Held at Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles during Style Fashion Week LA Fall 2013, Go Red for Women was an event to be remembered, and a genuine cause célèbre.

Award season is pretty much over (I think), and I gotta say I ain’t mad at that. But that’s a bit sad because I used to get so amped up over seeing my favorite stars being recognized for their work in music, film, television, and humanitarian efforts. The speeches, the perfect video shots of prideful spouses in the audience, and the standing ovations for legendary appearances by the industry’s greatest. I mean, I would rearrange my schedule just to catch all of this.

There’s a lot to be said for free “stuff!” From my observations, people are really inclined to make an appearance if they’re promised a loaded swag bag. I used to suffer from that affliction until my office storage room began to overflow—that being one of the main reasons I personally stopped attending gifting suites.

Last season was my very first ever entrance to the Star Lounge. Just like some myth, I’d heard it existed, but had never seen it firsthand. Stars casually came in and out of this intimate space. And security guarded its entrance like some royal Egyptian tomb. If you weren’t on the tip sheet, or a famous journalist, guess what . . . you weren’t getting’ in! So what’s all the hoopla about anyway? It’s just a small room, nicely decorated with plenty of hors d’oeuvres and black label liquor.

Gifting suites have become a big business. Celebrities are almost guaranteed to show up. The appeal? Getting free stuff and getting your picture taken for the whole world to see. It’s an incredible opportunity if you’re a star. I’ve seen A-listers to C-listers to no-listers walk out of a gifting suite with so much swag they needed their entourage to help them carry it all to their cars.