Single in L.A.

Photo courtesy of People

Kanye West’s love life has been a bit of a dramatic merry-go-round.  Apparently he had some long time girlfriend back in Chicago pre-celebrity that everyone was confusing with his first very public girlfriend Brooke Crittendon.

The limelight got to Brooke’s head and she put too much of their business out there on myspace.  Kanye didn’t like that – that was the end of them.

Not long after he was driving down Robertson ( did I mention I’m ALWAYS walking down Robertson?), pulled over and hollered at fashion designer Alexis Phifer and the two became the couple du jour.

Post engagement the pair did an ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS spread showcasing their L.A. digs in Harper’s Bazaar.

 Unfortunately, not long after the passing of his mother, Kanye and Alexis amicably split back in April.  And THEN after being spotted at a party at Tenjure with a group including Selita Ebanks and Serena Williams rumors swirled: Kanye and Selita are an item.  The two quickly shut that down saying they’re “just pals.”

 Photo: Hollyscoop

I take his word for it.  Kanye West is definitely single.  The man has swagger to spare with a touch of arrogance (too much, some might say).  I like it (hint, hint)!

Two weeks ago today I was sprinkling DC with all kinds of Midwest-goes-Hollywood Hauteness. Hair was freshly cut, layers bouncing and I was well rested enough to hit the streets. The streets = Lotus Lounge.

Lotus is unassuming enough on the outside. Amidst a block full of old brick storefronts sits a similar building with only one trace of difference. The sign. A single lotus flower (like above). Upon walking in and taking the stairs down we saw immediately that Lotus was, indeed, different than it’s drab neighbors.

We got there early to enjoy a sushi happy hour menu filled with salmon sashimi, spicy tuna rolls, Sakatinis and Sake Margaritas. Now, I’m a Cali. girl (by default). With access to some of the best sushi outside of Okinawa, I’m somewhat of an aficionado (humor me here). The sushi was good. Not great. But not bad either. It was fresh and tasty and hit my sushi spot – which needed to be hit.

The piece de resistance (say that with a French accent) actually came at official club door opening hour. At 10 pm the bar became FLOODED with patrons. Five minutes before it was bare. What happened at 10?

Ciroc hosts the bar for one full hour of $1 drinks. Yes! That’s right. Now, I’m a vodka girl (tonics and gimlets with extra lime to be exact). My number one being Ketel One. Number two: Grey Goose. Anything else just wouldn’t be civilized. Oh, but it would be. I must say: Ciroc is pretty smooth (probably due to the French distilling it with grapes); so smooth that it sneaks right up on you. So don’t get carried away with the $1 drinks.

The music was great (the best west coast spinner has nothing on this guy). Very nice atmosphere and décor – I’m a club/lounge/restaurant snob. I need décor. And ambience. How’s cold clouds of steam shooting up sporadically throughout the night for ambience? I loved it. And the fellas…weren’t so bad either.

So, if you’re in Washington D.C. and looking for something to do tonight, head to Lotus. Get there early, enjoy some sushi in a big, plush, wrap-around banquette. And at 9:55 head to the bar and hold down a spot. Ciroc is treating. Until 11 pm that is. Go tonight. I don’t know how long the Ciroc is going to flow.

Lotus is located at 1420 K St. in Washington D.C. Please drink responsibly

My trusty but long past retirement Windows Media Smartphone is starting to die a slow death. First the nice little silver area around the full Qwerty keyboard started edge away from the device. Then, a couple of weeks ago, a guy dropped it causing the SIM card, battery and phone itself to separate. He tried to be a gentleman and put it back together. But his rushed, hap hazardous reconstruction caused the phone to first be inoperable. Eek! I can’t live without my texts you guys. Then after the girls and I performed emergency amateur surgery on the gold prongs around the SIM it came back to life! Unfortunately, it hasn’t been the same since.

So, I’ve been pondering a new gadget. Because, contrary to popular belief, single girls that are into fashion, shopping, traveling and eating at nice restaurants are also into the latest gadget. We’d buy a new ensemble for the debut of such a gadget, but the gadget is important to us too! So I’m on the fence between Blackberry Bold, 8800 and the ever popular iPhone.

But I must tell you Friday’s release of the latest in the series, the many tweets on Twitter about long lines and malfunctions and all the mayhem have got me thinking twice.

It’s important to note here that my best buddy at work scoffed at me over these very rantings, as he often does when he thinks I’m putting too much effort into my “frou-frou” preferences. He even laughed and said “you only need a phone that calls people.” *Sharp inhalation* Be gentle with me. I have feelings.

What kind of phone do you have? Did you get Apple’s latest on Friday? If so, what do you think??? Help a single haute chick out! If this were a decision between Zac Posen’s hunter green clutch and Chloe’s camel colored hobo, there’d be no discussion needed!

I can’t say enough about her. Born Tracee Joy Silberstein, she is the second eldest daughter of Diana Ross and an all around fab chick. Tracee, in my book, is definitely one of today’s style icons - a trendsetter in a league of her own. She’s had very, very few fashion faux pas’ - but when I read in Essence that she often styles and beautifies (hair and makeup) herself? All mistakes were forgiven. I’ve seen many a flub and those stars PAID someone to make them look like that.

A graduate of Brown University, Tracee has worked as a fashion model, fashion editor and, of course, an actress. She’s most well known for her role as Joan Clayton on the now defunct but long running CW series Girlfriends. All of that, and we’ve never really heard of her being “official” with anyone. But she has been “linked” to many (NBA’s Chris Webber, actor Henry Simmons and comedian DeRay Davis to name a few).

I’m sure she’s just keeping her business to herself, but for now Tracee is “publicly” living a Single in L.A. life. Here’s a few of my favorite Tracee red carpet looks.

Tracee Ellis Ross is currently filming Millennium Films’ Labor Pains with Lindsay Lohan.

Photo: People

It seems I took a longer 4^th of July holiday than warranted. But news of Drew’s break-up was enough to put me back on the posting track!

I was so sad when I read this in Us Weekly yesterday. The list of men that Drew Barrymore has been linked to reads like a Hollywood Who’s Who with a few “who’s that?” thrown in for good measure. After her short lived marriage to Tom Green I just knew that Fabrizio Moretti was it for her. They were such an adorable couple. Then, of course, the two called it quits and Drew linked up with Dodgeball’s Justin Long.

Yesterday Us Weekly broke the big break-up news with a simple “they are still friends” statement from the couple’s reps. Ms Drew is now very Single in L.A.

Barrymore can be seen in February’s, highly anticipated He’s Just Not That Into You, based on the best selling book by former Sex and the City writers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo

Last night the girls decided to do dinner and dancing. First stop: BLD (review of BLD in tomorrow’s Singular Opinion Feature) for dinner and drinks then off to The Honey Collective party at Teddy’s at the Hollywood Roosevelt. Now, being that it’s a holiday week and there are tons of parties around town I initially thought I might club it up every night this week.

But I’ve come to a realization: I’m getting old! DJ Rashida is known for spinning great dance music so Kendra, Giselle, Liza and I were all set to “dance the night away.’

Well, we headed over there at about 11. A few “entertainer” (Raheem Devaughn, Farnsworth Bentley and Will.I.Am – or his evil twin) sightings and one more round of drinks later we were all shits and giggles and dancing like it was 1999. But it’s not 1999. It’s 2008, we’re 9 years older, and our bodies know it.

Liza was the first to fizzle as she decided to lean her two step up against a pole and just sway. After doing the take-a-break-from-dancing and quick club walk through (you know, just to see and be seen) we ended up in the VIP amongst some of the most comfy, irresistible father’s library leather sofas ever. Liza and Kendra gave in but Giselle and I pressed on. But I was rapidly losing the good fight. As if in slow motion, my gyrating slowed down to a mere hand wave back and forth. I simply couldn’t go on. I tried, but just couldn’t. However, Giselle seemed to have gotten this radical burst of energy. She was the last diva dancing. Ironic too, because earlier that day as we chatted over IM she lamented that she knew she was too old to try and dance the night away, and might have to call it a night after dinner. Surrrreee. It was all a ploy.

Sad. But, in my defense, 4 inch heels, 2 hours of dancing and being just shy of 30 is NOT a good combination. Ladies, take heed. Learn from my mistakes.You may look young, but Mother Nature knows better.

So while you think of the good old days when you actually had to be put out of the club, enjoy my Boogie Nights throwback.

Celebs flaunting everyday fab on the red carpet Lolo’s Cube

POM answers Charming prayers Charming But Single

Kanye Choosing or Losing – a cute little shirt might I add Street Anthem

Montell Jordan Comeback?? OMG! Yo Daily Dose

Nicole Scherzinger turns 30 The Nu’s Report

A single girl doing it for herself! Writer Dodging Bullets

Tara Endures Marriage Boot Camp When Tara Met Blog

Rosario Dawson is such a natural beauty. I’ve felt for a long time that she hasn’t really reached her potential in this industry. Maybe that’ll change with some of her upcoming projects.

She ended her two year relationship with Sex and the City’s SUPER HOT Jason Lewis back in 2006, and was spied snuggling in the park with Matthew Schreyer this past March. A couple? Rosario won’t confirm that. So you know what I say. Ms. Dawson is very single. But not in L.A. Last fall Rosario decided to leave SoCal, soak up the culture across the pond and move to London.

She’s still really busy in Hollywood though, with quite a few projects in pre and post production. I’m most excited, however, for Seven Pounds also starring Will Smith and Michael Ealy, due to hit theaters in December.

Photos courtesy of HBO

Photo: Wikimedia

Over at The Urban Blogger, this week’s discussion hot topic: whether or not the lovely Lauren London is the Black Angelina Jolie. Super cute girl, but that comparison is…a stretch. Some speculate that she’s the “it” Black actress right now. Eh… Up and coming is more like it. Most known for her video girl roles, Lauren starred in ATL opposite rapper T.I. and was featured on the HBO series Entourage. But I’d say the buzz around her love life is much more interesting.

Lauren in KING magazine

Rumors that she’s dating Lil Wayne, T.I., NBA star Baron Davis and even her gal pal Cassie are what seem to be keeping her in the limelight. Luckily Lauren doesn’t (seem to) kiss and tell. So, for now, she can be single in L.A.

Lauren and Cassie promoting Sean John @ MTV

She can be seen in next year’s teen flick I Love You, Beth Cooper starring Hayden Panettiere.

Photo courtesy of AskMen

Anne Hathaway’s recent break-up with Raffaello Follieri is bombarding me right now. I can’t seem to escape it and I’m not even remotely interested. Honestly, I’m not so into who’s dating whom. But apparently everyone else is.

I happened to read the script for the project she’s currently filming, Bride Wars, due out in mid 2009. So I log into IMDB Pro to check on the progress of the project (and nab the producer’s info. for selfish reasons) and news of his recent arrest pops up. They break up and she still can’t shake the guy. Poor Anne is, therefore, Single in L.A.

Hathaway, most noted for her role in The Devil Wears Prada, can next be seen in Columbia Pictures / Sony’s Passengers all set to hit theaters in October.