The Friday Five

It's hard to believe we only have one more day left in 2011.  It has been a year of great strides for me both personally and professionally, so I look forward to a new year filled with challenges. My Friday Five today will encompass my favorite five things from this year.  It was hard to narrow it down given the fact that I covered two big awards shows, flew on a blimp, went to the opening night of a Broadway show, booked a job in Paris, and received an unexpected nomination for an award.

1.  Paris:  I fell in love with this city.  It's on my list to go back, like, immediately.  I think I will be celebrating a friend's birthday in Italy, so I know I'm going to hop on over to Paris before or after.....and maybe to London for the Olympics.....ah, dream big for 2012!

2.  Art:  I was lucky enough to go to New Orleans twice this year and invest in a few pieces of art by renowned Picasso muse, Françoise Gilot.  And then the art gallery invited me to meet her--what an honor!  I think my New Orleans visits made my trip to Paris that much more enjoyable, it was a taste of what was to come a few short months later.

3. Dreams:  I can't believe how many of my bucket list items were crossed off this year.  The little girl from small town Massachusetts got to do this and this.  How do you tell your 8-year old self that you will be standing on the red carpet at the Oscars or the Tonys or interviewing Meredith Vieira just weeks before she leaves the Today Show?  Unbelievable.

4.  Godspell:  This show means a lot to me.  It is being helmed by two old friends and I cannot begin to tell you how proud and thrilled I am for all of their success.  (And opening night wasn't too shabby either....thanks for the front row seats, KD.)  It's an incredible cast with killer voices and it's a show you can take your kids to see.  You can't say that about much these days, now go buy a ticket to see the show!

5.  Disney:  Disney World and Disneyland have always given me great joy, so it was a true pleasure to add some of my own Disney coverage to my reporter repertoire.  From the Cars 2 premiere to the Make Your Mark contest to the D23 Conference and the wild finale of Radio Disney's NBT, it was a blast covering the latest batch of Disney Channel stars and be a cool aunt to my 12-year old niece at the same time.  If you are wondering who the next Miley or Selena is, check out Bella Thorne.  Every little girl wants to be CeCe from Shake It Up right now. 

I will post a couple of my favorite photos of the year tomorrow, but I will let the photos do the talking tomorrow. I want to thank you for coming here and sharing my experiences and your stories.  I look forward to more adventures with you in 2012.  Enjoy your last Friday of 2011 and be sure to tell me your favorite things about your year in the comments below.  

We Have A Winner!

Thank you for all of your entries and I am announcing the winner at the bottom of this post.  The best part of this giveaway for me was learning everyone's favorite posts of 2011.  This also helps me write more articles that interest you when you stop by Red Carpet Closet.  The top 3 posts mentioned:

1. Oscars-Yeah, that might be my favorite week of 2011 too.

2. The Deets on the Dress-One of my looks this year, thanks to Roni B.

3. A tie:  Ode to New Orleans-A magical trip for me this year.

   Thirst Project Gala-A worthy charity providing wells to regions that don't have access to clean water.  

I did giggle when one of you selected a post from 2010 and another one picked their favorite post that was merely an invite to an event.  So, even though you slacked a little on following directions, I still let you enter because I got a good chuckle out of it.  

Now, it's time to announce our winner for our Gift Bag Giveaway chosen by Random.org.  Congratulations to Jessica E.!  I will be emailing you today so I can ship out all of your goodies.  Thanks for entering, everyone!

Images of New Orleans

Before I go into all of my indulgent New Orleans photos, I wanted to start off by reminding you that life for many residents is divided into two time frames:  Pre-Katrina and Post-Katrina. In many ways, the people who came back to the city really wanted to be there and invested time, money, life, and love back into the city. They have a lot at stake, but Mother Nature always has other ideas.  What we see on the news is never the reality.  So, it's good to take a pause and think of the people who live in the flood plains or are picking up the pieces after the tornados in the Southeast, remember when you think you are having a bad day.....you probably are not.

Holocaust Memorial by the river......

A French Quarter delight for buttery, flaky croissants.....(Croissant d'or)

Ham and cheese croissant the size of my head.....

I wolfed it down in the cute courtyard behind the bakery....

What a treat to watch a traditional New Orleans wedding with the bride, groom, and all of the attendees dancing in the streets.....

A little respite by the rooftop pool at the Renaissance Arts Hotel in the Warehouse District....

My new Jessica Simpson shoes!

My hotel actually had a sculpture garden on the 2nd floor and an art gallery on the main level.  I loved this piece.

This photo made me laugh.  My glasses are crooked, I was cranky and hungry, and the street car was running way behind....

The Garden District.

A crawfish extravaganza!

Desserts from Sucré.....

You might recognize this house, it's from MTV's The Real World: New Orleans.   The new owners do not have the house number posted on the property and they have painted it beige to disguise it a bit from its well-known white exterior.  

I love my new maxi dress, but flip flops in the French Quarter leads to very dirty feet.  

One of my favorite streets in the Quarter.  I nabbed a similar photo during my March trip.

New Orleans, Round 2

Me and Mdme. Gilot

Oh, what a weekend!  I travelled back to New Orleans after the city had me captivated after a work trip in March.  I went back to meet the artist who created the serigraph I purchased on my first trip, Madame Françoise Gilot.  She's the well-known muse and student of Picasso, mother of two of his children, author, and wife of (the now deceased) Dr. Jonas Salk.  That's a lot to pack in a lifetime, but it was an incredible opportunity for me to be in her presence as a guest of the Vincent Mann Gallery for her show: Françoise Gilot and the figure.

 

I smell lots of old Louisiana money in this room.....

There was an incredible energy in the room as collectors had travelled from different states to meet her, see the collection, and purchase new pieces for their portfolios.  In fact, I added another piece to my very, very small collection, but I was amazed at the credit cards flying at this show for some impressive amounts.  Oh, to be rich.  I saw one gentleman in seersucker suit and bow tie sign a credit card slip for an amount some of us earn in a year.  My mouth was agape.

The piece I bought, Mother and Child.  It is an artist's proof and I love that I managed to grab the piece before someone else did.  They were good sports about it too.  Ah, Southern chivalry lives on.  Below is the original.....

The original is even more divine, but it is way out of my price range.......

When it was my turn to meet Mdme. Gilot, I babbled about how I loved the first piece I bought and why I bought it.  She mentioned that the connection was ironic given the fact that the piece was created for a Beverly Hills event, so the piece actually went back home where it belongs.  I loved that thought even if I only dream of living in the 90210. She truly is a legend.

This might be my favorite piece entitled A Friendly Visit, so friendly that it cost $220,000.  

Afterwards, I headed off to Drago's to indulge in their famous charboiled oysters.  I missed the opportunity to eat there last time, so I was not missing it this time around.  I headed to the oyster bar and plopped myself in a stool in between two couples as we all dove into heaping mounds of oysters, butter, and cheese. I was in heaven.  The guys behind the counter were busy shucking oysters while we ate and they slipped me two raw oysters that were divine.  I also mustered up the courage to polish off a crab cake smothered in cheese (like any good NOLA meal) and then waddled back to my hotel.

 Drowning in butter, it's my charboiled oysters.....

Drowning in cheese, it's my tasty crab cake!

The evening was even better than I had imagined and I am so glad I made the trip.  I figured this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Mdme. Gilot given the fact that she is 89-years-old.  I couldn't find anyone to travel with me, but I didn't let that stop me.  I came here, I feel at home, and I love this city.

Many thanks to Jill McGauhey for always making me feel welcome in the gallery and for introducing me to the art of Françoise Gilot.  I do have my eye on one final piece for a Gilot trifecta.

My Spring Obsessions

I became a little obsessed with this ASOS Cover Lock Clutch in Ochre when I saw it in a photo on Red Vines for Breakfast. It had that splash of color I love with any outfit, it was clean and classic looking, and it was $26.  What??  With a little bit of internet coupon hunting, I got it down to $20.  Well, the clutch arrived while I was in New Orleans and it is perfect--soft, squishy, and roomy.  I cannot wait to accessorize with it.  A big thanks to Elle Sees for introducing me to Valerie at Red Vines for Breakfast who introduced me to my new clutch.

Now, this is the next item on my wish list that I am coveting.  It's the Jessica Simpson Dany shoe in Black Nappa to add to my growing JS collection.  Hey, Jess may not be the most talented singer out there, but the girl knows her way around a shoe.  It is also the hardest shoe to find in my size this season.  The shipments come in and if you do not order it right away, forget it, they are gone.  So, back on the waiting list I go.  A big thanks to November Grey for encouraging my shoe habit. I am finding I am highly susceptible to fashion blogger suggestions this season.  Anyway, the shoes are $99, but you know I am not going to pay that price.  I'll let you know what I get that price down to when my size becomes available.

What is on your spring fashion wish list?

*UPDATE*:  I feel like I am completely on trend for once since Sterling Style featured her yellow clutch today.  It's like winning a gold medal in the Fashion Olympics.  

Ode to New Orleans...

I went down to New Orleans for four days of work, fun, and food. Instead, I walked away with a huge love affair for a city that helped me rediscover passion, inner peace, newfound friendships, and the realization that I had the answers to my questions all along.  My heart is full.  In the immortal words of Hermann Hesse, "If I know what love is, it is because of you".  The culture and mystery of New Orleans were a great inspiration to me and have made my 2011 journey that much sweeter....

My new Françoise Gilot piece that I purchased.  It reminded me of this magical night, so I had to have it!