Coachella is the music industry's answer to Sundance: Over 100,000 indie rock fans converge on the tiny town of Indio, California, to catch performances from more than a hundred bands and DJs. Imagine all of this fun in the sun combined with a chill vibe and the scenic Santa Rosa Mountains in the distance--what's not to love, right? Well, the line for the porta-potties, for one thing. (And no, there aren't any V.I.P. loos, which means that young Hollywood stars actually have to--gasp--wait in line like everyone else.)
Coachella 2006
On the bright side: This year Coachella has Super-sized itself, expanding from two days to three, which means that the lineup is better than ever. I'm currently bogging via Blackberry as my trusty blogtographer Mark is speeding along the 10 freeway so that we can make it in time to see sets from Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys, Peaches, Felix Da Housecat, Brazilian Girls, Jesus and Mary Chain, Bjork and DJ Shadow. Is that an awesome opening night or what?
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Who could forget that stylish party-hopper played by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Myself, I prefer cocktails at Bulgari, and I have a feeling that stars such as Kirsten Dunst and Kate Winslett would agree with me (both of these actresses, along with my friend Pat Field, accessorized with Bulgari at the Oscars this year). Manhattan’s chicest socialites flocked to the newly redesigned 5th Avenue flaship store the other night, where they snacked on salmon tartare and enjoyed Bulgari-tinis, a mix of orange and pineapple juice spiked with gin, Triple Sec and Aperol, the popular Italian aperitif (for entertaining enthusiasts, the recipe is below).
Ne-Yo
Photo By Marion Curtis/StarPix
Meanwhile, just a short cab ride away over at club Arena, Hennessy was the drink of choice for guests such as Mandy Moore and Jay-Z at a kick-off event for the cognac company’s Artistry Concert Tour. While a live jazz band played at the Bulgari boutique, here the musical entertainment ranged from smooth R&B (courtesy of super-hot singer Ne-Yo) to rock (banged out by Arckid, the new band formed by ex-Spacehog frontman Royston Langdon, a.k.a. Liv Tyler’s hubby).
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I’m always impressed when I see Broadway actors out on a Monday night because they perform 8 shows a week and it’s their only day off. But who can pass up a good excuse to indulge in a bit of shopping at the Calvin Klein boutique? Not Calvin fan and Talk Radio star Stephanie March. The last time I saw Stephanie was at the GLAAD Awards a few weeks ago and this event was a cocktail reception for Safe Horizon, which is another cause that’s close to her heart. It’s the nation’s leading assistance organization for victims of domestic violence and Stephanie and her superstar-chef hubby, Bobby Flay, are such big supporters of the charity that they recently held a benefit for the organization in their apartment (which you may have seen in the April issue of In Style).
Stephanie March, Bobby Flay and Charlotte March
Stephanie and Bobby were headed out to dinner (it must be nice to own three great restaurants in Manhattan), so I decided to get some long-overdue cardio by walking up to the second floor of the store, where Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa was previewing his fall line. I couldn’t help but notice Claire Danes browsing handbags—she gets more gorgeous every time I see her—and downstairs I had the pleasure of being introduced to her boyfriend, British actor Hugh Dancy, by veteran Broadway publicist Pete Sanders. As Hugh and I were talking about the differences between audiences in New York and London (Hugh is currently starring in Journey’s End), Claire swung by and gave him a peck on the cheek. For a minute, I thought she might rip off Hugh’s pants and leap into his arms, just like she does in that ubiquitous GAP commercial with Patrick Wilson.
Hugh Dancy
As you can see, Hugh is extremely photogenic and he looked really sharp in his Calvin Klein suit. But I have a feeling that anything he can wear, Claire can wear better.
-- James Patrick Herman
I once wrote a big feature about Las Vegas—and the stars who love it—for In Style (November ‘05), so I have a soft spot for Sin City. The aptly named Strip is not lacking for sexy distractions, but without a doubt, the hottest ticket in town tonight is Dita Von Teese’s appearance at the MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris. “This is a place where people really let loose,” Dita tells me, explaining her own affinity for Vegas. “I enjoy seeing people living it up and having a great time! And personally, I really love seeing live entertainment. It’s the ideal place to see all kinds—from musicals and concerts to circus shows and risqué revues.”
Dita Von Teese
Photo By Sean McCall
I asked Dita what her idea of a perfect night out on the town would be, and not surprisingly, Siegfried & Roy don’t factor into her plans. “I would go to an elegant dinner, preferably French, followed by Champagne cocktails in a glamorous lounge,” Dita says. “And finally, I would seduce my handsome and dashing date with the lacy lingerie I might have purchased that afternoon.” After all, everyone hopes to get lucky in Las Vegas.
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One good thing about being (fashionably) late to Bulgari's dinner party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is that it seemed like I had the entire place to myself as I dashed through the halls. It's funny because the last time I was here I was also running around: I was escorting Beyonce, who had never been to the Met before, and our cover had just been blown by a pack of star-struck schoolchildren who couldn't believe their eyes.
Emily Mortimer and Alsessandro Nivola
Photo By Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
But it was a very adult—and supremely elegant—crowd gathered on this night, a mix of Park Avenue socialites, Hollywood stars and members of the Bulgari family (including Nicola, Natalia, Veronica, Ilaria and Beatrice) as well as the company's CEO, Francesco Trapani. They even flew in their favorite chef, Elio Sironi, from the restaurant of the Bulgari Hotel in Milan. (My tablemate, glamorous Susan Fales Hill, and I joked about going on "the real South Beach Diet"—coffee and a Tic-Tac—but neither of us could resist any part of the four-course feast. We even indulged in the decadent dessert while we watched handsome Peter Cincotti perform songs from his forthcoming CD, East of Angel Town. "I hear he’s only 23 years old," Susan whispered to me—she thought Peter was as yummy as the iced chocolate truffles that we were enjoying.
James and Patricia Field
Photo By Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
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Fergie likes to keep us guessing. Just last week I saw pictures of her and longtime boyfriend Josh Duhamel going to church together; now she' s making out with Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes. But this isn't a TMZ-captured scandal; like all of those tattoos on Milo's chest, this relationship is fake—it's just a scene from Fergie's new video for ''Big Girls Don't Cry.'' I guess it's payback time for all of those hot actresses that Josh gets to romance on Las Vegas.
Milo Ventimiglia and Fergie
On Heroes, Milo plays a character who can absorb the superpowers of others; and from the looks of this super-sexy video, it would appear that a little bit of Fergaliciousness has rubbed off on him. If you're a fan of Heroes (and who isn't?), then be sure to check out how Milo's costar Greg Grunberg entertains his castmates from the hit TV show in In Style's May issue. As it turns out, Greg is as talented in the kitchen as he is on the set—and we have the brisket recipe to prove it.
-- James Patrick Herman
I don't have a dog. Not that I don't adore them (I do) but I'm always out party-hopping and never home long enough to take care of one, so a puppy would probably end up like all of the orchids that get sent to my office as gifts (don't ask). But of course I'm still a big supporter of The Humane Society. Ditto for actresses like Sarah Wynter and Cornelia Guest, who hosted a benefit for the organization at the Baryshnikov Arts Center the other night. Mikhail was also on hand for the event, as was one of my favorite people in the music industry, PR goddess Liz Rosenberg. Liz dug up some classic photos of her longtime client Madonna especially for the Humane Society's annual Fine Art Photography Auction. For all of you Madonna fans out there (and in my office), the 175 photos of stylish stars such as Madge, Diane Von Furstenberg and Alessandra Ambrosio will be up for bid over the weekend at http://www.humanesocietyny.org/auction/catalog.php.
Sarah Wynter
Photo By A SCOTT/PatrickMcMullan.com
And because I like kittens as well as puppies, here's a shot Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls, who helped to kick of the Cipriani Wall Street Concert Series benefitting the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and the Sarah Ferguson Foundation.
-- James Patrick Herman
Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls on stage
Photo By Harold Hechler Associates
Some people must wonder if I'd go to the opening of an envelope. No, but I have to admit that I would go to a party held in honor of...a T-shirt. And hey, I'm not the only one. Tees and jeans are a crucial part of the L.A. look, after all, and both of these wardrobe staples were well-represented at a recent Saks Fifth Avenue event. So it's no mystery why Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell was among the guests who attended this bash to celebrate Boone's Farm's foray into fashion, which also drew denim kingpins Chip & Pepper and celebrity DJ (well, sort of) Cisco. In the goody bag? A stylishly retro B.F. tee, natch. If you want to get one of your own, well, you're in luck—they just went on sale at Saks.
-- James Patrick Herman
Kristen Bell with Chip and Pepper
Photo ByMichael William/Star Tracks
It's not every day that I get to witness motorcycle stunts. A sight that seems just as rare these days? Seeing an actor from a hit TV show at a party in New York City. Lucky for me, the grand opening of the Triumph store in Tribeca offered the opportunity to catch both Evil Knievel-style antics and also Gray's Anatomy star Justin Chambers. As you can see, Justin is a very photogenic guy and I think he deserves his own studmuffin nickname a la Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane. Since McDreamy and McSteamy are already taken, how about McHotWheels?
James, Justin Chambers and Paula Froelich
Photo by Mark A. Neston
Justin, as it turns out, is a fan of more than just motorcycle jackets (his is Dolce & Gabbana, by the way). He has a Triumph Speed Triple and is soon making room in the garage for a Bonneville T100 and a Daytona 675. But he's also interested in music, specifically the band that his four young daughters have formed. "They've learned to play two songs by the Go-Gos," Justin told me. "I think it's cool. It's therapeutic for them," he said. I think Justin should get a Father of the Year Award, because I wonder how good "We Got the Beat" sounds when he's trying to get some sleep after a long day on the set.
I was also excited to bump into life-of-the-party Paula Froelich of The New York Post's "Page 6" fame, and she performed some wild stunts of her own for my camera (but I won't be sharing those pictures). I've always been in awe of Paula for helping to produce a column's worth of juicy gossip every single day but now that I have my own daily deadline thanks to the blog, I can totally relate. Our conversation with Justin turned from Belinda Carlisle to the likes of perky Rachel Ray (Justin was a guest on her talk show earlier in the day) and cranky Don Imus.
But I had to bolt because I was late to catch a Rufus Wainwright concert: Live at ABC Home. The event was the launch party to celebrate The Green, a new eco-friendly series on the Sundance Channel. I got there just in time to grab a "Green-Teani" from the bar (yes, it tasted just as yucky as it sounds) and find a chic seat on an overpriced chair. "It's weird to be performing in my favorite store—I live just around the corner," Rufus said before sitting down at the piano and belting out a few songs from his new album, Release the Stars.
Rufus Wainwright
Photo by Mark A. Neston
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It was hard to tear myself away from the latest episode of The Search for the Next Doll last night, but I had tickets to see Lily Allen, a woman who has no desire to be a Pussycat. She doesn't want to party like a rock star (or Amy Winehouse), either. "I've been sober for my last five concerts," Lily announced onstage at Irving Plaza. I'm not sure how many people in the crowd could relate to that sentiment, especially upstairs in the V.I.P. room, where music critics were taking full advantage of the open bar. I love Lily's quintessentially British sense of humor. She introduced her song "Everything's Just Wonderful" by saying: "The world is melting and we're all gonna die, so enjoy this gig—it may be your last." Cheers!
Lily Allen
I met a V.I.P.-to-be downstairs on the main floor: Alison Sudol, a.k.a. A Fine Frenzy, who was a hit at the recent South by Southwest festival when she opened for Iggy Pop and the Stooges. For you Shakespeare scholars out there: Yes, the name of Alison's band was inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream, so it's no surprise that her sound is more Tori than Iggy. Her debut album, One Cell in the Sea, could make her a big star when it comes out on June 26th, but at the moment, Alison's content to keep it real. "I still live with my mom," she told me. In fact, she was signed to the Capitol Music Group after charming Jason Flom, the record company's CEO, with a private showcase in her L.A. living room. "My mom made cookies," the singer/songwriter recalls. Alison's songs are pretty great on their own, but cookies make everything better.
Alison Sudol
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The last time I saw LeAnn ("LeeLee") Rimes, we were in her closet. And despite her sizable wardrobe, there was plenty of room for both us (plus her husband, Dean) because LeAnn lives in Nashville, where people have closets the size of New York City apartments.
LeAnn Rimes
Photo By Liz Carmona
She was in town to host the first annual Brick Awards, which celebrated young people who spend their time trying to change the world outside of MySpace.com. I was also thrilled to see the adorable Mandy Moore, who performed her new song "Extraordinary." Mandy should be applauded for doing her part to change the music industry: After releasing a few pop albums, she's gotten in touch with her inner folkie and recorded Wild Hope, an ambitious album that has more of an old-school singer-songwriter vibe.
Mandy Moore
Photo By Robin Platzer, Twin Images
You can see exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from Mandy's latest video shoot in the June issue of In Style. She sported an array of cool vintage outfits but she drew the line when it came to wearing old shoes—she brought a stylish collection from her own closet to the shoot. And as you can imagine, it was pretty extraordinary.
-- James Patrick Herman
Katharine McPhee broke the record for comments on the PartyHopper blog—I haven't seen so many since I wrote about Rose McGowan's stylish purse caddies. Many of you asked about the video of Kat's "meet and greet" at the magazine, where she serenaded staffers in our conference room. If you'd like to see (and hear) her sing part of her I-pod playlist—including Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right" and Sheryl Crow's "Strong Enough"—check out http://www.instyle.com/instyle/video/behind. And if you'd like to peek inside her makeup bag, make sure that you pick up a copy of In Style's July issue and read Suzanne Zuckerman's revealing interview.
What's your favorite Katharine McPhee song from her new album?
-- James Patrick Herman
Katharine McPhee and James
Is there anyone Timbaland isn’t producing these days? He scored recent hits with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado—and they returned the favor by singing on Tim's own hot solo album, Shock Value, which dropped last week—but now he's found the perfect collaborator for his signature spacey sound in Bjork. He's the man behind the tribal vibe on the Icelandic diva's latest single, "Earth Intruders," which is available for digital download today (her new album, Volta, is due on May 7th). Much like Bjork herself, this song is really out there (she belts a lyric about “a beast with many heads”), but the crazy beat is infectious. These two may come from very different musical backgrounds but clearly they're on the same wavelength.
-- James Patrick Herman
Timberland and Bjork
Things sure have been slow on the New York party circuit (could it have something to do with the fact that it's still freezing out?). Fortunately rock bands know how to party like, well, rock stars. One of my favorite new acts, The Moog, recently played a gig in NYC after making a lot of other fans at Austin's scene-y South by Southwest festival.
They have some great songs ("I Like You," "I Don't Want You Now," "Xanax Youth") and believe it or not, they're actually from Hungary and not L.A. Who knew they had Xanax in Budapest? Guess that comes in handy for the long plane ride to the States.
These stylish guys look like they're straight outta Silver Lake, what with their hipster threads and cool haircuts, and their album, Sold For Tomorrow, sure would make for great driving music—if I had a car. But it still provides an awesome soundtrack for sending emails at the office.
-- James Patrick Herman
Just in case anyone didn't realize that the Canadian singer-songwriter has a great sense of humor, here's hilarious proof: Alanis gets all Fergalicious in her satirical new music video while offering a heartbreaking rendition of the Black Eyed Peas hit "My Humps," an ode to "lovely lady lumps." Against the backdrop of sad piano tinkling, Alanis croons: "What's ya gonna do with all that junk?/All that junk inside your trunk/How am I gonna get get get you drunk?/Get you drunk off my humps."
Miss Morissette and a friend in the video for "My Humps"
This reminds me of Tori Amos's famed cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"--it's that brilliant (even though Alanis clearly meant it as a joke). At any rate, it's good to see her laughing after her breakup with longtime boyfriend Ryan Reynolds.
Special thanks to Dvora Vener from BWR for sending me this great still from the video while she's on maternity leave!
-- James Patrick Herman
“Haven’t we met somewhere before? Oh, yeah, now I remember: It was at Prince’s house party after the Oscars!” This is perhaps my favorite line ever, and I just had a chance to use it on Spanish singer Eduardo Cruz during our phone interview about his new album, Cosas Que Contar. He’s the brother of Oscar nominee Penelope, and I recall dancing nearby both of them as Prince and his band launched into their set—at around 5 A.M. It was a pretty surreal evening considering the intimate setting and all of the tux- and gown-clad movie stars, and I haven’t even mentioned the chocolate fountain. “That was my first L.A. party and it was amazing. I couldn’t believe it. I think I stayed until seven in the morning,” Eduardo says. Myself, I didn't last much longer, and I was standing on the patio nearby a chain-smoking Joni Mitchell as Eduardo headed out the door, followed by Penelope and her BFF Salma Hayek. Prince’s assistant Capricorn (or was it Aquarius?) kindly called me a taxi—a black stretch limo, as it turned out—so that I could ride in style back to In Style and edit a 5-page Oscar story.
Eduardo was calling me from his home in Madrid, where people think nothing of going out dancing until the sun comes up. Aside from the impressive nightlife, “the food is really nice here, too,” he says. Eduardo has an in-house recording studio and he produces his own demos, which is easy to do when you can play all of the major instruments (guitar, bass, keyboard, drums). “Some of my songs are dark like Jeff Buckley but others are more funky like Prince,” Eduardo says. “I write about everything in life—I can write entire songs about a conversation. I go into the studio and songs come to me in the moment: I can hear the whole melody and then I work on the lyrics.”
Edwardo Cruz
Photo By Luis Arruga
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