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| Mary-Kate Olsen in high spirits at the Elle Lounge |
The Independent Spirit Awards vowed to be a zero-waste event, from the biodiesel generators powering the ocean-side tented site to the locally-sourced banquet for the 1,500 glorified guests. But the greenest trapping VIPs at Saturday’s party on Santa Monica beach invariably had in mind was the leafy-colored
Elle lounge outside the main event’s big top.
Kerry Washington, Rose Byrne, Claire Danes, Taraji Henson and the mag’s latest cover girl Jessica Alba were among the glam pack that came through. Giovanni Ribisi got my points for snazziest dressed in that three-piece suit.
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| Giovanni Ribisi's natty threesome. |
Besides the brassy espresso machine, the most popular draw was the Lacoste bar, where the paparazzi catnip loaded up on bucket hats, nylon carryalls and the chicest slim-rimmed sunglasses. Also hanging out were my old pals Justine Bateman, John C. Riley and China Chow (who did her best prom pose with show host Steve Coogan).
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| China Chow and Steve Coogan |
Yes, I’d resisted much of the Oscar circus hoopla this week, having spent enough of my years eyeball deep employed in the swirl of it all. But
Elle reared her pretty head one too many times this last week, and so I obliged. Joe Zee, the mag’s fashion director and my former colleague at Fairchild Pub (
WWD/W) spent several hours at A+R last Friday after his shoot on the beach was rained out. And days later another
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| Elle's Belle: Jessica Alba in Dior. |
pal with the mag messengered over the laminated pass to the awards event, complete with a Swarovski-covered Maybelline mascara and the very same Garnier Fructis hair products I’d bought the day before (hopefully Mary-Kate picked up a bottle of the anti-frizz serum at the lounge; poor dear could've certainly used a squirt). No amount of swag would woo me anywhere. But the excuse to sneak out of work for a couple of hours to see a few pals? That’s a use of my precious time I don’t mind splurging.
Seeing a bunch of famous faces? Not so much. Been there, done that. That said, I still can’t help but get a thrill at the sight of John Waters. It wasn't my first time. But that mustachioed mug is a bright spark among all this fleeting glitter and a moment zero-wasted.
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| Chairman of the Bored: Director provocateur John Waters. |
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| Oscar hopeful Taraji P. Henson |
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| Indie Bees: Illeana Douglas and Justine Bateman |
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| Sandra Oh prays for awards week to end. |
Mary-Kate Olsen,Taraji P. Henson, Sandra Oh, Jessica Alba, Giovanni Ribisi by Donato Sardella
China Chow, Steven Coogan, Illeana Douglas, Justine Bateman by Stephanie Keenan
John C. Riley, John Waters by A. Wyman]
