By Amy & Nancy Harrington, Pop Culture Passionistas
Some famous women don red dresses for heart health, other stars create tiny art for school kids and a legend is honored for philanthropy. Here are this week’s most inspirational pop culture moments.
Celebrities Don Crimson for The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection
Hollywood starlets pay big money to stylists to ensure that they don’t have the embarrassing fashion faux pas of wearing the same dress as someone else at a red carpet event. Some are even devastated when they show up in the same color as a co-worker or rival actress. But some of entertainment’s biggest fashionistas put ego aside this week when they walked the runway for the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection event.
Among the celebs wearing their favorite designer’s crimson creations Camila Alves, Julianne Hough, Dita Von Teese, Audrina Patridge, Laila Ali, Denise Richards, Suzanne Somers and Natasha Bedingfield. The show was a highlight of Wednesday’s Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week happenings held at Lincoln Center.
The proceeds will go to the National Institutes of Health for research and to raise awareness of women’s heart health issues. And a few lucky fans will be able to pick up a dress or two via the Clothes Off Our Back charity.
And today common folk can play along at home or at the office by throwing on their own favorite crimson dress, shirt, tie or official Red Dress Pin. More information is available at the Heart Truth Website through the National Wear Red Day Toolkit.
Tiny, Mystery Art Sale for A Good Cause
If you’ve always wanted to own a piece of art created by Conan O’Brien or Cuba Gooding Jr. Today’s your lucky day. Maybe.
The two stars are among many who have signed up to participate in the Third Annual Itty Bitty Art Sale on Sunday, March 6th. The event features miniature, postcard-sized works created by a wide range of artists. Some pieces are made by celebrities. Others are created by architects, professional designers and musicians. Still others are donated by very talented amateurs.
Each tiny work of art sells for just a $40 donation on a first-come first served basis. Now here’s the mystery part. The art is signed on the back and you can’t turn it over until you buy it. So you may be purchasing a masterpiece by “30 Rock’s” Jack McBrayer or it could be a paint-by-number from your next door neighbor.
Either way, the money goes to a worthy cause — PS #1 Pluralistic School and other community-based projects.
The sale is on Sunday, March 6 at the Gallery for Functional Art, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA. The preview starts at 10 a.m. and the sales runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Happy shopping!
Barbra Streisand Is Honored by MusiCares
This is going to be a busy weekend for Barbra Streisand. Besides performing at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards ceremony, she’s being honored on Friday as the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year http://www.grammy.org/musicares.
According to the organization’s website, Ms. Streisand is receiving the tribute “in recognition of her renowned creative accomplishments as well as her philanthropic work, which has included an extraordinary range of charitable activities over the years.”
According to the website www.barbrastriesand.com, the diva was selected “in recognition of her renowned creative accomplishments as well as her philanthropic work, which has included an extraordinary range of charitable activities over the years.”
Among her philanthropic interests are the Barbra Streisand Women’s Cardiovascular Research and Education Program at Cedars-Sinai and her campaign to combat women’s heart disease. She has also established the Streisand Foundation, which contributes to causes like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Human Rights Campaign and the Center for Public Integrity.
It’s amazing that she has any time to sing.