AWARDS SEASON

Everyone looks forward to AWARDS SEASON in LA. From the EMMYS to the OSCARS, people have packed schedules of parties, parties and more parties! I have never been nominated for an award (BUT take notice people because I am on my way) and I don’t have a publicist, so I don’t get to go to that many parties (a girl needs to sleep, so it’s ok). I do get a couple invites here and there though and you know I love a good party, so I always try to attended.

Here is a list of my AWARDS SEASON party line up:

The EMMYS (and all the parties) came and went while I was out of town so my AWARD SEASON started with the GOLDEN GLOBES. I have actually had the opportunity to attend the awards show once as my mom’s date the year she was nominated for ‘Out Of Darkness’ (My mom is an amazing actress and her performance in this film was seriously great. If you haven’t seen it, find it and watch it!) The GOLDEN GLOBES is more fun than other awards shows because you get to sit at tables with celebs and eat and socialize. The year I went, we sat with Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow (this was back when they were dating)! This year, no invite to the show, but I did hit a couple parties.

A couple days before the GOLDEN GLOBES, I stopped by the LA confidential Party at Sky Bar. I had dinner plans, so my friend Jill and I couldn’t stay long. We did however stay long enough to sip some champagne under the stars, chow on some yummy appetizers (the empanadas filled my belly, so I barely could eat my dinner) and hob knob with fabulous people, movie execs and a couple celebs.

The night before the awards, my friend Samantha and I attended the LA Confidential Party celebrating Mickey Rourke at The London West Hollywood (a very hip new hotel just off Sunset). Sam and I mingled with my friend Alex Quinn and his gal pal Sona, Michael Shapiro, Tom Arnold and even got a quick intro with the man of the hour (who was snuggled up and flirting with Bai Ling… could this be a new Hollywood couple?)

The night of the awards, I watch at home snuggled up in my PJs with the dogs (Maybe not a high power night, but pretty perfect for me). I love to watch the shows (the pre and post show too) to see what everyone is wearing and who got what award.

I dusted off my stilettos once again for some GRAMMY parties. My first invite brought me to a loft downtown on one of the nastiest rainy nights I ever can remember here in LA. My friend and amazing philanthropist Scott Lazerson forwarded me an invite to the Eco Suite celebrating the GRAMMYS. How could I refuse a party with a good cause, so my friend Kim and I braved the rain and the freeways to headed out to the party (umbrella in tow). Due to the inclement weather, the party was pretty empty, which was fine by us. With less party people, we had easy access to the vegan pastries, chai beer and chocolate fountain. We left the party stuffed to the brim and feeling healthy.

My friend Samantha and I braved the rain once again (What the hell?!? I thought it didn’t rain in LA) for the Russell Simmons and US Weekly GRAMMY party. The road to the fancy mansion in the Hollywood Hills was completely blocked with celebs and party people trying to reach valet. People were parking miles away and walking because it was so backed up, but Sam and I refused. I mean the rain was pelting like we were in the rain forest. Sadly, when we FINALLY reached valet, the fire marshal had shut it down. Luckily though, the valet guy pointed us to the nearest residential street to park. I snuggled under my pink Barbie umbrella and Sam wrapped her sweatpants around her head. We ran (as fast as you can in Louboutins) to the party. We arrived a little moist, but still in good spirits. I worked the red carpet and headed inside to dry off and then we got the party started. We chatted with Queen Latifa and Tiffany ‘I Love New York’ Pollard. We spotted Whitney Houston, Ray Jay, Bridget from The Girls Next Door and many more stars while sipping cocktails. The rain finally stopped and the party winded down so with gift bags in hand, Sam and I trekked back to my car to call it a night.

OSCARS brought in a whole other round of parties. My celebration started with the pre-OSCAR Power Player Magazine party at Chakra Indian Restaurant. Power Player Magazine is an online publication that did an article on me a couple months ago and I have recently written articles in the fashion section (check it out at www.powerplayermag.com). I attended the party with my friends Jill, Marissa, Stacy and another Marissa. The party was mellow, but the Indian food was divine. We hung out for a bit and then continued our party on the dance floor at near by Area Night Club where my friend Samantha (who was recently a contestant on Rock Of Love Tour Bus) was hosting a party. We danced till the wee hours of the morning. I love to dance!

The weekend of the OSCARS, I went to the ELLE magazine party hosted by Jamie Kennedy at the Haven House (a fancy mansion in the hills) with my friends Alex and Sona. I posed on the red carpet in a great pink dress with a gold embellished neckline. Designer Julia Clancy, who was also at the party, had let me borrow it for the evening and it was quite a hit. We drank wine over looking the Hollywood skyline while a hip new band rocked the house. I bumped into a bunch of people I know and Sona and I even worked out a couple invites to a gifting suite the next day (check out next weeks blog for gifting suite highlights). I love free stuff!

AWARDS SEASON is always FABULOUS and packed with fun filled parties. I had a great time and boy do I need a rest!

ECO-FRIENDLY CLOTHING

When you think of eco-friendly clothing do you think of wearing a brown paper bag and cardboard shoes? Not anymore! Thinking about our environment is more and more in the forefront of our minds and now it’s easier than ever to stop taking away from our planet while being trying to be fashionable and FABULOUS.

Here are two great options for the eco-friendly fashionista:

AMERICAN APPAREL is one of my favorite shopping destinations. It’s a great place to find inexpensive basics (leggings, t shirts, hoodies, etc), which is the majority of what fills my closet. Not only are their clothes great quality and an awesome fit, they are eco-friendly, made in the US (as a matter of fact, they are the largest clothing manufacturer in the United States) and sweatshop free (No kids sewing my pants).

AMERICAN APPAREL clothes are made from 20% organic materials and they’re hoping to bump that up to 80% soon. They also have a "Sustainable" label that is 100% USDA organic cotton. They promote environmentally friendly practices by recycling over a million pounds of scrap fabric per year and they have solar panels on the roof of their LA headquarters. AMERICAN APPAREL also has a bicycle lending program for employees and according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals it is a vegan-friendly clothing company.

Buy smart. Buy American. AMERICAN APPAREL is FABULOUS!

SIMPLE SHOES just opened a store right near my house. The shoes are hip and FABULOUS and who would have known they are eco-friendly too. SIMPLE is dedicated to creating "shoes for a happy planet." They combine a passion for trendy, contemporary design with an environmental commitment. Owned by the same corporation that makes my all time favorite shoes UGGS (They also make TEVAS, but I don’t like those ugly sandals), they have set forth to create a company that doesn’t take away from our planet.

SIMPLE is committed to making products that are 100% sustainable through the use of "green" materials with the hope to make shoes that do less harm and more good.

Their first line, The Green Toe collection, included two designs of all natural materials. It was a start, but then came EcoSNEAKS, sustainable sneakers. They look great and use materials like recycled car tires, certified organic cotton, PET (recycled plastic bottles), recycled bike tires, and hemp, so they a leave a better ecological footprint than ordinary sneakers. This fall SIMPLE introduced Planet Walkers (dress shoes) made with Bamboo, cork, latex and eco-certified leathers and suede.

SIMPLE donates $5 from every pair of shoes sold to Stop Global Warming and the packaging is even made from a 100% recycled boxes.

Even fashion can point us to a bright green future. Always remember to reduce, reuse and recycle…. And of course be FABULOUS!

HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU… or me

The film, HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, is based on the bestselling (so-called) advice book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, the writers of Sex In The City. The idea came from the episode when Carrie’s boyfriend bluntly tells Miranda that men are not very complicated. He explains that she is not receiving mixed messages from the man she’s dating. The guy simply isn’t interested.

The book tries to convey that each woman deserves better, so the next time you feel the need to start "figuring him out," consider maybe that HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU and then set out to go find the one who is. “If you've ever sat by the phone wondering why he said he would call, but didn't or why your relationship just isn't going to the next level... HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU.” I don’t like that notion. I mean, maybe I’m in denial, but I would prefer to think that he is interested. I don’t want to be the rule. I want to be the exception (Yes, I realize that this book was probably written specifically for me)!

I knew I wanted to see the movie, but I was skeptical since I was anti the book. The buzz (the billboards and commercials) and the all star cast (Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson and Justin Long) drew me in. Last Saturday my friend Jordan and I hit the theater to check it out and guess what? HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU was a pleasant surprise (despite all the negative reviews it’s been receiving). I found it light, smart, funny and relatable (I admit I am totally clueless in the world of dating and mating).

The movie tells the stories of a group of interconnected, Baltimore twenty and thirty somethings as they try to read the signs of the opposite sex. Married, dating or looking for love, each person in the film is hoping (like me) to be the exceptions to the "no-exceptions" rule.

Beth dumps Neil when it seems he will never ask her to marry him. Mary tries and fails to read the signals of men while online dating. Anna leads Connor on while wooing Ben, who is married to Janine and Gigi waits and waits and waits for Connor to call while getting love advice from Alex.

I most related to Gigi (though at times embarrassingly insecure). I have felt like her before and even thought about doing (ok… I’ve done some of them! Ha ha) some of the inconceivable acts of dating desperation that she does (like cyber stalking, driving by a guy’s house, stopping by a bar he frequents hoping to bump into him ‘by accident’). Gigi just wants a man who says he'll call and does, I mean who doesn’t!

I learned from the movie that when he doesn’t call, he most likely isn’t going to, so don’t call and hang up when you get his voicemail, don’t sit by the phone and wait, BUT (and this is a big BUT) you could maybe be the exception to the rule! Which leaves me back where I started… still thinking he’s going to call.

Despite my confusion regarding the male species, I thought the movie was entertaining, witty and dare I say… FABULOUS.

DOG BLOG

PEANUT
Breed: Silky Terrier
Gender: Male
Activities: Peanut is more talented and handsome than most. He is represented by the Le Paws Agency and recently appeared on Ugly Betty. He likes watching TV and long walks on the beach. Don't be jealous of his beauty!

BRODY
Breed: Woodle (Wheaton Terrier / Poodle mix)
Gender: Male
Activities: Body is so wild, he was originally named Rowdy! He likes to play at the dog park, run around the house like a crazy dog, harass Peanut and eat everything in sight(including my underwear)!