Partyhopper

It's that time of the year when the editors at In Style create our annual Best of 2008 lists. My expertise lies not in fashion or trends but in parties--and you know I've been to some good ones--and I take a studied approach to coming up with my favorites. Last night's party to celebrate the opening of Juicy Couture's New York City flagship boutique had it all of the elements necessary for making a memorable bash: fun celebrities, a choir singing classic rock hits, bottomless glasses of champagne, cakes, cookies and mini-cheeseburgers. And adorable clothes. (Oh, the clothes!)

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As a professional Partyhopper I live on a diet of passed appetizers and hors d'oeuvres, so it's always nice to be invited to an event where you get to sit down and savor your food. That's why I am such a fan of the Bon Appetit Supper Club. The organizers of the Supper Club kept me well fed at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and last week I was treated to two nights of food, folks and fun right here in N.Y.C.

Bronwyn engages in some post-dining posing with Donald Trump, USA Today's Donna Freydkin and AP's Alicia Quarles

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One my first events as a staffer for In Style was our pre-Grammy party earlier this year. Rihanna was set to perform and fan favorites like Prince and Miley Cyrus were in the crowd. But it was my sighting of music mogul Jay-Z--who walked past me and said hello (I later realized that he was actually greeting singer Natalie Cole)--that left me totally star struck. Last week, I jumped at the chance to cover Jay's sold-out concert to celebrate the grand re-opening of The Hollywood Palladium in L.A.

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While most people look forward to living it up on the weekends, my social schedule sees the most action Monday through Thursday. I started off the week at the annual Whitney Museum of American Art fundraising gala, where I mingled with co-hosts Patrick Dempsey and Donatella Versace and hot couple Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. I shared a table with Versace heir Allegra and some of the fine folks from the iconic fashion house and though I had to duck out to catch art-loving celebs like Becki Newton and Helena Christensen as they arrived for the after-party--which somehow started before the end of the party itself--I still made it back upstairs in time to hear a 3-song set by Sting.

Becki Newton and Bronwyn.

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When I interviewed him in Las Vegas, Justin Timberlake told me he sent hand-written letters “the old fashioned way” when he invited his friends to join him on stage at his Justin and Friends concert benefiting Shriners Children Hospital.  Lucky for me and 7,500 other people, his friends include Rihanna and The Jonas Brothers.

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With the presidential election just around the corner, voting is on our minds. And it was definitely the topic of conversation at Declare Yourself’s Domino Effect party, held at The Green Door in Hollywood. Hosted by Hayden Panettiere, the event was the organization's latest effort to encourage young people to vote--there were even booths set up for those guests who were inspired to register on the spot.

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But I really liked her. I met Katy at new N.Y.C. hotspot Country Club, where she hosted a birthday party for Warped Tour-mate Travis McCoy. In the end Travis never showed, but that didn't stop Katy and the rest of the crowd--which included MTV's latest reality stars, Shwayze and Cisco--from having a total blast.

Katy Perry fills Bronwyn in on her fashion philosophy.

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After reading Karen's blog post about her whirwind trip to Las Vegas, I had the sudden urge to hit Sin City myself. Luckily around that time an email landed in my inbox inviting me to the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's new club, Wasted Space. So I enlisted my pal Sara to be my plus one, threw a bathing suit and a party dress into a bag and headed for the aiport.

Bronwyn and Sara pose on the red carpet at the opening of Wasted Space.

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The last time I saw Bon Jovi perform, they played an acoustic set for a couple hundred guests at a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, Help USA and the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation. On Saturday, I was one of 60,000 screaming fans who packed the Great Lawn in Central Park for the band's full throttle concert in celebration of Major League Baseball's annual All-Star game. It was a different experience altogether, and one I won't soon forget.

Bon Jovi takes the stage in Central Park.

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Maybe it's the influence of the ubiquitous ads for Sex And The City: The Movie, or perhaps it's a mere coincidence, but Angelinos seem to have New York City on the brain lately. The other night for example, I got invited to three different events all with a Big Apple tie. Since I'm not one to complain about getting to channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw, I donned my stilettos and headed out ready to hop from hot spot to hot spot. My first stop was to see N.Y. designer Derek Lam at the Chateau Marmont. Lam was hosting a tea for his new line of sunglasses and we got to play dress up and try on all of the Fall and Spring looks. I gravitated towards the pair called Gemma, which Derek told me were inspired by his love for old Hollywood glamour, and his  California lifestyle growing up. “My first car was a convertible and the top was always down," said the designer. "I grew up in San Francisco where it was cold so I would have the heater on, coat on, zippered up fleece, and sunglasses.” Since my first car was also a convertible, I could totally relate.

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This week was the annual upfronts presentations, the time when networks give advertisers and the press a sneak peek at the new and returning shows we all have to look forward to. And since most of the small screen stars from Hollywood head to New York to be a part of the show, In Style's L.A. bureau also make the trip east. So NY Partyhopper Bronwyn got the chance to hit the town with L.A. Partyhopper Karen, and we had a full social schedule.

In Style Partyhoppers Bronwyn Barnes and Karen Levy hit the town in New York.

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Have you ever thought about what it would be like to crash land a spaceship in the middle of the galaxy and then find yourself confused, alone and in search of purpose? Neither have I. But that's exactly what Kanye West announced that he was going to do when his Glow in the Dark tour made a stop at L.A.'s Nokia Theater. More specifically, Kanye--who has an incredible blog of his own--has declared that he is "on a quest to find creativity on earth."

In February, Kanye gave viewers at the Grammys a taste of what was to come on his "Glow in the Dark" tour.

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Spring is barely upon us and the social season is already in full swing. So last week, after pulling one of my party dresses out of hibernation, I headed to the Metropolitan Opera House to attend the opening night gala performance of Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment. The evening was hosted by fashion house Yves Saint Laurent, which meant that guests like Leighton Meester, Eva Mendes and Ginnifer Goodwin worked the white carpet like it was a runway before heading inside for an elegant pre-performance supper. YSL designer Stefano Pilati brought Naomi Campbell as his special guest, and I couldn't wait to catch up with her.

Naomi makes dinner conversation with Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson.

Photo by Sherly Rabbani and Josephine Solimene

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I first met Christopher Gavigan at a Gucci charity event and I instantly liked the guy. But it was only after he took me up on my dare to dance with a crazy guy in a Saturday Night Fever-era white suit that I knew we would become friends. Cut to three years later and I joined Christopher, his wife Jessica Capshaw and his in-laws, Kate Capshaw and a director you might have heard of--one Steven Spielberg--for a party to celebrate the release of the book Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner Greener Safer Home. (The one family member missing was Christopher and Jessica’s 7-month old son, who couldn’t make it because it was past his bedtime.) On this night, there were no dares, just plenty of toasting to the man of the hour and his mission to make the world a beter place to raise healthy kids.

Ali Forman (center) with Christoper Gavigan and Jessica Capshaw

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The guest list at Jimmy Kimmel's 1000th episode party included some of tinsel town's funniest lads, including Johnny Knoxville, David Spade, and my new favorite,  Guillermo. Leading ladies Rebecca Romijn and Sarah Silverman also celebrated Kimmel's milestone as they mingled around the historic David Hockney pool at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Tropicana bar. Sadly, Jimmy's nemesis, Matt Damon was absent from the al fresco fiesta.

Kimmel funnyman Guillermo welcomes reporter Hayley Underwood to the party

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I have never been able to answer the hypothetical question about which five people I'd choose to have dinner with if I could share a table with anyone. But after attending a bash to celebrate the launch of Versace's new menswear line at Barneys, I've finally got the perfect solution--I'd invite Donatella Versace and let her take care of the rest of the guest list. Donatella's parties are legendary, and this event was no exception. Woody Allen, Leighton Meester and Busta Rhymes were just a few of the Versace fans who mingled with the fashionable crowd during a reception on the third floor of the famed department store.

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Forget the hottest new club, the latest boite or the newest speakeasy-style bar that requires a code word or a secret knock. For me the must-have invite in New York these days is for one of Andrew Saffir's Cinema Society screenings. Only movie stars, models and the media elite need RSVP to these intimate affairs, which start off with a screening of the featured film and continue with an after-bash where you can't turn around without bumping into a boldface name. In the past week alone, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis and Ryan Phillippe have topped the guest list at Andrew's silver screen soirees. So when my friend Anne--a fellow former Peace Corps Volunteer--was in town last week, I knew I could give her a dose of film, fun and famous people by taking her along to a Cinema Society screening of the Vegas flick, 21, starring Kate Bosworth and Jim Sturgess as brainy MIT students who get in over their heads counting cards in Sin City.

Anne and Bronwyn toast to another successful Cinema Society bash

Photo: Patrick McMullan

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War. What is it good for? Actually, it was the inspiration for director Kimberly Peirce's new film, Stop-Loss starring Ryan Phillippe. The story follows a decorated soldier (Phillippe) who is forced back to the Iraq war against his will--or "stop-lossed"--after he’s already served his term. I hit the IFC Theatre for the NYC premiere of the tense drama and then headed uptown to the Gramercy Park Hotel for the after-party, hosted by The Cinema Society and men's mag GQ.

Unfortunately, I didn't get my man--Ryan decided to play it low key and enjoy the evening with friends rather than talk to us reporters. So instead I sampled the dinner buffet, mingled with the likes of Tatum O’Neal, Howard Stern and Mamie Gummer, and took in the amazing surroundings.   

The lobby of the Grammercy Park Hotel

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For those of you who don't know Laz Alonso, I suggest you do some serious Googling. We didn't realize just how much fun we were going to have when he dropped by our L.A. offices for an afternoon meet and greet. While we did spend time talking about Laz's upcoming projects--which include Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna and the much-anticipated sci-fi thriller, Avatar--our topic of conversation quickly turned to reality television. While I tend to stay away from that genre, Laz and my colleague Ali bonded over their shared love of reality TV and spent almost an hour discussing their favorite shows. I tried to chime in, but when you can't comment on who's the biggest mess on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew or dish the latest gossip about MTV's Making the Band 4, you are no good to the conversation.

Associate Editor Karen Levy with Laz Alonso and West Coast Bureau Chief Glynis Costin

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Ever since my dad took me to my first James Taylor concert, I have been a sucker for a troubadour. So I was really excited to get a chance to meet Josh Kelley and talk about his latest album, Special Company.

Associate Entertainment Editor Bronwyn Barnes and Josh Kelley

Last year I had the pleasure of interviewing Josh's then-fiancee, Katherine Heigl-yes, that Katherine Heigl-and her mom for our annual Mother's Day issue. Josh and Katie met when she starred in the music video for his song, "Only You," and she has admitted to being totally won over when Josh wrote the ballad "Katie's Song" just for her. Sure, the inspiration for new tunes like "Fallin in Love With You" and "Masterpiece" just happens to be an Emmy-winning Hollywood star, but what girl doesn't dream of having a song penned in her name?

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Somehow the thought of attending the Oscars never seemed very fun to me—sure it's glamourous, but why get stuck in tux for four hours when you could be lounging on the couch in your pajamas, marveling at the fashion miscalculations of nominees while eating pizza and sipping margaritas? But I was thrilled to get an invite to the National Board of Review Awards, which were a total blast! In fact, this lively affair reminded me of the Golden Globes, partly because dinner and drinks were served—after all, it was held at Cipriani 42nd Street. And there was certainly no shortage of A-listers (Denzel!), legends (Bacall!) or glamour: Stars such as Kate Winslet and Jennifer Garner rocked gorgeous gowns accessorized by Bulgari diamonds, and only artist-turned-director Julian Schnabel opted to dress down in what looked like sweatpants from American Apparel.

James & Veronica Bulgari
Photo: Patrick McMullan

Thanks to Bulgari, which sponsored this elegant evening, I had a prime seat at a table right in front of the stage, so the likes of Julianne Moore and Julie Christie were constantly squeezing past my chair en route to the podium. To put things in perspective: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem were all at the table BEHIND mine. I had the pleasure of sitting in between Mark Ronson's hilarious mother, Ann Dexter-Jones, and mommy-to-be Veronica Bulgari (who knows as much about film as jewelry) and her husband Stephan Haimo. My table also included Ilaria Bulgari and the company's U.S. president, Francois Kress. Even Nicola Bulgari stopped by to say hi to me before he presented the Bulgari awards for NBR Freedom of Expression—this close-knit family really knows how to make you feel at home. (Like the National Board of Review, which has been around for 99 years, Bulgari has an impressively long Hollywood history that dates back to the days of La Dolce Vita.)

Photo: Jason Kempin/ WireImage

Clearly this was night to celebrate serious film—and causes (after all, the NBR was originally created to protest censorship and this organization supports charity as well as the movies by offering non-profit educational programs)—but the mood was as fun as one would expect when the top stars in the entertainment industry get together for an untelevised party. Susan Sarandon plugged her upcoming blockbuster Speed Racer ("Coming to a theater near you May 6th!" when she introduced costar Emile Hirsch, a.k.a. Speed). Tilda Swinton said of her Michael Clayton costar and former caped crusader Clooney: "For me, you will always be the rubberiest Batman in the cave." (I'm not sure what this means but still I totally agree.) “Bro-mance” was also in the air, what with Casey and Ben Affleck both being honored (the former for his performance in that Jesse James movie with the super-long title; the latter for his directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone) as well as the Coen Brothers. And there was lots playful bro-style teasing on display: George Clooney kissed a portrait of Michael Douglas (the night's career achievement honoree) and Josh Brolin kidded No Counry for Old Men costar Javier Bardem about his really bad-hair day in their movie. In a word—as the NBR's breakthrough performance winner Ellen Page would say—this party was "awesome!" Or, to quote Lauren Bacall: "It's a great treat for me to be here tonight." I felt the same way.

Photo: Jason Kempin/ WireImage

Granted, Clooney joked about the length of the show ("I was an ingenue when I got here earlier") but I never wanted it to end—and I wasn't the only one. Stars usually bolt for their idling cars once an event ends, but as I congratulated NBR president Annie Schulhof along with Bulgari's Francesca Leoni and Rory Hermelee, I couldn't help but notice Julianne Moore chatting with Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin hugging Julian Schnabel and Tilda Swinton making off with an armload of DVDs that included Ratatouille. The cinema-themed table centerpieces consisted of DVDS, screenplays, novels that had inspired movies and Bulgari's coffee table tome—which is now proudly displayed on my desk at the office. But wait, there's more: A goodie bag that contained Bulgair's new men's fragrance made me feel classy even as I hailed a taxi home to Queens (no stretch limos for this Partyhopper).

Be sure to check out our exclusive coverage of the NBR Awards the upcoming March issue of In Style!

-- James Patrick Herman

I may have returned to work, but I can't seem to stop thinking about my vacation in Brazil--especially when I'm dreaming. I remember a dreadlocked musician in Bahia teaching me the three most important Portuguese phrases: "obrigado" (thank you), "quanto custa" (how much) and "onde festa?" (where's the party?) Well, I am pleased to report that after only two weeks of traveling throughout Brazil, I managed to find the best party: It's at the Fazenda de Lagoa, an eco-chic resort that borders a rainforest and a sparkling lagoon with the freshest water I’ve ever had the pleasure of diving into.

The eco-chic restaurant and bar at Fazenda da Lagoa

And this party is all about the hostess: A noted artist, fashion designer and surfer girl named Mucki, who owns the place with her husband Arthur, who looks like a Brazilian movie star. The key to any fabulous fiesta is, of course, the guest list, and every time that I dined at Mucki and Arthur's table, I would find myself in the company of people like a famed interior designer from Portugal, the editor of Casa Vogue and one of Richard Gere's ex-girlfriends.

   
Mucki's boho-hip boutique

"Valentino is coming after he goes to Rio for Carnaval," Mucki told me. The legendary designer has stayed here before, and so has his fabulous right-hand man, Carlos Souza, who checked out the day before I arrived. Mucki is the type of woman who attracts fabulous friends. She always has that life-of-the-party energy, even when it was just the two of us paddling on our surfboards or trekking through the rainforest (glamour girl that she is, she has no qualms about kicking off her Havaianas and walking through a mud pit).

James & Mucki hit the beach—all 7 miles of it!

I also adored the hotel's manager, Markos, who would kindly interrupt my oblivious sun-worshipping to fill me in on news of global importance. Like, for instance: "Gisele just arrived in Brazil for Rio Fashion Week!" he’d exclaim, prompting me to jump out of the hammock and dash to the hotel's office, where I could do a quick Google search for the supermodel.

James & Mucki take a walk on the wild side—the rainforest.

I had my trip to the Fazado arranged by a Swiss travel agent named Susy who told me that she first came to Bahia on a whim over 20 years ago--and she never left. When I asked why, she said simply: "It’s so nice!" Well, I have to agree with Susy (and Valentino). Bahia may be an ultra-chill destination, but in it's own charming way, it definitely rocks!

-- James Patrick Herman

James takes a dip.

You can read more about Brazil and other jet-set getaways in our new February issue.

Surfs up for PartyHopper.

Well, at least the fashion designers aren’t on strike. L.A. may have been deprived of the usual Golden Globes glitz this weekend, but there was no lack of glamour in Milan on Saturday. 

Donatella Versace, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Kelly Rowland

When Donatella Versace unveiled the Versace Men’s collection for fall, her fashion show attracted two-thirds of Destiny’s Child, Jay-Z, actor Dominic Cooper, a few sexy Italian soccer stars and English DJs the Queens of Noize. Here’s more good news for lovers of style and celebrities: New York Fashion Week is only two weeks away!

-- James Patrick Herman

Donatella and Dominic Cooper
Photos courtesy of Versace

Little did I realize how much I have in common with Ashlee Simpson! For one thing, we're both big fans of Pete Wentz. For another, we'd much rather be at the beach than anywhere else, like a recording studio (in her case) or in an office (in mine). For a third, well... I guess there isn't a third example but as someone once sang: Two out of three ain't bad.

I met Ashlee for the first time at the Sony/BMG Grammy party, where she took a break from dancing with her sister Jessica so that we could talk about our mutual love of the ocean. As you can see in our new July issue, Ash chose a gorgeous stretch of sand in Malibu as the backdrop for our photo shoot. "I've always been inspired by the beach," she told me. "And I just love Malibu. I manage to find a little spot where I can be all alone. It's a good place for me to go and clear my head. If I have, you know, a love problem—or any kind of problem—I go there so that I'm able to write about it." If she could pick her favorite sandy spot on earth?  "I would be in Hawaii," she said. "Hopefully—one day—that's where I'll retire."

But Ash was definitely in work mode when we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago. She's been recording nonstop and she's really excited about the songs she's written for her new album, which is due out this fall. "I come from a spiritual background, so there are a few songs about my journey with that" she revealed. "But there are also some fun dance songs as well. And I always come from, like, a 'woman empowerment' kind of place, so there are still those songs too. But for the first time you will hear the side of me that is a spiritual person."

"It's my third record, and I’m trying to step out on a limb," Ash added. "I'm taking chances and just being honest about how I'm feeling. I've grown up a lot and I think I’ve grown as a writer. But I take life as it comes and, you know, I do try to look at it from a lighter perspective."

I can definitely relate to that! What about you?

-- James Patrick Herman

How adorable does Carrie Underwood look in our July issue’s music special? I was impressed that Carrie invited me to do the interview before her process of getting gorgeous for our photo shoot was complete. She was still in the early stages of hair and makeup, with a head full of curlers. Of course, she looked just as adorable. But what strikes me most about Carrie is not her natural beauty or her impressive pipes but rather her confidence. Granted, she has a Best New Artist Grammy on her trophy shelf, but it doesn’t always prove to be a good luck charm for the young artists who win it.

Photos by Mark A. Neston

Carrie Underwood

But Carrie has excellent role models: She chose to accessorize her shoot for In Style with vintage vinyl from Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline. “I still like to put on old 45s and listen to my record player,” Carrie told me. “It used to be in my sister’s bedroom. And after she graduated from high school, it became mine. Yeah, it’s rustic—it’s not a high-definition stereo-quality type of thing. But it’s still charming.”

James and Carrie

Carrie is extremelly charming, as you can tell. “Oh, gosh, we had all kinds of records in our big random collection,” she recalled. “We had Johnny Cash, we had Elvis and I even remember listening to Air Supply!” But Dolly struck a personal chord with Carrie: “She’s a huge personality that exceeds, you  know, her persona. She’s got this mega-awesome personality that just makes you smile when you’re anywhere near her. I’ve actually never even met her, though. I’ve done several things with her, so I’ve been around her, but I’ve never had the opportunity to go introduce myself—mainly because I’m too shy!”

“Dolly has done amazing things in several fields, including television and movies,” Carrie added. “People like and respect her and they don’t have anything bad to say about her. I just think she’s somebody that young women in country music should model their careers after.”

As a fellow Dolly fan, I fully expect that Carrie will have a similarly long career ahead of her. I, for one, can’t wait to hear her new album that’s due out this fall. I have a feeling that Carrie’s CD will strike a chord with Dolly as well. This might be the beginning of a mutual fan club!

What's your favorite Carrie Underwood song?

-- James Patrick Herman

Sorry for the delay, but PartyHopper has been sidelined by carpal tunnel syndrome—a blogger’s worst nightmare! Yesterday after work I endured an acupuncture appointment (despite claims to the contrary, it really does hurt) and then I hit Lorraine “Queen of Bling” Schwartz’s party at the Monkey Bar, which was, oh, about a million times more fun than having sharp needles plunged into my hands. All of the A-list divas—Beyonce, J. Lo, Liz Taylor—love Lorraine, and many of her celeb fans turned out the help her celebrate her new monkey-inspired jewelry collection.

I walked in right behind J. Lo and her entourage, then made a beeline for the VIP room, stopping briefly to chat with hipster designer and foodie Mark Ecko (who shared the highlights of his recent trip to the Aspen Food & Wine festival) en route to a cozy couch where I took a seat in between the fabulous Tina Knowles and R&B ingénue Cassie. Tina, who has more energy than anyone I know (except for maybe her daughter Beyonce) told me about her latest fashion line, Miss Tina, which will be launching on Aug. 15th. She already oversees both the House of Dereon and Dereon junior lines and she also found time to design bling-y monkey outfits especially for this party. I don’t know how she does it all but go, Miss Tina!

Tina and James
Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Photos by Mark A. Neston

Cassie and James

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Remember Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love”? I wasn’t a fan of the song but I adored the video, which featured an all-model band. The other night I saw the Plastiscines, four jeunes filles from Paris who look like they just stepped off the runway, but clearly they’re more at home rocking out on the stages of venues like N.Y.C.’s Irving Plaza.

They’ll about skinny jeans, Sally Hershberger-style shags and ‘70s-inspired jams. Tres cool! Unlike those gals in Palmer’s backing band, the Plastiscines can actually play their instruments as well as sing. And did I mention that they have great hair? Aside from their own raucous songs like “Lost in Translation” and “Loser” (sadly, losers are an international phenomenon), they also performed a cover of “These Boots are Made for Walking” that made me forget all about the version that Jessica Simpson released. Merci beaucoup, ladies!

-- James Patrick Herman

What’s better than partying like a rock star? Partying with a rock star, of course. And when one of my favorite rockers, Pete Wentz, celebrated his birthday last night after Fall Out Boy’s concert at Jones Beach, I wasn’t about to miss it. Pete has a lot going on outside of the music biz—he’s designing a DKNY line for his pal Donna Karan, he has a clothing line of his own, he’s interested in pursuing an acting career and I suspect that it’s only a matter of time before he has his own signature fragrance to boot. Or maybe a makeup line for other young men who enjoy wearing “guyliner.”

Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson
Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage


Photo by Mark A. Neston

The latest addition to Pete’s growing empire is an East Village bar called Angels & Kings. I wonder if he’s following in the footsteps of his music mogul friend, Jay-Z, who opened the popular 40/40 club—perhaps we should start referring to Pete by a hip-hop-style nickname. (P. Wentzy, anyone?). Angles & Kings is remarkably unpretentious. Think: Dive Bar Chic. The walls are lined with mug shots of incarcerated music icons such as Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and Frank Sinatra; there’s sexy red lighting that makes everyone look good, a gong behind the bar and, of course, a great juke box with something for everyone—including fans of Amy Winehouse, Fiona Apple, Michael Jackson, Nas, Billy Joel (!) and Foreigner.

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Call me crazy, but when I watch the Oscars, I’m more interested in seeing what everybody wears than finding out who wins. So I can hardly wait for the 25th annual CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) awards, which are sort of like the Oscars of the fashion industry—it’s all of the glamour without any of that distracting talk about movies. And while the wattage isn't as spectacular, plenty of fabulous stars turn up up to cheer on their favorite designers. Tonight they’ll include our stylish new pal Padma Lakshmi plus the Olsen twins, Uma Thurman, Heidi Klum, Debra Messing, Ellen Barkin, Eva Mendes, Claire Danes and her dashing boyfriend Hugh Dancy. (I recently met Hugh at the Calvin Klein store, so I have a feeling I know what he'll be wearing). Even Oprah will be there to present Ralph Lauren with the first-ever American Fashion Legend Award. Wow! Who wouldn’t want to get an award for being a fashion legend? No disrespect to the members of the Academy but that almost seems cooler than winning an Oscar.

Hugh Dancy at the Calvin Klein boutique

This is one of the only award shows that is held in New York instead of in L.A., so it’s a great way for stars to show their support for N.Y.C. as well as for the fashion biz and—as an added bonus—they get to promote literacy (the ceremony will be held at the Public Library, which isn’t quite as popular a destination as, say, Bungalow 8 for this crowd). The CFDAs also provide a good excuse for actresses to borrow a fabulous dress to wear and, perhaps, keep. And there’s certainly nothing crazy about that.

-- James Patrick Herman

Okay, so this isn’t a new picture, but I can’t imagine that anybody is going to complain about looking at Adrian Grenier. I first met the photogenic actor star at last year’s Toronto Film Festival—where this pic was snapped—while he was promoting his directorial debut, Shot in the Dark. Maybe you watched it on HBO after Entourage last night? This is not to be confused with the 1964 Blake Edwards comedy of the same name, which was about the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. Or A Cry in the Dark, the 1988 drama in which Meryl Streep uttered the line: “A dingo ate my baby.” It’s actually a touching documentary about Adrian’s search for his estranged father and it proves that he is much more than just a pretty face. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

-- James Patrick Herman

We’ve been having so many great “meet & greets” lately that I’m wondering if we should start a new reality show called Top Meet & Greet. Today’s special guest to the In Style office was Top Chef host, author, actress and former model Padma Lakshmi, who gave us a sneak peek at the new cookbook she has coming out this fall: Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet. She also shared highlights of last night’s Fifi Awards, A.K.A. “the Oscars of the fragrance industry.” Sean Combs won for his Unforgiveable by Sean John scent, and I have a feeling that there’s a signature fragrance in Padma’s future—she currently makes her own from a mix of Neil’s Yard organic essential oils. Another beauty tip? “Use honey as a facial mask in the shower—it’s a great smoothing agent,” Padma said, and I would definitely follow any beauty advice that this gal has to offer. It’s hard to believe that a self-proclaimed foodie can be so skinny but Padma assured us all: “I eat like a pig!”

-- James Patrick Herman

Padma and James
Photo by Nicole Logan


Puffy
Photo by © Patrick McMullan, All Rights Reserved

I had to wake up super-early for a meeting yesterday morning: 8 A.M. (and yes, that is early for a professional party-hopper and late-night blogger). But I just couldn’t resist an invitation to go sailing in style around Manhattan in the Hugo Boss boat. Especially since I have such fond memories of the Hugo House, where I crashed during one of my first trips to the Sundance Film Festival (imagine a celebrity version of The Real World: Park City). I joked to the company’s Richard Presser that I wouldn’t be surprised if my next invite was to tour the city in a Hugo-copter. With our chic black sails and a photogenic, Hugo-clad crew, we must have been the envy of the Hudson River—even the Coast Guard couldn’t resist checking us out.

Photo by Karsten Staiger Photography

I wasn’t the only editor who returned from an important business meeting with a tan. Also on board was The New York Post’s Richard Johnson, who edits Page Six, and I was more than happy to share my Kiehl’s sunscreen with him. While most of the passengers (myself included) were content to soak up the sun while checking their Treos, Richard rolled up his sleeves and helped the crew raise and lower the massive sails and from where I was sitting, it sure looked like a lot of work. But I was lounging next to two fellow email addicts who work at the HL Group, a firm that counts many fashion houses as clients, and I was eager to hear the buzz about next week’s CFDAs, a.k.a. “the Oscars of the fashion industry.”

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I remember attending the premiere of Lisa Kudrow’s edgy HBO series, The Comeback, at Paramount Studios and, well, not laughing out loud. I guess I was expecting it to be hilarious but instead it was kind of depressing. But after repeated viewings, I finally get it. Now I think this show was just way ahead of its time.

Malin Akerman

On The Comeback’s sitcom-within-a-sitcom, Lisa played Aunt Sassy to an apartment full of young roommates, and Malin Akerman was the loveable but ditzy blonde girl who proved to be its breakout star. Now she’s hitting the big time for real, but in the movies, not on TV. Over afternoon tea at Bar Americain, the Swedish-born former model and singer for the L.A. band The Petalstones told me how she passed up an offer to join the cast of Lost because she was in the running to costar as Ben Stiller’s love interest in the new Farrelly brothers comedy, The Heartbreak Kid. (Remember what There’s Something About Mary did for Cameron Diaz’s career...and paycheck?) The only problem is that she was up against some actress named Gwyneth Paltrow. And another one named Kate Hudson. But guess what? Malin got the part!

She acted out some of the best (albeit R-rated) lines from the movie, and although I won’t be printing any of them on my blog, it was fun watching the waiter’s jaw-dropping reaction. Malin can also be seen in The Invasion with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig this fall and she’s currently shooting 27 Dresses with Katherine Heigl in Rhode Island (they play sisters). And, hey, speaking of 27 Dresses...

-- James Patrick Herman

I wish that I had been in town for Jamie Lynn Sigler’s recent birthday party at Butter, because I would’ve known the perfect gift to get her. After all, she just talked to me for In Style’s new June issue and revealed all of her guilty pleasures. Like nerds, for instance, which she says her brother Adam brings her every year on her birthday. I’m referring, of course, to the candy kind—her hottie boyfriend, Butter co-owner Scott Sartiano, hardly qualifies as nerdy.

I adore Jamie Lynn not only because she admits to having a serious sweet tooth (she’s a big fan of Skittles, Gummi Worms and Swedish Fish too) but also because she has so many guilty pleasures that I couldn’t possibly fit them all on one page. Since Jamie Lynn is on The Sopranos, one of the greatest television shows ever, I couldn’t resist asking her about her must-see TV shows that aren’t exactly high quality.

Jamie Lynn Sigler
Photo By Johnny Nunez/NUBUZZ PHOTOS

“I’m seriously obsessed with all of the MTV reality shows: The Real World, Parental Control and Date My Mom,” she told me. “That one’s hilarious: The moms are so aggressive. I hate to sound mean but it’s not surprising that some of the moms are, you know, single. And my friends and I actually TiVo The Hills. I’ve seen the same episode of The Hills, like, 80 times. People wouldn’t expect this but I am sort of like Heidi: I’m the loud one. If it’s your birthday—I don’t care how quiet the restaurant is—I’ll be like, ‘Yeah! It’s your birthday!’ I’m the one who likes planning things for her friends. But then when Heidi falls in love, she falls deeply in love. She doesn’t abandon her friends, but she gets very wrapped up in relationships.”

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Hot young models—and the investment bankers who love them—turned out to see Fergie Ferg perform at the second of seven shows in the Cipriani Wall Street Concert Series. She was introduced by none other than Sarah Ferguson (the evening benefited her foundation as well as the U.S. Fund for UNICEF). The Duchess of York shared some quotes from their first-ever phone conversation when she rang the solo Black Eyed Pea to request that she “rock the house for the children of the world”: “Hello, Fergie. It’s Fergie,” she recalled saying, to which the singer naturally replied, “Hi, Fergie!”
And so on. Last night’s crowd also included power couple Damon Dash and Rachel Roy, designer Marc Bouwer, stylish Norma Augenblick—who is responsible for putting this fabulous Deutsche Bank-sponsored series together—and her boss, Giuseppe Cipriani.
I have to give Fergie props for such a high-energy performance despite the fact that the banker-heavy crowd was not quick to shake their tailfeathers. And I was impressed that her set ranged from pop to rock, R&B, even reggae. I especially loved it when she capped her inspired cover of Heart’s “Barracuda” by channeling Axl Rose and shouting: “Welcome to the jungle, baby! You’re gonna die!” The models and bankers looked a little confused, but I thought it was genius.

-- James Patrick Herman

Photos by Mark A. Neston

Fergie

Sarah Ferguson and Giuseppe Cipriani




James and Norma Augenblick

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Ladies, have you ever spent hours getting ready for a party only to turn up and see someone else rocking your dress? That’s how I felt when I spotted John Travolta at Colin Cowie’s 70’s-theme party and he was wearing the exact same black shirt-white suit combo that I had on. But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and fortunately John--who is just as movie-star-handsome in person as you would expect--appeared to be flattered: “You’re wearing your collar in but I’m wearing mine out,” he said, sounding amused and smiling. We also had chest hair in common.

Photos By Mark A. Neston

John Travolta and James

Later, I had the pleasure of interviewing rock icon Steven Tyler and his beautiful daughters Liv and Chelsea as well as younger singers such as Nick Lachey, TV stars like Rob Lowe, and one of cinema’s Fantastic Four, Human Torch Chris Evans, who also appears as "the Harvard Hottie" opposite Scarlett Johansson in The Nanny Diaries this fall. As you can see, he is, in fact, smokin’ hot.

Steven Tyler

Chelsea and Liv Tyler

Angela Bassett and James

Chris Evans and James

James and Rob Lowe

After Tyler rocked the house and showed everyone how to "Walk This Way," the crowd came down (and got down) with a case of disco fever when the Village People and Earth, Wind and Fire took the stage and were joined by Stevie Wonder. One of the best answers I got to my question (“What's your favorite thing about the seventies?”) came from Kelsey Grammer. “High school,” he quipped. But first place goes to Kelly Preston, who bragged, “My husband!”

-- James Patrick Herman

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Stevie Wonder celebrated his 57th  birthday with a little help from his friends: Whitney Houston, Kanye West, Steven Tyler, Jeremy Piven, Tyra Banks, Angela Bassett, Spike Lee, Kelsey Grammer, Quincy Jones and Chris Tucker. And those were just the stars seated in the audience at Bobby Flay’s new Mesa Grill restaurant in the Cove Atlantis resort. The celebrities who took the stage to serenade the birthday boy with covers of his soulful classics included John Legend, India.Arie and Joss Stone, who kicked off her heels to perform “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours,” in her signature shoeless style.

Photos by Mark A. Neston

Stevie Wonder with friends and family


Whitney Houston


Joss Stone


John Legend

After a fabulous dinner of tuna tartare and filet mignon (thanks, Bobby!), I stopped by Trya’s table to say hi and asked if she would be singing tonight; she just rolled her eyes and laughed. “Have you seen who seen who is in this room tonight?” asked her buff manager, Benny Medina, who sometimes serves as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model. Sure, but I also just saw a rerun of the episode where Tyra shoots a music video and aspiring top models have to boogie in the background. (Yes, not only do I admit to watching ANTM but I even watch old reruns of the show on MTV!) Then Benny told me to put down my pen and pad. “You’re not working tonight,” he said. But like Benny, I’m always working the room!

James and Bobby Flay

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I just walked by a tracksuit-clad Stevie Wonder in the hotel lobby. Now I'm watching Janet Jackson swim with dolphins. And I hear that my favorite party girl, Lindsay Lohan, is due to arrive any minute.

Where am I? The Cove Atlantis on Paradise Island, a new 600-room resort in the Bahamas. The fun starts tonight with Stevie Wonder's 60th birthday party and doesn't quit until Saturday night, when uber-entertainer Colin Cowie throws a '70s-theme party. It's bound to be a disco inferno!

-- James Patrick Herman

The last time I saw Brooke Shields was at the “Walk of Style” tribute to Donatella Versace and her late brother Gianni in Los Angeles. I remember thinking: Wow, I can’t believe that a party on Rodeo Drive is still going strong at midnight, but Brooke and her fabulous friends weren’t in any hurry to leave. And hey, she has everyone reason to live it up these days: For one thing, she’s happily married with two gorgeous kids. For another, she has a super-stylish, Sexy and the City-esque TV series called Lipstick Jungle due out this fall (she’ll probably be the Charlotte character but I’m hoping she’ll turn out to be more like Samantha), which means that we’ll hopefully be seeing a lot more of Brooke in N.Y.C. And yesterday, she was honored here with the Spirit of Life Award from City of Hope, the largest cancer research center and hospital in the country. After an introduction from my favorite columnist, Liz Smith, Brooke accepted the award on behalf of her late father, Francis Shields, who died of prostate cancer. Brooke gave a heartfelt speech (“I accept this award in the name of my father, who is thanking all of you for the work that you are doing to try to cure this disease, which affects entire families,” she said) and was interrupted only once because of an unexpected shout-out from her one-year-old daughter Grier. And yes, she’s one pretty baby, just like her mom.

-- James Patrick Herman

Brooke Shields
Photo by Gary Gershoff/WireImage.com

What do you get for the R&B phenom who seems to have everything for his 18th birthday? For singer Chris Brown—who has a new album called Exclusive coming out in September and a movie titled This Christmas hitting theaters in November—the answer is apparently a blue Lamborghini.

That was Chris’s gift to himself, anyway. Meanwhile, his record label, Jive, treated him to a lavish dinner at Mr. Chow in Tribeca and they generously invited many of his fans from the media and fashion worlds. Wendy Washington and Ticeman Merriweather from Jive sent me a handwritten invite specifying that the dress code was “sexy chic,” and that phrase definitely summed up the crowd: The first person I saw was, of course, ubiquitous photographer Johnny Nunez, who was shooting guests as they arrived. Once inside, I caught up with my hilarious friend Margeaux Watson, who writes the “Hot Mess of the Week” column for Entertainment Weekly. And later I met a rep for Miu Miu who told me that a brand new boutique will be opening on 57th Street in September and (thank you, Miuccia) and it will include their men’s as well as their women’s collections.

Photos by Mark A. Neston

The birthday boy


James and Johnny Nunez

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Okay, this is going to be my very last Coachella-inspired blog post, I swear! While I managed to see dozens of awesome bands over the course of the three-day fest, trying to spot svelte stars was a bit like trying to find needles in a haystack. Sadly, I missed bumping into one of my favorite young actresses, Taryn Manning (who has appeared in movies such as Hustle & Flow and 8 Mile and has six new films coming out this year). I searched all over for her during Bjork’s set, but as it turned out, she was still stuck on the freeway. “I was looking forward to seeing Bjork most of all—she’s incredible live,” Taryn tells me. “I was devastated that I missed her because of traffic.” Fortunately Taryn didn’t miss the DKNY Jeans House, a nearby retreat where stars and scenesters could shop, relax and freshen up if they didn’t care to powder their noses in the porta-potties at Coachella.

Taryn Manning at the DKNY Jeans House
Photo by Seth Brownick/Wireimage

“Aside from the music, my favorite thing about Coachella is all the people and their eclectic styles. I love checking out the fashion on display and seeing how creative people can be in the blazing heat,” Taryn says. As a Coachella vet, she has learned a thing or two about looking cool in 100-plus temperatures. Her tips for beating the heat in style? “My look starts with a lot of sunscreen with shimmer. And I have to wear waterproof mascara or I will have smeared mascara in no time,” she says.

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Who wants to read on a Friday afternoon? I feel you. So I hope you like looking at these pictures of bands (and other amusing distractions) at Coachella as much as I enjoyed hearing them.

-- James Patrick Herman

Photos by Mark A. Neston

I went to see Swedish imports Peter, Bjorn and John (they’re like the Ikea of indie rock!) the other night at Webster Hall--which used to be The Ritz back in the day and also served as the setting of Madonna’s infamous Bedtime Stories pajama party—and even though they put on a great show, I missed the wide-open spaces of Coachella (despite the fact that the polo field was jam-packed with 100,000 hipsters). More importantly, I missed the fact that I would be not be returning home to find a clean bedroom, as was the case during my lovely stay at the scene-y Parker Palm Springs hotel.

Peter Bjorn and John
Photo By Mark A. Neston

It was cool seeing headliners like the Red Hot Chili Peppers live at Coachella (especially when they performed a cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”) but it was even better seeing them up close and personal at the Parker’s pool during the day. I’ve heard that members of some long-established touring bands don’t even speak to one other when they’re not on stage, so it’s good to know that Anthony Kiedis and Flea really do enjoy each other’s company (not to mention the company of bikini-clad female admirers). That Flea is such a daredevil—you should have seen him doing a backflip into the shallow end of the saline pool.

Photo By Mark A. Neston


Photo By Mark A. Neston

Photo By Mark A. Neston