![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_4775-e1569758329837.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this page.<\/p><\/div>\n
And what an event it was! It was the absolute most happening-yet-elegant gift lounge ever<\/em>!!! The lay-out was just stunning, the DJ kept the crowd going with not-too-loud all-day beats, and let me tell you what an absolute delight the food<\/em> was\u2014OMG!<\/p>\n The very first thing my contributing writer, Lucia, noticed was a table right up front with the classiest spread in recent memory. Since this event took place a few days before the Emmys, we had been on the go all day, without a crumb of food in sight.\u00a0 So we are uber-thankful to GBK for this oasis. And all the fare was healthful, to boot! There was a delicious quinoa salad, hummus, white bean dip, and all kinds of veggies. And then we were ready to face the world.\u00a0 But then, lo and behold, they started passing<\/em> even more sumptuous offerings, which, because of the size of them, I cannot call \u201ctidbits.\u201d There were brisket sandwiches, jumbo shrimp cocktail, goat cheese and mushroom tarts, and…lobster bisque with mini-croutons! I wanted to get a room at the hotel just to nap off my food coma!<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Lucia had been to GBK events with me before, and raved, \u201cThey outdid themselves with this one,\u201d an assessment with which I wholeheartedly agree. here\u2019s her take on the atmosphere: \u201cSet at the iconic and beautiful Beverly Wilshire, we walked into the room filled with gorgeous flowers, a DJ spinning danceable tunes, and great food, especially the delicious desserts!\u201d (How could I have forgotten about those perfect sweet treats?!)<\/p>\n But, of course, the very many gifts were the stars of the day. So let\u2019s get to those highlights already:<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n BootySprout<\/strong>\u2014I saw a girl with a great butt working out on this portable butt machine right in the lounge, and I knew right away that I needed to emulate her! In talking with her and the inventor, I learned that this high-resistance at-home glute-training machine is very simple to set-up on a floor, (no assembly required,) and working-out on it is just as uncomplicated. And it looks so much easier on the knees than squats are! Plus, when you have people over, having this in your house will make you look like a real work-out person. So you\u2019ll project a healthy image both<\/em> ways\u2014on your body and<\/em> in the eyes of others! What could be better? I\u2019m sure that all the GBK guests who were lucky enough to receive one can\u2019t wait to sprout their own booty! www.bootysprout.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Spryng Compression Device<\/strong>\u2014As someone who wakes-up every day with cramps in one calf or the other, I was most interested in learning about this very special compression device. You just strap it on to either leg, (or both at the same time\u2014there are two devices in each kit,) and let the compression do the rest. With three intensity settings and two \u201cpatterns,\u201d this should work for everybody, athletes and couch potatoes alike. And travelers! Speaking of which, the whole shebang comes in one compact bag, so you can take it anywhere with you. (But, of course, over to the couch is easiest. Or is that just me<\/em>?) www.spryngme.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Khi Luxury Bath Tissue<\/strong>\u2014We saw people walking away from this big display with big smiles on their faces and giant boxes in their arms. I could not imagine what was in them, but I understood it all when we got closer. The boxes were three-packs of…toilet paper! And not just any<\/em> TP\u2014Khi is a luxury brand whose products are environmentally-friendly. That\u2019s because there\u2019s no plastic wrap anywhere on this toilet paper. It comes in either light cardboard gift-packs or just wrapped in paper. Lucia declared it her \u201cfavorite product of the day!\u201d She added, \u201cThe display at the lounge was beautiful, and after trying the Khi, I can tell you it\u2019s the best butt-wipe someone could ask for, guilt-free!\u201d And here\u2019s a great idea\u2014this is the perfect hostess gift for when you\u2019re a house guest! Nothing will be more appreciated than luxury toilet paper\u2014trust me. www.khiluxury.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Lucia Singer.<\/p><\/div>\n Huggaroo Weighted Blankets<\/strong>\u2014Lucia and I are both big fans of weighted blankets, and our guys are, too! We\u2019ve researched them over time, but we stopped in our tracks when we saw these fabulous, very attractive pink and blue textured numbers in the lounge! Lucia said, \u201cNever have I seen a weighted blanket so cute!\u201d She says the seven-pound ones can be used \u201cfor kids or as a throw to relax on the couch with when you need to decompress.\u201d I<\/em> would just be pulling the blue one up to my eyes so Mr. X can bask in them while I fall asleep! www.huggaroo.com<\/a><\/p>\n Phina Bacon working on a guest’s hands. Look at the cute colorful nails on these two! Photo by Lucia Singer.<\/p><\/div>\n Burke Williams Day Spa<\/strong>\u2014On top of gifting each guest two of their top H2V products, (a mask and an eye serum,) this famous spa had staff on-site to give hand massages, which I\u2019m sure everyone needed from carrying the many GBK gift bags all day! We appreciated that Phina Bacon, from their Torrance branch, worked on both of our tired phalanges. Lucia said, \u201cWhat a treat to have a mini hand massage! Given that we use our hands for everything, it was so nice to get a little TLC for them. Plus Phina knew just where the pressure points were to help with fatigue and headaches, and relax those texting<\/em> muscles!\u201d (And Lucia would know–she\u2019s always<\/em> on her phone.)\u00a0I<\/em> talk with my hands, (in case you hadn\u2019t noticed that on all my YouTube vids,) so they\u2019re constantly<\/em>\u00a0in need of help. This was a great little respite at the end of an uber-busy pre-Emmys day! www.burkewilliamsspa.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Filienna Jewelry<\/strong>\u2014I had actually known this jewelry designer from New York for a few years, but that she created this<\/em> gorgeous line was a complete surprise to me! The guests were going nuts over them! Lucia described the rings and earrings as \u201csuch beautiful and delicate filigree jewelry in gorgeous rose gold.\u201d After speaking with the rep, she added, \u201cThe color is created by mixing\u00a0a blend of precious silver and other metals such as copper.\u201d I<\/em> was bowled-over by all of its beauty, and I agree with Looch that \u201cyou can\u2019t go wrong with any<\/em> of these delicate and unique pieces.\u201d I<\/em> was especially drawn to a ring that looks a lot my mother\u2019s wedding band! What a great memory Filienna gave me. www.filienna.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Austere Wear Eyeglasses<\/strong>\u2014Since Lucia looks at her phone more than anyone I know, I\u2019ll let her explain these glasses that I feel she desperately needs. She tells us, \u201cWith frames that are minimalistically-styled and handcrafted out of wood, these blue-light-blocking glasses are the smartest thing ever! No longer do you have to fear going on your phone before bedtime, because you can pop on this stylish pair of glasses, look like a brainiac, and act like one, too, just by reading in bed on your phone! What a great concept for our new technologies.\u201d What she<\/em> said. www.austerewear.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Genie Bras<\/strong>\u2014As a duo of big-chested girls, we were thrilled to discover this special bra company! After speaking with the lovely rep for a long time, Lucia exclaimed, \u201cFinally, a wireless bra that will support a woman during high impact sports!\u201d The booth even had a little curtained-off space on the side in which to measure the guests who were interested in doing that, so that each recipient would receive just the right size. What a bonus that<\/em> was!\u00a0\u00a0www.geniebra.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay<\/strong>\u2014Lucia explains that this healing face mask, which you whip-up fresh yourself each time you use it, is \u201cmade from Death Valley\u2019s bentonite clay,\u201d and she declares that it \u201cholds superpowers.\u201d She adds, \u201cEveryone who uses this Aztec clay swears by it; I, for one, know that clay can work wonders on your skin, drawing-out impurities and leaving it baby smooth.\u201d And this company was gifting the entire kit and caboodle, which included a big bottle of the apple cider vinegar with which to mix the clay, a bowl to do it in, the tools to use, and three bottles of supplements! Wow–they were a mini gifting suite unto themselves!\u00a0 www.aztec-secret.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Just Food For Dogs<\/strong>\u2014A few years ago, Mr. X and I went to a party where one of the dishes looked yummy! When I asked the hostess what it is, she told me it was for her dog<\/em>, not her guests<\/em>! Well, this<\/em> company thinks the same way because their pet food is all made from human-grade ingredients! They were gifting giant bags chockfull of their goodies. Lucia checked-out their Beef and Russet Potato combo, which she said is\u00a0\u201claden with beef, carrots, peas, and potatoes,\u201d and told me that \u201cjust looking at it\u201d made her hungry! So imagine how happy one\u2019s pets<\/em> will be with it.\u00a0 www.justfoodfordogs.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Butterfly Superfoods<\/strong>\u2014We were drawn to this table by the looks of of the super-cute creator of this company, but we stayed for the taste of his organic sugar-free nut butters! Lucia raved, \u201cWhat an amazing combination of health and taste these superlative nut butters are! The cinnamon vanilla one is yummy!\u201d She also pointed-out that another reason to love it is they give ten percent of their proceeds to\u00a0\u201cawesome non-profits who are kicking ass at saving the earth.\u201d This company is a win-win-win. www.butterflysuperfoods.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Vitani<\/strong>\u2014I don\u2019t imbibe, but I assume that all my time-constrained pals would love this line of pre-mixed drinks! I know that the GBK guests did that day! Lucia, who was a tad skeptical of products like this at first, changed her tune when she saw the attractively-designed bottles, and asks, \u201cWho wouldn’t<\/em> want to come home to either a pre-made Cosmo, Vitani Mule or Dirty Martini?!\u201d She adds that after all our Emmys Weeks activities, she\u2019s now \u201cready to buy a case and knock \u2018em back!\u201d www.drinkvitani.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Simple Modern<\/strong>\u2014This company was gifting insulated drink-wear, which Lucia deemed \u201cgorgeous, very nicely made, and simply-designed.\u201d We feel that they\u2019ll also last a long time. The reps told us that they can also do custom orders with any logo or design. Lucia said that\u2019s very cool for corporate holiday gifts or weddings. And we all know they would be even cooler<\/em> with ItsNotAboutMe.TV emblazoned on them! www.simplemodern.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Athenaromas\u00a0Candles<\/strong>\u2014This was a fun one. I originally met this company because they were making products to calm pets<\/em> down with aromatherapy. But at this event, they were gifting candles for people<\/em>! I guess they realized that we need to get rid of our stress, as well, especially since our pets can pick-up on it. www.athenaromas.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Wen<\/strong>–This hair care company was doing hair on site, but, alas, we were too time-constrained to partake this time. But we learned that they have branched-out into the fragrance biz, so they were gifting little rollers of what Lucia calls \u201cdelicious perfumes!\u201d She said that the \u201cyummy scent of the vanilla one will even make you hungry!\u201d www.chazdean.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Beauty Pulse<\/strong>\u2014This CBD-infused products company was gifting their new sunscreen, something that everyone in the world should be wearing every day, inside or outdoors. (But don\u2019t get me started on global warming.) www.beautypulse.shop<\/a><\/p>\n Covenant House<\/strong>\u2014Lucia and I agree that this is a wonderful service for the homeless youth<\/em> of Los Angeles. Ages eighteen to twenty-four are particularly under-served in that community. The on-site reps at this event gave each guest a fleece blanket for us to then give to a homeless youth. And attached is a business card with information about shelters and resources for them.\u00a0 All they have to do is call the number on the card and a van will pick them up and help get them on their way. (I hope there are still pay phones for them to do that! I have a feeling homeless people don\u2019t possess cell phones.) But even just having a good blanket is a plus for these young souls. Lucia adds, \u201cIt\u2019s so important to help youths help turn their lives around. Thank you, Covenant House!\u201d www.covenanthouse.org<\/a><\/p>\n St. Bernard Project<\/strong>\u2014I\u2019ve been following this natural disaster relief organization for quite some time, and they\u2019re the ones I\u2019ve gotten all the hurricane warnings from this summer. What a worthwhile charity they are to help with all those recovery efforts in those hardest-hit areas. www.sbpusa.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GBK 2019 PRE-EMMY AWARDS LUXURY GIFTING LOUNGE I\u2019m so excited to tell you about this one! It was held at my perennial favorite LA hotel, the Beverly Wilshire. That place has meant so much to me through the years. It\u2019s the very first hotel I ever stayed in in LA, Mr. X threw my surprise<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>