Join The Gossip

We're jammin'!

2009-11-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

I wanna jam it with you.
We're jammin', jammin',
And I hope you like jammin', too!

Why am I quoting a Bob Marley song? Because I am hosting my first swap—jammies!

My good friend, Stephanie, suggested that I hold a pajama exchange and I love the idea! So let’s make this happen. Here’s how it works:

1. If you’re interested, leave a comment with your name and email address.
2. I will pair up all of those who signed up (trying to match people up who live near each other to reduce shipping costs).
3. You will contact each other, exchanging your sizes and addresses.
4. Purchase a pajama set—it can be one piece or two pieces, but must be a complete outfit—that costs between $15 and $20.
5. Ship the pjs by November 30th.

*Sorry, U.S. residents only, to keep shipping fees low*

I recently partook in a swap for Halloween and had a blast; however, it’s only fun if you fully participate after signing up. It’s disappointing to put effort into your swap and get nothing in return, or something that doesn’t fit within the $15-$20 limit. I understand that the economy is hard, so if you feel that the price range is too high, I apologize and you do not have to sign up. But I’d love for everyone to participate if they can/want to!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me: leeannmorrissey@gmail.com.

Photo courtesy of: Tinkerbell's Closet

A Fabulous Friend

2009-11-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky to have such a great friend in my life. This morning was horrible, everything was going wrong! First, I forgot to pay my rent on the 1st so I received a note from my landlord saying that I have to pay a $50 late fee. After finding that notice, I go to the garage and find that my parking spot neighbor has all of her car doors open and doesn't have the decency to close them so that I can back out of my spot--I have incredibly unfriendly prople in the building. Next, my 3G is down and I cannot make an outgoing calls on my cell phone.

After feeling sorry for myself for the better part of the day, and complaining via email to Stephanie all morning, I was pleasantly surprised to return from a break and find flowers on my desk at work! A pot full of Fall colored flowers at that (she knows my obsession with the season and my desire to experience the color changes of Autumn) that smell amazing!

Be grateful for those special people in your life and don't take them for granted. We often get caught up in our "problems" and don't realize just how lucky we really are and how our little trials are easily conquered with the help of great people =)

The Beauty of Fall

2009-10-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Halloween and Fall are my favorite times of the year. I have always been drawn to the spooky…even though I am a scardey cat! Haunted locations, horror movies, falling leaves—I love it all.

Unfortunately, I live in Southern California so I don’t get to experience the New England supernatural, which by the way is my ideal of Halloween/Fall. Here, our leaves don’t really change (in fact we don’t have many trees to even allow for a color change), our history is fairly new, and most people don’t partake in the Halloween spirit. It’s really quite sad.

I especially enjoy reading blogs that allow me to live vicariously through them. My favorite is New England Girl. In addition to being a totally sweet blogger, she has the best stories and awesome pictures to illustrate life on the East Coast. You seriously need to check out this blog.

I also recently came across another cool blog, New England Love. This is another fantastic place to see beautiful Fall colors and photographs of historical locations.

Do any of you know of any New England/East Coast blogs?

I decided since I cannot see Fall in real life yet (I am making it my mission to get to the East Coast next year though!), I would browse the web for some photos. Here are some that I particularly adored:

Please not that none of these images are mine. If any belong to you and you would like me to remove a photo, please let me know and I will do so immediately. Thanks!

P Hits the Sunset Strip

2009-10-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last night was all about fashion thanks to my gal, Elana of Diary of a Personal Shopper, who invited me to yet another LA fashion event! Instead of a fashion show, we got to mingle with other fashionistas at the opening of P, a new men's and women's fashion boutique situated in a rad 1920s building on Sunset. In addition to clothing, shoes, and accessories, P also features artists at their two-story shop.

Maybe the coolest part of the night? Ten percent of the boutique's opening night proceeds are going to the LA division of Susan G. Komen For the Cure! Nothing better than fashion with a meaning!

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to take any pictures because the place was packed...

After browsing P, we decided to head over to Formosa Cafe for some food. It's a place right by my house that I have been wanting to try forever. It's a place that plays good music like the Foo Fighters, the Killers, and Incubus, has a pretty good food menu, plays sports games (I got to watch the Angels victory over the Yankees! woo hoo!!!), and has an outside upstairs area perfect for cocktails. But the coolest part is the history of the cafe.

Situated across the street from Warner Hollywood Studios, Formosa has been a magnet for celebrities. Back in the day, some of the frequents guests included: James Dean, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Elvis, and maaaaany more. More recently, sights have consisted of Bono, Britney Spears, and Nicolas Cage to name a few.

This history is a 5 minute walk from my apartment and I never knew until last night. I really need to start exploring my surroundings more!

Photo courtesy of: hollywoodmuseum.com

Let's Talk Leather

2009-10-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

I need your help readers! I want a leather jacket so bad, yet I cannot seem to find one I like. I tried the usuals, H&M, Forever 21, Nordstrom, but nothin'!

Any advice where I can pick one up? My only three requirements: 1) I want it to be normal length, not short. 2) It can't cost a fortune. 3) I'd prefer if I didn't have to order online.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Photo courtesy of: Stars With a Bang

Cowgirl Heaven Impresses

2009-10-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the pleasure of attending Fashion Week at the Palooza. In front of a crowd of 200 fashion lovers, this show displayed the collections of four designers. Houstina Summers, designer of Cowgirl Heaven, stole the show!

When her models strutted their stuff down the runway, the guests went wild with cheer. Described as a Betsy Johnson protege, Summers has a playful, fun style. Colors are abundant and hems are flirty. Upon seeing her collection, you can't help but be filled with cheer.

What blew the crowd away was the end of the show performances. Models paired in twos and threes walked/danced together down the runway for one last look. These ladies had choreographed poses that were like anything else I had ever seen. It was very impressive. The girls totally rocked it!

Here are a few pictures from the show. The clear, nice, top three photos were provided to me. Mine are the darker ones. Notice the choreography in the first picture.

For more information about Houstina Summers and her line, please visit Cowgirl Heaven online.

Photos courtesy of: CGH Management and my camera

Grayson Saige Starfish

2009-10-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I was lucky enough to win a giveaway hosted by Monograms and Martinis in Manhattan/Boston. And what was the prize you ask? Grayson Sage starfish! They are so sparkly and adorable!

Check out the pics of these little treasures and the adorable packaging they came in:

Photos courtesy of: my camera

My Time in Bluegrass Country

2009-10-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I traveled to Kentucky for work. My company puts on events that raise money for cancer, such as walks, runs, and bike rides. I traveled for the latter.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer in Kentucky is a bike ride from Louisville to Lexington and back, about 150 miles total, over two days. Participants who sign up raise funds to be used to fight cancer and it is an incredibly inspirational event. The courageous individuals test their strength and perseverance in the name of finding a cure for cancer.

I was there to help in any way that I could. That translated to me putting up and taking down signage for the route, cleaning up trash, and making sure that the riders’ bikes were parked for the night and checked out to the right riders the next morning. Hard work, but well worth it.

Because I am from California I did have trouble getting enough sleep. When I got to Kentucky I lost three hours. So our 4:45 a.m. wake up calls were like 1:45 a.m. wake up calls for my body’s internal clock. Somehow I kept ticking though and actually handled the lack of sleep pretty well.

I was lucky to have assignments that allowed me to see the beautiful homes and ranches in Kentucky. Everywhere you look there are rolling, bluegrass fields. Horses weren’t as plentiful as I had imagined, but there were certainly equestrian sightings.

The Ride was a success and I am grateful that I was able to experience it in person.

After the event was over, a co-worker and I took advantage of being in a new state and explored the city. I was surprised how small downtown Louisville is. That may be because I am from LA which is so spread apart. You can’t really walk anywhere in LA! It was nice that we were able to walk everywhere we needed to go and figure out the city pretty easily. It was also a nice change of pace to be around such nice people!

Due to a luggage replacement need by my co-worker we ended up traveling outside of downtown Louisville. This required a buss ride—my first public buss ride ever—which wasn’t as scary as I had imagined. We ended up at the Highlands, a neighborhood that has a bohemian vibe and cute shops. Then it was back downtown. I headed over to an old cathedral that has some stunning architecture.

Next it was my biggest sightseeing thrill of the trip, the Louisville Slugger Museum! I love baseball (go Angels!) and have played softball for about 20 years, and still do. In fact, I have my first bat, a Louisville Slugger, under my bed should anyone try to break into my apartment! =)

The tour consisted of a behind-the-scenes look at bat making in action. Did you know that a wooden bat is made in 30 seconds? Pretty cool! Of course at the end of the tour I had to purchase an engraved mini Louisville Slugger with my name engraved on it.

We ended our time in Louisville with a trip to see Col. Sanders a

nd grab a Starbucks before boarding our plane. A plane which was also occupied by Laura Bush, one of her daughters, and a few secret servicemen.

Overall, a great little getaway!

P.S. If you ever go to Louisville and need a hotel to stay in, I recommend Galt House. It is a huge, beautiful hotel located downtown right next to the Ohio River. From my room I could see Indiana across the river…even though I didn’t actually get to visit Indiana.

Photos courtesy of: The Ride to Conquer Cancer and my camera

A Surprise Giveaway?

2009-10-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

Nautical by Nature, a fab blog if you weren't already aware, has been hosting giveaway all this week in celebration of Kate's birthday. Today may be the best giveaway ever because it's a surprise. I love that! It's cool to anticipate what you, or someone else may win!

Giveaways from earlier this week were: Anchor tote from Ballard Designs, Lily Pulitzer Beachy Candle, Lighthouse Tote from the Preppy Princess, and a houndstooth set from Three Chickadees.

So you know that this last one is going to be good!

To enter this super-fun giveaway, visit Nautical by Nature.

Photo courtesy of: Nautical by Nature

Fashion Week at the Palooza

2009-10-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

As a member of ClosetMouse I was invited to attend Fashion Week at the Palooza this evening. The private showing, held in Santa Monica, will consist of showings by Houstina Summers, Leondra Renee and Rochelle Carino.

It's been a year since the last fashion week I attended (the Gen Art show), so needless to say I am pumped up!

My only concern at this point is what to wear?! From the advice of my personal shopper/blogger friend, Elana of Good Girl Gone Shopping - you never want to be too dressed up, but you do want to fit in.

Be sure to check out my recap of the event sometime this weekend!

Photo courtesy of: CGH Management

Here Piggy Piggy!

2009-10-07T15:39:00.001-07:00

I came across this article on MSN today and just had to share. Teacup pigs are apparently all the rage in England right now.

These precious little oinkers measure up anywhere from 12 to 16 inches tall and approximately 65 lbs. Don't you just want to squeeze them?

The cost of a teacup pig: up to $1,100 each.

Photo courtesy of: MSNBC.com

Hillary Duff Makes a TV Comeback

2009-10-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am a huge Hilary Duff fan! Being in my late teens/early 20s didn't stop me from watching Lizzie McGuire when it was on TV, or buying the movie. And of course, I have her CD.

Those obsessions being disclosed (haha!), I was psyched to see her on Gossip Girl last night. Her sweet girl performance was much like that of her McGuire days. I really hope her role is reoccurring.

On top of just being excited to see the star back on TV, I was happy to see Hilary looking great! She has put some weight back on and looks healthy again. Her teeth were even "normal" so she must have gotten a veneer adjustment. I am so happy with her current appearance.

Did anyone else catch the episode? If so, what did you think?

Photo courtesy of: The Los Angeles Times

Enjoying Los Angeles

2009-10-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

After being gone for the better part of September, I am back in LA and loving it! This past weekend I spent time hanging out in the areas that I never visit and generally take for granted. After exploring, I realized that I am lucky to live in such a great city, and I need to take advantage of that!

Friday I headed to Hollywood and Highland for some dinner where I was pleasantly surprised to see Brody Jenner. I was going up the escalator and he was going down. For the brief three seconds that I got to stare at him it was delightful! His skin is so perfect and flawless. In fact, he was pretty...which I am usually not a fan of, but it's working for him!

Saturday consisted of the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Starbucks and shopping were the main attractions. Following those fixes, it was off to the Santa Monica Pier for Bubba Gumps. Nothing beats enjoying good seafood on the boardwalk with a Malibu view in the distance! (Pictured below, right)

On the way home, driving past The Grove, I spotted Jared Leto! Yummy! I wasn't positive it was him until my mom got excited and confirmed that it was him. Gorgeous eyes!

The weekend was finished off with breakfast at The Griddle on Sunset Blvd. We waited in line for nearly two hours, but it was well worth the wait. The food was great, HUGE proportions, but great.

I am glad I took a step back and enjoyed my surroundings. We get so busy in our daily lives that we're stuck in a boring routine. If you have the opportunity this week, stray away and enjoy yourself!

Photo courtesy of: Big Hollywood

Vacationing...Be Back Soon

2009-09-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a few days since my last post, the reason why--I'm on vacay at the lake. A much needed vacation, may I add ;) soaking up the sun in Lake Mead and Lake Havasu. Having a blast wakeboarding, hanging with the family, and just being away from work! I'm here in Arizona for another day then this weekend it's off to Vegas.

Unfortunately that means posting won't start back up until next week.

Hope everyone enjoys the Gossip Girl premiere, I sure am! Gotta check out the new GG inspired line at Target by Anna Sui that they keep advertising. It looks fab!

On a side note, I finally got an iPhone and I am addicted! In fact, this post is my first via my iPhone! Just haven't figured out how to upload pics to the post :/

God Bless the USA

2009-09-11T01:38:00.000-07:00

It's been eight years since the horrific events of September 11, 2009, and seeing images of the day still move us to tears. Every American remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing when the news of the world trade center being hit was blasted across the world.

I would appreciate if my readers could take a moment today to recognize the heroic actions of countless individuals that day, as well as those who were lost in the mindless devastation of that fateful day.

It's not about politics, parties, or beliefs--it's about standing united and being thankful for what the United States stand for.

To my foreign readers, thank you for taking the time to read this. September 11 may not have the same impact on you, but your support is greatly appreciated.

Everyone: don't take today for granted. Tell your loved ones that your care for them. Be happy.

The Bangle for Every Occasion

2009-09-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

A. Tierney has the cutest Rosecliff Bangles for $38...well that's before you take 20% off just for being a Join the Gossip reader =) These beautiful accessories are timeless, great for any season, and perfect for a casual or dressy outfit.

To see how you can order yourself a bangle, see below.

In addition to these fabulous bangles, the site also offers goods like headbands, pendants, and watches. I love the assortment of preppy products! Be sure to stop by the online shop whenever you get a chance.

Photo courtesy of: A. Tierney

Closet Mouse is My Motivation

2009-09-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

My passion has always been writing, notice I use been, indicating past tense. Lately, I have not been writing at all really. When I held a professional writing position the creative juices flowed. However, now that I my career path has ventured off course and I am not writing as I would like to, things have dried up so to speak…playing that metaphor out.

I miss being around creative journalistic ideas and peers. That cannot stop me from what I love to do though, writing. A year ago I was posting blogs daily. It was such a happy time for me. I need to, and WILL, get back to that.

Monday night I had the pleasure of attending a Beverly Hills birthday party with Elana, Managing Editor of Closet Mouse and the creator of Good Girl Gone Shopping. The party was in honor of Michael, the creative genius behind Closet Mouse. We had a fantastic time at the pad overlooking other 90210 homes!

This was my first time meeting the super-friendly Michael, who Elana openly praises for his talents, and being around the two really inspired me to start writing again. I joined Closet Mouse (need to update my profile ASAP!) and I look forward to sharing my stories in this marketplace of fashion. It’s a great outlet to get your stories out there and I am very excited to do so. I encourage all of you to get involved too, as many of you are talented members of the fashion world!

With that being said, I hope that you enjoy my upcoming posts, as I am excited to start writing them again.

Have a wonderful day!

Photo courtesy of: Closet Mouse

Great Giveaway!

2009-09-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for sparkle, and oh how does the latest giveaway from Kag over at Monograms and Martinis in Manhattan/Boston!

This cool blogger has got the cutest Grayson Saige goodies up for grabs. Check out these adorable starfish!

Head over to the post here to enter for your chance to win these darling starfish.

Good luck to all who enter...but not too much luck because I want to win, too! ; )

Photo courtesy of: Monograms and Martinis in Manhattan/Boston

Vanessa's Outfits...?

2009-09-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

I am finally catching up with Gossip Girl. That means when season three starts, I'll actually be able to watch instead of waiting for the DVD to come out months later!

I am addicted for sure. Last week I stayed up 'til 2 a.m. to finish watching DVD 4 (the one where Chuck's dad dies, Serena and Dan find out they have a shared "dead" sibling, and so on). The next morning when I had to get up for work I certainly paid for my foolish addiction to this teen drama.

This is my question about the show--the only thing that really bothers me--if Vanessa works to survive, how does she have so many damn outfits?! I know it's a show and all, and that characters can't wear the same clothing, but really? She's a teenager living in NY, she would not have enough money for rent and an extensive wardrobe! Let's get a little more realistic stylists.

And that is my rant for the day. =)

Photo courtesy of: cwtv

I'll Be Back Soon

2009-08-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hey readers! I am sorry for the absence from the blogosphere, I have been sick for the past week. I plan on visiting all of your blogs this weekend and catching up (as I watch Gossip Girl Season 2 on Netflix which I have yet to see!).

Photo courtesy of: pico.bo.astro.it

A Wonderful, Wild Week!

2009-08-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

This week has been crazy for me. Last Friday I went to see Funny People, Saturday was a bachelorette party, No Doubt concert Sunday, was supposed to go to a Chelsea Lately taping Monday but we got there too late, 26th birthday Wednesday, The Action Design show tonight, and finally, birthday parting Saturday. Whew!

So for now I'll give a recap of the show I caught on the No Doubt comeback tour. In a word: amazing!

As far as comebacks go, this was probably the concert of the year, with Britney a close second. So many people I know went to one of the many LA-area concerts. I believe they added five or six extra shows due to high demand. So even though our seats were far back, it was well worth it!

The band played all of the classics and the crowd went wild the entire night. It was actually my first time seeing them live, despite my admiration since the days of Tragic Kingdom. Nothing compares to the "Just a Girl" video. The day I saw that video, I was hooked.

Gwen looked amazing, but almost too amazing. Her abs are incredibly defined. A little more than I like to see on women though. Good for her for being so fit, but I like her looking more femenine. I will say though, seeing her has inspired me to start going to the gym regularly!

Her outfits were hot, but they were more Gwen Stefani than Gwen from No Doubt. As I mentioned in a post a few months back, I prefer her style circa about 1995. That said, she was rockin' some great outfits. I especially loved her main getup and a sparkly black top she wore for the encore.

Overall, the concert was unforgettable! It was one of the best I have ever been to and I am so lucky I got to experience the return of No Doubt.

Did anybody else catch one of the concerts? If so, what was your most memorable experience of the night?

Photos courtesy of: tmz.com, gavintiegirl, and dailyfill.com

Kardashian Minus Reggie Bush?

2009-07-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I read on OMG! that Kim Kardashian and Reggie bush Split! The starlet's spokeswoman has just confirmed that this is in fact true, and not a rumor.

The two, Kim who is 28 and Reggie, 24, dated for over two years. A long time in Hollywood standards.

I really thought they were a cute couple and seemed great for each other. Too bad it didn't work out. Hopefully both of them are happy though, that's all that matters.

Photos courtesy of: hotcelebrity.name

I was Quoted in the NY Post!

2009-07-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

I was that kid in high school that knew what she wanted to be when she grew up--a journalist. Inevitably I went directly into that major in college. The only time I faltered is when I couldn't get my classes and was forced to spend an extra year in college. Instead of giving up on my dream, I added a second major, American Studies. So I guess it wasn't that bad, I got two degrees out of the inconvienence =)

Anyways, my last job I was definately in a journalism postion. I wrote articles and was a managing editor for a successful blog. Now, not so much. I get to write here on JTG, but it's not the same. This blog is really casual of course.

So last week you can imagine my surprise and excitement when I was contacted by a writer at the NY Post (famous for Page Six)! I was asked to do an interview regarding a taping of the upcoming movie "Funny People."

At the begining of the year I had the opportunity to see Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and countless comedians do standup in LA which would be used for the movie. Somehow the NY Post writer came across my blog post (read it here) and wanted to get my insight into the night!

Of course I agreed and did the interview, which came out this past Sunday. Unfortunately he must have not liked the movie because the article wasn't exactly positive. My quote used wasn't the best out of all that I provided, but it was used to accomplish what he was going for I guess.

Check out the NY Post article now to see my five seconds of online quotage fame =)

Also, be sure to catch the flick this weekend when it opens in theaters.

Here's a video of one of the actors, Aziz Ansari, in character, playing Raaaaaaaandy (that's with eight A's). He's so hilarious, even though the jokes are pretty dirty. I hear he isn't in the movie much, but I give him props for being such a "funny person."

Photos courtesy of: NY Post

You Light Up My Life

2009-07-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

My birthday is approaching and I will be having friends over, many for the first time. Well I want to make a great first impression so I thought I should actually decorate my patio, which I sadly have yet to use. Look how lonely the patio is...which is mere yards away from the complex pool that I also haven't used either.

A quick way to spruce up the space? Outdoor lighting courtesy of Target!

This is the lighting that I went with. I chose it because the look of the lights goes well with my iron and the design on it.

Here are some more sets of lights. I really wanted all of them because they are all so adorable:

Photos courtesy of: Target

A. Tierney Summer Special

2009-07-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Friday! I have something that'll put a little extra shine on your day. A. Tierney is offering Join the Gossip readers a spectacular deal: a tote sale + a free shipping code!

These totes, which can be personalized with monograms, are the perfect preppy gifts. They'd be great for a friend's summer birthday. Or even the holidays (I know it's too early to be thinking about that!).

In my opinion an object is that much more special if it's personalized.

Check it out, this is what is being offered:

Large Totes- $15 (regularly $49.50)

Mini Totes- $10 (regularly $38)

Mini Totes- $5 (regularly $19.50)

*Plus you can add a monogram for just $10!

To redeem these discounts, simply enter SUMMER09 at checkout for free shipping on orders over $50. The code is valid through Labor Day, so there's still plenty of time to get your shop on!

Photo courtesy of: A. Tierney