For the first time ever Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin hosted. They made an interesting and rather comical impression. Ben Stiller’s interpretation of Avatar as he announced Best Makeup was hilarious, especially since Avatar wasn’t even nominated for that category. And there was even something for those who’ve seen the independent film Paranormal, which preceded a horror movie montage including the following films: Psycho, Interview with the Vampire, Beetle Juice, Jaws, The Blob, Rosemary’s Baby, Poltergeist, The Shining, and more; underscored by Bernard Hermann’s famous score to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

Touching moments abounded with the Honorary Oscar given to Lauren Bacall and Roger Corman; a memorandum to John Hughes, as well as countless other actors who passed away in 2009 including Gene Simmons and David Carradine.  John Hughes’ family and fellow colleagues, including Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and Molly Ringwald (The Breakfast Club) were on stage in his honor. “When you get older your heart dies” – John Hughes

Here are some quotes from this year’s Oscar winners that I feel will reverberate in our minds for years to come:

In Glorious Bastard – Best Supporting Actor – Christoph Waltz
“Everybody helped me find a place. This is your welcoming embrace. There is no way I can ever thank you enough. I can right start now. Thank you!”

Logorama – Best Animated Short – Producer, Nicolas Schmerkin
“I have to thank the 3000 unofficial sponsors who appeared in the film. It took 6 years to make this 16 minutes. I hope to come back and make a feature in 36 years!”

Star Trek – Best Makeup – Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, and Joel Harlow
“We had fifteen amazing [makeup] artists over 40.”

Precious – Best Adapted Screenplay – Geoffery Fletcher
‘This is for everybody who works on a dream everyday!”

Precious – Supporting Actress – Mo’Nique
“First I would like t thank the academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics!” I’d like to thank my husband for showing me that sometimes you have to forego what’s popular for doing what’s right!”

Avatar – Art Direction –Robert Stromberg
“Thirteen years ago doctors told me I wasn’t going to survive. I thought this dream of standing here was never going to come true. Yet here we are.”

Avatar – Best Visual Effects – Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, and Andrew R. Jones
“Avatar was about learning to see the world in new ways. Just Remember, the world we live in is just as wonderful as the one we created for you.”

The Crazy Heart – Best Actor –Jeff Bridges
“Thank you mom and dad for turning me on to such a groovy profession—they loved show biz so much. This is honoring them as much as it is me.”

The Blind Side – Best Actress – Sandra Bullock
“Did I really earn this or did I just wear you’all down.  To the moms who take care of those babies and children no matter where they come from. Those moms never get thanked. ”

The Hurt Locker – Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow
“I’d like to dedicate this to the women and men who risk their lives on a daily basis. May they come home safe.”

Written By Kaylene Peoples

“I’d like to dedicate this to the women and men who risk their lives on a daily basis. May they come home safe.”—Kathryn Bigelow accepting the Oscar. “Well I hope I’m the first of many and I [can't wait] for the day when a modifier will be a mute point.”

We live in a country that is 233 1/2 years old. We’ve elected 44 presidents, none of them women and only one of them a black man. The reluctance to elevate women has been a mantra in this country since the Puritans and the struggles that people of color have endured are insurmountable. I know last night was a victory, so why doesn’t it feel that way? As I watched the 82nd Annual Academy Awards with the Organization of Black Screen Writers (I just happened to be in a Century City hotel lobby watching it on the big screen) I thought it was serendipitous that they too were there, and I have to admit that  it changed my viewing experience. I looked at the Oscars with a different pair of eyes.

Few blacks in over 4 generations have been placed in starring roles worthy enough for a nomination. It’s no surprise that there has only been a handful to ever win the Oscar. In 1939, Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind. Hattie was forced to sit in the balcony during the show because she was ‘colored.’ And in 1963, Sidney Poitier won Best Actor for Lilly of the Fields. They are joined by Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Whoopie Goldberg, Jennifer Hudson, Lou Gossett, Jr., Forrest Whitaker, and now Mo’Nique (for Best Supporting Actress), and Geoffrey Fletcher (for Best Screen Play Adapted).  There have been others in the Best Song and Music Categories.

“This is for everybody who works on a dream every day . . . precious boys and girls every where. The entire cast, including Mo’Nique showed me how an actor can elevate the written word.” —Geoffrey Fletcher accepting Best Screenplay Adapted for Precious

“First I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics!  I’d like to thank my husband for showing me that sometimes you have to forgo what’s popular for doing what’s right!” —Mo’Nique accepting Best Supporting Actress for Precious

“I hope there will come a time when it will not be about a woman director or a man director, but just a director.” —Barbra Streisand

Written by Kaylene Peoples

Photo Credits AFP/Getty Images

1. Too much too soon

So you have been ploughing through those endless profiles on your internet dating site and have come up with someone who interests you. There has been an exchange of emails. He sounds fun and witty and you begin to look forward to his messages. You find yourself getting up earlier in the morning just to log on whilst you drink your coffee to see if he has sent a response to your latest remarks. During the day you compile witty replies in your head and suggestive lines to throw his way. This has gone on for a couple of weeks and he suddenly asks if he can call you. Your chest expands; you are really excited and arrange a time. Now you are curled up in your favourite chair waiting for the call. Guess what it goes well, the same light banter, his voice is not what you expect but that is OK. You talk for an hour. This becomes a daily ritual which you begin to plan your time around. And then he invites you to dinner.

2. Throwing money at it

It has been a while since someone invited you out to dinner (you may be just starting dating after your divorce). Your immediate thought is what to wear, need my hair done etc. This means that you spend the best part of a week running around with the one thought in your mind “I must get this right”. You seem to have disappeared and you feel that you need to invent a new person to go on this date. In order to be that person you have to package yourself in some particular way. There must be some key that you can find, a particular dress, new haircut etc. You believe that you need to make yourself more appealing.

3. Thinking that you know the person

The evening has arrived and you meet at the arranged restaurant (good step, as all the dating advice recommends that you meet in a public place). You are especially nervous and excited but also slightly uncomfortable because the shoes are new and you feel a bit wobbly in them. It is strange you recognise this person but at the same time you don’t. The voice you know that but he does not look like the person in the photograph, taller, shorter a bit heavier or gangly something is not as you imagined. Anyway he seems quite at ease but maybe that is just a contrast to how you are feeling. Initially conversation is going well as there are points of contact from your previous conversations but it isn’t going anywhere. By the main course you are starting to drink a little too much to fill in the silences. Your feet really hurt now and you are taking surreptitious glances at your watch – only 9 o’clock. No dessert thanks and by the way you have an early start in the office tomorrow so you have to go soon. Can’t think of anything but getting out of the shoes. Yes it was good, do call me.

4. Fantasy – it’s only in your head

Next day or later in the week, the emails/calls are still coming and you continue to respond. It’s a though you have never met and you can get on with the easy going repartee that has become almost a habit. In your mind he is something you want him to be, well not quite but you can have yourself believe that he is whilst you exchange messages and late night calls. You are starting to develop a whole life in your head around this person, you imagine where you can live with him, what you will do, holidays together in fact everything you ever want with someone. This is taking up a lot of head space but that is enjoyable in itself, you feel connected to someone if only in your mind.

5. Not paying attention to the signals

A week or so more and you are becoming slightly irritated by the emails and are not responding quite so readily. But he asks you if you want to come out for another evening and that heart leaps to your throat again. You agree even though there is a vague memory of discomfort from the first meeting. Well you remind yourself that all the dating advice recommends that it is about getting to know someone. I can’t expect to feel comfortable about everything immediately. He is suggesting dinner again, you don’t really want to but you are not sure what you want to do so you go along with it. You had arranged to see a girl-friend that night but you tell her you can’t make it, she seems a bit put-out but you put that thought aside.

The second evening seems very long.

Too much too soon – It is so tempting to put all your focus on one person at a time when you are looking to date on the internet. But it is important to remember that not only are all those people out there looking at numerous people at any one time but you could be too. If you put most of your time and energy into any one contact at a very early stage this means that you cannot scout, screen and sort other possible people.

Dating Advice: Don’t make a big investment emotionally in any relationship without solid foundations.

Throwing money at it – Recent research has revealed that online daters are spending up to Ł1,500 a month taking out people who they realise, after the first 15 minutes are not for them. (Independent, June 2005) Remember be authentic, the packaging is only that and is not who you are. Meeting for a cup of coffee or a drink will give you enough time to assess whether this person is someone you want to know better.

Dating Advice: Packaging is not the answer, be clear about who you are, what you want in a relationship and set about finding it in a considered way.

Thinking you know this person – We can easily be seduced by email conversations and late night telephone calls. Apart from the actual chemistry that is missing in these exchanges there is that part that you know very well yourself, where you just reveal what you want at any given time. If you know what your requirements are in a relationship this will help you assess quite quickly if this person is for you. Most of us allow things to just drift along and are not pro-active in having a plan for ourselves when it comes to relationships.

Dating Advice: How is it we plan for everything except relationships? Take some time to plan what you want in a relationship before you get into a habit or rut with someone.

Fantasy – it’s only in your head – It is very easy to live in the fantasy of a relationship even from a very early stage. After all that is why you have signed up on the dating site in the first place – you want a relationship. However, being truthful with yourself is easier if you have a relationship plan. Then you can ask yourself, from the information you have so far, does this person tick some of my boxes. If so then you can continue to find out more about them whilst finding out about other people at the same time. Projecting onto any one person, especially at a very early stage, all you hopes and dreams is likely to bring you some amount of pain and heartache when you find this isn’t going to work out.

Dating Advice: Spread the emotional load by giving your attention to a number of people, it helps deal with the ups and downs of the dating cycle if you are not exclusive right from the start.

Not paying enough attention to the signals – it is amazing how quickly we can get ourselves into habits and relationships, however new, are one of those areas. We all like attention and contact with people but what about the rest of your life, those friends who have been around for you, your family. Anyone who might be for you will, you hope, want to share life with a person who has a balanced life and that includes all the other activities and people in your life. Straining towards exclusivity at a very early stage and throwing all your time and attention towards the relationship can be a disaster.

Dating Advice: Get out there and have any dating and relationships fit in with your life as a successful single. Know what your requirements, needs and wants are and look for someone who can meet these.

Written by The Singles Coach Trisha Stone

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=131409&ca=Dating

I’m sure you are guilty of one of these situations because I know I am. While I was in church once, my cell phone started to blare off right in the middle of Sunday service. You can imagine how LOUD my cell phone must have sounded as it echoed throughout the church with churchgoers angrily gawking at me. I was terribly embarrassed, but since then learned how to use my cell phone more politely and professionally. It’s easy and everyone can do it. All it takes is a moment to consciously think where you are, whom you are with and what you are doing when taking a call.

Family and Friends

It’s easy to be comfortable around your family and friends because you know them and you can be yourself. However, that doesn’t mean to treat them as if they are not important when your cell phone rings. Your family doesn’t get to see you much and I’m sure they love spending time with you. Therefore, when a call comes in politely excuse yourself out of the room or even better, let the call go to voicemail. If you must take the call, which by the way should only be for emergencies, be sure to keep it short. Your family will appreciate it and it will show them they are important to you.

The same goes for when you are with friends. Politely step out of the room when your cell phone rings and let the caller know you are with company and will call them back. Keep the conversation brief and return to your guests as quickly as possible. Calls from parents, children or an emergency should be the only exceptions. Otherwise, don’t blatantly alienate your friends. It’s rude and I’m sure you hate it just as much when they yak away on their cell phone in front of you.

Business Meetings

Whether you are at an internship, on a job interview or in a business meeting, you should be smart enough to know to put your cell phone on mute or on vibrate. If it does ring, quickly turn your cell phone off and apologize for the interruption. Yes I am fully aware that there are times when you do need to have your cell phone on for calls, but this should NEVER be during a job interview. At an internship it’s simple to let your supervisor know you are expecting an important phone call, but as always keep conversations short. It’s just the same during business meetings. Let your colleagues know you have to take an important call and again, politely excuse yourself and keep your calls short.

On a Date

First of all if your phone goes off on a date and you sit there chatting away like the other person doesn’t exist, don’t be surprised if your date doesn’t ever want to see you again. A solution around this: send text messages. Yes texting is your friend when on a date, but please, please, please be discreet about it. I often send text messages when I’m in the restroom or when my date is in the restroom. Yeah sure I text my friends to give them the low down on my date, but most importantly to let them know I’m ok and my whereabouts. You can never be too safe these days and communicating on your cell phone during circumstances like this is more than acceptable. But again, be discreet.

At Functions (i.e. movies, plays, funerals, weddings)

Don’t make the mistake like I did with the church situation. Please mute your phone or put it on vibrate. Better yet, turn it off. Of course you may need to keep your phone on for the babysitter or to give directions to relatives, but being polite and respectful to those around you is the name of the game here.

In Restaurants

I remember once I was at P. Diddy’s restaurant in Manhattan and could not believe how the five acquaintances I was with all placed their cell phones on the dinner table. Hello!! We are about to have dinner and drinks!! Instead, these people were too busy trying to look cute and more interested in trying to impress someone. It was a turn off and to say the least I was not impressed. Rather, I found it immature and very tacky. Keep you cell phone on your hip or in your purse; not on the table.

In Public

This is the number one complaint when it comes to cell phone users. Talking too darn loud in public and/or revealing too much private information. The people around you have no interest in hearing your conversation and besides, why would you want people to know your business? Whenever I notice I’m talking too loudly on my cell phone, I simply catch myself and lower my voice to a normal tone. Believe me, if the person on the other line can’t hear you, they’ll let you know.

Ringtones

Yes we all want to show off our own personal style and ringtones certainly do just that. I like to give certain friends and family specific ringtones so I know exactly who is calling me. But lets face it, other people around you don’t want to hear it. If you are a business professional, your boss, co-workers or clients won’t appreciate your rap, teeny bopper or heavy metal ringtones either. I’m all for personalizing callers with ringtones, but try to be more mature when at the workplace if at all possible.

In conclusion, it’s true we can’t escape the mass of cell phone users wherever we go, but if everyone took the time to be more considerate around others, it can be more tolerable. Trust me, when you start behaving and handling your cell phone calls more courteously and professionally, you’ll be amazed how your family and friends will pick up on your good habits. Cell phone etiquette is not hard. All it takes is a simple conscious effort!

By Tanisa Brown

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=247058&ca=Etiquette

I judged her actions and concluded that she must be either a bit weird or socially inept. Of course, you know I wouldn’t be writing about this if she had never met anyone! Sure enough, she met a guy online and fell in love. He didn’t live in Bahrain either, he lived in her town!

Just one experience like this in your own circle of friends can make you reconsider your rushed judgments. So, could online dating prove to be a mainstream way of meeting people, or would it remain in the margins of society? Is it humiliating to look for people online?

Well, let’s say you’re busy all day at work (nobody eligible there), you go out a couple of times a week with your usual group of friends (been there, dated them), and the rest of the time you’re washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning your home (or more likely a combination of Facebook, TV and surfing the net); realistically, how many new people are you likely to meet?

Even if you managed to date, or even chat beyond pleasantries with, one new person a week, how many of them are likely to strike up any kind of connection with? Maybe one in a hundred, and that’s if you’re lucky. At that rate, it would take you two years to even meet someone you could fall for. Not bad, but, in the meantime, you’ve spent two years alone!

So, what if you want to speed up the process? You do the logical thing and search a database of millions of people on a dating site. You use the Internet to keep in touch with your friends, and for buying things, so why not for dating also?

Is sending someone a message any less ‘real’ than saying it directly to them? Be honest, do you message people on Facebook that you haven’t seen since your school days? Be even more honest, aren’t messages and emails preferable when you’re feeling a little nervous or anxious.

Chatting to someone new that you like the look is far from being easy! Opening communication is way easier online. No more stuttered introductions or lame chat-up lines. You get to think through what you say and how you’re coming across.

In conclusion, a long time ago, online dating seemed to me to be an absolute non-option. Now, I’m convinced that it’s surely the best place starting place for finding a partner. Let’s say you communicate with ten new people per week through an online dating site, even if only one of those turns out to be eligible, you’ve increased your chances of meeting someone by 1000% over the natural method I mentioned earlier! You can’t argue with that!

Written by Mark Thomas Walters
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=486740&ca=Dating

Showing at Fashion Week since 2001, Binetti’s upcoming compilation features cascading silk gowns in solid colors and print motifs. “I want this collection to be magical; I want the Binetti woman to feel my touch and see my vision through my elaborate garments,” says the designer.

Beautiful wool boucle skirts and jackets encrusted with jewels frame the details of the styles. Long cardigans, made in ultra fine wool, mohair and lurex yarns, are draped to the ground with Kandinsky motifs to give the silhouettes an eclectic and modern vibe. “My upcoming collection will feature a woman who possesses passion and intelligence. She understands culture and takes advantage of the beauty that I translate into my art.”

The embroidery on the garments create a surrealist feel breathing life into the fabric and reflecting in the eyes of the Binetti woman. Each gown takes three weeks to create with four seamstresses working on each gown with hand details and Couture finishing.

By Jessica Rae Kaplan of K Public Relations LLC

New York, NY (February 2010)—Blame it on the groundhog. Our nation’s resident rodent weatherman emerged on February 2nd this year and made it official: six more weeks of winter. Six more weeks of snow, ice, and sub-zero temperatures. And if the thought of more weeks full of bulky coats, scratchy sweaters, and thick wool socks has you considering a move south of the equator, then image consultant Marla Tomazin says perhaps it’s time to re-think your winter wardrobe.

“Just because the weather is dreary, it doesn’t mean that your wardrobe has to be, too,” says Tomazin, who has been an image consultant for 20 years after earlier experience in the fashion industry. “If you follow a few simple tricks, your winter ensemble can be every bit as chic and fun as your spring or summer collections.”

Read on for Marla’s tips on how you can bundle up beautifully as winter marches on:

Focus on the first layer. Face it: no matter how stylish your clothes might be, they’ll be ineffective unless you look and feel good in them! Because of the cold, wind, and inclement weather that abound at this time of year, it’s especially important to give your skin and hair the extra TLC they deserve. If you haven’t already, incorporate head-to-toe moisturizing into your daily beauty ritual, and treat your hair to a moisturizing conditioner or hair mask at regular intervals to ward off frizziness and split ends. And carry a tube of lip balm with you at all times—after all, no one likes painfully cracked lips! No matter what you’re wearing, reminds Tomazin, you’ll automatically look and feel better if you’ve protected yourself from the drying and chapping effects of winter weather.

It’s all about a good foundation. Staying warm doesn’t have to mean layers of bulky clothes that make you feel more like the Michelin Man than a sleek snow bunny. Bundle up with warm foundation pieces that don’t create a lot of bulk, like silk underwear, turtlenecks, and leggings. These items will help to trap in your body heat, but won’t give you that puffy look that is caused by layering too many heavy pieces together. You’ll stay warm—and look hot—all at the same time! In fact, Tomazin recommends a brand of shirts called HEATTECH. Using a new Japanese technology, these tops look great and keep you just as warm as a heavy sweater or jacket. However, they are thin enough to be worn under a suit jacket—or by themselves! You can purchase these tops at Uniqlo; they are currently $9.90 and can be ordered by calling the store at (917) 237-8800, ext 811.

Put some thought into your fabrics. On especially cold days, it’s worth taking a few seconds to check the tags inside your clothing and see just what they’re made of! Wool, cotton, and fleece items are ideal because they’re warm yet breathable. You might want to think twice before choosing an outfit made of synthetic materials like polyester because they won’t block out the wind as well, and they also trap moisture—which can make you feel unnecessarily cold and clammy. The same thing goes for footwear, points out Tomazin. Leather shoes are more likely to be warm and breathable than those comprised of manmade materials. And lastly, she reminds, don’t forget about that annoying fact of life called “static electricity!” If you’re worried, wear a slip or invest in some anti-static spray to keep your clothes from clinging and bunching in all the wrong places.

Consider the temperature inside, too. Have you ever bundled up to brave the cold outside, and when you reached your destination—be it the mall, the office, or even someone’s home—you’re suddenly sweltering? It can be frustrating to try and plan ensembles that not only work for the weather outside, but are also appropriate for the temperatures inside—and that still somehow manage to look great, too. Tomazin says that dressing in layers—and really thinking them through—is the key to winter wardrobe success. She suggests that when you assemble an outfit, dress in layers that will work alone as well as together. Layer a long-sleeve blouse underneath a warm sweater, and use this as the base for your suit at the office. That way, if you get hot during the day, your blouse will look just as great under your suit as the sweater—and you stay comfortable no matter where you are!

Put your best boot forward. There’s nothing sexier than a pair of sleek, knee-high boots. And fortunately, they’re also great for keeping you warm during the winter months. Invest in a quality pair of boots in black or brown (or both!) to help keep your feet warm and toasty. Tomazin says that the right pair can take you right from work to weekend, worn with warm cable-knit tights and a skirt to the office, or with a great pair of jeans for running errands on Saturday. If you live in a climate that gets brutally cold, then consider a pair that is fur-lined or even waterproof. And be practical—if the weather outside has made walkway and parking lots slick with ice, then leave the heels at home. There are plenty of stylish flat-soled options out now that are perfect for days just like this.

Stock up on scarves. Scarves are a great way to stay warm while adding a great punch of color and style to any outfit. They come in a variety of colors, sizes, patterns, and textures, and can be bought to fit in any budget. Tomazin suggests buying scarves in unexpected colors or patterns—this will give your basic blacks or winter whites a fabulous splash of color. Use scarves as a way to venture outside your comfort zone. If you typically shy away from bold reds or purples or fun patterns, like hound’s-tooth or paisley, then a scarf is a great opportunity to incorporate these sassier styles into your outfits.

Embrace the arctic temps as an opportunity to accessorize. Don’t get bogged down by toboggans and mittens! Choose accessories that add something stylish to your outfits and that protect you from the elements at the same time. Keep it consistent with a matching hat, gloves, and scarf of the same color or pattern. Trade your usual stockings for a pair of cable-knit or patterned tights and swap your ho-hum toboggan for stylish hats. Embrace the opportunity to think outside the box and to wear winter accessories in new and unexpected ways.

Simplify your snow day attire. Invest in a warm coat in a classic cut and style so that it can work with most any outfit and will be appropriate for most occasions. Tomazin suggests that you choose a coat that is in a neutral shade (like black, brown, or beige) and then coordinate it with a warm pair of fur-lined boots in a complimentary color. This way, when it is freezing outside you have an easy formula that works with whatever you choose to wear underneath.

“Don’t let the gloomy gray weather dictate your style,” Tomazin concludes. “Choose to think about dressing warmly in a new light. Once you start to reconsider your cold-weather attire, you’ll realize that beautiful coats, boots made of soft, creamy leather, and playful accessories are just as fun and exciting to wear as any sundress or pair of peep toes. It’s all about your state of mind—and pretty soon you’ll be looking forward to the chance to bundle up against winter’s cold.”

# # #

About Marla Tomazin:

Marla Tomazin, Certified Image Consultant, established her image consulting business in 1990 with the goal of helping clients identify an authentic image and develop its effective expression.

From a successful career in the fashion industry, Marla gained expertise in retail buying, merchandising, sales, and marketing. She began with May Company in Denver after earning a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Denver. Marla moved to New York where she worked with several well-known Seventh Avenue design firms. As she developed her business skills, Marla made a serendipitous discovery—an innate sense of style and facility for working with fabrics and colors to maximum advantage.

The progression to Certified Image Consultant was a natural transition. Marla utilizes her abilities in evaluating body shape, movement, and coloring as well as synthesizing optimal cuts, lines, colors, and textures. This results in balance and proportion that accentuate attributes and conceal flaws. Her clients include women, men, and corporations seeking external revitalization that mirrors their internal development.

She has lectured at The Learning Annex on “How to Become an Image Consultant” and at The American Women’s Economic Development Corporation on “What Does Your Image Say About You?”

For more information, please visit www.marlatomazin.com.

Actress, Parker Posey will host the 12th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Nicole Kidman, Lisa Edelstein, Jane Kaczmarek, Loni Anderson, Jayma Mays, Jessalyn Gilsig, Anika Noni Rose, Nancy Sinatra, are among the stars set to present awards at the gala.

“We are more than thrilled to have Parker Posey host this year’s 12th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards,” said Mary Rose, President, Costume Designers Guild. “Her comedic flair and signature style are the perfect accessories to an evening honoring some of the best costume designers in the television and film industry.”

Parker Posey stars in the upcoming film “Happy Tears” opposite Demi Moore for director Mitchell Lichtenstein and has appeared in over 50 films including “Broken English,” for which she received a Spirit Award nomination, “Fay Grim,” “Superman Returns,” “The Event,” “The Sweetest Thing,” “Personal Velocity” (Spirit Award nomination), “Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay” (Golden Globe® nomination), “The Anniversary Party,” “Best in Show,” “Scream 3,” “You’ve Got Mail,” “Henry Fool,” “Waiting For Guffman,” “Basquiat”, “The Daytrippers,” “Kicking and Screaming,” “Party Girl,” and “Dazed and Confused.” She received a Special Jury Prize at Sundance for her performance in “The House of Yes.” Off-Broadway, Posey starred in the acclaimed revivals of Hurlyburly, for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress, and in Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July, for which she received a Lortel nomination for Lead Actress.

Nicole Kidman will present director, Rob Marshall with the Distinguished Collaborator Award. Additional honorees include Swarovski Award recipient Emily Blunt and Sandy Powell, who will receive the Lacoste Career Achievement in Film Award. Loni Anderson will induct Emmy Award winning costume designer Robert Turturice into the Guild’s Hall of Fame, and Nancy Sinatra will present the Career Achievement in Television Award to Michael Travis.

A full list of this year’s nominees is available at http://www.costumedesignersguild.com/cdg-awards/.

The Costume Designers Guild was founded in 1953 by a group of 30 motion picture costume designers and was created in response to the changing needs of the movie industry. The Costume Designers Guild promotes the artistry, technical expertise and creative vision of their union members in the field of film and television Costume Design. Today, its membership consists of over 700 members and includes motion picture, television, and commercial costume designers, assistant costume designers and illustrators throughout the world.

Swarovski is proud to support the Costume Designers Guild for the 6th consecutive year and is honored to be the sparkling ingredient on stage and screen. For more information on Swarovski, please contact Elizabeth Murphy at 310-652-0089 x4003 or elizabeth.murphy1@swarovski.com. For international inquiries please contact Emma Rickett at emma.rickett@swarovski.com. Please visit www.swarovskisparkles.com & www.swarovski.tv

To request media credentials to cover this event, please contact Alexandra Lippin or Michael Samonte of The Lippin Group at 323-965-1990 or alippin@lippingroup.com. To purchase tickets, please contact Blue Room Events, at 310-491-1401. For all other inquiries, please contact The jLINE Group at 310-601-3220.

Basically with some hard work and dedication, anyone can do it. Outlined below are ten simple steps with tips to complete each leg of the 26.2 mile journey. The full feature also includes a detailed 30-week workout plan that will ease you into to tip-top shape and prepare you for a successful trek.

Step by Step: Ten simple tips to prepare newbie runners for a marathon.

1. Go for a run: Not too fast, not too slow. You have one goal: enjoy yourself.
2. Go for another one: To get to the marathon finish, it’s best done with a little bit at a time. A small drip can fill a whole lake.
3. Hit the breaks: Run at a speed that lets you easily carry on a conversation.
4. Get a plan: When you’re ready to start building your mileage, you need a training plan.
5. Stick to it: For everyday of running you miss, you’ll lose 2 days of fitness.
6. Keep a record: A running log keeps you honest.
7. Curb your enthusiasm: You need to balance the work load with optimal rest.
8. Make friends: Running partners keep you accountable.
9. Always go long: This long run is important so you don’t get intimidated by the marathon distance.
10. Do twenty: How do you know when you’re ready? When you can do a 20-mile training run with confidence.

On Course tips

1. MILE 0: Take energy bars and a sports drink to the starting line for the long wait.
2. MILE 1-2: Start really slow.
3. MILE 3: Bring a bottle.
4. MILE 6: Soak up the great crowd support.
5. MILE 8: When there’s no center divide, run in the middle of the road – it’s flatter.
6. MILE 15: Keep your heart rate in check, take in the view.
7. MILE 16.5: Pump your fists, smile for the cameras, just don’t start sprinting yet or stop for autographs.
8. MILE 18: Gel station! Eat one. You’ll need the boost.
9. MILE 20: The real work starts here. Trust your training.
10. MILE 23: Stay positive: it won’t break you.
11. MILE 24-25: Power through.
12. MILE 26.2: No matter how you really feel, raise your arms at the finish, you deserve it.

–
Jason Marchwinski

“But where are the clowns? Quick, send in the clowns.
Don’t bother, they’re here.”

From “Comedy Tonight” to “Send in the Clowns,” the musical selections in Side by Side by Sondheim, opening at the Attic Theatre on March 12 for a six week run, are snapshots from the early career of Broadway’s most prolific composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim.

Originally conceived in London in 1976 to educate the British public on the wit and wisdom of the master lyricist and composer, Side by Side by Sondheim features songs from earlier landmark Sondheim shows that ultimately revolutionized musical theatre – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Anyone Can Whistle, Pacific Overtures – as well as classics from West Side Story, Gypsy and Do I Hear a Waltz? – pennedby Sondheim in collaboration with musical theatre legends as Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne and Richard Rodgers, to name a few.

Exploring common themes prevalent in many of Sondheim’s works: love, loss, marriage, relationships, disillusionment and acceptance, Side by Side by Sondheimis an urban, sophisticated revue filled with heart and humor that offers a glimpse into the creativity, wit and genius that is Stephen Sondheim.

“These are wonderfully rich and wickedly delightful songs,” says director Dane Whitlock. “They are concise, mini plays that are not only theatrical, but devastatingly personal. Every time I hear them, I discover something completely new and fresh.”

With direction and choreography by Dane Whitlock and musical direction by Richard Berent, Side by Side by Sondheim features a young, energetic company comprised of musical theatre veterans boasting extensive Broadway, national tour, New York and Los Angeles theatrical credits: Jenny Ashman (fresh from her run as Joanna in Chandler Studio Theatre’s recent Sweeney Todd), Jennifer Blake (The Donkey Show Off Broadway, Mary Magdalene in the Attic Theatre’s smash production of Jesus Christ Superstar), Morgan Duke (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, Academy for Classical Acting, Washington DC), Nick Sarando (Broadway workshop Summer of ’42 and NYC Fringe Festival Shadow People) and Joe Donohoe (Broadway national tour of Rent). James Carey and Brian Shnipper serve as Producing Artistic Director and Artistic Director, respectively, of the Attic Theatre & Film Center.

Side by Side by Sondheim will run March 12 through April 17 with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 1-323-525-0661 or via online at www.attictheatre.org/tickets. The theatre is equipped with wheelchair/handicap access and concessions are available prior to curtain and during intermission.

The Attic Theatre & Film Center (www.attictheatre.org) is located at 5429 W. Washington Boulevard (between Hauser and Fairfax). There is parking on the street in front of the theatre.

ABOUT THE ATTIC THEATRE:

The Attic Theatre Conservatory, Inc. is a California non-profit corporation formed in 1995 to establish an ensemble acting company based on excellence, to help develop new plays and voices for the theatre, and use live theatre as an educational tool to develop new audiences. To those ends, the Conservatory sponsors the Attic Theatre Ensemble now in its 24th year and a national playwriting contest for new one-act plays, The Denise Ragan Wiesnemyer One Act Festival, now in its 20th season. Also the Conservatory offers classes and workshops year round to develop those new artistic voices and plays. In 2003 a film division was added to screen and produce short films thus inaugurating The Attic Theatre and Film Center.