Star-studded movie premieres are much more common in L.A. than in N.Y.C., because let’s face it: Working the red carpet is tough enough without getting frostbite on your ankles—and trust me, you’ll never see an actress rocking a pair of Timberlands outside of Sundance.
Will Ferrell and Dustin Hoffman at the Stranger Than Fiction screening
Photos by Patrick McMullan
So I’m grateful to Peggy Siegal for hosting a series of recent screenings, including Curse of the Golden Flower the other night, which stars the glamorous Gong Li (she's sort of like the Chinese Meryl Streep). But Peggy doesn’t go only for artsy fare with subtitles: Granted, she also screened the Spanish film Volver, but that’s a crowd-pleasing tale of mothers and daughters with universal appeal. Her other screenings include Stranger Than Fiction and A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints—one of my favorite films of the year.
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Was your Thanksgiving holiday a blast or a big turkey?
My stay on Vieques was pretty low-key—until, that is, I spotted Benicio Del Toro and a sexy dinner date at my hotel's BBH restaurant. I didn't think to bring my digital camera with me (I was on vacation, after all), but here's a shot of the hot spot where Benicio enjoyed his holiday meal.
The entrance to BBH
Photos by Mark A. Neston
Apparently he asked to be escorted out through the laundry room, despite the distinct lack of paparazzi on the Puerto Rican island. I doubt anybody else even recognized the Oscar winner, as he was keepin' it real in a baseball cap and a basketball jersey. But hey, when you're over six feet tall and built like Benicio, it must be hard to go incognito.
The dining area
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You never know what to expect at one of Diddy’s parties, and Sunday’s co-ed baby shower for long-time love Kim Porter (the couple are expecting twin girls next month) was no exception. Event planner Marvet Britto, of the Britto Agency, spent two months planning the details of Little Miss Diddy’s Pretty in Pink Party, and she looked at more than 50 different spaces in New York before settling on 230 Fifth Ave., a penthouse lounge with a rooftop garden.
Kim Porter and Sean Combs
Photos by Johnny Nunez
“We were expecting 250 people, but there were almost 400! And lots of kids, which was great,” Marvet tells me. Diddy’s guests usually dress to impress in white for his legendary parties, but on this occasion everyone donned pink—even LL Cool J. The crowd also included friends like Tichina Arnold from Everybody Hates Chris and model Veronica Webb.
The mother-to-be
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From In Style's Marsha McGregor and Angela Salazar in Los Angeles: If supermodel Gisele Bündchen has any flaws, we certainly couldn’t find them when we spoke with her backstage at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show the other night. Not only is she beautiful, she’s also incredibly nice, down-to-earth and—news flash!—she even eats!
Gisele Bündchen
During the whirlwind day of the show, we hung out backstage where the models (including Karolina Kurkova, Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio) were getting their hair and makeup done by expert stylist Italo Gregorio and makeup artist Linda Hay. While Bündchen was getting her signature waves perfected (she admitted to having extensions put in to add more volume for the show), we chatted with her about her favorite VS Beauty products (she loves the Very Sexy lip balm and insisted that we try some) and about getting prepared for the runway.
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I really should have learned my lesson after a photo op with Naomi Campbell: Never pose for the cameras while standing next to a supermodel. There’s just no way you can look good with competition of that caliber. How gorgeous are Iman and Helena Christensen?
James, Iman and Helena Christensen
Photo by Patrick McMullan
It’s heartening to know that they’ve both got that inner-beauty thing going on as well: Helena was among the many guests who turned up at Valentino’s Madison Ave. boutique last week up to toast Iman for her involvement with the Keep a Child Alive charity. Also on hand were Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi and her husband, Salman Rushdie; my boss, Charla Lawhon; my former boss, Martha Nelson; my fellow InStyle.com blogger Martha McCully; and In Style gal-about-town Suzanne Zuckerman, who once covered a Studio 54-themed party that Iman threw to celebrate her book The Beauty of Color. (Later, Suzanne and I made the night a stylish double-header as we joined Karen Duffy and a room full of other fashionistas—including In Style's Sydne Bolden—for the Marni party in honor of designer Consuelo Castiglioni at Bergdorf’s.)
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Tao is one of the many New York hot spots that served as a real-life set for an episode of Sex and the City. It’s also one of the few to outlive the series—and as its sixth-anniversary party proved, it shows no sign of being extinguished. The vibe at the Asian-fusion fun factory on Friday night seemed very Vegas, partly because restaurants on the Upper East Side are rarely so much fun and also because several topless but body-painted go-go dancers had been imported especially for the evening from Tao’s sexier spinoff eatery in Sin City.
Ashanti and Nelly
Photos by Johnny Nunez
Among the stars admiring the colorful decor and enjoying wasabi-seasoned beef and Chilean sea bass skewers were host Nick Cannon, actor Jay Hernandez and Nelly (who wisely kept his eyes on his date, Ashanti), as well as actresses Zoe Saldana and Catalina Sandino Moreno (who was Oscar-nominated for Maria Full of Grace and co-stars in the new Fast Food Nation). The after-dinner entertainment was a sizzling performance by self-proclaimed “hip-hop violinist” Miri Ben Ari. It’s no easy feat to rock the house with a violin—especially a house the size of Tao—but Miri killed it.
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Thursday night's screening of The Fountain at the Tribeca Cinemas Gallery was fittingly wet, thanks to a serious downpour. Low-maintenance Oscar winner Rachel Weisz apparently walked to the after-party herself, sans entourage or even a P.U.H. (personal umbrella holder). She carried her own, shook off the raindrops, tossed it aside and instantly lit up the room where her fiancé—the film's writer-director, Darren Aronofsky—was greeting fans of his ambitious new sci-fi romance.
Rachel Weisz and Darren Aronofsky
Photo by Mark A. Neston
I first met Darren at In Style's party for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association during the Toronto Film Festival. "I remember," Darren told me when I said hello. "You were surprised that I knew who Narciso Rodriguez was." He's right! It's so rare for an intellectual auteur to be fluent in fashionista-speak (after all, I never saw Woody Allen at fashion shows until Soon-Yi started dragging him there). As it turns out, Narciso and Darren are such good friends that the designer agreed to make stylish costumes for The Fountain.
Since the evening was part of the Tribeca Cinema Series (the Tribeca Film Festival now offers year-round screenings with filmmakers and actors), I asked Darren about the biggest challenges of shooting in New York. He's "Brooklyn born and raised," and his last movie, Requiem for a Dream, was filmed in Coney Island. "Craft services," deadpanned Darren. "Go blog about my movie—I need to get the word out," he jokingly added. He seems like the sweetest guy, but obviously he can be a demanding director. (Anyone who has seen Jennifer Connelly's harrowing scenes in Requiem can imagine.)
Would he consider working again with Rachel—the mother of their six-month-old baby, Henry? "Oh, yeah," he said. "Absolutely!" And then they left the party together, hand in hand. It's so romantic and downright life-affirming—much like The Fountain—to see a happy Hollywood couple. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they live in N.Y.C. instead of L.A.?
-- James Patrick Herman
My very first New York apartment was in the East Village, so I’ve seen a lot of shocking things on St. Marks Place—you can only imagine. But one thing I never thought I’d see there? An Oscar-winning movie star like Halle Berry.
Gabriel Aubry
Photos by Kassidy Gala
Or a fabulous restaurant like the new Cuban eatery Cafe Fuego, which is owned by Berry’s boyfriend, Gabriel Aubry. But E.Vil, as I fondly call my old neighborhood, is a-changing, just like the rest of N.Y.C. “The first time I ever came to New York, I wanted to visit here and Times Square,” Gabriel told me, referring to that other formerly seedy tourist mecca. But unlike the neon-lit Theater District, the East Village still has an exciting edge about it. “I love the energy of the street scene outside—it’s just so eclectic,” Gabriel added. The vibe inside the restaurant was pretty cool, too: Guests were dancing the merengue as a Cuban band played.
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From In Style's Glynis Costin in Los Angeles: For some reason, Brittany Murphy (our current In Style Home cover girl) reminds me of one of those cute and kooky stars from the '50s. Like a Doris Day, maybe, only cooler. I can’t explain it, but every time I see her I feel like I’m looking at and talking to someone from another era—in a good way.
I saw her Monday night at the opening of fashion designer Carolina Herrera’s new shop on Melrose Place. (With stores like Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg and Marni, Melrose Place has become quite the glam new shopping destination for stylish Angelenos.)
Brittany Murphy and photographer Art Streiber,
who shot her for the current cover of In Style Home
Wearing a sexy orange Herrera dress, Murphy was happily checking out the shop’s racks and racks of colorful clothes. “Hey, I wore that one to the premiere of Happy Feet last night!” she said almost giddily, showing me a jeweled turquoise frock. “Wow, I wish I'd known about this little jacket that goes with it,” she added, fingering a Jackie O-esque cropped bolero.
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The location? Broadway. The dress code? Black. The music? Jazz. The stars? Too many to mention. The chances that an event like this will ever happen again? Zero.
Well, actually, theater history will repeat itself again tonight, when dozens of razzle-dazzle-loving celebrities will take part in the 10th-anniversary celebration of the long-running musical Chicago. I attended only the dress rehearsal yesterday afternoon at the Ambassador, and let me tell you: It was probably the most entertaining lunch hour ever! Not to mention the longest.
Antonio Banderas
Photo by Mark A. Neston
Imagine seeing sexy actor Antonio Banderas (he's the only man I know who can pull off a ponytail) and 30 Rock star Jane Krakowski—and that was just in the audience. The talent on-stage included former Chicago headliners like Brooke Shields, Melanie Griffith, Rita Wilson and Ashlee Simpson, among many others. I'm happy to report that yes, Ashlee can sing live. And this time the drummer didn't mess up and play the wrong song. I thought maybe the show would benefit acid-reflux sufferers, but in fact it raised $1.2 million for Safe Horizon, the nation's leading victim-assistance organization.
Also in the audience was my old pal Jason Weinberg, the Hollywood mega-manager, who was there to support his client, Melanie. He told me he was also in town for the premiere of Bobby, which co-stars one of his other fabulous clients, our November-issue cover girl, Lindsay Lohan.
Now that I'm starting to catch up on the hundreds of e-mails that arrived while I was away from my desk, it looks like it's going to be another late night for me—but you can bet that it's gonna be an even later night for Jason!
-- James Patrick Herman
From In Style's Angela Salazar in Los Angeles: When the current It Denim Line hosts a party at the newest It Club, and a host of It Stars are set to be there—how can one not attend?
Sold in hip boutiques across the country (like Kitson in L.A), and with a stylish fan base that includes Penélope Cruz, Mischa Barton and Mary-Kate Olsen, Genetic Denim was celebrating its one-year anniversary—and the launch of a new collection—the other night at Area.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Genetic Denim's Scott Sartiano
Photo by John Shearer/WireImage
So of course I went to check it out, along with such guests such as Jamie-Lynn Sigler (who is dating Genetic owner Scott Sartiano), Ali Larter, Bonnie Somerville, Kristin Cavallari and Michelle Trachtenberg. As the cameras clicked, they cruised the red carpet outside and signed the Genetic Wall of Fame (a pair of jeans that will continue to travel with the Genetic team through the seasons).
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How bananas is the new Gwen Stefani single and video for "Wind It Up"? It's brilliant the way Gwen pays homage to The Sound of Music! I thought she'd never top her Fiddler on the Roof tribute in "Rich Girl," but she manages to completely blow that away.
Gwen Stefani
Photo by Jill Greenberg
I'm also reminded of the way Jay-Z sampled Annie on his crossover smash "Hard Knock Life," and I'm thinking of his girlfriend Beyoncé starring in Dreamgirls next month. I'm a music freak, but I've never been a big fan of Broadway musicals, so it's weird to see them suddenly getting so much play on MTV. What's next? Is Fall Out Boy going to cover a song from West Side Story on their new album?
In In Style's December feature about New York Fashion Week, Gwen talks about being inspired by Michelle Pfeiffer circa Scarface, but clearly she also has a soft spot for Julie Andrews. At any rate, the (Hollywood) hills are bound to be alive with the sound of Stefani. In the splashy music video, fashion-forward Gwen somehow manages to make a sewing machine look cool—and a nun's habit look hot! Even that other rebellious Catholic—Madonna—never dared to rock this look! Though clearly they both agree that a crucifix makes for a surprisingly sexy accessory.
Which singer do you think wears it best?
-- James Patrick Herman
"I may be blond, but I'm good at math," Sharon Stone joked while auctioning off an array of luxurious goodies to benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research at Cipriani on Wall Street. Lucky Sharon—she's good at many things.
James and Sharon Stone
Photos by Laura Begley
Because she's spent the past 11 years as the chair of Amfar's Campaign for AIDS Research, we all know what an inspiring humanitarian she is. The upcoming movie Bobby will remind everyone (including, we hope, Oscar) that she's an amazing actress. And as Louis Vuitton knows, she's a talented designer as well. The beautiful makeup case she crafted six years ago with the help of the L.V. team in Paris proved that she perfectly understands the needs of the modern-day jet-setter.
Now, at last, she's turned her attention on the boys. "Next I'm designing a dopp kit for men," Sharon told me after we posed for a few pics together. "It's gonna be good!" And ultra-stylish, you can bet. I, for one, have already called my friend at Vuitton to get on the waiting list!
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From In Style's Kwala Mandel in Los Angeles: The Environmental Media Awards, which recognize the eco-friendly contributions of films like An Inconvenient Truth, is a great charity event for a great cause. But I have to admit, one of the best parts of attending the other night was catching the presenters cutting loose when the stage lights dimmed at the Ebell Club theater in order to show the nominee clips.
Kwala and Kristin Davis
David Spade stopped razzing his co-presenter, Kristin Davis, long enough to pull out the contents of his pockets and throw them at a friend in the audience (followed by a little dance and the flash of a peace sign before the lights came back up). Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, pretended to rush the stage from his front-row seat, and Wilmer Valderrama took advantage of the darkness to plant two kisses on the cheek of his co-presenter, Bahar Soomekh, before running across the stage to plant another one on E! News anchor Giuliana DePandi. Blame it on those organic cocktails.
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What's your favorite Sundance movie? So many great indie films have debuted there: Little Miss Sunshine, The Blair Witch Project, Boys Don't Cry, Reservoir Dogs, Sex, Lies and Videotape and my personal favorite, Napoleon Dynamite. (If only they had served Tater Tots instead of popcorn at that screening!)
One of my most eagerly anticipated business trips of the year is to Park City, Utah, for Robert Redford's annual film fest, where I spend a week watching movies, schmoozing at parties and cursing Marlboro Lights while trying to simultaneously breathe and walk up steep, high-altitude Main Street.
Uma Thurman
Photos by Mark Von Holden/WireImage
So I was more than happy to support the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Institute on Monday night at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Likewise so were stars such as Uma Thurman and Claire Danes and, oh, yeah, some guy named Paul Newman. You'd think he made enough dough already between all the spaghetti sauce and the salad dressing, but there he was selling bottles of beer for $25 a pop—to benefit Sundance, of course.
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Take one guess what the color scheme was when designer-turned-perfumer Tom Ford introduced his new fragrance, Black Orchid, at Top of the Rock. Unsurprisingly, most of the stylish New Yorkers who attended this event sported the same matching shade (black is slimming, after all), which made celeb-spotting nearly impossible. But hey, the crowd sure looked great. Here's a quick party tip from Tom to ensure a sexy scene: Always turn down the lights—it's guaranteed to make everyone more photogenic.
Tom Ford
Photo by Mychal Watts/WireImage
As my co-worker Suzanne Zuckerman and I tried to adjust our eyes (having spent the previous 10 hours glued to our respective computer screens), we eventually recognized a smattering of actresses (Gina Gershon, Olivia Wilde and Sarah Wynter), designers (Donatella Versace and Zac Posen) and style mavens (Carmen Kass, Sophie Dahl and Margherita Missoni). But the biggest star of the night was without a doubt the view.
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From In Style's Angela Salazar in Los Angeles: Makeup was definitely the star at the MAC Cosmetics "Chinese Dress" event the other night. Held in a tent outside the beauty firm's Robertson Blvd. store, the fete featured a live exhibition of nude models.
OK, so they weren't exactly nude. The models, part of a traveling installation first launched in Shanghai, were painted by MAC makeup artists in classic Chinese dress designs by Sue Wong, Juicy Couture, Vivienne Tam and others. (They might have had on thongs, too.)
Sue Wong with a model wearing a painted version of one of her dress designs.
Photos by Donato Sardella/WireImage
"I chose the dragon motif because the dragon is a very powerful Chinese symbol," Wong, an L.A.-based designer, told me. "My model looks like Anna May Wong, circa 1930, so it's very Hollywood glamour and very apropos for the town we live in." (Anna May Wong, by the way, was a Chinese-American film actress famous in the '20s and '30s and probably best known for her role in Shanghai Express with Marlene Dietrich.)
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From In Style's Glynis Costin in Los Angeles: Zooey Deschanel can sing.
And by "sing" I don’t mean that she can get by crooning on a karaoke stage. I mean she can really belt 'em out.
Zooey Deschanel
Photos by Donato Sardella/WireImage
Some of you already know that, of course. If you saw Elf, you heard her sweet rendition of “Baby, It's Cold Outside” (sung with Will Ferrell, no less). Others may have seen her cabaret act with pal Samantha Shelton (Marley’s sister), called “If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies.”
So this isn’t exactly a news flash. But I finally witnessed it firsthand the other night at a chic little dinner party hosted by Gucci at the Hotel Bel-Air.
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