GIFTING LOUNGE/PARTY: GBK LUXURY GIFTING LOUNGE & ANGELENO MAGAZINE PARTY IN HONOR OF THE 2019 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS

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GBK LUXURY GIFTING LOUNGE & ANGELENO MAGAZINE PARTY IN HONOR OF THE 2019 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS

This dual event celebrating the American Music Awards was really interesting. It was held at the Kimpton Le Peer Hotel in a very happening area of West Hollywood.

Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of this page.

Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of this page.

The most special part of it all was the fabulous very private GBK Gifting Lounge, which was inside Angeleno Magazine’s soiree. Not many of the Angeleno revelers were invited into the GBK lounge rooms, but all of GBK’s guests could party throughout the Le Peer’s lobby and pool deck to their hearts content all night. I had never seen anything like it before.

Neither had my contributing writer, Roz. She said, “This was definitely a new kind of experience. To be at a gifting lounge that was part of the sights, sounds, and flow of a party was different and enjoyable.”

We visited the GBK Gifting Lounge first, of course, so let’s discuss the highlights of the gifts we discovered there first, and then the rest of the fete right after:

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

U.SK Under Skin—The rep of this skincare company very thoughtfully talked with each guest to determine just which of his company’s products would benefit them the most. He took one look at Roz and determined that she needed their Advanced Retinol Restorer, which she tells us “works on multiple layers of skin to promote cell renovation.” She said it will now be her “go-to cream to help with those pesky dark spots that seem to be popping-up a lot these days.” And after my recent three weeks in New York with barely any sleep, I was most interested in learning about their Revitalizing line. He also showed us their new Elixir Infusions, which come in the luxurious varieties of gold, platinum, pearl and caviar, and diamond! www.underskin.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Rob Rodney—Two handsome male besties, (and no, they are not named Rob and Rodney,) who look like they’ve never even tried cannabis, were on hand to introduce the assemblage to their beautiful upscale leather cannabis-storing bags. I’ve never seen anything like them before. This bag and its interior containers are so many steps above the usual marijuana storage receptacles that they should not even be in the same conversation! They’re perfect for business people who indulge, because they look like small briefcases. You can go from work to recreational activities in a classy manner. And even your children will never know, which I believe is why they were originally designed to begin with. The built-in combination lock helps with that even more. www.robrodney.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Zip Top Containers—I went nuts over these new kitchen containers! As someone who is constantly trying to help the planet, I became an instant fan of these reusable silicone containers. They not only replace all your plastic ones, but also don’t have any lids to lose! Roz explains, “They each have a heavy zip-top closure which you press together, just as you do with plastic baggies.” And there’s more good news: all of the iterations–cups, dishes, and “bags”–are safe to put in the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher. Roz deems this company’s wares “the start of a kitchen revolution.” I’m just thrilled that they come in my favorite color combos—pink, turquoise, and white! www.ziptop.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

House Saint Zarek—I loved meeting Ray Saint Zarek, the designer of all these fun recycled metal jewelry and custom vintage attire pieces! It’s all so hip and funky! I don’t know if you guys know this, but I’m a ring fanatic, and I’ve been searching for a special thumb ring for quite some time now. I even just looked all over New York earlier this month, with no luck. But this company had about ten I loved! (That’s perfect for clumsy people who say that they’re “all thumbs!”) Roz pointed-out that everything is made from “all kinds of recycled items,” and that the entire display was “carefully created”; it made her feel like she was “walking into a magazine ad!” We both agreed that all of it is “certainly something that both men and women will love.” Well, hip ones, anyway. www.saintzarek.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Jada Jo Jewelry—Each piece of this jewelry is comprised of healing gemstones, and is inspired by the designer’s world travels, which we get brought along on by just wearing one of her bracelets or necklaces. We both especially admired the Aqua Elephant Bracelet, which is made from a beautiful sea foam shade of very light green Amazonite beads. It also has a little “button” that features an image of an elephant; Roz deems it all to be “simply beautiful, and darling.” www.jadajo.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

M The Movement—This table had it all! On display was attire, jewelry, upscale sneakers, and even a bejeweled steering wheel! I didn’t know where to look first—it was all so attractive. Roz said, “This fun company’s items ask us to be bold, be brilliant, and be you.” They were gifting certificates, which Roz noted was a great idea for this time of year because “now that gifts for the whole family are on everyone’s mind, these are good ones to consider.” www.mthemovement.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Social CBD—I was drawn to this display because of all the pretty packaging, not even knowing what the product is!  It turned-out to be a wide range of CBD items to help with a multitude of issues. Because of my ever-aching back, I was most interested in learning about their Muscle Rub, while Roz just wanted to know about their “Rest” capsules, which she believes will “soothe and deepen one’s ability to sleep.” She exclaimed, “I’m feeling more rested just talking about it!” www.thesocialcbd.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Yowie Candies—This candy company was gifting a whole slew of confections, including gummies and milk chocolate bites. There were little toy surprises in the bigger chocolates, (so please be very careful when eating them!,) and also in the boxes that the smaller bites come in. The surprises are tiny animals and cards featuring the critters, all designed to make children (and adults, too) aware of how the ever-changing environment endangers the animal kingdom. Roz says, “This delightful company is all about food, fun, and environmental knowledge.” I brought a couple of them home to Mr. X, and, after discovering the animal collectibles inside, he said, “It’s educational while you’re having fun!” I love that even their website is colorful and entertaining! (And in case you ever want to impress your pals if this comes up on Jeopardy, “Yowie” is Aussie for “Sasquatch,” and really translates to “hairy people.” You’re welcome.)  www.yowieworld.com

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

GE Lighting–This famous lighting brand was introducing guests to their new LED lightbulb that has a…speaker in it! Roz explains the concept: “Each bulb has a Bluetooth connection that you sync to your smart phone or tablet for a music source. Is that brilliant? Yes. It is literally brilliant, on both levels.” We both agreed that it’s a “remarkable invention.” www.gelighting.com/led-bulbs/led-plus

GBK’s charity this time was Animal Spirits Foundation, whose mission statement tell us that they’re “committed to bettering the lives of animals by providing financial assistance for critical veterinary care and spay/neuter services, and supporting the efforts of qualified local animal rescue organizations through financial grants and providing educational programs for the local community.” www.animalspiritsfoundation.org

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

As for the actual party, it was really rocking all night. In addition to a duo of DJs, including one in the pool area, where some of the beautiful people congregated, there were several snack stations. The main one was stocked with hummus, dips, and veggies that were, as we both took note of, constantly being refreshed.  For those with a sweet tooth, there was a table with desserts, a whole stack of shelves stocked with chocolates, and even a gelato cart! No one went hungry, that’s for sure.

 Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Roz sums the whole event up for us thusly, “Moving from inside to outside, especially walking around the pool where party-goers were mingling, gave this gifting experience a really fun feeling.” And I especially loved that the fluid lay-out of the entire space made us feel part of the big picture at all times, but never claustrophobic, as I often do in other crowded events.

This was the perfect way to not only celebrate the next day’s American Music Awards, but to kick-off the entire holiday season!  I can only hope that the rest of this month’s events will be as fun and festive as GBK’s was!

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