The Emmys - And The Swag Goes To...

The fall awards season is in full swing. Swag hags, scenesters and celebs left Vegas and the vision of Britney (the train wreck that keeps crashing) behind, and hit the Emmy swag suites in LA with reckless abandon.

The IRS claimed that swag and the supposed celebrity gifts had gotten out of hand, which is why they dropped in to town and made the scene a wee bit taxing for those with a grab bag in hand.

Reps from the Lippin Group in LA, the official PR company behind the Emmy Awards claims that celebs are taking a different approach to gifting in general and are opting for services, be it a hair cut or a massage and are choosing to leave suites empty handed or with a hand lotion or shampoo bottle. Clearly they were not in the suites that I was in.   The swag was on and from the looks of it; no one appeared to be taxed by it. It was Disneyland for swag happy adults.

The A Listers made many suite appearances. Here’s a sneak peak of what went down and where and who got what.

Ready For My Close Up

Sonya Dakar, the facialist to the stars hosted another pre awards fete for her A lister fans. McSteamy’s wife Rebecca Gayheart, Vegas’s own Molly Sims and E! TV’s dancing diva Samantha Harris popped in for some swag action. William Shatner enjoyed a mani, pedi with his wife at Spa Ritual. Reality divas Paula Abdul and Kathy Griffin could not get enough of the Cecelia python clutches and belts and Mekhi Phifer scooped up a Caribbean Escapes 5 star retreat to Belize for he and his fiancé. Every one was feeling the love and fitness from Sports Club LA with their one month trail memberships and Earl’s Jaime Pressley got a Pre Emmy UltraLuxe Facial, Red Light Collage Therapy & Oxygen Treatment. No wonder she’s glowing!

The Silver Spooning

Silver Spoons, the reigning queens of swag have been serving up swag to the Hollywood Elite for years.   Their suite was held at the posh Regent Beverly Wilshire, home of Julia Roberts happy hooker in Pretty Woman. Single, a clothing line, not a status statement, were slipping silky vintage inspired shift dresses on to pretty and preggers Constantine Zimmer and the no longer preggers Tori Spelling, a longtime Spooner. All the ladies stepped out in Dearfoams darling ballet inspired slippers, perfect for the suite Hollywood feet.

Our Hero Greg Grunberg was all over K Pak’s hair care and every wino in the room was happy to score Vinturi, which aerates your wine. That means you pour and go in for a quick sip. Makeup Forever, NiteWhite whitening and Thomas Fleming Body Scrubs are sure to keep Hollywood Silver Spoons a shining.

 

The Green Theme

Three big themes in Hollywood are the Environment, Aids & Africa. Every celeb is ready to wrap themselves around any or all three causes. At this year’s Emmy suites, green was the new black, with green themed suites. Nobody does eco better than Nicole Landers with her green thumb. Her Green Living Lifestyle’s Lounge & Eco Spa resort was spot on. There was True Cosmetics by TLC, Pureology for follicles, Color Science for face, Origins for skin, Palm Beach Way Diet for body and Debra King for the spirit. Green Bliss, the go to Ecospa offered dreamy Ayurvedic facials and massages to Monk’s Sharon Lawrence, Entourage’s Perry Leeves and Grey Guy James Pickens Jr.

Old Hollywood

The Clark Gable Carol Lombard suite at the famed Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is Hollywood history. GBK celebrated the Emmy’s in the PH with 60 vendors showering gifts on to several celebs. Leeza Gibbon’s, Mario Lopez and Joey Lawrence danced their way through the suite with style stopping at each vendor. Debra Messing graced the vendors with a fleeting presence and Mike Moloney of Extreme Makeover Home Edition may need to add an addition on to his home. He walked out with two duffle bags of swag, a fully loaded dolly and a swag caddy, a gal carrying a stuffed swag bag for him. Super Suite highlights were Cadillac’s fragrance, Virgin Air, the British based flyer is takin got the domestic skies now, Esuchen Haircare, Sphatika skincare and travel kit perfect for global bunnies, Daily Detox, snacks from Ritual Restaurant in Hollywood, 3 Lab skincare (one of my faves) and El Dorado Seaside Suites, perfect for the romantic traveler.

 

Over The Hills and Far Far Away

Kari Feinstein’s suites get sweeter each time. Celebs were driven up in plush cars to the tiptop of the hills to a sprawling Hollywood estate. Finally Free and easy Paris, the Lovely Hewitt, Dave Navarro , Dancing Keibler, CSI’s Eva La Rue, Idol’s Randy & Paula, The Hills and recent Emmy reality winner Kathy Griffin George stylist to the stars George Blodwell, Kelsey Grammer, House’s Lisa Adelstein, Corbin Bleu ( High School Musical 2), Seth Green, Top Entourager Jeremy Piven, Brittany ( Hairspray) Snow, Jean Smart, Julie Benz, Jordana Brewster, Tom Arnold, Jonathon Schaech, Tony ( Monk) Shalhoub were but a few of the celebs that made a day of it.

Fraxel was in the house redecorating and resurfacing famous Hollywood faces with their state of the art pixilated laser treatments that left your skin feeling like a baby’s bottom, while Victoria Nash gave us a smooth & silky spin of her skin care line Esente Physioceuticals, made for traumatized skin. She’s the perfect spokes person for the line, as this 50+ grandmother doesn’t look a day over 30. Skin Haven offered facials and toe tingling reflexology while Reebok’s RBK dished out Scarlett   Johannsen’s fashion forward fitness line, Silpada offered stunning silver and Kin Boutique treated celebs.like their next of kin as they wrapped them in hip designer duds. Our fave and friend, Charlie Lapson had the discerning divas once again drooling over his haute Hollywood bags. Other suite treats included Red Earth cosmetics, New Zealand’s Linden Leaves skincare, Maidenform’s skintight black tights and bras and the best gift of all The intuit Laura Day, a New York Times bestseller ( The Circle & Welcome to Your Crisis)who was in the house and blew every one away with her wisdom and warmth. Trago margaritas were the drink of choice. Cheers!

A Flock of Segals  

Melanie Segal’s Suite was perfect, held on the terrace of the Luxe Hotel on Rodeo Drive. There was a cool summer breeze blowing by Plantronic’s blue tooth headsets, Kangaroo shoes, Christy’s hats, the fabulous MBT shoes made for fitness, Alterna’s caviar hair care, Beach Bunny bikinis (super sexy bikinis featured in this years Sports Illustrated), intraceuticals skin care and oxygen facials and Bottlenotes wine, poured by the diva of vines and wine, Bottlenote’s own Alyssa Rapp. Jai Rodriguez, 20% of The Fab 5 was fiercely fashionable and friendly catching the LA rays.

Bada Bling, Bada Bling

HBO had plenty to celebrate this year with their slew of nominations. The Italians, both local and imported with Rome & Sopranos will kiss their shows goodbye. Curb continues to get enthusiastic reviews and The Conchords, the wee Kiwi’s that could, continue to charm social commentary and song. Media Placement produces the HBO Lounge at The Four Seasons. A-listers only were privy to the PF Flyers, AG jeans and Freeze 24/7 skinc are. Unite hair care, one of my faves for follicles and tresses, was doling out the goods, their leave in conditioner & detangler, shine spray, serum & the hairspray which I am officially addicted to. Sephora’s very own make up line and brushes were fashionably present, with their own artists on deck painting famous faces. FRS energy drink (Lance Armstrong’s secret) and Dove Chocolates (official chocolatier for the Emmy’s serving10,000 pounds of chocolate this week) showed their love sharing their goodies with all. Belvedere cocktails served celebrity inspired spirits with their Soprano’s Bada Bing Crush or The Ari Gold Standard Martini. I’ll drink to that!

Suite Relief

Other Green themed Events: Debbie Durkin’s Main Event, promoted by It Girl PR had Patron and Mojito Island cocktails flowing for the celebrity crowd. Newlywed Jerry O’Connell, William Shatner, Barbara Eden, Olympian Carl Lewis and others donated time and pet portraits for SPCA LA. Entourage’s Rex Lee & the lovely & bubbly Fed EX, Shar Jackson enjoyed spa treatments. Another Entourager, Kevin Dillon didn’t have an entourage, yet was keen to have Patron delivered to his Hollywood home by Celebrity Concierge. Our suite faves were Think Thin & Think Green health bars, fabulous Fileena jewelry, award winning Art of Chipotle sauce and the stunning eye catching rings made by the creative artist Bruce Magnotti of Magnotti Designs. His baubles are ready for their close up.

In The Mix

Mix Media’s Suites Event at Sofitel Hotel’s PH had an Alive EXPO filled with earth friendly finds for health & wellness for inside & out. Oreganol is a cure all for travel & winter colds. Chi Tea had green tea drops equivalent to 15 cups of green goodness & Radiancy had hand held home devices to fight anti aging and acne. If you want to go full on in to a state of wellness Dr. Gez Agolli of Progressive Medical had Oxygen tanks perfect for the Hollywood Home for a mere $25 K (USD), sure to keep celebs clear, healthy, radiant and ready for 18 hour shoots. If you don’t have a butler, you can carry a Butler Bag, made by & for a woman in mind. It’s so organized & fashion forward in fire engine red or deep burgundy browns. KVille’s Anthony Anderson was in the house as was Bones Boreancz who found fame, but clearly lost his friendly Philly roots. Hal Sparks found his inner feminine side proving real men wear and knit in pink with Jimmy Beans Wools (not to be confused with Jim Beam whiskey, both made for men, but gentle enough for a woman) as did Scott Baio, Kevin Sorbo & hunky, dunky Tim Daly. Not limited to gender nor age, Jumpin Jammerz PJ’s made all the big kids happy including Napoleon’s Effren Ramirez who wanted to sleep with skulls. Who doesn’t?

Bitter Suite

For those unable to make the suites, there’s plenty of gifting going on all over town The Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine Party has one of the most coveted gift bags in town. HBO is said to rival that bag this year.

Thanks for The Good Times

Just for showing up, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will give all presenters (including the cast of Desperate Housewives, Everybody Loves Raymond, and stars like Rachel Bilson, Jon Stewart, and Zach Braff) a Dooney & Bourke leather satchel filled with an Elini Swiss watch, a one-year membership card to The Sports Club/LA, two round-trip first-class tickets on United's ''P.S.'' premium flights (with service between NY & San Fran or LA), services from Ona Spa, Prive Salon, and much, much more.

Win Win
Non-Winning Nominees in the 8 major acting categories at the 59th Annual Emmy Awards (Outstanding Lead Actor/Actress in a Drama, Comedy & Miniseries/Movie; Outstanding Supporting Actor/Actress in a Drama, Comedy & Miniseries/Movie) will receive a consolation Gift Basket from the LA based company Distinctive Assets.

They can drown their sorrows in a series of spirits be it Chambord, Tommy Bahama Rum, Milagro Tequila or mix their own spirit in their new Hour Glass Studio, Ltd Marilyn Monroe 'Classic Series' Martini and Wine Glasses. It's old Hollywood class in a glass.

For those that want to take a healthier approach to their loss, there's Huntley Drive Fitness with their 10 Personal Training Sessions, NutriFit Personalized Healthy Meal Delivery and breathe by Heather Lounsbury, a Gift Certificate for Acupuncture Services at Home. It’s pure health and wellness at home.

For the Hollywood close up there's Georgette Klinger skincare, Dr. George Boris Gift certificate for Botox perfect for the celeb set boys and girls alike. Finally, the Deva Sun Dryer; Deva Fuser and the "Try Me" Deva Curl Pac for all Da Divas!

If escapism is your thing, The Athenaeum Hotel offers a 2 night gift Certificate. Sweet Dreams & Better Luck Next Year!

I have the suite-est hangover…I don’t want to get over.

That’s a Wrap!!!

karenLofty@gmail.com

Published on Sep 30, 2007