Year in Review: June 2010

June was another great month filled with dance, cars, web series, and sci-fi.  It was a busy month, but one that brought lots of variety.  Check out what happened in June 2010:

1.  A fun day with Toyota talking about the PHV Prius (coming your way in 2012) with automotive radio host, Leon "The Motorman" Kaplan at the Americana in Glendale.  He's a fantastic flirt and a great guy on 790 KABC in Los Angeles.

2,  A few shots from some of my favorite June episodes of The Web Files:

Here with Cooper Harris, star/producer of Squatters:

Lizzie Beckwith of Vampire Mob is adorable and hilarious.  I think we should be BFFs.

You might recognize this photo from the top of this blog.  This was caught at the SOLO the Series premiere and I love how it catches me in action at a job that I adore.

4.  This crazy get-up was for the premiere of the XBox 360 Kinect in LA.  See all of the fun photos from the launch and why I was dressed like a choir girl.  

5. Here  with the amazing Lula Washington, choreographer of James Cameron's Avatar at the Choreographers in Media panel.  See the video and photos with a few dance legends, it truly was a highlight for a dance geek like me.  

6.  I happily flirted with James Remar of SATC at the Saturn Awards.  While I was there to cover the best in sci-fi, hey, I am a girl, I like handsome men and TV shows about fashion.  This was probably one of the strangest red carpets I have ever covered.  See how it all unfolded and what "Spock Blocking really means.

If you do watch the "Spock Blocking" short video, let me know what you think.  A little crazy, right?

Photo 2:  Courtesy of Mingle Media TV
Photo 3:  Courtesy of Agnes Magyari.
Photo 4:  Courtesy of Jonathan Nail

Holiday Musings

Where have I been?  What have I been doing?  What I am musing over?  Well, here's a quick list of what I have been up to this holiday season:

1. Apple & Bee Beauty Bag:  On my birthday, I was thrilled to learn that I won a gift from Your Daily Thread, which is a "free daily email on the latest in green living and social good".  They feature everything from fashion to beauty to giveaways, so it was exciting to win this snappy travel bag from Apple & Bee.  It is perfect for the eco-geek in me and for the 200 days I am out on the road with plenty of room for my makeup and toiletries.  I chose the Japanese Red print to add a splash of color to my luggage, but there were a variety of trendy prints to choose from.  The bag is made from all certified organic cotton, bamboo silk, hemp, and burlap/calico and is made in Australia.  A portion of Apple & Bees' profits go to environmental organizations, so be sure to check out their cute designs in totes and travel gear.

From left:  Helenna Santos, me, Stephanie Thorpe, Julie Tyler, Cooper Harris. 

2. The Red Carpet Premiere of the web series, Asylum:  Yes, you have seen this dress before here and here.  I think it is time to retire it from the public event rotation.  Or do you think I can get one more wear out of this DVF dress?  I love it so!  By the way, this photo showcases some inspiring female movers and shakers on/off camera here in LA.  I was honored to even stand beside them on the red carpet.  Finally, a big "congratulations" to Scott Brown who directed the Asylum series. He is another one to watch on the director scene.

3.  Nashville Barbeque:  I'm working in Nashville this week and there is nothing better than a day on set that begins with watching Loretta Lynn singing Coal Miner's Daughter on the soundstage next to you and ends with fall-off-of-the-bone pork ribs. I am a total foodie and barbeque is a must when I am working in this region of the US.  We went to a place called Jack's and the food was so good, I stopped back by the kitchen to thank the chef.  My tummy was happy and full of ribs, mac and cheese, corn bread, sweet tea, and creamed corn.  Yum!

Me, Streamy Award winning writer, Bernie Su, and Diane Beck.

4.  IAWTV Holiday Party:  For those of you outside of NY and Los Angeles, IAWTV stands for the International Academy of Web Television.  Earlier this year, there was lots of strife and growing pains amongst the community after the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards.  It was so nice to see that by the end of 2010, we were able to come together with a common goal and truly enjoy the holiday season together.  It was nice to see not only familiar faces in the crowd, but some fantastic new producers and content creators in the mix. Welcome!

5.  Arm Socks:  Finally, I can't get enough of Arm Socks.  I first saw them during my trip to China in 2005, the ladies wore them everywhere because they kept their arms warm while they biked to work, to lunch, and back home. I didn't pick up a pair then, but I saw a pair at Roni B's and I cannot stop wearing them.  They are cute to wear under a sweater and peeking out below the sleeve to add a dash of color to any outfit. Or, they are awesome in a pinch on set when I am dressed in short sleeves and I want to keep warm.  I am picking up a few for my favorite fashionistas as holiday gifts because they are under $20 and they are sure to brighten any drab winter wardrobe. (For those of you that are crafty, I bet you can make a pair from the awesome print socks that Target sells for even less.)

PS  Don't forget to enter my Makeup Holiday Giveaway!  Entries are due in by Monday, December 20th at 11:59 PM PST!

Photos 1, 2: Courtesy of Apple & Bee.
Photo 3:  Courtesy of Brenda White
Photo 5:  Courtesy of Bernie Su

Fashion's Night Out: The Videos

Above:  Interviewing Cooper Harris for Mingle Media TV.  Below: Tattoos at Fashion's Night Out with Stephanie Thorpe.  Photo courtesy of Mingle Media TV.

I gave a quick wrap-up and a collection of photos from the Beverly Hills event for Fashion's Night Out yesterday and here are a few videos giving you highlights of all of the fun we had on Mingle Media TV:

Highlight Video:
Watch me run through the store where I find an Impressionist picture frame, a very expensive goose, and those beautiful red soles all on the same floor. If you haven't been to Beverly Hills before, this Saks store is to die for, Ladies. Take a tour and enjoy the ride:


Cooper Harris:
This gal is a good friend of mine who is gaining quite a bit of noteriety for her appearances in Syfy's trifecta of animal disaster movies.  Come on, raise your hand, who saw Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus with Debbie Gibson and Lorenzo Lamas?  I thought you did!  This movie is deliciously campy, add it to your rental list if you missed it.


Marsha Collier:
If anyone knows about shopping, it is ebay expert, Marsha Collier.  Get a tip or two from Marsha and find out how her online shopping strategy really is savvy:


For those that were asking about my dress from this event, it was designed by Deborah Viereck, a local LA designer, with boots by Nine West.

Finally, tomorrow is the last day to enter the Web TV Prom ticket giveaway. Yes, this is geared towards my Southern California readers, but it will be a great night of charity.  I can't wait to wear my prom dress!

    

Fashion's Night Out: Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills

I am actually surprised I haven't seen more posts today from some of my favorite fashion bloggers about last Friday's big event, Fashion's Night Out.  The event was started by Vogue editor-in-chief and fashion guru, Anna Wintour, last year.  It was fashion's own economic stimulus plan that began in NY and has now become a global shopping event in its second year.  I was asked by Mingle Media TV to cover an event thrown by Girls in Tech LA at Saks Fifth Avenue on the big night.  While I was excited to participate, I couldn't begin to imagine how much fun I was about to have.

The 5th floor of Saks was rocking with a DJ spinning tunes, cosmos waiting for the VIP guests, and a tableful of cupcakes waiting to be devoured.  Girls in Tech LA is a terrific group of women who educate, support, and promote women in the tech industry and they sure know how to throw a party.  With a 15% off coupon at Saks tucked into each of the swag bags, we all jumped at the chance to help out a great cause:  Dress for Success.  Saks was donating 5% of the evening's proceeds to the charity that donates professional attire and career support to women who are re-entering the workplace after unemployment.  Other fun distractions included a photo booth and the Alice + Olivia Fall 2010 collection that was sitting just outside of the VIP room.  Here are a few photos from the evening, video interviews to follow later this week:

Delicious cupcakes from Frosted Cupcakery.

With Cooper Harris on the red carpet. Photo courtesy of Kevin Hahn.

With Stephanie Thorpe and our $200,000 jewels.  Thanks , Saks for letting us indulge for a moment. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Thorpe.

It's tough being a guy at a shopping event.  Mingle Media TV producer, JD Piche, stuck with purses, cameras, and iPhones.

Fun in the photo booth with Cooper and JD, all thanks to Photo Booth Mania.

Yep, I bought a dress. Armed with my 15% off coupon, I found this on sale DVF dress for under $200.  Score!

Did any of you attend Fashion's Night Out?  I want to hear about your experience in the comments section below. 

Behind the Scenes of Squatters

This had to be the hottest night in Hollywood! Yep, it was the premiere of Squatters on Dailymotion at Capitol City. With tons of fans from the Heidi, Frosty, and Frank radio show in attendance, it made for a sizzling night. Did I mention it was hot? Yeah, if you notice from all of the shiny faces in this episode. It was a tough night for makeup (and my wilted hair!) on the red carpet. That didn't take away from any of the fun though. The premiere occurred at the same location as A Good Knight's Quest, so it may look familiar to you. The funny thing about the space at Capitol City for the red carpet is that it is a little glass-encased area, so I wind up spending a good portion of the night in what I have dubbed, "The Human Aquarium". People are able to see the red carpet interviews and wave from behind the glass as they are entering the premise, hence, "The Human Aquarium" moniker.
Interviewing Producer/Radio Host, Frank Kramer.

One really interesting aspect to this production was the show's tie to radio. Erik Scott Smith is a producer on the Heidi, Frosty, and Frank radio show on KABC 790 AM here in LA. The trio are a well-known radio team (I'm a huge fan.) in Southern California and to have them come out and support new media was a real treat. Frank Kramer invested in the series and he promoted the show on air throughout the entire process. It is nice to see all areas of entertainment working together instead of the mediums battling it out for viewership and ad dollars. Another thing this popular radio crew brings is fans. They have legions of fans that show up to any public appearances, so Squatters was no exception. The venue was packed!

Creator of Squatters, Brendan Bradley, and yes, I did make him sing a la The Legend of Neil. (It was edited out for time, bummer!)

Finally, Mathieas McNaughton, of Tubefilter wrote a lovely article about our episode with Squatters and he wanted to know why I didn't mention the craziest place I ever slept. It wound up on the cutting room floor, but for you, Matthieas, here it is: I illegally spent the night squirreled away in a secret room in the back of a Chinese run hotel in the middle of a monsoon on my way to Kanding (an area of Tibet). I would explain more, but I think that would ruin the mystery, right? 

Producer/Actor Cooper Harris explaining the challenges of shooting in a NY subway.

A big thanks to Cooper Harris for all of her assistance in getting The Web Files to cover the Squatters premiere and to our line producer, Jenn Page, and cameraman, Trent Ward, thanks for pitching in while Sandra and Perry were out of town. We couldn't have done it without your tremendous contributions that night.
If you missed the episode, check it out below, along with a bonus interview from the lovely Cooper Harris at the Streamy Awards:





Photos courtesy of Mingle Media TV.