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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 08
Monday, October 8, 2007
Stevie Wonder encore at Philips on Nov. 1
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Given that his recent Chastain concert sold out instantly, R&B icon Stevie Wonder is heading back to Atlanta for an encore. On Nov. 1, the singer/songwriter is due back for a gig at Philips Arena downtown.
Tickets priced at $97, $77 and $47 will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at livenation.com and ticketmaster.com or — if you wanna get as old school as some of the classic tunes in Wonder’s repertoire on this tour — the Philips box office as well. For info, call 404- 249-6400 or go to www.steviewonder.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Abdul gets Billy B touch-up during Perimeter W stop
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Celebrity makeup artist Billy B had a surprise model in the house when his “American Beauty Tour” plunked its blush brush down the Perimeter W hotel on Sunday. Sitting discreetly in the back of the ballroom? Fan and “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul.
In town for “Idol” business, Abdul, long a fan of the Aberdeen, Miss., native’s work on Sharon Stone, Beyonce, Pink, Mary J. Blige and other A-listers, had initially tried to get into the $145 session to no avail.
“They kept hanging up on her!” attendee and Buckhead businesswoman Aida Perez Flamm told Buzz on Monday. “They didn’t believe it was really Paula Abdul. Can you imagine?”
Abdul happily complied when Billy B asked her to strike a pose as his model. The makeup artist, who works in Los Angeles and New York (and is the owner of numerous restored Victorian homes in Aberdeen), then proceeded to remove all of Abdul’s makeup.
The “Straight Up” singer had one request for the crowd of about 25 onlookers: Please, no picture-taking while she was sans makeup.
“She told us, ‘I don’t want to end up on Tmz.com looking like this! ’ ” explained Flamm.
After she was properly glamorized, however, Abdul happily posed for the flashing digital and cell cameras.
“She was absolutely lovely,” Flamm said. “Everyone had a great time with her.”
Flamm and Abdul hit it off so well Flamm invited her back to her posh Buckhead home for a small informal reception for Billy B where guests noshed on shrimp and grits, corn stuffing and jambalaya from Avenue Catering while Marc Anthony blasted from the stereo system.
Abdul graciously declined the invitation, saying she’d rather take in a quiet movie on her day off from “Idol” duties.
Carter on Sudan, Iran and marriage
Former President Jimmy Carter turned up early on the set of “Good Morning America” Monday to promote his new book, “Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope” (Simon and Schuster, $26), a tome commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Atlanta-based Carter Center’s work here and around the globe. The Plains Sunday school teacher discussed his eventful recent visit to Sudan with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and gamely discussed why he chose diplomacy with Iran over issuing a military strike during the 1979 hostage crisis.
Carter also said he was pleased with the Democrats running in the current presidential race, stating that any of the candidates would “do a much better job than is currently being done.”
When “GMA” correspondent Chris Cuomo ended the segment by congratulating Carter on his 61-year marriage to wife Rosalynn, Carter grinned and quickly added: “And that’s to the same woman, by the way.”
The unexpected aside generated guffaws from even the crankiest of cameramen on the “GMA” set.
Esquire award puts Trois on serious list
Trois owner Bob Amick and chef Jeremy Lieb were in New York on Monday to pick up some serious hardware for the year-old, three-floor Midtown eatery: Trois has been named one of the country’s best new restaurants by Esquire magazine. The selections were to be announced by Esquire food critic John Mariani Monday night at Anthos restaurant on West 52nd street. The results will be published in the mag’s upcoming November issue.
“It’s great not only for us but for the city of Atlanta to have national recognition like this,” Amick told Buzz Monday from NYC. “But I don’t necessarily think this automatically results in a long reservations list tomorrow. It’s more about building a solid résumé with us.”
So, how does Amick, the co-creator behind One Midtown Kitchen, Two Urban Licks and Piebar, feel about suddenly being labeled a “serious restaurateur?”
Explained Amick: “I’m serious about every concept that we do. While I’m proud that Trois is being perceived as a ‘serious restaurant,’ I also don’t see a problem with having fun when you eat.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I didn’t cry over the other people leaving, only you.”
— “The View” co-host Joy Behar to former co-worker and current “Today” show co-anchor Meredith Vieira as she returned to the ABC chat show as a guest Monday. Since Vieira’s exit, the show has also seen the er, not-so-quiet exits of Star Jones Reynolds and Rosie O’Donnell.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Jackson Browne is 59. Actor Robert Wuhl (“Arli$$”) is 56. Manager-TV personality Sharon Osbourne (“The Osbournes”) is 55. Actor Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”) is 54. Country singer Gary Bennett (BR549) is 43. Singer Sean Lennon is 32. Actor Tyler James Williams (“Everybody Hates Chris”) is 15.
Contributing: News services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Invitations help get the party started
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta knows how to party. Some of the invitations that come to the AJC are as pricey as they are memorable.
So we thought we’d share several of the more elaborate invites we’ve received during the past several months. Here goes …
In March, a private notice arrived for a 50th birthday party for Usher’s mother, Jonetta Patton. The long sleeve was a rich, beige heavy stock of papyrus-like paper. The engraving was gold cursive with a gold dot stamp sealing the fold. Inside, a rectangular box continued the elegant papyrus texture and gold/beige color. It opened to silky fabric cradling a marvelous scroll. The things we won’t do for mom. …
We also liked Atlanta Peach’s recent party invite for the relaunch of Lenox Square’s Luxury Wing — featuring Calvin Klein, True Religion, Zara and Diesel — that came etched onto a clear 10-by-3-inch plastic plaque. Unique and classy.
We received a divine wedding invitation in July. Eric Snow of the Cleveland Cavaliers and his wife, De Shawn, renewed their vows after 10 years of marriage. The couple lives part-time in Alpharetta with their three boys between game seasons. The invitation was an elegant cream and gold with “ESD” embossed on the front. It opened to a glossy photo montage of the couple at the altar, at leisure and a shot of their wedding bands. How was it packaged? Inside a gift bag of Godiva chocolates, no less.
To get into Young Jeezy’s private birthday party at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, you needed his specially designed black American Express card invite. Fly and totally hip-hop.
All the way from Los Angeles, a black alligator skin-like box from Hennessy opened to an engraved, heavy, metal plaque cushioned by velvety foam. It was for a private party at Paramount Studios with Pharrell Williams and Fall Out Boy. Funky, contemporary and totally hip. Hate Buzz will have to miss that one.
Obviously, grabbing attention is the name of the game. Celebs and companies oftentimes hire high-powered marketing firms to go all out, because invitations act as the initial contact and set the tone for an event. When done right, their creativity and ingenuity screams “You must be here. Not there, here!”
How to grab attention on a short budget (besides the proverbial E-vite, which Buzz swears by)? Rachel Roe of Paper Affair at Perimeter Mall says try vellum paper. It’s a specialty translucent stock that adds richness and class to invites at a low cost, she says.
One recommendation for the season, Roe notes, is to incorporate fall colors into the invite. “Brown is a hot fall color,” the sales associate says, and collecting leaves, letting dry for a couple days, and spray-mounting between two sheets of clear vellum paper is a creative and cheap way to perk up an invite.
Mikala Johnson of Swoozies in Midtown’s Brookwood Shopping Center says try layering colors. “It’s what’s popular now. Putting an invite atop a different-color background gives it pop.” She also says punching a hole in the top center and tying a bow can perk up an average invite. “Letters in a bottle are a fun, inexpensive way to go. For small parties, try hand-delivering invites in a gift bag stuffed with raffia paper,” she says. “It’s more personal.”
Save up to savor next Taste of Atlanta
Taste of Atlanta is gearing up Oct. 13-14 at Atlantic Station. It’s when 70 of the city’s savviest and best-known restaurants show their chops and parade their culinary prowess. Watch out for Ted Allen (of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” fame) and super chef Rocco DiSpirito as they perform cooking demonstrations. College Park chef and former “Hell’s Kitchen” contestant Julia Williams also will be on hand to show what she’s made of. Buzz got the scoop on some of the restaurants and the goodies they’re planning to serve (subject to change):
Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante — Burrata cheese, Escarole soup, gnocchi with oxtail and veal ragu
Emeril’s — Bloody Mary and lump crabmeat shooter, mini banana cream pie
No Mas! Cantina — Taco de pescado with jicama coleslaw, Pollo Relleno with cilantro mashed potatoes
Sweet Auburn Bread — Sweet potato cheesecake, red velvet presso cupcakes, hot water gingerbread with lemon sauce
Oprah loves book by Nobel laureate Oprah has announced her new Book Club selection! It’s called “Love in the Time of Cholera.” It’s a love story by Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
“If you love love, this book is the best love story ever,” the talk show host said Friday on her show.
Winfrey also noted that a film adaptation of the book is scheduled for November release. The movie starring Javier Bardem and Benjamin Bratt was directed by Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”).
OVERSCENE
“Project Runway” runner-up Mychael Knight chatting with other fashionistas at Lenox Square’s Luxury Wing private opening party
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS Actor-comedian Chevy Chase is 64. Actress Sigourney Weaver is 58. Singer CeCe Winans is 43. Actor Matt Damon is 37. Actor Nick Cannon (“Drumline”) is 27. Contributing: News services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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