Guess what hoes?

Monday, March 8, 2010 |

I had a Eureka! moment last night.  I feel like my New Year's Resolution should really happen after the Oscars because I always come up with fascinating ideas after the Academy Awards....

Anyway, I figured out the name of my book!  Yes, I totally plan on publishing a book.  Do I have a publisher? No.  Do I have a literary agent?  No.  Do I even have the book finished and proofed?  Nope.  I have about five chapters and that's it.  But now I have a name, and dang it, that's better than nothing.

This past weekend was nuts and it's all because of the Oscars.  Work was insane because we had a lot of VIPs coming into the salon to get services and it was rather exciting for someone such as myself.   Bar Rafaelli was booked to come in as well as the head designer of Marchesa, who designed Sandra Bullock's Oscar gown.  Very cool!  I got to learn a lot about the PR companies that I should know about and I even joked with my mom that when I'm nominated for an Oscar I will know who to get to design my dress and who to do my hair.  :)

Did you guys watch the Oscars?  Did you enjoy them?  I did not.  Between the Samsung 3D television commercials playing twice in a row to the rather forgetful intro (Neil Patrick Harris was the only highlight) and not to mention the rather dull introductions of the Oscars nominees by their co-stars... I'd have to say it was a giant snoozefest.  I kept hearing, "The Oscars like you've never seen them before!"  Except that would be totally false since half of the crap was from last year, except more lame.  For instance, last year they had past Oscar winners introducing the nominees and it was so wonderful to watch because most of the nominees admired the people introducing them.  It made the nominees seem a little vulnerable and it was rather touching.  This year they were sticking co-stars who only knew the friggen people for about a month and it was just a bunch of blabber that nobody gave two craps about.

I did enjoy the montage to horror flicks considering horror movies are never nominated for Oscars, ever.

Here's what needs to happen:

- If you're going to do a big entrance, do it with the actual hosts of the show.  Next year, just get NPH to do it and save everyone the complaints.
- The whole dance choreography thing was fab, however this isn't "So You Think You Can Dance."  Play a snippet of each song and announce the winner.  This ain't the Grammys, y'all.
- I don't get why they don't incorporate more acting into the show.  Hello, everyone in that theater is an actor.  Last year it was hilarious when hottest man alive himself Hugh Jackman acted out/sang about each movie up for Best Picture.  Not to mention he grabbed Anne Hathaway and it was hilarious!  Then later in the show effing Beyonce does some showtunes with him and they managed to get Zac Efron up there too!!!!!!  Trust me, I thought my head was about to explode.  You could have gone blind looking at all three of them together.  Here's the opening number:  Click here!
- If you're going to recognize all that have passed this year, you have to include everyone.  If you can't, you have to include big players, like Farrah Fawcett and Bea Arthur.  It was just WRONG to exclude both of them, both members of the Academy, and then include people (no offense) like Michael Jackson who wasn't even a legitimate actor.  He was a musician and performer, not even a member of the Academy!  Seriously, a travesty.  People need to get their shiz together.  I mean it's like if I put in four years of being in my sorority and donated so much time and effort for that organization and then when I graduated they didn't consider me an alum.  Well, maybe it's not like that but you guys can obviously tell I'm all kinds of pissed of about this!
- Lastly, instead of doing red carpets they should do televised cocktail hours.  That would be WAY more entertaining.  Imagine getting everyone a little tipsy and interviewing them.  "James Cameron, how do you feel about your ex-wife being nominated against you?" "Screw her!  Oh wait!  I already did!"

To close out this post, did you know that both Sandra Bullock and Kate Winslet's hair was done by two Frederic Fekkai celebrity stylists?  Amazing right?  If you want to win an Oscar get your hair done by the Fekkai team :)

Alright guys.  I'm out.  I am going to Texas on Wednesday and I'm so excited I just can't stand it!!!!!!

I love "guides."  I figured since March is right around the corner I should compile a little sumpin' sumpin' for all of you gals eager to get your spring on!

Run: Team Spirit Crop from lululemon.com, $86.00


Take a break for your usual treadmill routine (or get started...!) and take a run outside!  Smell the fresh air, enter a marathon, or go on a brisk walk.  Regardless of what you're doing, you'll feel better wearing these crops.  I love that they come in purple because it's a great spring color AND all of us TCU gals can represent our Horned Frog pride :)



Grosgrain Floppy Hat from Forever21.com, $15.80


Floppy hats are not only fabulous for protecting your face from the harsh UV rays spring will inevitably bring along, but it's also PERFECT for any Kentucky Derby mixers you may or may not be attending!

Thick Bradie Headband from Sephora (in stores and online), $10.00

I love braiding my hair and making it into a headband however it's tedious and it's only been perfect once in my many attempts.  Sephora has a fabulous option if you're in a rush or have little patience.  Also, at the mall yesterday I found a really great braided headband at Forever 21, but it wasn't a natural hair color -- it came in black/gold and white/gold and was very hippy chic.  I cannot find it on their site (I've searched!) but if you happen to have a Forever with a huge accessories section then they probably have it.

Sweet Pea scent from Bath and Body Works
Scentportable Car Freshener $5.00
WallFlower $5.00 diffuser; $6.00 for scents


My roommates can testify that although my car may look like a complete mess, it ALWAYS smells good.  For winter I had a lovely pine scent and now I have Sweet Pea.  It's refreshing to get in your car and have it smelling fresh; even better when it's not the result of a tree-shaped air freshener hanging from your review mirror.  The Scentportable makes scents well-hidden.


The WallFlower puts a great flare on home scents by making the plug it actually look cute instead of something that will inevitably crack open and cause a mess (a la Glade Plug-ins).  I bought a set which was cheaper than buying the diffuser separately from the scents, so now I save a ton of money when they have specials on the scents alone.

Illustrator pants from Express, $49.50 - $69.50


March always reminds me of two things:  Spring Break and interviews.  For eight good years of my life, I was accustomed to endless interviews for clubs, jobs and internships in March until the big SB payoff (Molls and Lindsay, enter SBFBC joke here).  Interviews = needing a polished suit and if nothing at all a great pair of business pants.
I absolutely LOVE these pants.  They elongate the legs which is excellent since I'm lacking in that department and they fit great - I have a big booty (this isn't news to most of you) so finding pants is a serious struggle for me because I always have problems.  If the waist is perfectly fit, the legs are too long; if the legs fit great within my thighs, the waist is too high/too big, etc.   Ladies if you have this problem I promise you that Seven for All Mankind or Joe's Jeans will have a great alternative for you, however you'll be paying upwards of $200 (the horror of buying designer jeans).  Express does have a great jean though that has helped me with my budget and their fit is spectacular.
Anyway, these pants make it WORK.  The pockets aren't on the side so they don't give your hips extra inches which is something I'm always against considering I have enough hips for everyone, thank you.  I personally favor the Signature Stretch type.

Cheek Stain by Tarte at Sephora, $30.00

Cheek Stain is great for anyone who doesn't want an overly-powdered look.  Spring and Summer means minimal make-up for me; think tinted moisturizer (Laura Mercier has a great one), flirty mascara, pink lips and a cheek stain.  If your face gets oily and you use a mattifying powder, cheek stain allows your cheeks to look flushed without applying more and more powder onto your face -- especially if you use a powder bronzer.I know the price is steep, but you get a lot of it and it lasts you for years (literally).  Mine that I bought in 2008 just ran out last October.

Infinity Sun Glow on the Go, $45.00 (5 oz. can)
Most of us haven't seen the light of day since last summer, so we're due for a proper bronzing before we get into any type of swimwear this spring.  You have two options: tanning beds or airbrush tanning.  With all of the drama surrounding the tanning bed business I would recommend going UV-free with Infinity Sun.  I know my stuff when it comes to airbrush tanning and this stuff is AMAZING.  The formula lasts seven days and it's awesome - not orange or blotchy.  The great thing about Infinity Sun is that the solution has a greenish tint so when you apply it it develops more of an olive tone instead of Oompa Loompa orange.  I encourage everyone to stay away from any of the sunless tanners you see at Target or Walgreens... you will be sorry.
As far as the application goes, do it in a bathroom with a shower.  Hang up towels if you don't want the walls to get sprayed and turn on any vents if you have them.  Grab a friend and make it a duo application so that you can each get each other's backs.  I'd strongly advise a friend with a good aesthetic eye, i.e. perhaps she makes beautiful cakes, paints/draws well, make-up and hair always looks nice.  Don't try this with the friend who can barely write her name or apply a decent coat of mascara.  You need someone who can control the can and understand the concept of distance; if the can is too close, you'll streak.  If the can is too far, you won't get it on evenly.  Most people mess up the most because they're scared of the tan.  Don't be afraid!  Go for it and make sure pay particular attention to not overdo the elbows, knees, neck or chest.

Last thing on this topic: I know I probably shouldn't say this but here goes nothing.  If you are going on a vacation to a tropical island in two weeks, I'd strongly recommend hitting up tanning bed asap.  If you plan on keeping covered and using SPF out the wazoo, ignore that comment.  However if you want to go to Cabo and get the best tan of your life you'll end up being burned and worse for it if you don't slowly start exposing your naked-white skin to the light of day.  If you choose to hit up a tanning salon, I'd start with very low times depending on your skin tone.  Never start at 10 minutes unless you've been tanning year-round.  Definitely start around six minutes (even four if necessary) and gradually improve your time; wear a lotion meant for tanning beds, not the crap they sell at Rite Aid.  Then moisturize, moisturize, moisturize after your tanning bed sesh to ensure your skin stays hydrated and your tan will last.  As you slowly increase your time in the bed, you'll get exposure to UV rays without frying your skin to a crisp and you skin will better accept the rays at the beach.  I always recommend wearing SPF 30 or higher on your face and at least SPF 50 on the rest of your body.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl dvds, $8.00 to rent at Blockbuster

If you're traveling and want a show for the plane/car ride that gives Sex and the City a run for it's money, go purchase the (only) two seasons of SDofaCG.  It's addicting, hilarious and it makes you really think about the call girl profession (not joining it, silly, but all the crap they must go through).  This series started off as the blog of Belle de Jour, an alias of a very expensive call girl in London.  Her identity has since been revealed and she's now a research scientist at Bristol University.  Here's the link for her blog if you're interested in a juicy read. Belle de Jour

Orange Sherbet umbrella from Umbrellas.net, $219.00 (on sale)

SoCal has been experiencing a lot of rain as of late and I hear Texas has been enduring some frequent ice/snow days.  The rain has arrived!  Be sure to protect yourself from April showers by having an umbrella on standby.  It helps if they're cute too!  (*If you don't want to spend $200 on an umbrella, check out Modcloth.com for some cute, cheap options!)

Coiff Oceanique Tousled Waves spray at Frederic Fekkai, $23.00
Silky Straight Ironless Smooth Finish serum, $23.00
Salon Technician Color Care collection, ranges

The perks of working at Frederic Fekkai are endless, but one of the most obvious would be having fabulous hair.  I am obsessed with these products!  The Tousled Waves spray is perfect for anyone with curly or wavy hair who wants to amp up their curls without making them hard or crunchy.  It's a lightweight formula so it feels great and it's also perfect for anyone who has subtle waves and wants to look like they spent the day at the beach.  Silky Straight Ironless serum is unbelievable!  If you have curly or unruly hair and don't want to spend time with a straightener, put this on wet hair and blow dry.  It will stay straight as a board for what seems like forever!!!  If you color your hair you have to use the Salon Technician Color Care collection.  Just like you use SPF to protect your face, this collection protects your hair from oxidizing which allows the color to be maintained longer.  These are luxury products, hence why they are more expensive that your regular drug-store buy, however if you invest money to taking care of your skin then you need to consider taking care of the hair on your head!  PS: Ask me if you're having any hair issues and I can recommend products that would work best for you :)

If you really enjoyed this post, send it to your friends... or employers or contacts who need someone to write for their beauty or lifestyle publication! :)

Social Media Revolution

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 |

Last night I had to stay at work late for a class.  They showed this video and it's truly amazing -- interesting stats for sure!  Some of you have probably seen it, especially those of you all up in social media.    Check it out:

PS: The format of this video is not suited for my blog; I'd click it and go to Youtube to watch it.  If it doesn't send you to Youtube, just type in "Social Media Revolution" on Youtube's search.

Kina Grannis - Stairwells

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I first heard of Kina Grannis during the Superbowl a few years ago.  Doritos had a contest for up-in-coming performers to submit themselves singing, playing, what-have-you and three were chosen to sing for a short commercial during the game.  Then watchers could get online and vote on their favorite.  I LOVED Kina Grannis' original song "Message from Your Heart."  It's spectacularly written and just a great song (I still have it on my iPhone!).  She recently released an album called Stairwells and although she changed up the tempo from the original "Message from Your Heart" the album is pretty awesome.  Her sound is mostly acoustic and you can best describe her as a Jack Johnson/Colbie Caillat mix of sorts.   Go buy it on iTunes!  Or if you want a few songs, I'd download "Valentine," "Stay Just a Little" and "Together."



Habakkuk 2:3 says, “The vision is for an appointed time. Though it tarry, wait earnestly for it. It will surely come."

This week's message from Joel Osteen really means a lot to me because last week I had a 20-something-crisis of sorts.  You're all probably like "Kirbie, I read about these almost every month."  Nobody prepares you for being in your 20s.  It's an odd time.  I thought by now I'd be like "I'm Kirbie.  I'm (adjective), (adjective), and (adjective)."  But I can't even cut my bangs without it being a really detailed process and thinking "how will people perceive me if my hair looks like this?"  A little psychotic, sure.  But I know most women probably go through the same thing.

It's interesting because I feel like merely a year ago I could have given two craps about what people thought about me and I had no issues with confrontation.   Now I can't even think about confrontation without shaking a little bit, but I believe once I become "myself" again here in LA that I will be able to get my point across with poise and ease.

So let's start with... what the heck have I been doing lately?  My computer is still, STILL not at the doctor to be fixed.  Hence why I'm sitting on the floor and typing this on the big computer monitor (my TV).  I guess I'll start with the week before Valentine's....

February 8th
I worked on CSI: Miami in Long Beach as an extra.  I was asked to be featured waitress which was exciting but I know never to get my hopes up for these things because you can always end up on the cutting room floor.

I arrived at 6:30 am (yikes) and it was a beautiful day in Long Beach!  A little chilly in the early morning but still gorgeous outside.  We got changed after we checked in (we being the other two waitresses and I) and as we were being transported to set the AD asked us if we had serving experience.  Nobody except I did, which I didn't think anything of until we started shooting.  Once we did, they started calling me over to shoot a scene with the main character, Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and a character acting as his son.  They had me as their server, so I was in and out of the shot once or twice.  Little did I know I would be filming a close-up!  So they shot my whole close up and everyone was saying things like "Okay Kirbie here's your money shot!" and when Mr. Caruso asked what was going on and the AD told him they were filming my close-up he responded with, "Well I guess I should be in it so when she gets famous I can say I was a part of it."  That was so nice of him to say!  And it was nice of him to stick around because in case you didn't know, most actors only shoot the scenes where their faces are shown; the rest of the time you think you're looking at the back of their head but really it's someone who resembles them while the actors takes as break.



So I shot that.  Eazy breezy... I thought it would be at least an eight hour day but it turned out to be only four because they got me in so many shots they couldn't use me anymore!  Getting paid for eight hours and staying for four = score!

Valentine's happened and that was sad because my valentine is in TEXAS!!!  However I received beautiful roses from my family and a bouquet of flowers from Stewart.  Thank you guys!

Then I got a job at Frederic Fekkai which is proving to be better and better; I get a ton of free services and discounts for my family and friends!  More of a reason for everyone to visit me :)  Free manis and pedis here I come!

Now for this past week.  On Friday I went out with some friends and it was a blast.  We always end up at Crown Bar but honestly they play the best music... however it should be noted I did request everyone's guilty pleasure "Party in the USA" and the DJ didn't have it!!!!! Either that or he was lying.  I was pretty pissed.  While I was there, we had some celebrity sightings:

- Lauren Conrad with her boyfriend, Kyle Howard
I didn't see Kyle but I did see LC and I REALLY wanted to tell her "Hi!" but luckily I restrained myself.  I'm such an idiot though that I tweeted she was there, secretly hoping she'd see the tweet, find me and tell me hi.  I'm so delusional sometimes!  She didn't appear to be drinking.



- Seth Green
Are you guys aware that he's like 5'0'' tall????  He was so cute I wanted to put him in an Easter basket.


- Topher Grace
He looked clean cut and handsome and one of the girls I was with had an awkward eye contact moment with him which made things even more funny that night.


This past Sunday I worked for celebrity publicist Rachel Madison Hill for a USO Event at the Saban Theatre.  This theatre is gorgeous and I had a blast being back into event planning mode.  After doing some minor decorating and helping with catering, I was whisked away to help Francine who was running the red carpet for the event.  I am seriously obsessed with running red carpets.  It's maybe the most fun thing EVER!  Granted I've only helped out with two, but I felt really in my element.  My whole goal for red carpets it to make sure every "celebrity" (I put that in quotes because some people walking the red carpet but honestly aren't celebrities at all) feels important.  I don't want someone to walk up and say "Hi, I'm so-and-so," I want them to feel like I know and recognize them without skipping a beat.  Tip sheets help but so many people look different from their photos that you have to be very aware and keen to make sure you get the right person.  I haven't run any red carpets that were all really well known people, but if and when I do I promise you I will be the best person EVER!  Heck if I can help run these red carpets with John and Jane Doe and make everyone feel like a superstar then imagine what I could do assisting/running/interviewing on an Oscar carpet (that's for you, @kenbakernow, which I'll get to later).
Don't get me wrong though, there were many great names on the roster for the USO red carpet including Nancy Sinatra, Barbara Eden, Connie Stevens, Erik Estrada and my personal favorite Bridget Marquardt from The Girls Next Door!!!!  She was so pretty, really nice and looked fit and fabulous!


Anyway, after I left the event I realized I was about two buildings away from the Comcast Building where E! is.  I tweeted something like, "If I took a 'hire me' package for @kenbakernow to the Comcast building I can't get arrested right?"  Ken Baker, for those of you who don't know, is the Executive Editor for E! News and pretty much a person I NEED to get in contact with.  Yesterday I woke up and got ready for work and as I was doing my make-up I checked my Twitter to find that Ken actually tweeted me back.  AMAZING!!!!!  So I am bound and determined to a) get in to the Comcast building (not sure how easy this will be --- anyone know if you need a credential/security tag to get in?) and b) get this portfolio of sorts to Ken.  If anything he might see me as ambitious and hook me up with someone to get my foot in the door.  This is why I am starting the "Get @kirbiej 15 minutes!" campaign.  All you have to do it tweet it to @kenbakernow everyday until notices and follows me/let's me have 15 minutes of his time.  So, copy this into your twitter and TWEET it daily!  Three times daily even!

@kenbakernow, give @kirbiej 15 minutes!

So let's pray something magical happens with that.  If anything I'm preparing a little "why I should be your newest hire" spiel. :)  Also, if you can tell your friends to come to my blog and sign up to be a follower that would be awesome.  The more followers I have, the more exposure I get and the more reason for Ken to get in contact with me!

Love yall!

Tiger Woods

Friday, February 19, 2010 |

Click here... like NOW!

As everyone knows, Tiger Woods held a televised press conference this morning to offer the world his sincerest apologies for basically being, for lack of better (or fun) words, a pirate hooker.  I'd say 10 mistresses is getting a little cocky (no pun intended).

However, I'd love to know everyone's thoughts on this.  Does Tiger owe the world an apology?  Should celebrities be put on pedestals and considered icons and/or idols to the youth and the general public?  Why or why not?  Should this conference even have happened, taken that it was regarding his personal, private and sexual life -- not about the sport that brought him such fame and success?

In MPO, I feel while so many of us look up to celebrities and sports stars, we need to make it clear that these people are in fact human.  They weren't born on another planet and aren't made of steel.  They will fail, make mistakes, get in trouble, etc. They just happen to have their wrong doings plastered on every media outlet and a PR team to make things "all better."  I can tell you right now that if one of my girlfriend's husbands cheated on her with 10 mistresses, I'd hardly be willing to give him a second chance.  The first word coming out of my mouth would be "divorce" and the second would be "now."  But for some reason Tiger gets up, says his piece, and now the world resonates with a "this is a great first step to winning back the public."  Meanwhile all the mistresses are boo-hooing about how Tiger owes them an apology for deceiving them - nevermind the fact they all knew they were in a cheating relationship themselves, albeit unaware that they weren't the only mistress.  It makes no sense.

I guess at the end of the day I see it like this:  Tiger Woods might sleep around, but he's essentially like the lovable cheerleader (or what-have-you)  in high school who has sex with whole football team.  She's cute and she's a great cheerleader so her sex life isn't going to get her kicked off the squad; Tiger will always be an phenomenal golf player and he will continue to have a successful career with golf.  Likewise, I've mentioned before that John Mayer might say douche-y things and risk never getting a solid date in Hollywood ever again, but lucky for us he'll turn to his music and make a great album, and we'll all buy it and go to his concerts.  And not even could the irony of Mel Gibson's anti-semitic statements keep him from having a few hit movies on his hands.  If you have a talent, people will still want to be entertained by it regardless of what type of person you actually are.

Purple Lab

Thursday, February 18, 2010 |

By the way, thank you all for voting for me for the Purple Lab on HSN contest.  Did I win?

No.

And because I didn't sling muck or bash the other women on their posts like over half did to mine (ISP addresses are a biotch, aren't they?), I can say that pretty much a straight up hooker won the contest.  Maybe they're attempting to do a "trash to treasure" type of segment?  Ok I kid, she's pretty.  Her name is Jessica Harlow and she has some type of channel on YouTube for makeup; she was also the #1 voted person so I guess she won fair and square.

However, thank you all for taking the time to vote for me on a daily basis.  It means a lot to me!