Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Recap - It's All The Rage

If you were to ask me, last Sunday, what the single most absurd moment of my life was, I would have answered with the time I was in a wheelchair, naked from the waist down with only a paper wrapper for modesty, being pushed into the ER at Hoag Hospital, all the while, making calls to my husband and father... it's a long story.

Fortunately, Monday night brought a new and decidedly happier zenith of absurdity to my life and that would be:  walking the red carpet.

Imagine the scene:  paparazzi everywhere, flashbulbs exploding, celebrities, an actual red carpet... so glamorous right?  Maybe I can pass myself off as a plus size model??  Or, maybe I can set one patent leather peep-toe pump on said red carpet, smile broadly and watch as 20 or so photographers don't even bother to glance my way... there is a great lesson in humility there...  much like a tree falling in an empty wood, if a nobody walks the red carpet, is the red carpet even there?

I immediately text my husband with the following message:  I am the Prom Queen of Loserville.

And then helped myself to a glass of wine.

Lest you get the wrong idea, it was very fun and something I am glad I got a chance to do... unlike my fellow bloggers, the darling Sarah of Hollywood Flakes and the chic and very-L.A. Liz, I did not take a photo of my feet on the carpet and I am sorry I didn't... it would have been the center of next year's Christmas card.

As usual, I am getting ahead of myself... I arrived in L.A. at 5 on the dot, to the very chic and very swanky W Hotel in Westwood... overdressed in a hotter than hell Michael Kors tunic top with heavy trouser jeans because my original outfit of white linen pants with a Pucci inspired blouse had a run in with a cup of coffee less than 25 minutes into my journey necessitating a quick jaunt home for a change and, as I only have 2 "going out" ensembles, I ended up looking stupid and being hot.

I digress.  

Events of the Heart is an organization founded by Pamela Serure and Carolyn Isenberg following Pamela's heart attack and eventual triple bypass.  Pamela was a Hollywood health guru - the "Juicer" to the stars. Devoted to yoga and organic eating, full of energy, she was the last person you would expect to have a heart attack.  But she did.  And through her experience she learned that 44% of women will be diagnosed with heart disease, most of them when they arrive by ambulance, most of them dead, to the hospital.  

Pamela and Carolyn have devoted themselves to raising women's awareness about heart disease and have recently partnered with Metamucil to reach more people with their life saving information.

Metamucil, as anyone who has every been near a pregnant woman
 knows, is full of fiber and helps keep a body regular... but, studies prove that fiber does more than keep your insides clean, it also lowers your cholesterol and in lowering your cholesterol you lower your risk for a cardiac event.

Metamucil has a 30 day challenge up on their website... the numbers are significant and I would encourage everyone, especially those with a family history of heart disease, to give it a try and watch your cholesterol drop.

Brenda Strong, most recently of Deperate Housewives fame, but forever beloved as Sue Ellen Mischke by my Uncle Ed, has partnered up with Events of the Heart and Metamucil as an Ambassador for Heart Health.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time chatting with Brenda (I think it was supposed to be a formal interview as well as about 5 minutes, but, we had such a nice time talking, she is so lovely and easy to speak with, that I sort of ignored the guidelines) about heart health, being a mother, infertility, yoga and womanhood.  And, although I really wanted to, I managed not to pet her and murmur, "You're so pretty" over and over again... 

Instead of asking some of the good questions you good people suggested, I copped to being wayyy out of my league and we ended up just talking the way you would with anyone at a party... she told me about her mother's stroke and how sad it was that she (her mom) couldn't be the grandmother she wanted to be...I told her about my surgery and Jack's surgery and she educated me a bit about yoga as well as her passion for healthy living (again, I'm with the links, but Brenda has an informative and  interesting website).    

Then it was off to The Event itself which brings us to the red carpet, good wine, and nice conversation with a personal trainer named Maria.

The show was a series of one acts... each written by a person affected by heart disease;  from patients to survivor's children to doctors and performed by actors representing some of the best of Hollywood - Eva Longoria, Markie Post, Stephen Collins, Kathleen Madigan, Judy Gold, Holland Taylor (squee!  I love her!), Dana Delany, Jeffrey Tambor, Alex Kapp Horner, and AnnaLynne McCord, and, of course, Brenda Strong who told Pamela's story.

And it was so good!  I laughed and I cried and maybe I ended with a song (in my heart people, a song in my heart)... but please, don't become one of the stories... stay healthy my Internet friends.

Me and Sue Ellen Mischke

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't have time to read the recap just yet, but great photo of you and Brenda Strong!

Maris

Anonymous said...

You look GREAT!!!

Kristin said...

Oh Jen, there are several photos of me from me that night which show just how unflattering that ensemble really was... but, in this picture, it looks ok.

j.sterling said...

omg, i LOVE this picture! you look awesome! have my babies?
are you coming to b-her08?

Kristin said...

Jennster - I might seriously consider going to Blogher if you promise to grab my ass... I've been jealous for years of those party pics!

Jill said...

A) You look awesome

B) I am so jealous


C) Give me those sunglasses!

Tori said...

This is a great picture K...

You look fabulous...

Damn...I wish I had come now!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like it was a great night. Do you know if it will be playing in other venues?

S.

Kristin said...

CDJ - the sunglasses are the secret to not having to delete every photo...

Tori - But noooo, you had to do a timeline and fight with your husband...

S. - I don't know about further dates, but I will certainly post any information of that kind on my blog.

Grim Reality Girl said...

GREAT photo of you :-) Thanks for bringing attention to women's heart health. I relate. I was 34 when we discovered my congenital heart defect. I'm lucky to be here. Awareness is key.

Kristin said...

Grim Reality - Thank goodness you are one of the lucky ones.. there is so little research on women and heart disease; it's important for all of us to know our blood pressure, cholesterol level, family history and the warning signs!

carrie said...

Look at YOU! You are a star!

I am glad you were there to be a part of something so important so you could share it all with us!

Unknown said...

Carrie, my friend - It's 1:30 in the morning... get some sleep!

Pendullum said...

Look how beautiful you are!!!!
This post came at the perfect time...
A good friend of mine's husband is fighting high cholesterol...Rarely eats meat, Omega 3 out the ying yang,healthy, healthy lifestyle and they are facing the possibility of lipodore(SP?) as a pill he will have to take for the rest of his life...And they really do not want to go down that avenue but the cholesterol is just rising like a demon...
I will mention this to them...
Thanks Kristin!!!!

Pollyanna said...

Plus size model? PLEAZ....give me a break.

Which one of you is the movie star??? You are beautiful darling.

And I am really glad they invited you, cuz, as I say in every comment to you, you rock.

Shelley said...

You look gorgeous!

And I had to laugh ...Sue Ellen Mischke! Rich loved that character. ;)

So glad you had a good time.

Kevin Charnas said...

Kristin...that pic?? Holy shit, woman.

HHAAWWWTTTTT...

sizzle-sizzle-sizzle...

Sorry about the coffee encounter.

the event sounds awesome. very cool.

However, if I find out that you came up here over Spring Break and didn't call???

There's gonna be trouble, girlfriend.

Los said...

Funny thing is, I wouldn't have thought to take a picture of my feet on the red carpet either, and would've been kicking myself afterwards.

Great pic, by the way!

Kristin said...

Carrie - I thought the same thing as Mama!

Pend - your friends story is scarily similar to Pamela's.. healthy and doing everything right, yet still affected.

Jodi - Thanks, honey! ;-) But seriously, those actresses are nothing but SKINNY!

Shell - Rich and my Uncle Ed... and actually, my dad!

Kevin - I didn't go anywhere over Spring Break... we opted for lame and boring... and I could never come your way and not called you... all I want to do is get liquored up with you and Will!

Los - I know! It was such a good idea and I wish I had a)thought of it & b)done it!

Anonymous said...

OMG, I thought you looked fabulous! I wish they'd had valet; then you would have been with us for the foot pic. :)

So nice to meet you!

Gracencameronsmomy said...

You look awsome! You would not be a "plus size model"!!

Jason, as himself said...

You are gorgeous! What a great event.

Rach said...

Wow, good information. Can I ask, what put Pamela at risk if she was so healthy?

Kristin said...

Liz - it was great to meet you as well, and I know - I still think it's weird there was no valet!

Lisa - Listen, compared to Eva Longoria I am Sheena, Queen of the Amazons, so I am lucky to even try and pull off Plus Size Model... those celebs are tiny!

Jason - thank you!!

Rach - she didn't know her numbers! Like so many "healthy" women, she didn't worry about her cholesterol because she wasn't an eater of much red meat or dairy or a big drinker... in fact, she was very into fasting and cleansing... but her cholesterol issues were genetic and not something that she could handle on her own. She had seen her doctor for exhaustion and nausea, but had been dismissed and told to get some rest and take it easy!

Rach said...

Good to know! You look beautiful by the way (don't be hard on yourself, you're very glam!)

rubyiscoming said...

Can I be pres of your fan club? :)

BOSSY said...

Bossy feels like a celebrity by proxy. Not only does she know you, but consumes Metamucil every day!

http://www.iambossy.com/i_am_bossy/2008/02/come-live-bossy.html

Damselfly said...

I'm glad at least someone gets to live it up!

Happy Mother's Day!

Anonymous said...

I'm going to start wearing my sunglasses every time I walk the red carpet, just in case.

you look adorable, even in your backup outfit.

BOSSY said...

Bossy is back to say she loves you. Every minute of every day.

ditzymoi said...

Kristin you are simply gorgeous :)

I haven't been around much but I wanted to say I think of you often, I hope you heal from your fall & I'm worried about you? .... and I am saying a prayer for your friends son

Take care *big hugs*