Web TV Prom

If you didn't go to your high school prom or want to relive your youth, well, here is your chance.  ThisWeekIn and Tubefilter are throwing an incredible event on Wednesday, September 22nd for charity for the Los Angeles-based non-profit, Our House, a grief support center.  The night promises to be quite memorable with a host of web celebrities nominated for Prom King and Queen from iJustine to Mark Gantt of The Bannen Way to Shanrah Wakefield of Oz Girl.

Tickets are $25 before September 15th and $30 after September 15th.  You can grab your tickets at Eventbrite.  If you cannot make the event, don't worry, ThisWeekIn will be live streaming the event, so you can watch from the comfort of your couch in your prom dress.  You will definitely see me there, but now for the big question:  What to wear?  Any suggestions?

What:  Enchantment Under the Web Prom
Where: Busby's East
             5364 Wilshire Blvd
             Los Angeles
When:  Wednesday, September 22nd
             8PM-11PM
Cost:    $25 for the Early Bird Special
            $30 after September 15th.

Shop Local

With the news about economy going from bad to worse, it is important for all of us to remember Mom and Pop.  They are the ones that run the stores in your neighborhood.  They sometimes get overlooked for the big brick and mortar stores like Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's, or even Target.  It's time for us to go back to Main Street and remember "Who are the people in your neighborhood?".  (Thanks, Sesame Street!).  I stumbled upon my favorite neighborhood store by chance last summer.  My friend, Maria, and I decided to have a celebrity store run one lazy Saturday afternoon.  That entailed a trip to Lisa Rinna's Belle Gray and Melissa Joan Hart's, SweetHarts in Sherman Oaks.  The excursion turned out to be a mixed bag.  Lisa's store is impeccably decorated, clean, and well-designed.  Unfortunately, the price tag for simple items like a white t-shirt are well out of the norm for most shoppers.  So, we looked and we left.  To comfort our shopping souls, we headed over to Melissa Joan Hart's candy/ice cream/bake shop.  I ate a delicious red velvet moon pie baked by Carnie Wilson.  Yep, Wilson Phillips baked some goodies for Sabrina the Teenage Witch's candy store. Only in Hollywood, kids, only in Hollywood.

                                                     
After a little sugar, we wanted to continue shopping, so we headed a block down the street and stumbled upon one of the greatest boutique finds ever, Roni B.  The store is inviting with its pink and black decor and a friendly, Roni B, ready to style, accessorize, and dress you down to the last detail.  With a stylist's eye, she knows when to add a belt or an earring to complete the look for the red carpet or the wedding or the birthday party.  The best part?  The looks are all affordable.  Many of the dresses are under $100 and the styles are right on trend.  If you see that expensive designer look in Lucky Magazine, chances are a more affordable version is available that month in store.  The greatest thing about shopping local is the people you meet and the friends you make, that is exactly what you will find at Roni B.

Below are some of the looks styled and created by Roni B that I have worn on the red carpet or on my show, The Web Files.  For those of you in LA, make sure to stop by and tell Roni that KB sent you.  I bet you will walk out with a Roni B. bag in hand.

Let me know what look is your favorite in the comments below. Don't forget to follow Red Carpet Closet at Bloglovin.

Dancing on the Red Carpet

For all of the fans of So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew, this video is for you.  I had the opportunity along with Dance Channel TV to cover collidEdance's blink/drEam last week at the Music Box Theatre in Hollywood.  It was a hot night on the red carpet with many alumni from the FOX and MTV dance shows.  Some dancers were there to dance while others were there to support choreographer, Erica Michelle Sobol, in her whimsical and lively evening of dance.  Erica was a pleasure to interview because she was easy to interview.  Why does that make a difference?  Some dancers are not media savvy, their art is created and performed with their bodies, not their voices.  So sometimes, red carpet interviews are awkward.  However, Erica gave great sound bites, she was friendly, and she has a great on-camera presence.  Another superstar on the red carpet was Lauren Gottlieb from SYTYCD.  Her mentor is Tyce Diorio and it shows.  She navigated her way through the press line like the star that she is.  Tyce is a genius at this too (See the documentary Every Little Step to see what I mean.) and he is passing this great quality on to Lauren.  Another great dance mentorship hard at work-genius!

To see the real stars on the red carpet, head over to WireImage for photos of the evening.

This was one of my most unusual nights on the red carpet.  I poked choreographer, Sohey Sugihara, in the eye to show that the frames to his glasses were just that frames, no glasses (Stay until the end of the piece, you will see what I mean.), I stumped many dancers with the easy question, "Who is the one major dance influence in your life/career?", and I made Janet Jackson's choreographer, Gil Duldulao, cry.  Yes, I said cry.  He is such a sweet man and I wish more of his interview made the final edit.  Here's the scoop:  I asked him how his working relationship with Janet has changed since Michael was such a huge influence on her work.  Well, Gil is a very close friend of the family and the emotions of the loss of the pop icon are still raw.  His eyes welled up with tears and he explained that his influence is so great, it is almost like Michael is still here.  It was such an emotional moment on the red carpet.  One I have never experienced before and one that I will never forget.  I sent Gil off with a big hug after our interview.

We were also able to capture some of the rehearsal footage with the dancers and grab what happens behind the scenes on the night before a big performance. And I know, I know, it's "bad rehearsal, good show.", I think I screwed that phrase up in the piece.  So, sit back, relax, and enjoy all of the hot action from the red carpet:  

Mad Men Monday

I know, I know, Mondays are not usually anyone's favorite day of the week, but I have a full week of excitement planned.  First of all, it's Emmys Week here in LA.  This weekend, I will be covering some of the gifting suites and Emmys festivities with Mingle Media TV.  I haven't been to a gifting suite before, so I want to see how elaborate these events are.  Can you imagine being a celebrity who just has to walk in and pick out whatever they want?  Free vacation to Cabo?  Okay, it's yours.  Free Ray-Bans?  If I must.  New Marc Jacobs boots for free?  Sign me up!  So, look for that video footage after the Emmys as we go behind the scenes of what they are really like.  I received my tip sheet for one of them (Tip Sheet:  A list of celeb faces/quick bio for media so they know who is attending the event.) and I was thrilled to see that Bryan Batt from Mad Men is on the list.  If you are a fan of the show, you know that he played Salvatore Romano for the first three seasons.  I really don't understand why they didn't continue with his storyline since I consider it to be an important one.  Being gay in the early 60's was a huge taboo and I wanted to see how that issue played out in his marriage and at work.  So, I am officially starting my campaign to bring Sal back to the show and I just might let Mr. Batt know on Saturday.

Bryan Batt AKA Salvatore Romano on Mad Men

If you are watching Mad Men, you know this season has been a big one for Kiernan Shipka who plays Sally Draper.  I was fortunate enough to have interviewed her at the Saturn Awards earlier this summer.  She is just as amazing in person as she is onscreen.   Since I work the red carpet often, it's nice to see kids be able to speak without having memorized lines about their show, role, and what they like to do. Sometimes the publicists give them little "speeches" and they sound like robots (I'm talking to you, Disney!).

For those of you in LA, be sure to see the FREE exhibit at FIDM where they are honoring some of the best in costume design from the shows Glee, The Tudors, and Mad Men.  You will be able to see a retrospective of the Emmy-nominated costumes through September 4th.  It is a stop you must make if you are interested in the incredible work that is being done with wardrobe on screen these days.  The exhibit is open from 10AM-4PM, Tuesday-Saturday.

Mad Men Collection by Janie Bryant on QVC , September 29th.

Finally, if you want to take Mad Men to a whole other level and wear those fashions, Mad Men designs are coming to QVC in September. Emmy-nominated costume designer, Katherine Jane Bryant AKA Janie Bryant, will bring viewers her inspirations from the show to the home retailing giant on September 29th.  It should be a great way to style up your fall wardrobe with a vintage look derived from the show.  According to InStyle Magazine, you will find "The 20-piece collection, which reflects the 1960s era, includes a reversible coat, leopard-print purse and faux fur boleros and capelets. Prices range from $26 for jewelry to $138 for coats."  I don't know about you, but I am anxious to take a closer look at the collection.  If you think home shopping channels aren't for you, then you might want to head on over to QVC.com  and see what they are offering these days.  I think you might recognize a few designers......Isaac Mizrahi, BCBG, Jessica Simpson (Her shoe line is to die for lately!), Marc Bouwer, and Erica Davies (I wore her dress to the Oscars in 2007.)  Maybe I am biased, but QVC isn't such a bad place to shop.


Have a great week, everyone.  Let me know what questions you have about gifting suites in the comment section below.  I will try and get those questions answered for you this weekend.

Weekly Wrap-Up

This week flew by for me.  I had all of the intentions of getting a lot of home items checked off of the list, but somehow, it never happened.  I am going to start out of order this week, since many of you joined me yesterday with the launch of my OpenSky store.  I opened with my first item, a KC Malhan clutch, that I was going to pair up with an outfit at the red carpet premiere of collidE dance's blink/drEam.  If you are a fan of any of the dance shows on TV, you would have been thrilled to see many of the So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew alumni.  I will have the video up in a few days and wait until you see who I made cry.  Oh boy, what a moment on the red carpet!  Now, I unveil my look on the red carpet:

On the red carpet with my KC Malhan clutch

Here's the breakdown on the outfit:

Dress:  AnM $37 from Roni B.

Belt:  It was a purchase from Roni B.--designer and price unknown 

Shoes:  Tahari $75 from DSW

Last night's accessories

Accessorized with my Grandmother's vintage necklace and a huge sparkly floral ring.

Clutch: KC Malhan $58 

Wednesday:  

A new Web Files episode came out with a look at one of the most ambitious web series out there, Tyranny.  With a Bond girl in the cast, you can't go wrong:

And many thanks to Tubefilter writer, Mathieas McNaughton, for the great write-up about this episode.

Yes, another episode of MoreWireLess from Broadcom.  This week's episode goes back to Bluetooth 101 with "How to Connect your Wireless Mouse and Keyboard".  I think you all know how to do this, but if you don't, here's a step by step tutorial hosted by me:

Tuesday:  Yes, I said we were working backwards through the week, so I want to thank Jeff Lewis, the OCD real estate investor and designer from Bravo's Flipping Out, for sending so many of his fans on a treasure hunt for information on the Casa Vega remodel.  Hundreds of you came out in full force looking for spoilers on what happens with the Mexican restaurant renovation.  The famous hot spot is a place I frequent often and I haven't noticed any renovations lately.  Does that spoil the show for you?  Head on over to my original post that had the Jeff Lewis fans come en masse.  

Okay, my weekend is filled with rest and relaxation since next week will be a busy one.  I also hope to make it over to Macy's to cover the Glee clothing line launch at the Beverly Center.  If you are interested in attending, here are the details:

Where:  Macy's, The Beverly Center, LA--Juniors Department, Level 1

When:  August 21, 2010 from 2-4 PM

What:  Glee Clothing Line Launch/Autograph Session

Who:  Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Kevin McHale (Artie) and Heather Morris (Brittany)

**The first 300 customers who make a $50 purchase of Glee merchandise will receive a free autographed poster.

Have a great weekend and I will see you on Monday at Red Carpet Closet.

  

It's Time to Shop!

If you noticed over the past few weeks, there has been an Open Sky logo on the right hand side of Red Carpet Closet. Well, I am pleased to finally announce that I am teaming up with Open Sky to offer some of the looks I wear on the red carpet for you to purchase. So, my shop is officially open!  I want all of the looks I put out there to be fashion forward, but still classic, expensive-looking, but not bank breakers.  I think I have pulled together a really exciting piece to launch my Open Sky store.  It's a simple and elegant accessory that will make any outfit really pop.  I received my sample the other day and I was thrilled to see that it was gorgeous, well-made, and perfect for a night on the town.  Introducing, the KC Malhan Island Clutch in grey with a sparkle of silver sequins and beading.  It was featured in the August 2010 issue of Lucky Magazine (page 128) and it is the perfect size for lip gloss, your iPhone, and any credit cards/ID you are carrying on you.  (Length:  10", Height:  5.25")  I picked it to wear at a red carpet event tonight for the opening of blink/drEam by collidEdance.  I will be interviewing your favorite dance stars from shows like Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew.  So, come back tomorrow to see how I assembled the entire outfit.  Oh, and I bet you want to know the price!  A very reasonable $58 for a handcrafted bag with a timeless look for any wardrobe.  If you are interested in this bag, you can click the blue tab below. It will remain in my store from here on out, so you can always come back and purchase when the time is right.  If you purchase it, make sure to take a picture with it.  I want to see how all of you accessorize with your Island Clutch.

Details:
KC Malhan Island Clutch in Grey
Silver Sequins/Beading
Height: 5.25"
Length:  10"
One small zippered section inside.
Magnetic Closure
Lined in Rayon
Made in India
Price:  $58


Finally, I promised that today was our BIG giveaway for the City Slips.  Well, we have a winner!  Using Random.org, the winner picked was number 7 AKA Vicki S.  Congratulations, Vicki S.  You can send your contact information via the contact button on the blog.  Enjoy your new City Slips and be sure to take a picture with your new shoes.

Tomorrow, I will have all of the highlights of the week plus I will reveal my full outfit with the KC Malhan clutch.  Don't forget,  I always love to hear from you, so be sure to comment in the section below.

The Web Files: Tyranny

This is our penultimate episode of The Web Files with Sandra Payne producing and Perry Payne as our editor extraordinaire before they head off to other projects.  Even though their time is winding down, they still have assembled an amazing episode with the ambitious web series, Tyranny.  I call this "the show you should be watching." With incredible sets, a mystery as deep as Lost, and on location work in Europe, this is truly a series that deserves more attention.  And heck, they even have Bond Girl, Olga Kurylenko.  Be sure to check out Tyranny on KoldcastTV and then watch our Web Files feature with creator John Beck Hofmann and Director of Photography, Garret Baquet.



Also, today is the last day to get in on the City Slips giveaway.  It's simple to enter, just go to the Online Shopping post and hopefully, you will be the big winner tomorrow!

Coach Poppy Project

An trendy everyday bag in the Pop C Denim Appliqué Glam Tote.  $278

I have always been a fan of Coach bags.  When I was a struggling student back in my NYU days, I used to window shop for the bag I might own once I was earning more than my measly Sony Movie Theatre cashier paycheck.  Yes, I was your movie cashier on the 3rd Avenue and 11th Street theatre back in the day.  I didn't get my first Coach bag until Valentine's Day, 2001 when my boyfriend at the time noticed the longing I had every time I passed a Coach window.  I still use that classic bag today and I appreciate his efforts towards starting my purse collection (addiction).  


Today, I am thrilled to be participating in Coach's Poppy Project.  To get the word out about their new collection, Coach is having a fun contest that will benefit all of you as well.  If you head to the upper right hand corner of this page and you will find a poppy pattern growing.  Here are two ways to join in the action:

A pop of color with the Leather Glam Tote in Persimmon.  $278

1.  Tweet using #CoachPoppy to make all of the patterns grow, or use my site's personal #hashtag (#RedCarpetCloset) to make that pattern grow.  Or you can “Like” the Poppy Project on Facebook. Try secret keywords. Be creative!  


2. Or how about a gift?  Look for Poppy surprises in the pattern on the upper right hand corner of this page. If you spot a Coach Poppy bag, it’s your lucky day! Just click on the bag for a special gift.  Who doesn't like free gifts?  

Every girl needs a Sequins Disco Bag.  Glam, shiny, and fabulous in Blue Jean.  $148

If you can continue using the #RedCarpetCloset in your Tweets, here's how we all benefit:  the site with the most tweets about the Poppy Project wins a $2500 gift certificate.  I will then go out and buy a Coach bag to give away on this site.  It will be a win-win for all!  


So, get out there, check out the Coach Poppy Collection, and tweet away!  Let me know if you find the poppy and receive a gift off of my site too. I want to know how many winners there are from Red Carpet Closet.  I also selected a few of my favorite bags from the collection.  Check them out in the photos above and let me know which ones are your favorite.  


**GIVEAWAY DEADLINE for CITY SLIPS**
The deadline is upon us and I will be giving away that fabulous pair of silver City Slips on Thursday, August 19th at 9AM PST.  Enter now at my Online Shopping post.  Good luck!

Portland in Pictures

I spent the latter half of last week in Portland for The Dew Tour with one of my favorite clients.  I always love traveling to new cities and exploring the local neighborhoods.  As I've gotten older and many of my friends have moved to greener pastures in the 'burbs, I have realized that I love concrete and tall buildings.  I don't think I will ever leave the city.  It may not always be Los Angeles, but it will always be a city.  I've always had an affinity for Portland and here are a few reasons why:

1.  I already offered up the unique tasty treat of the Maple Bacon Bar at Voodoo Doughnuts on Friday, but remember, like Magnolia Bakery in the Big Apple, there is always a wait:

2.  As an owner of a Prius, I am definitely on board the organic, chemical-free, recycling, solar-paneled way of life.  I just loved the fact that the city of Portland offered solar-paneled compactors in the streets:

                                               

3.  I grabbed an amazing lunch at Tom's 1st Avenue Bento.  Tom must run a highly profitable business:  the line is out the door and he is only open from Monday-Friday from 11AM-5PM.  It is not to be missed on your next trip and the staff is incredibly friendly too. I had an medium rare, tender steak marinated in their special sauce with brown rice and steamed vegetables.  Yum!

                                                

4.  Speaking of food, this is what LA needs to do with all of their food trucks now that restaurants and the city council is complaining, build the trucks into local parking lots.  There were rows and rows of the Koji trucks in the corners of the city parking lots along 3rd Avenue.  It doesn't affect the restaurant business and it offers lots of choices for local foodies.  

                                    

5.  One of the best states in the US to shop because there is no sales tax on clothing.  I stocked up on birthday gifts for my niece and I checked out the nicest Goodwill store I have ever seen.  Be sure to check it out the next time you are in town.  The stock this week offered designers like Dolce & Gabbana, Stuart Weitzman, and Alice & Oliva all at affordable prices.  The outfits are well-styled inside with a significant costume jewelry collection too.  

An adorable Alice & Olivia dress at the Goodwill store all for under $45.

6.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention the MAX. It is a great way to get to and from the airport and the city offers free fares between the downtown locations.  Portland is also a great walking city, so leave that car at home and hop on foot, on a bike, or on the MAX to get around. If you need to rent a car, check out zipcar one of the most eco-friendly and innovative car-sharing ideas around. 

7.  I was there for The Dew Tour, so I had to see some of the skateboarding masters.  Bucky Lasek, an X-Games legend and two-time Snowboarding Olympic Gold Medalist, Shaun White.  Shaun had taken a year off from skateboarding to train for the 2010 Olympics and he still came in first place this weekend.  He is just that great of an athlete.  He catches so much air, it is really inspiring to watch in person:

Shaun catching some major air on the left of the ramp.

Portland is a little sleepy compared to LA, but I really enjoyed my stay.  A couple of things to note though:  the crunchy, granola vibe is often taken to an extreme with the lack of hygiene idea.  I know you don't want to waste water, you eco-friendly Portlanders, but sometimes soap and water is a good thing.  Finally, the city does have an aggressive homeless population.  There was a fight between two homeless men while I was in line for Voodoo Doughnuts that ended with one man throwing a garbage can lid at the other man's head.  This is not just in the rougher neighborhoods, it is all over the city.  Be prepared and aware of this issue when you visit.  I hope Portland has a plan in place to help those in need because it does color a visitor's perception of the city and we know how Detroit fared after my visit earlier this year.

So, get out to Oregon, shop, eat, and have a Maple Bacon Bar for me.  Let me know if I missed other Portland gems for my next visit.  (I have been to Powell's Books many times, so I know that is probably the first suggestion on everyone's list.  Thanks!)

                                                    

Weekly Wrap-Up

Welcome to Friday the 13th!  Is it supposed to be a lucky day or an unlucky one?  Since it has been a great week, I am going to vote that it is going to be a good one for us all.  Here's a wrap-up of this week's events:

Sunday:  Thanks to all of you that read and commented on my Sunday excursion to the Hollywood Bowl to see Rent.  You had a lot to say about Vanessa Hudgens as Mimi and I was thrilled to hear how many of you attended the show.  It warms my theatre geek heart.  Speaking of theatre geeks, I have always been one.  In fact, CBS News did a great piece on my theatre camp, Stagedoor Manor.  A little 15-year-old me even made the clip.  Stop at 4:28 and see if you can pick me out of the line-up:

Monday:  I spent Monday morning at the movie theatre watching Step Up 3D for Jenn Page's Movie Review Round Table.  Before you start to groan, watch the review video and remember, Jon M. Chu of The LXD directed this movie:

Tuesday:  I am in the running in Logitech's "Host with the Most".  If I win, I get to host my own show on Google TV from a beautiful loft in downtown LA.  Tough job, right?  Well, I need your votes!  You do need to have a Facebook account to vote, so if you think I would be right for the job, head here:  Logitech Host.  (And here's a secret, the site tells me who voted.  I've gotten a few chuckles that people have claimed to have voted, but they really didn't.  Facebook doesn't lie. Haha!)

Wednesday:  It's another week with Broadcom and MoreWireLess and I think we are down to the last couple of videos.  I know, I know, I keep saying that, but I think it was supposed to be ten episodes and now it is twelve.  The good news?  I finally change my shirt. Check out the wardrobe change, it's green this time.  Oh yeah, and you will learn about transferring files using Bluetooth:

I also found out that my panel proposal for SXSW Interactive had been accepted.  The title of my proposal is "Hosted Web Series:  New Opportunities for Creativity".  If you are planning on heading down to Austin and would like to attend this panel, well, yep, I need your vote again.  Sigh.  I know it is a lot to ask.  Here is the link to the panel.  I will also keep an icon up on my blog to remind you if you would like to do it another day.  Thanks!

The crazy selections at Voodoo Doughnuts...Cocoa Puffs, M&M's, Butterfinger doughnut, anyone?

The infamous Maple Bacon Bar.  Yum.

Thursday:  I am here in Portland for The Dew Tour this weekend.  I am hoping for a Shaun White sighting since I love anything related to the Olympics.  I almost had a heart attack when a co-worker asked, "Who's Shaun White?".  Do you know who Shaun White is?  Just wondering if I am out of line for thinking most people in their 20's and 30's would know who he is.  I digress. If you are in Portland.  Make sure to make a visit to Voodoo Doughnuts for their signature Maple Bacon bar. (Um, there is even a cock and balls doughnut for you adventurous types.)  Yep.  I said bacon and it is delicious.  The wait can be long, but you won't be disappointed.  I first learned about it on The Amazing Race.  The store was a stop along the way.  Remember, "The Magic is in the Hole".  

Friday:  Here is where all of the fun stuff begins.  

      1.  If you are interested in the digital space, check out Digital Chick TV for shows that produced by women.  They have a great list of web series and solid descriptions of each show.  

      2.  My lovely pal, Kristoffer Kelly, wants me on Entertainment Tonight to replace outgoing host, Mary Hart.  Why it might be a long shot, he started a Facebook page for me.  I'm flattered.

      3.  GIVEAWAY!:  If you haven't entered yet, head on over to my Online Shopping post.  I am giving away an amazing pair of City Slips.  They are perfect to slip into your bag and pull out when those high heels start to pinch.  You have until August 19th to enter.  Good luck!

Have a great weekend and I'll see you back here at Red Carpet Closet on Monday!