Here is a photo of the corner of Brighton Way and Rodeo Drive where the street is blocked to traffic because the police found a suspicious suitcase with wires
So far no loud booms and all is quiet we're good to go!
OK...so I got the rumor on the bomb scare. Inside of the mysterious suitcase there was a script that had been delivered to a literary agent to read. The agent thought it was not worth reading and tossed it in the garbage in the alley...but missed the giant trash receptacle and the case ended up on the side of the alley. Bomb Squad Blows Up Movie Script Meant For Agent In Beverly Hills
This is what it has looked like over the past week on Rodeo Drive. Wet and empty. Sales have been slow on the street at a crucial time for luxury retail. But we had a hint of sun this morning so the deluge might finally be over. But I'm not going to complain about the weather especially after seeing photos taken by my friends in Europe.
Here is a snowy lane in the winter wonderland of Günne, Germany.
As promised, we saw snow on Rodeo Drive last night....well maybe not snow but snow flakes at least floating around in the air. How this was done I don't know, but I assume that they used the same process as they do for creating snow for the movies. After all, Hollywood is the next town over.
It was crowed in the street and the restaurants. I wasn't so sure about the stores. And the mood was definitely jolly in the way that sparkling holiday decorations and a spectacular Christmas tree makes one feel. Unfortunately, I didn't get to really enjoy the street because as I was leaving my office, there was a demonstration by the PETA people right outside of my building. I was wearing a vintage fur jacket and naturally wanted to avoid the yelling PETA people so I slipped out the back way and walked down the alley.
Our partner offices, Kazanjian Brothers Inc., were having their Christmas party last night so I stopped in for a little glass of champagne. Next door to KBI, Bob Procop, jeweler to the rich and famous and formally head of Asprey and of Garrard recently opened his new office. Not only has Bob has been working with Angelina Jolie on developing a new line of jewelry to benefit her charity, he provided jewelry for her new film 'The Tourist", including the magnificent antique Edwardian diamond collar necklace.
And guess who just had to try on the beautiful diamond collar for herself, channelling her inner Angelina. Yes, it definitely was my kind of jewelry...
hint, hint, hint...to anyone looking to spend more than $1 million on my Xmas gift...
I was loath to take it off and give it back to Bob...but the jewelry that I had been wearing, chocolate and white south sea pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings in rose and white gold, actually went better with my heather brown Michael Kors sweater and pencil skirt.
To add to my story, yesterday afternoon I had to run an errand and as I was waiting to cross Wilshire Boulevard, the most exquisite brunette driving a Range Rover was stopped at the red light in front of me. It had to be Angelina Jolie...or her doppelganger. She was so beautiful. I've seen her before in Beverly Hills, and she is truly stunning.
For the record, in case you hadn't guessed, I'm on team Angelina because that woman can do everything... and she can save orphan children. Talk about a multitasker!
Having recently seen the photos of the snowy streets of Paris, including this image from the blog God, I Love Paris
I was thinking how nice it would be to have a little real winter weather in Beverly Hills
Well, apparently the weather gods (or the Rodeo Drive Committee) are granting me my wish
WEATHER FORECAST:
100% CHANCE OF SNOW FOR BEVERLY HILLS ON THURSDAY, DEC. 9
Mark your calendar for Thursday, Dec. 9 from 6-9 p.m. as Rodeo Drive and the City of Beverly Hills celebrate the Holiday Season with SNOW 90210 and a 100% chance of snow.
The tony city, that averages a 70 degree high temperature, a 73% chance of sunshine and a chilly low temperature of 52 degrees in early December, is guaranteeing a blizzard over 3 blocks of famed shopping street Rodeo Drive and also on Brighton Way. The brainchild of the Rodeo Drive Committee, SNOW 90210 is based on the highly successful Fashion’s Night Out
I've been in a bah humbug mood all month, probably because there is so much to do and I can't seem to catch up. But I think that a stroll around the neighborhood tonight might be just the thing to put me in the proper Christmas spirit.
If you just happen to pick up the December issue of ELLE magazine and you happen to see the Beladora ad, let me know what you think about it.
Oh...and what else did I want to mention. National Jeweler has posted an article stating that consumer confidence is increasing. I'd have to agree with that statement given the prices on what I see being sold at auction.
This pair is being sold on Beladora.com for $8750.
A pair of the same VCA Lion Doorknocker earrings
except with diamond eyes instead of emerald eyes
sold two weeks ago Christies New York sale for $18,750.
Obviously, there must be a lot of consumer confidence out there if estate jewelry buyers are willing to pay $10,000 (114%) more at Christie's auction for basically the same earrings.
( you know what I'm thinking don't you....ARBITRAGE!)
Also, at the same Christie's auction a gold and diamond evening bag, unsigned, sold for $20,000 while the Boucheron gold and diamond evening bag on Beladora was priced at $19,750. Did I mention that the Beladora bag was Boucheron....and yes, it sold (with a discount) right after the auction.
At any rate, I don't know who was bidding at Christie's but it wouldn't surprise me if some very wealthy Chinese were doing the buying. After some 80 years of pent up demand, everyone is expecting the Chinese to dominate high end luxury goods purchases, like the Russians did a few years ago, and the Middle Eastern Royals before that.
There are new fancy-schmancy stores being built now on Rodeo Drive, (Tom Ford, Stephen Webster, Badgley Mischka, etc...) that will open for the holidays, so high end businesses are investing in new stores. Obviously these Luxe businesses are confident.
BTW, Gold Sets A Record Price ...again Investors looking for safer places to stow their assets pushed gold to a record price above $1,400 an ounce Monday as they become more worried about the global economy.
A combination of issues have created fresh worry among investors: Ireland's debt difficulties and two key global summits where leaders of major industrial and developing nations are discussing currencies, free trade and ways to help the world economy.
Also in the back of investors' minds is the prospect of inflation stemming the Federal Reserve's multi-billion bond-buying program. I'm wondering, do you think that consumer confidence is increasing?
Look who's moving in next door...or actually a couple of doors down.
Solange Azagury Partridge They've been setting up for the big opening night party for days now...and borrowing our parking spaces. The parking lot behind the store is fully tented and decorated with a giant disco ball. I'm trying to action an invitation to this little shindig...somehow I don't think that I'm on the VIP list.
Now, at almost 7:30 pm the party is in full on happening mode with disco music wafting into our office. Any minute now I sure that I'm going to hear Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby".
Last Friday night I strolled up and down Rodeo Drive for Fashion's Night Out and this is what I saw
The Prada store photographed from my office with a modicum of people in the street. There was certainly more than the average daily pedestrian traffic but nothing looked overcrowded. Cool the way that Prada could project images on the panel above the storefront.
The Ferris wheel which was carefully constructed on the first block of Rodeo Drive between Tiffany & Co. and Bvlgari.
And my favorite image of the evening, a Beverly Hills police officer on a segway parked on the street between Chanel and De Beers because this is how our cops roll in BH. What I did not see was any actual shopping and nor people carrying shopping bags. Still, it was well attended and a good event for the city of Beverly Hills. I think that there is certain amount of pent up demand and that street will have action when the holiday$ arrive. We shall see. Saturday I headed off to the Eastside of Los Angeles, you know the place where the sun actually shines. And shine it did at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Being the sports enthusiast that I am (not) I was at the UCLA-Stanford foot ball game where UCLA got thoroughly trounced. In deference to the Stanford people around me, I wore a little red on my cuffs.
(Yes, I wore a white button down french cuffed shirt to a football game, doesn't everyone?) Stanford had a great defensive game and a good running game and UCLA, well what can I say, they were an embarrassment. And speaking of embarrassments
What is up with Stanford's pathetic excuse of a marching band? Seriously, they are so bad that they've lost their funding. Thankfully, we fled at the end of the 3rd quarter, because really how much college football can anyone take. Sunday morning on the Westside of town, where the sun hasn't deigned to come out I've been arranging flowers. Here's the result.
and the close up shot
Pretty aren't they? Now, it's off to the OC to take my father and stepmother out to lunch to celebrate my father's birthday. Hopefully the fog will lift and we will find some sun in Dana Point Harbor. Enjoy your Sunday.
Beverly Hills certainly isn't leaving all the Fashion's Night Out fun for New York Rodeo Drive has big things planned too
The Ferris Wheel and Fashion's Night Out on Rodeo Drive September 10, 2010
More than 60 retailers on Rodeo Drive will participate in Fashion’s Night Out on Friday, September 10, as Rodeo Drive leads the West Coast effort with glamorous in-store events, cocktail parties, DJs, complimentary manicures and extended shopping hours for all guests. As part of the global shopping event and for the first time ever, Rodeo Drive will erect a four-story Ferris wheel on the street. The conversation piece will be a replica of the George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. invention which made its debut at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Guests simply show a receipt confirming their purchase from a participating Rodeo Drive merchant that evening and receive a complimentary ride on this amazing wheel. Guests will also have front row seats for Fashion Rules, a unique, fast-paced trivia game pairing celebrities and designers in a life size version of a board game that challenges participants to answer fashion and style-related questions.
I will be attending a Kevin Hall fashion show and party for Genlux magazine and some other events. Are you doing anything for Fashion's Night Out?
