Come With Me Into the Secret Room Celebrity Gifting Suite

This is but a sampling of the glorious gifts taken him by attendees at the Secret Room celebrity gifting suite for the 2015 Golden Globes.

Sure I see celebrities almost every day and am constantly invited to tour their designer mansions. Don’t hate me for that. Hate me for the fact that just prior to every major awards ceremony I’m invited to the prestigious Secret Room Style Lounge, a celebrity gifting suite extraordinaire, held in a luxurious hotel, where I, along with all the stars du jour, am introduced to remarkable products that we might not get to see anywhere else. The creators and designers of  clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, tech devices, home goods, food items, beverages of all types and more gather in this Secret Room, in hopes that the stars will be photographed with their products, and that people like me will write about them. The most recent Secret Room celebrity gifting suite held in correspondence with the 2015 Golden Globes, had so many great products, I hardly know where to begin.

Jason Ritter of Parenthood posed with what were probably the most unusual items of all from Belli Vita: Glass bowls molded around the cast of a woman’s pregnant tummy.

How about the most unusual item? It takes a lot to surprise me, so when I saw the Belli Vita display, my first impression was that the attractive and colorful large, blown glass bowls would make ideal wedding gifts. Then I was informed that the vessels had a secret: each one was molded from a woman’s pregnant belly. Yes, now you can commemorate your pregnancy with your own custom belly bowl. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, a Belli Vita artist will come to your home and make a cast, and if you live elsewhere, you can buy a self-casting kit, then send it in and they’ll either make a porcelain or glass bowl from the cast. You have to admit, it’s unique.

Sean Kanan Young of The Young and the Restless was happy to take home a sample of Kathy Fielder’s luxurious faux fur pillows and throws, as was I.

Appealing to my softer side were the fabulous faux fur vests, throws and pillows from Home Designer Kathy Fielder, who sources the finest materials then cuts and sews most of the products right here in the USA. The were so luscious I wanted to to cuddle up and take a nap right then and there in the Secret Room. She also has full, luxurious lines of bedding, scarves, clutches and even skin care. I was happy to hear that I could find her products are available in many department stores and boutiques, but also at KathyFielder.com.

Designer Stella Carakasi gave away pieces of her stylish, edgy collection.

Appealing to my stylish side (What? Of course I have one!) were the luxurious, low maintenance, classic separates from Stella Carakasi. They’re self described as clothes for “real women who want to look beautiful, sexy and a little edgy. Effortless, evolved and elevated casual dressing. Always authentic.” Oooh! Me! Me! I want to be that woman! Considering what I currently have in my closet, I wanted to throw it all out (except for the Diane VonFurstenbergs and Lululemons) and replace it all with Stella Carakasi designs, because then I’d be able to wake up in the morning, grab any two or three pieces and throw them on, and know I’d look chic. I was given a  cotton/Tencel® sweater in a color they call cameo but I call bisque, and since then I’ve only taken it off to shower, sleep and go to the Critics Choice Awards. I’m not kidding. My husband wishes I was.

There was an interesting take on clothes for the little ones there as well, in the form of a new company called Moxie Jean, voted the #1 site for online resale. It’s a site for very upscale children’s clothing resellers that provides a curated, stylish selection of like-new kids’ clothes at consignment sale prices, from Newborn to size 14. Knowing how fast little bodies grow (I just got a puppy) I could see how Moxie Jean could make life a lot easier and less expensive for moms with young children. Who knows? That adorable little dress you get from Moxie Jean could have belonged to a celebrity baby!

Actor Neil McDounagh and all five of his kids were blown away with the latest Mountain Buggy innovation.

Also for the little ones was the innovative Mountain Buggy, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere else. Actor Neil McDounagh (Suits, Captain America, Star Trek) who was at the Secret Room Events Style Lounge with all five of his kids, ought to know a good stroller when he sees one, and this blew us all away. Mountain Buggys’ latest innovation is a light weight but heavy duty model that easily folds up to be about the size of a backpack, and easily fits into an overhead compartment! Find them in most stores where strollers are sold, and also online at retailers like Amazon.

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There are always a number of skin and hair care systems at these events–I probably receive enough rejuvenating lotions and potions to age me backwards into my 20’s, a good ten years ago, but I was particularly impressed with those from Derma E, the vitamin-rich, high-performance antioxidant skincare products that really make a difference, and RX clinical Cosmeceaticals–I particularly like their cleansing products. And I love the nourishing sunscreens from MD Complete by Dr. Brian Zelickson.

Edibles are also popular in the Secret Room, and among my favorites this year were the DelGrosso pasta sauces (I’ll be serving their Uncle Joe’s Vodka Celebration Sauce to dinner guests from now on, and claiming it as my own secret recipe). I also loved the Big Slice kettle cooked apple pouches, which come in colorful, squishy packages and are combined with other fruits like peaches, mangos, boysenberries, pineapple, passion fruit — even hemp seeds, for a little added protein. They’re supposed to be eaten with a fork for a snack on the go, but I like adding them to oatmeal in the morning, for a little extra zing — especially from the one with raspberry, hibiscus, and green coffee extract.

In addition to the products on display, guests at the Secret Room celebrity gifting suite also receive large bags absolutely packed with goodies, and some of the items in there that I like best may not be so glamorous, but they’re things I’m absolutely over-the-moon to receive, like the thermal socks known as Heat Holders, the Skeeter Screen Patio Egg Mosquito Diffuser from ScentShop.com, and The Best Deoderant in the World, (it really is!) which is organic and vegan, if that sort of thing matters to you.

Now, the Secret Room celebrity gifting suite is not just about acquiring great new stuff, but it also serves to bring awareness to different worthy causes. This time Hope For Paws was featured. The organization rescues animals in desperate need throughout California and the US, and is known for their heart-breaking and heart-warming videos.

So, as part of my coverage of the Golden Globes I get to bring attention to a worthy cause, rub shoulders with celebs, and try really amazing new products? Truly, I do understand if you hate me…just a little…