Thank You Los Angeles!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd like to thank Los Angeles for the following...

1) Morning Becomes Eclectic for making me less suicidal in the morning

2) Bougainvillea

3) Free Movie Screenings

4) Hundreds of cheap sunglasses at Venice Beach

5) The Moth story slams

6) The junk food platter at SimonLA

7) For bringing us Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

8) Pinkberry

9) The restoration of Old Town Pasadena

10) The Grilled Cheese Truck

"Reg. Bev. Wil."

CLICK FOR EVENT PHOTOS

Anyone who doesn't get the "Reg. Bev. Wil." reference is not a true Pretty Woman fan. For those in the know, it's short for The Regent Beverly Wilshire, the grand hotel that Julia Roberts' character is swept off to when commencing an illicit love affair with Richard Gere.

I'd always wanted to stroll the interior, but the film's snobbish portrayal made me afraid to step foot inside. Sure, the hotel lobby has restaurants and gift shops that are open to the public, but I feared that someone would sniff out my Rudy's Barbershop haircut or Payless shoes (the occasional guilty pleasure!) and ask, "And where do you think you're going?" Once, while taking my mother sightseeing on Rodeo Drive, I was tempted to take her to the hotel, but restrained. She was wearing cheap, plastic athletic shoes with Velcro straps and I just...I just couldn't do it.

Fast forward a few years and I actually get invited (!) to the hotel. A grand soiree honoring BCBG designer Max Azria and his so-beautiful-it-hurts wife, Lubov. Luba for short. They were being honored for their generous contributions to the Los Angeles Team Mentoring program. Univision is a generous sponsor for this cause as well, and we were invited to share a table with a couple of darling executives, Dayna Wittman and Kathleen Wheeler-Strong.

It was a wonderful evening. Elegant decor, important cause, sumptuous food and an open bar never hurts. We walked away with a little crush on Max Azria's wife Luba. She was a less-severe version of Angelina Jolie. She had her full lips, but with softer features; blonde hair, golden tan and was the definition of elegance. She spoke to us about coming to America from the Ukraine, and how in the Soviet nations, one had to dance or perform in the Olympics to get a Visa out of the country. She talked about her fall into fashion and how her husband Max was the inspiration for her work. After all, she is no trophy wife, though Lord knows she has the credentials. She met Max while working for him, and now helps run the company. Married for 20 years and with children, they are the real deal.

Driving home, I felt pride at not feeling like an impostor at The Regent Beverly Wilshire. No one stared down their nose at me. I triumphed over a fear I'd harbored since watching Pretty Woman in junior high. I was invited, I was one of them. I'll say it once and say it proud: I am not a hooker.

Digital Style L.A. & The Look Mixer at Trousdale!

You know a gift bag is going to be good when you pick it up and it's as heavy as a dumbbell. It was how I knew that the Digital Style L.A party hosted by The Look was going to be fab. The Look was created by Alan Mruvka, co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, and this new network is all things beauty and fashion.

As we sipped Veev Acai Spirit cocktails, we mingled and passed around business cards with the dexterity of Vegas card dealers. Everyone looked fabulous; mini-dresses with metallic paint splashes, a vintage-inspired bateau-necked dress in winter white and splashy handbags the size of Texas.

Blame it on high expectations, but because The Look has such a high-end look, I was surprised to see servers in pleather mini dresses and garter belts. Don't get me wrong, the girls were beautiful and looked like they hadn't eaten in four years, but it was so Frederick's of Hollywood circa 1987. Perhaps that's the Trousdale uniform, but it would've classed up the event to see the girls in sexy Alice and Olivia or Marc Jacobs ensembles - something thematic. Oh but the snacks they passed around - me oh my. Mini sliders that tasted fresh off the grill, cheesy pizza and egg rolls. Pure comfort food. Those sliders saved us all from the DUIs that only an open bar can make us paranoid about.

It was a great time, and was even better when I got home and ripped into that generous gift bag. I sampled some products immediately after my shower, determined to erase any evidence of the excesses of the night before. Thanks DSLA and The Look!

Seriously?

Thank God it's election time. Buh bue Governator.

L.A. Going to the Dogs

Dogs are the Los Angeles answer to the Manhattan cat. The Big Apple is stacked with box-like studio apartments, occupied by lonely-but-thankful-to-not-have-any-more-crazy-roommate types; perfect for felines. Los Angeles has wide-open spaces and a population with an innate need to tan - dog heaven.

Being a dog owner myself, I'm thankful for the hiking trails and dog beaches Los Angeles has to offer. But it's out of this very town that a creepy dog fetish is sprouting. The hipster in me wants to say it's cool and ironic, except that it's actually happening.

See these links:

HotChicksWithDogswithBoners.com

and

HotChicksPickingUpDogShit.com

Autumn. Sigh.

East Coasters find a lot of things to complain about in Los Angeles, but on one subject they always remain mum: skipping harsh winters. Wintry holidays at home sound glorious in a Bing Crosby song, but in reality that icy air hurts as much as your annoying aunt in the reindeer sweater. Everyone has one and you know who I'm taking about. Cold is only really worth it if there's snow, and that I can get in Big Bear.

But I do miss autumn. The crisp air, the changing leaves and the smell of burning firewood. There's nothing like that electric atmosphere, promising good things to come; Halloween, chic fall wardrobe and the holidays.

They say that when you first move to Los Angeles the seasons don't seem to change, and that the longer you live here, the more you'll notice the subtleties. Thankfully it's true.

Believe it or not the temperature does drop. We have trees in our yard with actual leaves that change color and spin to the ground. In the concrete jungles of Hollywood and South Central, these subtleties are easy to miss. In our lush and unnaturally wooded neighborhood, you can catch a glimpse. Some of my neighbors were even gracious enough to plant Japanese maples, which turn a fiery red. They stack pumpkins on their porches and build fires at night, filling the evening air with the smell of home and hearth.

For any of you homesick for the Eastern seaboard, drive through the neighborhood streets north of Ventura in Studio City, or take a day trip to Big Bear. Before the snow falls, you'll see a rainbow of colors amidst the pines. For a quick fix, check out these lovely shots of my hometown neighborhood. This is in Virginia just outside of D.C.

Sigh.

If DJ AM and DJ Shadow had a baby...

...it would cry like this.



How come no one ever told me about Pretty Lights? And just how long has this been going on, people? They were at Coachella and everything.

I caught them at the West Beach Festival in Santa Barbara, and I was floored. As of now, you can dowload up to 64 FREE SONGS on their official website. What are you waiting for?