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<\/a>The lovely outdoor venue. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this article.<\/p><\/div>\n
Because so many showbiz-related events have been cancelled or scaled-back in the past two years, Gavin Keilly, the brains behind GBK, did something special with his lounge this time that I, as an actor, really appreciated. He was kind enough to invite many of the participants of the SAGs, Golden Globe, and Grammys, as well as Oscars peeps, to this event. That was really generous of him.<\/p>\n
But I<\/em> had eyes for only the venue<\/em>, which was the lovely Rose Garden of the venerable Beverly Wilshire Hotel. It\u2019s the first hotel I ever stayed at in LA, on my twentieth birthday, so it means a lot to me. And then Mr. X threw my surprise thirtieth<\/em> birthday party there, as well. So, with my recent<\/em> birthday just passed, it was perfect for me to return to the scene of so many happy memories for me.<\/p>\n Just part of the delicious buffet. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Marc loved the atmosphere, too. He said, \u201cThe gorgeous garden was the perfect setting for this event, with beautiful faux grass beneath our feet, (on one half of the area,) and the clear blue sky above. And the beautiful music playing was a bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n The many show biz guests all seemed thrilled to see the lovely buffet of charcuterie, cheese, crackers, guacamole, ahi tuna, marinated veggies, and a trio of scrumptious mini dessert tarts\u2014chocolate mousse, pistachio-raspberry, and lemon merengue. It was perfect fare for the occasion.<\/p>\n If that\u2019s all<\/em> that had gone on there, Marc and I would have been happy enough to participate. But, of course, the guests were there for the lovely gifts, which were spread-out over both sides of the garden area and one very special room.<\/p>\n We got a peek at several of the items. Here are the highlights of our discoveries:<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n House of M Beauty<\/strong>\u2014I could see right away why this skin care company was the Presenting Sponsor–they had perhaps the prettiest display ever<\/em>! I wanted to live<\/em> in it! (Maybe that’s why \u201chouse\u201d is in their title.) On top of that<\/em> beauty, they were gifting a duo of their saffron-infused products. If that uber-sought-after ingredient can make faces<\/em> look as yummy as it does food<\/em>, all the guests who received them will be very happy. \u00a0www.houseofmbeauty.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Renpho<\/strong>\u2014Guests were literally begging for all these personal health-and-fitness devices. My eyes popped out of my head when I saw their muscle massager that all the basketball players use. Mr. X and I had been trying to figure-out what exactly they are, and where to get them, for about a year now, and here they were, right in Renpho’s display! What a find. Marc, who loves to relax his face, was most interested in what he deemed to be the \u201cgreat\u201d electric heated eye massager. He said of the company, \u201cTheir products are so innovative with so many practical ways to care for your wellbeing.\u201d\u00a0www.renpho.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Pop Underwear<\/strong>–This underwear company from Montreal featured the two most pleasant reps I have ever met at a gift lounge! And their adorable undergarments, made with bamboo, are just as lovely. I have no idea how the guests chose just an item or two. I<\/em> wanted everything I saw at their table, even the boxers for men<\/em>! www.popunderwear.us<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Racs Bow Ties<\/strong>\u2014The duo gifting these unisex creative and striking bow ties were the most fashionable people at this event. I was wondering where they got that great accessory, and then I discovered that it’s their<\/em> company! These are no ordinary bow ties, by the way\u2014they’re made from rattan<\/em>, which makes them basically works of art, in my opinion. www.www.racs.vip<\/a><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of GBK.<\/p><\/div>\n Go Donut<\/strong>\u2014Marc says of these clever phone holders, \u201cThey look just like donuts, but please don’t eat them. You can, however, place your phone on them to charge, or just to make and take calls hands-free. How convenient is that?! And they come in a variety of great colors and patterns.\u201d I<\/em> can only add that they’re also affordable, so you can get one to match every room! www.godonut.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n GE Lighting<\/strong>\u2014I love when this company is at an event because we learn about the latest in home lighting technology. This time, they were gifting items from their Cync line, specifically their Outdoor Smart Plug and Direct Connect Smart Light Strip. As a former member of my first grade class’ self-named \u201cSmart Table,\u201d I still love any product with that word in its title! www.gelighting.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Kamaria Jewelry<\/strong>\u2014This jewelry company, whose name is Swahili for \u201cmoonlight,\u201d has expanded their line in the year since I first met them. Known for their butterfly pendants, this time they were gifting turquoise bracelets with a tiny gold charm engraved with the saying, \u201cUse your power, restore our dignity\u201d in Hindi. If everyone wears them at the same time to another<\/em> Hollywood event, they’ll all recognize each other as one of the exclusive invitees to a GBK function by their bracelets! Fun. www.kamaria.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Purple Raina<\/strong>\u2014They had me at the name! Raina is the creator of this self-care company, so I love that she came up with its clever moniker. And everything about her\u00a0display was\u00a0purple-hued\u2014the labels for her CBD-infused products, the gift bags, pens, her wardrobe, and even…her hair! I loved it all. www.purpleraina.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Affirm CBD<\/strong>\u2014This company was gifting bags with samples of some of their \u201cnatural CBD remedies.\u201d After all the fun at this lounge, meeting-and-greeting and mingling and gift-gathering, I have a feeling that many of the guests appreciated the pain relief patch and relaxation tincture. \u00a0www.affirmcbd.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Tabs Chocolate<\/strong>\u2014These classy gift boxes of chocolate looked normal, but then the guys who were handing them out seemed to love explaining that their product is for…sex! How funny. So it comes with a caution to not have more than half a piece. Good thing they were not<\/em> doing on-site<\/em> tastings! (But the results might have been fun to witness, right?) I think the chocolate would be a perfect favor for bachelorette parties. www.tabschocolate.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Lifeboost Coffee<\/strong>\u2014A very healthy-looking man was giving-out bags of these low-acid, chemical-free, shade-grown coffee beans, so I think the coffee drinkers in the crowd could trust him. And I enjoyed seeing the colorful array of tee-shirts each guest could choose from, especially because they were emblazoned with \u201cGrateful,\u201d which everyone at GBK that day should have totally been! www.lifeboostcoffee.com<\/a><\/p>\n Photo courtesy of GBK.<\/p><\/div>\n Blazing Bull Grills<\/strong>\u2014This company was not there to gift, per se, but to serve rare New York strip steak, (which Marc went crazy for,) and vegan pizza cooked right in front of us on their grills. And then, if the chef really liked someone, he gave him or her a logo apron and cap. www.blazingbullgrills.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GBK BRAND BAR 2022 PRE-OSCAR LUXURY LOUNGE The GBK Pre-Oscar Lounge was a beautiful oasis in the middle of a very hectic Oscars week. My co-writer Marc and I really enjoyed it all. Because so many showbiz-related events have been cancelled or scaled-back in the past two years, Gavin Keilly, the brains behind GBK, did<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>