Romy Raves

On Tuesday, I was invited to a top secret location as one of a small group of hand picked bloggers to be among the first to learn the identity of the newest Proactiv Spokesmodel. All that I was told was that I would be “Glee-ful” about the choice and that I would have some up close and personal time with this celebrity. Well as you know, I am a huge fan of Glee, so I jumped at the chance to be part of this fun opportunity.

After arriving at the top secret shoot in West LA and signing the necessary NDA’s, we were escorted to a small stuido set-up and awaited the announcement. I was thrilled to learn that Naya Rivera aka Santana on Glee, was chosen as the newest celebrity spokeswoman for the Proactiv Acne Skincare line, and that she would be joining the star-studded lineup of current Proactiv celebrity customers-turned-spokespeople, including Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne and Julianne Hough. Naya will appear in several new Proactiv television spots, debuting in spring 2012.

It was such a treat to being one of six bloggers who were granted up close and personal access to Naya and that we could ask pretty much anything we wanted!

First of all, IRL Naya is svelte, gorgeous, sexy and has really beautiful luminous skin. We quickly learned that she has struggled with acne on and off throughout her life, and that being on set and wearing a lot of makeup has caused her to suffer from adult acne. She sought out Proactiv to help her skin and was more than pleased with the results. While she really likes all of the products, her current fav (and a fav on the Glee set) is the Proactiv Makeup Remover Cloths because they quickly and easily remove makeup and refresh the skin.

Naya shared her feelings about becoming the newest Brand Ambassador, “I am excited to be a part of a show that encourages teens and young adults to embrace their differences and be proud of who they are as an individual, which is exactly why I am honored to represent Proactiv. Working with Proactiv will allow me to take that self confidence message a step further by helping individuals tackle their acne and literally put their best face forward.”

I found Naya lovely, genuine, honest and down to earth. Some other fun facts that I learned about Naya, and contrary to popular belief, were that she is a low maintenance girl and prefers staying in, ordering gourmet takeout, and wearing comfy sweats over being out on the town. Of course, I wanted to know her favorite beauty products/what’s in her bag and she is surprisingly simple and said she doesn’t have much in her bag and prefers chapstick over lipstick.

Being a Gleek, of course I also got some inside scoop about the Glee cast and set happenings: Lea Michelle is a product junkie and is always turning Naya on to great hair treatments; Amber Riley is the Santa Claus of the bunch, she brought a big bag of gifts to pass out to the cast and crew this season; she thinks the newest Glee cast member, Damian McGinty is a total cutie; she would pick Kevin McHale as the cast member she would choose to kiss on NYE at midnight; Gloria Estefan will be playing her mother on the show and she is excited to work with her; and out of all the musical numbers throughout Glee’s tenure, the one’s that she is most proud of are the Adele mash-ups.

OK last minute shoppers, we are down to the wire here, and I wanted to give you one final tasty gift idea for the season, something yummy, festive and the perfect gift for a hostess or someone who has everything. Allow me to introduce you to Cheryl&Co, a mid-western based baked goods company, dedicated to providing the finest fresh-baked gifts and desserts flawlessly shipped directly to the consumer.

Earlier this holiday season, I was invited to a lovely Open House hosted by Cheryl’s and held at the Beverly Hills Mrs. Beasley’s location (which is now owned by Cheryl’s.) I had the opportunity to taste some of Cheryl’s and Mrs. Beasley’s yummy holiday treats (can you say buttercream frosting?!), sip an amazing and tasty bubbly cider cocktail and learn all about this brand and what they have to offer. I was especially impressed by all of Cheryl’s affordable, high quality gift sets that ship beautifully, really make a statement and can be shipped anywhere in the US. Following is one my favorite sets of the season, that will surely take care of your gift giving needs through the New Year. Enjoy!

Winter Holidays VIP Tower ($79.99)

I love this stacked blue and white boxed assortment of Cheryl’s treats because its holiday neutral, really festive and classy looking. This gift set includes an assortment of holiday cookies like pecan butternut balls, buttercream frosted snowflake cookies, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, holiday sugar cookies, frosted hot fudge brownies, classic vanilla buttercream brownies, pretzel clusters, and moist cake slices, 67 pieces in total, whew, that’s a whole lotta yuuminess!

And as a little holiday treat for my readers, I am compelled to share the recipe for my new favorite festive drink of the season, the Holiday Cider Sip which was created by Rachel Hollis (party planning guru extraordinaire!) Its the beverage that I sipped all night at Cheryl’s Holiday Open House. It’s a delicious combo of mulled cider with brandy and a splash of bubbly to top it off, sooooo good!

Holiday Cider Sip

2 quarts apple cider

1 tsp. aromatic bitters

2 sticks cinnamon

1 tsp. whole allspice

3 Cardamum seeds

2 orange studded whole cloves

1/2 bottle of brandy

Combine all ingredients in a pot and heat on medium flame for 1 hour. Reduce flame to warm 2-6 hours. Fill a champagne flute 1/3 of the way full with wassail/spiced cider and top it off with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist and fresh cranberries. Cheers!

Being a blogger definitely has its privileges, case in point: Being invited by Dove Hair Care (the official Red Carpet Sponsor of the shindig) to attend the star studded Hollywood movie premiere of New Year’s Eve. I have been totally excited about seeing this celebrity filled chick flick with a stellar cast and jumped at this coveted invite to attend the premiere and after party. I put on one of my best Hollywood sparkly glam outfits, grabbed one of fun party worthy girlfriends and off we went to Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

It was such a fun and lively event, Hollywood Blvd. was shut down to accommodate the large red carpet, paparazzi, and fans, and my guest and I hovered around the red carpet arrivals to get an up close glimpse of all the stars. It was so fun! I loved seeing the gorgeous female stars up close like Hilary Swank (so gracious to the paparazzi), Sofia Vergara (hoochie mama-sexy and gorgeous), Katherine Heigl (super fit and sporting and very attractive Marilyn Monroe look)

And being both a theater buff/Broadway musical lover and Glee fan, my personal favorite was Lea Michelle (BTW I saw her in Spring Awakening on Broadway before Glee and LOVED her), petite and gorgeous in a champagne colored Valentino dress reminiscent of old Hollywood Glamour

I got the inside scoop on Lea’s gorgeous vintage hairstyle, from Dove Celebrity Stylist Mark Townsend: “It was all about modern glamour for Lea’s look at the New Year’s Eve premiere. Her Valentino dress reminded me of Old Hollywood, so we wanted to play off that with a young, modern version. I started by adding a large dollop of Dove Body & Lift Mousse to her damp hair and blow dried with a large round brush, giving Lea a deep side part. Next, I took 3-inch sections of hair and sprayed Dove Flexible Hold Hairspray on each section, and then wrapped the hair around a 2 inch curling iron, leaving the ends just a little straighter. For loads of shine and beautiful texture, I took a quarter size amount of Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-In Smoothing Cream in my hands, rubbed them together and then raked my fingers through her hair for piecey-ness. I kept her fringe off her face by spraying Dove Extra Hold Hairspray on a small flat brush and brushing back and to the side.”

Now for the boys, for me it was all about the Glee cast! I adore this show because for me, watching it is like getting a little slice of a Broadway show in my home each and every week! I was fortunate enough to snuggle up to the adorably boyish sexy man Cory Monteith, so sweet and boy did he smell good!

Then I snuck past his publicist and got a nice pic with the uber talented and much more youthful in real life, Chris Colfer

And my favorite sighting and meet and greet of the night at the swanky after party was by far Darren Criss (aka Blaine). He was so sweet, charming and handsome IRL, he really took the time out to talk to me about being a blogger, shared that he is replacing Daniel Radcliff on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business and even wanted to see how our picture came out and if it met with his approval I think he is insanely talented and his star is just beginning to rise, definitely keep an eye on him! We make a cute couple, don’t ya think?

So now that the celeb gossip is out of the way (and what a treat it was to be up close and personal with so many hot stars), on to the reason you are reading this post to begin with, the movie! So how was it you ask? Fun, girlie, light, and enjoyable to see such a diverse star powered cast and how their stories intertwine. It will be a great GNO or date night movie, lots of fun storyline’s, with my favorite being the unexpected storyline with Zac Efron (totally adorable IRL and tough to take a pic with!) and Michelle Pfeiffer, very heart warming.

It was a super fab glam night and a special thanks to Dove for inviting me!  Here I am looking vintage fab at the New Year’s Eve Premiere After Party photo booth!

Since Thanksgiving is only a day away and the holidays are just around the corner, my mind is filled with all things food and wine, how about you? What to eat? What to drink? What pairs well with what? You get the picture. So I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview a fabulous woman who is definitely an influencer on the wine landscape, Jessica Kogan-Hughes, wife of the well-known Cameron Hughes, owner of Cameron Hughes Wine. I will tell you more about this fab woman later, but first, I want to tell you a little bit about this impressive wine brand, then I’ll share my fun interview with Jessica and then to top it all off, I am delighted to host a fabulous Cameron Hughes sponsored giveaway to start the holiday season off right!

What is Cameron Hughes Wine all about and How is it different than other brands?

Cameron Hughes Wine is a modern international négociant, the company partners with high-end wineries to create wine they love or they buy ultra-premium wines to sell at affordable prices. CH Wine produces 100 different wines a year in varying lot sizes, so when the wine sells out, there will never be another like it. The company doesn’t own a vineyard or winery, which is how they can pass on the savings to customers. Under the Cameron Hughes Wine label, you could purchase a $75 bottle of wine for $20, so in other words, CH Wine provides luxury wine for a steep discount.

 An Interview with Jessica Kogan-Hughes, Head of Marketing for CH Wine

I am dying to know about your background in fashion PR, digital marketing and how you brought that experience to the table with Cameron Hughes Wine?
Ok – so here is the deal. My first job out of college was with Donna Karan. Amazing company to work with and gain experience at my then young age. There I learned about the industry, marketing, product positioning, licensing, you name it. To this day, even though I am technically in the wine business, I read my WWD each morning. The fashion industry to me is the pulse of the economy – it is the psychological reflection of how we feel about our lives, our world, our everything.

After Donna and few other jobs I worked with a company called Razorfish where I learned all about Website development. When I left NYC and moved to SF I was still with Razorfish. Cam and I were dating. He had a background in the wine business. I was not loving my job out in SF. Very different than NYC. So, I asked the company to lay me off! It was 2001 and this was the norm. At that point, Cam and I decided to start this wine company together. He has the sales knowledge and I had the marketing knowledge. We both felt we really had nothing to lose.

Besides sleeping with the boss, tell us about your role at CHW? What exactly do you do?
I am sure the boss would say we don’t sleep together enough! Cam buys and negotiates to make the wines and my job is to make sure everyone knows about them. Essentially, what I do at the company is oversee and help execute all of our integrated marketing. So what does that mean? It means I spread the word in many different media channels. What is the word about the company? We are all about gorgeous wine and incredible value.

What is your all time favorite type of wine to drink? Why?
Hmm..that is a good question. I find the longer I am in the business, like clothing style, your taste evolves. Right now, I am really in to crisp Rieslings. I like my wine to have a hint of sweetness. As for red, I am a Cabernet girl all the way. I just love the richness of this grape and how many ways it can be produced. For me it is like my favorite fabric transformed in to many different looks. I just love it – big, mellow, soft or intense.

What are a few of the top wine trends we will be seeing this holiday season?
Moscato – HUGE! The grape is back with a vengeance. It is sweet, bubbly, low in alcohol and goes with absolutely everything, especially a dry turkey. Riesling is hot, and Malbec continues to be an all- around, pleasing varietal women love, as most are not over-oaked or over-styled.

Can you give us 3 easy tips for selecting wine this holiday season?
Ok – this is definitely where everyone, including me even in the industry, has a moment of total anxiety and overwhelmedness when you have a 1,000 different bottles of wine to pick from. Here are the basics to get you through this anxious moment:
1)  Only buy German, Austrian or Washington state Rieslings and for Moscato only from Italy
2) For reds, when in doubt buy vintages 2007 or 2009 and appellations Napa Valley, Sonoma, or Carneros from California. The wine will be fabulous!
3)  Do not spend more than $20 unless you have done the appropriate research

Which wines will you be serving for Thanskgiving dinner? 
I will be serving Cameron Hughes Wine, of course!
-Lot 256, 2010 Napa Valley Rose – with hors d’oeuvres
-Lot 259, 2010 Columbia Valley Riesling/Chenin Blanc – with turkey
-Lot 303, 09 Stags Leap Cabernet – with turkey
-Antolino Brongo 09 Cryomalus Ice Cider – with desert – pecan pie of course!

Cameron Hughes Wine is available at local retail locations like Costco, Sam’s Club, Cost Plus World Markets, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Safeway, Vons and online at www.chwine.com

Contest Details 
-How to Enter: All that you need to do to enter this FREE giveaway is use the Rafflecopter Widget Below and click “I DID THIS” in the various boxes below for each way you choose to enter
-Options for Entering: There are (2) choices for daily entries, and (6) choices for one-time only entries and three of them are mandatory for entry.
-Prizes: Two people will each win: One (1) $50 Gift Certificate for CHwine.com & One (1) Hand built CH corkscrew from Laguiole (Retail value of each prize set: $85)
-Contest Dates: 11/23/11 to 12/03/11 at 12:01 am EST
-Please make sure to click on the ”CLICK HERE” to do each task and once you have completed the task on the “I DID THIS” button to confirm your entry. Make sure to enter your name and email for each selection, so your entries will be counted. Good Luck!

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Over the summer, the Temecula Convention and Visitor’s Bureau invited me on a fabulous VIP insider’s tour of the Temecula Valley of Southern California and I was more than delighted to accept! It had been many years since this oenophile visited this region, and the last time I was there I wasn’t particularly impressed because this region felt rather young and unsophisticated in its wine making journey and it needed time to evolve and age. Well, now about five years later, I am excited to say that Temecula has definitely evolved and has turned into a noteworthy player on the California wine scene. Let me tell you more about this burgeoning wine country and about my experience there. 

The down to earth picturesque Temecula Valley is an easy hour and a half drive from Los Angeles and it is filled with a plethora of enticing things to do like wine tasting, delicious local dining, seasonal festivals and entertainment, specialty stores and boutiques, golfing and one of the largest casinos in the West (Pechanga Resort & Casino.) However, for me it is all about the wine! With rolling hills and a big, wide-open sky overhead (ideal for Hot Air Ballooning which the region is also known for), the Temecula Valley’s unique microclimate makes for a general pattern of morning mist, warm midday sun, cooling afternoon breezes, and cooler nights. These weather factors combined with the perfect balance of great geography and well-drained soils create an ideal environment for growing high quality wine grapes. The area now boasts more than 30 diverse wineries that are gaining well-deserved recognition for their quality, premium varietal and proprietary blended wines.

My overnight adventure began with my arrival at the lovely, sprawling and cozy Temecula Creek Inn (my home for the night) which I loved right from the start. Although the Inn is housed on 350 gorgeous acres and has 130 deluxe guest rooms, it felt intimate, classy and inviting and the staff was responsive to my needs and top notch! Here are some glimpses of the property

After I settled in, I had a chance to meet our hostess Mana the PR rep for TVCVB as well as the president of the Bureau, along with my social media partners in crime for this adventure: Katie of La Jolla Mom, Lindsey of The Modchik and Chris Voss of The Chris Voss Show and I could tell from the start we were gonna be a fun bunch

Shortly after meeting one another, we met our fabulous tour guide and driver of the day, Rick Perry of A Vineyard Tour

Rick is a top notch tour guide who is super connected and knowledgeable about the region, he knows all the tourist spots and hidden gems and he left no stone unturned throughout our day. He drives a super comfortable decked out luxury van

He provided yummy cheeses, meats and fresh bread to enjoy throughout our touring, tasting and imbibing and we even got to sip our wine along the way, it was fab! If you are headed to Temecula and want a relaxed fabulous experience, Rick is your man!

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