Celebs Turnout for Make-A-Wish Event

On Saturday, November 21, 2009, the Queen of Poker and second place finisher in this year's "Celebrity Apprentice," Annie Duke, hosted the All In For Wishes Celebrity Poker Tournament for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County.

The tournament was held at members only The Pacific Club in Newport Beach. Guests enjoyed gourmet hors oeuvres, custom Risotto & Tortellini stations, speciality cocktails, delicious playing card cookies and the Zino Platinum Cigar lounge.

Partygoers all also played blackjack and craps and purchased raffle tickets for an incredible array of one of a kind items, celebrity experiences and weekend getaways. David Krumholtz, star of the hit TV show "Numb3rs", multi-platinum recording artist Alex Band (formerly of The Calling), Nicholas Gonzalez of "Melrose Place", Kate Linder of "The Young & The Restless" and actor Joseph Reitman joined Annie Duke in the celebrity poker tournament in support of the amazing work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County. Seen in photo above, Gonzales and Krumholtz.

Jim Carol, father of M-A-W OC child Taylor, who performed at their "Broadway Wishes" event last month, shared heartfelt remarks about what it means for a child to have their wish granted and how wish fulfillment also touches the lives of the child's family, friends and community. Jim said that the Make-A-Wish Foundation gives children with life threatening illnesses hope and the smiles the wishes brings to their faces are priceless. Mark Pilon, CEO of Make-A-Wish Orange County spoke about his chapter's work and announced the winners of the raffle.

Earlier that afternoon, All In For Wishes sponsor Tourbillon Boutique at South Coast Plaza hosted Annie Duke at their store and gifted her with a beautiful luxury timepiece as thanks for her support of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County.

One-hundred percent of the proceeds raised at Saturday's event will benefit the incredible quality of life improving work that M-A-W OC does to grant wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. Make-A-Wish OC's vision is to reach every medically eligible child in their territory so they may have the opportunity to have their wish fulfilled. They want to continue to serve wish children and their families by helping them find the hope they need to transform life-threatening illnesses into life-affirming triumphs. Check out http://www.wishocie.org for more information.

Image: Chris Polk/Getty

Annie Duke hosted the All In For Wishes Celebrity Poker Tournament which benefitted Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County. Photo by Chris Polk, Getty Images.

Little Seen Sturges Film to Air on TCM

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will air the rarely seen gem Remember the Night. The critically acclaimed 1940 classic – starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray and scripted by the great Preston Sturges – will air several times throughout the month, including Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. (ET).

“It’s one of those quirky twists of fate that a film as exceptional as Remember the Night has been so overlooked when it comes to great Christmas movies,” said TCM host Robert Osborne. “It’s our hope at TCM that our special Christmas Eve showing of this holiday gem, now fully remastered, will help give it a much-deserved new life.”

Remember the Night marked the first of four on-screen pairings of Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. It came four years before their iconic work in Double Indemnity. MacMurray plays a prosecutor who finds himself falling in love with a shoplifter (Stanwyck) during a court recess at Christmas time. The wonderfully crafted film co-stars Beulah Bondi, Elizabeth Patterson, Sterling Holloway and was directed by Mitchell Leisen. The screenplay by Preston Sturges demonstrates the writer’s unparalleled skill for blending heart-tugging drama with uproarious comedy. And the beautifully remastered edition restores the luster of Ted Tetzlaf’s glistening cinematography.

Prior to the new DVD edition, Remember the Night received only a brief home-video release during the era of VHS. Special features included on the new DVD include an introduction by Robert Osborne; still galleries, including behind-the-scenes photos; never-before-seen interview segments on the work of director Mitchell Leisen from the TCM Archives; and the original movie trailer, trivia, biographies and more. The film will be available exclusively through TCM.com on a made-to-order basis.

Remember the Night is one of many holiday treats being presented by TCM throughout December. TCM will devote its Christmas Eve lineup to a collection of films hand-picked by Osborne. In addition, each Thursday in primetime and during the day on Christmas, the network will present such holiday classics as A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen; two film versions of Little Women, the 1933 film starring Katharine Hepburn and the 1949 film starring June Allyson; Christmas in Connecticut (1945), starring Barbara Stanywyck; Holiday Affair (1950), with Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh; John Ford’s 3 Godfathers (1948), starring John Wayne; and Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), with Margaret O’Brien and Angela Lansbury.

During primetime on Christmas, TCM will offer Holmes for the Holidays, an all-night collection of Sherlock Holmes movies, including The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) and The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), to name a few.

The following is a complete lineup of TCM’s Thursday primetime and Christmas Day schedule:

Thursday, Dec. 3
8 p.m. – A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart.
9:15 p.m. – Little Women (1949), starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Margaret O’Brien.
11:30 p.m. – Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), starring Margaret O’Brien and Angela Lansbury.
1 a.m. – 3 Godfathers (1948), starring John Wayne, Pedro Armindáriz, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond.
3 a.m. – Hell’s Heroes (1930), starring Charles Bickford and Raymond Hatton.
4:30 a.m. – Bush Christmas (1947), starring John Fernside and Chips Rafferty.
Thursday, Dec. 10
8 p.m. – It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947), starring Don DeFore, Ann Harding and Gale Storm.
10 p.m. – Fitzwilly (1967), starring Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon and Edith Evans.
Midnight – Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), starring Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and Lewis Stone.
2 a.m. – Susan Slept Here (1954), staring Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds and Anne Francis.
4 a.m. – Little Women (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas and Frances Dee.

Thursday, Dec. 17
8 p.m. – Christmas in Connecticut (1945), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet.
10 p.m. – Holiday Affair (1950), starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh.
11:30 p.m. – Never Say Goodbye (1946), starring Errol Flynn and Eleanor Parker.
1:30 a.m. – Period of Adjustment (1962), starring Tony Franciosa, Jane Fonda and Jim Hutton.
3:30 a.m. – Beyond Tomorrow (1940), starring Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith and Maria Ouspenskaya.

Thursday, Dec. 24 – Robert Osborne’s Christmas Picks
8 p.m. – Remember the Night (1940), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray.
9:45 p.m. – Christmas in July (1940), starring Dick Powell and Ellen Drew.
11 p.m. – Chicken Every Sunday (1948), starring Dan Dailey and Celeste Holme.
1 a.m. – Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Lucille Bremer and Mary Astor.
3 a.m. – In the Good Old Summertime (1949), starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson.
5 a.m. – The Shop Around the Corner (1940), starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Frank Morgan.

Friday, Dec. 25
7 a.m. – Little Women (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas and Frances Dee.
9 a.m. – A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart.
10:15 a.m. – The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan and Monty Woolley.
12:15 p.m. – Christmas in Connecticut (1945), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet.
2:15 p.m. – Little Women (1949), starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Margaret O’Brien.
4:30 p.m. – Holiday Affair (1950), starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh.
6 p.m. – Susan Slept Here (1954), starring Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds and Anne Francis.

Friday, Dec. 25 – Holmes for the Holidays
8 p.m. – The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Richard Greene and Wendy Barrie.
9:30 p.m. – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939), starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce and Ida Lupino.
11 p.m. – The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), starring Robert Stephens, Colin Blakely and Genevieve Page.
1:15 a.m. – Sherlock Holmes’ Fatal Hour (1931), starring Arthur Wontner, Ian Fleming and Jane Welsh.
2:30 a.m. – The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Andre Morell and Maria Landi.
4 a.m. – A Study in Terror (1965), starring John Neville, Donald Houston, Georgia Brown and Anthony Quayle.


In addition to the Thursday primetime and Christmas Day offerings, TCM will feature other holiday film presentations throughout the month:

Saturday, Dec. 5
Noon – Fitzwilly (1967), starring Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon and Edith Evans.
1:45 p.m. – Holiday Affair (1950), starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh.

Sunday, Dec. 6
Noon – Christmas in Connecticut (1945), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet.
2 p.m. – Remember the Night (1940), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray.

Tuesday, Dec. 8
8 p.m. – Radio Days (1987), starring Mia Farrow, Seth Green, Julie Kavner, Josh Mostel, Michael Tucker and Dianne Wiest.

Saturday, Dec. 12
Noon – A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart.
1:15 p.m. – 3 Godfathers (1948), starring John Wayne, Pedro Armindáriz, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond.
5:30 p.m. – The Lion in Winter (1968), starring Katharine Hepburn, Peter O’Toole, Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton.
Saturday, Dec. 19
Noon – Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Lucille Bremer and Mary Astor.

Thursday, Dec. 24
8:15 a.m. – 3 Godfathers (1948), starring John Wayne, Pedro Armindáriz, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond.

Louisa May Alcott: The PBS'
Entertainment True Story

American Masters “Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women”

From fifth grade throughout junior high, I read "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott on a regular basis.

My repeated readings never changed the story -- Jo still marries old Professor Baher and Amy ends up with Laurie. No doubt there are many little girls (and, I imagine, even some boys) who shared the same affection for this Edwardian story of the March family, the four sisters, their soldier father and their no-nonsense mother.There's a lonely, wealth boy next door, who lives with his crotchety grandfather. But the crux of the story is one of (yes, you got it) female empowerment. Mrs. March bears through hard times as a single parent, her husband away at war. Jo moves to the big city to live alone and find her own success.

Louisa May Alcott (November 29, 1832 – March 6, 1888), the author of Little Women, was a free thinker with democratic ideals and progressive ideas about women — and the pseudonymous author of 19th-century potboilers. The author of Little Women is an almost universally recognized name. Her reputation as a morally upstanding New England spinster, reflecting the conventional propriety of late 19th-century Concord, is firmly established.

However, raised among reformers, Transcendentalists and skeptics, the intellectual protégé of Emerson and Hawthorne and Thoreau, Alcott was actually a free thinker with democratic ideals and progressive ideas about women — a worldly careerist of sorts.

Most surprising is that she led, under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard, a literary double life, undiscovered until the 1940s. As Barnard, Alcott penned scandalous, sensational works with characters running the gamut from murderers and revolutionaries to cross-dressers and opium addicts — a far cry from her familiar fatherly mentors, courageous mothers and appropriately impish children.

American Masters Louisa May Alcott airs 28 December 2009 at 9 to 10:30 p.m. on PBS (check your local listings).

Louisa May Alcott, the year before she died.

Cult Rock Film on DVD

Drop Dead Rock, starring Adam Ant and Deborah Harry will be released on DVD on December 8, 2009.

This film played the art house circuit when it premiered in 1995. It was written by Ric Menello and Adam Dubin, the creators of the Beastie Boys music video Fight For Your Right To Party. Drop Dead Rock was directed by Adam Dubin who recently directed comedian Lewis Black's concert film Stark Raving Black.

"I wanted to make a 60's movie about an 80's rock star in the 90's," said Dubin.

Drop Dead Rock is billed rock and roll comedy. A down and out rock n' roll band, Hindenburg, kidnap their favorite British rock star, Spazz-O, and hold him hostage. But Spazz-O's ex-porn star wife Holly Everest (Playboy lingerie model Chelsey Parks) and his manager, Dave Donovan (Adam Ant), anxious for his fortune, and hired a professional hit on the rock star.

The impending media feeding frenzy causes Spazz-O's career to spike. Media mogul Thor Sturmundrang (Deborah Harry) produces a big advance check, making Spazz-O worth more alive than dead. It's left to Dave to outwit the bumbling band, clumsy cops, ruthless record execs and terrifying terrorists.

"The film is good," says Adam Ant. "I can't tell you how much it made me laugh doing it. I still laugh now just thinking about it. It's kind of like a 90's Spinal Tap."

Film Threat predicted, "Drop Dead Rock is destined for late-night cult-status and instant success in the video market." The DVD will be released by MVD Entertaintment Group.

Kidman Chooses Lanvin

Actress Nicole Kidman attends The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Skylight Studio on November 16, 2009 in New York City. Kidman attended the event with with designer Alber Elbaz and wore Lanvin’s ivory tulle lace evening gown from the Blanche Spring 2010 Collection. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris

This image from JustJared.com shows actor Gerard Butler wearing an olive zip-up leather jacket by John Varvatos to his 40th birthday held at China Whites in London.

Something to Look Forward To:
Men of a Certain Age

by BeansTalk's Managing Editor

TNT's latest original series, Men of a Certain Age, is absolutely not only for men, whether of a certain age or not. Rather, the series -- which stars Andre Braugher, Ray Romano and Scott Bakula as long-time friends adjusting to the "wrong" side of middle age -- is an affectionate epiphany of self-awareness, denial, friendship, stagnancy and growth, holds plenty of appeal for both men and women.

None of the members of this strongly bonded trio are where they hoped or wanted to be, at this watershed time in their lives. Yes, there are the "age-related" one-liners that permeate the television promotionals, but those are merely accents to what proves to be (at least in the first three episodes) a richly woven tale, not just of the friendship, but of each man's struggles. The "struggles" are carefully presented, wholly credible and offer profiles of men who you might now -- and like quite a bit.

Men of a Certain Age has, in abundance, something that many stories struggle with: a consistent tone. Here, the blend of humor and pathos is warm, embracing and intuitive. The credit surely goes to writer Romano and his Everybody Loves Raymond writing partner, Mike Royce. Still, MOACA can owe quite a bit of its passionate punch to the wonderful acting and chemistry of the three leads. There's no posturing, no scene chewing, no attempts to out-act each other, but only to present the story.

Braugher is diabetic family man Owen, father to two young boys, married to no-nonsense stay-at-home-mom Melissa (Lisa Gay Hamilton). Uptight Owen's a used car salesman, part of a fleet who work for the big boss, who also happens to be Owen's gruff, hard-to-please father Owen Sr. (Richard Gant). Owen finds himself in a meanly executed competition with the smooth Marcus (Brian J. White). Owen Sr. overcompensates his son's position on staff by frequently putting Owen "in his place," as Marcus curries favor with the boss, in a smarmy attempt to step ahead of Owen for a coveted managerial position.

Romano is separated (and likely to be divorced) Joe, who owns a large party supply store and resides in an extended-stay motel. He's a self-effacing father to two teens, a boy and a girl. Joe obviously hopes to reunite with his wife Sonia (Penelope Ann Miller), but he is battling an addiction that is cited as the cause of the couple's separation.

Joe's compulsion, the core of his troubles, is an inspired bit of plot. Of the three companions, it is Joe who is easily the most likable, whose sense of levity extends to his business. In his pique-cotton polo shirt and khakis, Joe wanders somewhat aimlessly among the favors and balloons, absorbing the barbs from his young staff, who loathe the pop classics Joe pipes into the store.

Joe is very well-characterized by Romano, whose quips are delivered with the actor's trademark dour vocal intonations. You like Joe. You can't help but like him. Joe's self-deprecation belies a frustration so deep, he has yet to actually verbalize it to his friends, or probably even acknowledge it to himself. Joe is the first of the friends to openly discuss age-related issues that make the others cringe, so the very fact that he indulges his dark side only when alone, surely signals danger for him, but he takes great care to compartmentalize his activities.

Rounding out this trio, who met in college, is Terry (Scott Bakula), a perennially struggling actor, who is only recognized by office mates -- he's a temp -- for his late-night infomercials and commercials. Terry's the group's "ladies man," dating women certifiably in the next generation, including the local coffee shop's barrista, Annie (played by Carla Gallo -- who may know her as Daisy from Bones or the porn star from Californication).

Each of the stars have had their starring heyday on network television -- the four-time nominated, two-time Emmy winning Braugher with Homicide, Gideon's Crossing, Hack, Thief and a stint on House; the 10-time nominated, three-time Emmy-winning Romano, with his hugely successful nine-year run on Everybody Loves Raymond, and finally, four-time Emmy nominee Bakula, whose extensive TV work includes the long-running Quantum Leap and Star Trek: Enterprise. (BeansTalk note: Bakula also plays one of our now all-time favorite recurring characters, "Papa Jeff" on The New Adventures of Old Christine.)

TV series frequently package together a group so that the initial pitch to the networks may sound like an opening to a tired joke, "So there's this repressed African-American used car salesman, a depressed Italian-American guy on his way to a divorce, and an aspiring actor hanging on to his one-time hunkiness by his fingertips..." but Men of a Certain Age is refreshing, fun and thought provoking.

Men of a Certain Age premieres Monday, 7 December 2009, at 10 p.m. on TNT.

New Dryer Cuts Down on Noise

After five years of service, our T3 travel dryer (used regularly, not for travel) gave up, as they say, the ghost.

"It's smoking!" our Chairman of the Board, using it to dry a science project, bemoaned.

"Stop using it, now." the CFO commanded.

By providence or coincidence, a new one arrived at our doorstep that very day, the Centrix Q-Zone Quiet Dryer.

Introduced last July, the the Q-Zone Quiet Dryer has patent-pending Insanely Quiet™ (IQ) technology to dry hair quickly without the usual accompanying loud noise.

Those of you who begin your beauty regime while the rest of the house still slumbers will appreciate the quiet stealthy-ness the Centrix allows you.

The energy-efficient 1500 watt, two-speed motor delivers the drying power of 1875 watts while ionic technology reduces drying time. The company reps liken the dryer to a hybrid car, as the Q-Zone Quiet Dryer offers an environmentally conscious alternative to the norm.

Despite it being a full-size dryer (we were used to the small travel size), The Q-Zone Quiet Dryer features a lightweight, ergonomic design and is suited for right or left-handers. A dual position cool shot button operates both from the handle or barrel grip. The dryer uses ceramic tourmaline which reps assure ensures shiny, healthier-looking hair without robbing moisture. We also really like this: Centrix uses 100-percent recyclable packaging .

Professionals apparently enjoy the facilitation of conversation that the quieter-than-a-usual-blow-dryer delivers, It's "possible to powerfully blast your hair dry without blasting the noise," says Adrian de Berardinis, celeb stylist and NYC salon owner. "The discreet Q-Zone Quiet Dryer won’t disturb the sleeping husband and it does a great job of making our salon more conducive to client conversation."

The Q-Zone Quiet Dryer is available for the suggested retail price of $199.95 and can be ordered at select salons or online at Ulta, www.ulta.com.

Jason Lee to Star in TNT Pilot

Delta Blues, Offbeat Drama from Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon Television, Executive-Produced by George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Writer Liz M. Garcia

Jason Lee, who starred for four seasons in the comedy My Name Is Earl, has been cast in the lead role of the TNT pilot Delta Blues. He'll play Dwight Hendricks, a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother and moonlights as an Elvis impersonator.

The pilot for Delta Blues, which comes to TNT from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon Television, will be directed by Emmy® nominee Clark Johnson (The Shield) from a script by Liz M. Garcia (Cold Case) and actor Joshua Harto (The Dark Knight). Clooney, Heslov and Garcia serve as executive producers. Henry Bronchtein (The Sopranos) and Smokehouse’s Abby Wolf-Weiss are co-executive producers, and Harto is a producer. Johnson will also receive an executive-producer credit for the pilot.

“Jason Lee is the ideal choice to bring the compelling, off-kilter Dwight Hendricks to life,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “With extraordinary talent in front of and behind the camera, along with an outstanding script, Delta Blues is shaping up to be a hugely entertaining show and a great fit with our lineup of original dramas.”

Lee’s career includes two Golden Globe® nominations and two Screen Actors Guild Award® nominations for his starring role as Earl Hickey on Earl. Lee also served as a producer on the show, which followed a hapless crook who, determined to change his karma, sets out to right all the wrongs he inflicted on people.

Lee has completed production on Kevin Smith’s latest feature, A Couple of Dicks. Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan play cops who track down a stolen baseball card, rescue a Mexican beauty and deal with gangsters and laundered drug money. The film is scheduled to be released Feb. 26, 2010, by Warner Bros.

Lee previously starred as Dave Seville, the songwriter/father-figure to singing chipmunks in the blockbuster Alvin and the Chipmunks, which grossed over $350 million worldwide. He has a cameo in the upcoming Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, set to be released Dec. 23, 2009, by Fox 2000 Pictures.

This past summer, Lee filmed the independent thriller Columbus Circle. The story, written by Kevin Pollack, centers on a reclusive heiress in an upscale Manhattan apartment building who is brought face-to-face with her fears when a detective shows up to investigate a homicide that occurred in the apartment next door. Lee and Amy Smart play a couple who end up moving into the now empty apartment. Columbus Circle is directed by George Gallo (Bad Boys) and stars Selma Blair and Giovanni Ribisi.

Lee is represented by manager Gay Ribisi, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment and attorney Ken Richman.

Philanthropy For Westwood Transitional Village

Helps Homeless Transition to Independent Living

The attorneys and staff in the Los Angeles office of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP are ringing in the holiday season by kicking off their 6th annual Holiday Party for the residents of the Salvation Army Westwood Transitional Village.



Six years ago, the attorneys and staff at Katten ‘adopted’ the families of the Salvation Army Westwood Transitional Village for the holidays by purchasing gifts for all of the children living at the center, and by hosting a holiday party. This year the holiday party will take place at The Village on Tuesday, 8 December 2009 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. In addition to food, games and Santa distributing the gifts, the firm will bring along a face painter, a balloon artist and a magician to entertain the 60 children resident at the facility.



Westwood Transitional Village is essentially a small campus helping families help themselves as they transition from homelessness to independent living in a loving and supportive environment. Its purpose is to support each family in obtaining affordable, independent housing through employment, while providing supportive services, such as mental health counseling, life skills training, parenting classes, health services, children activities, employment services, child care, that help lead each family to a life of self-sufficiency. Younger children go to the Bessie Pregerson Child Development Center on site and older children attend local schools. Medical and dental care are provided as well as fully furnished apartments.



Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is a full-service law firm with more than 600 attorneys in locations across the United States and an affiliate in London. The firm’s business-savvy professionals provide clients in numerous industries with sophisticated, high-value legal services, with a focus on corporate, financial services, litigation, real estate, commercial finance, intellectual property and trusts and estates. Among our clients are a wide range of public and private companies, including a third of the Fortune 100, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For additional information, visit www.kattenlaw.com.

Southern California
Tent Sale Saturday
Three Dots Dresses

This Saturday, 21 November 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Three Dots Dresses will hold a tent sale on more than 300 styles of Three Dot Dresses, designed by Pegah Anvarian. The dresses, available in sizes XS to XL are $50 each, cash only. (Dresses retail from $75 to $285).

Three Dots Dresses are sold at Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, among others. www.threedots.com/

Sale Location: Three Dots, 7340 Lampson Ave., Garden Grove, 714-799-6333

BeansTalk's Holiday Gift Guide

Dazzling Holiday Nails
Colour & Effects
Custom Color Creations

A new range of professional quality nail polishes with endless possibilities, a customizable nail colour concept – Colour & Effects.

During the holiday season, you're likely to see people you don't visit with on a regular basis. Why not look your most coordinated best? Your hands may take a daily beating from your regular household work chores, but combine that with dry, cold weather, and you SO need manicures and pedicures.

These new colors are designed to be layered and customized, CND’s new Colour & Effects creates endless possibilities.

A palette of 50 new crème colours includes sheer, semi-sheer and opaque neutrals, pinks, darks and brights from the whitest white (Brilliant White) to the blackest black (Blackjack). The line also features metallic accessories – a selection of 3 must-have chromes.

Colours are complemented by 15 Effects. Effects come in sheer hues of three categories – Pearl, Shimmer, and Sparkle – which can be layered over or under the crème polish, for a subtle pearlescent sheen or a siren red shimmer, and more.

Jan Arnold, CND co-founder and style director explains, “Nail Colour conformity is a thing of the past. Our new Colour line provides a mesmerizing combination of options for women to stylize their most natural fashion accessory, their nails.”

Flawless Finish

A Colour application is not complete without proper base and top coats. Base coats anchor Colour to the natural nail for longer lasting wear; Top coats add shine and protect. These treatments defend nails from the elements and ensure long, beautiful wear.

CND’s base coats include Stickey™, Ridge Out™, and Toughen Up™, and top coats include Super Shiney™, Air Dry, and Speedey™. The introduction of Super Matte Top Coat to CND’s award-winning treatments now allows a variation of texture; from the glossiest pedicure to the most modern matte finish manicure.

CND’s new two-coat, fast-drying formula is super rich and creamy and 3-free – containing no toluene, formaldehyde, or DBP. (This is a super plus for us at BeansTalk -- and should be for you, too!)

The custom designed bottle is ergonomic, created to fit between the thumb and forefinger. The brush, with triangular-shaped hairs, ensures user-friendly results. It features clear, triangular bristles tailored to hold just enough polish for a smooth, even application. The rubberized cap creates a no-slip grip that is easy to twist.

CND’s new nail Colour & Effects is available in salons and spas. Suggested retail price for Colour is $9.00 a bottle; for Effects $11.00 a bottle, for base and top coats $8.00 a bottle. For more information or to find local availability, visit cnd.com.


The 411 on Colour and Effects:

• Palette of 50 crème Colours including sheer, semi-sheer and opaque neutrals, pinks, darks and brights plus three pure chromes in gold, silver and copper

• 15 Effects in sheer hues of three textures - Pearl, Shimmer and Sparkle – to “accessorize” crème polish or wear alone

• 3-Free – no toluene, formaldehyde, or DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate)

• Two-coat, fast-drying formula

• Ergonomically designed bottle with rubberized cap for no slip-grip and easy opening

• State-of-the-art brush with clear, triangular-shaped nylon bristles for flawless application

HOW TO USE: Turn bottle upside down and roll between palms to blend. For best results, after applying a CND base coat, apply two thin Colour coats and/or one coat of Effect to clean manicured nails. Finish with your favorite CND top coat.

AVAILABILITY: In chic salons and spas worldwide and at bebeautiful.com, goindulge.com and timetospa.com. Call 800.833.NAIL or visit cnd.com for more information.

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: Colour - .33 fl oz bottle $9.00 Effect - .33 fl oz bottle $11.00

Holiday Gift Guide Suggestion

Those of you who know BeansTalk know that we've already begun finding and wrapping our holiday gifts. There's a great feeling of satisfaction to getting it done, and getting it done early. In the spirit of such things, here's a look at the collection of CND Holiday products.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Holiday Gifts from CND

CND’s holiday inspired Scentsations™ and gifts:

Scentsations Clementine & Mistletoe Hand & Body Lotion
With a festive, citrus-inspired fragrance and a touch of pearlescent glow, this lotion will leave your skin silky and shimmering, especially under the mistletoe! Available in 8.3 fl oz bottles for a suggested retail price of $11.50 and .5 fl oz travel size bottles for a suggested retail price of $2.50 each.


Scentsations Clementine & Mistletoe Gift Caddy
This lotion and wash duo of CND’s seasonal Clementine & Mistletoe fragrance is a simple way to say thank you to the hostess with the most-est. Packaged in a sink-ready caddy and ready-to-go gift wrapping, this dynamic duo is all set for giving. The caddy includes two 8.3 fl oz bottles for a suggested retail price of $23.00.


Scentsations Lotion Gift Set
Renew dry, winter skin with CND’s seasonal lotion gift set. Festive Vanilla Shimmer, Clementine & Mistletoe and Cranberry2 fl oz bottles available for the suggested retail price of $11.70. fragrances are sure to please this holiday season. Three 2 fl oz bottles available for the suggested retail price of $11.70.


Almond SpaManicure™ Gift Set
Exfoliate skin and lock in moisture with CND’s Almond Moisture Scrub and Almond Soothing Crème. The gift set includes a 3.4 oz jar of Almond Moisture Scrub, a 2.6 oz jar of Almond Soothing Crème plus a FREE .33 fl oz bottle of Gold Shimmer Nail Effect for a suggested retail price of $26.90.


SolarOil™ Minis
If travel is part of your holiday plans, be sure to have SolarOil Minis at your fingertips. The perfect size for carry-on luggage. Be prepared to condition your skin and nails wherever you’re jetting off to this season. Available in .125 fl oz bottles for the suggested retail price of $2.50 each. (BeansTalk note: We LOVE SolarOil. It's fantastic this time of year!)

Cucumber Heel Therapy Minis
With all of the holiday shopping, treat yourself and your own tired tootsies with CND’s Cucumber Heel Therapy. Designed to moisturize and soothe, Cucumber Heel Therapy will replenish dry heels, knees, elbows and other winter parched skin. Available in .5 oz$4 each. travel size jars for a suggested retail price of

Available for a limited time only in salons and professional beauty supply stores. For locations visit cnd.com.

Sex & City Gals Still Fashionistas

Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda Hobbs, and seen here with Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie Bradshaw, was spotted on New York's West Village set of Sex & the City 2 carrying Lanvin’s Padova Tote in taupe & orange quilted washed-lambskin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seeing Double

Is it just us or are these two (Cougartown star Courteney Cox and actress Demi Moore) starting to morph into each other??

BeansTalk's Fashion Friday Bonus!

Heaton Hits Two Home-Runs:
New Series, Sizzling Dress at CMAs


(Today you not only get your Fashion Friday bit, but a TV review, too.)

We don't agree with her politics, but we've interviewed Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton, and she was certainly nice enough. Moreover, we were surprised at just how much we're enjoying her new ABC series "The Middle" (much better than her previous post-Everybody Loves Raymond stint, Back to You, in which she co-starred with a pre-Hank Kelsey Grammer). For the record, we were pretty disappointed in the uninspired Hank.

But even though we initially dismissed "The Middle" as too-much following Malcolm in the Middle, we were soon disavowed of the notion, and the series has grown on us.

Heaton plays Frankie, a put-upon mom-to-three, relegated by economics to selling used cars. Frankie's married to Mike (the consistently good Neil Flynn). The two have a credible and easy chemistry.

In a role that easily would be played shrill by a less-experienced performer, Heaton plays Frankie as anxious, but hopeful. The couple's three children include the surly and appropriately named Axl (Charlie McDermott), a lazy high school football star; Sue (Eden Sher), the optimistically awkward middle-child who can't catch a break, and their youngest, the brilliant, but oddly preternatural Brick (Atticus Shaffer), who the school psychologist has already deemed "special."

On paper, this nuclear family may not sound too different than any other random comedy series clan, but "The Middle" offers up great timing, the aforementioned chemistry, clever one-liners, unexpected scenarios and warmly earnest (in a good way) stories.

Along with ABC's most-excellent "Modern Family," "The Middle" represents some truly enjoyable new comic fare.

Heaton, seen above, wore Pamella Roland’s cranberry caviar encrusted bell sleeve cocktail dress to the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Wednesday, 1 November 2009.(AP Photo/Peter Kramer). Then she and on-screen husband Flynn presented the award for Vocal Group of the Year.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Attend This

Double click on image to enlarge

If you can't read this, this is an invitation to attend the first Minivan Kids Series concert at the Air Conditioned Club Supper Club, Sunday 15 November at 11 a.m. $10 Adults, $5 Kids, Under 2, Free. For more details, www.airconditionedbar.com and www.hollowtrees.com

Whaddya need this for??

Furs for the Furry
Give your furs back to the animals!

The Coats for Cubs event at Buffalo Exchange is on 14 November through 22 April 2010.

Starting Saturday, November 14, 2009 through Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, bring real fur apparel, including trims, accessories and shearling, to any Buffalo Exchange, locations throughout the United States, and tell them it's a donation for Coats for Cubs. Check your closets -- you may have forgotten you actually have something with fur hidden away in there!

Since you're donating to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), condition is unimportant. Used furs provide bedding and comfort to orphaned and injured wildlife.

Since 2006, Buffalo Exchange has collected a total of 3,885 used furs on behalf of Coats for Cubs.

To claim a tax deduction, please mail your fur directly to The Humane Society of the United States, Attn: Coats for Cubs, 2100 L St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037

www.buffaloexchange.com/

Solid Scents

We've never been a big "scent" collector, but our mother and grandmother loved their perfumes. Our mother went around the world twice, in 1956 and 1959, and she discovered a solid perfume compact that she adored and was always looking for her favorite.

Based on our mother's affinity for solid perfume, we thought we'd profile a new collection (disclaimer: we have not sampled these so we cannot personally vouch for its effectiveness or scent).

Here's information from the rep: Love, Me… Solid Perfume Compacts are a solid perfume compact shaped like a little book. Each decorated with artwork, an inspirational title and story, as well as a hidden pocket and combinations for designing an individual signature scent. Each of four perfumes compacts feature three different solid scents to wear alone, combine, layer and mix and match to create a new and individual scent signature.

Pure fragrances made with essential oils in a 100% natural base including beeswax and shea butter. No coloring agents, no parabens, no alcohol, no preservatives.

The available scent "booklets:"

Love, Me… On a Hot Tin Roof – The Fire Scents includes Wild, with notes of vanilla, amber, tangelo; Radiant, with notes of violet, lavender and pikake; and Sun, with notes of mandarin, grapefruit and sage.



Love, Me… In the Garden – The Earth Scents includes Earth, with notes of fresh cut grasses; Whisper, with notes of vanilla, musk, neroli and honey; and Sweetness, with notes of honeysuckle, rose and jasmine.



Love, Me…In the Rain – The Water Scents includes Inspiration, with notes of blue lotus blossom and lily of the valley; Rain, with notes of patchouli and hyacinth; and Fun, with notes of honey, vanilla and citron.



Love, Me…Under the Stars – The Air Scents includes Midnight, with notes of violet, sandalwood and tuberose; Coconut Moon, with notes of citrus, melon and ginger; and Laughter, with notes of pineapple, candy, and freesia.


$25.00, for 3 x .045 oz balms at Specialty Stores nationwide and www.lovemescents.com

(Above: Our girl Carol Hannah with her fellow contestant and teeny tiny romantic-interest Logan)

BeansTalk on Project Runway's Final Three

by BeansTalk's Managing Editor

The BeansTalk staff have long been fans of the now-LifetimeTV show, “Project Runway,” in which sixteen designers compete for the chance to show at New York’s highly regarded Bryant Park Fashion Show, win $100,000, and more (we think there's a car, as well as a vacation in the winner's package).


Each week there is a runway show of whatever project assigned to the contestants (who vary from Parsons’ grads to schooled-at-home tailors and seamstresses). Each week, a rotating panel of judges – that always includes “Runway’s” executive producer Heidi Klum – must bid adieu (or in Klum’s case, “auf wiedersien”) to one contestant.


This year’s batch (which is technically last year’s, since the battle between Bravo, Lifetime and the show’s execs pushed it back an entire year – what we’re watching now was actually shot in 2008, with the finale episodes taped at Bryant Park on 20 February of this year) featured a group of comparatively mild-mannered designers.

They were so mild-mannered (especially when compared to previous contestants like Santino, Kenley and Jeffrey Sebelia), that some “Runway” watchers proclaimed the series had “jumped the shark” or simply, ran it’s course.

(Above: Mean Irina and her winning design, made from the LA Times)

We couldn’t disagree more. There are plenty of folks to frown at, including one particular contestant who’s made the top three. Yes, we're referring to “Mean Irina” Shabayeva, who hasn’t missed a single opportunity to “diss” her fellow designers, while proclaiming herself “the best.” Declaring yourself the best and the potential winner is nothing new, and we guarantee you that if there was a clip show of all six "Runway" seasons, the montage would feature quite of few of these oft-repeated “quotables.”

At any rate, Irina, nasty as she is (or playing to the camera as she is), she's indisputably a fantastic designer. You have only to recall her coat made from The Los Angeles Times (seen in this post, above). But because she’s so unlikable, her wins don’t elicit much viewer joy. It’s more of a grudging acknowledgment. Still, Irina's last week’s inspired-by-the-Getty dress was dowdy and a yawn. She needs to step up her game for her upcoming collection.

Meanwhile, whereas the previous season’s Kenley Collins (she of the most-recent “cat throwing” news incident) quickly went from show cutie to show whiner in the first few episodes -- it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago when heretofore middle-of-the-roader Ohio-native Althea Harper revealed her “true colors” (or succumbed to the producers’ prodding for quotable mean-about-your-competitor's dish).

Harper, like Shabayeva, is also one of the top three finalists. Personally, we’re not crazy about any of Harper’s designs, either. To be honest, we can’t remember any of them except her “winning” look which consisted of a very unflattering paper-bag shorts suit.

Thankfully, we have someone to root for, and we bet we’re not alone: Charleston, South Carolina’s Carol Hannah Whitfield, an angelic blonde who loves to design dresses (which are quite divine, by the way) and couldn’t be sweeter.

We imagine that the producers have to push her very hard to get anything remotely not-nice from her. So there you go: Whitfield is a strong designer who really does seem to have a grasp of what the average woman wants to wear, and she happens to be kind.

(Above: Althea defends her design)

The show has been known, however, to occasionally choose the quietly sweet. Take, for example, Chloe Dao from Season 2, and Leanne Marshall from Season 5.

Runway has always let “characters” stay on for longer than they should (Santino, anyone?) And some “characters” have actually won, starting with Season 1’s flashy Jay McCarroll, who, it’s been said, has his own show in the works. Swishy Christian Siriano, winner for Season 4, was full of “fierce” bon mots.

Which leaves only a single previous season where the show’s nastiest contestant has won – Season 3’s Sebelia – and anyone who followed that season may share his fellow finalists concerns that he didn’t actually sew as much of the runway show work as is required. (For the record, we were very impressed with pregnant-with-her-sixth-child during the entire season architect Laura Bennett, who had only her sewing-since-childhood to reference her collection.)

This season will prove interesting, if only for the fact that it is the first time that all finalists contributing to Bryant Park are women.

Speaking of women, when the series moved to Lifetime, they added 30-minutes of “bonus” programming in the form of “Models of the Runway,” in which the designers models competed against each other for a similar prize – Bryant Park and money (although models “only” take home $25,000).

The “new” addition seems very much a creation of Klum’s, who probably thinks models are a lot more interesting than most people (for obvious reasons). While a couple of the model contestants were dynamic and likable -- Koji and Katie -- the majority of them really do fare better when they're doing what they do best, walking the runway and not talking.

“Models” really stretches and stages scenes. These include segments like ridiculous burlesque lessons and “bonus” skin-care sessions. The former was an excuse to throw in a little sex (these beautiful girls are surprisingly un-sexy, especially since they are conversing, which eradicates any mystery to their stoically elegant runway personas. We so hate to say it, but they’re just more appealing silent).

The latter session was wholly absurd, as a “doctor” was brought in to tell them how great the Loreal Skin Genesis is for their “age group.” Advertorial anyone?

This isn’t an original notion, as many others have mentioned it, but how many times does Tim Gunn (our absolute favorite) have to remind designers to send their models to the “Garnier” make-up room and to “choose generously” from the Macy’s wall? This is beyond product placement, and you know what? We get it. We get that on “America’s Next Top Model” the finalists do a “Cover Girl” commercial, for the opportunity to do a “real” one.

Others may complain, but despite its obvious issues, we still love “Project Runway” and look forward to it each week. They’ve already cast Season 7 and are glad that they’re not going to wait as long to air the next season (we hope).

But for now, we’ll cross our fingers for Carol Hannah, and enjoy the cute visits Tim Gunn makes to each of the finalists’ homes, meeting their families, commenting on what they’ve made so far, making us wish he would come to our house, etc.

Project Runway airs Thursdays on LifetimeTV at 10 p.m.

BeansTalk's Fashion Friday!

BRRRR....Some Truly Warm and Stylish Boots

Last week, for Fashion Friday, BeansTalk looked at the trendy "knit" (crochet and knit/sweater-style) boot wear. This is well and good for those of us -- Southern Californians, for example -- who don't deal with genuinely harsh winter weather.

And for those of you who must bear with wear-woolens winter time weather, check out these knee-high, faux fur lined beauties. Prices shown are from Zappos.

Timberland Mount Holly Tall Boot

The Mount Holly is a fashionable pull-on boot from Timberland®. Waterproof burnished leather upper with fleece cuff for a stylish and protective exterior. Fleece lining offers warmth and comfort during foul weather. Durable rubber outsole provides traction on a variety of surfaces. 14.00" shaft height. 16.50" circumference. 22.00 oz.

$180

Tretorn Skerry Vinter Shiny

Available in a host of colors, including black, olive, yellow, navy, and purple. Rubber upper is perfect for rain-drenched days. Plush synthetic fur lining is warm and comfy. Vulcanized rubber midsole promotes durability. Durable rubber outsole provides grippy traction.

$64

Sorel Joan of Arctic

Seam-sealed waterproof construction. Waterproof full grain leather and suede upper. Faux fur snow cuff. Removable recycled felt InnerBoot.
2.5mm bonded felt frost plug. Handcrafted waterproof vulcanized rubber shell with herringbone outsole. Sorel® rated:-25°F/-32°C 11.50" shaft height. 16.50" circumference.

$130

The North Face Women's Janey
With a warm, 40% recycled P.E.T. faux fur lining, waterproof protection, and a TNF Winter Grip™/Ice Pick™ combo outsole that will grip slick surfaces, this moccasin-inspired look packs huge wintertime performance. Waterproof, BLC-compliant full-grain and suede leather upper. Rawhide leather laces. HydroSeal™ waterproof membrane. Combination 40% recycled P.E.T. faux fur and brushed tricot lining. Compression molded internal drop-in midsole. Three-quarter length TPU shank. Durable TNF Winter Grip ™ rubber outsole with Ice Pick™ temperature-sensitive rubber snowflake lugs. Ice Pick™ rubber hardens when the temperature falls below freezing to provide ultimate biting traction. 12.50" shaft height. 15.00" circumference.

$155

Gabriella Rocha Rona

Fashionable boot for winter. Suede upper with faux fur detailing. Full side zipper closure. Man made sole. Lightly padded insole. 1 1/2" heel. 13.50" shaft height. 13.50" circumference.

$100

Khombu Solar Lace

Chic cold weather style is just one of the many highlights on this boot. Waterproof suede upper. Side zip closure for easy-on and -off. Thermolite™ footbed cushions and provides warmth every step of the way. Ortholite™ moisture-wicking and anti-bacterial foam keeps odors away. Plush faux fur lining. Non-slip rubber outsole. 2" heel. 14.00" shaft height. 16.25" circumference.

$150