A horse-driven carriage carried delighted guests up-and-down tony Rodeo Drive as snowflakes cascaded down, the streets teamed with ecstatic throngs of the teaming masses out to window-shop for the upcoming festive holiday season, and retailers threw open their doors with the promise of champagne and snacks on the house in a bold-faced effort to rustle up pre-christmas sales.
The occasion?
Upscale Beverly Hills was tossing their version of a block party - SNOW90210 - which kicked off with a lot of chutzpah and celebrated fanfare.
From 6 to 9 p.m. last evening residents were invited to ring in the yuletide season in the tony environs of one of the most exclusive neighborhoods on the face of the globe.
And, they responded in droves!
"We wanted to create something truly magical and memorable for our customers, residents, and visitors alike," gushed Valentino's Kathy Goharai (co-chair of SNOW90210).
So, in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, over fifty of the local business on Rodeo Drive and Brighton Way merrily offered up a few inviting treats and surprises that made for quite a festive evening!
At Bebe, models showed off the new Kardashian line and the Winter Collection, as well-heeled guests sipped on champagne (gratis) on the sidelines.
A Jazz Trio enlivened the night outside Brooks Brothers while Bell Carolers in Victorian Costumers entertained a scant few paces inside the front doors of the upscale haberdashery.
At Christian Dior a Disc Jockey spun platters to get shoppers in a yuletide shopping mood.
The Luxe Hotel offered longshot Gourmet Coffee and a hot chocolate bar at the Rodeo patio.
Meanwhile, at Max Mara, celebrity stylist - Annie Ladino - gave fashion tips to style-conscious guests who stopped in briefly to take a boo.
Not to be outdone, Tiffany offered up Hot Cider to their coiffed clientele, as they viewed the newest line of handbags from the Tiffany Leather Collection.
But, the night was not without controversy!
Mid-evening a band of angry protestors descended on Rodeo Drive denouncing a handful of retailers who were still inclined to sell products made of animal fur, in spite of the growing trend against the use of animal skins in the fashion industry.
Signs urged shoppers to "Make Compassion the Fashion" by refusing to purchase products made from real animal fur.
One pamphlet being handed out on the street was searing in its criticism.
"Over 40 million fur-bearing animals are brutally killed each year for their skins worldwide. Foxes, rabbits, seals, minks, racoons, chinchillas, and other animals are skinned alive or are killed via trapping, gassing, neck breaking and anal or genital electrocution."
"Animals are intelligent, sentient beings, and like us, they have the capacity to feel and experience pain. There is no reason to contribute to the suffering and death of fur-bearing animals. Purchasing or wearing fur puts blood on your hands!"
The answer was simple, they lamented, in the final analysis:
Don't buy or wear fur!
The activists noted that consumers can help stop the torture by doing the following:
Boycott
Refuse to buy items containing fur or fur trim. Purchase faux fur and cruelty-free clothing instead.
Support
Endorse and/or demand local, state, and federal anti-trapping and anti-crueltly laws. Thank and support stores that don't sell fur.
Contact
Get in touch with designers, manufacturers, stores, catalogues, and fashion magazines. Ask them to stop production, selling and/or promoting fur.
Educate
Inform others on the horrors of the fur trade. Distribute literature or plan an anti-fur event.
Protest
Organize and attend a Fur-Free Friday protest.
Info:
http://www.furfreefriday.com/
The above information was provided by Last Chance For Animals activists at the celebration last night.
And, how was your evening?
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