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You know how sometimes you judge a future experience by a past one, good or bad? (For example, “Karen’s party should be good because her last one was.”) Well, I just returned from NY, and had such a strange experience at a Tribeca Film Festival Gifting Suite, that when I was invited to one here immediately upon my return, I almost didn’t attend. But I love the name of the PR firm who was handling it, Fifteen Minutes, so off I went. I’m glad I did.
It was part of the grand opening of a nightlife venue called the Stoli Hotel that will be up for only the month of May, so you better get in on it now. It’s actually a giant warehouse in Hollywood that I’ve been to before for other massive parties. Stoli Vodka has turned it into quite the showplace for a month of celebrations to promote their new products. I don’t drink, but the bottles looked pretty.
For the opening, GBK Productions held the private gifting suite upstairs. We invitees had to be escorted through such a maze of doors and darkness that I fully expected Jack Bauer to be waiting at the end. I love “Joe sent me” scenes.
This suite was a pared-down party version, as opposed to the ones for awards shows, where you’re meant to spend all day. It was a perfect addition to a nighttime soiree, though, for those of us who were lucky enough to attend. I wound-up passing the evening here and not at the actual party. I’ll try to catch one on another night this month and let you know how that works out.
I’ve found that many of the usual gifting suites don’t have enough food, but this one was catered by Sky’s Gourmet Tacos. While I was in heaven from their pineapple cheesecake, (shades of Chez Jay), my friends were thrilled with the shrimp tacos that Victor and Kevin custom made for each of us. And of course there were beans, rice and guacamole. I plan on visiting the restaurant along my new favorite eating strip of what I call Upper Pico, and I’ll review it here and on my show as soon as I can.
While I talked to most of the friendly sponsors, I had a few favorites. Laurie of Sea Girl Gift Shop in Malibu had great natural products for sun protection and skin care. I was thrilled to receive her line’s tinted sunscreen, a product I think is brilliant. This way, you can be gorgeous AND protected, the latter of which some of us still take too lightly. This shop also has adorable tops with pictures of not-your-mother’s mermaids, including grannies and plus-size girls! Cute concept.
I brought a stack of Power Crunch nutrition bars home for Mr. X to try because that’s his area of expertise, and he loved them! I was shocked because he never thinks that anything in this category tastes very good. I tried one myself and it actually tasted like a wafer cookie. And they come in fun flavors, too. Since they’re touted as being “ideal for pre- and post-workout” I just may start exercising again, just to have a legitimate excuse to eat a lot of them.
I spent a lot of time with the couple from Daredevil Energy Drink. They were so attractive that I told them I didn’t expect them to be so nice. I knew I liked them as soon as they recommended a restaurant for having good-looking waiters! And they’d never even seen my show! (They’re excused for that, though, because they live in Orange County, where it’s not aired.)
The table that drew me to it the most featured lamps with gorgeous colored bulbs from Mood-factory, geared towards eliciting different desired results, such as the cool blue one labeled Tranquility. I want to ask them to make me some in mini-flashlights to shine on all the attitudinal people I encounter. (This idea is now copyrighted in this column, so don’t anyone even think of stealing it.) How much easier would life be for the rest of us if that would actually work?
The most cleverly named product at the event is Sumbody, which is obviously products for your whole body. Or for mathematicians, I’m not sure which. Either way, I got their Sugar Scrub and as soon as I finish this column, I’m going to be using some…on my body.
With a fun suite like this available to me, can you see why I missed the party itself? How much can a jet-lagged bon vivette do in one night? (Unless she’s Lindsay Lohan, who was probably there, too.)
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