BallantinesPR

Rebirth of the Salon: The Hotel Shangri-La’s Tamie Adaya 
brings together artists, musicians, writers and others 
to revise the lost art of the salon.

Santa Monica, California, March 19, 2010 – Tamie Adaya, the dynamo behind the $30 million renovation of Santa Monica’s historic Hotel Shangri-La, is known throughout the city for her accomplishments as a businesswoman, hotelier, music entrepreneur… as well as a wife and mother. She is also quickly gaining a reputation as a hostess for unique gatherings of the best and brightest.

Like her inspiration, Madame de Pompadour the 18th century courtesan and mistress to Louis XV who used her position at court to assemble France’s greatest artists and intellectuals at her table, Tamie has organized salons which have included artists, stylists, jewelers, fashion designers, entertainment execs, musicians, singers, painters, authors, filmmakers… a potpourri of great minds and talents whose intense interactions have sometimes lasted well into the early morning.

“Salons are a vehicle for creativity and ideas,” she says, “a good host or hostess creates the right blend of personalities and vocations to create an experience for all the guests that will either educate or amuse. Shangri-La is the perfect Salon venue because it is already a gathering place for thinkers, tastemakers and influencers and widely recognized as an institution for being an international destination for sophisticates. ”

Tamie’s magic touch reflects in all her endeavors. Many years ago she had a vision to bring back the golden age of Hollywood by restoring the 1939 landmark Hotel Shangri-La that her father acquired in 1983. “I want Hotel Shangri-La to be a place where you can indulge your senses with a little bit of debauchery and decadence,” she says, poised regally behind a massive oak desk in her fabulous pink and leopard skin print office at the Shangri-La. “This is where Hollywood fantasies actually come to life.”

Tamie is truly a local-girl-makes-good. The Santa Monica native and UCLA graduate founded So Sweet Records in 2007. In June 2009 her label hosted a festival stage at the annual Electric Daisy Carnival. So Sweet Records stage guests included Simian Mobile Disco, Major Lazer, Boys Noize, Le Castle Vania, DJ AM and other famous names in the electro-pop music world. Attendance records were shattered as 140,000 fans showed for the festival, the biggest electronic dance festival outside of Europe.

Nevertheless, family values have played a huge role in shaping Tamie’s career and philosophy. Growing up the youngest of six children, she was taught by her parents to always put family first. The success of this philosophy is evidenced by the close and unique relationship she enjoys with her three handsome sons. Despite the differences in their ages, she and her boys have many of the same interests and love spending time together.

“The secret to being a successful career woman and family person is to realize that you can have it all but just not all at the same time,” she advises. “Life progresses in stages and to be successful you have to honor and enjoy each of the different stages of your life and career.”

To schedule an interview with Tamie, please contact:
Kelley Coughlan 
Ballantines PR
Kelley@ballantinespr.com
Tel: 310 454 3080
Cell: 310 570 9970 
Fax: 310 943 1978 
http://www.ballantinespr.com

L.A.’s Premiere Women’s Lifestyle Site SHESEZ
Enters New Phase Of Growth

Linda Grasso Linda with Correspondent Linleigh Richker Linda with the Bellarina scarf models Linda with Flying Pans chefs Ron Oliver and Bernard Guillas

Los Angeles, CA, March 11, 2010 – The LA-based women’s lifestyles website, SheSez.com is celebrating a new phase of unprecedented growth. Not only are the site’s numbers up 48% over this time last year, SheSez has kicked off a weekly newsletter and an ecommerce venture that utilizes video to showcase products, allowing them to sell the hottest, most sought after items in California at discounted prices.

SheSez is helmed by well-known on-air personality and lifestyles expert, Linda Grasso, formerly of E! Entertainment Television. “I wanted to create a website for women of style and substance with curated information on great living – with a California flair. To me, that means the fluff we love – fashion & beauty – combined with the gravitas we need – issues like trying to reinvent your career after taking time off to raise children. SheSez delivers interesting, useful, entertaining information to girls like me – whether it’s about an inspirational woman, a great looking necklace or a super healthy new pasta.”

Correspondents, including stylist Linleigh Richker and nutritionist Elissa Goodman, round out SheSez with cutting edge features, often including video, on topics like Growing Heirloom Tomatoes 101 to The Five Foods to Eat in 2010 to Spring’s Best Bargains and Biggest Rip Offs to Cooking with the Chefs of Flying Pans. “Sometimes it’s stuff you need – other times it’s stuff you want. Who doesn’t want to live better? It’s all about sharing, exchanging ideas and incorporating what works for you,” Linda adds.

SheSez now offers 7 product lines for sale including Bellarina Scarves, Michelle Roy jewelry, Rebagz eco-friendly totes, and Eyes of Ruth hobo bags. Delacy Dresses joins the line up in March. As Linda says, “I love fashion as much as the next gal, but price matters. On SheSez you’re always going to find my favorite things at the best prices anywhere.”

“The site offers honest tips on the best salons, boutiques, restaurants, designers and more, debunking myths about overly hyped spots” – Variety Magazine’s Stylephile.com

“SheSez is phenomenal – always two steps ahead of other sites – and an overall great resource” — Julie Pryor, Pryor Events

“I love the videos. Great tips and very entertaining. Linda knows how to explore topics important to women” – Colette Shelton, Network TV Executive

For more information, or to sign up for the newsletter go to
www.shesez.com.

Linda Grasso is available for TV appearances and features.

Contact:
Jenn Deese
jenn@ballantinespr.com
Ballantines PR
London/Los Angeles/Santa Fe/New York
LA Office:
Tel: 310 454 3080
Cell: 314 660 4643
Fax: 310 943 1978
www.ballantinespr.com

Hipsters toast Venice at the spectacular new live/work lofts at Dogtown Station!

Venice Based Burlesque Dance Troop “Je Suis Femme” Bob and Charlotte D’Elia, co-founders of Dogtown Station Charlotte Bjorlin D’Elia’s Spring 2010 Jewelry Collection hors d’oeuvres provided by Venice Hotspot Ado

Venice, CA, March 1, 2010 – LA trendsetters gathered at Dogtown Station Lofts in Venice on Feb 25th for an evening hosted by jeweler Charlotte Bjorlin D’Elia.

Guests from entertainment, fashion and media toured the live/work lofts and enjoyed the playlists of DJ Adam Loom as the sampled hors d’oeuvres from Venice hotspot Ado. A fashion insider found the future home for her office, while a screenwriter left with a custom layout for a live/work space. Celebrating the burgeoning talents of the Venice arts community, the soaring loft space exhibited works by award winning photographer Nicole Giaudrone and up and coming painter Michelle Oppenheimer. Partygoers were also treated to a sultry performance by Venice burlesque troupe Je Suis Femme, who brought down the house.

Dogtown Station, 35 live/work lofts located on Main Street in Venice, is brought to you by the team behind Electric lofts and Venice Art Lofts. Connecting Venice Artlofts to the north with Abbot Kinney to the south, these New York style lofts are creating a SoHo like community at the heart of Venice. Whether used as a creative office, a living space or both, the lofts invite personal adaptation.

Dogtown Station is developed Robert D’Elia, whose team brought Electric lofts and VeniceArtLofts, as well as the visionary adaptive reuse of 1100 Wilshire, downtown Los Angeles.

Dogtown Station works with each loft buyer to realize a custom layout, designed for their specific needs.

http://www.dogtownstation.com/For more information, please contact:
Kelley Coughlan
kelley@ballantinespr.com
Tel: 310.454.3080
Cell: 310 570 9970
Fax: 310 943 1978
www.ballantinespr.com
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