The day of a star with the stylist of stars...Ivan Bitton

As much as I am not fan of shopping, from time to time I recognize that being pampered like a star feels great! So on Friday, after several interviews, I find myself with THE celeb stylist in Hollywood (French, to make things even sweeter), Ivan Bitton, in his showroom, SHOWROOM 303, accompanied by Steve Haddad, his talented assistant.

I try on many dresses, each more beautiful than the next, from well-known designers like Gauthier and less known haute couture labels, from the USA, the Netherlands, and…Turkey! I don't have never-ending patience for these things, after 3 dresses, I am already past my limit ...how on earth do my friends spend entire days trying on clothing? It's a mystery to me!


Steve insists that I try on yet another dress….black…it looks decent on the hanger....I am already back in my regular clothes, but Melanie Molnar, the actress who is becoming more famous as I type, also insists. So I go and try on this jewel!!! I adopt it for the pre-Oscars party "Finding Hope" on Saturday evening.


Gosh! I cannot decide between two dresses: one blue from a Dutch designer and a green from a Turkish designer… I take both to decide on red carpet day!

Melanie also finds a very sexy dress which emphasizes her perfect body even more…I am jealous, she is at least 10 inches taller than me!

Melanie and I stop in to Katsuya, the Japanese restaurant where everyone goes! What a day...and this is just the calm before the storm….tomorrow promises to be much more intense.

Your Coach in Hollywood: Pre-Oscars

What a first day! A sleepless night, followed by a 7:00am departure.

A little walk in the airport but not as much as usual because I am burdened with my carry-ons + wearing high heels :) A very early breakfast on the plane: a slice of banana cake + 2 green teas

Upon arrival, I sink has my hotel, a little jewel that I've found in West Hollywood, where Penelope Cruz and Justin Bieber come when they are in town.


This hotel knows how to treat their guests well -- they allow me to use a wonderful suite all day long to get ready for my first TV segments until my very own room is ready.

A little rest, and some preparation for the afternoon which promises to be very busy. Then John, my gorgeous model friend turned make-up artist, arrives for my make-up appointment. My Blackberry does not cease to vibrate -- more than 40 emails in one afternoon….I am in my very focused bubble, and don't answer anything other that the subjects which are absolutely relevant. It's impossible to concentrate!


No time to be idle, the M6 team (Emma and Quentin) arrive with the dresses for the red carpet. Drama!!! I cannot fit into either of the 2 dresses...I would need to lose at least 1 inch around the waist to close the dresses. So either I starve myself until Sunday, which I'm not even sure will be enough, or I find another dress (which I will do :)

No time to waste, Mallika, the #1 Bollywood actress awaits us at the Four Seasons for an interview in an exclusive suite where the stars get their jewelry before the Oscars. As I go through the hotel I blow a kiss to Joan Collins and Nicolas Cage :).


The afternoon is very busy….we end off the day on the rooftop of my fave hotel, with a wonderful fireplace (it is chilly!) with Phillip Bloch, designer for Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Osbourne, etc., and a very dear friend of my own.


At 8:30, Emma and I head out (we walk, to burn some calories and de-stress) for a vegetarian dinner at my favorite place on Melrose. We try to avoid talking about work but of course we end up finishing off with discussing plans, interviews etc. With Kate von D who shares our vegan passion :)

To bed at midnight, after extinguishing a few last-minute urgent fires...

Toblerone & Pear Tart Recipe

A little piece of heaven! Here's a delicious recipe for you! It's very rich, so share your dessert :)

Ingredients:
- 1 pie crust
- 3.5 oz of Toblerone (that's the usual size)
- 1.5 oz butter or non-hydrogenated magarine to reduce the saturated fat content
- 1/2 cup condensed milk (unsweetened)
- 3 gelatin leaves
- pears in light syrup (drained)

Directions:
Bake the pie crust at 350 °F for about 15 min. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Using the bain-marie/water bath approach, melt the Toblerone with the butter, constantly stirring.
Dissolve the gelatin leaves in cold water for 10 min. At the same time, warm the condensed milk in a small pot, over low heat. After 10 min, add the gelatin to the condensed milk, stirring well until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Add the gelatin/condensed milk mixture to the melted toblerone/butter. Stir well for 3 min.
Let sit for 5 to 10 min, and then pour into the pie crust.
Immediately add the pear slices in light syrup and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Remove from the fridge 10 min before serving. Serve very small portions so that you can enjoy your dessert and keep your dream body at the same time :)

Bon Appétit!

Discover more gourmet recipes at www.lebootcamp.com - the only weight loss program which lets you indulge!