for the second time. I met up in the lobby with my room-mates Dara and Jill for pre-dinner coctails. Then headed to BELLA (yummy Italian) for dinner.

On the way my text messages kept buzzing with bad news. One after another my friends started dropping like flies. One was sick, two were tired and so on and so on till 14 dwindled down to 7. I was upset at first, but the friends that did show up (Kim, Sara, Nate, Zoe, Dara, Jill, Kennedy) were FABULOUS and fun. Dinner was delicious! I ate penne arrabiata and bruscetta, drank champagne and ate chocolate cake!

After dinner we headed to a club called PLAY where the owners had offered me a free bottle and a table. PLAY is NOT a hot spot for Sunday, but I figured with all my friends it would be fun. BUT since so many people canceled earlier and many left after dinner, I was wrong! The people at the club forgot about the free bottle, which I didn’t want to argue about and with only a handful of friends, it was all less than FABULOUS. We made the most of it, had a couple drinks and called it a night.

In all I had an amazing BIRTHDAY. East coast definitely won out over West, but it’s always FABULOUS to be surrounded by good friends… and getting presents ain’t that bad either ☺

Happy Birthday to ME!!

NEW YORK CITY

I love NEW YORK CITY and all the excitement that goes along with it. The hustle and the bustle of the city is unbelievably FABULOUS!

This past week I went to NEW YORK CITY for a whirlwind week of socialite parties, Halloween haunts, exciting literary meetings (yes, on occasion a girls gotta work) and even a little pre-birthday festivities!

I took a ridiculously early flight in order to get to NYC in time to prepare for THE ANGEL BALL, a G&P Cancer Charity Event thrown by the ultimate NY Socialite, Denise Riche. Her daughter passed away from Leukemia, and ever since Denise has been raising huge amounts of money for research by throwing amazingly FABULOUS events of course all of NY’s richest and schnazztastic people in attendance. Every year, I am asked to be on the junior committee for the BALL and though the cause is very close to my heart (my grandmother died of breast cancer) I know I can’t be much help to the committee from LA. This was the first year I was able to attend.

I slept from take off to landing and arrived at 3pm rested and ready for all the FABULOUSNESS that is NYC. A car picked me up and swept me to B. MICHAEL’S showroom (a high end NY designer). I walked in B. MICHAEL’S fashion show during NY Fashion Week a couple seasons ago and ever since he has helped make me FABULOUS and FASHIONABLE for NY events. I tried on one dress and it was perfect (classy and gorgeous)!

Next stop, JUDITH RIPKA (a swanky FABULOUS jewelry store). I hosted a charity event for them once and when I have an event they lend me diamonds so I can sparkle! I borrowed a ridiculously expensive and beautiful, shimmering pair of earrings and a bracelet! (Golly, I’ve made some good connections for freebies!)

I had just enough to shower, throw on some make up, do my hair and jump into my designer duds before my friend Mary and her husband Ryan arrived. Off we went to the ball where we rubbed elbows (dined and danced) with NEW YORK’S social elite. Joss Stone rocked the house and danced on the chairs. John Legend crooned at the piano and Chaka Khan belted her ballads. It was an amazingly fun and FABULOUS night and in my pink dress (surrounded by a sea of dark, winter hues) a truly stood out and felt like the bell of the ball!

Tuesday, I had a meeting at Harper Collins regarding my series of children’s books. Since I live in LA and the majority of the literary market is in NY, I always like to stop in and chat with my literary agent and publishers while in the city. Lets get those books on the shelves!!

Wednesday was HALLOWEEN. It’s one of those holidays where you spend so much time preparing and then it rarely lives up to the excitement you had hoped for (I feel this way about New Years too). I have never celebrated HALLOWEEN in NY so I was excited for something new. I wore my same costume for last year (a sexy angel) and didn’t put to many expectations on the night. I was blown away! HALLOWEEN in NEW YORK is FABULOUS.

We started the night off by going to a fancy party that my friend Mary was catering (Her company, MARY GIULIANI CATERING AND EVENTS caters to the high-class, socialite types). The party filled with seriously expensive and diamond studded costumes. It was like being at a high-end masquerade party with free drinks, delicious food and dancing.

Next, we headed to Cipriani’s for ROBERTO CAVALLI’s Halloween Party. Eve rocked the stage dressed as a referee. Celebrities and NY Socialites squeezed into the VIP section where fancy drinks were poured from ice sculpture bars. The party would have been a bit more FABULOUS had there been about 300 less people. I could barely turn around or move with those damn wings on my back, so we headed downtown to a club called ROOM SERVICE.

We met up with more friends and danced till the early morning while Rev Run (Once Run DMC) yelled along with tunes from the DJ booth (I mean…a rapped). As the sun threatened to come up, this little angel headed to bed pleased with the events of Halloween 2007.

My birthday is Nov. 4th and I decided to celebrate Bi-Coastally (One celebration in NY and one in LA). Friday, I rocked out with my East coast friends for the first leg of my birthday and then I flew back to LA in time to celebrate my real birthday on Sunday! Read all about my birthday festivities in next week’s blog!!

I had an amazingly fun and productive week in NEW YORK! I always have a blast and love to visit, but all excitement that is NEW YORK is too much for little old me ☺ I could never live there! I’m always super psyched to come home!!

SHOPPING IN LA

It may not be all in one location or as huge as Minnesota’s Mall of America, but Los Angeles is still FABULOUS for fulfilling all my shopping desires.

I love to SHOP and I love it even more when I’m getting a good bargain. Rarely will you see me sporting designer duds (unless they are hand-me-downs from Tracee, my mom and designer freebies). I’m proud of my Frugal Fanny shopping habits, because I do LOVE to shop but I don’t want to drop... referring to my bank account balance (or my credit cards).

Here are some of the hottest shops on my FABULOUS list.

The famed ROBERTSON in Beverly Hills is one of the best 2 blocks of shopping in all of LA. Yes, it’s expensive, but sometimes worth the price for a great fit and quality.

KITSON is the best on the strip. They have everything from jewelry to dresses to purses and perfume. I always choose my Christmas and Birthday presents there! LISA KLINE is also pretty fantastic though I usually try to wait for their annual sidewalk sale where prices are slashed. Just up the street, LF has awesome, unique stuff, but stay out if your looking for a bargain.

The only bargain on the street is AMERICAN APPAREL (which I adore and shop at religiously). My favorite designer right now is ALICE AND OLIVIA. They make the cutest party dresses and they have a whole store right there on ROBERTSON.

For Jewelry, I’m a fan of ROCK CANDY (mostly because they carry my best-est friend PEARL ADAY’s funky rock and Roll Jewelry line called SEAMSTRESS FOR THE BAND).

Always for a good bargain and stylish duds, I hit MELROSE where there are blocks and blocks of boutiques with inexpensive, hip and stylish clothes. This is where I get most of my dresses for events so that if someone asks me what I’m wearing I can say, “Oh, I got it at a cute little boutique” or “It’s totally vintage”. That’s a lot better than what I often have to say, “Oh this? Its couture FOREVER 21!” Cringe!

My favorite on Melrose is FRED SEGAL, but it’s not inexpensive! Great clothes, my favorite FREE CITY sweats, jewels, shoes and yummy food to boot (Get the steamed veggies with arrabiata sauce! YUM!) I got my whole BET outfit at FRED SEGAL (the dress, the necklace, the ring… the undies and shoes I already owned ;)

For shoes my go to spot is STEVE MADDEN on the Santa Monica Promenade or the Beverly Center. You can’t beat the great prices or the sexy and sleek designs. My closet is FULL of STEVE MADDEN and STEVEN shoes. I am also NOT ashamed to say I like SHOE PAVILION and DSW SHOES! You can’t beat the prices and they often have cool stuff!

I think you can find great stuff at FOREVER 21 that when mixed with nice jewels, shoes and a purse could be designer (I’ve fooled many! Don’t tell ;) The trick is stay away from the prints. Solids are safe and could be from anywhere. Those FOREVER 21 designers do a super good job!

I also LOVE the FOX HILLS MALL. Every store is super inexpensive and they have all sorts of cool shops for shoes and clothes (don’t miss the food court and the Dairy Queen! Yummers!)

I LOVE MALIBU and though the shopping can break the bank, some of my favorite spots are out there. I LOVE FREE CITY! Those sweat pants are ridiculous! My whole family lives in them. We should be the spokespeople for the brand! I also adore PLANET BLUE! So expensive, but they have the best dresses and jeans!

So now you know the most FABULOUS shopping spots in LA. Now get out there and go shopping!!

My birthday is coming up BTW… LOL!

LA FASHION WEEK

Another day another fashion week…

If you’ve read my blog before you probably have heard me rant and rave about Fashion Weeks from East to West. This past week was Mercedes Benz LA Fashion Week and as always it was FABULOUS!

LA Fashion Week is all up and coming, young, hip designers (It may not be Paris or Milan couture, but it’s still FABULOUS). LA is all about the lifestyle, the parties, the fun clothes and the celebrity. I would say it’s more focused on the fun with a splash of fashion on the side.

I started off my fashion week with a bang at the CHICK by NICKY HILTON show. I sat front row (the most coveted of all fashion show seats) with my friend Ryan whose girlfriend Nazri was walking in the show. We watched the waif-ish models stalk the runway in cutesy, mini dresses.

On my way out I heard a couple fashionistas calling the show “very junior’s division” and “not up to fashion week standards” but I thought the dresses were cute and very wearable (I certainly wouldn’t complain if a couple were hanging in my closet). I say down with the haters! I salute you Nicky Hilton.

The next night, I hit the GQ Lounge at Roosevelt Hotel. I don’t know if it was due to the pouring rain, but the party sucked big time (LA people do NOT even know how to deal with a little sprinkle of rain. AGH… I’m melting!) so I called it a night to rest up for the fashionable week ahead.

Tuesday, I started off early with dinner at KOI with my high school friends visiting from out of town. (Shout out to my East Coast friends partying like LA Socialites for one wild night– Casey and Schuyler). We kicked Fashion Week up a notch as we headed to the HEAVENLY SINFUL JEWELRY party at the Luxe Hotel in Beverly Hills where Avo from Guady PR hooked me up with a hotel suite for the night.

The party was hopping (ultra crowded) and the free drinks flowing. From there we headed to ONE SUNSET (A Tuesday night hot spot on Sunset Blvd) for an ultra exclusive Jin & Quinn event (Alex Quinn, son of legendary actor Anthony Quinn throws great parties and is also a good friend).

Wednesday, I woke up in my suite in Beverly Hills and figured I may as well continue the fabulosity. After rushing home to feed Peanut, I ate lunch at the POLO LOUNGE with friends. That night I strutted my stuff in leather and denim (and the hair dresser gave me some seriously bad, crimped hair) at the HARLEY DAVIDSON fashion show and COMPLEX MAGAZINE event at BOULEVARD3. The show was fun, but the party lacking so I headed home early to rest my aching feet. I did meet the boys (Pickle and Daniel) from America’s Most Smartest Model on E! (God, I LOVE reality TV!)

Thursday evening, my friend Zoe and I went to SAMORA’s fashion show. Last season, I walked in the show and I have become a big fan of the classy and sophisticated dresses. This season her line was eco-friendly with a Grecian feel. No celebs where there so I did my best to entertain the press by smiling for the photogs and chatting about fashion with the cameras (so silly because I know they will never use the pictures or air the clips. I ain’t not super celeb… YET!)

Since a fashion show last only about 20 minutes and we had gotten all dolled up, we decided to mingle in the VIP room and have a couple cocktails, snacks and lip glosses (I love free stuff!) All our mingling and making new friends got us front row seats at the next show, PETRA ZILLIA!

PETRA ZILLIA is a young, hip LA designer known to dress the LA socialite (and sure enough guess who sat 2 seats away from me… PARIS HILTON). The models strutted their stuff with big smiles on their faces (a pleasant change to the somber stalking usually seen on the runway) in vibrant colored dresses and rompers. I’m a hug fan of a mini-romper – it shows your legs, but will never reveal your panties (or lack there of if you are Paris or Britney. I, on the other hand am not a big fan of showing my goodies to the world ;) HA!

To close out my week of fashion, I walked in a small show in Beverly Hills for LI CARI. My friend Tasha has modeled for them before and I’m very impressed by Jazmin, the 19-year-old designer of Li Cari. She has made a whole line of sexy and wearable dresses (she also offered to give me some to wear to events and as we know… I LOVE FREE STUFF). The show went well (I wore three dresses), but hanging out with 16 year old models hungry for any camera time is not my idea of a good time, (God, I’m getting old) so I snuck away in a sexy lace top and black high-waisted mini (one of Li Cari’s designs) to ROCK AND REPUBLIC party at CHATEAU MARMOT.

The party in the penthouse suite was packed when we arrive and they weren’t letting anyone in (except Ryan Seacrest and Zach Braff, but whatever) so Tasha and I had a drink in the lobby. We were finally let in the party a half hour later, but most of the crowd had dispersed and the leftovers where less than FABULOUS. We headed home to hit the hay and bid farewell to a FABULOUS Fashion Week.

AUSTIN, TEXAS

This past weekend I went to visit my friend (ex-boyfriend) Brian in AUSTIN, TEXAS. Though I wouldn’t say I was a HUGE fan of TEXAS (the heat, the line dancing and the ten gallon cowboy hats are not really my style), AUSTIN is pretty darn FABULOUS!

I arrived Friday evening via Southwest (Not as cheap and easy as Jet Blue, but still a good inexpensive travel option). Brian picked me up and we headed straight to La Feria (A hoppin’ Mexican joint). We got reacquainted (yes, there is still a little spark there) over Queso, margaritas and a live mariachi band that serenaded us with La Coocaracha. Very romantic! HA!

We headed to his apartment for a quick shower and change then it was off to downtown for dinner. We shared a juicy steak with onion rings, french fries and caesar salad at Sullivan’s Steak House (I love red meat) then cruised the bars on 6th Street. We drank and laughed and danced till late at night before cabbing it back to his pad (God, I love mass transportation! We need better options to driving late at night in LA. Just ask Paris, Lindsey, Mel… the list goes on and on)

A little hung over, we braved the heat and hit Pease Park for a little Frisbee golf (Never heard of it? It’s basically golf with a Frisbee and it’s FABULOUS). It was a lot of fun, but let’s just say I’m not particularly good. I lost BIG time (and complained a lot in the process). We were too hot and sweaty to continue so we skipped the last couple holes and headed to my favorite lunch spot in all of AUSTIN, Texadelphia!

Texadelphia is the sweetest little cheese steak spot on the University Campus. The air conditioner cooled us (It was super hot), the water re-hydrated me (maybe so many vodka sodas the night before where not such a good idea) and the queso and pizza cheese steak brought A LOT of joy to my heart (and stomach). We rolled back to Brian’s pad for a good long nap (which Brian called watching Football) to prepare for another FABULOUS evening in AUSTIN.

After a good long rest, we headed to Uchi for some serious sushi. After a couple cocktails on the patio we got seats at the super crowded sushi bar. The crazy sushi chef lopped off the head of a huge yellow tail right as we sat down. He laughed as blood dripped down his arms (like he just got his arm caught in a wood chipper). Not my idea of appetizing but it was funny and my sushi was fantastic. I LOVED the spicy tuna roll and Brian and I shared the shag (spicy tuna with avocado and cucumber in soy paper). We also ate bacon wrapped asparagus, yellow tail, and Brian even ate a cut of that poor bloody fish that was decapitated in front of us. Mmmmm...

We were stuffed so be decided to forgo the bars and walk to the Alamo Draft House (probably one of the greatest invention… a movie theater that serves food and alcohol). We drank sangria, ate chocolate cake and ice cream and watched The Heart Break Kid (a couple funny one liners but NOT so funny… I’d wait till it comes out on DVD).

Sunday, we slept in the got yummy bagels at Einstein’s (I love an onion bagel with chive cream cheese) then headed to the Pedernales River where Brian’s parents took us out on the boat. I’ve been water skiing a bunch, but never wake boarding. I perfected my skills and even caught some air (I’m actually pretty sporty, so I picked it up pretty quickly, BUT I will NOT be going pro anytime soon). Unlike me, Brian actually has some wake boarding skills. He is pretty darn good and I snapped photos as he jumped the wake. His mom and stepfather even got out there and showed some serious skills. Even though, I seem like a city girl, I love the outdoors!

Exhausted from the day on the water (my muscles still hurt days later), Brian and I opted for a mellow night. His mom cooked up some yummy chicken Fajitas, then we headed back to the Alamo Draft House for another movie. This time we caught a movie called Weirdsville (I had never heard of it before, but it was FABULOUS. PLUS, I have the hots for the star, Scott Speedman! HOT!) with a bottle of red wine, then hit the hay.

My weekend is AUSTIN was a FABULOUS mix of outdoor fun and classy city stuff with a great friend. I love to get sweaty (or wet) being active, but then get dressed up and have a nice night out on the town.

We laughed, we loved and that’s the most FABULOUS part of all. AUSTIN is FABULOUS!

FAST FOOD

I fuckin’ (excuse my French) LOVE FAST FOOD! I dream about it. I crave it. I have to fight not to turn off the road when I pass a McDonalds or In & Out. It’s ridiculously unhealthy I know, but I think FAST FOOD is FABULOUS.

Yes, I understand that my love of FAST FOOD is slowly killing me from the inside out, rotting my intestines and making me work out at the gym way more than I would like to. But I can’t help it (or control myself). I love it!

People have suggested I read or watch Fast Food Nation (by Eric Schlosser). They tell me how terrible it is, but SERIOUSLY have they ever tasted a Big Mac’s special sauce or the crispy yet soft / spicy yet cool Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell? (I swoon just thinking about it!) Here’s the thing, I am an educated women (Georgetown University Grad) that knows this is NOT a healthy dining option, but at the same time I am a pleasure seeker that likes to partake in what I enjoy. When what you enjoy is so damn cheap and brings you so much happiness while you are shoveling it in your mouth (I do tend to feel sick after, but that’s neither here nor there ;) I say go for it… in moderation of course (once a week TOPS or I will be the size of a house)!

My absolute favorite is MCDONALDS. I get a Number One meal (Big Mac) regular size not super size (I have my limits, you know ;) with a coke and a side of buffalo sauce for the fries. Seriously, a Big Mac is a little slice of heaven. The sauce oozes out on to your fingertips, the meat patties are perfect sized for the soft buns and the pickles tingle your taste buds adding just the right zest. The fries are crispy like no other and that buffalo sauce is the perfect blend of spicy and tangy. God, I love those golden arches. I would marry that Ronald McDonald if he didn’t wear that silly clown get-up!

Running a close second to MCDONALDS is TACO BELL. My favorite is the Cheesy Gordita Crunch (a hard shell meat taco with zesty sour cream wrapped in a warm, soft gordita shell and held together with hot, melted cheese)! I use one fire and one hot sauce and get a fountain soda (coke) to cool my taste buds. TACO BELL is the perfect late night (or anytime) snack! I mean that IS why they call it “the fourth meal.”

People who don’t live in a state that has IN & OUT are truly missing out. Coming in third place in my favorite FAST FOOD place hall of fame is IN & OUT. I get the Number 2 meal (cheeseburger) protein style (with a lettuce bun). I don’t do the double double (2 patties) though I’m not sure why. I think I will upgrade on my next visit! The meat is juicy; the special sauce so ridiculously delicious, the onions are like a party in your mouth and the lettuce bun is crisp and fresh. I don’t love the fries (not fried to perfection like MCDONALDS), but slather those bad boys in that special sauce (you can request side sauce packets – I get 2!) and life is good.

Coming in fourth place is FAT BURGER! My love of FAT BURGER started as a child. I have fond memories of stuffing my face with a fat burger with chilly and bacon while hanging with my mom in LA. Chilly dripping down my chin and down my shirt, mom would just laugh along as she ate hers (with way more grace, I might add). Now, I opt for a baby fat (smaller and more manageable) with the works and bacon of course (bacon is my favorite food!) I get the skinny fries, though if I’m feeling wild I get the onion rings.

Rounding out my list of the top 5 FAST FOOD joints is WHITE CASTLE. I grew up on the east coast and WHITE CASTLE was always a favorite of my youth. You don’t see many WHITE CASTLES now, but luckily my mom always has the frozen ones in her freezer. They are a great microwavable snack, a little bite size piece of heaven. I have wonderful memories of spending time with my extended family in Detroit (My mom is one of 6 kids and they all have tons of kids too) My cousins and uncles would see how many WHITE CASTLE hamburgers they could eat. I would laugh till my stomach hurt (not from the food) watching my cousin Tommy turn green as he shoveled his 15th or 16th mini-burger into his mouth. Oh… the FABULOUS FAST FOOD family memories ☺

Now, I know that there are many other FAST FOOD options that didn’t make it into my top 5. So here are a couple honorable mentions:

Although I don’t frequent JACK IN THE BOX (often referred to as Jack in The Crack), they do have this great South Western Chicken Salad. The dressing is zesty and delicious, the lettuce crisp and fresh and it has all the right toppings including little dorito like chips. Although probably about as fattening as a burger, It’s super yummy!

When I was in high school, I loved to sneak off campus to WENDYS. I had a thing for dipping French fries into a frosty. Their fries are a little thicker and softer than their delicious counterparts (MCDONALDS), but the mix of the salt and the sweet flavors when you dip them in the cold, frozen goodness of a chocolate frosty, tickles the taste buds!

I usually don’t do KFC at all because the chicken (or what ever it is) scares me a bit, but the mashed potatoes are to die for! When I got my wisdom teeth out Mom brought a constant supply to feed me. The gravy... YUM!

FAST FOOD tickles the taste buds, brings joy to my heart (and maybe a couple inches to my waist line). Maybe not the healthiest option, but as you can see I think FAST FOOD is truly FABULOUS!

ABBOTT KINNEY FESTIVAL

This past Sunday was the ABBOTT KINNEY FESTIVAL in Venice, CA. If you don’t live in LA, or live in LA but have never been it’s basically a huge, FABULOUS street festival and block party celebrating the end of summer. I love a good street fair and I love summer, so I was excited.

I woke up to the sun shining in my windows. Another hot day as we head into fall, but trying to hold tight to the days of summer. I started my Sunday as I always do (I love Sundays. They are truly my favorite day. So relaxing). I walked Peanut on the beach, then hopped on my schnazzy pink and green beach cruiser (I totally have the best bike on the beach) and headed to Coffee Bean (I love the coffee Bean a lot! Check out the July 18th blog to see just how VERY much) then to Farmers Market (where I picked up some flowers and an artichoke).

After a quick pit stop back home, it was festival time (and time to get festive). My friends Jill and Dara and Peanut and I headed out on foot (less than a mile by foot and way less of a headache to not deal with parking). As we got closer, we could hear the bands rocking, smell the kettle corn popping and see the crowds swarming.

First stop, the Pacific stage on the South side of the fair where my very sexy and always shirtless (surfer) neighbor Peter’s band was playing. He looked super hot as he strummed the guitar and crooned his sexy tunes. Sadly, he had a shirt on!

Next, we met up with my friend Zoe and cruised the wares (arts and crafts and all sorts of fun stuff). I kept my shopping to a minimum, but did a lot of browsing of art (After 2 years in my house, my walls are still bare and craving some color!)

Some of the ladies partook in the fried food sold by the vendors, but I opted for Abbotts Pizza (the best slice on the Westside, SERIOUSLY!) The line was LONG and Peanut was annoying (He hates being tied up outside and will let EVERYONE know by constantly barking the whole time), but it was worth it! I got the salad pizza which is basically the best pizza crust slathered with goat cheese then piled with crispy lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocados (I hate avocados, but Zoe happily took them off my hands) topped with a yummy vinaigrette. Delicious!

After we were good and full, we checked out a couple of the other bands and stands and headed back towards home. The walk home seemed WAY longer since we were tired and lazy Peanut had to be carried, but we made it home in time to set up for the BBQ.

No Abbott Kinney Festival is complete without a BBQ to follow. I invited all my friends (by Evite), moved the furniture and set out the chips and beer and was ready to party. Randomly, the first guest was my friend Nico (who was once my French lover, but now is just a friend) and his friend EVE (Eve, as in the rapper). It’s sort of weird to have Eve hanging in your living room, but she was a sweetheart and totally cool. She hang and ate spinach dip as the party filled with all the different groups of LA peeps that I know.

For some reason, every time I have a BBQ everyone gets wasted and the nice party turns into a wild (VERY messy) dance party. So as the sun went down (so did the lights) and the music got loud and the party got a bit wild. Before my house got anymore trashed, I pushed everyone out and moved the crowd to a local bar. Back to Abbott Kinney (where surprisingly the streets were already clean. Boy, do they work fast! I needed a street crew to come clean up my house too) where we crowded into The Brigg (a dark, sexy bar with a pool table and dance floor).

Dancing around the bar full of all my friends was a perfect end to a FABULOUS Sunday and FUN, FUN, FUN ABBOTT KINNEY FESTIVAL ☺

MUSICALS

I wouldn’t particularly consider myself to be a theater geek (as we referred to them in junior high), but I have to say I love going to see plays, and MUSICALS I think are FABULOUS!

This week, My sister Tracee and I went to see the Tony Award winning play, WICKED at the Pantages theatre. If you haven’t seen this play, you have to get out and see it ASAP. It is truly spectacular… the music, the costumes, set design, the story. FABULOUS!

I listened to the book on tape (WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire) on one of my long road trips to Colorado (Peanut and I hit the open road to Aspen a couple times a year to hit the slopes and visit friends). I listened to all 24 hours of the book while winding down the 70 Freeway through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and finally Colorado. Though I enjoyed the story, nothing compares to seeing it recreated on the stage with music and dancing. The super, long book was consolidated (totally re-written) into only the most important and most entertaining parts of the story (which is fantastic, because I thought the book kinda dragged on).

The MUSICAL is a re-imagining of what happened before the classic story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (before Dorothy’s house landed splat on the Wicked Witch of the East). The story is told from the point of view of the witches of OZ starting from the birth of a green girl (the Wicked Witch of the West, here known as Elphaba Thropp), to the friendship struggles with Galinda Upland (who becomes Glinda, the Good Witch of the North) and of course, Elphaba's eventual fall from grace (turning wicked). The story ends upon Dorothy’s arrival in town.

The performers (many from the original production on Broadway) are amazingly talented singers (I wish I could project like that and learn to sing from my diaphragm instead of my throat). My favorite song was “Popular” sang by Glenda. Hysterical! (Seriously, you must go see this play!!)

My favorite MUSICAL of all time is AVENUE Q. AVENUE Q is a Tony award-winning musical puppet show largely inspired by Sesame Street. The puppets however, use profanity and face adult problems instead pre-schooler’s problems. Many of the characters are based on actual Muppet characters: for example, the gay roommates Rod and Nicky are parodies of Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie (So wrong, yet so funny ;).

The puppeteers actually stand right on stage, but the story is so hysterical that you totally forget they are even standing there. The songs are touching and so funny (Some of my favorites: The Internet Is For Porn and Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist) and often focus on the theme of finding one’s purpose in life (a recurring theme in my own life too). Two puppets even have a sex scene where they sing, “You can be as loud as the hell you want when you’re making love!” This puppet show is NOT for kids, but is truly one of the most FABULOUS musicals ever made (bold statement? I think NOT!!)

The first MUSICAL I remember seeing and my second all time favorite is STARLIGHT EXPRESS (A rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber). I saw it at least 4 times (in London and on Broadway). The play starts as a little boy dreams that his toy trains come to life and are preparing for a race with engines from all over the world competing.

The performers represent different trains (Grease ball, an arrogant diesel locomotive, his girlfriend Dinah the dining car, Electra a state-of-the-art electric locomotive and our main characters Rusty, an old fashioned steam engine who dreams of winning the race and his love interest Pearl, the brand new observation car). The story is "a Cinderella story" of sorts in which Rusty is our Cinderella, Grease ball and Electra, the evil stepsisters and Pearl the Prince (Princess) Charming.

The trains (performers) cruise on roller skates around the elaborate stage of ramps that loop over and around the theatre (at the age of twelve after seeing this play for the 3rd time, I took up roller skating in circles around my tennis court at mach speeds). Flying around the stage, the actors sing the greatest and funniest songs. So great! I have many of the songs on my ipod (My favorite is Dinah the dining car's anthem).

Cats is always pretty FABULOUS too. Way more of a serious story, but amazingly, cool costumes and beautiful songs. Love it.

I personally am not a huge fan of the deep and serious MUSICALS such as Les Miserable and Phantom of the Opera, BUT I am always truly impressed by the singing and think it is worth seeing them at least once (if you have the opportunity).

Although I don’t go to the theater often (I wish I could go more)… I think plays are cool and Musicals are FABULOUS!

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

You know how I love Fashion Weeks and New York Fashion Week is by far the most FABULOUS (Well… I haven’t been to any in Europe, so let me change that to the most FABULOUS that I have attended).

I arrived Wednesday (via my favorite airline Jet Blue) for a week whirlwind of fashion, friends, parties, cocktails and even some family time.

The week started with excessive partying (it was my friend / ex-boyfriend Grason’s birthday). We dined with friends at Mantra, danced till the early morning at the club Room Service and even made a pit stop at the strip club next door (wild!) Partying in New York is too much (and too late for me) so night two in New York was way tamer. I met my family (all 4 of my siblings and mom happened to be in the city at once) for a yummy Italian dinner full of laughs (we have so much fun together) and love (we truly do love each other a ton).

Friday my Fashion Week began. Evan and I attended the Baby Phat fashion show (which is always a hot ticket with tons of celebrity guests) I wore a gorgeous purple mini dress by KLS (Kimora Lee Simmon’s higher end line, which I love) and we sat front row (the most coveted seats). After the show, I changed in the car (when the designer’s give you clothes… you wear them ;) into my Cavalli dress and we headed to the Just Cavalli store opening. The party was packed (and excessively HOT) and spilling out onto Fifth Ave so we just stayed a short time before heading to the Baby Phat dinner (yes, I changed again in the car ;) The dinner went long, so I snuck out (leaving Evan behind) to meet up with my sister Tracee and stepsister Leona at the Prada party. By the time I arrived, my feet were killing me and I was totally exhausted. I headed home at midnight, calling it an early night (by NYC standards) and hit the hay.

Through the weekend, I went to a couple other fashion shows. The Rosa Cha fashion show was fantastic as always. I love checking out the Brazilian bikinis, but the highlight was checking out (and making sexy eyes) at JC Chasez. He is HOT! Evan co-hosted the Unruly Heir show with Ian Somerhalder from Lost. I instantly fell in love and became mesmerized by his clear blue eyes. I snapped out of it just in time to catch the show where the amazing young designers showcased their super cool men’s line that mixes Country Club chic with Hip Hop Street. Very cool!

Also on the weekend, I hung out and partied with my many friends in New York (I grew up mostly on the east coast so many of my childhood friends are in the city). I caught up with my elementary school friend, Saskia, over croissants and coffee at Le Pain Quotidien. Got caught in the rain with my friend Nicole and her adorable babies, Ryder and Ella. I chowed on burritos (who doesn’t love Chipotle) with gorgeous Eduardo (the model I met in Miami) and shopped till I dropped with Sam (Love H&M)! Of course, I also hit the town and partied like a rock star (The club PM was Sunday’s hotspot where I sipped champagne, but kept it pretty mellow).

Monday, brought in more fabulous fashion week shows and parties. I attended Marc Bouwer (Love the gowns that stalked the runway) with my college friend (and fabulous NY Socialite) Mary Giuliani. Then after dinner at Craft Steak (I love myself some red meat!) and cocktails at the Maritime Hotel (a great outdoor patio), we headed to Butter for a wild night of drinking and dancing. Butter was definitely the hot spot of the night, where I spotted John Legend, Terrance Howard, Kimora Lee Simmons, Daymond Dash, The Kardashians, my brother and many of my friends from both East and West Coast. The best party night by far!

My last day of Fashion week, I finagled (with much struggle) my way into the Heatherette show. This show is always the highlight and the most wild show of Fashion Week. Kim K and Jenna Jameson strutted their stuff on the runway and I coveted many of the wild dresses and unique designs. I dined with the Kardashians (who were filming their reality show) and Daymond Dash at Fillipe’s (similar to Mr. Chows only on the East Coast. YUM!) Then we hit the Heatherette after party at Lotus (which was kinda mellow and lame…. Though maybe we were just too early), then the Ecco party followed by Kanye West’s shindig. Too much party hopping makes Chudney a tired girl, so the minute we stepped into the club Tenjune (where I met CariDee last season’s winner of America’s Next Top Model), I stepped back out and into a cab.

I got home still awake enough to pack, clean the apartment and go to sleep. The next morning, I departed and returned home (On my plane were a couple LA models that I know, but NO I did NOT join the mile high club. Hehe…). New York Fashion Week is always FABULOUS, but I am always happy when its time to come back home!!

WWW.YOUTUBE.COM

YOUTUBE is all the rage on the Internet and I for one think it is FABULOUS!

What a great idea! There are tons and tons of footage from shows, music videos, celebrity clips and home videos posted for your viewing pleasure (You can waste hours and hours of your life watching the most randomly, intriguing shit). It’s truly fantastic. You can even set up a profile like on Myspace (I haven’t done this yet) and post all your home videos, meaningless footage or attempts at movie making.

Recently, I spent some time (ok… like a million hours) perusing the site and was surprised at the random old footage I found of my mom, my family and even of me! I love that you can borrow the clip and add it to your myspace, blog or website. It’s really fun! I wanted to share some of my favorite clips that I found with yoU.

Having grown up with cameras and paparazzi all around, someone is always capturing random moments in my own history. I have a terrible memory, but this one I actually remember. Rhonda was obviously the break out star from the start, but I made a good effort. I was always the shy one growing up (though I have finally broken out of my shell, I am still the quietest in the family). My grandmother passed away in 1985, so this clip is extra close to my heart. It makes me smile whenever I watch it. (Fast forward to 1:30 and enjoy my singing debut)!



My first grade class got to go sing on the steps of Sesame Street with my mom (I’m sitting next to TRACEE on the bench). We were all so excited, but once we got there it was kinda traumatic. There is a man inside Big Bird and two inside Snuffelufigus! I know, it’s still kinda shocking and now I have ruined the mystic of the show for you too ;) I love the song that my mom is singing. It’s a lesson that she always instilled in us. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!



My first hosting gig ever was a pilot in Jacksonville, FL, which appeared locally on the WB. This is where I found my passion and my talent for hosting.



If you have read my blog before, you know I love Fashion Weeks. Rocco (the handsome host of Fashion News Live) and I seem to bump into each other so often that we have become friends. This clip is from Miami Fashion Week and I think it is FABULOUS (funny) and shows my real personality!



Sometimes I host segments for Young Hollywood (www.younghollywood.com) which is a fantastic website geared at the behind the scenes (and positive side) of celebrity. All their segments (mine in particular) are fun and light. This one, I think turned out really well. Hollywood’s fist ever HIV Initiative where many African American celebrities came out to publicly take an HIV test to encourage others to get tested as well. KNOW YOUR STATUS AND GET TESTED!



This is another segment from Young Hollywood that was super fun to film. At the Celebrity Catwalk, I got to interview many cool celebs at the end of the red carpet. It’s actually really hard to grab people as they rush past, but luckily I am friends with some of them (and can be kinda loud) so they were nice enough to stop for me. (It’s actually a lot harder to interview some one you know, then a complete stranger). It was fun chatting with the Kardashians (Kim and her sisters who are the new stars of an E! reality show), getting sex appeal advice from Jenna Jameson (The very sexy, tiny porn star) and fashion tips from Kendra Wilkinson (Hugh Heffner’s sporty girlfriend and star of E! Girls Next Door).



This clip has nothing to do with me personally, but I think it is FABULOUSLY FUNNY (and JT is a hottie). If you haven’t seen it, here is the infamous “DICK IN A BOX”!



YOUTUBE is FABULOUS website and one that will entertain you for hours and hours on end. If you haven’t checked it out, do so and thanks for checking out my clips too!

HONG KONG and MACAU

The FABULOUS journey continues…

HONG KONG: SHOP TILL YOU DROP
HONG KONG seems to be all about shopping and of course shopping is FABULOUS, particularly if it’s designer clothes at inexpensive prices. We stayed in TSIM SHA TSUI where there is a mall on every corner (even underground in the tunnels). My brother Evan, who loves to shop was in heaven. I, on the other hand coveted many things, but curbed my purchases to only the items I couldn’t live with out and that you can’t find in America (the most gorgeously, sexy Mary Jane stilettos and a very short mini dress).

By night, I strolled along THE AVENUE OF STARS (a copy of the Hollywood Walk of Fame only with Hong Kong celebrities) and took in the breathtaking views of the harbor’s futuristic skyline. In the day, I rode the STAR FERRY across the harbor and took THE PEAK TRAM to VICTORIA PEAK for the highest and most FABULOUS views of the city. HONG KONG’s buildings look all futuristic, like where the Jetson’s lived (SHANGHAI TOO). It’s absolutely amazing.

On the way to the airport, we went to LANTAU to see the BIG BUDDHA at PO LIN TEMPLE. As you climb the ridiculously long staircase, the bronzed Buddha seems never ending and huge. Its hands bigger than a human, it sits 34m tall and is truly breathtaking. Though nauseas from the 30-minute winding taxi ride through the mountains (the tram is closed for repairs) and exhausted from the climb up the stairs, I still thought THE BIG BUDDHA was well worth the trek.

MACAU: CANTONEASE VEGAS
MACAU is a small island off HONG KONG (20 minutes by plane). It’s the only place in CHINA where it’s legal to gamble and thus all the big casinos are making the move from Atlantic City and Las Vegas (The Sands, The Wynn and now The Venetian).

We arrived the evening before the Grand Opening. It was weird and kinda eerie to be in a vacant casino (no slot machines dinging, no weary people losing all their money, NOTHING). The Venetian in MACAU is an exact replica of the one in Vegas only with Chinese food in the restaurants, shops you’ve never heard of and Chinese writing on the signs. When the building is complete it will be the largest building in all of China. It’s HUGE! (I totally got lost roaming the halls and its not even all open yet).

The Grand Opening ceremony started with the Grand Canal shops opening at 2pm (I stayed far away since I’d already spent way too much $). Next was the concert in the stadium featuring Asian pop stars, Cirque De Soleil and of course the highlight of the show, my mom!

First on the stage was Ania, a cute pop star (A Chinese Ashley Simpson look alike) who jumped around in a leather mini skirt and was backed by a team of female dancers (back-up dancers seem to be the hot thing here. They even let my mom borrow some so she could fit in ;). Though the lyrics where in Chinese, I found my self singing along to the repetitive chorus.

Next David Toa (a heart throb in Hong Kong) greeted the audience in English then sang saucy bilingual ballads with screechy, off-key runs (though slightly terrible, he was kinda cute).

An Asian themed Cirque De Soleil delighted the audience with elements of dance, acrobatics and even a huge paper dragon (like the kind u see at a parade). It’s truly spectacular what these performers can do.

Next came Grasshopper, a Hong Kong pop trio (a super cheesy Chinese MAN band) that rocked the house in brightly colored suits and crop tops. They made me howl with laughter, but the crowd seemed to get pumped by their danceable tunes, sweet moves and colorful attire.

Alan tam, an award winning Cantonese pop star grandly dropped to the stage in a droopy red cage type thing (it resembled Madonna’s boob in her pointy bra stage). I have no idea how he got in that thing. He must have been locked up in it for the whole show. He sang his pop ballads as the crowd sang along and shimmed around the stage in his rhinestone ripped jeans (very 1982).

With a wave of his arm, out came mom looking like a princess in an amazing, yellow poofy gown. They sang a duet of Endless Love (his English barely understandable, but he was so excited that it was cute). Mom, the amazing performer that she is, commanded that arena and got the audience on their feet for the first time all night.

After the concert, the Casino opened (and was supposedly rushed by some 3,500 people ready to gamble away their savings). We headed to the Black Tie dinner in the ballroom (I wore the red dress mom accepted her BET Award in. I’m a lucky girl that I can fit in my mom’s clothes. Plus, it was the perfect traveling dress because it doesn’t wrinkle and could be shoved into my suitcase).

I sat at a table with all the young attendees (including Asian pop sensation and my new pen pal Bao Bao and all the casino owners kids). The performers from the Phantom on the Opera sang, then some Italian Opera singers pierced our ears while we dined on smelly fish dishes (Less than FABULOUS dinner). When Mom took the stage again in a red gown, the crowd left their tables and rushed the stage. Everyone was dancing in the aisles and it was FABULOUS!

After the show, we grabbed some eatable food at one of the newly opened restaurants and cruised the casino (I didn’t gamble this time, though I do play a mean hand of Black Jack).

The end of my journey was definitely more FABULOUS than the beginning. In all CHINA and HONG KONG were a great and I’m glad I went (but I’m even more happy to be home ;)

CHINA… or at least some things about CHINA

I just got home from CHINA and HONG KONG. My mom was performing at the Grand Opening of the Venetian Hotel and Casino in MACAU (an island off HONG KONG) and I took this as an opportunity to visit a part of the world I have never been (and may never get the chance to go again).

The trip was a bit too long and at times I wished I had stayed home. CHINA is so damn HOT and extremely dirty (I used hand sanitizer like it was going out of style and my skin truly may never be the same. I’m like a teenage boy going through puberty with my clogged pores and new zits). I think it might be pushing it to say that CHINA is FABULOUS, but I did indeed see, experience and taste some things that are definitely worthy of being called FABULOUS.

BEIJING: OUR FIRST STOP
Our first night in CHINA (after a grueling 15 hour flight), we settled in to our hotel and decided to go find a little excitement (and good deals on sweet designer knock offs). SILK MARKET, more properly known as Xiushui is a four-story flea market filled with some of the best counterfeit designer goods at ridiculously cheap prices. Though it’s hard to take at first, (everyone yells at you, grabs and pinches you to get you to shop at their stand) once we got the hang of the bargaining and the exchange rate, we found some great deals. I left tired and dirty, but with a new Chloe purse (for 200 Yuen = about $27) and lots of souvenirs and presents for my friends.

Also in BEIJING, we did some local HOT POT dining. There were neither Americans in sight nor English on menus, so we pointed at other people’s tables and at the fancy Chinese writing and hoped for the best. To the table came a bubbling, gurgling pot filled with broth and spices. With our chopsticks, we threw in raw meats, fish and noodles. (I stuck to the beef and noodles, but my brothers are wild and adventurous and ate fish belly, shark fin and jelly fish salad. NASTY!) A fun interactive and delicious meal (I do miss my usual salads for every meal, but definitely fun and yummy) and definitely FABULOUS!

The next morning, we got up early and headed out to the GREAT WALL OF CHINA (30 min drive). We opted for the open-air chair lift instead of the gondola to take us to the top of the wall. We climbed the never-ending staircases and walkways sweating like sweat shop workers. The wall was built for protection, but proved ineffective against the Mongols and the Manchus (It’s not particularly high, so I guess they learned the hard way). Only crumbling sections still remain, but what is left is breathtaking and beautiful. I have to say the highlight was the toboggan ride down (swooping and swerving through the lush, greenery of the land). This is a must see!!

I also visited a couple FABULOUS temples and imperial gardens, BEI HAI PARK being the most spectacular. The temple sits high on a man-made hill called Jade Island surrounded by lush greenery and a lake full of the biggest lily pads I have ever seen. You can rent boats and paddle around, but I opted for a Popsicle to cool me down and a leisurely stroll through the park and temple. LAMA TEMPLE was also beautiful. It’s the most famous Buddhist temple outside Tibet and is still fully operational with monks and locals praying and offering incense to the Gods. The golden happy Buddha in the first section brought a smile to my face with his tubby belly and huge grin. I also spun the prayer wheel a few times (ok… more than a few, BUT I have a lot of prayers and what better place to put them out there than at a temple in front of a smiling and happy Buddha). TEMPLE OF HEAVEN is also in a nice park. Surrounded by thick, green trees almost like a forest. I walked around the temple and saw the altars where sacrifices were made. I did NOT however enter the Hall Of Abstinence ;) Hehehe…

I also visited Forbidden City and Tian’ men square. Although both are important sightseeing locations, the heat, the dirt and the fact that Evan wouldn’t stop complaining made it less than enjoyable (and not particularly FABULOUS)!

SHANGHAI: PARTY LIKE A LOCAL
In SHANGHAI we stayed at the FABULOUS GRAND HYATT. The lobby is on the 54th floor of the Jinmao Tower which makes it the highest hotel above ground level (also in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest bubble bath, the highest mini-bar, the highest swimming pool, etc) The views of the futuristic skyline are breathtaking from every room and even better from the viewing atrium on the 88th floor.

My friend Aymeric lives in SHANGHAI with his lovely wife Jacqueline. Seeing a foreign location with a local makes the experience so much more enjoyable. Our first night in SHANGHAI, we hit the town (local style). We started with a western meal. For the first time on the whole trip, I knew what it was that I was eating (Caesar Salad with Chicken). Then we headed to the Ice Bar, a super cool bar in what feels like a meat locker. They wrap you in a North Face Eskimo coats and serve you vodka shots of every flavor. I have never seen one of these in America, but it’s super cool (actually freezing cold).

After thawing out and having a couple drinks at the regular bar, we headed to the clubs. It was only 9pm when we arrived at BABY FACE (the young, hipster club) and it was packed. We danced in the huge room filled with pulsating beats and packed with dancing locals (Shanghai seems to have a mix of Chinese, European and Americans). After making some new friends and throwing back a couple more drinks, we headed to the more mature club, BAR ROUGE. I enjoyed sipping champagne on the outdoor patio. As my head started to spin from all the alcohol it was time to call it a night and we headed back to our super high hotel to pass out.

The next day we cruised THE BUND (the water front) and escaped the heat for a lunch at KFC (there seems to one of this fast food chain on every other corner across from McDonalds and 7-11). That night we went to an acrobatics show at the SHANGHAI GRAND THEATRE. Limber acrobats with amazing balance contorted themselves and threw each other high in the air while balancing on things. A FABULOUS show worth seeing!

Next blog the FABULOUS journey continues…