GBK 2016 OSCARS LOUNGE
[Note: I visited six pre-Oscars Gifting Suites this year. (Well, actually, it was eight, but two are not worth telling you about!) As always, each one gets its own write-up. This is the sixth, and final one, of them, so please make sure to check-out the previous five columns, to learn about all the fabulous-ness. (And next week, there will be two wonderful stand-alone goodie bags to give you the scoops on, as well!) Alice Farinas was my Contributing Writer on this one.]
We stopped-by the GBK suite directly from experiencing the surprise Elton John pre-Oscars concert at the old Tower Records location in West Hollywood, so we were already on a high when we arrived at the London Hotel. And the fun vibe kept going there!
I loved that it was held in real suites, sort-of in a maze, which made it somewhat like a treasure hunt.
Photo by Karen Salkin.
And treasures are exactly what we found at GBK! Here are the highlights of them:
LifeCell—We’re already fans of this skincare company’s products, and thought we were familiar with them all. But here the pleasant reps introduced us to their BB Cream, which we knew nothing about. It’s touted to help in the anti-aging department, and who doesn’t need that? Alice pointed-out that it also “has SPF benefits,” and called it a “definite try!” www.lifecellcream.com
GuruNanda—I strongly believe in oils, yoga, and the like, so I was happy to see that this company was giving what is, in my opinion, the gift of wellness. Each guest received an aromatherapy diffuser kit with a trio of popular essential oils, along with an easy-to-follow yoga book that you can use at home. www.gurunanda.com
Photo by Karen Salkin.
Lula Mena—We were so excited to see this beautiful jewelry designer from El Salvador again! (I meant that she’s beautiful, but her jewelry is, as well, so you can read that last sentence either way!) She and Alice started excitedly speaking Spanish to each other. I just threw in “muchas ropas,” because, sadly, that’s about all I remember of that language any more! (Oh, also “muy joven,” because I was told that that’s what most of my pals are!) They were gifting what Alice deemed “Oscar-party-worthy” beaded necklaces, bracelets, purses, and even bow ties(!), which all have, what according to Alice is “an ethnic vibe, that’s classy and hip in a glamorous way.” Whew. That’s quite a description, and really does cover it all. She added, “Whether you wear them with jeans or with gowns, you’re going to look fabulous.” www.lulamena.com
Photo by Karen Salkin.
Trtl Pillow—As someone with constant neck pain, who also falls asleep a lot, I was thrilled to discover this little gem, which Alice calls “the best travel pillow ever!” We both tried it, and it works really well. And, as Ali said, “It’s so easy to use; you just wrap it around your neck, and fall asleep.” It also folds up well enough for easy carrying. www.trtl.co.uk
The Love Institute—We enjoyed learning about this unusual service—a masseuse comes to your home, not to give you a massage, but to teach you and your partner how to give each other one! Alice said, “It’s a great creative way to bond and get close.” If they come to my house, though, they can show only the already-fabulous massage man, Mr. X, some new moves, because we all know that I’m never giving anyone a massage, don’t we?! My usual generosity stops there. www.theloveinstitute.com
Photo by Karen Salkin.
Brow Art 23—Being fans of this brow-shaping company already, we couldn’t get over to their area of the suite fast enough! The uber-pleasant Krishnara Marcano threaded our brows, of which Alice remarked, “I got exactly what I wanted; not a lot taken off, and just the right amount to clean them up. I’m really happy with the results.” And everyone left with a goodie bag full of their cosmetics, which I always love. What a win-win from this sponsor! www.browart23.com
Ike’s Place—As always, this sandwich shop was there feeding us, for which we’re always grateful. Alice had never before tried the turkey with barbecue-and-mustard sauce, and found it to be “killer yummy.” www.ilikeikespace.com
Photo by Karen Salkin.
Confetti Sweets—We both loved these “most scrumptious cookies ever!” Alice was shocked to discover that, even though she’s usually a chocolate chip person, she loved the coconut ones even more! And the pink packaging is so pretty that my mouth watered just looking at the bag, before I even got to the delish treats! www.confettisweets.ca
The Fix Massage–Not only does Alice write with me, and take many of the pictures, but, because of my still-broken back, she also carries all the bags! So, she was happy to receive “a great, re-energizing neck and shoulder massage” from Dr. Liza of Canada. www.dr-liza.com
Photo by Karen Salkin.
Be Tini Spirits—They set-up a mouth-watering bar with their gorgeous colored bottles that even I, a tee-totaler, was attracted to! Alice tried their Tropical Sunset Rum Cocktail, which has “only twenty-five teeny-weeny calories per glass,” and said, “This blend of tropical fruits from guava to pineapple is so tasty!” www.betinispirits.com
Loulou Lollipop—We were surprised to learn that these attractive silicone necklaces are actually for teething on! I guess that babies like to chew on their mom’s jewelry, and with these items, they can do just that, without harming either themselves or the jewelry! Wow. www.louloulollipop.com
Photo by Alice Farinas, as is the big one of the “merman,” at the top.
San Diego Zoo—This very famous Southern California landmark is celebrating its hundredth year! To commemorate the occasion, they were on-site gifting little stuffed lions. Adorbs. If they have a century b-day fete, I want to be there, dancing with the elephants, (sort-of like I did in the circus. Don’t ask.) www.sandiegozoo.org
Flashtag Photo—On the way out, (as opposed to as we entered, which is when most other guests did it,) we took what Alice calls our “memory pics.” I am not a fan of seeing myself in them, but Ali said, “It’s fun to take something away that you can remember the event by, and this time, Flashtag made that possible.” www.flashtagphoto.com
Photo by Karen Salkin.
Jewelinx—We both really enjoy seeing the sunshine-y designer of this clever device, and Alice, (who was a stylist for a bit a few years ago,) loves this item that holds all your accessories on the same hanger as your outfit. She said it “makes getting ready that much easier.” www.hangerjewelinx.com
As always, (and much more important than gifts, in my humble opinion,) there were a couple of charities who benefitted from this event. They are:
Face Forward—I’m proud to say that this wonderful non-profit organization is in our own backyard! Headquartered in Beverly Hills, they provide free reconstructive surgery (and emotional support, which is just as important,) for victims of such horrors as human trafficking and domestic abuse. www.faceforwardla.org
Lambda Legal—This organization makes legal services available for the LGBT community, thus empowering and supporting them. www.lambdalegal.org
