40th Anniversary NAACP Image Awards - LIVE in Los Angeles

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Two tickets to the NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine Auditorium, a backstage visit because I knew the talent coordinator, the after party at the Beverly Hilton, a backlot tour of the Sony Pictures Entertainment studio, late night eating at Grand Luxe Cafe at The Beverly Center and hanging with best friends. You couldn't have asked for a better way to spend Valentine's Day weekend in Los Angeles. We headed to L.A. on Thursday morning to arrive with just an hour to check in to our hotel, (that's my husband and I in the picture all glammed up!) the Renaissance at LAX, change from travel clothes to black tie gorgeous, hook up with our friends and head to the live show at the Shrine Auditorium. The planning of the trip was half the fun - I got $500 tickets for half price thanks to my best friend who is on the nominating committee for the Image Awards, so we were seated on the main floor, row 26 from the stage; a new pal who I met during the Inauguration festivities was working the show backstage. I caught up with her thanks to a person on her team and went backstage to chat. While heading back there, I got hello's and stares from the real celebs trying to guess who I was! When I saw Dina, we chatted as Randy from American Idol came in and was photographed. He said hello and kept it moving, the photographer figured I was somebody and asked to take my picture - he said I looked fabulous! LOL. Watched the live show, then headed to the after party at the Beverly Hilton hotel. Crazy crowds at the door, but even crazier once inside, there was no real dinner food left, just desserts. The fashions were outrageous and there were some stars in the room. A live jazz band, hype DJ and good friends made for a memorable night. Headed to the Sony studios the next day for a backlot tour and had a great time, then to Grand Luxe Cafe for a late night snack. Saturday was a chill kind of day and we were supposed to do some fun driving along PCH in the convertible that we rented, but it was only in the 50's so a little too cool. Instead gave my husband a driving tour of Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Went to Grand Luxe again that night for Valentine dinner and headed home on Sunday exhausted but a great weekend that didn't cost a fortune!