Are you planning a vintage-style wedding?  Always wanted to know how to get that glamorous look from the 1930s and 40s?  Well, here’s your chance!!

Gabriela Hernandez, owner of Besame Cosmetics, and Rusty Frank, swing dance instructor and owner of Rusty’s Rhythm Club, are producing a Vintage Hair Styling and Make-up Workshop this Saturday November 7, 2009. The workshop will take place from 1:00pm – 4:00pm at 1558 Victory Blvd in Glendale, CA.

The first part of the workshop will focus on hair styling: Rusty will show you how to wear a snood, style a bandana, barrel rolls, and other popular styles of the 1940s.

The second part of the day will focus on makeup.  Gabriela will teach basic techniques to achieve that flawless look, pair the perfect lipstick shade, and apply your lipstick to last all day.

$35 in advance ($40 at the door). Includes afternoon tea and refreshments.  Space is limited to 18 attendees.  Email today to reserve your spot: orders@besamecosmetics.com

I’ve known both Gabriela & Rusty for years and they really know their stuff ~ this workshop will be fabulous!

The Ebell of Los Angeles is hosting a Blood Drive with the American Red Cross this Wednesday,  November 4, 2009.

Appointments are available every 20 minutes between 11am and 4:30pm.  Call Jackie Kruse, Chair for an appointment 323-788-7199 or go to www.givelife.org and enter sponsor code: EBELL. Enter at 743 S Lucerne Blvd, Los Angeles 90005.

Consider these facts:

• One person nationwide needs blood every two seconds.
• About 20% of all blood recipients are children.
• One pint of blood has the potential to save as many as three lives.
• By the time we are 75 years old, 80% of us will have used blood ourselves.
• 40% of the blood needed to meet the needs of Southern California comes from the other parts of the country.
• The Southern California region provides blood to approximately 150 area hospitals.

Remember: Bring ID and drink plenty of fluids before donating!  If you are not sure about your eligibility to give, you can review details at on the Red Cross Website.

Their Trademark says it all: “The need is constant.  The gratification is instant. Give blood.”

I’m very proud of the fact that The Special Events Office at the Ebell of Los Angeles is a finely tuned and “well rehearsed” group of professionals.  Our Special Events & Filming representative, David Toves; our Event Supervisor, Anessa Curtin; our Executive Chef, Louis Pechan; and even our COO, Philip Miller — we all take great pride in “crafting the magic” with our Catering & Kitchen Staffs.

We think you will especially enjoy this “magic”…!

(Director of Catering & Special Events)

Have you ever sat down at a formal table and felt a bit like Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”, having NO idea what utensil goes with what course, or how to behave at a formal table?  I recently shared details of the formal place setting with readers at WeddingAces.com ~ allow me to walk you through a formal place setting!

Photo by Michael Norwood Photgraphy

• When sitting at the dinner table, the center of your place setting may have a charger.  A charger looks like an over-sized plate, often decorative, and serves as a base for soup bowls, salad plates and dinner plates.  It is often collected after the main course, before the dessert course, though its not uncommon to collect it with the salad plate.
• On top of the charger (or center of the setting if there is no charger in the setting) is the napkin.  Napkins can be folded in a gazillion ways that add a decorative element to your table.  The most common for wedding receptions is the envelope or pocket fold – an elegant placement for individual menu cards or place cards.
• Utensils are placed in order of use from the outside working your way in.  So when looking at the forks on the left side of the plate, the fork closest to the charger is the entree fork.  Next to that fork (one away from the plate) is the salad fork.  If a fish course is being served, that fork will be the third from the plate.  The knives and spoons are on the right side of the charger, starting with the entree knife; the salad knife is to the right of that (one away from the charger), and next to that salad knife would be a fish knife (again, if that course is part of your menu; if not, then no utensil will be set.)  The soup spoon is to the far right of the knives.   And that fork and spoon hanging out above the charger?  Those are for your dessert and coffee.  Depending on the menu, you may see two spoons above.  The handles for the spoon will aim toward your right hand while the dessert fork will have its handle toward your left hand.

Image from Luxurious Wedding Etiquette

• Glasses are on the right side of your plate (which is a good thing to remember when you are seated at a table where it seems there is no distinction between what if part of your place setting and what may be your neighboring table mate’s. )  The water goblet will be closest to the charger on the top right.  Behind it will nestle the champagne flute.  To the right of these will be the red wine glass, then the white wine glass.  Again, depending on your menu, it may be that one or more of these glasses are not preset on your table.
• The bread plate will be found to the top left of the charger, above the forks, or center above the dessert spoon and fork if space is tight.  The butter knife will be set diagonally across the plate.
• Its customary for the coffee cup and saucer to arrive prior to dessert being served rather than pre-set it on the table throughout dinner.

When setting a table (or again, if you happen to be seated at a table that may not offer enough room to clearly define) here’s a trick of the trade to remember which side of the charger the utensils go: “fork” is spelled with four letters: they go on the “left” (also spelled with four letters).  “Knife” and “spoon” are both spelled with five letters – so is “right”, the side on which they are placed.

When you are finished with your meal, simply rest both the knife and fork together diagonally across the plate and place the napkin to the left of your plate.  This will signal the waiter that they can clear your plate.  If you excuse yourself from the table for a moment, rest your napkin on the back of your chair so your waiter knows you will be returning.

“Happy dining!”

Cancer can’t be planned.  It sneaks up on you and, in one moment, changes everything.  This was the case for Bryan Bishop.  Bryan was an on-air member of the Adam Carolla Morning Radio Show.  When it ended in March, Bryan was months away from his wedding day.  But first, cancer.

Bryan was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer in April.  His wife, Christie, has documented the whole journey in her engaging blog, An Inconvenient Tumor. I tell you this because Adam Carolla is hosting Laughs for Bald Brian at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre to raise funds for Bryan’s treatment and recovery.

The event begins at 6pm on Friday November 20, 2009 in the Garden Courtyard of the Ebell of Los Angeles with a silent auction.  Items up for bid include:

• a walk-on role on CBS primetime hit comedy, Gary Unmarried.
• Sit in with Adam Carolla during a podcast recording
• Tour of Adam’s legendary warehouse & garage
• a trip to Hawaii
• a trip to Big Bear
• a collection of Adam’s favorite power tools
• and more to come…!

Ticket are available in General Admission and VIP options:  General Admission tickets are $100 and include access to the welcome reception and silent auction.  VIP tickets are $300 and include reserved VIP seating, access to the welcome reception, and post-show VIP Reception in the Ebell Garden & Art Salon where you’ll mingle with the performers, and enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and desserts from the Ebell’s Executive Chef Louis Pechan.

The show is lining up amazing talent: Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel, Greg Fitzsimmons, Dana Gould, Dr. Drew, Larry Miller, Joel McHale, The Dan Band.

Information and tickets available at www.LaughsforBaldBryan.com. Come be a part of the evening…!

The Ebell Lifetime Achievement Gala, sponsored by the Latin American Cultures Department of the Ebell of Los Angeles, will honor Ms. Rita Moreno.  The Gala, a fundraiser, will be held Friday, November 6, 2009 at the Ebell of Los Angeles Clubhouse, located at 4400 Wilshire Boulevard. It is a black tie event, beginning at 6:30 PM. The cost is $80 per person. You need not be an Ebell Member to attend. Reservations for the evening may be made by calling 323-1277 ext.131.  Deadline for reservations is TODAY, Friday, October 23.

Rita Moreno is one of a select group of performers to have won all four of the most prestigious show business awards: The Oscar, The Emmy, The Tony and The Grammy. She is the first to accomplish such a feat and the only Hispanic woman to have won all four awards. Ms. Moreno is a talent triple threat: a singer, dancer and actress, and has appeared in over 30 films and numerous theater and television productions.  She is best known to many for her role as  Anita in the 1962 motion picture West Side Story. In the late 1990’s, Ms. Moreno gained a new generation of fans when she appeared in the popular HBO series, OZ.

We featured a clip from “West Side Story” in a previous post.  Now, enjoy the moment Rita Moreno accepted her Tony Award, in 1975 for Featured Actress in A Play for “The Ritz”

Now that Halloween is rapidly approaching, it isn’t too early to start looking ahead to the rest of the Holiday Season – so what are YOU doing New Year’s Eve??

The Ebell of Los Angeles opens its historic clubhouse on 4400 Wilshire Boulevard to ring in 2010.

• Hors d’oeuvres and an elegant prix fixe dinner by Executive Chef Louis Pechan
• Dancing to the Music of Johnny Vana’s Big Band Alumni
• Dessert buffet and coffee bar
• Champagne toast at midnight

Tickets are $150 per person for the full, extravagant evening.  Or plan to arrive after 9:30pm and ticket price is $50 for dancing and dessert.  RSVP required in advance.  Reservations after December 14th, if available, have price increase.

For more information or to RSVP, call 323-931-1277 x131 or email tickets@ebellla.com

Rita Moreno

The Ebell Lifetime Achievement Gala, sponsored by the Latin American Cultures Department of the Ebell of Los Angeles, will honor Ms. Rita Moreno.  The public is invited to join the membership for an evening of cocktails, dinner and dancing.

Rita Moreno is one of a select group of performers to have won all four of the most prestigious show business awards: The Oscar, The Emmy, The Tony and The Grammy. She is the first to accomplish such a feat and the only Hispanic woman to have won all four awards. Ms. Moreno is a talent triple threat: a singer, dancer and actress, and has appeared in over 30 films and numerous theater and television productions.  She is best known to many for her role as  Anita in the 1962 motion picture West Side Story. In the late 1990’s, Ms. Moreno gained a new generation of fans when she appeared in the popular HBO series, OZ.

The evening will be hosted by chairwoman Angela Sacchi and Shirlee Taylor-Haizlip.  The Gala, a fundraiser, will be held Friday, November 6, 2009 at the Ebell of Los Angeles Clubhouse, located at 4400 Wilshire Boulevard. It is a black tie event, beginning at 6:30 PM. The cost is $80 per person. Reservations for the evening may be made by calling 323-1277 ext.131.  Deadline for making reservations is Friday, October 23.

Here’s a brief reminder of why you want to be at The Ebell of Los Angeles on November 6th to honor this performance legend: a clip from “West Side Story” that will never be matched.

We recently enjoyed having OneRepublic film their video for “All The Right Moves”, the first single off their new album, Waking Up, in the Ebell of Los Angeles‘ Lounge.  The extravagance of the setting required little more than some gorgeous dancers and the dynamic band to accent a very catchy song.

Enjoy what is bound to be a chart topper!

OneRepublic, "All The Right Moves"

Posted in Celebrity, Cool Finds, Filming, Melissa's Musings, Seen at the Ebell Tagged: Ebell of Los Angeles, filming location, images of the Ebell of Los Angeles, media, music event, music video, music video setting, one republic, onerepublic, trendy, Wilshire Ebell ]]> http://ebelllosangeles.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/onerepublic-music-video/feed/ 0 Melissa OneRepublic http://ebelllosangeles.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/get-to-know-echo-parque/ http://ebelllosangeles.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/get-to-know-echo-parque/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:30:03 +0000 Melissa http://ebelllosangeles.wordpress.com/?p=1301 ]]>

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at The Couture Bridal Workshop series and was introduced to a new company called Echo Parque. Sisters Alexis & Kate Lyman are the creative team behind Echo Parque, hair accessories with a bit of “pop”.  Now, I am known to wear a flower in my hair once and again, but I literally squealed with glee when I got to peruse their collection: sparkly, feather-y, whimsical-y…FUN!!  I walked away with five headbands and combs and couldn’t wait to wear them!

A wonderful aspect of their creativity — they will customize a collection specifically for you.  For the bride who wants to remove her veil for the reception, a custom designed comb or headband will be perfect.  Or perhaps having hair accessories for the personalities of your bridesmaids would be an unexpected gift for the bridal party.

Their Facebook Page says it best: “Inappropriate luxe with an eastside state of mind.” Keep an eye on Echo Parque.  Coming soon will be birdcage veils, Marie Antoinette-inspired head pieces, and floral arrangements for your head!

(For more ideas on hair accessories, check out previous posts about Design Visage and Moxie Couture)