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Formals, face lifts, free stuff: It's Globes time
2009-01-10
LOS ANGELES - Stars are sprucing themselves up, getting gifts and going to galas before Sunday's Golden Globes. PRE-GLOBES GALA: Even celebs who may not be Golden Globes-bound will don glamorous duds this weekend. A spate of stars, including Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Jake Gyllenhaal and Sting, were expected Saturday at the Art of Elysium's annual charity gala. The swanky soiree, held at a former cathedral in downtown Los Angeles, will include dinner, music, a fashion show and special honors for Eva Mendes and Jim Sheridan. Mendes was chosen to receive the inaugural Spirit of Elysium award for her work with the organization over the past two years. Sheridan, the event's co-chair, was to be presented with the Visonary Award before passing the torch to next year's honoree, Shepard Fairey. Founded in 1997, the Art of Elysium encourages actors, artists and musicians to share their time and talent at artistic workshops for seriously ill children. Last year's gala raised over $800,000. ___ GIFTS GALORE: Nothing gets stars in the mood for a big awards show like piles of swag. And despite the slumping economy, the getting was good at gift suites around town. Stars who visited the DPA gifting lounge at Beverly Hills' Peninsula Hotel -- including Golden Globe nominees Blair Underwood and Melissa George -- could collect Jil Sander sunglasses, a six-day Tahitian getaway, fine jewelry, handbags and designer dog collars. They could also get pampered with treatments such as eyelash extensions, facials, massages and foot reflexology. Down the street at Kari Feinstein's Style Suite in West Hollywood, guests perused three floors packed with goodies to eat, drink, wear or apply to skin and hair. Wendi's Fine English Toffee and Nothing Bundt Cakes provided a sugar kick, and Little Black Dress wines and Glowelle antioxidant beauty drinks offered liquid refreshment while guests including Jessica Alba, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Golden Globe nominee Debra Messing stocked up on swag. Messing collected tooth-whitening products, bedazzled shearling boots and a box of Glowelle drinks, which she called "Glow-tox." Alba fell in love with a woven, diamond-studded bracelet from Tacori. Michelle Trachtenberg of the hit TV teen drama "Gossip Girl" snapped up sexy underthings from Bittersweet Butterfly and Golden Globe nominee Viola Davis coveted a lavender leather handbag from Moni Moni. Other stars ogled conflict-free, earth-friendly fine jewelry from Precious Earth, adult-size footie pajamas from Pajama City and sparkling gems from Touchstone Crystal. Davis, who's enjoying widespread accolades for her work in "Doubt," said awards season was "dizzying" but not stressful. "It's just been a joy," she said. "It's a joy to be recognized for your work." ___ GOLDEN FACELIFT: At least one glittering star will admit having a face lift: the Golden Globe statuette. The film-swathed globe atop a marble base has been revamped this year. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association spent two years refining its trademark trophy. The new one -- featuring a more detailed, accurate globe and a new marble base -- will be handed out for the first time at Sunday's ceremony. "There's really not much change in the design," said Jorge Camara, the association's president. "It's basically the same globe with a strip of film around it -- the one that we have had since we started." The organization also redesigned its Cecil B. DeMille award, presented annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry. This year's honoree, Steven Spielberg, will be the first recipient of the redesigned award. The revamped statuettes also come with a new leather-bound, velvet-lined case, Camara said, adding that previous Golden Globe winners are welcome to upgrade to the new statue: "We will be very happy to replace them if they want to." ___ AP Television reporter Natalie Rotman contributed to this report. ___ On the Net: http://www.goldenglobes.org
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