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DOOL's Arianne Zuker hosts St. Patty's Day Tea

The Gorgeous Gals of Daytime Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with A Girls Only Party!

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“This is the best tea I’ve been to,” said Daytime Emmy Nominee, Juliet Mills (Tabitha, PAS).  “Even better than Buckingham Palace. And believe me, I ought to know!  I’ve been to a number of them there.”  Daughter of Sir John Mills and sister of Hayley Mills, Juliet speaks from experience. What a great review of a great afternoon!
 
The afternoon in question was celebration of St. Patrick's Day – a little early. Days of Our Lives vixen, Arianne Zuker (Nicole) hosted A Very Posh Tea on Saturday, March 12, 2005, for her Daytime gal pals from NBC and CBS.  What a fabulous idea and such a fun way for daytime’s hottest divas to get the opportunity to chat, share secrets, try out new products, and get to wear the gorgeous chic jewelry from LA’s hot jewelry designer, Sossi. 

Joining Zuker were Judith Chapman (Gloria, Y&R), Suzanne Rogers (Maggie, Days), Daphne Bloomer (Eugenia, Days), Heather Lindell (Jan, Days), McKenzie Westmore (Sheridan, Passions) Julie Pinson (Billie, Days), Lauren Woodland (Brittany, Y&R), Renee Jones (Lexie, Days), Michelle Stafford (Stafford, Y&R), Amelia Marshall (Liz, Passions), Martha Madison (Belle, Days), Juliet Mills (Tabitha, Passions), Shanelle Workman (Gaby, B&B) and Rachel Kimsey (Mac, Y&R). All had a blast and didn’t want the afternoon to end.

First of all, this was an “invitation only” event.  There were no fans in attendance, as this was a time for the daytime divas to relax and have fun with each other. They may be in the same industry, and they may get to see each other at award and charity events, but they hardly get the opportunity to really talk.  Zuker had the idea that it was time to get to know her fellow soap actresses a little better and three weeks later, A Very Posh Tea took place at Doug Arango’s restaurant on Melrose in West Hollywood. 

“I went to a gift party and met Julie from Posh Tee, Lisa, her publicist, and Sossi of The Sossi Collection, and we talked about having an event,” revealed Zuker.  Most of the time it doesn’t happen. But then, Doris Bergman of The Berg Group and my publicist, Howie Simon, and I got together and thought about having a little party – a special event for ladies -- a tea party in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  And here we are three weeks later.  Very exciting!”

The restaurant was closed to everyone but the soap gals.  Lucky-themed musical selections accompanied the guests as they walked the Green Carpet (red turned green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day) sporting their Posh by A+A+² ™ Feelin' Lucky Tees.  Everyone was sent a Feelin’ Lucky Tee prior to the event, and a pre-requisite to attending, was you had to wear that Lucky T! 

Upon arrival and greeting the other stars, each actress took a turn at the jewels.  Sossi was there in person to answer questions and help the girls don the jewels of their choice.  It was quite a spectacle.  Diamonds, sapphires, topaz and tees! Everyone looked simply divine in The Sossi Collection jewels and Posh t-shirts.

World-renowned Doug Arango's indulged the ladies with an assortment of tea sandwiches, endive spears filled with julienne Asian chicken, fresh fruit salad, fresh-baked scones with Devonshire cream and jam, mini assorted cakes and dainties, hot and cold teas and champagne.  Everyone was already seated when Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R) arrived.  The entire table applauded upon her entry!  Nadia Bjorlin (Chole, DOOL) was held up at a meeting with her producers on the outskirts of town, and unfortunately never made it to the restaurant.

Soapdom got to spend a few moments with some of the darling divas in between their munching on tea sandwiches and trying on fantabulous jewels.  Arianne Zuker shared a little about what’s coming up for Nicole on Days of our Lives.  “Nicole is getting much closer to figuring things out. Some stuff going on with Nancy,” she said. “She’s coming around a little too much.  And you know that Nicole’s not stupid, so tune in.”

Suzanne Rogers loves working with John Ingle (nu Mickey). “It’s different. He’s extremely sweet and very nice and he wants to be there.  (Working on a soap is) a grind. It’s a long day. So you want someone who is excited about it.  And I think that’s what’s exciting for us -- seeing someone else experience that.   He brings a new energy and feeling altogether.  It’s a new person. It’s nice. I like it.”

Far as story for Mickey and Maggie, Rogers shared:  “We’re hoping that something is coming up for us.  I think the audience thought it was fun. (But) I think they’re saying ‘okay, how much longer is this going on? We want Mickey and Maggie to get back together.’ Of course, what makes it fun is Bonnie (Judi Evans) coming into the mix, so it is a ying and a yang kind of thing. It’s a double-edged sword.”

When Rogers heard that Zuker was hosting the Posh Tea, she immediately wanted in.  “First of all, I heard that Ari was involved and I said, absolutely. I want to come. Then I heard champagne and bling bling and I said okay – I’m here!  And I am going to wear this Lucky Tee for St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday!”  Rogers is excited about St. Pat’s. “I’m ¾ Irish and that’s my lucky day,” she shared. “They paint a green stripe down the middle of 5th Ave in NewYork.  It’s a big day in NY. Not as much out here, don’t know why though.  Maybe there are not enough Irishmen out here? Wait, I’m Irish!” she giggled.

Y&R’s Lauren Woodland is delighted with the direction the show is taking her character, Brittany. “I love my storyline right now. I love everyone I work with,” she said.  “It was very challenging and that made it really fun. I’ve been really lucky.”  We talked about the strip club scenes. Have you ever thought about pursuing a singing career? “I have. I love singing and I hope I can sing more on the show. I hope I can do more contemporary things;  more pop and stuff. I had a ball doing that. I was trained as a dancer and a singer and was thrilled to be able to do what I love on the show. They knew that I sang and they wanted to work that into the storyline somehow. But they didn’t know that I danced.  So we collaborated on how to use all of those talents.” 

If Woodland had her wish, what would her fantasy storyline be?  “What an excellent question,” she replied.  “Anything the writers come up with is probably better than anything I could come up with. Every time I think I’ve done it all, they come up with something new.” 

Passions’ Amelia Marshall (Liz) talked about the new direction of her show.  “Passions is moving along at a nice pace now, so we can’t have that complaint anymore that we’re too slow,” she said. “We’re still Passions, we’re still crazy, and it still takes us a while to tell a story, but when we tell it now, big things happen!” 

Did they notice a change in writing with head writer and show creator James E. Reilly doing Days. “We did feel it for a while,” she shared. “We collectively felt that when he went over to restructure that show, that we were in somewhat in a holding pattern.  We immediately felt the energy and drive kick back in when he came back. Suddenly, story was climaxing and ending or starting afresh with a new twist on it. He is very much back in charge. I’m told that he doesn’t really write things down until it all solidifies in his head.  He has a mind like that.”

The crowning moment of the afternoon was when Judith Chapman (Gloria, Y&R) discovered she had a special four-leaf clover sticker under her plate. Turns out she was the lucky winner of a gorgeous 14k white gold pink topaz and diamond ring gifted by Hollywood's favorite couture jewelry designer, The Sossi Collection. “Oh my goodness, Judith cried. “I can't believe I won!  I won!  This ring is so beautiful and pink is my favorite color!"

The girls all received fanciful gift bags which included crystal nail files by 95º & Sunny, skin care by Rachel Perry, Inc. and by Beyond Skin Science, topless sandals and foot jewelry by That's Cool, Inc., Forever My Lady by fiction author Jeff Rivera, hair care by Bodywealth, Gano Café Healthy Coffee, perfume by Angelscents, lingerie by Divine Inspirations, Bye Bye Blemish, China Glaze nail lacquers, a complimentary year subscription to www.Soapdom.com, a Posh by A+A+² ™ 'I Love Shopping' Tee and more. 

And guess what?  You’re a daytime diva, are you not?  Well, could be the lucky winner of A Very Posh Tea gift bag containing the same gifts that all the daytime stars received at the Very Posh Tea.  Here’s how:

Subscribe to www.Soapdom.com for one year at $34.95 from now through March 31, 2005.  Everyone who gets the annual subscription from now through midnight, March 31, 2005 will be entered to win the Very Posh Tea Gift Bag.  The winner will be notified by mail.

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