Emmy Nominees Celebrated At 2017 Celebrity Connected Suite

By: Marjorie Galas

Emmy weekend is a whirl-wind of appearances at events and parties for those celebrated few who have received nominations.  Celebrity Connected gave this year's celebrated television royalty a chance to unwind at the annual Luxury Gifting Suite honoring the Emmys.  Held at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the critically acclaimed group were treated to makeup touch-ups, glasses of champagne and a chance to view, sample and take home some fun, useful and entertaining products.

Just as with each Emmy nominee, all the vendors featured in the 2017 Celebrity Connected suite have merit and receive an A for effort.  However, not ever vendor (in fact, not every category) gets to rise above the rest for top recognition.  Here are the highlights from those categories that made the cut.

Outstanding Accessory: (re) purpose

CEO Paul Hunter and director of operations Charlee Riggio were on hand to present their line of hand-crafted bow ties.  They started their company two years ago, crafting bow ties out of garments as a way to connect families to the memory of their loved ones who lost their lives in military service.  Demand for their ties resulted in an expansion of repurposing old fabrics (one source includes thrift shop clothing) and turning them into one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art.  Like any piece of art, each tie is named (examples include Blueberry Muffin and Caribbean Skyline).  The fair wage workers at (re)purpose can also custom design ties for customers looking to use specific material.  Their ties may be purchased online, or in the newly opened West Hollywood location.

Outstanding Beauty Products: Diva/Stuff 

Florida-based Diva Stuff not only used all natural ingredients for their face washes, hair treatments and bath line, they infused them with appealing aromas and gave them mouth-watering names, like Orange-Dreamcycle or Soft Cherry Bomb.  They had a product for nearly every need, such as chunky exfoliating cubes designed to combat cellulite and ointments to aid in blemish control.  They also offered plant-based bath bombs and bubble bath flakes geared towards pure indulgence.

Outstanding Floral Design: Luxe Bloom 

Luxe Bloom has developed a patented process using a sugar-based formula that extends the shelf-life of roses for up to sixty days.  Some of their regular clients include fine dining establishments, luxury hotels and special events, including the St. Regis Hotel, the Centro restaurant and the premiere event for Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  Although the company specializes in large scale events and high end clients, individual orders can be made on their website for order amounts ranging from one single rose to containers of individual petals.

Outstanding Sweet: Buzz Pop Cocktails 

What do you get when you mix fresh fruit with alcohol, whip it into a traditional Italian sorbet and put it in a push pop container?  The Buzz Pop Cocktail!  Each pop is infused with 15% alcohol and made with fresh, seasonal fruit, resulting in a 100 calorie (or less!) treat with no added fructose corn syrup or preservatives.  Buzz Pop Cocktails also offer the ability for custom branding of their 1960s retro style see-through push pop containers.  Buzz Pop Cocktails have a store based in Las Vegas, however orders may be placed online.

Outstanding Food Item: Mad Hops 

Mad Hops is something pretty unique: it is a hop-base syrup that, when added to beer, can completely change the flavor and aroma of the brew.  For example, take a tube of Mad Hops Irish Porter flavor and squeeze a few drop into your glass.  Then, add any generic beer.  Amazingly, the beer not only has the smoky, chocolate-y tones of a porter, but also has the color and fragrance of a porter as well!  Currently, Mad Hops are also available in Mexican Lime, Pale Ale, Apple Amber, Cherry Wheat and Wild Blueberry flavors.  The crew at Mad Hops do anticipate more flavors to come.

Outstanding Perfume:  Orali 

The Florida-based staff at Orali carefully select natural and organic ingredients then hand-crafts every batch of perfume, allowing the fragrances to steep and age naturally.  The results are delicate notes that charm the senses without affecting allergies or seizing the throats of passersby.  The fragrances Orali had prepared specifically for the gifting suite were lost in the wake of Hurricane Irma, however the samples that were available for review, including three perfumes: a floral, a clean and a unisex piney scent, as well as a chocolate-infused body oil, made you want to have repeated whiffs.

Outstanding Practical Item:  The Restroom Kit 

Created by ex-military officer Bill Mossey, The Restroom Kit is a discrete, tri-fold kit that provides everything one would need to "relive themselves" when a person is in a situation where the restroom facilities are less than adequate.  The kit contains a seat cover, multi-ply toilet tissue, a soft wipe and a hand sanitizing wipe.  Perfect for traveling or any time a person finds themselves in a large group situation (the Emmys, perhaps?) where they question the sanitary conditions of their surroundings.