Two Events, One Night

Thursday seems to be the night Angelenos like to see and be seen. Tomorrow, two events are penciled in my night schedule: VH1's Save The Music event at Lisa Kline on (the trendy-to-a-fault) Robertson Boulevard and the Girlie Designs ladies only shopping event benefiting Toys For Tots. The best part, besides being a charitable citizen, is the promise of Grey Goose martinis at VH1 and yummy cupcakes at Girlie Designs.

Saving the music and helping buy toys for the kiddies this Christmas?

Sounds like the perfect kick-off to my holiday season.





I'm Lovin' it: Swiss Miss caramel-flavored hot chocolate. A box is only $1.99 at Stater Bros. -- and an excellent way to satisfy your cocoa bean craving without mucho calories.

I'm Over it: People who don't return phone messages in 24 hours. How rude. Unless they're on their deathbed.

Track Classic of the Day: "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey. Smooth beat, octave shattering voice range, and (was) number one on the Billboard charts. It's by far the most classic MC track of them all.

RAZR Thin

Technology is fashionable. iPod minis with protective covers created by uber-designers, rhinestone Sidekicks, ROKRs, and pink RAZRs (only available to worthy starlets, like Nicole Richie).

So you can imagine my excitement to find out my l'il sister's friend -- an up and coming rapper just signed to Universal -- is selling his sleek, coveted black RAZR for a mere $75. And if the sister passes on that offer, you know it's gonna be sold. To me.

It'll be mine, all mine. Take that, all y'all eBay-ing fools!





I'm Lovin it: Nigel Barker, photog extraordinaire on America's Next Top Model. One of the only hot men in fashion who doesn't prefer it raining men. Alexi Lubomirski, the gorgeous assistant to Mario Testino and other half of supermodel Jacquetta Wheeler, is an extremely close second. Extremely.

I'm Over it: Those creepy Theraflu commercials. As a result, I'll stick to NeoCitrin, thank you very much.

Track Classic of the Day: "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Tony Tone Toni (is that the right order??). I remember feeling so rebellious and kinky listening to this way back when. If I only knew...

Haute Hippie, Editrix

So Haute Hippie's got herself an interview this coming Saturday for the Los Angeles editor position for Shecky's, an online magazine based out of New York. It's readersip is growing like crazy, so they're opening a chapter for every major U.S. city.

Already been given a pre-interview assignment, so HH has a little homework to do this week.

So you want fashion, food, lifestyle, nightlife, and gossip in fun and witty banter?

Shecky's, y'all.





* photo courtesy/property of sheckys.com

Lemon Aid

For years, my mom has extolled the virtues of lemons. They're great as a food flavor, great as a drink ingredient, and great for garnishing alcoholic beverages. But great for combating cringe-inducing blemishes? Who knew!

So for the past week and a half, I've been cutting myself a wedge of lemon before bedtime, squeezing the juice contents in my hand (after slathering on magical vitamin E cream from Shopper's Drug Mart, a pharm chain in Canada) and rubbing the stuff onto my face.

Let me tell you, it hurts like hell. Open pores + acidic substance = extreme pain (you'll want to die, but it's worth it).

But I guarantee the next day your skin is smoother and the blemishes are noticeably lighter. Any pesky pimples rearing their ugly white heads will perish in the juice as well, or at least be on its way to a sure death. My mom never used anything but lemon on her face, and her skin is so smooth and flawless I get jealous looking at it.

Maybe I should cut myself two wedges tonight.

I'm Lovin' it: Jana Feifer handbags. I'm in lust with a turquoise and gold mock-croc wallet number I snagged at a Planet Lulu sample sale a few months ago, and so is everyone else who lays eyes on it. Check out the too-cute leather clutch with three inside pockets.

I'm Over it: Mischa Barton getting engaged to rocker Cisco Adler. His hair is as long as hers.

Track Classic of the Day: "Today Was A Good Day" by Ice Cube. This old school gangsta joint never gets tired. Hey, did y'all here that Chris Tucker got $20 mil for "Rush Hour 3"? He's come a long way since last "Friday".

* photo courtesy of itsalldirect2u.com

Got Me a New Boyfriend...

His name is Andrew. He's 6'2. Has blonde hair and green eyes. Works with the airlines. Speaks with an adorable Kiwi accent. Dresses to perfection. Has hot friends. Is so sweet and nice. Everyone adores him.

Perfect, you say? Yes.

And gay.

Thus perpetuates the dating dilemma of every professional, well-rounded, nice, single woman in Los Angeles.

The Abbey in West Hollywood last night was too much fun, it's literally addictive. First of all, the bar itself has a dark, super sexy vibe with a great (and huge) outdoor section for smokers 'n' minglers, plus a good-sized dance floor for those who want to get down. From what I can remember, there are three bars and plenty of bartender eyecandy...except they're not really interested in you but are definitely into your gay BFF.

A straight woman going to a gay bar is a double-edged sword.

The pros: a lot of hot, stylish men in one place that're all so friendly and funny you end up making a gazillion new best buds, no creepy men all up in your grill making small talk to escape from, fun partners to dirty dance with (without feeling like a floozy), drinks and intelligent conversation minus the expectations later, no hesitation giving out your number (since it will only lead to a new shopping and gossip partner), and gorgeous men telling you how beautiful and smart you are, with absolute sincerity and no ulterior motive.

The cons: none of the hot/stylish/funny men there are into you in THAT way, you are less inclined to get bought drinks (but your gay BFF will get plenty), a lot of the guys may have a better outfit than you, and you just might have to fight off scary woman-oriented ladies trying to dance with you (at this point, seriously start grinding with your newest gay boyfriend or claim your friend-that's-a-girl is actually your girlfriend).

That being said, the pros definitely outweighed the cons last night. We may have been out till the wee hours of the morning in West Hollywood, but The Shizz and I felt loved, happy, and safe amongst our new friends.

Two of whom we're seeing again tonight.

I'm Lovin' it: Andrew, Lee, Sylvester, Patrick, Andrew #2, Alex, Jared, Adonis, and Tiy-Tiy (of course!)

I'm Over it: My morning hunger pangs. I refused to give into a fast-food stop late last night, which, by the way, I'm very proud of. I believe an omlette is in order.

Track Classic of the Day: "Lady, Hear Me Tonight" by Mojo. You can shake your groove thang to this in both the straight and gay bars.

Scabbey Abbey

Off to the the Abbey in West Ho! We're gettin' lit tonight...

Love Haute Hippie, R-Shizz, Tiy-Tiy, Emilama, and Striker

Gobble, Gobble

Happy Turkey Day, y'all!

Yum, yum. Turkey, trimmings, and about 3000 calories to burn off at the gym tomorrow -- along with everyone else in town.

Tomorrow night: The Abbey with friends. Saturday: undeclared plans (keepin' it spontaneous!). Sunday: Kings hockey game at the Staples Center.

What a great holiday...be safe, everyone!

PS. I may love fashion, but don't love the mega crowds that'll be flooding malls and streets on the Friday after Thanksgiving -- the biggest shopping day of the year here in the US-of-A.

I'm Lovin' it: The amazing Jovovich-Hawk line by model/actress Milla Jovovich and her best gal pal Carmen Hawk. Items to note: their short jackets and feminine yet sexy long printed dresses. You can't see the entire collection on their website, but you can inquire via email on pieces you've seen in celeb pictures of Milla.



I'm Over it: People feeling like they need to find the nitty gritty on J. Simpson, N. Lachey, and the state of their marriage. Yes, it's over folks. Officially announced yesterday night. It's a sad thing when love fades away between two people who were so heads over heels once upon a time.

Track Classic of the Day: "Candy Rain" by Soul For Real. This song brings back memories of junior high. What ever happened to these R & B kids anyway?


* photo courtesy of milla.wedjat.ru

Haute "Imelda Marcos" Hippie

I'm all for purchasing items that channel runway designs and accessories, while paying a fraction of the price. The meteoric rise (and still going!) of Forever 21, Top Shop, and H & M is a clear indication that every luxury consumer in world is on the same page as me.

Nine West has been putting out some great collections the past couple of seasons. The Hot 9 List on their website is so genious because it highlights the Nine West versions of must-have runway shoes. Today, I walked into Macy's -- intending to head straight for the cosmetics section to find eyelash primer -- but was immediately distracted by the shoe section (how is it that I, of course, park near the shoe entrance??). In two seconds, I spotted the next great love of my life: The Nine West Elsa.

Prada-slash-Louboutin-slash-Dior-inspired, The Elsa platform comes in three colors: brown with gold hardware, black with silver hardware, and green with gold hardware. I mentally teetered between the black (always practical) and the green (super hot), finally deciding that green was the way to go. I have waaaay too much noir in my closet anyway. Bonus: Macy's will take 25% off the $79 price tag at the counter! Gotta love those unexpected sales. Sizes for this particular model run a little big, so (VERY) unfortunately for me, there were no more 5.5s at the store nor any other Macy's in town.

I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and take a 6. Shoe shopping is SO hard sometimes...

I'm Lovin' it: Anything by Benefit Cosmetics. Not only are the product names and packaging so adoraby tongue-in-cheek, they actually work. The Benefit gal who helped me out today introduced me to Dr. Feelgood, a makeup primer and oil zapper filled with vitamin C goodness, healing your skin throughout the day. Top it off with Georgia peach powder (which you'll want to eat, it smells so good) and you'll be peachy keen.

I'm Over it: Pushy salespeople, whether it's at a dealership or a cosmetics counter.

Track Classic of the Day: "What It Is" by The Black Eyed Peas. Such a great song to jam to anywhere. It's pre-Fergie and pre-My Humps, when BEP was seriously the shizz-nit.

* photo courtesy of zappos.com

Nights in White...Fur

I'm not a member of PETA, I'm not a vegan (prime rib rocks!), and I'm not afraid to say I love fur. Now, I don't own any real pieces (due to certain budget restraints and not being employed by Dennis Basso), but there are a few faux items hanging dutifully in my closet. Living the L.A. lifestyle doesn't really allow me to break them out very often, but I do take advantage of chilly (by L.A. standards, of course) winter mornings to prance around in my faux fur light brown shrug.

Cat Swanson MUST have been designing for fur-starved Angelenos such as myself. We're not talking about huge, floorlength mink coats here, you don't need them down south. We're talkin' Red Fox Card Collars, Silver Fox stoles, and sassy White Fox muffs. They're perfect for adding a little winter cheer to every Californians' staple denim collection.

Throw one of these on and you'll feel like a minx.

I'm Lovin' it: Four day weekends. My weekend starts tomorrow, half-past noon!

I'm Over it: Girls with muffin tops. I saw one such victim on Santa Monica Boulevard today, bulging out of her too-tight denim. Ladies, there's nothing wrong with going a size bigger! Why look terrible in a size 26, just to say you're a 26, when you could look amazing AND be comfortable in a size 28? Honestly now.

Track Classic of the Day: "Southside" by Moby and featuring Gwen Stefani. It's been on repeat in my car for the past three days. And it will today, too, you just watch me.

* photos courtesy of shop.style.com

Music, Makes The People...

HTML gives me the heebie jeebies. Okay, okay, maybe it's not all THAT bad. I've never been a super computerhead, and though I'm now part of a growing blog nation, I'm still not going to claim myself as one. Here I am, venting (yet again!) because of my increasing need to aesthetically change my blog a little, and l'il ole me hasn't quite figure it out yet.

So here is what I want to add to my blog in the side column:

a) Track Classic of the Day

b) Album Revisited

Love may make the world go 'round, but as the the Material Girl once said, music makes the people come together.

Love + Music + People = L.M.P.??

Not quite as catchy as LOVE, ANGEL, MUSIC, BABY (L.A.M.B.) but it was a (cough, cough) noble effort. God, it's my bedtime, for sure...

Track Classic of the Day: #1 Crush by Garbage. It's gothic, it's dark, it's obsessive -- yet seductive. After all, Leo DiCaprio's Romeo got Claire Danes' Juliet while this tune played in the background. Wherefore art MY Romeo?

Album Revisited: The (Baz Luhrmann) Romeo and Juliet movie soundtrack. There's not one song on the LP that's not a classic. The You and Me Song by The Wannadies -- Track 13 -- somehow has to play at one point during my future wedding (need a boyfriend, then fiance first!). Perhaps to replace the wedding march?

* photo courtesy of amazon.com

Early Bird Sale

My homegirl R-Shizz braved the throngs of grabbing, snatching shoppers at the blowout BCBG warehouse sale, which begun on Thursday. She called me on her way home, cranky from lack of food and justifiably irritated for having to stand in line for two hours to pay. I vowed I wouldn't put myself through the same torture.

Ok, so maybe I lied a little.

R-Shizz bought the most fabulous off-the-shoulder black sweater with huge bat-sleeves, a circle pattern in the top left corner, and an adorable cinched waistband. For The Shizz, it was a reminder of her mom's stylo in the 80s, and for me, it was a reminder just how great warehouse sales can be.

So my alarm buzzed at 6 am this morning, me all tired but more than ready to battle fatigue in the name of scooping up $20 BCBG clothing and accessories. When I got to the location, a line already begun to snake down the block and people were getting on each other's last nerves. Almost witnessed a catfight between some chola girls and Vietnamese chicas because one chola dropped some hot sauce from her breakfast all over the Vietnamese girl's pants. Tension was mounting! What a relief when the pearly gates to the sale opened...

Here is what I gifted myself today: the same 80s sweater as Shizz (but had to get it in medium since the smalls were all taken...nuts!), a crazy-cool deconstructed long cardigan (Max Azria Collection, baby) and a mahogany, wide cinch belt (very YSL, for a sliver of the price). The original total for the items would've skyrocketed well over $150, but Haute Hippie scored all three for a light-weight $64.95.

Oh yeah.

I'm Lovin' it: St. Ives Skin Firming Lotion. I've been using the stuff for years (since university, I think) and I swear it works. Ran out of it a couple weeks ago and had to use St. Ives FRESHH20 body moisturizer -- it just wasn't the same. It now comes with a pump top to make the application process go more smoothly. No spills, no waste.

I'm Over it: Not really feeling like a hater tonight.

* photo courtesy of stives.com

Been Around The Block

For the past ten days, I had a frustratingly serious case of writer's block (hate when that happens!). Probably because I spent much too much time thinking about current situations and people (you know who you are, because there's really only one of you) that aren't worth my time, energy, and thoughts right now, if ever again.

Thankfully, after such a realization, this unfortunate lack of words has dissipated, and now I just can't seem to shut myself up.

More fashion blogging and/or general ranting tomorrow.

Lucky you.

Prime Time

If there's one thing I'm obsessed about, it's my lashes. My girlfriends are constantly bowling over in laughter at me whenever we do the "girlie bathroom group" thing during a night on town. I whip out my eyelash curler for an extra squeeze before buying myself -- or better yet, getting bought -- another drink. My homegirls declare me crazy for using the curler while my lashes are bathed in mascara. All you make-up fiends know that's a cosmetic no-no, so please do not attempt (Haute Hippie's not too proud about this bad habit).

Let's break down the essentials for perfectly perfect lashes.

2. GET THEE THE SHU UEMURA LASH CURLER. Originally made for Asian lashes -- notoriously known for being stick-straight and thin -- this puppy gets every strand, every time.

2. If you want lusciously thick eyelashes always, always use a primer. I've been using the Smashbox kind forever at $14 a pop, it's kept me happy. However, several beauty experts worship Shu Uemura Lash Repair, so I've been dying to try it at a cool $20 per. What's $6 dollars anyway, when making sexy eyes?

3. Mascara, mascara, mascara. God, where to start on this one. Ok, got a confession to make -- I never use just one kind at a time. In fact, I use THREE. Here they are, in chronological order of use: Benefit BadGal Lash, L'Oreal Sky High Curves, and Maybelline 5x VolumExpress. Basically, you've got the primer mascara, the lengthening mascara, and the thickening mascara. OCD, much?

4. Eyelash comb. The Tweezerman metal comb is wicked for removing Tammy Faye Baker clumps, but don't poke your eye out. Very dangerous contraption.

5. And the final question: should you apply mascara on bottom lash set or not? Are you kidding me, of course! Opens those eyes right up.

There you have it, kids. My secret to succulent, come-hither lashes. Happy weekend, and have fun being fabu-lash! (Groan...I know, I know)

I'm Lovin' it: Gyu Kaku Japanese BBQ on La Cienega. Went there with a friend for the first time tonight, where I fell in love with the entire dining experience. Right smack in the center of the table is a little mini grill, where you cook up a variety of marinated meats, seafood, and veggies to your liking. Even better, they have Happy Hour each day, so you bet your bottom dollar we were stoked to drink huge $1 beer mugs of Kirin beer till 6:30 pm. The bowl of green tea ice cream is massive (I know my friend didn't want to eat it, but I force fed him anyway) and instead of the usual bland breathmint or cookie with the bill, this place gives you a cute magenta stick of minty melon-flavored Japanese gum. Oh, and ask for either Howard or Davis to serve you, because they're the bomb.

I'm Over it: Valet parking at the lot by Gyu Kaku. When the valet guy brought our car around, the dude made us walk across the lot to retrieve it. So, the point of valet is?? When you pay for the service, better damn well get your car brought to you. No tip tonight, buddy!

Death Cab For Indie

In general, I've always labelled myself a hip-hop head -- musically speaking, that is. The Roots, Atmosphere, Talib Kweli, Common, old school Outkast, The Grouch and Lyrics Born, mixed in with a little Erykah Badu. Nate Dogg, Snoop, Dre, and Warren G represent my staple Dub-C jams. Lately, I've grown steadily tired of manufactured commercial rap beats, pimp juice, and hapless homies slangin' rock or rolling in the benjamins all over the goddamn radio airwaves.

Save for Kayne West, of course.

Kevin, Bean, and the entire crew over at KROQ seriously rock my world. Each morning, not only do they make me laugh out loud in my car (making me look like a crazy loon to all other drivers in Southern California) while stuck on the 10 West to the 605 South to the 60 East to the 10 West, they accost my ears with the best rock ever.

Thank the Lord for the following bands: Death Cab For Cutie, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Gorillaz, The Bravery, Papa Roach, Switchfoot, Blink-182, Keane, Oasis, and (no groaning, y'all alterna-music snobs) Coldplay.

Albums about to spend a few months/years on my shelf or those which I refuse to purchase: Anything recent by the Black Eyed Peas. I don't even get their lyrics any more, they sound like some incoherent fifth graders spewing makeshift rhymes to me. What happened to pre-Fergie BEP joints, like "What It is"? Now that's a classic.

So maybe this post wasn't really about fashion, but we all know that good music will never go out of style.

Slummin' Bum

Tonight, Haute Hippie had RSVPs to two events tonight. One, the Surface Magazine/Lexus soiree at Smashbox Studios and two, an animal charity fundraiser at producer Shane West's casa in Hancock Park.

So why is she sitting at home, typing furiously on her blog??

Because all her friends are BUMS and already had plans other than being Haute Hippie's wingman tonight. And you can't really show up at these mixers solo (unless you're thankfully meeting a buddy there) or else you feel like some sort of weirdo.

I guess I'll have to go onto Wire Image and check out what/who I missed...

I'm Lovin' it: Not missing an episode of The OC this evening!

I'm Over it: My hometown hockey team -- the Vancouver Canucks -- losing 5-4 tonight to the stank-a** Los Angeles Kings. Booo. Cloutier, they may have pulled you out of goal and put good old Al Auld in, but I still love ya. And Nazzy, can I please have your children? (Kidding, kidding...but not really...)

Vogue Magazine...for the masses?

It's a well known fact that Vogue Magazine is considered "The Bible" for the fashion industry (though I beg to differ, I'm a die-hard fan of The Daily). The magazine's elitist in every sense of the word. Take a look at it's editorial, story features, which PYTs -- Pretty Young Things, meaning NYC's brightest young socialites -- are in the month's spotlight, which books and music are a must-read/listen, and what Andre Leon Talley has to say this issue. You've got the Tinsley Mortimer/Eleanor Ylvisaker duo to Balenciaga-Rochas spreads to how ALT lost mega pounds by hiring a trainer.

So you can imagine just how surprise I was to see that of all the high-falutin' publications out there, Vogue decided to take Wal-Mart as it's biggest advertiser. High-low trend, much? It's gettin' outta hand.

Wal-Mart + Vogue = money-driven conglomerates who could care less about the masses.

But cheap John Frieda hair product at one and oh-la-la, frosted accessory spreads in one?? God, how I love both them moolah-grubbers.

I'm Lovin' it: Matthew McConaughey as People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2005. Was there ever a doubt? Penelope Cruz-soon-to-be-McConaughey...how I envy you...

I'm Over it: Talan Torriero (as in MTV's Laguna Beach) and Kimberly Stewart (as in Rod's baby girl) ENGAGED! Hmmm...isn't Talan launching his music career?? No ulterior motive there, whatsoever.

Christmas and New Year's already?!

You can imagine just how excited I was to see the shiny, thick, bright fuschia Victoria's Secret Holiday catalogue sitting on the dining room table when I got home from work a few weeks ago. Not that every catalogue isn't enthralling to flip through, but the holiday issue is chock full of super sultry lingerie, floaty tops for New Year's Eve, and more recently, cute little beauty gift sets I would love to see under my Christmas tree (or an iPod...so behind in the technological times).

Of course, I know full well there is no way in hell I could fill out the sexy bustiers, demi bras, G-strings and garters the way Adriana Lima or Gisele Bundchen do, but there is no reason I can't channel sex kitten for...myself. Bah humbug. Merry Christmas to me. Someone's got to get me a present and it it might as well be me, I suppose. But I digress.

For all you shoppers out there that want to: a) get a head start and b) don't want to leave the comfort of your flannel blankie, fireplace and hot cocoa, here are some of the best VS holidays gifts to bestow on your loved ones. Just click and pay.

For Those Who Like to Smell Pretty

The Memoirs Of A Geisha Gift Set will leave you feeling surrounded by cherry blossom leaves in an untouched Japanese countryside. And the packaging is definitely for keeps.



For Those Who Want to Gift Themselves to a Boyfriend

This Chantal Thomass satin bra and panty set will quite literally be the fastest gift unwrapped this holiday season.



For Those Who Want to Drink Hot Chocolate and Roast Chestnuts on an Open Fire

I love boucle in the winter. You will, too, if you get this ruffle boucle cardigan in turquoise.

Oh yeah, and just because I'm from Canada doesn't mean that I forgot the all-important Thanksgiving holiday here in the States. It's just that Thanksgiving and fashion together, somehow, just don't do it for me...

I'm Lovin' it: Yoplait Light and Fat Free Very Vanilla yogurts. If you ever crave something sweet and absolutely terrible for you, crack open one of these and I promise you'll be able to last a few, uh, hours more.

I'm Over it: Las Vegas as a New Year's Eve hotspot. I'm doing San Francisco this year. Oh, who am I kidding?? Sin City is always the place to be! But just not this year and on my budget...

Happy Birthday, Miz Anna!

Happy Birthday to you,
Bet you're wearing Jimmy Choos,
Happy Birthday Anna Wintour,
Happy Birthday to you!

An early November birthday means the biggest fashion editrix in the world is an intense, intelligent, and manipulative Scorpio. Hmmm, that just about fits the bill.

If you want some laughs, check out the e-card Gawker sent her today.

Not to mention this flattering photography below depicting one of her recent Parisian jaunts and subsequent face-off with PETA:

But I'm sure she looks absolutely marvy on her 56th boyt-day!

It's a Shoe-In

I'm currently obsessed with those wonderful podiatric concoctions adorning our feet: shoes, shoes, shoes! Ever since I purchased my disco wedge, round-toe black and pewter pair, all I can think about is which store, which website, or which Daily Candy tidbit is going to point me toward my next purchase.

Now your average, every day pair of sneaks just won't do. I crave shoes that have a little architectural design to them, a little artistic flair. I'm not saying it has to be a Richard Meier-inspired (though how fabulously modern would that be!), I'm searching for something that'll make you feel like a millionaire, glamazon, style-fiend, sex-pot, and girly-girl all rolled into one. Can't be that hard, right?

Nobody does it better than Loeffler Randall, Christian Louboutin, Chloe, Seychelles, and Lanvin.

Nothing beats a pair of pretty kicks.

I'm Lovin' it: Gwen Stefani's new single "Luxurious". Damn, this Southern Cali gal has some undeniable style. Not only does she manage to look like a chola girl with the dark lipliner and lighter lipstick, she also gives props in her last shot holding up those $5 black sandals with white stitches available at any eastside dollar store or supermarket. Not Louboutins, but waaaaay more comfy.

I'm Over it: Short days and long nights. Happy Winter, everyone!