HOTTER IN HOLLYWOOD

We're Partying With Perez Hilton and Viva Diva in New York This Summer

HIH is thrilled to be invited to kick off summer with blogger extraordinaire and media dominatrix Perez Hilton in New York this June!

This year, Viva Diva Wines will be having its annual summer launch party poolside at NoMa Social in New Rochelle (Our hometown! What are the odds?), and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. On June 5th, the soiree will be hosted by the world famous blogger, and we can't even begin to imagine the photo opp potential.

General admission tickets are available in addition to limited VIP tickets, which include a photo with Perez. The event starts at 8pm, and we're looking forward to one memorable night.

For ticket information, visit the events page at Viva Brands USA.

And if you're bicoastal like us, come on down and (responsibly) join HIH and Bello Mag editor Hiko Mitsuzuka for a cocktail or two (or four).

@TheFirstEcho

Style, Music & Great Eats Abound at Sundance 2013

by Xaque Gruber

Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is a playground for moviemakers, but indulging in its unique fashion, food, and music events is part of the whole experience. 

KOFFEEHOUSE CHATEAU

The largest evening of independent music at Sundance, Koffeehouse Chateau featured fourteen sublime acoustic artists playing before a roaring fireplace in the intimacy of a private manor miles from Park City. One of the performers, American Idol alum, Crystal Bowersox glowed, "I'm so happy to be here.  My first Sundance!  I just finished my second album (due late March). It has a duet with Jakob Dylan, and all original except for one track (“Here's Where The Story Ends” by The Sundays)." 

STYLE LOUNGES

Kari Feinstein's Style Lounge offered new lifestyle brands for the celebrity set (Katherine Heigl, Courtney Love).  Feinstein, now in her 13th year of hosting style lounges, says, "Style is the way you carry yourself and your attitude and the way you feel about yourself.  If you feel good about yourself, and have confidence - you have style." Who also showed up? Matthew McConaughey (photo courtesy of KFPR). 

Sean John at TR Gifting Suites went the extra mile and donated brand new coats to needy New Yorkers for every coat they gave away at Sundance as part of New York Cares Coat Drive. 

OAKLEY LEARN TO RIDE

Oakley Learn To Ride escorted festival-goers up the mountain with Olympic medal winner Danny Kass, and taught them (and celebs Adrian Grenier, and Brazilian supermodel Allesandro Ambrosia) how to snowboard.  By night, Oakley's space transformed into Sundance’s own Hyde Lounge. 

Snowboarder and rapper, Lil Jon, and pal Octavia Spencer at Oakley Learn To Ride (photo courtesy of Getty Images/Fingerprint Communications):

CATDANCE

Then, animal lovers convened on CatDance, a celebration of cats in short films. Adorable celebrity host, AnnaLynne McCord, proud owner of two kitties, cited "What's New Pussycat?" as her favorite 'cat' pop song.  Proceeds from the limited edition black and grey cat-inspired hats (seen here on McCord) benefit the ASPCA.

THE PROMONTORY FEAST

The culinary highlight of Sundance was Chef Bill Reilly's exclusive five star Italian feast (inspired by the Sundance winning film, Big Night) at The Promontory, THE luxury community in Park City. 

Carlo Mondavi, grandson of Robert, presided over the meal's wine pairing with his 2009 Continuum Cabernet - full of dark chocolate and black cherry accents. Needless to say: Mmmm! If you can find it, check it out! 

GREY GOOSE BLUE DOOR

Speaking of alcohol, the Grey Goose Blue Door on Main Street, which also featured a fantastic Sorel boots gifting suite, served my favorite cocktail in all of Sundance: a Hot Apple Pie. Here's the recipe... 

1 ½ oz Grey Goose Poir (pear)

½ oz B&B

¾ oz Cinnamon

4 oz Hot Apple Cider

A hot mug and garnish with lemon zest and clove (You're welcome)

Needless to say, we all felt warm and happy with this cocktail. Already looking forward to next year in Park City!

Related articles

The Most Underrated Film of 2012: 'Liberal Arts'

Sundance Film Festival Recap

Jessica Biel's Sundance Style (for less!)

How Kari Feinstein Gets Brands To Pay $40K To Give Celebrities Diamonds And Caribbean Vacations

HIH Does Dallas: June 23-29

Cowboys, rev up the mechanical bulls. 

HIH is proud to announce that we'll be taking Dallas by storm later this month, and we expect to get some Texas lovin' during our stay.

Southfork, here we come.

- Hiko Mitsuzuka (@TheFirstEcho)

Hot Getaways: Hearst Castle & San Luis Obispo

Summertime means getaway time!

It's been a while since we've had the chance to escape L.A. for a nice, long weekend and embark on a little road trip up the California coast. So what better destination than San Simeon and San Luis Obispo to forget all of our troubles and experience what the Central Coast has to offer!

Our main attraction: Hearst Castle.

In 1865, George Hearst, a wealthy miner, purchased 40,000-acres of ranch land that included the Mexican Ranchos of Piedras Blancas, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. In 1919, his only son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. By then the ranch had grown to encompass 250,000 acres.

Originally known as “Camp Hill,” its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to “rough it” on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements with separate sleeping and dining tents, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodations. His simple instructions to famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan in 1919: “Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon. I would like to build a little something."

That "little something" turned out to be one of the most gorgeous pieces of property in America. 165 rooms, 127 acres of gardens, and 2 pools later, we have Hearst Castle.

The San Simeon Lodge was kind enough to host us for two nights during our trip. Conveniently located 3 miles from the Hearst Castle Visitor Center, our quaint accommodations were located right on the famous Highway 1, across from the scenic (and rocky) San Simeon State Beach. Connected to the Lodge is the San Simeon Beach Bar & Grill (try their BBQ ribs), where one can enjoy a cocktail in the dining room overlooking the Pacific Ocean (we forgot how gorgeous a sunset can be)...or partake in some Friday night karaoke at the bar (Kelly Clarkson requests are welcome).

 L: the grand Romanesque pool at Hearst Castle. R: one of the castle's towers.

Our surprise discovery of the weekend was the town of Cambria, located just outside San Simeon. The quaint, little hamlet features one main street (yes, there's more than one traffic light) and an impressive selection of shops, restaurants, and places to stay. Our #1 pick: Linn's Bakery (order the olallieberry muffins), where we stopped for breakfast before heading to our next destination...

Over in San Luis Obispo (if you've never been, think: Santa Barbara with more bicycles and smiles), we stopped at Bel Frites (above right) for an afternoon snack of Belgian fries and savory dips and proceeded to check out the rest of the shops and cafes that welcomed us with open arms...

Rocket Fizz (above, middle) - This soda pop and candy shop houses 30 different flavors of taffy and plenty of goodies to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Kreuzberg Cafe - A cup of sweet potato bisque and a slice of homemade maple cheesecake with maple glazed pears at this cozy coffeeshop/book bar will do the trick.

We look forward to going back.

What are your getaway plans this summer?

- Hiko Mitsuzuka (@TheFirstEcho)

The Blind Barber: Silverlake Invades Culver City

HIH's resident nightlifer, Stephanie Gradski, checked out the opening of Culver City's newest hotspot...

It started out in New York City as a nifty throwback to the Roaring 1920s...back in the summer of 2010. The Blind Barber, co-founded by Jeff Laub, offered gentlemen a haircut (or a shave) and an old-fashioned cocktail while they waited. And when the sun goes down, those gentlemen were invited to bring their lady friends back to the parlor for some nighttime revelry in booze and bass.

And now Los Angeles is getting in on the fun. Being a city known for never shying away from the launch of a new hotspot every month, especially when said venue is disguised as a trendy speakeasy, L.A. has seen its fair share of lounges that have attempted to lure all demographics (hipsters, millennial yuppies, industryites, childless marrieds). You know the places: it's where bartenders are called "mixologists."

The Blind Barber has now taken up residence in Culver City, a few blocks west of the downtown sector, on Washington Boulevard. And talk about being randomly located: the unassuming bar/club/lounge is situated behind a Best Buy and next to a Weight Watchers. Looks can certainly be deceiving. The storefront looks like any other barber shop -- red-and-white striped pole, reclining chairs, displays of grooming products...But as HIH found out last night (Thursday was the official grand opening), there's a whole other side to experience.

Walk through the rear door with the coat rack, and you'll step into a time warp. The drinks and decor may scream 1920s, but the vibe, particularly the music, was very 1980s during last night's visit. All of L.A.'s nocturnal denizens were in attendance: skinny jeans-wearing artists, suited-up execs, chiseled dudes with plunging V-necks, flannel slackers, hip-hop businessmen, and stilettoed starlets. It's where The Cure intersected with Blackstreet (hooray for 90s nostalgia), and where the past blended awkwardly with the present. Who knew the westside could feel so much like the east?

Let's see how long the magic can last.

- Stephanie Gradski (@sgradski)

Just Another Sunday in Downtown L.A.

HIH was more than pleased to partake in some post-Cinco de Mayo festivities downtown with the editors of Bello Mag earlier today. And it was the perfect day for a little booze, 90s jams (courtesy of DJ Michaelis), and some catering from Mendicino Farms.

It was a chance to see some friends, meet new ones, and eavesdrop on some industry talk while brushing shoulders with a few Hollywood players from True Blood, Revenge, and Dancing With The Stars.

Please don't let it be Monday again...

HIH Reviews...The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Director John Madden brings together a stellar cast and adapts a great story from Deborah Moggach’s novel These Foolish Things. The charming result: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, simply put, is a beautiful travelogue, an Eat Pray Love for Baby Boomers.

Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith are members of a group of British seniors who unfortunately become ‘outsourced’ in their hometown of London. Looking for a better future during their retirement years, they stumble across The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India. The hotel purposefully targets an older demographic to live out their final years in bliss. However, when they arrive at the hotel, it’s not exactly what they expected.

The film immediately begins by letting the audience have a glimpse of each character and the troubles they’re facing. Evelyn (Dench), lost her husband and has been left with his debt, forcing her to sell their flat, leaving her broke. Graham (Wilkinson), a High Court Judge is ready to retire and search for his lost youth. Douglas and Madge (Nighy and Celia Imrie) face a dim future after investing their retirement into their daughter's failed project. Muriel (Smith), a retired housekeeper in need of a hip replacement, can’t afford the high cost in London. All of them quickly find themselves searching for something new and better.

The hotel is run by Sonny (Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel), a young man with dreams and ambitions of his own. Left to him by his deceased father, he yearns to turn it into something great. With an overbearing mother, and a star-crossed romance with Sunaina (Tena Desae), Sonny brings forth a bright optimism.

As the film unfolds, everyone is a stranger who inevitably will change not only their own lives, but each other's. Parts of the film, as predictable as they are, fall into place, but it’s such a lovely journey, brilliantly showcasing a generation we (and Hollywood) tend to overlook. As for India, the country shines in its truest form with its beautifully quiet sunsets and its bustling, sensory-overloaded streets.

Are we ever really too old to change? Will we ever have enough time in our lives to be happy with who we are, with what we've accomplished? Take this memorable nugget of philosophy one character offers to another: "Everything will be all right in the end. So if it is not all right, it is not yet the end."

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel opens in theaters May 4 (*You can go see The Avengers afterwards).

- Ariel Paredes (@RELworld)

HIH LOOKS BACK AT SUNDANCE 2012

Now that the festivities at Sundance have wound down, our very own Xaque Gruber shares his thoughts on the annual (and snowy) event in Utah...

For anyone who loves the silver screen as much as they love silver snowscapes, the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah is Mecca.  I’ve attended each January for the past five years, but 2012 was the first time I attended as press, and (cue Dinah Washington) what a difference a press pass makes.

I hit the frozen ground running – and running.  Attending Sundance (especially as press) is a marathon, not a sprint.

The first perk my shiny new pass gave me was entry to The Raid, THE BEST FEATURE FILM I saw at Sundance.  An action masterpiece.

In a nutshell, The Raid follows a group of heavily armed police invading a crimelord’s bleak tenement fortress led by a kickass, white knight of a hero played to knife-fighting perfection by Iko Uwais.  The Raid, which also features one of the year’s best scores, opens in limited release March 23^rd. 

Another highlight was Detropia (Sundance Award winner for documentary editing). A chilling, ghost town-like tour of a city that, in the 1930s, was the fastest growing in the world.  Today, Detroit holds the distinction of fastest shrinking city in America. Decimated by its own industries – the very things that built the city up, Detropia is a real American horror story.

I felt fortunate to get into the premiere of Jake Schreier’s directorial debut, Robot & Frank, and you heard it here first, it’s the next great science fiction indie.  Set “in the near future,” Robot & Frank is anchored by a touching and funny Frank Langella, and a strong ensemble (Susan Sarandon, Liv Tyler, James Marsden, Ana Gasteyer, Jeremy Sisto - and of course the robot).

Interestingly, Robot & Frank originated as a short film in 2003. As an avid fan and believer in shorts, I kept a keen eye for the newest crop at Sundance. 

One short in particular that stood out was “Spielzeit” (“Playtime”) an impressionistic gem by director Lucas Mireles, the film follows the lives of innocent German youths on a Sunday afternoon in Cologne.  Mireles beamed about his first Sundance entry, “I got to meet Robert Redford, go to his house, and tell him about my piece. We’re all storytellers and we really want to share.  This is our playtime.” 

Playtime indeed!  Looking forward to next year already!

- Xaque Gruber

HIH TAKES MANHATTAN

We're loading up on some New York pizza, Chinese food (that fortune cookie reads "Your tongue is your ambassador" -- chew on that), and bagels, so check back with us next week when we're hating ourselves while cringing on the scale next to the Christmas tree.

In the meantime, enjoy some shots from the East Coast as we prep to head back to L.A. and jump back into the swing of things soon.

HOT GETAWAYS: PASO ROBLES

Every Angeleno eventually experiences the following rites of passage: first earthquake, first celebrity sighting at the supermarket, first 2-hour commute home on the freeway. But after living in the City of Angels for nearly nine years, we never had the chance to enjoy California's wine country - until now.

The accommodating Adelaide Inn (right off the 101 Freeway, pictured below) was our host for the weekend (our favorite perk besides the hot tub - the homemade chocolate chip cookies that come out of the oven every afternoon at 4pm).

Once we were settled, we took off to tour the country. First stop: Tobin James Tasting Room.

Then it was on to the Eberle Winery, Robert Hall Winery and dinner at Robert's Restaurant where we feasted on artisan cheese plates and the mouthwatering braised short rib stroganoff.

A mid-afternoon tasting of the delicious Muscat Blanc at the fabulous Penman Springs Vineyard:

We're already looking forward to our next trip.

Photos courtesy of Ron Hall.