It's Christmas in Nashville

'Tis the season to be jolly! That's right folks, break out the Santa sweaters and fruitcake because this weekend is the Christmas Cottage show in Nashville. I'll be there signing books on Saturday at 10am, but feel free to stop by anytime and sign up to win an awesome prize. Nope, I'm not telling what it is, you have to come. Even if you don't start listening to Christmas music in the heat of August like me, it's a win-win situation : you get your shopping done early AND get to register for a bunch of free stuff. For hours, location, coupons, etc. click here. See you there!

Love Happens

Given my affinity for sappy romantic comedies and long-standing girl crush on Jennifer Aniston, I couldn't wait to see Love Happens. In addition to sparking a discussion between my sister and I about 1) How awesome Jen looked in all those hats, and 2) How people keep said hats from falling off the back of their heads, I thought it was a great story of honesty and redemption. To sum up, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll leave with a hankering for fresh flowers and floppy knit hats.

Inside Vandy

I recently sat down for a great Q&A with the editor of Versus Magazine. Besides being an intelligent, classy and stylish Hepburn herself, Courtney Rogers also wrote a fanastic article defending Hepburn behavior at the college-level. Check it out!

California Dreamin'

My L.A. trip so far has included In-N-Out Burger, Fred Segal, and a taping of Melrose Place. Let's be honest, I could go home right now and be perfectly happy. But, alas, there is still work to be done!

First, if you happen to be in the Land Down Under, tune in this Sunday to Australia's No. 1 rated morning show, Sunrise, to see yours truly discuss How to Be a Hepburn. If you aren't lucky enough to be in Australia this weekend, just stick around here for the video. G'day!

Second, tune your radio in to Hollywood Confidential with Leeza Gibbons next weekend to hear my fun interview with one of Hollywood's legendary hosts. Thanks Leeza!

Lastly, I will be workingworkingworking the rest of the time here, but that doesn't mean we can't still have a little fun. In fact, I took time to do some observing at the observatory overlooking Hollywood.



That's all for now!

My Book, The Movie

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World is currently featured on the My Book, The Movie blog. If you'd like a sneak peek into the big screen potential for the book, be sure to check it out : )

Emmy Recap

Here are, in no particular order, my top three favorite looks from the Emmy's.

1) Heidi Klum. Okay, there is NO ONE ELSE ON THIS PLANET with the ability to be THIS pregnant and look THIS good. It's just not fair. By the time I was that far along in my pregnancy, my cankles were practically lopping over my tennis shoe tops and I occasionally roused myself from the couch to go chug another gallon of chocolate milk while en route to the Taco Bell drive-thru. Oh well.



2) Sandra Oh. It was such a pleasant surprise to see this talented actress in something other than her scrubs that I almost didn't recognize her! In my opinion, this dress was the highlight of the evening. That little belt added a nice, unexpected touch as well. Bravo!



3) Jenna Fischer. As a die-hard Office fan, it's hard for me not to quote every good line she's delivered over the course of the past five seasons, but for your sake, I'll spare you. I will say, however, that this is undoubtedly the best she's ever looked. She just keeps getting better! "Oh, I am saying a lot of things..." Sorry, I couldn't help myself.



Stay tuned for some exciting media updates, as well as another great giveaway. In the meantime, you stay classy : )

Natty Attire

Natalie Portman looked positively radiant at a recent premiere in Toronto - proving once and for all that intelligence and glamour are not polar opposites. This natural beauty holds a degree in psychology from Harvard and has said, "I'd rather be smart than a movie star." Natalie, let's be friends. We can hang out in Jerusalem together and eat Babycakes. I promise it won't be weird.

Basil and Spice (and everything nice!)

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World received a fabulous review on BasilandSpice.com. Be sure to check it out!

Hot Hepburn Hint #13

If you didn't see it live, then you've probably watched it on YouTube. If you haven't watched it on YouTube, then you've probably heard about it on the news. And if you haven't heard about it on the news, you've probably caught wind that the whole debaucle has even sparked a response from our very own President. I am of course talking about the Taylor Swift / Kanye West / VMA mess.

Now, this ugly ordeal had the potential to turn into something even bigger and more dramatic, but thanks to a smart, poised, and gracious 19 year-old songstress, it didn't. When confronted with a rude and horrifying situation, she responded with style, class and grace. She responded like a true Hepburn!

Not only did the unfortunate incident provide an opportunity for Taylor to show her own true colors (which, by the way, are every bit as lovely as her long blonde locks), it provided a great example for Hepburns everywhere. Why? Because the true test of our character comes when we're confronted with un-Hepburn-like behavior. Those instances and our corresponding responses determine our future. How will we react when a jealous co-worker tries to get us fired? How will we respond to the manipulative girl that spreads lies about us? What will we do when confronted with a rude and insensitive stranger? Our reactions to these circumstances speaks volumes about our true character. So, this week's Hot Hepburn Hint is...

REACT WITH CLASS!

As inspiration, here's a picture of our lovely girl, Taylor. Rock on.

La Petite Review

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World received a wonderful review on La Petite Blog. Check it out!

Back To School

Belmont University graciously asked me to speak at Friday's convocation event and it was a blast! I was a tad worried that four people would show up, so I actually made my husband come along and promise to ask questions and laugh at my jokes. Luckily, I was shocked by the amazing turn-out, and am pleased to report that Drew didn't have to so much as make a peep. I love you, Belmont!

Here's a nice shot of the backs of 250 lovely-looking heads, along with myself and my professor introducing me at the front.



And here's a picture with Dr. Hutchins, one of the many fabulous English professors at Belmont.



Happy Monday!

Boca Raton News

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World was featured in the Boca Raton News yesterday under Lisa's Best Picks. Hello Southern Florida! I wish I was there.

Summer's Not Over

Darn you, Rachel Bilson - between your chic low ponytail and Chanel tights, you make the rest of us look like dirt.



The adorable and talented Ms. Bilson was looking exceptionally classy during her recent guest judge spot on Project Runway. The pint-sized actress and style aficionado always manages to look amazing, and (better yet) has successfully avoided the drama-filled world of catfights, name-calling and boyfriend-stealing. My sister, a faithful InStyle subscriber, also reports that her monthly column is fabulous. Rachel, you officially get the Hepburn seal of approval. Well done!

Columbia Tribune

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World was featured in the Columbia Daily Tribune. The article is also available online, check it out here!

What Am I Reading?

What books am I currently reading? Find out at Campaign for the American Reader! How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World is graciously featured. Check it out...

New Music!

I've been dying to blog about all the new music that just came out, so here we go.

First up: Needtobreathe. Go get their new record, The Outsiders, pronto. Besides the fact that they're great guys and are extremely hard-working (and collectively have better hair than any girl I know), they make incredible music. I personally think they're even better than - dare I say it? - Kings of Leon.



Next up: Imogen Heap. Ellipse is out and you should download "First Train Home," it's lovely.



Next: Matt Nathanson. I know it's been around for a while, but "Come On Get Higher" is currently my end-of-summer jam. The whole album is great, if you don't already have it.



Lastly: David Gray. His new album doesn't come out for a few weeks, but I can't wait. There's a duet with Annie Lennox for crying out loud!



One last thought on music today - isn't it funny that we spend $5 on a cup of coffee that gets thrown in the trash after an hour, but have a hard time spending $.99 on a song that could potentially be played at your wedding and will stick with you for a lifetime? Support good music! It's a very Hepburn thing to do : )

GirlsLife

How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World received an amazing feature from GirlsLife.com. Be sure and check it out!