Now that it's the dead of winter in New York and the Oscars are over, I've been fantasizing about catching the next flight to Rio. But Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto’s summery new CD, Momento, is the next best thing—it’s chill-out music with all the warmth of soulful bossa nova. While listening to it, I can easily imagine being on a sunny beach with Havaianas on my feet and a caipirinha in hand. (Momento isn't out until April 24th but you can download remixes of the first single, "Bring Back the Love," on iTunes.
Photo of Bebel Gilberto shopping at Jussara Lee by Aliza Rabinoff
When Bebel recently swung by In Style’s office for a meet and greet, I assumed that she was just in town to promote her album. I think I even asked: “How are you staying warm?” as if she was a tourist. But Bebel told me she’s made the East Village her home for the past 13 years, which surprised me because she's so fun and flirty and not jaded like a longtime New Yorker. How do you get a taste of Brazil in N.Y.C., I asked? I thought Bebel might suggest a churrascaria in the midtown neighborhood of Little Brazil, but instead she recommended a charming little eatery in the West Village called Casa. She's friends with the owner and also the restauranteur's sister, fashion designer Jussara Lee, who has a cool shop on Little West 12th Street. And of course Bebel knows Carlos Miele, whose only boutique outside of Brazil is located nearby in the Meatpacking District. As for nightlife, she recommends the club and performance space Nublu on Avenue C, which is best known for spawning the hip rock band the Brazilian Girls (but unlike Bebel and her friends, they're not really Brazilian and only the lead singer is female).
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In Style’s conference room isn’t one of my favorite places in the office—perhaps because I associate it with our 10 a.m. production meetings—but I’ll never think of it the same way again after Katharine McPhee gave an impromptu concert there during her "meet and greet" with staffers. Granted, the acoustics aren’t so hot, but that’s not a problem when you’re born with powerhouse pipes like McPhee.
When we asked Kat (as her publicist, Roger Widynowski, likes to call her) for her playlist, she responded by belting out some of her iPod favorites. One of them was Nelly Furtado’s "Say It Right": “I'm not sure what the words are, but I love this song,” Kat said—and then proceeded to do a dead-on impression of Nelly singing it. She also channeled a belly-dancing Shakira. I had no idea she was so hilarious—Kat's the kind of gal who would make a great SNL host. I can't possibly do justice to her visit to In Style, but fortunately we videotaped it, so you'll be able to watch her "greatest hits" very soon.
Katharine McPhee and James
Photo by Rebecca Grice
Her showstopping number, so to speak, was when she performed my favorite song from her hit debut album: "Open Toes." As the title suggests, it's an upbeat ode to shoes, and I think it could be the song of the summer, sort of like her answer to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." (Maybe she should've titled it "Girls Just Wanna Shop for Shoes"?) I'm also loving Kat's current single, "Over It," which perfectly sums up my feelings about the weather in New York, though I think Kat's actually singing about a relationship gone bad. She just premiered the hot video for it on MTV's TRL today—have you seen her hosting all week long? She may be a native California girl, but she's doing a great job of looking glamorous while braving the cold, something she also accomplished during New York Fashion Week.
I also have to give Katharine props for her blogging abilities. She does daily video blogs (a concept that sends chills down my spine), and she frequently appears makeup-free so that her fans can see that stars don't look flawless in real life. Needless to say, I'm glad that there are no cameras on me when I'm up blogging late at night—I'm as big a fan of Photoshop as I am of McPhee.
-- James Patrick Herman
The question is: Who owns Bug and Fester?
Need some hints?
We are so not talking
She's a charming young actress, a brunette who's named for a flower. And, as her name would suggest, she's a real girlie-girl at heart. Find out who after the jump. ...
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On Friday night I went to a birthday party for one of my favorite people in Hollywood. With all due respect to the late James Brown, this guy gets my vote as the hardest-working man in show business. He’s not an actor, but he’s just as charming and charismatic as any movie star I’ve met. I’m talking about mega-manager Jason Weinberg, founding partner of Untitled Entertainment. (This was actually his second 40th birthday bash—his partner Guy Oseary hosted the first one earlier last week in L.A., and it attracted nearly as many stars as the Golden Globes.)
Jason Weinberg and his dad Fred
Photo by Patrick McMullan
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From In Style's Karen Levy and Ali Forman in Los Angeles: Getting into a shuttle at UCLA the other night was like a flashback to our college days. Only this time—thank God!—the shuttle was not dropping us off at a history class.
Instead, it was Music 101 all the way as we headed up the hills to a Bel-Air estate—this year's home to the annual William Morris Agency Grammys party. We had no idea who to expect but instantly felt at ease when we walked in the door and immediately ran into three friends—Melissa Holloway from Fox Searchlight, Untitled manager Evan Hainey and William Morris talent agent Nicole David, who represents lots of musicians, including Whitney Houston and 50 Cent. Melissa, just back from the Writers Guild Awards (where the Fox Searchlight film Little Miss Sunshine had won yet another statuette) was thrilled but also admitted to being relieved that awards season will soon be over. She has been working like a maniac.
Common and P. Diddy
Photos by Alex Berliner
Speaking of maniacs, there was some major dance mania going on in the library, where Prince was holding court with about 20 friends, who took turns hitting the dance floor while DJ Adam 12 turned the tables. Prince must have liked the music, because he ended up cutting a rug with P. Diddy and Terrence Howard, who also seemed to have caught dance fever. Tearing ourselves away from the dance action, we took a lap around the party to see if the rumors of hot dogs were true.
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I’m sort of like the nightlife lover’s answer to the mailman: Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow can keep me away from a hot party—especially when dinner is included.
Despite the horrible weather in New York, I couldn’t possibly pass up an invite from Nadine Johnson to attend a bash at the Odeon celebrating the charming new British film Starter for 10. Since I got the impression that the film's producer, Tom Hanks, would be picking up the tab (and also because all I had to eat that day was a Balance bar and a handful of almonds), I went a little overboard when the waiter asked for my order: asparagus soup, steak frites and warm chocolate cake for dessert. Thanks, Tom!
James and Alice Eve
Photo by Patrick McMullan
Aside from the food and the fun company (my tablemates were Nadine and famed photographer Patrick McMullan), the highlight of the night was getting to meet stylish Starter for 10 star Alice Eve. She walked by my table on her way to the loo, but I had to stop her and ask where she got her cool dress. "It's from my favorite vintage shop in L.A., What Comes Around Goes Around," she told me. Too bad you can't see her cute shoes in this photo—they were Stella McCartney. I also wanted to know what it was like to work with James McAvoy, who was the It Boy of the Toronto Film Festival. "He doesn't act like an It Boy. He's so down-to-earth. James is just a dude, you know?" Alice said. (That was the same impression I got when I met James at In Style's party during the film fest—he's a total sweetheart.)
What's next for Alice? "I'll be making my Broadway debut this fall in Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll. I'm so excited! The best part of knowing Tom is that I can ask him, 'So, what's it all mean?'" she said of the intellectual playwright.
The morning after I met Alice, I read an item about her in The New York Post's Page 6 column—and it was so nice! It may have shocked me to see a flattering story about a celebrity there, but I wasn't at all surprised to read these words: "The young English actress is going to be a huge star." I couldn't agree more.
I think Alice looks a bit like Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman. What do you think?
-- James Patrick Herman
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Love was in the air at Sony/BMG’s bash at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel following the Grammy awards. One had to look no further than the private cabanas where John Mayer and Jessica Simpson were clearly feeling the love (despite the presence of Big Daddy—her manager, Joe Simpson). Then again, as someone who has seen every episode of Newlyweds, I'm not shocked by Jessica's public displays of affection. Still, I played dumb and asked what the highlight of night was for her. Jessica wasn't buying my act for a minute: “You know what my highlight was—c’mon, now!” she said and then ran over to John.
Ashlee Simpson and James
Photos by Mark A. Neston
Ashlee, however, said she's loving the single life. “I’m not in a relationship now,” she told me, and talked about the "spiritual" new album she’s currently recording. “This is going to be my artistic record,” she said.
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What's my favorite thing about Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy blowout? The eclectic crowd.
Guests at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday night included Oscars host Ellen DeGeneres, Oscars contender Jennifer Hudson, Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard, legendary music producer Quincy Jones, rapper Akon, current MTV diva Christina Aguilera, elder MTV diva Janet Jackson, rock god Dave Grohl, Motown great Smokey Robinson, fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, supermodel Naomi Campbell, talk-show host Tyra Banks, American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee, tabloid staples Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, Nicole Richie's dad (Lionel), Angelina Jolie's dad (John Voight), TV honcho Les Moonves and—hey, wasn't that Hollywood A-lister Meg Ryan's blond head blocking my view of the stage?
Ciara and James
Photos by Mark Young
Yes, indeed it was. Guess she hired a baby sitter on this night for little Daisy! My vote for best-dressed goes to Ciara, who was rocking a super-sexy black number—it looked as if Hervé Léger had hand-sewn her into that dress. She kindly took a break from catching up with Puffy to pose for a photo (Mr. Combs also took notice of how hot she looked).
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The Grammys will have a tough time topping this: Donatella Versace celebrated her Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award with a blowout that featured performances by Sir Elton John and Guns N' Roses.
Naomi and Cindy on the big screen
The VIP room audience included superstar musicians (like J. Lo, who couldn't keep her hands off husband Marc Anthony), A-list actresses (including Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Drew Barrymore, Mischa Barton, Eva Longoria and Oscar nominees Penélope Cruz and Jennifer Hudson), supermodels (Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks), even royalty (Prince).
James and Brooke
I watched all the action perched on a banquette in between glamorous PR maven Nadine Johnson and In Style's West Coast bureau chief, Glynis Costin, who couldn't help getting emotional during the ceremony, which also honored the late Gianni Versace (he personally made Glynis's wedding dress).
James and In Style's Rochelle Rose
Meanwhile, In Style writer Rochelle Rose sat next to Brooke Shields in the VIP section and interviewed all of the stars for a story that will be running in our April issue. Later, Rochelle introduced me to gorgeous Brooke, who joked, "I'm feeling so glamorous tonight, I can barely stand it!"
-- James Patrick Herman
What could possibly lure me away from New York Fashion Week? L.A. Music Week—a.k.a. the Grammys and an array of stylish satellite events—the highlight being Donatella Versace’s own fashion extravaganza tonight, at which she and her late brother, the legendary Gianni, receive the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award in Beverly Hills.
In Style's Suzanne Zuckerman and Mary J. Blige at our Globes after-party
Photo by John Sciulli/WireImage
One of the other glam divas I’m looking forward to seeing on this trip is Mary J. Blige, who is nominated for eight (!) Grammy Awards. I last saw Mary when I escorted her and her husband, Kendu, into the VIP room of In Style’s Golden Globes after-party, and I’m looking forward to bumping into her again at the Staples Center on Sunday night (I hope she’ll be accessorized with an armload of shiny gold trophies).
Who are you most excited to see perform during the live Grammys telecast? Let me know, and I’ll send your regards when I’m out party-hopping after the show!
-- James Patrick Herman
While blogging is a blast, it can also be exhausting. Not that I'm complaining—who needs beauty sleep in the age of Photoshop? But I did welcome the opportunity to get some tips from a pro. Fortunately my company offered a presentation about writing for the Internet. I missed it (I think I was busy blogging), but one of my co-workers who went told me it was "a fascinating talk—just eight simple steps!" she said.
She couldn't seem to recall any of those eight simple steps when pressed. However, I was able to get some helpful advice from another Internet authority: Fall Out Boy bassist and MySpace superstar Pete Wentz, who was in town to promote his band's brand-new album, Infinity on High. "I'm a serious blogger," Pete told me. In fact, he has more than one (he blogs both on Friends or Enemies and on the official Fall Out Boy site).
Pete Wentz, James and In Style's Suzanne Zuckerman
Photo by Rebecca Grice
I don't know how he does it. Not only that but he also manages to cope with all the other demands of being a rock star: penning lyrics to anthemic songs that define a generation, filming epic music videos, touring the world, etc. Back in the day, musicians had it pretty easy—they'd cut an album, play a gig and then get drunk with groupies on the tour bus. They didn't have to worry about going straight from the stage to the laptop, whereas Pete probably spends more time typing than playing bass.
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Fashion designers love putting on a show, whether it's of the catwalk variety or just a lively dinner party. Before Fashion Week was in full swing, I attended an intimate late-night supper hosted by a designer who wasn't even showing at the Bryant Park Tents: Marc Ecko, the man behind the rhino logo. But since his company raked in a reported $1.2 billion last year, I can understand why he opted for a dinner party instead. (Anyway, Marc's wife is about to give birth to their third child, so he has more important things than fashion on his mind.)
Photos by Marc Ecko
Not that he's taking it easy. At one point, I looked up to see him grating cheese over my salad. Talk about a hands-on host! Rather than reserving tables at some trendy restaurant, Marc entertained guests at his spacious offices in Chelsea. How spacious, you ask? Well, let's put it this way: The dinner table was set up on what's normally used as a basketball court. (Yes, that's a hoop just above Yoda.)
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This is how Fashion Week started: Pouring rain, my cab stuck in traffic and me running 20 minutes late for a show. Fortunately, the show was Baby Phat, and I know that Kimora Lee Simmons runs even later than I usually do. When I finally made it through the door of the Roseland Ballroom and shook off my umbrella, I asked one of the girls checking seat assignments if she had any idea when the show would begin. I got a huge kick out of her response: “Hahahahaha!”
But my Fashion Week mantra is: Fabulous things come to those who wait. And I wasn’t disappointed on this night. This isn’t exactly a must-see show for the fashion purists, but I go because I can always count on sexy clothes (this time, Kimora took her inspiration from Moscow, where the local fashionistas are not subtle in their embrace of makeup, major jewelry and fur), fierce models (like Alek Wek and Omahyra Mota) and an awesome hip-hop soundtrack.
As I was taking my seat, I bumped into the girl who sat next to me on the plane back from Sundance—how random is that? She’s a banker who is mulling over fashion P.R. as a career change. “Britney is here!” she told me, and I could tell by the excitement in her voice that she’s probably going to end up leaving Wall Street for the considerably more glamorous world of star-filled fashion shows. I’ve seen dozens of great rock concerts at Roseland over the years, and that’s exactly what the energy felt like.
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From In Style's Glynis Costin in Los Angeles: Forest Whitaker is well loved. And not just by those who hand out awards. At an intimate dinner our West Coast bureau threw for the Oscar-nominated actor the other night, both longtime pals and new friends could not stop talking about what a great guy Forest is.
Forest Whitaker and John Travolta
Photo by John Sciulli/Wireimage
When John Travolta (who met Whitaker when the two filmed Phenomenon together) walked into the private back room we had reserved at the Beverly Hills Hotel's famed Polo Lounge, he made a beeline for Whitaker and gave him a giant bear hug that seemed to last a full minute. Everyone else also seemed to want a piece of Whitaker, who exudes a down-to-earth vibe and still seems in a bit of a shock that he is getting all this attention.
After winning over the Screen Actors Guild, the Golden Globes judges, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and many others (for his brilliant performance in The Last King of Scotland, in case you've been on Mars), Whitaker admitted that the last few months have been quite a ride. “I’m just taking it all in,” he said with his characteristic big smile.
Keisha Whitaker, Glynis and Forest Whitaker
Photo by Karen Levy
His adorable wife, Keisha, who wore a sparking minidress that showed off her mile-long legs, agreed. "This is the first chance we’ve even had to catch our breath,” she confessed.
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Since Park City restaurants seem to close ridiculously early, I was forced to go on the Sundance Diet Plan last week—endless popcorn and peanut M&Ms, no real food—and I gained five pounds! And right before Fashion Week!
Last night, I bumped into a friend of mine who works for Vogue, and she said, "Do you want my trainer's number?" Ouch! I'm in big trouble, because I can't get away with rocking bulky sweaters at the shows this weekend. Sure, I could work that look while sitting in the dark at Sundance screenings, but it's a big fashion don't at the fall collections in New York City. Since I'm in denial about how quickly Fashion Week is approaching, I'd prefer to focus on the highlights of my time in Utah. So I've compiled this list of my personal faves, which I hope will be coming soon to an art house near you:
Dedication A quirky love story featuring the kind of endearingly offbeat characters that I have come to expect from Sundance indies. Just when I thought I couldn't take another movie about a neurotic New Yorker (I mean, aren't they all?), Billy Crudup won me over as Mandy Moore's OCD-impaired—albeit impossibly cute—love interest.
Mandy Moore and Billy Crudup in Dedication
This is the directorial debut of Sundance It Boy Justin Theroux, who stayed behind the camera for this one but made appearances in two other flicks that I adored: Justin played a young Hollywood cad opposite an emotionally unfulfilled, self-medicating but style-savvy Parker Posey in Broken English.
Parker Posey in Broken English; Justin Theroux and Gretchen Mol in The Ten
He also turned up as Jesus (who knew the savior was such a player?) opposite Gretchen Mol in The Ten. For fans of bands like the Magnetic Fields and Cat Power, I should also note that the music in Dedication really rocks. Justin must have a killer collection of obscure songs on his iPod.
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