The End – Kime Buzzelli’s Vintage Shop

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As I mentioned in my April post about the Hideaway Saloon (which you can read here), I have been a longtime follower of 90210’s former costume designer Kime Buzzelli on both Twitter and Instagram.  Kime is BEYOND sweet and is always happy to answer questions from fans, whether it be about what a character wore in an episode or where a scene was shot.  She was even nice enough to share a photograph of a typo that she had taken with fellow stalker Owen for his blog, When Write Is Wrong.  Anyway, I knew from following her that she had recently opened a vintage shop named The End in Yucca Valley.  One Saturday morning back in May, the Grim Cheaper and I headed out to Starbucks for coffee and afterwards he suggested we take a drive up to Pioneertown – an Old West movie set near Joshua Tree that I had long wanted to stalk.  I should mention here that I had no makeup on at the time.  I had barely even run a comb through my hair before leaving the house that morning as I thought we were simply grabbing coffee and then going back home.  But trooper that I am, I agreed to head over to Pioneertown, makeup-less, to do some stalking.

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I am severely directionally-challenged (which is ironic considering this hobby that I have chosen for myself) and at the time had no idea that Joshua Tree was near Yucca Valley.  So when I saw a sign stating “Welcome to Yucca Valley” during our drive, I just about lost it!  I immediately pulled out my iPhone to search for The End’s address and informed the GC that I would not be leaving the area without visiting Kime’s shop.  Needless to say, we made a little detour and, let me tell you, I just about passed out when I opened the door to the place and there was Kime herself sitting behind the counter!  Never in my wildest dreams did I think she would actually be in the store!  (I am IN LOVE with the garland hanging above The End’s entrance, by the way.  I am fairly certain it is a Confetti System garland, similar to the one that Cupcakes and Cashmere’s Emily Schuman has strung in her office.)

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Kime was extremely gracious and we wound up hanging out in her shop for a good hour chatting about 90210.  The GC even really enjoyed talking with her and he could care less about that stuff.  Winking smile  And even though I was sans makeup, I, of course, had to ask her for a photo while I was there.

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While speaking with Kime, my eyes couldn’t help but dart around looking at all of the fabulous items in her adorable shop.  One piece that I kept catching sight of was the feathered skirt pictured below, the edge of which was sticking out of a rack of clothes.  Anything with glitter or feathers and this stalker is a goner!  The GC said that as soon as we walked in, he had spotted the white and blue plumes poking out of the rack and knew right away that the skirt would be accompanying us home.  Winking smile  So when I pulled it out at one point and Kime informed me that it had actually been purchased for Erin Silver (Jessica Stroup) to wear during her burlesque period on 90210, I just about died!  The skirt never actually made it into an episode, but that was pretty much all I needed to hear!  Thank God it fit, otherwise I would have been devastated!

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Then, a couple of weeks ago, I found out that Kime was bringing The End to the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs as a Labor Day pop-up shop, so I of course dragged the Grim Cheaper right on over there to do some more shopping.

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I was shocked – and delighted – upon walking in when Kime recognized me right away!  Like I said, she’s an absolute doll!  And she was even nice enough to take a second picture with me.

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While milling around the shop, I happened to come across the beaded piece of heaven pictured below and fell immediately in love.  Then when Kime informed me that it had been worn by Naomi Clark (AnnaLynne McCord) at her 18th birthday party on 90210, I just about had a heart attack!  It was at that point that the GC resigned himself to the fact that there was absolutely no way I was leaving the store without that dress.  Sadly, when I tried it on, though, it did not fit AT ALL.  There’s nothing like trying on AnnaLynne McCord’s clothes to make a person feel bad about themselves.  Winking smile  When I came out of the dressing room and informed the GC that the dress was too small, he said, “Are you just one stomach flu away from your goal weight, honey?”  LOL  Thankfully though, I thought to check the interior seam and, sure enough, there was extra material, so my mom was able to take it out for me (she’s an amazing seamstress!) and the dress now fits like a glove.  And while I was thinking about donning it for the Emmys this Sunday night (SO EXCITED, by the way), Marci, the owner of my very favorite store, Lula Mae, loaned me an uh-ma-zing frock that I am going to wear instead.  I’ll save Naomi’s dress for next year’s show.

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The dress was featured in the Season 3 episode of 90210 titled “Age of Inheritance.”  In the episode, Naomi throws herself an extravagant birthday party after learning the news that she finally has access to her hefty trust fund.  I, of course, re-watched “Age of Inheritance” immediately upon returning home from the Ace Hotel that night and really had to pinch myself.  I canNOT believe I own Naomi’s dress!

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For more stalking fun, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramAnd you can check out my other blog, The Well-Heeled Diabetic, here.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The End, 90210 costume designer Kime Buzzelli’s vintage clothing store, is located at 55872 29 Palms Highway in Yucca Valley.  You can visit The End’s Facebook page here.  There are a ton of great antique shops nearby, so I definitely recommend walking around the area a bit if you visit.

Halloween 2011 with Matthew Lillard

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Well, the stalking gods have definitely been smiling down upon me as of late because this year I experienced what was quite simply the Best. Halloween. Ever.  It was an absolute whirlwind and I honestly do not know how any future Halloween can ever compare!  It all started a couple of weeks ago when the fabulous Katie, from the Matthew Lillard Online website, announced that she would be giving away two tickets to the October 28th performance of Harbor, the new play in which the Scooby-Doo-actor stars, along with a meet-and-greet/photo-op.  I, of course, immediately entered my name in the contest and, as fate would have it, I won!  Because this stalker absolutely LOVES herself some Matthew Lillard, I was literally screaming at the top of my lungs when I found out.  What better way could there have possibly been to begin my Halloween weekend than by meeting one of the stars of Scream, my very favorite scary movie of all time?!?!  And while the Grim Cheaper was not nearly as excited about my big win as I was – he is not at all a fan of the theatre, especially Los Angeles theatre which tends to be a bit pretentious – the two of us found ourselves heading out to The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank this past Friday night.  And, let me tell you, I was literally bouncing out of my seat during the entire drive there!

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Amazingly enough, the excitement of the evening got started before the lights in the theatre even went down!  While the GC and I were standing in line waiting to pick up our tickets, I just happened to spot Mekia Cox – who not only played Sasha during Season 3 of fave show 90210, but was also one of Michael Jackson’s dancers on the ill-fated This Is It tour – standing in line behind us.  I, of course, just had to go up to her to ask for a photo and I am very happy to report that she could NOT have been sweeter.  Mekia said that she could not believe that I had recognized her as she usually does not get spotted when her hair is pulled back.  She obviously didn’t realize that she was talking to a stalker.  Winking smile I was like, “Are you kidding?  I noticed you the second you walked through the door!”  Smile

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Harbor, which was written by Jon Cellini, Matthew Lillard’s college roommate, is the story of a single mother who, upon the death of her father and the subsequent reading of his will, is forced to make contact with her ex-husband and his new wife.  And while it sounds as if that would be some rather depressing subject matter, the play is actually laugh-out-loud hilarious!  And Matthew Lillard absolutely SHINES in it.  His onstage persona is magnetic and he is nothing short of fascinating to watch.  The guy has got some major presence – one look at him onstage and it is entirely obvious how he became a movie star.  Truth be told, though, the entire cast was FABULOUS, the script superb, and the theatre warm and intimate.  I honestly could not have enjoyed the production more.   And I was not the only one!   Let me tell you, I almost fell out of my chair when the lights went up at the end of the show and the GC turned to me and said, “That was the best play I’ve ever seen in my life!”  I mean, I knew Harbor was good, but the fact that the GC said that speaks volumes!  If you live in the L.A. area or are planning to visit in the near future, you really need to go see this show!!  I honestly cannot recommend it more!

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After the play was over, we headed to the lobby to wait for Matthew to come out, whereupon the GC met the producer of the show and promptly told her that Harbor was the best play he had ever seen.  He was so giddy over finally enjoying a live performance, I honestly would not have been surprised if he had started shouting about it from the rooftops!  Anyway, when Matthew came out, I walked up to him to introduce myself as the Matthew Lillard Online contest winner and he immediately said, “Oh!  I’m supposed to take a picture with you!”  Um, LOVE IT!  After posing for the above picture, which turned out ADORABLE (can you tell how excited I was to meet him??), Matthew hung around and chatted with us for quite a long time.  The guy truly could NOT have been nicer and when I told him that the two of us used to frequent the same Starbucks and that I had always tried to (accidentally Smile) run into him there, he jokingly started calling me a stalker!  Oh, if he only knew.  Winking smile Matthew was truly honored that I was such a fan and gave me a huge hug before going off to meet the many other fans of his that were in attendance.  Sigh!  What a complete and total sweetheart!   As I said – the evening could not have been a more magical start to my Halloween weekend.

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The following night, the GC and I headed out to Palm Desert, where his boss was hosting a prom-themed Halloween party.  And while I had originally wanted to dress up as Ali (aka Christina Aguilera) and Jack (aka Cam Gigandet) from Burlesque this year, as soon I heard the words “prom-themed”, my plans immediately changed and we instead went as Brenda Walsh (aka my girl Shannen Doherty) and Dylan McKay (aka Luke Perry) in their outfits from the Season 1 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 titled “Spring Dance”.  As you can imagine, I could NOT have been more excited for this particular costume!

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And I, of course, just had to make the GC a vegetable boutonniere like the one Brandon Walsh (aka Jason Priestley) wore in the episode.  Smile

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I also just had to re-create the above photograph of Brenda and Dylan.  Oh, the crap I put the Grim Cheaper through!  It is honestly amazing that he ever proposed!  Winking smile And my Halloween excitement did not end there because I spent this past Monday night at a place that I am still pinching myself over, but more on that tomorrow.  Winking smile

A big, huge THANK YOU to Katie, from the Matthew Lillard Online website, for the tickets to Harbor!

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: Matthew Lillard will be starring in Harbor each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night now through December 3rd at The Victory Theatre Center, which is located at 3326 West Victory Boulevard in Burbank.  You can purchase tickets to the show here.