Media Archives

New York, February 5, 2009 - Author Sophie Kinsella is elusive. In the author’s photo on her best-selling Shopaholic books we see only her back, a gaggle of shopping bags dangling from each hand.  Not to mention that this is a pen name; she stopped writing under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, after the original Shopaholic book became a hit.

Kinsella claims that only “bits” of the Shopaholic heroine, Becky Bloomwood, are autobiographical.  “I was a financial journalist; the job that she had I totally had; all that was just exactly autobiographical,” Kinsella told us at the Confessions of a Shopaholic premiere on Thursday.  “The way she thinks when she goes shopping is autobiographical. But obviously she’s become a lot more extreme than anyone in real life, so she’s kind of taken on a life of her own,” she added.  “There are bits of my sister in her, too, I have to say it’s not all me!” Kinsella said, laughing and shivering on the red carpet in her Alexander McQueen dress.

She is unassuming, and bashful when we ask if she is as funny in person as she is when she writes.  “You’re very kind.  I have no idea – you’ll have to tell me.”  Kinsella was an associate producer on the movie, which combines the plots from the first novel, Confessions of a Shopaholic, with the second, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan.  “There were so many scenes from the second book they thought would be great to put in a movie that they decided to jumble it all up.  And also, so many scenes in the second book are already set in New York,” she explains.

Kinsella describes her own level of shopaholism as “mild to moderate, with the occasional blip of extreme.”  Shoes are what she buys too many of, she admits when we ask.  She thinks a moment, and suddenly Becky Bloomwood comes to life: “Also, presents that I buy,” she says, eyes shining.  “If I see something and I don’t know why I need it, I go, oh, I’ll get it as a present!  I’ll give it to somebody!  And these presents stack up; I never give them to anybody.”

New York, January 28, 2009 – The Bryant Park Hotel conveniently hosted two celebrity press conferences on Wednesday morning, so we were able to just ride the elevator and avoid the snowy mess outside. 

First, entrepreneur Russell Simmons announced his new role as editor-in-chief of hip-hop Web site globalgrind.com, in which he has invested, and for which he blogs.  Simmons called the job “another chance for me further to serve the interests of the hip-hop community.”  LL Cool J accompanied Simmons at the press conference.

Then, we followed the smell of chocolate up to the hotel’s 21st floor, where Brooke Shields unveiled the second annual Godiva Decadence Suite, designed by Jonathan Adler.  And decadent it was, with actual furniture, including a headboard and a dining table made from Godiva chocolate. 

“It’s been so fun for me to work in a new medium, to see my designs rendered in chocolate,” Adler said.  “It’s completely mind-expanding; it’s been a little bit waist-expanding, too.”  Shields noted that a grand prize winner would get to stay in the Godiva suite, and added, “It is true that chocolate, laughter and sex all release the same endorphins, so just imagine what’s going to be going on in this suite with the winner.” 

New York, November 10, 2008 – Folks at Glamour's Women of the Year Awards were clearly thrilled that Barack Obama won the presidential race.  Glamour EIC Cindi Lieve said that she considers the awards gala to be the most electric evening of the year, but that Tuesday’s election came pretty close!  Honoree Hillary Clinton said, “We had an incredible event last Tuesday with the election of our new to-be president Barack Obama, and it offers so much hope.” 

We wondered what fellow honoree Condoleezza Rice, a Republican, was thinking.  But the U.S. Secretary of State was gracious, and told the crowd that she loves America because nothing is ever impossible here.  “We overcome old wounds, as we did on Tuesday, to elect the first African American president of the United States. And for a little girl from Birmingham, that’s a special thing,” Rice said. 

Fergie opened up the ceremony with a performance, and later, Mary Steenburgen surprised her old friend Hillary Clinton – and all of us in the audience – by bringing out American Idol winner David Cook to sing.  Clinton quipped that the Idol alum garnered more votes than she did. 

Nicole Kidman, Tyra Banks, Dr. Jane Goodall and artist Kara Walker were among those receiving awards.  Presenters were a noteworthy bunch that included Salman Rushdie, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Natalie Portman and America Ferrera. 

New York, October 31, 2008 – Our favorite Halloween celebrants didn’t let us down this year.  The gang at NBC’s Today show were fancifully costumed, as usual.  Al Roker was especially delicious as a Gingerbread Man.  Bette Midler’s always zany Hulaween bash featured Pink, Gloria Estefan, Gloria Gaynor, Kathy Griffin and Suze Orman in outrageous getups. Michael Kors judged costumes.  And we forced ourselves to stay up for at least part of Heidi Klum’s always-fun late night Halloween revel, which the supermodel brought back to New York after an L.A. detour.  While designer Michael Kors didn’t make it to his Project Runway co-star’s party, alum Christian Siriano did. Pink made a night of it, sashaying from Bette’s party to Heidi’s.

New York, October 21, 2008 – Everyone was excited to be in Central Park for the unveiling of Chanel’s Mobile Art Container.  Karl Lagerfeld conceived the idea, and Chanel commissioned renowned Iraqi-born, London-based architect Zaha Hadid to design it.  “I think it’s a great location for something like this,” Lagerfeld told reporters.  “[Hadid’s] work looks good in nature. The shape looks good. I think it’s very beautiful,” the Kaiser added. The container set down in New York after stops in Hong Kong and Tokyo, and it will move on with art exhibits in London, Moscow and Paris.  “It’s exciting to bring it to another city, to another country, to another environment. I think it’s a great, never been done before idea,” Lagerfeld said. 

Padma Lakshmi concurred, saying, “I like Zaha Hadid’s work; she’s a force to be reckoned with.”  And Sarah Jessica Parker, looking chic in Chanel, called the evening a very special moment.  “It’s a wonderful idea,” said Parker.   “Anybody would be a fool not to accept this lovely invitation!” she added.

Blake Lively did not share that sentiment – event organizers kept repeating, over and over, that Lively was on her way from the set of Gossip Girl.  We couldn’t wait any longer, and left the Chanel party shortly after 8:30 PM, and headed downtown to the Us Weekly Hot Hollywood party – and there was Blake!  Maybe she couldn’t resist a rare New York appearance by Zac Efron.

New York, October 9, 2008 – Paper magazine celebrated its art issue with a party for cover girl Julianne Moore at downtown institution Indochine.  The luminous Moore wore a little black Calvin Klein dress by Francisco Costa, who hosted the party.  Everyone had fun - even Moore’s notoriously uptight (and super handsome) husband Bart Freundlich was relaxed, laughing and joking with Kim Hastreiter and guests Matthew Modine, Ahn Duong and artist Marilyn Minter, who shot the cover photo. 

Photo: Caroline Torem Craig

Denver, CO, August 26, 2008 – Charlize Theron and her longtime boyfriend Stuart Townsend were in Denver during the DNC, but ostensibly for a movie screening and not for politics.  Townsend directed Battle in Seattle, which was screened as part of the IMPACT Film Festival, which focuses on socially themed films.  Oscar winner Theron starred in the movie, which chronicles the protests surrounding the 1999 World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle. 

Theron and Townsend were hostile to photographers outside the venue.  They arrived together, and she offered a steely smile; after the panel discussion, the two looked outside, and Theron said, “Let’s just run!” and she bolted out the door alone.  She ran faster as we followed her down the street, and when OAN’s photographer told her he’d chase her if he were younger, Theron laughed – but kept running. 

Impact Film Festival

New York, August 12, 2008 – Vibe Magazine celebrated its 15th anniversary with a fun party at The Cathedral, a former church at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel in midtown Manhattan.  Old school and “new school” music types helped the hip-hop mag celebrate – and everybody (even us!) shook their bootie to performances by Doug E. Fresh, Naughty By Nature, Brand Nubian, Swizz Beatz, Ryan Leslie and charming British import Estelle.  Hennessy cocktails mellowed the mood, and there was even cake!

Will T.I. collaborate with the squeaky clean Jonas Brothers?  Of being interviewed for TRL by one of the Jonas boys, T.I. said, “I think that it’s the beginning of something to come.  Don’t be surprised if you hear us together somewhere.”  Estelle has a new Levi’s “Unbuttoned” ad campaign, and we cheekily asked her how someone could, you know, get her to unbutton hers.  “They can't”, she deadpanned.