Showing posts with label DIVA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIVA. Show all posts

Highlights and Observations: Emmy's Party Weekend

My highlights of the entire Emmy's Weekend were:
--Attending the Kate Somerville Spa and Gifting Suite, where I surveyed the PaigePremium Brand jeans all the stars are wearing (they make your butt look amazing!), Ajne Parfumerie and Apothecary, a company that creates custom perfumes out of the most precious ingredients for actresses like Reese Witherspoon and Hilary Swank (their bottles look they were found in the elegant bathroom of a Romanian castle!), and Frette sheets, maker of the most sumptuous bedding in the world. Last but not least, here I got a chance to meet Kate Somerville and speak to her about her famous products, especially the Quench Hydrating Serum, which actress Catherine Bell of "Army Wives" confided in me, was like a "skin miracle".

--I also attended Kari Feinstein's Emmy Style Lounge, where we had to drive to the highest hills of Hollywood and then be shuttled to a "secret location" where the suites were located in a private mansion. Now, this was the flossiest-flossiest lounge I had ever been to. There was a Reebok room where they had some of the coolest looking sneakers I had ever seen (the Voltron line is super-colorful and my favorite). Laura and I even filmed a PSA for Rockand Republic's "Rock The Cure" campaign while actors Seth Green and Andy Milonakis looked on. Laura kept saying how her kids would be SO jealous if they knew she was there with them! I saw so many stars file out of there with so many bags of stuff, my jaw just remained at dropped position the whole day! My half-full bag looked like a bad poor stepchild compared to theirs.

--At the Platinum Suite in the Luxe BeverlyHills Hotel , we were escorted to the Penthouse Suite and I got to stand near(but not too close to), $40 million worth of diamonds and platinum designed by various jewelry houses. It's just incredible that they are lent out to stars. I guess somehow actors wearing them and mentioning their name makes some (very rich) folk run out and feel like want to buy a $50,000 necklace. There has to be a reason, right? I just wore my $100 Nixon steel-plated watch--which I bought myself! Here, there was a La Prairie counter, offering a "taste" of why their skin caviar is the best skin cream in the world. The jar that was hidden in my "goodie bag" was larger than a jar of Jiffy Peanut Butter! Trust me, I ain't complainin'.

--I was invited to attend the Gersh Agency Dinner and Party for its Emmy nominees, given by Frederic Fekkai, to celebrate the opening of his eponymous salon on the exclusive Melrose Place street. There, I gossiped about fashion with Lilah Schechner, West Coast Editor of Elle Magazine. Leave it to the two fashion "queens" to hone in on each other and hang out for two hours and discuss fashion--at a very "A-list Hollywood Industry" non-fashion party!

--David and I attended the Entertainment Weekly Party and saw such A-listers as Vanessa Williams, most of her costars from "Ugly Betty", "Entourage's" Jeremy Piven, my friend and his on-screen assistant, Rex Lee, and Heidi and Seal. I had a lot of fun, sampling the hors d'oeuvres and drinking the yummy Margaritas. A notable absence was Tim Gunn, who was supposed to have shown up, but due to the fact that his car pick up NEVER arrived, he opted to just remain in his hotel and rest up for the big event. I missed him because we would have had "private time" to dish before the Emmy Awards the next day.

--Emmy Awards:
My favorite moments were meeting the GORGEOUS Padma Lakshmi, hostess and judge of Top Chef--looking divine in a white stretch silk Dolce and Gabbana siren gown, Tom Colicchio, also of Top Chef, "Ugly Betty" actor Christopher Gorham, who's a big fan of Project Runway. My best moment was meeting actress Patricia Heaton. I delicately pulled her to come to be interviewed for my MSN piece and once she recognized who I was, she literally began jumping up and down screaming. She was like "Oh my God, Oh My God, you're Nick from Project Runway!!!!" I returned the favor by also screaming "Oh my God, you're Patricia Heaton..and I am a big fan! And can I design a Gown for you next time???" Check out the MSN Emmy video to see what she had in her purse. It's the best! Click HERE to watch the video of Laura and I going through the Stars purses!

--I attended two Emmy's after parties: One for DIVA, Diverse and Inclusive Visionary Artists/Hector Monserratte at East West Lounge where I ran into Survivor star and Janice Dickinson model, JP Calderon. The 2nd party was for Magical Elves, the producers of Bravo's Top Chef and Project Runway, among others. There, I had a great time chatting with Bravo's Andy Cohen and seeing my old friends at Elves, especially the sexy Michael Rucker, looking like a British aristocrat with his tuxedo tails, skinny pants and flower pin. Here, I also ran into model Amanda Fields and several of the chefs from Top Chef well as the over-the-top Bobby Trendy(go figure!). They were still viewing the awards show that I had just ended up attending. Unfortunately, I arrived right as they were announcing Amazing Race as the winner of Reality Competition Program. There were lots of booos in the party.

-- Two Interesting Observations regarding the Emmy Awards:
I always somehow thought that the WHOLE theater/auditorium was always FILLED with stars--all of its 6,000 seats were somehow occupied by "famous people". When, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Maybe 5-10 % of the seats are filled with famous people while the majority of the seats are "other" industry folk--producers, writers, costumers, grips, agents, managers--not so famous.
The other observation was more of a fashion one. A lot of the women attending looked like they were going to the Miss Tennessee Pageant Finals, instead of the Emmy's. Beaded polyester satin Leg-o-Mutton sleeved gowns with front thigh-high slits would not have been my choice of a gown to wear to the Emmy's. And I saw SEVERAL! Ah well, all I can do is continue to offer advice and encourage women to "DRESS LIKE YOU MEAN"! Click HERE to watch video of Laura and I giving advice on dressing for your body type.

The Oscar's in West Hollywood

Even though I am a fashion designer, living in Los Angeles, the land of film and entertainment, you can't help but get "caught up" in crazy La-La Land. I do feel detached because I am not really an actor or a producer or a director, so sometimes I am less interested in who wins what, and am more enticed by what the stars are wearing on the Red Carpet and what the supposed "fashion experts" will incorrectly say about their outfits during those pre and post shows.

For years, along with my partner, David, we would either go over to a friend's apartment and attend their intimate annual Oscar's Party or stay at home and eat a lot of chips and guacamole dip, drink lots of margaritas, and be our own "armchair" fashion critics. This year was different. I was invited to several of those exclusive "Oscar's Gifting Suites" that were occurring the days leading up to Sunday night's show. I attended most of them and got manicured, massaged and facial'ed. On Sunday, I was invited to several Oscar's viewing parties in West Hollywood and decided to throw our yearly pattern of staying home off kilter and get dressed up and go out!

First, we attended the Tom Whitman Presents Trevor Project/Instinct Magazine Oscar's Viewing Party at the Here Lounge . Season 3 model, and newly-transplanted Angeleno, Amanda Fields, also came along. Earlier in the week, we had fittings at my studio where she chose to wear a silver cowl-halter backless gown featuring a feathered silk attached skirt. She looked like a statuesque goddess in the gown. Once she stepped into the party, everyone wanted to come up to her to tell her how gorgeous she looked and how they loved her gown. She would quickly respond by telling them that it was one of my designs. I felt like a proud papa!

The party was filled with Gay A-listers such as Reichen Lehmkuhl, "Amazing Race" winner and former arm-candy/boyfriend to Lance Bass. Lance showed up, but quickly left after someone told him that Reichen was also at the party (Oooops!). I also said "hello" to J.P. Calderon, from "Survivor" and the "Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency Show" , who asked me when I would design a suit for him! He obviously never saw that last episode where I tried to make a suit for Daniel Vosovic!!!We hung out with "Amazing Race Season 7" boyfriends, Lynn and Alex and tried to watch the show ."Tried" is the operative word here, since there was so much going on at the party and it was so loud that the awards telecast was almost secondary to just socializing. The only time the party fell silent was when the Best Supporting Actress Award came up and Jennifer Hudson won. I think ALL of West Hollywood fell silent right then and there, quickly followed by loud yelling and screaming.

After the show was over, we quickly sauntered over to another party, DIVA and Metro Source Magazine's Oscar's Party held at the East West Lounge on Santa Monica Blvd. The whole time I was holding Amanda's gown as if I was a flower girl at a wedding. We immediately took photos on the lounge's "Red Carpet" and said hello to "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy" Jai Rodriguez, designer Andrew Christian and other Southern California gay "glitterati". Actress Sara Ramirez of "Grey's Anatomy" was also at this party. We finally decided it was time to call it a night, drove home, put our pajamas on, and FINALLY watched the Oscar's as well as all those unending pre and post shows, in the comfort and privacy of our own "lounge". Thank God for TiVo.
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