Pandora knows the strong culture and following it has, and has invited select customers to join it for a cruise for the third year.
   The jewellery brand’s Unforgettable Cruise is a seven-day cruise where fans can get a sneak peek at the new collection, and experience a styling workshop with Janette Ewen, Pandora’s Canadian-based spokeswoman, and other leisure activities.
   They were joined this year by YouTube fashion and beauty hosts Meghan Rienks and Claudia Sulewski, to join customers in sharing their experiences with the brand, in person and through social media.
   Those attending the cruise were gifted an exclusive, two-tone Pandora charm.
   Its Mothers’ Day and spring collections can be viewed at its website.
   Living Nature has launched its Lip Hydrator with an RRP of NZ$29·50 (left), a certified natural conditioning balm in a lipstick packaging. In addition to keeping lips moist—since they do not have self-lubrication—it can be used as a primer for lipstick to help with application.
   It uses active manuka honey along with plant butters and oils, to create a protective layer for lips. Carrot oil helps with smoothness and mica provides shine. The Lip Hydrator promises to be moisture-rich but does not leave a greasy texture on the lips. It is also literally safe to eat—in line with Living Nature’s other products, it contains no synthetic chemicals, preservatives or allergens.
   Stockists can be found via the Living Nature website or by calling, within New Zealand, 0508 548-464.
   Victoria Baron of MAP Creative Agency (right) is the first Chanel make-up artist for Australia and an official spokesperson for Chanel Australia, for beauty and fragrance, the company announced Thursday.
   Baron was chosen by Chanel’s Paris make-up studio team and is one of 20 new artists worldwide.
   The company says she ‘perfectly embodies the values of the House of Chanel; as a youthful and modern creative spirit.’

Leave it to event planning master and philanthropist Gavin B. Keilly to transform SLS’s ballroom into a more intimate space showcasing great charities and some choice must-haves for summer.
   As usual, funds and awareness were raised for some worthwhile charities, including Los Angeles Youth Network (which aids abused, neglected and homeless adolescents in becoming sufficient through street outreach, food, emergency shelter, a transitional living programme, and educational enrichment programmes), the Santa Monica branch of the American Red Cross, and Autism Speaks.
   Lambda Legal, going strong after four decades, provided press a real scoop on Day 1 of the suite about their West Coast Liberty Awards, taking place June 13 at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire. Scandal’s Dan Bucatinsky (who won an Emmy for his work as James Novak, elevating and broadening America’s conversation on LGBT issues), will be honoured with a Spotlight Liberty Award. He joins an industrious group that includes Lance Bass, Margaret Cho, Kathy Griffith, Alan Cumming and Judith Light. The awards show bolsters Lambda Legal’s efforts to encourage equal and fair treatment of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
   Even with a more relaxed vibe than GBK’s dos for the Oscars and Golden Globes, the spotlight is, true to form, on luxuries big and small that bring convenience and style to one’s home and social life. A coffee-table book by internationally renowned interior designer Sandra Espinet is perhaps one of the most aspirational gifts offered at the suite—pages and pages of global chic put together by a woman whose travels and life story are as enviable as the rooms she’s created for her top-tier clientèle. Onkyo USA provided a nice aural balance to that with its sleek and chic headphones merging precision hi-fi technology with an IOS-certified 6N copper cable designed to control media playback and accept or reject calls from compatible Apple devices. Its titanium drivers reproduce an exceptionally wide dynamic range, resolving hidden details and creating a spacious atmosphere.
   Fashionistas who prefer their earbuds more discreet would appreciate Audiopark’s Audiowrap, fashioned with beads and bling that camouflage the buds and coil up into a snappy bracelet. Qupid, meanwhile, provided fashion-forward shoes made from “vegan” leather, and Thursday Friday translated designer bags and runway-inspired graphics into a canvas carry-all format. Adding to the list of eco-friendly chic was Pono Woodworks’ Surfrider watch, transforming rare Hawai‘ian koa wood into a stylish, unisex beach to boardroom timepiece.
   After a short hiatus, the Artisan Group was back and better than ever, with a display of gorgeous, statement-making baubles, bracelets, earrings and accessories. While the luck is in the draw of whatever surprise goodie bag you are given, there were some particularly wonderful things in mine from Lucinda de Castro, Shirleybird Jewellery, Andrea Designs, Firefly Myst and Gamiworks.
   Nibbles on hand included decadent treats from Barry’s Gourmet Brownies, Jackson’s Honest Potato Chips and wonderful spirits from Deep Eddy Vodka, an Austin, Texas brand made with real ingredients and 10 times distilled vodka. Guests received a four-pack of Deep Eddy Vodka (50 ml each of Straight, Ruby Red, Sweet Tea, Cranberry). Ripped Cream, a natural protein coffee creamer, offered a jolt of flavour and energy to balance out the caffeine buzz of one’s favourite coffee.
   Celebrities on hand during day one included Omar Epps (House, Resurrection), Paige Turco (The 100), Tiya Sircar (The Crazy Ones), Tara Holt (Californication), Percy Daggs (the Veronica Mars movie), Rebecca Mader (Once Upon a Time), Shannon Beador (the newest cast member on The Real Housewives of OC), Caitlin Carmichael (Chosen), Carlitos Olivero (The X Factor USA), and Donna d’Errico (Baywatch).—Elyse Glickman, US West Coast Editor

A decade ago, the MTV Movie Awards was Young Hollywood’s kick-off party to summer. In more recent years, it became the unofficial Oscar season “after-party” with its strategic move to April. That said, the pre-MTV Movie Awards festivities planned by Rita Branch and Amy Boatright of the Secret Room (which made the SLS Hotel’s Garden Terrace a ‘Secret Garden’, for all intents and purposes) ended up being a great summertime kick-off anyway, thanks to a myriad of fantastic, healthy and environmentally friendly must-have products for the forthcoming summer months.

   It is also fitting that their cause célèbre this time around was California Wildlife Center (above), a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife. The Center fulfils this environmental operative by providing expert medical and rehabilitative care, community outreach and education, habitat protection for animals running the gamut from bobcats and mountain lions to birds and reptiles. Since 1998, CWC has experienced a steady increase in animal patients, caring for more than 32,000 wild animals, and in the process, educating communities, homeowners, teachers, students and businesses about protecting California’s environment.
   While requisite awards’ show glamour was provided by Terani Couture and coloured diamond jewellery from Leibish & Co., and 2Xist was back with its wildly popular upscale watch collection and colourful summer socks, there were also many stylish and sensible products for wardrobe and home sure to keep celebrities, trend-setters and even their pets cool throughout the summer—figuratively and literally.
   With sunglasses and the perfect summertime bag being on the top of everybody’s shopping list, it was impossible to miss the vibrant bags from Lola Blue, beautifully crafted from upholstery fabric in colour combinations that ran the gamut from neutrals with pops of colour, to more daring bags that captured a variety of moods, from a southwestern colour palette to eye-catching pastel hues. Which one to pick? That’s a tough one, but I opted for the Shea, a hobo style just big enough for an Ipad, camera and wallet. Long Beach-based Kahoy, created by Ralph P. Santos, offers a small but stunning collection of sunglasses and prescription frames hand-made from bamboo, textured wood and tasteful plastics. It was challenging to select among the line’s 12 retro-chic styles. While I went with the aviator-inspired Boracay with in tortoise, I wavered between those and the prescription Makati frame.
   Baylee Nasco offered pet beds and blankets that would probably have dogs and cats in a similar quandary, with their soft fabrics and beautiful colours. And while foodies would agree the Takeya Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker is an attractive accessory for summertime home entertaining, picking a flavour of tea is another thing, or six to be exact (Classic Black, Tropical Black, Fresh Green, Green Mint, Hibiscus Pomegranate and Coconut Lime Rooibos).
   So much to choose from. However, Rita and Amy also made sure they featured plenty of great products that stood on their own. These included Aviva Hair revitalizing supplements, tank tops from the new LATS clothing line launching May 9 in Los Angeles, SteelSeries Professional Gaming Gear (after all, there were boys in the room!), Shame on Jane jewellery by Kimberly Pauly, Coquette Lingerie and Herbalosophy Shampoo.—Elyse Glickman, US West Coast Editor

Actress Eva Mendes has launched her spring 2014 fashion collection with New York & Company, at two events in California earlier this week.
   New York & Co. had Mendes as guest of honour at the opening of its new Beverly Center pop-up store at 8500 Beverly Boulevard on Tuesday, while on Wednesday, she celebrated her spring collection with NY&C customers at Los Cerritos Center.
   The earlier event saw guests use Instagram with a hashtag, #EvaMendesNYC, to update a live feed at the store, while the later one saw Mendes pose with the first 75 customers who bought from her collection.
   NY&C says that Mendes was inspired by New York in the spring. The collection features ‘rich blues, oranges, vintage floral prints, and soft, earthy tones.’ Mendes was also inspired by family archives and vintage pieces.
   The range hit stores on March 19, on- and offline, with accessories priced from US$22·95 to US$35·95, separates at US$46·95, US$59·95, and US$64·95, and dresses from US$79·95.

Elyse Glickman

The rooftop of the Luxe Hotel is a genius spot to plan a pre-award show event. Once again, veteran event planners Mark and Matthew Harris of WOW! Creations and Roger Neal booked the space hoping to continue their respective winning streaks with celebrities and VIPs against a 360-degree backdrop of Beverly Hills. However, when storms blew through town, a suite with an open roof patio may not be the most inviting. That said, these event planners’ past track records are so solid that their events are still going to be must-dos on the pre-Oscar week party circuit.
   Matthew and Mark Harris had a clever edge, bringing out the kid in everybody. The entry to the suite at the Luxe Beverly Hills’ entrance in itself was an event, with balloons, a pre-packed goody bag of treats and a greeting from Hollywood clown and author Jason Lassen, opening out to a “circus” theme that was three rings of beauty, wellness, and good taste on the roof (in the literal sense, with several artisanal spirits being poured to take off the winter chill) and a sideshow in a second-floor suite showcasing more sensory delights: Vance Family Soy Candles (de-light-ful, delicious and calorie-free bon-bons), a set of Pamper Me Organically skin care products from Toronto, Canada, and for the sports fan, BubbaGlove pom-pom gloves with all Los Angeles sports teams represented.
   Melissa Fego’s delicate natural stone droplets in earring, necklace and bracelet form brought a touch of elegance and formality to the occasion as did floral-scented Brville candles, medical-grade skin care from Love My Body and sweet-smelling travel kits and a beautiful tote bag from Florida-based Pura Botanica, which raises money for the Loggerhead Marine Life Center. You could also start your post-Oscar health resolution with a month’s supply of vitamins from GliSODin Skin Nutrients.
   The setting may have been celebrities under the Big Top, including Miss California, USA and Miss California, Teen USA, legendary NASA astronaut Dr Buzz Aldrin, Steven Rice, James Dumont (my former high school classmate), and Zacary Heinz-Erg, all tied to major Oscar-nominated projects, but there was a grown-up aspect to it via the wonderful artisanal liquors, from ParaVi’s dessert wine in chocolate-covered bottles, to Four Roses Whiskey to Bainbridge Organic’s gin, to delicious cinnamon bun and vanilla vodkas by Five Wives from Ogden’s Own Distillery to a blissful sip from dairy-free Kkada Sutra Caramel Liqueur.
   With everybody in high spirits, the next logical step was to head to the Luxe Beverly Hills’ restaurant for a brimming bowl of Chef David Padilla’s tangy and soothing tomato soup and truffle fries.

Elyse Glickman

Earlier in the week, Roger Neal and his team treated VIPs to a variety of on-site treatments such as SunLounge Studios spray tans, designer gowns by the Netherlands’ Addy van den Krommenacker and loans of red carpet jewellery by Erin Fader. VIPs were sent home with a bag of skin care product by G. M. Collin and hair styling tools by ISO Beauty. There were also hair care products by Olez Hair, integrating apple stem-cell technology in all their products, Muchachomalo hand-painted underwear and leggings, and pants and camis by Marena made with medical grade compression fabric. A former presidential chef was on hand with comforting German and Austrian fare. (Who knew a knish could be so gourmet, or so welcoming on the eve of a big storm?)
   Although her suite was moved from Circa 55 (where we later enjoyed an incredible dinner) to the Bar 210, the unflappable and ever resourceful Debbie Durkin charged forward with a more intimate version of her stalwart “eco” Oscar event. While Voss Water and Maya Tequila provided liquid refreshment, New Zealand-based lighting company WakaNine (with US distribution through its Austin, Texas office) set the tone and the cool mod-style for the space. The soul of the event was the Say Yes to Hope charity. Vendors showing their wares included local boutique LA + Jo, classic Will Leather bags, Eye by Panoptx glasses, and to bring it all home, BeautiControl skin care and a handy tote bag with millions of pockets (love!).—Elyse Glickman, US West Coast Editor

Elyse Glickman

Top Lupita Nyong’o in a Prada silk georgette gown accessorized with Fred Leighton gold jewellery. Above Lupita Nyong’o on the red carpet.

The tension over the 86th Academy Awards ended as 12 Years a Slave was awarded Best Picture on Sunday, though Gravity managed a tally of seven (including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón) and Dallas Buyers’ Club took the two male acting gongs for Matthew McConaughey (in the lead) and Jared Leto (supporting). Cate Blanchett won Best Actress of Blue Jasmine, while the most talked-about celeb of awards’ season, Lupita Nyong’o, won Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave.
   Host Ellen DeGeneres’s Twitter photo with Bradley Cooper and other celebrities broke a record, being re-Tweeted over 2·3 million times (at the time of writing) since it was put on the social network.
   Below are the remaining winners from this year’s Oscars.

Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jones, for Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, for 12 Years a Slave
Best Animated Feature Film: Frozen
Best Documentary Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom
Best Foreign Language Film: La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty)
Best Visual Effects: Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk and Neil Corbould for Gravity
Best Film Editing: Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger for Gravity
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for Gravity
Best Costume Design: Catherine Martin for The Great Gatsby
Best Make-up and Hairstyling: Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews for Dallas Buyers’ Club
Best Production Design: Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn for The Great Gatsby
Best Sound Mixing: Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro for Gravity
Best Sound Editing: Glenn Freemantle for Gravity
Best Original Score: Steven Price for Gravity
Best Original Song: ‘Let It Go’, from Frozen, music and lyric by Kristen Anderson-López and Robert López
Best Animated Short Film: Mr Hublot, directed by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
Best Live-Action Short Film: Helium, directed by Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
Best Documentary Short Subject: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, directed by Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed

Red-carpet arrivals

Glamour on the red carpet

Baby bumps on the red carpet

Jennifer Lawrence trips again

Oscars 2014: all about the selfie

Jared Leto wins Best Supporting Actor

Lupita Nyong’o wins Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett wins Best Actress

Matthew McConaughey wins Best Actor

12 Years a Slave wins Best Film

Highlights

Above Ellen DeGeneres’s Twitter photo with Bradley Cooper in the foreground, which had been re-Tweeted over 2·3 million times.

By selecting the Taglyan Complex, just across the street from the Motion Picture Academy Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study, planner and fellow journalist Kathy Duliakas assured her pre-Oscar gathering would be a hot ticket for celebrities and journalists. However, with a mix of intrepid entrepreneurs, a civilized lunch, a relaxed atmosphere and a significant charity’s new initiative benefiting thousands of disadvantaged American children, she created a daytime “pyjama party” that was both thoughtful and memorable.
   Invited celebrities, entertainment professionals and press were strongly advised to donate to the Pajama Program, overseen by founder Genevieve Piturro and LA chapter president Lindsay Smith, to jump-start the new 1 Million Good Nights campaign, to attain a million sets of new pyjamas and books by December 31, 2015. To further accelerate the campaign, Carter’s, America’s leading brand of young children’s clothing, agreed to donate a brand new pair of pyjamas to Pajama Program, for every celebrity who attended the event and another 1,000 pyjamas for each and every social media post about the event. (Naturally, we were on board with our Tweets in force).
   Attendees heard the call and responded, as the one-day event generated nearly 550 Tweets and garnered over 5,100,000 timeline deliveries, which will result in some very deserving children given a brand new pair of pyjamas.
   Duliakas responded in kind, noting that in the heat of awards’ season, ‘We all get caught up in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, but it’s very important we remember there are those in need. It’s heartwarming to see the overwhelming support that I’ve received from the celebrities who attended my event.’
   The various new and returning vendors were also caught up in the spirit of generosity that far transcends products and services. One of the more inventive sponsoring products, Circuelle, a luxury lotion that transforms the practice of breast self-exams into a more pleasant experience, was so inspired by Carter’s pledge that they wanted to donate one mammogram to an underprivileged woman for each celebrity who stopped at their table. As a result, Circuelle donated 50 mammograms to the Conejo Free Clinic in Thousand Oaks, California.
   Our favourite stalwart lines helping out several suites this season were back: Twisted Silver, with more of its new natural stone pieces and modern cameo necklaces, sleek cocktail attire from Single by Galina Sobolev, and Maleku Jewelry with extraordinary rough precious stone statement jewellery that would have you rethinking diamonds as your best friend. Other casual clothing lines that focused on comfort include New Orleans-based Prêt-à-Porter Designs, Wear Luck yoga wear from Dallas, Texas, and BAM Bags, which seemed to have the audience seeking non-leather handbags zipped up.
   New and compelling indulgences for the body included skin care from event co-sponsor Zensation, state-of-the-artlight therapy from Dream Spa (now available in Studio City, Calif.), sensual new couples’ delights from Kama Sutra, organic body care from Herban (including the coveted Sugar Mud facial scrub) and Yuki Sharoni’s hair care (one of the pioneering salons bringing Asian hair straightening to Hollywood).
   Besides the sumptuous Mediterranean fare from Taglyan’s Divine Food & Catering, there were other treats that included KAH Tequila, Zing Vodka, non-alcoholic Skinnygirl Sparklers and insanely delicious hand-crafted chocolate from Ze Chocolate Lady that brought some of the biggest trends in gourmet chocolate from Europe to southern California, but in her own all-American way.
   Celebrities having a good day, and helping children attain better nights in the future included Kelsey Scott and Ashley Dyke (Oscar-nominated for 12 Years a Slave), Emily Bergl (Oscar-nominated for Blue Jasmine), Dustin Kerns (Oscar-nominated for The Wolf of Wall Street), Craig Borten (writer for the Oscar-nominated Dallas Buyers’ Club), Crispin Struthers (Oscar nominee, Best Editing, American Hustle), Helen Hong (Oscar-nominated for Inside Llewyn Davis), Cas Anvar (Diana, Argo), Brighton Sharbino (True Detective, The Walking Dead), Marilu Henner, Gia Mantegna (Empire State, The Prince) and Lyndon Smith (Parenthood).—Elyse Glickman, US West Coast Editor

Karen Ray

In a way, it was fitting that the turnout for the Wounded Warrior Project Style & Beauty Suite at the historic Avalon Hollywood on February 28 was most impressive, even with biblical flooding and other karmic payback for the too-nice weather southern California enjoyed. However, by the looks of things, it would take a little more than a little rain to hold back hearty, deserving people who have weathered bigger storms in the Middle East and their return to the homefront.
   Boy band IM5, Amy Jean Davis, Angelique Cabral, Carlos Bernard, Elliott Yamin, Gloria Loring, Griffin Gluck, Jake Pavelka, James Kyson, Jen Lilley, Jenifer Lewis, The Voice’s Katrina Parker, Kate Flannery, Kate Linder, Kenny Lattimore, Marisa Coughlan, Nestor Serrano, Sabrina Bryan, Vincent M. Ward, and Wendy Davis were among celebrities attending the Wounded Warrior Project Style & Beauty Suite, organized by (the aptly named) True Heart Events founder Amy Malin. However, in this forum, the celebrities were there as much to give as to receive. It was truly wonderful to witness veterans and their families getting the royal treatment from salons, spas, clothing designers and representatives from companies producing fantastic household products as well as get to tell some of their stories and how Wounded Warrior Project helped them move forward.
   Servicemen and women, along with their spouses and children, were outfitted with chic clothing from IIJin, gorgeous and eco-friendly designs from Ali’s Collection out of Chicago (featuring sparkling druzy stones, crystals and agates) and Mujus (refined Peruvian palm tree seed jewellery in yummy, mouthwatering colours). Oscar Blandi, whose fantastic products are sold at Sephora boutiques, offered hair touch-ups and samples of their latest hair-thickening products. PackIt’s beautifully made and affordable lunch bags were not only stylish, but can be frozen so food stays fresh for extended hours out in the field. Accessorizing those bags were BKR San Francisco’s silicon-coated glass bottles, which are currently the rage among yoga fans and sold in the US at Anthropologie stores.
   The pampering was also a focal point. Facials and massages from Spa del Rey were top issue, as was a men’s grooming station using products from SheaMoisture, Zumer Sport’s carryalls (also featured at Matthew and Mark Harris’s fantastic WOW Creations’ Oscar Suite), made from recycled baseballs, basketballs and other sports equipment, was a lovely way to wrap the day up for families in attendance. US Vietnam veteran Allan O’Donovan, owner of Burbank’s Ciao!Cristina, meanwhile, fed the troops and boosted morale with his traditional, homestyle Italian cooking, served by young, enthusiastic Iraq War veterans.
   Commented Malin, ‘We think it was really special that we had an older veteran helping to honour the next generation of veterans. We are so excited to be working once again with the amazing team at Wounded Warrior Project on another meaningful event. The mission of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to honour and empower Wounded Warriors.’
   Mission accomplished? Yes, sir!—Elyse Glickman, US West Coast Editor

To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

Albert Evangelista

Buck Lewis

Karen Reuter

Albert Evangelista

Buck Lewis

Karen Reuter

Igor Spektor

Igor Spektor

Karen Ray