Monday, August 2nd: Both sparkling in gold lamé, the Double Happiness girls pulled off nothing less than the usual glamour that follows them from their home town in San Diego, California. 

Stephanie Wells, jewelry maker and author , and sister, Alisa Rottenberg, Director of Daisy Mae Public Relations, played fab hostesses to a fun and flirty event celebrating Double Happiness Jewelry and The Earring Style Book by Wells.

As I two-stepped it to the 80's / Western music around the room to view the collection and snack on the delicious Carousel Cupcakes, I found the contemporary jewelry to be well-crafted, tastefully designed and full of personality. My favorite piece: a single studded long blue velvet necklace draped with chains, pictured below.

City chic appeared to be the motif of the evening outfitted with cran-vodkas provided by NadaRed Vodka and the girl-glamour décor provided by the Norwood Club. In fact, I was honestly tricked by a stylized faux Warhol painting thinking it was Edie but realized it was only Lindsay Lohan with two black eyes on a hot pink background. From the hairy lamps and oversized plush couches, to the handmade chandelier earrings and turquoise-fragmented rope necklaces, the event was super cohesive and a ton of fun!

*photo 1: Alisa Rottenberg, Ralph Lauren Model- Christopher Collins, and Stephanie Wells

Cleopatra, Nefertari, and Nefertiti. Three ancient Egyptian Queens who would ordain themselves with only the very finest linens, silks, and jewels that money could buy... even while they were asleep! If any one of these grandiose beauties were alive today, I have no doubt that she would have joined the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria, and Marcia Cross, who have all been spotted countless times wearing the many majestic pieces of “wearable art" from Stephanie Wells and Alisa Rottenberg’s Double Happiness Collection.

If I were asked to describe Double Happiness Jewelry in one word, imperial, would be the first thought to come to mind. Each one of their hand crafted object d'art is made with 14kt gold fill, sterling silver, and semi precious stones. Think queens, princesses, and the upper echelon during the time of Alexander the Great… (Or think Angelina Jolie’s viperous character in the 2004 blockbuster, Alexander).

Inspired by her versatile travel abroad to places like; Africa, India, Asia, and the Middle East, Stephanie's designs carry a beautiful ancient like quality to them. From deep rich blue lapis to luminous yellow citrine, these pieces are sure to add a lot of zest to any ensemble.

Stephanie focuses on the essential quality of each stone, thus upon wearing a completed piece, one's mood often transcends. It’s an indescribable positive energy that seems to radiate from each innovative design. Even the earrings appear to illuminate the wearer.

Double Happiness has graced the pages of numerous publications such as; Glamour, In Style, Marie Claire, and Cosmo, as another favorite jewelry line amongst the industry’s leading stylists and editors.

The line is moderately priced from about $80 to the mid $300 range and can be purchased directly on their site, Double Happiness Jewlery, and can be found at over 600 stores worldwide including; Fred Segal Rocks in Santa Monica CA, NY Look in NYC, Bloomingdale's in Dubai, Head Over Heels in Louisiana, and Laura Gambucci in San Diego. The choices vary from store to store and what is available online.

Industry Background:

Double Happiness was founded in August 2001, by Stephanie Wells and her sister, Alisa Rottenberg. “Double Happiness” means "marriage" in the Chinese culture. In the Western Hemisphere, it’s a type of karmic chain reaction. It also represents the two sisters.

What began with a pair of sisters working out of a garage, Double Happiness has grown into a wonderful studio in Southern California with a magnificent team of women as unique and well-crafted as the jewelry itself. All Double Happiness jewelry pieces are designed by Stephanie Wells, and manufactured by hand with her distinct style and technique in the studio.

A couple weeks ago, LA's PsychicGirl Justine Kenzer, was visiting NYC and asked if she could do my reading. Apprehensive at first, I checked out her website. What I discovered was a lovely intro written by Ms. Kenzer and a ton of press (including; NY Times, The Daily News, the London Times, VH1, E!, Glamour, and countless other reputable press sources) about her and the numerous celebrities for whom she's done readings. In addition, she had met with my girls at The Luxury Spot, who adore this PsychicGirl.

I met Ms. Kenzer at a small cafe in the East Village. I was struck by her vivacious presence, extremely pleased she was not decked out in crystals, nor did she hint of patchouli (I did live in Venice Beach for several years). We ordered iced tea as she explained to me how it all works.

All readings are recorded for you, phone or in person. The recorded reading is sent you in by email link to an MP3 that you can listen to online, download to your own computer or ipod. Cool.

I felt completely comfortable and was ready for Ms. Kenzer to do her thing. She asked me to say my full name, as she would do an initial reading of what she saw.

What she saw, is so personal, that I cannot even disclose the details to you, my faithful readers. I had to bite my lip so I wouldn't burst into tears. Obviously, she could read on my face that she touched on something. She explained that a large part of what she does involves healing.

I consider myself to be more of a healer who is able to provide spiritual healing which can quickly result in positive change in your physical world. I strongly believe that destiny is not set in stone, that we create our own reality through our thoughts and our actions, yet we can have unconscious limitations due to our past experiences and the memories of them.

That being said, Ms. Kenzer went on to see my professional future... which involved loads of travelling to some amazing places, perhaps even writing about my adventures. Therefore, I was completely willing and open to any sort of healing in order to fulfill that prediction.

Though Ms. Kenzer revealed a few general dates which would bring my professional and love life into fruition, any shrink will tell you that you have to accept, deal and heal your past, in order to move forward.

Honestly, Ms. Kenzer's uncanny intuition regarding the skeletons in my closet, completely freaked me out. Yet, she was spot on and there is, without a doubt, something to be said for that.

Conclusion: Jot down some specific questions, and book an appointment with Justine Kenzer ASAP. Readings are available via instant message, phone or in person in Los Angeles.

Deets: PsychicGirl.com Email: Justine Kenzer

*Photo 1: Justine Kenzer

*Photo 2 courtesy of Wire Image: Justine Kenzer and Eva Longoria