Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > March
March 2006
Are you seeing ‘Basic Instinct 2’?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Are you going to see “Basic Instinct 2?” Do you think Sharon Stone, now 48 with two kids, looks as good now as she did in the original flick? Or should another, younger actress have replaced her?
Writes Bob Ivry of Knight Ridder News Service: “It used to be, starlets of a certain age mellowed into more sedate roles or hid their advancing decrepitude from culture vultures by vanishing altogether from the screen. Stone, ever the brazen iconoclast, appears without clothing in “Basic Instinct 2.” She goes full frontal.”
Mood music for pandas
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Zoo Atlanta can’t accuse Dave FM midday personality Mara Davis of not doing her part to help with a giant panda pregnancy as Lun Lun and Yang Yang approach maximum opportunity this week. On Thursday’s Radio Free Lunch, hosted by Davis, she held her second annual “Music to Get the Pandas in the Mood” set. What song would you play to get a panda in the mood?
Are you a Trader Joe’s fan and why?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A new grocery store is moving in — Trader Joe’s — known for gourmet food at lower prices than many competitors. With so many transplants living here, it’s likely Joe’s is familiar to many metro Atlantans. Are you a Joe’s junkie and why?
Are you feeling gas price pain?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gas prices are back up this week, making us long for those sub $2 days in late 2005. Triple-A says the average for regular gasoline in Atlanta is $2.34, up 18 cents from a month ago. Triple-A cited increasing spring travel and tensions abroad for the surge. Are you changing your driving habits again?
And the best Irish pub is …..
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With St. Patrick’s Day coming, Irish pubs take on a special glow. So what’s the best one in town (or around)? And what makes it great — the brew or the crew?
• Been to Ireland? Tell the world
Elton John throws heavyweight party
5 carat earrings, stars & 10-pound goody bags
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
West Hollywood, Calif—At its star-studded height early today more than 2,000 invited guests sang along to “Rocket Man” at Sir Elton John’s 14th annual Oscar party benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
On stage, pop star John Legend and the Peachtree Road resident himself, blinged out with gem-encrusted eyeglasses, diamond necklaces and a hypnotizing five-carat emerald cut earring, banged away on his trademark Red Piano while performing a duet for the formally attired crowd.
In the audience, singer Macy Gray swayed along as heiress Paris Hilton played tonsil hockey with her latest boy toy. But even with the likes of teen queen Lindsey Lohan, Donatella Versace, Patty Hearst and John Waters in the VIP lounge, the originator of the A-list Oscar party never let anyone forget the reason they were under the chic blue and chocolate-hued circular tent at the Pacific Design Center.
“Because of you,” John told the crowd, grinning, ” we’ve raised more money tonight than at any other Oscar night party.”
The evening raised about $3 million for the non-profit, up from 1.3 million in 2005.
For Atlantans and staunch foundation supporters Drs. Jeffrey and Nancy Gallups, hair salon owner Richie Arpino, Midtown restaurateur Mitchell Anderson and Elton John Aids Foundation-Atlanta board member Barron Segar, the eight-plus hour party became a lesson in pacing one’s self.
Beginning at 4 p.m. Pacific time, after guests navigated through police barricades out front and flashed a photo ID to party organizers, the designer labeled crowd were painstakingly fawned over til the wee hours of Monday morning.
Attendees like “Will & Grace” star Eric McCormack, “Today” show weatherman Al Roker, Ozzy And Sharon Osbourne, Pamela Anderson, Tab Hunter, Tim Allen and others were served a luscious four-course salmon, filet and risotto dinner as they viewed the Oscars on a dozen massive flat-screen televisions around the room.
John and his partner David Furnish visited every table and chatted with nearly every one of the 540 guests.
Popping in at Table 32 where the Gallups and the other Atlantans were seated, John told the AJC: “It’s always extremely touching to me to see so many Atlantans here. Each year, the number seems to grow. For me, it’s very gratifying to see so many familiar faces from the city I call home. Their support is very important to me.”
For Segar and the other EJAF board members present, the record-amount of money raised Sunday night was heartening.
“Now more than ever, fund-raising is an ongoing challenge,” said Segar. “With the spiking statistics we’re seeing with new HIV infections in the South, a lot of this money will be going toward new initiatives in Atlanta and its surrounding states. It’s because of Elton’s continuing commitment that we’re seeing tonight’s record amount of money being raised.”
Sharon Osbourne concurred.”Elton is the single reason that I can get Ozzy to come to this,” she told the AJC. “He simply adores him.”
As always, John’s Oscar night bash was a celebrity magnet. “Basic Instinct” actress Sharon Stone successfully bid $170,000 for the piano that the singer-songwriter played on.
“The Office” actors John Krasinski and B.J. Novak milled about as former “Queer As Folk” co-stars Scott Lowell and Peter Paige held a mini reunion. “The Shield” actress CCH Pounder and “NYPD Blue” actor Henry Simmons looked for a few partying perps to prosecute.
Former “Lost” crash victim, actor Ian Somerhalder was looking to get, well, lost with one of the leggy supermodels circling him all evening.
Winter Olympics gold medalist Apollo Anton Ohno was also a hit with female attendees despite his “he looks taller on TV” five-foot height.
Singer Michael Bolton and “Desperate Housewives” gal pal Nichollette Sheridan stayed busy talking to friends at the bar.
Bolton recalled singing at Coretta Scott King’s memorial in Georgia last month. “I hated having to be there because it meant this great lady was gone,” Bolton said. “But it was amazing day to be a part of. Nichollette was also very moved by the tribute. It was an honor to participate.”
As Sunday became Monday and stars like Jessica Simpson (sans estranged hubby Nick Lachey) and actress Charlize Theron continued to stroll into the posh bash, the Atlantans booked on a Monday flight back to Georgia were focused on other matters as they awaited their limos.
Chief among them? How to pack the hefty 10-pound complimentary EJAF Oscar Party gift bags every departing guest received.
Lugging his and his wife’s gift bags, Jeffrey Gallups allowed, “You always know you’ve been to one of Elton’s parties when you can bench-press the goody bag.”
Oscars: Who was hot … and not?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whose Oscar attire was stunning? Whose was stinking? Have your say, but keep it clean.
