Hollywood now comes with a big W. I don’t mean HollyWood but the new W Hotel and Residences that opened last Friday on the corner of Hollywood and Vine.

The W Hotel is a mixed-use development with hotel suites and apartment for a total of 143 residences, restaurants, clubs, shops, and a subway station right underneath it. The W Hotel also has energy efficient rooms and is expected to draw more tourists to Hollywood.

The W Hotel presents $350 million in investment, which is expected by the city government to be pumped right back to the economy. In terms of employment this will be true since it will bring about 500 jobs, good news with the still struggling economy. Aside from the jobs they are hoping that the development will end up revitalizing the whole area surrounding the hotel. According to Gatehouse Capital CEO Marty Collins, “It creates and really anchors a vision that allows the whole area to expand and really in some ways become back to what it once was before, that whole renaissance of Hollywood.”

However, some are already calling the hotel “ungainly”. As Christopher Hawthorne, architecture critic of LA Times, said, “The rather ungainly result… is not what you’d call an elegant addition to the rapidly expanding Hollywood skyline,” but even he has to agree that how this “urban-experiment” will end is still a puzzle that will only be solved by time. For now we can be sure that this curiosity will be the talk of Hollywood; as to what people will be saying, we can only wait and see.

Rolling Stone – the magazine – has long ago established a name for itself in the entertainment and news industry. Aspiring musicians and writers consider themselves made once they become a part of the magazine. Over the years, Rolling Stone has become an icon in its niche.

Here’s the news: they are branching out into something quite new for them. According to the LA Times, the owners of the magazine are aiming to further cement their iconic status by setting up a restaurant and nightclub in Hollywood. And that is only the first step.

Think Planet Hollywood. Think Hard Rock Café. If things go as planned, Rolling Stone (the restaurant and nightclub) will be seen all over the place. Next summer, we should see the flagship branch at Hollywood & Highland Center. And according to the owners, guests will be in for a treat – more than one can expect at their competitors. They say that the food will be of better quality and everything is supposed to be hipper and fancier than all the other establishments in its niche.

More from the LA Times:

The Rolling Stone venue in Hollywood will operate on two tiers, Donnelly said. On the top level, which opens into the mall, will be a restaurant and bar intended to appeal to the estimated 15 million tourists a year who come to the Hollywood intersection near Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. He also hopes to pull in local residents who may come to watch sports or have a drink.

Being located in a mall certainly has its pluses. Even if you didn’t intend to go to the resto in the first place, you probably would be enticed once you see it. Something to look forward to next year!

Yoga has long become a trend in celebrity circles for getting and staying fit. If rumors are to be believed, though, the in thing these days is going butt naked to do yoga! Rumors being what they are, nothing has really been confirmed, but if they are to be believed, Hollywood celebrities such as Nicolas Cage, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Watts, Jennifer Lopez, and Rita Wilson are doing naked yoga.

So what is so special about naked yoga? The World Sentinel reports:

The proponents of naked yoga say that it is taboo-breaking, thrill, liberation, unique perspective, profound spiritual and healing experience; unifies body-soul-mind; sheds barriers/inhibitions/masks; provides greater freedom of movement; saves the hassle of buying expensive yoga outfits; offers acceptance of body with all imperfections; makes one feel comfortable in one´s own skin; overcomes weight/body image issue; etc. But they insist that it is not about sex.

They just had to include that disclaimer about sex, didn’t they? Anyhow, yoga practitioners say that many people actually practice yoga naked in the comforts of their own homes. After all, yoga practitioners are actually encouraged to do the exercises on their own. And who (or what) is to stop private individuals to do yoga without any clothes? Joining a whole class wherein everyone – instructor and students alike – is something else altogether!

Despite my inhibitions (and other people’s as well, perhaps), naked yoga is actually catching on. If you think about it, the Hollywood stars are not pioneers in this field. There are many naked yoga clubs around the world. Check your local listing, there might be one near you.

Photo courtesy of www.yogalifestyle.com

In spite of the fact that marijuana (weed or pot or whatever other name you call it) is illegal, we know that it is being used widely across the country. Hollywood is no exception. In fact, weed may even be used here more than in other parts of the country.

If the LA authorities are to be followed, however, weed is soon going to be harder to come by in the area. City inspectors are currently targeting what is known as medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles. One by one, these dispensaries are being inspected – the first step towards shutting them down. The orders come from the City Council, which is now regretting its decision to allow the shops (hundreds of them) to operate.

Naturally, shop owners are not happy with the developments. Anthony Folsom is one of the owners of Bulldog Café, one of the medical marijuana dispensaries. He is quite unhappy with the City Council’s move as he believes that they (the shop owners) are in the business for the right reasons. He also stated that if this crackdown does not stop, all those people with good intentions are going to disappear and that at the end of the day, the city will be left with illegal drug dealers.

He does have a point and the City Council realizes this. They are having a hard time getting their way and many members acknowledge how difficult and potentially dangerous the road they are taking is. In the meantime, shops which are still in business are being frequented by their loyal patrons.

Prop 8 has got to be one of the most controversial pieces of legislations ever. It has got people from all sorts of backgrounds speaking their minds. And of course, in Hollywood, most everyone has joined the fray. The general consensus – as was to be expected, I think – is that upholding Prop 8 is not right.

USA Today featured some quotes about Prop 8 from prominent Hollywood figures. Here are some of the more interesting AND sensible ones. (Yes, everyone is having their say but some of them just do more harm to Prop 8, I think.)

George Clooney to E!: “This just should invigorate people to get it back on the ballot in 2010 and 2012 and every two years until all people are allowed a basic civil right.”

Yep, this was voted on. Those who didn’t vote do not have a right to complain.

Charlize Theron to E!: “I am deeply disappointed by the (California) Supreme Court’s ruling on Prop. 8 today. I don’t agree with homophobia or discrimination of any kind. I will continue to fight this fight for equality and speak up for the basic civil rights of all Americans.”

I don’t agree with homophobia or discrimination either. Then again, the issue runs deep and touches faith and beliefs. It’s not that simple.

Demi Moore: “There’s no room 4 judgment it only creates separation & i’m pretty sure we R all equal in God’s eyes. luv is luv in whatever form! … Amazing the country that likes 2 pride itself on liberty & justice 4 all can continue 2 fail certain groups!”

That’s on Twitter, and she does have a point on liberty and justice.

So is Hollywood right on this one? What’s YOUR say?

Forrest Gump may have been a ping pong sensation back in the day, but that did not really propel the game to the top of the list of “cool” games. Many many years later, it seems that the game has gotten the break that it deserves, for it is now the “in” past time of Hollywood celebrities.

The Independent – a UK newspaper of all things! – recently ran a feature on this phenomenon:

It has to be one of the unlikeliest Hollywood pastimes yet, involving two people, a couple of vaguely S&M wooden paddles and a hollow plastic ball. Whisper it: ping-pong is cool.

Forget scout huts and church halls – on Saturday, the latest achingly hip New York table tennis venue will open its doors to an adoring star-studded following. SPiN New York will be an exclusive ping-pong parlour big enough to house the sport’s growing number of A-list devotees who turn up, bat in hand, at ping-pong social clubs around the city.

So who are the people who have been captivated by this sport?

Among the Hollywood elite captivated by the craze are the actors Ed Norton and Matthew Broderick, and the actress Susan Sarandon – who will be cutting the ribbon at SPiN’s glitzy launch. Even the rapper 50 Cent wants to be seen at America’s cult table tennis parties.

You know what? Call me nerdy or call me cool – it doesn’t matter to me. I love ping pong. It used to be my sport of choice and now that these Hollywood bigwigs are playing it, I can’t help but feel a sense of vindication.

When I first heard of this piece of news, for some reason, the song “Peter Pumpkinhead” started playing in my head. Until now, as I am writing this post, the song will not stop playing! Oh well, I suppose there is a connection somehow and the song is good anyway, so I will not complain.

So what is the pumpkin bread all about? If you do not know already, there is this convent in Hollywood that has become famous because of their pumpkin bread. The convent is called the Monastery of Angels, and it has been in existence for 75 years now.

Their existence is being seriously threatened right now, however, as the convent’s finances are way in the red. According to the nuns, donations and other sources of income (including a gift shop and other investments) have not been earning them much money recently. Their budget has actually been cut down by more than 70%. As a result, they might have to close the convent down, perhaps opening the property to some other sort of development.

Naturally, neighbors and other concerned people are not about to let that happen, if they can do anything about it. Talks have been going around about making use of the nuns’ famous pumpkin bread, in the hopes that revenue can be made from this product. There are currently 20 nuns in the convent and their days revolve around prayer, with three hours of work in the morning. It is during these three hours that the nuns bake their pumpkin bread and work in the gift shop.

With this news going around in the community, the people are scrambling to help the nuns. Now isn’t that just the perfect attitude this Easter?

It may not be the newest hotel in the area, nor is it the grandest, but the Chateau Marmont is the hotel steeped in authentic Hollywood history. Located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard, the hotel was built in 1927 by Fred Horowitz. It was modeled after the famed Château d’Amboise in the Loire Valley in France. Originally, though, the project was not meant as a hotel. In fact, it was opened in 1929 as an apartment building. Due to the high rent and the Depression, there weren’t many takes. As such, it was converted into a hotel in 1931.

In 1990, Chateau Marmont was bought and has since then been run by hotelier Andre Balazs. So what is so special about this hotel? Let’s just say that countless Hollywood (and non-Hollywood) celebrities have spent many a naughty time in this place. This hotel is perhaps the most discrete and most private that you can find in all of Hollywood. And, in a place where privacy is hard to come by, Chateau Marmont is a haven for many. Indeed, Harry Cohn (founder of Columbia Pictures) is quoted to have said that “If you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.”

This license for the naughty and the privacy does not come cheaply, though. The hotel has 63 rooms, cottages, and bungalows. The cheapest room – standard – will cost you a hefty $300++ per night. For the utmost privacy, the bungalows are what the stars choose. I can’t even begin to imagine how much these cost!

The next time you find yourself with cash – lots of it – to burn and you want a genuine Hollywood experience, check yourself in at the Chateau Marmont.

Internet Style that is, for news and gossip about celebrities are all over the news, TV and other forms of media that caters to the never ending need for the latest information regarding Hollywood’s hottest stars. Now considering the many sources of news and gossip out on the world today, why not take it a step further into the realm of the social internet? Blogging is one of the most prevalent forms of new media that is being used and read by users all over the globe. Just think of getting news form the standpoint of the fans themselves through user submitted celebrity news, now that’s a totally new concept, why, because nobody has ever done it before. Why not place the power and control over the information into the hands of the people who need it most making them part of the news itself allowing social interaction at the next level. Talk about getting subjective news, but it is coming for customization is the key and getting news that we like is what the future is about. Get the best user-submitted celebrity news hot off the mobiles, laptops and just about anywhere a connection is the internet and where the action is. This might be the beginnings of the next big step in news and the way its gets to us in this that is known as the information age.

Whoever said that Hollywood stars are mindless and brainless people couldn’t be more wrong – at least if we’re talking about Gwyneth Paltrow and her circle of friends who have been invited to become part of her special book club. This “book club” is actually part of Gwyneth’s effort to encourage readers of her web site to take up reading as a pastime this winter.

While some people might prefer to go out and ski or engage in other quite costly winter pastimes, the Hollywood star prefers to sit back and relax at home with a good book. Apparently, some of her friends – celebrities and non-celebrities alike – lean towards the same idea. In her web site, Goop, Gwyneth asked some of her friends to list down their all time favorite reads and no less than Madonna is part of that group!

The Telegraph actually found this newsworthy and published a feature on it:

She introduces the recently-divorced singer saying: “Madonna Ciccone rules the world, is a loyal friend and a terrific mother”. Also featured in the reading list are Turlington and her best friend Abby Kane.

Madonna’s favourite books are listed as the Richard and Judy Book club favourite, The Time Traveller’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, The Bad Girl by renowned Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa, and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

While we might not be part of that club, there’s nothing stopping us from trying those books out. We might learn a thing or two.