Intro to Social Media (Social Media Pt 1)

For some people, social media seems like this unclear and chaotic mesh of thoughts and connections. This very description is in fact the beauty of social media; it provides endless opportunities to connect and interact with people on both personal and professional fronts. Beyond connecting with people, valuable information can be obtained through these outlets. It’s a matter of understanding your place and taking the time to learn the ropes and etiquette of social media.

Instant press releases and breaking news makes social networks like Twitter so powerful. Thanks to @CNNbrk I learned about the “Balloon Boy” stunt within minutes of Falcon’s supposed “lift-off.” It’s this instant access to information that creates value and makes it so powerful. This very characteristic can lead to PR disasters or on the contrary, it can be a powerful outlet for damage control.

I believe that everyone should learn and understand the power of social media; the value that it can create on both personal and professional levels is unparalleled and will only become more and more prevelent.

To be continued…

A Piece of “Sunshine” Lost. R.I.P. Brittany Murphy

“I’ve always seen myself as one of those ‘show people.’ My earliest memories are wanting and needing to entertain people, like a gypsy traveler who goes from place to place, city to city, performing for audiences and reaching people.”- Brittany Murphy

(Read more: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1949826,00.html?xid=rss-topstories#ixzz0aYF83lPi)

It’s sad to hear the immediate speculations of drug abuse and other “Hollywood” related causes of death once Brittany Murphy was pronounced dead after suffering cardiac arrest on Sunday December 20th. The reality is that a great talent was taken away before her time (at the mere age of 32) and will be greatly missed. Brittany Murphy moved to Hollywood with her mother with dreams of starring on the silver screen and she made it! Her breakout role in 1995′s Clueless, gained her credibility within the industry and led her to land additional roles. She later starred in Girl, Interrupted, 8 Mile, Just Married and Uptown Girls in addition to other movie and TV projects.

What stood out most about this talented actress was her bubbly personality and energy. More than one person (including her ex-boyfriend Ashton Kutcher) described her as a “piece of sunshine” with the ability to light up any room.

Ashton Tweeted, “2 day the world has lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband and her amazing mother Sharon.”

Regardless of her cause of death, Brittany Murphy should be recognized and remembered for her talent and contagious smile. It’s incredibly sad to see such a talent lost so prematurely. My thoughts go out to her family, husband and loved ones. Rest in peace Brittany.

Give to Love. Love to Give

It’s always refreshing to see celebrities putting their famous names to a great cause like the Starlight Children’s Foundation. This foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life of kids who are diagnosed with chronic illnesses. They focus on providing resources and programs for children and their families to help them get through and cope with their difficult times.

Stars like Nicky, Paris and Kathy Hilton, Colbie Caillat and Audrina Patridge were given a blank canvas, paint and markers to create their very own t-shirt design inspired by “stars” and “light” to be sold for the cause. These shirts are being sold at Forever 21 and 100% of the proceeds are being donated to the Starlight Children’s Foundation!

The shirts are super cute (I bought the ones designed by Nicky Hilton and Colbie Caillat) and they are only $12.80! It’s a great way to raise money and create awareness about  an amazing charity! Definitely buy one and support the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Towel

Purses, pouches, scarves, aprons, skirts… all unique designs (only replicated upon special request). Hand crafted by up and coming designer, Teresa Williams, these cute pouches make great gifts for the holidays. Her collection represents the perfect combination of  girlie and chic and most importantly, each design is one of a kind!

You can check out http://stolentower.webs.com/ to see all of Teresa’s designs. You can even request designs by picking out your desired fabrics and details.

Let me know what you think

EAST

A new Japanese/French fusion lounge and restaurant that’s located in the heart of Hollywood has become my new favorite spot! EAST is a new type of business for owner, David Judaken (who also owns several clubs in L.A.) … it’s a sophisticated, Asian-inspired bungalow.  EAST offers a chic retreat from the typical Hollywood scene.

An impressive fireplace traces the front window and warms the lounge area which is outfitted with black leather couches.  With fresh crafted Mojitos, Sake and an impressive wine list… oh and sushi I may have discovered a new go-to Hollywood hangout.

6611 Hollywood Blvd

http://east-hollywood.com/

Orange Hoopin’

What an incredible win for Syracuse basketball!! Ranked #25, Syracuse dominated North Carolina (#4) to win the Coaches vs Cancer Tournament! Congrats!!

I don’t want to jinx the season, but I think this could be the year for Jim Boeheim to lead Syracuse to the Championship. With Senior, Andy Rautins back on the court  he’s leading this young and extremely talented team. Commentators are already pointing out Junior transfer, Wes Johnson as being a top draft contender and the Freshmen are looking confident and promising.

Let the 2010 Syracuse Basketball Season begin!!

Caillat & Reeves

A few weeks ago, I was in for a surprise! I was taken to the Hollywood Palladium around 6:30 with no idea what was in store. I saw nothing to indicate anything of interest…. the billboard read, “Buick Regal 2011.” No offense, but I’m definitely not a Buick type of girl. After a great catered dinner from Wolfgang Puck, an open bar and hearing the “big wigs” from Buick try to convince themselves that the new Buick is “cool,” they announced the musical guest, Colbie Caillat (@ColbieCaillat)!!

Despite the lackluster crowd consisting of grandmas and grandpas (Buick owners) Colbie really sang her heart out and stole the show. She played a long set and sang most of my favorites… Fearless, Fallin’ For You and Bubbly. Her music is inspirational and her talent is real.

After her performance we headed over to my favorite spot, The Hotel Cafe to see Jason Reeves(@JasonReeves)! He might just be my new favorite artist… incredibly real and humble and an amazing guitarist. Although, we missed part of his set, the four songs I heard really won me over and I was lucky enough to get an autographed copy of his cd!

Incredible night of great music… just wish they had performed together so I could’ve heard my absolute favorite song, Droplets that they co-wrote. Next time

CHoCoLaT

If I were to open my own coffee shop, this would be it! Talk about location, this coffee shop, CHoCoLaT is in the heart of the beautiful Gaslamp district of San Diego. It’s a mere feet from the San Diego Convention center, great little shops and luxury hotels like the Hard Rock Hotel (where I stayed). Even more impressive, was the adorably chic interior design.

Not only did this little coffee house have incredibly delicious espresso, they also feature a drool-worthy selection of real Italian gelato and to-die-for crepes! All my favorite things in one place!

If you ever visit San Diego, make sure to stop by CHoCoLaT for a latte or espresso- I promise, it won’t disappoint!

Dueling Pianos & Good Times

This weekend, I discovered a new fun place out by Redondo/Hermosa Beach. Instead of the usual pier bars, my friend Melissa introduced me to this cool bar, Saint Rocke! Fright nights at Saint Rocke feature live music in the form of dueling pianos! With all the classic Billy Joel and Journey covers, they also took requests form the guests.

If you are ever in the area, I would definitely recommend checking this place out! Unlike most of the bars on Hermosa Pier, this bar has lots of tables and space to stand. Great drink selections, friendly staff,  and no cover.

Rain= Snow in the CA Mountains!

The one thing I miss about the east coast is waking up to snow in my own backyard… but who doesn’t love year-round sunshine? California’s got it all planned out nicely. It boasts beautiful, sunny, warm weather 99% of the time with an occasional “state-of-emergency rain storm” (aka light sprinkles) in the fall months. Call me crazy, but I am thrilled for some rain this time of year!! Why? Because rain in L.A. translates to snow accumulation in the amazing mountains that are only a short drive away.

With Mammoth Mountain (up north) scheduled to open this weekend (October 16th), I am eager to find out when Big Bear Mountain and Snow Summit open for the season. Snowboarding out west is incredible; you never have to worry about bitter cold days or frostbite. It’s like spring conditions all season!

For weather updates and other mountain news, follow @MammothMountain or @SoCalMtns. Also,