I'm Looking for A Dress, Part Two

I am dutifully following the cross country arrival of my dresses for the Academy Award Nominations.  So far, both of them seem to be in limbo; one on the West Coast and one in the Midwest.  Hopefully, they will arrive by Monday so I have a 50/50 shot that one of them will fit and look good.  Cross your fingers that I will have something to wear!

After critiquing the Golden Globes fashions and after I figure out my fashion dilemma for January 25th, I will have to start searching for some serious wardrobe for February 27th.  I received huge news this week that I will be covering THIS event in the press bleachers on the red carpet and the backstage press room where the winners are ushered after they receive there award for Mingle Media TV and Starpulse.  Can you believe it?  It's a dream come true. 

On the red carpet after the 79th Annual Academy Awards with my friends, Rose and Ashley in 2007.  I was kindly invited as a guest that year by Ashley.  The Departed was the big winner and Erica Davies designed my dress.  Guess who styled me for this event?  Kim Kardashian.  Yep, she was working as a stylist in 2007.  No E! show back then, she was known as Paris Hilton's friend and worked behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.  Wow, have times changed.  

So, I am reaching out to all of my fashionistas who have contacts in the fashion industry.  I am looking for a gown.  Where should I go?  Who should I contact?  If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know.  I only have a week and a half in LA in early February and two weeks in Chicago in mid-February, so those cities would be my ideal locations for dress shopping/fitting.  Please note, anything I wear will get promotional consideration.  

Feel free to contact me in the comment section below or on my Contact page.  Thank you all for your assistance!

Photo 1: Courtesy of Seth Maxwell

Photo 2: Courtesy of Brian Wilson

Kodak Theatre: KB has left the building!

Yesterday was my last day on a media job that I have held for 4 years. It was a fantastic ride, but with my current schedule with The Web Files and a few other upcoming host gigs, it was going to be impossible to keep it all up. Believe it or not, this was a job I found off of Craig's List when I was at a crossroads in my career. 2005 was not a good booking year for me and I needed something to keep me in the host loop, earn me money, and keep me sane. Surprisingly, the job gave me so much more......amazing friendships, more Oscar knowledge than I could ever imagine, tons of laughter, tickets to the 79th Annual Academy Awards, and best of all.....my super cute BF.

Meet The Oscars 2007

I know the Kodak Theatre inside and out. I took naps on the benches on the 4th floor after a few late nights out, Zen Gray and I used to chill our (non-alcoholic drinks) on the kegs in the bar area since we didn't have a fridge in the guide room, and we all spent many hours trying to find a wireless connection at Hollywood and Highland. I spent hours talking the ear off of one colleague, Dom, who really loved my incessant chatter despite the annoyance. :) The Kodak often gave us tickets to events when the house needed to be papered and Michael Bolton was the best of them all. Who else brings the entire cast of Desperate Housewives, screaming middle-aged women held back by security guards, and love ballads that you long forgot? One of the best nights ever after a few cocktails.

Friends after the 79th Annual Academy Awards: Seth, Ash, me, Rose, and Brian, at Cafe des Artistes

I did interviews for media outlets in Mexico, Japan, the US, and the UK. I filmed a piece as an Oscar expert that opened the live 80th Annual Academy Award show in Belgium. I talked about how heavy little Oscar was, what he was made of, where he was made, and how each winner got their name plate weeks after the show.

Post-show in 2007, everyone needs a Charlie's Angels pose.

When American Idol was exciting to me, it was thrilling to watch the set-up for the finals. I spent an afternoon listening to Tony Bennett rehearse for his concert from the front row of the theatre. I observed Lance Armstrong rehearse a monologue for the 2006 ESPY awards in flip-flops and shorts. Even better, Steven Spielberg and Catherine Zeta Jones stopped by to practice their introduction to AFI's 2006 honoree, Sean Connery.

On the red carpet by the bleacher seats with friends, Ash and Brian

Best of all was my opportunity to work at AMPAS' Meet the Oscars exhibit from 2006-2008. There, I met the most amazing people who continue to play a huge part in my life. Nothing like the excitement that builds with each week of Oscar madness. The red carpet goes up, the flowers, and then the statuettes move in. It was magic, especially for an Oscar geek. Oh, and when I attended the Academy Awards in 2007, I managed to get my photo in People magazine. Okay, so they were taking a picture of former Vice President Al Gore and family and the photo ran months later after his son, Al Gore III, was arrested for speeding in a Prius, but hey, I made it to People!

An Associated Press photo of me polishing Oscar in 2006.

So, good times behind me, but even better times ahead. Thanks to Crabby, Ash, Dom, James, John, Sarah, Zen, Ro, Tiffany, and Seth who made my time there so incredible. KB has officially left the building!

It takes a lot of technique to polish Oscar correctly! :)

Pointing out some of Oscar's uh.....assets.