January 28, 2008 archive

RAINY RED CARPET AT THE 2008 SAG AWARDS

Diane Lane glows in Versace hours before Josh Brolin claimed the "No Country" trophy

Break out the bubbly: Moet’s personalized Swarovski-crystallized bottles for SAG nominees at Mediaplacement’s Luxury Lounge, which also featured L’Oreal, Guitar Hero, Rembrandt & Boiron

For one night, glamour prevailed in Hollywood as a star-studded list of nominees and presenters made their way into the picket-free Screen Actors Guild Awards. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt dazzled, as did Kate Beckinsale in a bold canary yellow gown and a pregnant Cate Blanchett in a glam Balenciaga number. Bearded and slimmer James Gandolfini and an elegant Edie Falco led the Soprano clan as the brilliant show rode into television’s sunset with top honors for each of them and the entire cast. But the top film acting awards went to seasoned Brits: Daniel Day-Lewis with his moving speech accepting the award in honor of Heath Ledger and Julie Christie making a point that unions are important. Javier Bardem and Ruby Dee took the supporting trophies. Josh Brolin led the brigade of old and not so old castmates as they took the big trophy for best ensemble cast, one night after “No Country for Old Men’s” directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, accepted best director honors from the DGA.

FOODIE HEAVEN FOR A NICE PRICE

One Sunset: one of about 100 LA restaurants serving up Restaurant Week: January 27-February 1, February 3-8, www.dinela.com

With the writers’ strike still going on and the market crashing, a lot of people haven’t felt like popping for a big bucks restaurant meal lately. But if you’ve got $25-$34 for a three-course dinner ($15-$22 for lunch), about 100 of LA’s top restaurants gotcha covered in the next couple weeks. Some of the top spots in the dineLA Restaurant Week promotion include Katsuya, Patina, Asia de Cuba, Il Moro, Sushi Roku, The Lobster, The Palm, Chayas Brasserie & Venice, Border Grill, Cuidad, Crustacean, Ruth’s Chris and Boa Steakhouse.

TARNISHED GOLDEN GLOBES, BUT GIFTING GOES ON

The Globes didn’t happen but dinner did: part of the plentiful spread at the SHM suite at the Luxe Hotel

If people have to watch Billy Bush make any more stupid comments about awards winners…well, just one more reason to hope the AMPTP comes to its senses and settles the WGA strike before the Oscars. Or, that the guild does reverse course and grant a waiver. But wait, we were talking about the Golden Globes, and the travesty that was made of the whole thing by racing through the recitation of the winners at breakneck speed. Congrats to “Sweeney Todd,” “Atonement,” Johnny Depp, Julie Christie, Tina Fey, Jon Hamm, Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, “Mad Men” and “Extras” for taking the top prizes.

The show did go on earlier in the week at a few select swagfests. Access Hollywood put on its second annual “Stuff You Must” lounge, and that stuff included Palm Centro, Spanx, CVS Pharmacy’s beauty bar, Nine West and Norman Covan jewelry. Miss Golden Globe Rumer Willis made the rounds, as did Josh Groban, Katherine McPhee, Perry Reeves and Chandra Wilson. The Kari Feinstein Winter Style Lounge featured Langenburg Oxygen Water,Talika eye products, Dearfoams, Orlane, Reebok, Billion Dollar Brows, Charlie Lapson, Luxe Jewels, Nioxin Haircare and a whole lotta Heineken. On tap were Jeremy Piven, Cisco Adler, Ali Landry, Marlon Wayans and Ken Davitian.

Roger and Lynn Neal and Anita Talbert hosted the SHM Suite with Jelly Belly, Natalie K. Diamonds, Maggie Ferrari jewelry and the Nicole Barr B.E.L.T.S. foundation and a dinner party for 130 at the Luxe Hotel, with Chef Kurt Ehrlich’s celebrated cuisine and stunning ice sculptures making for a festive night, under the circumstances. The Secret Room in Brentwood’s Metro Couture showcased Bali lingerie, Denim Design Lab, Anchor Blue and R.D. Alchemy skin products.

BABY BOOM BOOM

Chris Noth and gal pal Tara Wilson: Orion Christoper Noth was born 1/18

Denise Richards and her two new reality television co-stars, with Robeez shoes

But the biggest gifting suite had nothing to do with the Globes. The Boom Boom Room filled about 30 rooms of a Century City hotel filled with all sorts of kid stuff. Father-to-be Chris Noth and longtime girlfriend Tara Wilson—who knew?-- and Denise Richards and her kids checked out all the merch. And just so everyone felt a little bit better about all the free stuff, most of the events benefited the Writers Guild strike fund or its foundation.

LAST DAYS OF AUGUST

It’s the calm before the storm when after Labor Day, in quick succession, boom boom boom: its Fashion Week in New York, the VMAs in Las Vegas and Emmy Week in LA.
One man is aiming to break new ground at Bryant Park, and he’s not in the schmatta business. Executive chef Andy Pastore wants to feed the fashion masses with his take on Asian-fusion cuisine. What, you say? Food at Fashion Week? That would be a first. You could drink yourself silly, partake of any one of a number of controlled and uncontrolled substances but not run across a morsel for days and nights on end, save for a couple of chocolate-covered strawberries backstage at the shows. (At least in LA, you can buy snackies at Smashbox to soak up some of the alcohol.)
Maybe the California sunshine got to the native Brooklynite, who at press time, was searching for an NYC venue in which to temporarily hang his toque and serve up his delicacies like an heirloom tomato and mozzarella Napoleon, Thai bouillabaisse with Maine lobster tail or grilled Szechuan pepper-crusted filet mignon. Normally you can find him turning these dishes out from the kitchen at Ritual, on the site of the old White Lotus in Hollywood, with its sultry, candle-lit patio and adjacent nightclub. Pastore began his career in New York under some of the greatest names in the business, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, before moving West for stints at Wolfgang Puck’s fondly-remembered Granita, Michael’s, the Sunset Room, Sterling Steakhouse and Cabana Club.
Chef Andy Pastore wants to cook for the catwalk crowd who normally forego food for fashion at New York’s upcoming Fashion Week
Ritual, 1743 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood 323.463-0060

FASHIONISTAS WHO ACTUALLY EAT FOOD, IN SMALL BITES

Teri Hatcher and daughter Emerson party at One Sunset with Mark Badgley + James Mischka

Countless St-Germain liqueur artisanale cocktails were downed and truffle pizza, mini-crab cakes, tuna tartar and beef tenderloin were snatched up by a tres- fashionable crowd Monday night at One Sunset to honor Teri Hatcher as the new face of Badgley Mischka’s fall campaign. DH castmates Felicity Huffman, James Denton, Andrea Bowen and Dana Delaney turned out to show their support along with Sama Eyewear’s Sheila Vance and jewelry designer Michelle Roy.
One Sunset, 8730 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 310.657-0111

BARON DAVIS + LA STARS = MAGIC

Angie Stone rocks the crowd at the LA Stars “Rodeo Drive Experience” earlier this month, raising money for the charity overseen by NBA All-Stars Baron Davis and Paul Pierce to benefit at-risk youth in Southern California, and furthering work done by Magic Johnson and his eponymous foundation. Always a pleasure to see his smiling face.

MARTINI MADNESS ON RODEO
With the price of a few rounds of “designer” martinis requiring a C-note these days, it’s hard to imagine five for less than $20. But that’s exactly the deal at the Luxe Hotel’s Bar 360 Monday-Friday, 5:30-7:30 pm: $3.60 drink specials include a fresh watermelon martini, or, shades of Sex and the City, a cool Cosmopolitan, both giving deeper meaning to “happy hour.” Small plates like fried green tomatoes and fresh burrata, lobster rolls and lamb lollipops add a little more joy to an after-work respite.
Luxe Hotel Bar 360, 360 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.273-0300

FROM 818 TO 310: ARCONA ARRIVES IN SANTA MONICA
Long known to Vals as THE place for a results-driven facial, Arcona is now primping and priming Westside punims. Chanel Jenae and Kevin Anderson oversee the legacy of Arcona, who was ahead of her time as a pioneer of holistic skin care. The fab product line uses only all-natural ingredients with high concentrations of antioxidants, plant and extracts, sea vegetables, essential oils, vitamins and minerals and includes the popular Magic White Ice hydration serum and refreshing cranberry toner. Chanel or one of the salon’s estheticians will advise you on a five-product regimen best for your skin type. Trust them.
The Arcona Studio, 425 Broadway, Santa Monica, 310.458-3800

YOU WON’T BELIEVE YOUR EYES
It sounds illogical that slapping on a clear eyeliner at night can make lashes grow longer and thicker, but TAR has it on good authority that these potions actually work, with a little patience and a lot of persistence. The best: RevitaLash, which is making some long-lashed believers out of those who use it regularly for 3-4 weeks, when results kick in. Try it yourself, and save the time spent on often over-hyped lash extensions. And there’s a great backstory: ophthalmologist Michael Brinkenhoff originally developed the product for his wife Gayle, who was losing her eyelashes during chemotherapy for breast cancer. A portion of the proceeds of each tube sold ($150) goes to breast cancer research.
www.revitalash.com, 877.909-5274

RIP OF THE WEEK
Don’t fall into this trap: valet parking at the Grove will cost you $20 unless you spend $250 at the plasticine mall. Puh-leeze. One savvy moviegoer gamed the system by purchasing a $300 necklace at Nordstrom and then returned it the next day…at Westside Pavilion.

THERE IS SOME CONSIDERATION FOR GUESTS HERE
Patrons of the Writers Bar and Jaan restaurant at Raffles L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills get free valet parking and customers of the spa at the InterContinental in Century City also park gratis via valet, which TAR awards the best chill-while waiting-for-your-car spot at a hotel in LA, complete with couches, coffee tables, heat lamps and ashtrays. But don’t get too comfortable: they always seem to deliver the cars pronto. Jiminy!

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