Suzanne_Marques's Blog

My girlfriends and I went to the Arclight theater in Hollywood to see Sex & The City.  We dressed as the characters, had lunch at Magnolia, then went to watch the film. 

We loved it!  My girlfriends and I were crying and laughing throughout the whole film.

Here are some snapshots!

 

Talk about party guests!  Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Fergie, Snoop Dogg, Pamela Anderson... out at Christian Audigier's 50th birthday bash Friday night at the Peterson Auto Museum.

Christian Audigier is a French fashion designer aka Ed Hardy, who helped make Von Dutch popular... along with the trucker cap trend.  That's a distant memory.  Now he has his own clothing line, wine, a little bit of everything... and clearly knows how to throw a great birthday party.

I went with a group of friends & one of them, Manny Mijares is a record producer.  He was there debuting one of his new artists.  Her name is Maddie Lauer and her new song is called Butterfly Tattoo.  If you are familiar with Christian's designs, he has tattoos drawn all over his creations.  They've partnered up on something... That was my celeb connection.   

Let's get back to a play by play of the party!

You entered the museum passing the candy-colored lowrider exhibit.  Fitting, since Christian has such colorful designs.

After walking through the museum, guests entered a hall washed in white and icy blue.   It switched gears from hot cars to cool partying. Women perched on white pedestals looking like the Snow Queen from The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe.  Makeup that looked like icicles on their face, wearing huge hoop skirts like frosty cupcakes.  It was a bit of a winter wonderland.

Once you stepped outside, you were standing in an open-air rooftop with white tenting.  More dancers in white perched behind the bar, slowly fanning gigantic gauzy strips of sheer fabric.  The bar was serving Ed Hardy alcohol & Christian Audigier wine.  It's all about branding folks!

It was a bit chilly outside, but things heated up with the champagne fountain.  Brazilian Carnival dancers shimmied out to the fountain to collect the champagne and pass it out to revelers. 

But the main event was in a huge red ballroom, set up like an elegant circus.  It was over the top under this big top.  The doors opened with Macy Gray serenading the crowd.  Circque de Soliel trapeze artists wrapped themselves up and down 30-foot drapes, people were hanging from swings up in the air, campy angels and devils walked around entertaining guests.

As we made our way through the party, we posed for a photo with Perez Hilton, who was on his crackberry.  My girlfriend told him to get off it, he said, "I don't think so sweetie."  Such a Perez statement.  He looked good.  His red & blue hair is gone, along with a few extra pounds.  His hair is a tasteful shade of dark brown and he's slim & trim. 

Snoop Dogg

My girfriend talked our way into the VIP section, and then Snoop Dogg hit the stage and played a good long set.  Fergie came out and did the same.  When the performers weren't working it, the DJ played Gypsy Kings.  Gals painted in red, wearing massive wigs of the same color were perched on top of low pedestals in the VIP area.   They were a bit shocking, but heads never snapped so fast when Britney Spears sauntered into the VIP section.  Brit Brit sipped on a diet coke, sitting with two friends for a few minutes while photographers snapped photos.  She was there for about 15 minutes and then left. 

Michael Jackson

Now, the highlight of the night.  Michael Jackson walked onto the stage waving to the crowd, wearing a silky bright blue shirt.  The sound was deafening.  Screams and shouts and camera phones high up in the air.  It was like everyone reverted back to the first time they played Thriller on their record player.  (Okay, so that's what was going through my mind.)  Christian spoke about Michael being the King of Pop & Michael returned the compliment by calling him the best fashion designer.  I didn't hear the rest.  The crowd went wild....

Pamela Anderson also took the stage, but I was already outside.  I figured the night had hit its peak.  Poor Pamela, following Michael.  No one should have to!

About that time, the party moved back into the lowrider exhibit inside the museum.  Guests lounged on white couches set between vintage cars while the DJ was spinning songs.  Everyone was dancing... After a few turns on the dance floor, it was time to go.

Happy birthday Christian... 50 and fantastic!

Christy, brazilian dancer, Suzanne

Christy and Britney

Christian, Pamela Anderson

Record producer Manny Mijares

Maddie Lauer

 

With the Vanity Fair party canceled, Elton John's Party was the place to be!

He throws the ultimate Oscar viewing party.  He passes out ballots to everyone.  You make your picks & the winner gets some over-the-top prize.  But who cares about prizes when you're rubbing shoulders with celebrities, watching Elton John perform at the piano like he's in your living room... with Mary J Blige!  Prince never did show up (but some of his dancers did).   He was throwing his own party though.

So who looked gorgeous?  Paz Vega & Heidi Klum took my breath away.  Heidi changed out of her beautiful red gown (that she wore at the Kodak) and wore a short white & silver number.  Talk about party dress!  She was smokin & I'm sorry I have to photos here. :)

Ok, I'm sure you've heard enough about fashion & dresses.  Let's get to the dirt.  I love behind the scenes gossip. :)

Sean Penn breezed by us & didn't even give a wave - shocker.  We have shots of him sitting inside with Petra Nemcova getting cozy... hmm...  He did just break up with Robin Wright....

I held an Oscar for the first time!  An Oscar winner was kind enough to let me hold it.  It was heavy as everyone says. 

Herbie Hancock was there just proud as a peach.  This is his year!   Petra Nemcova and I had a moment.  She admired my dress because wee were both in yellow.  Mine was Banana Republic though, & hers was custom Versace or Narisco Rodriguez.  She is stunning up close.  I yelled to Stevie Wonder & told him I love him.  He loves me too if you were wondering. :)

One of my favorite parts is listening to the auction hosted by Sharon Stone.  She knows how to milk people.  I sit in awe as the amounts go from ten, to twenty, to fifty thousand dollars for trips, art, jewelry... Must be nice.

Normally they have buckets of ice water & soda sitting out for us, but Elton's waitstaff brought us Evian & Red Bull on trays.  When the carpet closed for the show, they brought us out pizza.  I was rejoicing.  Sure, uests dined on steamed sole, canapes & tiny scrumptious chocolate desserts inside - but we didn't buy the tickets and - when you're hungry, you are hungry!  I had a slice of hawaiian pizza. A big one with canadian bacon and pineapple. 

Did you notice it was a gold carpet?  I matched it.  There was serious camoflauge action happening.  Thank goodness for the plum drapes.  Oh wait.  I had on plum shoes.  How big of a fashion faux pas is that?  Oh wait, lots of celebs wore red on the red carpet.  Nevermind.  Loved the red trend btw.

If you saw my story on the air, Mario the bouncer gave a little wave.. remember him?  He's awesome by the way.   If I ever need protection Mario is my back up.  We're bff now.  (Best friends forever.)  We were hanging out at the party!  Go to my photo album for photos!

Chandeliers, black and draperies, gold beaded curtains... the Grammy's red carpet celebrating 50 years.  And boy, was it a scorcher.  Mylie Cyrus said it best.  It's hot, but it's awesome.

The Grammys is a marathon.  Standing on the red carpet from noon to 5pm.  I drank 3 waters and 3 diet cokes.  Note to self: skip the stilettos.

One of the first to arrive was Tia Carrere.  She was working the Hawaiian look in a flowy teal dress and dripping gold jewelry.  I loved the flower tucked into her hair. 
She was nominated for a best Hawaiian music Grammy, but lost.

Color was big on the red carpet... Fergie and Colbie Cailliat wore bright yellow dresses.  I sported a short orange frock too.

Corinne Bailey Rae wore an electric blue dress (Luella I believe).  It was covered in little plastic flowers.  She said she saw it on the runway in a different color and had made in an electric blue.  Must be nice.

Melissa Joan Hart walked (okay,waddled) down the carpet - 9 months pregnant! - She said she's due in a few weeks.  She was there with Her husband, Mark Wilkerson.  He's in the band Course of Nature & was nominated for a Grammy.  I think he lost out though.  He was up against the Foo Fighters.... they rock the house!

Hayley Williams from Paramore was the quentissential first-timer.  So cute!  In the middle of our interview she kept noticing all the craziness that one gets used to after being on a few of these red carpets.

Kermit the Frog and Pepe the Prawn (Muppets) were interviewing stars for the Craig Ferguson show.  It was a big hit amongst the celebs.

Ringo Starr.  I was starstruck when I saw him.  I didn't know what to say!  I kept thinking.. I'm talking to a Beatle... A Beatle!!!

There's always a bit of the crazy and unexpected.  Chris Brown looked like the Candyman in a white suit with red piping.  Cyndi Lauper's hair was twisted into a jumble of big blonde locks in a style straight out of "Sweeney Todd."Fantasia was working a modified mohawk with the sides dyed white.  It was different...

Amy Lee from Evanescance sported her signature goth look, but those eyes.  They are an icy blue like I've never seen.  Beautiful.

Paul Wall showed off his diamond studded grill.  He had a sidekick with him (Johnny Dang).  They started a company called Johnny the Jeweler in case you want to buy your very own.

Wolfgang Puck had on his trademark white chef outfit, holding out a gold record like a pizza.  It was made of chocolate and looked yummy.  Too bad he didn't have samples.

Soulja Boy danced down the red carpet with a few minutes to go...  He wasn't doing the Soulja Boy, but kind of skipping and dancing around.

Fergie breezed by us and when asked who she most wanted to see?  Kanye West.  Loved his acceptance speech by the way.

Carrie Underwood swept by us but looked impeccable as always.  Her makeup always looks flawless.  How does she do it?  I want her makeup artist's number.... stat!

I was standing inside Rick's Tavern on Main in Santa Monica when I saw Kina Grannis' video play during the Super Bowl.  My eyes welled up.  I felt such pride.  I know it was in big part thanks to Fox11 viewers who voted for her after seeing her story!

Winning the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest means she has a record deal with Interscope!

I can't wait to hear her songs on the radio.

Congratulate her on her blog: http://www.twoweeksforkina.com/blog/index.html

In case you missed the original story.... <a href="http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?
contentId=5550476">click here!</a>

Don't you love that feeling of... I knew them when?  That's how I feel after my story on 22 year old Kina Grannis.

She is a singer/songwriter with a beautiful voice and serious skills.  She entered a Doritos contest and made it to the top 3.  If she wins, her song will play during the Super Bowl.  Oh yeah, & score a contract with Interscope Records.  The same label as 50 Cent & No Doubt.

Kina is from Mission Viejo, graduated from USC & then moved to Austin to sing in cafes and make enough money to squeak by.  Now she has a chance at stardom.  After entering the contest, she scored a manager, so she's already getting noticed.

Kina & her sisters rallied the digg.com community by singing a catchy diddy Kina wrote.  It is so popular, she's affectionately known as Digg Girl.  Click here for the Digg song.

Check out her song Message From Your Heart here!

If you'd like to check out her competition and vote too, go to www.crashthesuperbowl.com.

She has her own website www.twoweeksforkina.com

 

Did you even tune in for the Golden Globes Sunday night?  As for me, I love watching for the red carpet fashions & the impromptu acceptance speeches that get really juicy when the stars have a few drinks in them. :)

There was no red carpet, no buzz, certainly no stars, just media.  As a member of the media, I love my fellow journalists, but what makes an awards show so special, is catching a glimpse of & interviewing our favorite stars! 

It felt really strange entering the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Golden Globes night.  Normally, that's where the stars celebrate & we aren't even allowed in there.

Instead, it was just us, some small but beautiful centerpieces & a nice spread of cheese, fruit & sodas.  It was funny, because we filmed some footage of a bartender pouring champagne, who said they were charging $6 a glass for the Moet & Chandon. Thank you very much.  I'd love to see them try and pull a no-host bar on the celebs. :)

Anyway, I really enjoyed Kathy Griffin's pre-show commentary.  That was the highlight of my Golden Globes night.

I'll quote a Hollywood Foreign Press member, who told me: "Hopefully this never happens again!"

During the holidays, I watch so many films and run out so quickly, you can even catch me tivoing sappy films on the Lifetime channel!  Yes i admit it.

Here's my top ten.  What's yours?

1. Home Alone - Macaulay Culkin vs. the bad guys and the old neighbor who always freaks him out... Love it!

2. The House Without A Christmas Tree - If you haven't seen it, it's a classic the whole family can enjoy.  A little girl wins a Christmas tree at school & her father doesn't want to put it up because it reminds him of her mother who passed away... get out the kleenex.

3. A Christmas Story - I'll even watch the day when it's looped non-stop because there are so many funny random moments.

4. Christmas Vacation - Chevy Chase, the squirrel in the tree, the Christmas light wars... need I say more?

5. Elf - Yeah, make fun of me all you like.  Will Farrell is hilarious!

6. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - The claymation version with Jack Frost and the Abominable Snow-Monster.  A campy classic.

7. A Charlie Brown Christmas - The music alone is a winner

8.  It’s a Wonderful Life - I always wished Jimmy Stewart was my uncle after watching this.

9. Bad Santa - Not for the kiddies, but so funny

10. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas - I prefer the cartoon version!

I love going to haunted places.  I've stayed in haunted hotels - no ghosts.  I've gone on ghost tours - yawn - I've covered scarier stories.  But tonight may be the first time I (may) have experienced the supernatural.

So I'm at the Spooky House in Chatsworth.  It's billed as one of the scariest haunted houses around, and they are at a new, bigger location.

Just past the dark, eerie exterior, there is a maze of rooms filled with crazed clowns and hillbillies, insane asylum escapees, devils, and monsters so deformed I can't tell what they're supposed to be.

My true scare started when we started having issues with our microphones.  My photographer Kevin Horton told me he had never seen the lights flash the way they were flashing when we turned it on.  They were going from green to red and here's the kicker - it was a new battery.

Did the spirits suck the life from the 9-volt?

I forgot about it until our editing equipment started acting up.  Then, there was a moment when he didn't have video selected and a growl came out of the speakers.

A growl people.

I've seen Poltergeist.  In fact I just watched it this week.  I've seen The Ring.  I think haunted electrical equipment is scary.   It's kind of like the horror movies when robots turn against people.  Electronics are not supposed to turn on us!

So I'm still a bit thrilled that I got a true fright tonight. 

If you'd like to creep through the haunted house yourself check out:

www.spookyhouse.com

Check and see if your cellphone is on the fritz when you leave!

 

Even though Halle Berry has an Oscar, she says she still has to convince movie studios of her ability because she is black.

"It doesn't matter that I have an Oscar, an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Silver (Berlin) Bear," says Berry, who is pregnant with her first child.

"I shouldn't have had to try so hard to be considered. I should have to stop convincing studios I am right for it -- it should be on my acting merit," she said. Berry was the first black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress, winning the 2002 Oscar for "Monster's Ball."

She appears in the film "Things We Lost in the Fire."

Berry said her first question when she met the film's Danish director, Susanne Bier, was: "Do you care that I am black because this wasn't written for a black woman ... I think this might be my problem here." She said that Bier's response was, "To hell with what color you are, it doesn't matter." But Bier was an exception. In the movie industry, Berry said, race is "always an issue -- slowly it's changing." "Not having a chance is what I can't live with at this point in my career, I think I have earned that," she said. 

What do you think of her experience?  I'll post my thoughts in a minute! 

Last year I was Dorothy... what should I be this year?

It's not even October yet, but a girl has to make plans. 

I want a fun, creative costume.  I've been Elvira before, I've been a witch, I've been Jasmine.  I would love to be Carmen Miranda, but Elizabeth Espinosa was her last year so I have to get creative. 

Please help me get those creative juices flowing!

I doooo!  (If you haven't heard the song, just go over to youtube and you'll get the joke.)

So Sunday, I got a call from my brother -in-law John, who told me he just left his neighborhood 7-11 and it was completely transformed into a Kwik-E-Mart!  I knew it had to be my story because I had to check it out.

For one, I love the Simpsons.  My family used to gather together and watch the show.  My parents very pretty strict while I was growing up and wouldn't let us watch Three's Company, MTV or Married... With Children,  but for some reason the whole family would sit together to watch The Simpsons.  I think mainly because there's no "in your face" sexual innuendo.

I love Lisa with her intelligence and exasperation at her dim-witted relatives.  I love Bart's offensive remarks but otherwise sweet nature.  Same goes for Homer.  I love how Marge lovingly acts like the June Cleaver of the family - so accepting - but at times she gets frazzled and her frustration peeks through. 

So many moments of the show remind me of my own family.  My mom would spend hours cooking dinner, but then me, my father and brother would sit down and eat, no one would talk, we'd just dig into the food like we were eating our last meal.  Just like on the show. 

I still eat that way when I'm at work by the way.  That's what happens when you grow up with brothers and think whoever finishes first... wins!

So when I stepped into the real-life Kwik-E-Mart, I felt like I was at Disneyland.  I was giddy.  As I looked around, everyone looked the same way.  There were racks of Buzz Cola, Kwik-E-Mart coolers, Squishees, and even the little old man who was frozen in the cooler.  Remember that episode? 

Also, we can't have the Kwik-E-Mart without adorable Apu.  I love how he he's raising eight kids with his beautiful Indian wife - another great episode - but at the Kwik-E-Mart he is strictly business.  How he is a straight shooter and then sends customers on their way with a friendly "Thank you, come again!"

Some of my favorite Apu quotes:

"Mr. Simpson, pay for your purchases and get out...        and come again!"

"Yes! I am a citizen! Now which way to the welfare office? I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I work, I work."

By the way, I talked to the guys who run the 7-11 in Burbank.  They are indeed Indian and  enjoying all the attention and business from the promotion.

This morning, I stepped onto my front porch and saw a small swarm of gnats circling over my Jack O' Lantern. He hadn't looked that bad the night before. I admit, his bright eyes and toothy grin had turned into a sad frown and mushy underbite, but I thought he was just coming into his own personality.

Upon closer inspection, I realized dear old Jack was rotten and had truly given up the ghost. I couldn't bring myself to do it, so my husband tossed him into the trash bin, my first step in giving up Halloween.

It takes baby steps. My Halloween lights are still circling my front lawn. Skulls, pumpkins, and purple and orange twinkle lights greet our neighbors every night. They make me happy, but I'm sure the folks in the neighborhood worry if we're one of "those people" who leave up Christmas lights until July.

Am I the only person who gets sad with the passing of each holiday?

This is truly my favorite time of year. Yes, it is still 80 degrees outside and we can all wear shorts. To those who grew up in other parts of the country, the changing of the seasons is marked by leaves turning beautiful shades of red and orange, or snow on rooftops, or that snow melting and the first sprouts of grass.

That's just not what So Cal is about. As a child growing up in Downey, my family marked the changing of the seasons with decorations! Valentine's Day, 4th of July. I looked forward to the time of year when my mother and I would haul out big boxes of dusty Halloween decorations from the garage. We'd get out the same old skeleton, paper pumpkins, plastic bats. To me, that marked the official start of Fall.

It's interesting to already see Christmas decorations in stores. Some people gripe that it's too early. Others ask, what about Thanksgiving? Why don't they put out decorations for that? My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the lack of pressure. No need to decorate, buy gifts, send cards. I love being with family or friends, being thankful for what we have and - most importantly - shamelessly stuffing our faces together.

Don't get me wrong. Christmas is by far my favorite. Last year, when I was living alone in Atlanta, I bought my Christmas tree in August. I bought it online - Ebay of course. It was white plastic and reminded me of something from the sixties. Once it arrived in the mail, I put it up. I even played Christmas carols to set the mood. On my down time, I would scour the web for retro ornaments to match my throwback tree.

It took me a while to realize why, but it slowly came to me that in Atlanta, it was 50 and 60 degrees in August. That doesn't usually happen until late November or December here. The cooler weather put me in the mood. I'm sure being homesick had a hand in it too. :)

This year, it's the first time in about five years that I'll be celebrating the holidays with my family. Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time giving up Halloween. It's like the perfect dessert after you've been craving it all week. I'm savoring it, it's just as delicious as I thought it would be, and I don't want it to end.