HollywoodSeven

LUST : Pink RAZR

2005-09-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. God.

I don't even know what else to say. I want it so bad. Motorola, I love you...send me one! ;)

GLUTTONY : San Gennaro Festival

2005-09-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmm...pasta. When it's good, it's good. And when it's bad, well...it's glue-y. Just go ask the patrons of La Piazza at the Grove. How an italian restaurant can perpetrate such an atrocity, I dunno. Oh well, at least it's not the Olive Garden! ;)

So, this weekend was the San Gennaro Festival at the Grove, celebrating italian heritage. I live close, so I got to experience the loud festivities for the past 4 or so days. If I hear "That's amore" one more time, I, I ,I....I dunno what I'd do. Maybe leave a nasty blog entry. < shrugs >

The pasta at the Il Pastaio booth was pretty good, much better than pasta that's been sitting out in the sun for a while has a right to be. Though...3 gnocchi, a handful of penne and a small glob of baked spagetti with eggplant for $10? We gotta discuss this, apparently I'm in the wrong business.

I stuffed myself, listened to some good and bad music at the main stage and was slightly half in the bag by mid-afternoon. A good time was had by all...until we ran into "String Cheese Man", hereafter referred to as SCM. The picture above was taken a week ago at the Ralph's on 3rd/La Brea. I was laughing so hard I had to pass my cameraphone to my companion in order to take the picture.

And there we were again today, me and SCM. I think he might be following me. And that is one SCARY piece of fodder for nightmares. The most heinous part of the costume isn't even showing in this image. Picture it...cheese string dreadlocks. Yes, I'm horrified, too. Actually, the dreadlocks kind of help you identify what this creature is. Otherwise, you're thrown off by the horrific phallic-ness of it all. Certainly not a character I want MY kids to meet in a supermarket.

Anyhow, I had some good pasta. I hope the indigestion doesn't give me nightmares. < shudder > Cheese String Man nightmares...

p.s. Sorry it took me so long to post again, kids. I have a life. Kind of.

LUST : Gen Art show

2005-04-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

How fabulous was the Gen Art show this weekend? In case you missed it, Gen Art held their LA Designer Shopping Spree this Saturday, at the 5th and Sunset Photo Studios. Great venue (which I say with authority as someone who's tried to book her own shows), nice selection of designers and yummy catering by Feast. I had the bacon, spinach and swiss quiche. OMG...I want more now.

The clothes were okay... I'm sure they were "fabulous", but seriously...I actually *eat* so most of the clothes wouldn't fit me. I did find one vendor, Moss Mills, that had a selection of cute skirts for reasonable prices. A friend and I both bought a skirt there, which I'm sure were all mass-produced in China...but I don't complain when I actually find something flattering. Moss Mills also had some nice jewelry, I almost succumbed to a gold vermeil ring and then remembered I don't wear rings anymore.

My Blankee has some really cute baby blankets. $42 does seem a bit high for a bit of soft cloth, but they were finished really nicely. The aforementioned friend bought one as a baby shower gift, so we were pretty productive for the day.

It's always nice to have goodie bags. This one was a bit sparse, but I did score a lip gloss by Wink Beauty (headed up by a friend), a delicious cookie from Feast and an edition of V-Life...which I had been meaning to check out.

Gen Art has another Shopping Spree in July. Stay tuned, cuz I'm going to try to attend as a Vendor. WARNING: SHAMELESS PLUG AHEAD! What was that? You can can't wait and need a shopping fix sooner? Well then...come to our Upgrade Show! More info at http://www.upgradeshow.com

LUST : Another misadventure at the Grove

2005-04-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

I love that place. I could just live there. You know how they have those windows on the 2nd story, so it looks like there are apartments up there? I dream of living there. Alas...it would end badly.

My latest object of desire? This handbag, in turquoise. I'm giving myself a day to get over it.

By the way, when did spraypainting t-shirts, sweatshirts and jeans with low-rent copies of Juicy and James Perse designs make you a designer? Ya, I didn't think so either, Nicky Hilton.

Lastly, I think I saw Lizzie Grubman at Nordie's. Not as skanky-looking as I thought. Amazing what $500 highlights and some microdermabrasion does.

ANGER: Et tu, Jane?

2005-03-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

When did Jane magazine start putting people I hate on the cover? Paris, Lindsay, Brittany...I could go on. Ok...maybe hate is a strong word. I just don't like their image : stick figures with hair, just as thin, just as two-dimensional. The people that Jane used to share my loathing of.

I started reading Jane from the very first issue, which I actually still have. Finally...a magazine aimed at ME! Something that doesn't make me feel shittier after having read it (thanks for nothing, Cosmo). It's all gone into the crapper now.

Thank you, Jane...for this months articles like "The Magic Pants on P.48 give Instant Booty". Thanks, you insensitive editors...I already have Booty. Too much of it. I guess I shouldn't feel TOO left out..."A Wonder Woman Bod In Whatever Amount Of Time You Feel Like Putting In" must be directed at me.

Like a bad relationship that you stay in because you hope for just *one* glimpse of it's former glory, I keep buying the magazine each month. No more. Bye, Jane, it's over between us.

GREED : Suze Orman at the Grove - 8 pm this Thursday

2005-03-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

I saw a post on Defamer about Suze Orman's new book, and was mildly intrigued. Her new book is called "The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke" and aimed at us 20-30 something spendthrifts.

As I paid for the book, I struggled with 3 shopping bags, and included "Shop etc" magazine in my purchase. Do I have a problem, Suze?

Link to her site : http://www.suzeorman.com Careful, there's a HUGE, very surprised image of her on the home page. Go at your own risk. Her eyes seem to follow me, saying "Pay off all your credit cards!". She'll be at the Grove tomorrow night at Barnes & Noble.

PRIDE : Babywear

2005-03-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

It seems so wrong, yet you laugh anyways.

Glarkware comments that "But secretly, you probably feel that your baby is delicious enough to make a nice snack for a wild dog.

Um. God forbid."

Linky here

ENVY! No LUST! NO...ANGER! Crap...it's the Oscars, it's ALL of them!

2005-02-27T22:08:00.000-08:00

What day better epitomizes what Hollywood is all about? None...really. And what day gives women (and gay men) more ammunition to be bitchy and catty around the television together? I've heard more than a few people say that Oscar night is the "Superbowl for women". Yup,that it is. Television, snacks, betting, cheering, booing and crying. Sounds like Superbowl to me!

But I digress...my mission today is to call attention to a very important cause. Watching the Oscars, something strange occured to me. Looking at alot of the outfits (including those of the "regular" folk in the background of the red carpet shots), I realized that a very horrific crime has befallen Hollywood. No one has spoken of it before, but I shall break the silence and free us all.

There have been a rash of full length mirror burglaries in the LA metropolitan area.

I know, I'm stunned, too. I imagine it's the same people who are responsible for those Bel Air burglaries, AND the very sad abductions of Hollywood starlet undergarments that were first reported on by other Hollywood blogs.

Exhibit A of the rash of stolen full length mirrors: Louis Gosset jr's wife. I don't even know who the hell she is, and I don't THINK I've seen any of his movies...but jesus, spend a couple of bucks on a dress for the Oscars. It looks like you tied up a beige scarf over your boobs and finished it off with an ugly brooch. I'm sure if you HAD a full length mirror, you would have realized this. My condolences on the mirror theft. I'd give you other examples, but my eyeballs ache from watching it all. I need some rest and a hot compress.

Please find it in your heart to donate to this worthy cause. It's obviously helped many celebrities, as evidenced by Kirsten Dunst. Having been relegated to wearing Miami Beach Muumuus for months (many, many pictures at http://www.gofugyourself.com), she has obviously been gifted with a new full length mirror courtesy of the FLMFC (Full Length Mirror Foundation for Celebrities). She looked fabulous in that black gown tonight. I hope the foundation can help many, many more people. Please save us from this plight...be generous.

LUST : God-damn Commercialism

2005-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

Nauseated by all of the big red heart-shaped boxes of cheap chocolates littering our local retail outlets, I spent some quality time with the Widow Clicquot last night. Nothing like protesting the crass commercialization of an essentially sweet holiday by ingesting large, er, moderate amounts of good french champagne.

It got me thinking...do you have to spend upwards of $30 on decent bubbly?

Here are my faves...

1. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label ($30)
2. Perrier Jouet "Flower bottle" ($110)
3. Korbel Extra Dry (note: Extra Dry is less dry than Brut, making it essentially "semi-dry") ($9)

Hmmm...I can only think of 3? I think a tasting party is in order!

Now's a good time to mention 2 of my favorite wine stores:
John & Pete's Liquor on La Cienega/Melrose
Silverlake Wine on Glendale Blvd in Silverlake

GLUTTONY: Chocolate Fountain Revisited

2005-02-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

You know I've been dreaming of it, right? That I've been trying to think up ways of justifying the rental of it? Thinking that President's Day should REALLY have a banquet tied to it? With, ohhhh...mayyyybbbbeee a Chocolate Fountain for dessert?

Well...those days are over. Flying home from NY, I found this in the SkyMall catalog (God BLESS SkyMall!):

Okay, ya...sure, the little severed hand that's holding a strawberry to the chocolate is creepy....but damn, it still makes me want to buy it. $99 of ecstasy...

Link to the Bliss here

GLUTTONY : NY Update

2005-02-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

Finally found some good sushi in NY. It's like trying to find a talented member of the Simpson family. Jesus...

It's Sharaku on 14 Stuyvestant St (around 9th and 3rd Ave.)

Linky here

GLUTTONY : NY

2005-02-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

Hollywood Seven is reporting from New York this week. Thank god we avoided the snow storm from 2 weeks ago. H7 is unhappy with snow. It's cold. And wet. Did I mention cold?

Anyhow...went to Kittichai at 60 Thompson the other night. My god...hot waiters, hosts AND sommeliers? Gotta go back! It's like a male Chandara! Oh, and the food was good, too. ;) Much better than Tao, though not as much of a dramatic space. Had the Rock Shrimp with Eggplant appetizers and we shared the Black Cod and the Red Curry Duck. YUMMY! A very nice french Sancerres accompanied dinner. New varietal for me, very good! A little fruitier than most white Burgundies.

Had lunch at the french restaurant Danal in Greenwich. GREAT asparagus & mushroom risotto, but a very greasy pan-friend Monkfish. Dinner thereafter at Sumo in Chelsea. Umm...ya, NY? Gotta work on that sushi, not working out so well for ya. I have yet to have a good sushi experience in this town. Post comments if you disagree.

I realize that I only love NY at night. A lovely darkness envelops the town, shielding me from it's scummy dirtiness. Once again, post comments if you disagree. You'll be wrong, though!

More to report later, darlings!

More info:
Danal link
Kittichai link
Sumo link

GLUTTONY : Sawtelle Strand

2005-02-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

It has recently come to my attention that quite a few long-term Los Angeles residents have never heard of my fave place to indulge in Japanese delicacies. At the risk of making it even MORE difficult to find parking in the area, I'm going to share my secret with you.

In the general vicinity of Olympic and Sawtelle lies a gastromic paradise. Want super fresh sushi without the wacky cream cheese based rolls forced on you by "sushi" restaurants? Yes...I used quotes around that. You know what places I'm taking about. Don't make me go there...

I'm still discovering the area. That's what I love about LA. So many different neighborhoods with authentic restaurants and stores, allowing you to immerse yourself in a certain culture for even just an afternoon. People snivel and whine about LA being so bland and not having any culture. Jesus, get your ass outta Santa Monica and Bev Hills more often! There are hundreds of cute little spots all around the LA area. And I'll be reporting on them for you.

But I digress...back to Sawtelle. I'm a big fan of Hide and Sushi Yuu. Hurry Curry of Tokyo is cool (LOVE the $4 martinis!), and the strip mall it's in has a crepe place, a couple of Boba joints and the cutest little clothing store. All open pretty late. Warning, though...a lot of the places close at 10 pm on weeknights. Sushi Yuu is open until 1:15 am. 2nd warning...Blue Marlin serves Japanese/Italian food. Try at your own risk. ;)

There's a japanese supermarket I'm dying to check out across the street from said minimall. There's also TWO Giant Robot stores for you recovering hipsters.

It's going to take a while for me to tire of this neighborhood. No, I'm not giving addresses to the above mentioned places. I already broke my vow of silence about the area...so just drive down, park and find them yourself!

Read this fascinating account of the area's history in the LA Weekly

GLUTTONY : Vodka Rant

2005-02-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

The New York Times reports that Smirnoff won a blind taste-testing of 21 vodkas. Ya...and Tara Reid is going to be nominated for an Oscar in our lifetime. Whatever. Who prints this kind of crap?

My favorite quote is that Smirnoff has a "classic vodka aroma". What? Until alot of the premium vodkas came along in the past few years, vodka was mostly something you mixed into something else to disguise it's taste. Only drunk Siberians could appreciate it's aroma. It's really not saying much when you extoll the "classic" virtues of Smirnoff.

After years of suffering through Absolut, Skyy and the aforementioned Smirnoff, I've spent the past year experimenting with various "premium" vodkas. Why are they called premium? Apparently because they cost more than $9.99 and don't taste like distilled rubbing alcohol.

Here are my top 5 fave vodkas:

1. 42 Below - from New Zealand.
2. Hangar One - from the San Francisco-area.
3. Level - Premium brand from Absolut. Basically, Absolut is telling you "our other vodka tastes like ass, so we're gonna charge you more to get something decent".
4. Effen - from ~~Sweden~~ Holland - plus I just like asking for some "effen vodka". < giggle >
5. Grey Goose - the old stand-by. Easy to find in most bars.

If I'm slumming, and the above are not available...I will order Belvedere or Ketel One - to avoid the esophagus-scorching Absolut. I'll be cranky, though...

Honorable mention is Tito's, a Texan vodka. Tasted pretty smooth, but made my lips numb. I'm gonna have to re-taste this one. There's a bottle in my freezer...party anyone?

Keep in mind that I try not to drink at home (I fear becoming an alcoholic. Dunno why...) and that I mostly order vodka in bars. So my choices are tempered by availability.

Click here to read more of the New York Times' drivel: NY Times article

p.s. The following is the only way to improve Smirnoff's taste (think Brita Filter):
Oh My God It Burns

GLUTTONY : Chocolate fountains...

2005-01-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

A dear friend of mine, who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty, asked me to accompany her to a "Wedding Show" at the LA Convention Center. We are SOOO not the type of girls to bust out into squeals at the mention of weddings, so we approached it with a mix of dread and fascination. Much like watching Ashlee Simpson sing, or looking at a traffic accident. Actually...those 2 are one and the same...but nevermind.

I had previously been to a Wedding Show, so I kinda knew what to expect. I was mostly looking forward to the free cake samples, and making snarky comments about the tacky dresses. The ominous references to the "cake dive" at the Registration table didn't make the prospect of wading through miles of persistant and creeky wedding photographers any more appealing.

Oh wait...the "cake dive"? Yes...apparently 5 brides are chosen to paw through a huge cake in search of a $5,000 piece of diamond jewelery. We very politely declined. Actually...I made some remark about how humiliating that is and that we're not the sort of people to appear on reality shows, either. Didn't go over well with the "Wedding Show" staff. Oh well...

The day was not in vain, though. I got a great recipe for pasta salad after trying some from a caterer. Yum. Note to all caterers at future wedding shows: Bring food. Why else would I talk to you? I can make an appt to do that, I don't need to trudge through a convention center...

AND I found out about the chocolate fountain. No, no...that's not a new video from one of the many fine video production companies in the San Fernando Valley. Picture a large fountain filled with flowing melted chocolate. Now picture a bowl of madeleine cookies beside it. It might actually be worth getting married to get access to one of these...

www.gourmetchocolatefountains.com

PRIDE : Identity Crisis

2005-01-28T19:53:00.000-08:00

I went into Tommy Bahama today.

(pausing for screams)

It was out of desperation.

I'm feeling a little, well, rotund and couldn't find a cute skirt in all of the Grove. The Grove, my 2nd home, has let me down. I'm a little depressed. I think that's what drove me to the nauseatingly coconutty home of Mr. Bahama. I took about 5 steps in, fingered a wrap skirt with pineapples on it, then quickly shook myself out of a trance and ran out.

For those of you mystified by my horror (and if you're a woman under the age of 39...I imagine you already understand), let me explain. There are certain establishments that young women, such as myself, don't frequent. We may mock them, we may (as a last resort) peruse the merchandise for mom's Xmas gift...but we do NOT purchase anything there. A friend recently found a fabulously flattering pair of jeans at J. Jill. She is hesitant to admit it, and now questions her entire being.

By the way, Minnie Driver, saw you in the Nordie's upscale juniors section. You looked luminous. I bet you've never even heard of Tommy Bahama.

p.s. Thanks again, Gawker. You cheered me with up with this:
http://www.liquidgeneration.com/poptoons/bradjen_usher.asp

LUST: 17 shopping days left until Valentine's Day...

2005-01-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

Shit, I love Gawker.com. What other sites provide you with such a myriad of ways to avoid working? One of today's entries was awesome. Sending the following message to ALL my guy friends.

"Demanding woman? Run out of Valentine's Day ideas? Here ya go. Thank me later. :D"

The "Shit Bitch, You is Fine" Bear

http://tomatoalligator.com

Disclaimer : I hate this holiday more than you guys do. Seriously...how sad is it? I once had a coworker receive a call from his screaming wife about how she got the smallest bouquet of flowers of all the girls in her office. Rather than dump her unthankful ass, he actually said "Crap. When does the Louis Vuitton store close? I guess I gotta get her that purse she wanted.". Christ...grow some balls...

Welcome to Hollywood Seven

2005-01-25T23:29:00.000-08:00

We're your inside source for all of the hollywood sins. Greed, lust, anger, pride, envy, gluttony and sloth. Every week, we'll post tips from the hottest sources in the baddest town. Favorite stores, products, restaurants, maybe even a little gossip (but you didn't hear that from us...)

What's that? Las Vegas is supposed to be Sin City? Sweetie...Hollywood INVENTED sin. Hang in there and we'll show you a whole new world...