Blogs

[#1]

Hello goy-les! I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I'm going to spend five days off next week. When you're broke and lazy, it's not so easy to figure out how to spend vacation time. I could really use a "life butler", the kind of person who just takes care of these incidental things like planning a trip. It would be great if I could just provide somebody with the exact dates I'm off, my top budget, my desires, my needs, my specs, my boundaries...and then they could do the rest (I think it's called a travel agent, Shawn). I’m thinking about hopping a plane and doing a few days somewhere sunny and warm. Let's hope I can make it happen or I'll be sunning myself on my deck in a fleece swimsuit.

So, L.A. — ugh, it was fun. Crazy, but fun. I saw Morgan Freeman, Jamie Fox, Morgan Fairchild, Eric McCormack from Will & Grace, a couple of cast members from HBO's Entourage, and I hear I missed seeing Colin Firth by mere inches!!! That one broke my heart. What a fun town to visit. So much buzz, especially on Oscars® weekend...and that lounge bar at the Four Seasons, I tell you, stay at the Holiday Inn to save money, but by nightfall, just cab it over in your best duds and hightail it into the bar. You will see somebody...if not everybody.

So, the shows were wicked fun. The first night we had terrible trouble with technology and due to satellite trouble, we got on air an hour late. Sorry — outer space is difficult to work with. Once we were rolling, it was all good. It was a celebrity garden party complete with outdoor sofas and red carpets and little bite-size food on butler platters. And of course, over 150 members of the press with their requisite flashbulbs in tow. "Rachel, RACHEL...look over here! RACHEL, gimme one more smile...just one more...wait, can you turn and give me one more?" Ah yes, striking the celebrity pose for photographers is grueling. The show was so much fun. I got to work with Mary Beth Roe who is a good friend. Equal parts mother/sister figure. I adore her. P.S. And by the way, as Jill Bauer would say, keep your eyes peeled for a butterfly printed Vivienne Tam designer Netbook computer on QVC soon. Maggie Gyllenhaal was supposed to be there but she was the only one I didn’t see.

The night before, after a brutal five-hour flight into L.A. from Philly, we had dinner (Lisa R. and our good friend/makeup artist Deanna P.) at Chaz Dean's place. Oy, his house is unbelievable. So Zen. So swish. His fireplace is this crazy-good, uber-modern, horizontal slit in the wall that erupts into flames at the flip of a switch. And he has an outdoor living room. And he makes the most amazing green tea-cucumber lemonade. AND sea bass. AND sweet potatoes in the oven. AND pasta with radishes. And he has three gorgeous, lovable, Lab-type dogs that live in the lap of luxury with him. Chaz is dear and I relish the time and chance to get to know him and our other guests and vendors outside of the studio. It's such good bonding time.

On Saturday night, there was a torrential downpour during Lisa's 15th anniversary show so we were decked out in cocktail gear trying to look pretty while 45-degree rain was falling like pellets on us. I saw Lisa Rinna on night two. She is more beautiful and skinny in person. I literally could wrap my arms around her twice. BTW, in case you missed the tribute show to Lisa (my QVC assigned host mentor), I peppered in some funny and silly Lisa fun facts throughout the show. Ok, here goes:

She hates sushi.

As far as I can tell, her two favorite foods are Diet Coke and almonds.

Her meat must be well done.

She makes great sloppy Joes and lime chicken at home.

She hates scary movies.

She has a secret crush on Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman.

Her first time on air with B.F.F. Leslie Blodgett from BE, she was wearing a Warner Bros. cartoon shirt (can anyone picture that?).

And personally speaking, her handbags are dynamite and she has a pair of cowboy boots I’m dying to steal!

Ok...fast forward...it's Friday night now. I’m long overdue for getting out of here. Tomorrow, I'm working with Kim Kardashian. Killer body. She is launching a set of workout videos with us and I’m very excited to meet the girl! News flash: my favorite label at the Q — Motto® (modern, hip, contemporary) has asked me to help design a few pieces for Spring and also Fall 2010. How cool, right?! I would luh-huv to design my own line for QVC but baby steps. Gluttony is not a good color on anybody. Hee.

In other news...every tween from within a 50-mile radius of QVC will no doubt be here tonight because Justin Bieber is doing a half-hour show selling his CD, and boy is security tight. I can hear his band in rehearsal right now. Tell you what, not even QVC bigwigs can get tickets to this thing! Aw, the tween years. So cute. Young love…mine was Davy Jones & Michael Jackson, oh how times have changed.

If you've been one of the gals who has written me about my silver jewelry, namely a big chunky silver aquamarine ring I wear on my middle finger, it's not from QVC but stay tuned — we’re trying to get it made in time for a Silver Style®  show in June, I think.

Ok, no other updates. I have a pain under my arm which is freaking me out because it's near the breast-chest area so I think I need to go get checked. And I'm going to have dinner tonight with a really good friend named Rachel Pavis. She lives up the street from me. Sidebar — her line of spring faux plants and flowers from Bethlehem Lights are gorgeous. Check them out if you can!

Big hug to all...God bless and hope life is well for you.

—s