Celeb in chief
He has more cars following him than Britney Spears does paparazzi, he and his wife sell more copies of Us Weekly than Madonna and Jennifer Aniston, and his inauguration received an audience that makes the Oscars’ numbers look feeble. Has the election of President Barack Obama made Washington the new Los Angeles?
An article in this month’s Marie Claire makes a strong case that it has, pointing out the many changes that have given the District a face-lift akin to that of Beverly Hills ladies who lunch.
Obamichelle (the hottest new uni-name since Brangelina) has made the White House much like the homes in the Hollywood Hills. Michelle Obama has hired the same decorator used by director Steven Spielberg. The Obamas also not only talked to chef Alice Waters for help in planting their organic garden, they also hired a locavore she approved of to help in the White House kitchen, the magazine reports.
Ted Gibson, who has styled the tresses of Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Renee Zellweger, Keira Knightley and Anne Hathaway, just opened a new salon in Chevy Chase. The price for a haircut blows John Edwards’ $500 cut out of the water — $950, just to be snipped.
Speaking of looking like a celebrity, the magazine also cited a local dermatologist who said his practice has seen a 20 percent increase in Botox, fillers and laser treatments of late.
But that’s not all: Two of Angelenos’ favorite dessert treats, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Pinkberry frozen yogurt, have been copied all over town. Want to try the most popular cupcake at the Beverly Hills bakery? Take a visit to Georgetown Cupcake and wait in the long line for a red velvet mini-cake with cream cheese frosting. Or try the tart yogurt Southern Californians call “frozen heroin juice” at sweegreen, Tangysweet, Iceberry, Yogiberry or Caliyogurt.
Stars in the making? It’s rumored that several SoCal-based reality shows will soon be transplanted with Washington women. “Blonde Charity Mafia” may give us our own version of “The Hills” while “The Real Housewives” reality show is rumored to be casting in the District to see how our own housewives stack up to those of Orange County.
Our city’s newest presidential monument will also have a Hollywood touch. Longtime Los Angeles resident and designer Frank Gehry— who has been associated with the Los Angeles School of architecture and designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles — has been tapped to create the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Memorial.
Perhaps Washington is “Hollywood for ugly people” no more.
