SECRET ROOM EVENTS 2026 PRE-EMMYS STYLE LOUNGE

After a two-year hiatus, Secret Room is back with a vengeance! And I could not wait to see Rita Branch and her lovely ladies again. It was held once again on the hip rooftop of the famous Petersen Automotive Museum in West Hollywood, and although it was super-hot out that day, the many guests stayed cool in the enclosed space up there.

This was the first time there for my newest contributing writer, John, and he was very impressed. He could not believe how packed and happening Secret Room was, praising the staff for being “professional and friendly,” and “making the check-in so simple.”

He even appreciated the venue itself. Of it, he said, “It was a treat to be at the Petersen Automotive Museum and see their amazing autos as we entered. And the Miracle Mile location was a breeze to find and park at.” You have no idea what a bonus that is during the packed pre-Emmys weekend!

Just about every Secret Room gift was one we’d never seen anywhere before! And I must laud all of the reps—every one of them was upbeat, nice, and just happy to be showing us their products! I love a crowd like that!

So let’s get into the highlights of the gifts:

Hale Sky—This is one of the absolute most generous sponsors I have ever met! The new-ish handbag company was gifting their stunning convertible bag, the Lanah, which can also be used as a briefcase, tote, or backpack. It’s a gorgeous leather carryall, no matter in which mode you decide to use it. John says, “Hale Sky makes exquisite leather bags and accessories. I would be proud to attach their navy blue luggage tag to my suitcase anytime!” www.halesky.com

Ohhh So Swag—I loved the designs on these hip unisex shirts, that are sooo much more than tees! The owner knew right away that I’d love to wear one as a dress; I guess she’s used to it because that’s what many of their female customers do. I checked-out their website, and it even shows one of the shirts with a chain belt on, to make it into a dress! And I discovered that each shirt is made from scratch, (not printed on a blank t-shirt,) so the fabric is cut first, and then sewn with the design! Wow. www.ohhhsoswagdesigns.com

SKÖN Skincare—This award-winning skincare brand was uber-popular at the lounge. John explains, “There was a line to speak with the team from SKÖN.  For good reason—their generous gift bag included four of their top products.” We looked through them, with John declaring his favorite is “the 24K Golden Eye Patch which hydrates and brightens under-eye-skin.” And don’t we all need that after the very hectic pre-Emmys weekend?! www.skonskincare.com

Broken Trust Cellars—There can be no more pleasant reps than the duo from this clever wine company! I loved them, and I don’t even drink! John tried a sip, and said, “They make great wine, while keeping their keen sense of humor. They gifted their ‘Shitbag’ Chardonnay, which was also exquisitely packaged.” He told me that now he cannot wait to try some of their other wines, “including Paternity Test Pino, Full Custody Cabernet, and Movin’ On Merlot.” He’s making me wish I drank. But with these monikers, they’d make great gifts! www.brokentrustcellars.com

Evoke Immersive Technologies—This company features a plethora of luxurious categories! At Secret Room, they were gifting their amazing Fyra Smart Sports Watch, which has soooo many different helpful features including built-in health monitoring, Bluetooth calling, message notifications, weather updates, and media controls! It’s like having a whole staff work for you, but on your wrist! www.evokemarketplace.com

B’Luxe Clothing Boutique—This pretty girl in a dress that I was definitely jealous of, (both the attire and her face!,) was gifting a choice of sooo many different items of apparel, that are both fabulous and affordable! There were girly dresses, sparkly tops, sequined-front jeans, and even a gown or two! How in the world did the guests decide among them?! www.bluxeclothingboutique.com

Pom Drops—The rep from this hair product company took one look at John’s great hair, and said, “This is made for you!” So John tried it right on the spot and tells us, “I’m now a big fan of this premium hairstyling clay wax in pellet form.” He kept it in, and says that “one pellet-sized drop worked all day!” www.pomdrops.com

Baye London—This duo of ladies from Florida, by way of South African, was gifting colorful little kimono tops to wear over your bathing suit. It ties in the front and is barely there, so your bikini bra can still be seen, but it’s pretty, and will make each guest feel not so exposed. John also admired their “attractive cloth bags that each guest received at check-in.” www.bayelondon.com

Japanese Head Spa Co.—We learned that the owner of this company stopped here in LA on a multi-city tour. And we were the lucky ones to meet him! He was gifting their Pink Octopus Head Massager, which John tried-out, and says it “works great on the scalp.” Always thinking outside the box, he added, “It’s most likely also great for sore muscles.” www.japaneseheadspaco.com

Posh Pixie Handmade—The reps of this clever t-shirt company are lovely people. John said their tees are “incredibly soft to the touch and stimulating to your mind!  I especially liked the motivational ‘The Sky Is NOT the Limit’ grey shirt.” I, of course, was drawn to the one about anxiety. (Have ya met me?!) www.poshpixiehandmade.com

Souk & Wanderlust—Neither one of us understands the name of this company, (which made the reps laugh,) but we admired the gifts from them! I had eyes for only the elaborate jeweled treasure boxes, while John took one whiff of the candle and said, “The coconut soy wax candle made the whole room smell like a spa!”  www.soukandwanderlust.com

Shake It Cool—After the heatwave we’ve had here in LA all summer, (which was happening even during the day of this gift lounge!,) I’m sure every Secret Room guest was happy to learn about this company’s hoodies, tee-shirts, shawls, and towels made from their wonderful cooling material! I wanted to put one on right then and there! And they come in many different fun colors, as well, which you know I love! www.shakeitcool.com

Lunette Menstrual Cups—It’s a tad weird that a guy—John— knows more about these menstrual cups than a girl—yours truly—does! He talked to the inventor of them for a long time and tells us, “These products are making a huge impact on girls around the world. Without access to sanitary products, many girls miss school out of embarrassment. Lunette’s reusable products give them their dignity.” www.lunette.com

Heart Of The Streets (H.O.T.S.)—This lovely young lady came all the way from our joint hometown of New York to share her gifts with the Secret Room guests! I had the most fun time comparing notes with her. She gave each guest the company’s signature gift bag containing a light-up cocktail glass and a tee-shirt featuring what John has dubbed their “unforgettable logo.”

Crush Pickleball—John explains, “Pickleball has exploded into a cultural phenomenon and is America’s fastest growing sport.” So to that end, this company was gifting attractive caps, with a paddle and balls in the VIP gift bags. But their best gift was perhaps the most important thing I’ve ever seen at a gifting event, no lie—a little first aid kit “for cuts and scrapes.” www.crushpickleball.com

Punaballoo Stickers—I love a whimsical gift, and this one was it! We perused all the clever stickers, and John said, “It was delightful to meet the artist and owner of this fun–or should I say ‘pun’–company. Her punny sticker pack includes hilarious images and phrases. My favorite was “Mentally Dill,” with a pickle in a straight jacket!” www.punaballoo.com

One of the special things that Secret Room Events is famous for is that, on top of all that fabulousness, the VIP guests also receive a giant—and I do mean giant!— bag loaded with even more gifts! And Rita and company are always so happy to introduce us to new businesses, big and small! I got a gander inside one of the satchels, so here are the highlights of what I found:

An entire bag of Wildflower Glow skincare products, including the cutest little wooden spoon for their bath salts; a luxurious black faux fur scarf from Cozy Faux, (and that it is!); La Reunion Jewelry’s beautiful spiky earrings, (which can double as mini-weapons!); Hair Creations and Skin’s important Vitamin C Serum packaged so beautifully that I thought it was Christmas already!; Noir & Nova’s hip sunglasses in a dramatic gift box; The Deweffect undereye cream created by a pretty SoCal dermatologist; “Toy of the Year” winner Ollyball, featuring the logo of the NBA Champion Knicks, which will make a lot of kids (and Spike Lee) happy; a bag of Kenna’s Crystals, the power of which I really believe in; the book Billy and the Anxiety Monster that we can all use this days; a duo of undereye products from Eyetitude, which I have a feeling everyone needed for the Emmys last weekend!; a pouch of Zesties cheese crackers from The Leavened Box; “Love Potion” scented lotion from Verity Collectives; Hygia’s Blue’s prettily-packaged C 20 Power Serum, and Self Love aromatherapy roll-on; Epic Skin Protector for your pets; a duo of biohacking items from Real3; and a bag of delish-looking granola from Granola Guru. Whew!!!

And now all of us need to get some rest before Secret Room Events Oscars fete! Can’t wait.