Gleeks Unite!

Last week was the season premiere of Fox’s hit show, Glee.  I have been looking forward to it and it surpassed all of my expectations.  I don’t know if I expected too much from the show last season but I was sort of disappointed by the last few episodes of Season 1. It was like they were trying too hard to bring on guest stars and somehow they lost the organic and innocent quality that was so refreshing and unique about the show.

I was so happy to be reunited with my fictional boyfriend, Finn (played by Cory Monteith – that’s him below…hubba hubba!).  Last night Glee introduced new characters to the show and I think they will be great additions for the cast and plot lines.  I don’t want to give anything away but the songs that were featured last night were personal favorites of mine like “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z.  And next week is the Britney Spears episode so I’m totally looking forward to that.  All in all, I think Glee is back and ready to wow audiences again!

Library Bar's Amazing Bartender!

Okay guys.  So I swearrrr I do more than drink and eat, but this one is really important, and dedicated to the best bartender at the best bar in LA:  Matt Biancaniello at Library Bar at the Roosevelt.  I can’t say enough good things about his demeanor or cocktails, but I can say that my boyfriend and I come here at least twice a week, and a large group of friends generally follow.  From his Un Café Verbena to his Kentucky Bubble Bath to his 17 step Bloody Mary, there is not one drink I’ve ever had that’s been anything less than flawless.  (Including the “It’s Complicated”—a drink he coined for me after I turned my nose up at him for using horseradish and arugula in the first drink he ever made for me!)

The articles below highlight the Matt and his drinks way more eloquently than I ever could.  Matt:  If you ever Google yourself and find this random blog, THANK YOU for your drinks and your friendship! 

LA Times Guide - Bars & Clubs

Vashtie Kola x Air Jordan II

If you know me, you know I am not a sneaker girl by any means, but I have recently taken a lilking to Air Jordans, aka "Jordans." I bought my first pair about a month ago and though I am not quite the Jordan enthusiast just yet, one of my fav people in entertainment, Vastie Kola, has teamed up with Jordan to produce her own shoe...

My first pair of Air Jordan's!

Needless to say, I think these may be my second pair of Jordans, not only becuase they're lavendar - which used to be my favorite color, but because I am love w/the laid back style of Vastie herself. If you're not familiar with Ms. Kola, she's an artist, director, designer, party promoter and entrepreneur. She also dated musician Pharrell for a while...so you might recognize her from that. Anyhow - check out the collabo shoe that I'll likely be trying to get my hands on in the coming months:

“Beautify the Beach”



Shots of one of my favorite views in all of Malibu


Fall is officially underway (and might I add I’m beyond excited about this –Pumpkin Spice lattes and Thanksgiving? Yes please.) Even though the weather is starting to slowly cool down and snowy getaways may be on your mind don’t forget about my favorite place –THE BEACH.

Saturday, September 25^th is International Coastal Cleanup Day –that’s right, INTERNATIONAL. So whether you’re a So Cal girl like myself, one of those “Nor Cal” people or you’re on the other side of the globe there’s no discriminating, get out there and help! An hour or two really can make a difference, plus nobody wants to lie at the beach with dirty bags of old Cheetos and Natty Ice cans and neither do the fish!

For information visit http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd2.html

Xx

CC

Living the Life!

Greetings!  I'd like to introduce William, my friend's 1.5 year old pet ferret, who resides warmly in Bridgeport, IL.  I'm envious of this guy - he lives a hop, skip, and a leap away from the Halsted/33rd bus stop, right above an antique photography store and across a used cassette store. He wakes up to Billy Holiday playing on an original record player, while wiping away the sleep from his eyes on a Sunday morning. He climbs out of his hammock (yes, he sleeps in a hammock - what a life, right?) and goes to tackle his daily activity – a 550 piece puzzle set that his mom found at the local thrift store.

I wouldn't be able to experience Willie's morning routine if I didn't choose to crash at my friend's house for the night. A sleepover with good company, big laughs, and a few snores brought me back to the beautiful, effortless things that matter in life.

William is my hero this week - sweet simplicity will conquer the soul and you'll definitely sleep better at night (hammock or not).

Enjoy!

Top 5 Pouts Under $20

As many who’ve seen pictures of me may know, I absolutely LOVE lipstick! Lipstick is the quickest way to change your look; you can wear the exact same outfit with 5 different color lipsticks and portray a different attitude each time. While I don’t mind whipping out a cool color at anytime- Fall is the perfect season to bring out your boldest hues. Below are my top five pouts all under $20:

1.       The Classic Red Lip: mark Lipclick Full Color Lipstick  in ChaCha $10



2.       Barbie Pink: MAC in Pink Nouveau $14



3.       Fierce Fuschia: Mary Kay Crème Lipstick in Hibiscus $13

4.       Pouty Plum: MAC in Cunning $14.50

5.       Totally Nude: YoungBlood Cosmetics in Honey Nut $17

Xo,
Yasmine

Say Cheese!

   

The Lovely Red Light PR Crew in Viva LasVegas!



Anne Hathaway



Kristen Stewart



Jude Law



Rex Lee



I’ve come to the realization that I’m obsessed with photo booths. Whether it’s one of those new highly technological ones in the mall that print out stickers with random cartoons that I’m too old to know, the grainy discolored ones that make me look completely haggard, or my personal favorite –the ever so classic black and white booths. 



I’m one of those people that drive their friends crazy and pull them into the  booths while were in line at the movies waiting to buy 14 dollar Icees and I’ll totally admit it, it’s beyond obnoxious –but at least I’m spearheading creating memories… right? One day I’m going to make a massive collage of my hundreds of thrashed photo strips but until then I’m going to continue on my tour de photo booth, by the way, how cute are the below?

Xx CC

LA's Latest Innovation

My boyfriend and I have made it a personal goal to check out every amazing restaurant and bar in LA, and last night we visited a gem: Test Kitchen.  This newly-opened restaurant and is based on an incredibly innovative concept—each night, the restaurant features a different (generally famous) mixologist and chef.  Although there is a resident executive chef and bartender on staff, there’s always new menu of prix fixe meals and drink pairings every night.  We also met one of the owners, who was incredibly kind and customer-service oriented—an added bonus to an already amazing experience.  

If you’re a foodie, a drink connoisseur, or just interested in being a guinea pig for some amazing food and drinks,  visit www.testkitchenla.com to check out the daily chef and mixologist (posted each day) and make reservations STAT before this place becomes the most popular new restaurant in the city.  (Trust me…with the rave reviews they’ve been receiving from critics, it’s going to happen!)

Happy Anniversary Benson!

My dog Benson is celebrating his 1 year anniversary of being rescued in the coming weeks! I adopted Benny as an impulse buy at the West Los Angeles Humane Society around this time last year, I didn’t know much about him but he looked like an excellent filler for a boyfriend. And boy was I right! While having Benny for the past year, I have learned that he is a couture puppy since he is a Bichon-Poodle hybrid, he was probably a year old when I saved the little tyke and he snores when he sleeps.  Sad to say, he was only 11 pounds when I adopted him and now he is a chubby little pup weighing 25 pounds. 

After a long day at work, I look forward to coming to him most…even more so than my real life boyfriend! As most love dog-lovers, I sometimes forget that he isn’t human…but I think if Benny could talk he would be eternally grateful for giving him a second chance.  While there are millions of Benny’s out there, it’s nice to have a constant reminder of how rewarding it feels to help others!

I DIE....

UK Designer Jenny Packham WOW’s me each time. Her Spring 2011 collection is uuh-mazing! Check out all her past collections at www.jennypackham.com …sigh…

Auto-Complete This

Much like everyone else in the world, Google is my absolute favorite search engine.  Back in the day I was a Yahoo girl but I was just young and naïve back then.  One day, when I was in my angsty teen phase, my brother informed me that Google was a truly superior search engine and I haven’t looked back since.   Now that I have a smart phone and the internet is quite literally always at my fingertips, I find myself googling the most inane trivia just because I can.  How tall is Pau Gasol?  What’s the weather like in Barbados these days?  What exactly are they saying during the rap part of Next’s “Too Close?”

That being said, my favorite Google feature has to be auto complete.   Typing in the beginnings of questions and watching what happens provides me with endless amusement.  With such gems as “how to destroy angels” and “does the shake weight work” making the top five in their respective categories, what’s not to love?   I put together a little collage of my favorite google auto-fills for your enjoyment…

A Haiku Entitled "Last Thursday Night"

Yum—Sushi Pop Art!

Kenny Yamada “cooks” fun.

Art meets my stomach.

...

Winner – 1^st Place (out of 9 courses)

Ceviche Tower

Domo arigato RoyalT Café and Chef Yamada ^^!!



RLPR's Fashion's Night Out

Me, Pauline, Sophia and Nancy - pose!

So the RLPR team hit the city for Fashion's Night Out last Friday and we had a ball! Half of the team headed over to Fred Segal in Santa Monica, while the other half hit up the Fred Segal on Melrose. Both locations were celebrating with drinks, music and of course tons of shopping.

Nancy, Pauline, Sophia & I all hung out, had a few drinks and of course indulged in the many deserts being served *embarrased face* Last but not least, we had to hit up Umami burger after the event since it's a Red Light PR staple (I swear, we should take stock out on that place)! As Cara said, it should be renamed to Food's Night Out! lol

All in all, it was a great, fun-filled night as I love to spend time w/my co-workers outside of the office! How was your Fashion's Night Out?

xoxo
Jess

In Case You Ever Decide to Visit our NYC Showroom…

Recently, I had the chance to visit NYC for the first time in 10 years. In the four days I was vacationing, I re-ignited my love affair with this amazing city and learned it's WAY more fun as an adult—I’ve included some places that definitely contributed to this newfound love. I’m sure you New Yorkers already have these places on lock, but I’ve gotta look out for my fellow tourists!

Prada Flagship Store, Soho

Totally obsessed with this Prada store! Two stories of goodness, with an amazing architectural layout and artfully arranged models that somehow made you want to buy everything in the store. This flagship store also features all of the limited edition styles that you may be lucky enough to snag before the celebs and NYC socialites if you show up as soon the collection hits.

OAK NYC, Noho

Cute little boutique tucked away on a side street in NoHo—it has everything you could ever want and is a favorite of the trendy NYC crowd. Slightly overpriced, but definitely worth it if you have the money. For those of you that can’t make it to New York, they also have an extensive e-commerce website at http://www.oaknyc.com/.

Billy Reid, Noho

Billy Reid describes his collection of comprised of incredibly well-tailored mens, women’s, shoes and accessories as "Southern-bred luxury," which is perfect for a southern girl like me. Voted best menswear collection of 2010 by GQ, this preppy, slightly rustic style may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely worth stopping by the flagship store for some southern hospitality, including a complimentary cocktail.

Lina Frey, Lower East Side

This little restaurant is an overlooked gem on the Lower East Side. The French-style cuisine is perfectly portioned and absolutely delightful. I had brunch, but I also heard a few locals rave about the dinner. They also have a pretty legit beer selection, and the white sangria is a great complement to the dessert crepes—be sure to eat the peaches after you drink the sangria for a little extra kick!

Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop, Lower East Side

Hands down, some of the BEST sandwiches I’ve ever had. This little shop is hidden on a corner in the LES, but is definitely a local favorite. They feature their own sandwich recipes (all amazing), as well as the option to build your own—seriously any topping you could ever want on a sammy. The prices are also incredibly reasonable for NYC, with sandwiches ranging from $6-$12.

Milk & Honey, Lower East Side

Cocktails. Legitimate cocktails. As in, don’t even try to ask for a drink from the bartender; just trust them. The owner has prepared cocktail menus for bars all over the world and is somewhat of a legend, so you can trust every drink will blow your mind. Good luck getting in though—Milk & Honey has no listed contact info and is reservation and members-only. And if you do, be sure to note the famous “rules of conduct” or risk being kicked out.

The BoomBoom Room @ the Standard, Meatpacking

Yeah Yeah; I’m sure you’ve heard of it. And yeah, waiting in line sucks, getting judged for what you’re wearing sucks, expensive drink suck. But it’s totally worth it—the views are amazing and the DJ’s are legit. You’re also bound to spot at least one or two celebs in TMZ-worthy states. Just be sure to wear shoes with good traction so you don’t bust it like I did; the floor is always wet because of the hot tub. (Yes. There IS a hot tub in the bar…)

The High Line, Meatpacking to Chelsea

An above ground railroad that used to be a dumping ground for the mob (no lie) that’s been turned into a beautiful park and walking trail that runs from the Meatpacking District to Chelsea. If it wasn’t for the view, you would forget you were in New York. It’s the perfect retreat for a break from the big, bad city and something that everyone-local and visitor alike-should check out.

How to eat, burn calories & build muscle all at the same time!

If there is one thing to know about our team here at RLPR it would be that we love to eat! Whether it be the best new burger restaurant or the latest cupcake shop, we are continually looking out for the latest local delicacies. It wasn’t until I ran across this weighted knife and fork that I knew what the answer was to keeping the perfect figure - I can now get my workout in while devouring breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the many snacks in between.

I am however a bit skeptical, they say these 1.5 lb weights will make you eat slower, but my guess is it will do more harm than good. With all the calories I burn while eating my lunch I’m sure to build up quite an appetite mid-afternoon!

Save the Animals!

Every morning it’s the usual: hit snooze on my Blackberry for a good 30 minutes, get out of bed, shower and turn on the morning news. I like to pride myself on becoming educated on the daily happenings in the city and world while I put on my mascara and proceed to give myself second degree burns on my fingers from my curling iron – what can I say!



With that being said, the continuous coverage of the oil spill in the gulf, my recent decision to rent The Cove, and my at times overwhelmingly obnoxious love for animals came to a pivotal amalgamation – I had the sudden urge and need to save the animals! What animals you may ask? Well just ALL of them! The result of my need to help resulted in “how to help the dolphins” google tirade where I came across the below gems. I may not have a million bucks but these sites definitely inspired me to try to help out as best I can –and hey you can say you have a pet Great White Shark, call me weird but I think that’s pretty cool (click the titles below).

Dawn Dish

National Wildlife Federation

Adopt a Great White Shark

The Cove

98 million out of every 100 million people abhor moving....

...aside from the actual act of moving, I am the a part of the 2% of people who actually enjoy changing living spaces. There’s something about a brand new space- it’s refreshing. A new apartment kind of reminds me of getting a new pack of crayons when I was in elementary school - not as comfortable in my little palms but exciting nonetheless. Sometime in between November and December, I will be transitioning from a mini mansion with 5 roommates to a 1 bedroom apartment all by myself. Though, I’m a bit saddened that I won’t have the constant company and companionship of others I am thoroughly looking forward to the peace and quiet that living alone will bring. Most of all, I’m really looking forward to decorating… check out my inspiration below:

I love the chic, retro and feminine vibe of this space

 Sorry PETA, but I am whole-heartedly obsessed with animal skin rugs. There’s a place on the side of Labrea and Fountain here in LA that always catches my eye!

 I love the room divider/bookcase…I love the Ikea Expedit one below

Don’t these pics get you excited to move too?

xx.


Yasmine

Where’s the Water Ice?

Rita's Water Ice

There are few things more refreshing on a hot summer day than a nice mango gelati from Rita’s Water Ice. Never heard of it? Well, then you clearly aren’t spending enough time exploring the delicacies of the Tri-state area. As a born and bred Californian, I did a four year stint in Philadelphia for college. I’ll admit that I was skeptical about this refreshing treat. What could possibly be so magical about some flavored Italian ice with a little (or a lot) of custard in it? The answer is everything. Now that I’m back living on the best coast and we finally have a little summer weather, all I can think is: when are they going to open up a Rita’s in Los Angeles?

Welcome to the Official RLPR Blog!

With all of the exciting things happening with RLPR, our brands, our team and everything in between, we decided that it would be perfect start a blog! Here you will be able to laugh with us, learn a bit more about us and best of all, have some fun. Enjoy!