More Oscar suite reviews and such

Sometimes I think  Hollywood is just too hard for me. People are snobby, critical, unsupportive, jealous, small-minded, selfish, you name it, I’ve met them. What’s the hardest part to accept is when someone that you thought was a friend turns out to have some of those qualities too. I guess the truth shall set you free right?

Then on the flip side, other people that you think would be snobby and difficult turn out to be the nicest, most accommodating, gracious people. Hollywood is just weird that way.

I had asked someone I thought was a friend for recommendations on Oscar suites because she reps fashion and probably would have been approached by all of the event producers, but either she was too busy, or didn’t feel like helping, or she ignored me.

She did communicate when she realized I wasn’t going to bug her about the suites and was even throwing a potential client her way that I met at another suite, but by then it was too late. I just don’t get people sometimes. I’m beginning to think I’m too nice.

I’ve always found the higher up the food chain a person is, the more gracious, kind, and considerate they are. When I used to cater years ago I would work at the most amazing mansions all over the city and the owners were always so wonderful. Our employers were another story, but that’s par for the course in that line of work.

What’s sad is when I see people I was catering with years back, still doing that kind of work while pursuing acting because I know it’s only a matter of time before they either become disenchanted and move home, or never clue in they’re not going to make it as an actor and waste the rest of their life doing small jobs waiting for their big break.

I used to be friends with someone like that and the older she gets the bitterer and more disillusioned she becomes, but she refuses to let go of acting and pursue something else because she likes the party life too much. She’s an attractive woman, but looks fade. I just wonder when she’s going to wake up and realize that it’s time to let go of the dream and get a real life? It’s not like she couldn’t be successful doing something else either, that’s the sad part.

What’s also sad is she still crashes every party in town and will never move forward doing that despite what she thinks, or who she happens to meet. She’s never learned how to capitalize on her contacts in business and spins in circles that aren’t going anywhere. I just can’t be around that energy anymore.

I’d rather stay home on a Saturday night and feel better than burn bridges in my career right now by crashing some stupid party. It's one thing to have someone bring you, it's another just to crash. That’s why I can’t understand why the person I asked for help didn’t feel like sharing information. What harm would it have done? I would never have crashed, but  contacted the producer directly to request permission for me and my clients to attend.

The other irony is that the client she was repping at the suite I happened to figure all this out in is someone I helped her land as a client! I will never do that again. It stung a little to have it thrown in my face though.

I’m not going to these Oscar Retreats for my health or for the goody bags, but to help my clients brand their image and get press, give the vendors a little publicity by my client getting their picture on wireimage at their event, and let my stylist associate know what the latest items are for her to pull from for my clients and others she works with. It’s a win win situation all the way around.

The goody bags are an added bonus, but I don’t need the stuff that’s offered. In fact, I usually give away a lot of it to my clients when they can’t attend and/or to friends if it’s appropriate. My blogging about what I receive helps, not hurts the companies I’ve received products from (unless of course it’s a stupid event or the organizer pisses me off.)

It’s work regardless of how fun it is though. I constantly have to wrangle photographers to take pictures of my clients because they're not famous yet. I have to make sure my clients are happy and feel appreciated because it's a very sensitive situation due to their images being on the line. I have to introduce them around and really don’t have a moment’s peace.

I love it though and wouldn’t trade what I’m doing because it’s a great way to make a living. I have really great clients too which makes all the difference in the world.

Otherwise, I had a very nice day. My friend Wendy is the Sales Director of the Luxe Hotel and always tells me what’s going on at her hotel. She and I have known each other for years and I’ve often thrown events at the hotels she’s worked for. I even helped her launch the Grafton on Sunset when it first opened and didn’t even have a restaurant.

That party was a lot of fun – at night around the pool with flaming desserts and other New Orleans style food catered from Louisiana (way before Katrina of course.) I knew I had to hit the Luxe again this year.

The Platinum Guild Oscar Suite on the penthouse was simply stunning. I knew the PR girls putting it on and they did an amazing job. It was so classy and elegant--top notch all the way. This is the suite that had millions of dollars of gems on display for stylists and nominees to pull from for the Oscars. Can I say ABSOLUTELY STUNNING again?!

I’m not really into jewelry, but I loved this beautiful array of exquisite jewels. The gentleman from the Platinum Guild who assisted us let me try on rings that were worth a million dollars and even had the photographer take a picture that he’ll send to me just for fun.

I’ve never seen such large gems – all kinds – and so many diamonds all in one place it was no wonder the guest list was so tight. Now that is an Oscar Suite I’m glad I visited. At the time I received the invite I thought, oh jewels, that’s nice, but that’s not really me. However, after going there and seeing all of them, I now understand why women and men go crazy for platinum and diamonds.

I’ve always wanted a platinum wedding ring because gold irritates my skin for some reason. There were so many choices to choose from. It was simply amazing the intricacy of design and uniqueness of each piece. We met one of the key people of the Guild and he was so down-to-earth and funny we had to take a picture together.

The suite was complimented by a beautiful outdoor patio overlooking downtown Beverly Hills
and we took a few pictures outside. My client, Lejla, was supposed to come, but was unable to due to other commitments. Too bad. She would have loved it. She has a very graceful, dancer type neck and everything would have looked great on her. We'll have to see what we can make happen for her for the Elton John party though.

I have a huge square cubic zirconium ring and necklace which I bought just for fun. To see even bigger real diamonds up close and personal was a little mind-blowing to say the least. I just think I would always feel a little paranoid to wear that expensive of jewelry around town.

Two Oscars ago, during other Oscar suites, I had borrowed a few pieces from another jeweler for my client and myself (the jeweler was very gracious and offered jewels to me too! Who was I to refuse?) And although the ring I wore was only $30,000 I remember feeling hugely nervous that it would slip off my finger and I would lose it the entire night. I also felt very nervous to have my client wearing his ring too because I was responsible. I just don’t need the headache!

That’s why it’s nice to have my stylist associate, Nicole, along because she takes full responsibility for anything she pulls from designers whether it is clothes, shoes, or jewels. I don’t want that liability and am happy to let her dress my clients while I just oversee the process.

I met the nicest people at the Platinum Guild too. There were some people from a spa performing some spa treatments and a guy who just launched a new eyebrow line. Very sweet, down-to-earth, no ego despite their high-profile clientele – my kind of people... I even had my eyebrows shaped and colored after looking at the jewels.

All in all that day was really relaxing. I had spent the morning listening to the Foreign Film Directing Nominees speak at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences which was very interesting. Another friend who works over at the Academy had got me tickets for my clients despite the show appearing sold out.

There were enough seats though when I arrived that I was able to enjoy the event as well. Domiziano opted out at the last minute, which was fine. Since I was feeling sick all morning I actually got up towards the end to grab some Pepto Bismol from the drugstore down the street before coming back just before everyone left.

Before I got into producing film festivals years ago, I used to soak up all types of film. I would volunteer at all types of film festivals because I just loved film. Then I ran my film festival for six years and became so burnt out on independent films I really haven’t been to any unique films lately, but stick to commercial offerings.

That’s why it was delightful to hear these directors speak and to see clips of their films. There is just a different cinematic sensibility and beauty to foreign films that I had forgotten about until this morning. The stories are always compelling, beautifully told and share deep, deep human truths.

I love art that feeds your soul. I feel so many of the films nominated this year did just that from what I saw and heard this morning. The East Indian female director, Deepa Mehta, from Canada had had a rather harrowing experience in India trying to create her film, Water, the first time she started over 7 years ago. (Click the link to read the whole story and see the film.)

Apparently, the Hindu people were so upset that she was creating this film that they mobbed the set (15,000 people!) and actually burned an effigy of her body before burning her set and throwing the remaining equipment into the river. It was chilling to hear that. That’s why it took so long for her to create the film. They ended up filming in Sri Lanka instead.

Guillermo del Toro, the Mexican Director, who created Pan’s Labyrinth (which looks visually stunning although extremely disturbing too) joked afterwards and said, “Why is that you never hear of things like that happening to Norbit?” which helped break the serious mood.

He was extremely clever and funny, but used the “F” word a lot which offended some of the older members of the audience. I don’t think he remembered or could see that half the audience was older as they’re the ones who generally like foreign films, make up the voting population, and judge them for the Academy. It was funny.

The German film director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, of The Lives of Others wouldn’t shut up and although he had some good points to make he dominated the panel which was rather frustrating as he’s a first-time film director and doesn’t have as much experience as the others. I was really frustrated with the moderator for not controlling this motor-mouth better. Florian was a cute, fun man, but enough already!

I don’t know what it is with first-time filmmakers, but they’re always so excited about what they’ve done they blabber on so much! I remember that from my film festival days and it used to irritate me then too. YOU’RE NEW! YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING! LET SOMEONE MORE EXPERIENCED SHARE SOMETHING!

I have a friend whose sister is just like that too. Her sister is so hungry for attention she never takes a breath to allow anyone else to have a dialog, she just insists on carrying on a monologue for five to ten minutes straight. That drives me crazy. I can’t be friends with my friend anymore because of her sister, among other things. Shut the “F” up already! NO ONE CARES! GET A CLUE PEOPLE!

The other thing I remember from my festival days is that the filmmakers who were writers and directors of their film usually made the best films. I think it’s because they approach the story from multiple levels and see what they want to create as they write it. I believe Guillermo wrote and directed his film, as did Florian and Deepa.

The only one who didn’t was the female Danish director,Susanne Bier, of After the Wedding who said she uses scripts as guidelines, but she reserves the freedom to divert from the script if she feels it’s necessary.

All in all it was a very interesting panel. I’m glad Lejla and I went. She looked very Audrey Hepburn in her cute outfit. It’s a perfect look for her and we’ll just continue to build on that image.

I enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Luxe Hotel before hitting their Oscar Suites with my stylist Associate, Nicole. Then we went to the Sunset Hyatt to hit the Platinum Oscar Suite. That’s the same group who had done the Emmy Suites where I got the funny Paris Hilton perfume, remember?

This one was very nice and had the most amazing male cologne called Corduroy - I loved it! Very light and sexy consisting of mandarin, grapefruit, white lavender, cardamom, bay rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, woods, tonka, and vanilla. One guy liked it so much he lifted his shirt and sprayed his stomach right then and there!

My client Domiziano joined Nicole and I there and he loved it too. Wireimage took a lot of pictures of him because I think there were only reality stars while we were there.

Mark, the funny talent agent of reality stars, was there too. He’s still funny, but I think he was tired because he wasn’t as ‘on’ as he had been the last time I saw him with Lejla. He asked after her though which I thought was cute.

This suite had an amazing new premium chocolate assortment booth hosted by Hershey’s and suggested we create a chocolate testing party. If they’re giving away free chocolate to do it, then I’m there! That would be a lot of fun to create.

I also loved the Haute Moms Rule t-shirts and bags. I picked one up for Shana, my haute mom friend, because she would love it. Christine Price, the owner of the company, is very beautiful and sweet. The clothing line is extremely clever and witty. I recommend you give these as gifts to all the haute mom’s in your life!

I also really liked the Kangaroo shoe collection. Too bad my friend dissed me or I would have hooked her up with him for his Italian children’s shoe line he’s launching as it would be great with her client’s children’s clothing line, but oh well.

 There were also these amazingly cool little suitcases that hold makeup etc. When I’m not so tired I’ll look up the name and show you. Very fun. This was one of the better suites we hit. I was glad Domi came out too. He works so hard he deserves a little pampering.

Okay, gotta run. That’s all for now. Oh yeah, Friday’s suites were great too. I’ll tell you about those later.

Happy Sunday.