Interesting that the Fresh Prince “mansion” (above) still looks the same as it did on TV 20 years ago, but somehow, the word “mansion” no longer accurately fits the bill with all of the architectural wonder homes  which now surround this most famous house in the neighborhood. Also, the “mansion” remains one of the few homes that is not hidden behind tall gates or trees, or both.


Tonight, I was invited to an exclusive reception held on the grounds of one of the estates in this community to celebrate the launch of Bel-Air Magazine. Bel-Air Magazine has a mission to “engage, inform, and inspire [their] readers with an array of topics that reflect their interests, including art, design, film, fashion, entertaining…” explains Publisher Rick Armor.  “What will set Bel-Air Magazine apart is [a] focus on the philanthropy and social consciousness of this unique community. Our magazine will spotlight different charities each month to bring attention to the important causes that the residents of Bel-Air champion.”


With that motto in full gear, tonight’s festivities centered not only on celebrating the Magazine, but also on honoring local medical specialists who dedicate their lives to improving the quality of life for children. The event held a silent auction of items donated by local artists and designers, with all proceeds supporting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Mingling or located among the hundreds of guests, were card magicians, musicians, designers, women on stilts, photographers, open bars, appetizers, and donated art items every where one looked. The residence hosting the party seemed more like a country club than a place real people live in, situated on acres of open grounds overlooking the City of Los Angeles. I never made it inside the residence for fear that I would not want to go back home. 


The evening was a bit dampened by the fact that we had to park very far from the event site and it took a good hour to stand in line for the shuttle from the parking lot to the top of the hill where the party was located. So, by the time I arrived at the party with two of my friends, two hours after it had started, we felt out of place and way too tired to enjoy all that was going on.

By the time we got to the party, most of the food was gone and no recognizable celebrities were around for me to report on. I was told Sylverster Stallone’s brother and “a guy with big ears that looks famous” were there, but no one else that my readers would be interested in were supposedly there. 


So, my friends and I did a quick look around and headed back to the line for the shuttle buses to head back to our cars 30 minutes after we arrived. It was then that I noticed a magician doing card tricks for a very distinguished blonde woman. Took me a while to recognize that the woman was Cheryl Tiegs, the supermodel from the 1970’s before there were even supermodels. She was also the spokesperson for Cover Girl makeup and landed the coveted cover of several Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. So, it was a thrill to see her still looking stunning in her 60’s. I took a picture with her, but we were both way too tired for a chat. I apologize readers that is all I have to offer you all: just a pic of the two of us. But, i think the woman on stilts smiling behind us is pretty damn cool material. Update: Awesome. My friend who had invited me to the event just told me the very first two guys she introduced me to when I first arrived at the event had produced a few small little movies you may have heard of: The Twilight Series and Alice In Wonderland. Awesome. I had no idea who they were at the time I met them. Oh well. It’s not like I ever would want to get a step closer to meeting Johnny Depp or Robert Pattinson. Nope. Not I. Especially not right before the premiere of Eclipse.