Jennifer Aniston Watch

These days, Jen calls the LA area home, and much as we all have favorite spots in our own neighborhoods, here is a sampling of the establishments that Jen frequents:

Restaurants

Nobu Malibu - This restaurant is a celeb fave for its great sushi and chic ambiance (3835 Crosscreek Rd., Malibu) (310 317 9140).

The Ivy - Notorious for its celebrity scene, The Ivy is said to have fabulous food as well. Its specialty is chic American cuisine (113 N. Robertson Blvd, LA) (310 274-8303).

Il Sole - Il Sole has been one of Jen’s faves since the Friends days (the cast even went there to celebrate the finale). Casual and unpretentious, this spot boasts delicious Italian food (8741 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood) (310 657 1182).

Marix Tex Mex Cafe - Jen is known to love Mexican food, and this is a favorite spot. Its chill vibe and noted KickAss Margarita have been known to draw quite a crowd (1108 N. Flores Street, West Hollywood) (323 848 2458).

Shopping

Planet Blue - On many an occasion, Jen has been spotted here, perusing their unique selection of upscale goods (800 14th St., Santa Monica) (310 394 0135).

Fred Segal - Like many celebs, Jen frequents Fred Segal for quality fashion at 500 Broadway, Suite G, Santa Monica (310 394 9814).

Other
Chris McMillan The Salon - This salon, owned by Jen’s friend and stylist Chris, is noted for its relaxed, unpretentious vibe, as well as its outstanding work. Located at 8944 Burton Way, Beverly Hills (310 285 0088).

Montage Resort, Laguna Beach - Jen has been spotted here; for those in the LA area, it’s a great place to get away while still close to home (30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach) (866 271 6953).

Jennifer Aniston, shopping, restaurants, salons, spas

Jen was spotted at Wednesday night’s Police concert at the Staples Center. It has been reported that Courteney and David were in attendance as well; PopSugar gives us some shots of Jen leaving the venue, looking very casual-chic.

She also gave a few interviews on Tuesday night at the book party; one can be found at Access Hollywood, and a tidbit from Hello magazine mentions plans to film Wanted in LA!

Finally, remember Joey’s deal with Phoebe in TOW the Fake Party, where he offered to go vegetarian for her during her pregnancy? He then asked her whether beer contained meat; here’s a surprising answer to that question.

Jennifer Aniston, Sting, photos, concert, Friends, beer, vegetarianism

Looks like Jen’s Smartwater campaign is picking up speed!

Boston blog Ratty’s Real World brings us this sighting of a brand new Smartwater billboard. An LA sighting was also reported; keep your eyes open for Jen’s gorgeous face on a billboard near you!

Also check out Glaceau’s website and click on the Smartwater section; their new intro shows off a few new pictures (shot by Mario Testino) of our beautiful Jen!

Jennifer Aniston, Smartwater, Glaceau, Mario Testino, advertising

In browsing YouTube, I came across this vid taken on the set of Rumor Has It:

For those familiar with the film, this was taken between takes during filming for the scene after Beau’s conference. Other familiar faces in the vid include Kevin Costner, Rob Reiner, and Chris McMillan. And an assistant who very kindly hands our girl a coat; must have been chilly! Anyway, this video is a real treat; as enjoyable as the finished product is, there’s a certain energy and anticipation about the production of it that I simply adore. Enjoy!

Jennifer Aniston, Rumor Has It, YouTube, production

Like sands through the hourglass . . . wait, that’s her dad’s show.

To hear the tabloids tell it, though, Jen’s real life is equally dramatic. Not only is she reuniting with Vince and flirting up a storm with Jake (leaving Reese immeasurably jealous), but now Brad wants her back! From Life and Style:

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been fighting non-stop lately, and Brad needed to talk to someone who really understood him. Which meant only one person: his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston! As Life & Style reports in its cover story this week, Brad phoned Jen on April 10, intending to pour his heart out about his problems with Angie — and ended up revealing his true feelings for her!

“Brad told Jen that he missed being with a woman who was his best friend,” the insider says. In fact, he became so emotional, he blurted a shocking confession to Jen: “I think I made a huge mistake leaving you.” Reps for Brad and Jen deny the story, but the insider insists, “There’s no doubt Brad would love to have Jen back.”

Will Brad and Jen finally have a reunion? And what does this mean for Brangelina? Leave your comments below — and read about Jen’s reaction and Brad’s follow-up phone calls in the latest issue of Life & Style!

Yet again, I’ll believe it when I see it. She’s a big girl who knows what she’s doing, so whether none of the stories are true or all of them are, she’s got it under control.

On a different note, People spotlights Jen’s ever-impeccable tonsorial sense with a new slideshow. Not much that we didn’t know, but they do give us a sound bite from Chris:

“Jen has a really good head of hair,” her longtime hairstylist tells PEOPLE. “I don’t have to do much.”

In fact, People has compiled their Jen items onto one page and thrown in some fun facts. One that I didn’t know:

Jennifer Aniston messed up the bouquet toss at her wedding to Brad Pitt: On the first attempt, her flowers bounced off a hanging lamp and back into her hands.

With that, have a happy weekend!

Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, gossip, hairstyles, fun facts

Many of Jen’s films, both past and rumored for the future, are based upon prior works of fiction. This presents a unique challenge, as many who have read a given book already have imagined the characters in their own way, and it is quite difficult for all involved with the film to satisfy such expectations. When done well, though, adaptations hold up brilliantly on their own. Here are a few that Jen either has been a part of, or may possibly do in the future:

The Object Of My Affection This film is based upon Stephen MacCauley’s 1987 novel about Nina Borowski, a feminist social worker whose closest friendship is with George, her gay roommate. Complications ensue when Nina becomes pregnant by her boyfriend, but wants to raise the child with George. Jen was an ideal choice for the role, as the combination of warmth and independence that is evident in Nina comes naturally to her, and she suits the bohemian look that is often brought up as one of Nina’s quirks. She and costar Paul Rudd also had the opportunity to show off some fancy footwork years before Dancing With The Stars made it commonplace. The script did not delve into Nina’s politics as much as the novel did, but through the perfect pairing of Jen and Paul in the leads, the film captured the heart of the story.

Derailed Many doubted Jen’s ability to convincingly play troubled beauty Lucinda Harris in this adaptation of James Siegel’s hit thriller (for more on thrillers, see Fiction Scribe’s interview with crime fiction author Elsa Neal). As Jen had made her name in comedy, she did not seem like an obvious choice for the dramatic role; furthermore, in the novel Lucinda is described as a dark brunette, and coming off of production for Rumor Has It, Jen did not quite look the part. However, Jen committed to the role, not only having her hair cut and dyed to match Lucinda’s, but diving right into the deep end with some harrowing scenes that would challenge an actress of any genre. She brought a deeper humanity to the role than the stereotype of the femme fatale would indicate, and in doing so she not only fulfilled but surpassed the original idea of the character.

Rumored adaptations

Wanted As I mentioned last week, it seems that Jen is signed to play framed Texas police officer Diane Wellman in an adaptation of Kim Wozencraft’s Wanted. This production has seen many delays, but I would like to remain hopeful that it will happen, as I am certain that Jen will shine in the part.

Grace and Grit Jen and her production partners are also rumored to be in talks with Ken Wilber’s Integral Institute about a film adaptation of his nonfiction work Grace and Grit, about his wife Treya’s struggle with breast cancer and her spiritual journey. It is unclear whether Jen will star in the film or work behind the scenes, but it does seem that either way, she will have an active voice in nurturing the concept. This book is a favorite of mine, and an adaptation will do wonders in expanding the audience for Wilber’s philosophy.

Adaptations, fiction, nonfiction, Jennifer Aniston, Object of My Affection, Derailed, Wanted, Grace and Grit, Ken Wilber, Kim Wozencraft, James Siegel, Stephen MacCauley

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

April 16, 2007, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Virginia Tech community and the world beyond.

To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to:

• Grief counseling
• Memorials
• Communication expenses
• Comfort expenses
• Incidental needs

If you plan to give, please click the link below:

Sorry about the lack of bloggage yesterday, I had a personal emergency that sort of derailed me for a bit, but it’s all good. Sort of.

Anyway, as many of you know, in 2001 Jen carried on the tradition in which Brad Pitt’s significant others appear in Melissa Etheridge videos, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Juliette Lewis before her. Here, then, is the vid for “I Want To Be In Love,” in which Jen appears with Melissa’s now-wife, Tammy Lynn Michaels:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeOsXhw36CM

Jennifer Aniston, Melissa Etheridge, music video, Tammy Lynn Michaels, Gwyneth Paltrow, Juliette Lewis

As certain publications would gleefully have us know, stars are, in fact, just like us. No matter the extent of their fame and wealth, they are not immune to certain mundane realities of everyday life and enjoy many of the same simple things that non-celebrities do. Jen is refreshingly candid about this aspect of her own life:

[on food in Chicago] Uh…well, you know there’s those great deep-dish pizzas, which are so great, but I, personally, and I didn’t get enough of it, because I sort of discovered it toward the end of my trip, was Weiner’s Circle. . . . You go there to be yelled at…like, they yell at the customers–Anybody from Chicago? [to Chicagoans in the audience who had somehow never heard of it] You should go to Weiner’s Circle. I’m telling you, it’s unreal.

Late Night with Conan O’Brien, May 2006

I do make my own bed. I like to have my bed made. I don’t like a messy bed; I don’t like a dirty kitchen…

Ellen, April 2006

I thaw, I microwave, and I order in real well.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, February 2001

And my girlfriends actually wrote me, um, uh, take-off, this is going to sound, really, really corny, but they uh, I had asked them to write me “take-off letters”, like a note, to actually just, to distract myself . . .So they wrote these notes, and I’m expecting like little things just like, “Good Luck, take-off, have a good time” and I get like, these love letters from my girlfriends, and they’re so, suddenly I’m weeping, weeping on this airplane in the, it’s like, you know, the front of the plane, in these seats, one, and then another person and I look to my left and I swear to God I see this man, staring at me, and I’m looking at him, and he’s looking at me, and I’m thinking is that the guy from Wham!?

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, June 2003

I’m trying to think of the last time I said, ‘What the hell’ and did something crazy.

Chicago Sun-Times, January 2004

Jennifer Aniston, quotes, everyday, Chicago, Weiner’s Circle

Last night, Marc Malkin of E!’s Planet Gossip brightened my week immensely. Not only did he reveal that Jen is set to receive an honor at next week’s L.A. GLAAD Media Awards, but he also gave major scoop on upcoming work:

Jennifer Aniston is one busy gal.

I can exclusively report that Aniston has been tapped to receive the Vanguard Award at this year’s Los Angeles GLAAD Media Awards on Apr. 14.

The award honors a member of the entertainment world who has been significant in promoting gay rights. Past recipients include Cher, Eric McCormack, Antonio Banderas, Liza Minnelli and Charlize Theron.

“She never expected this,” Aniston’s rep told me. “But she’s very honored and very happy about it.”

Aniston is also close to putting the finishing touches on a couple of upcoming film projects. While her rep was tight-lipped on details, he told me that she will go behind the camera for one. He said Aniston is likely to announce her plans to direct her first feature film.

But she’s acting, too. Aniston will most likely start shooting a new movie—in which she’ll costar—this summer, her rep said.

In honor of the GLAAD awards, I thought it would be fun to give you a recap of some of my favorite gay moments in Aniston’s career:
In 1998, Aniston costarred in the movie The Object of My Affection as a straight woman who attempts to raise her child with her gay male roommate, played by Paul Rudd.
Aniston and Winona Ryder enjoyed a girl-on-girl kiss in an episode during the seventh season of Friends, in which Ryder played a former sorority sister who had a longtime crush on Rachel.
Not only did Aniston appear in Melissa Etheridge’s video for the single, “I Want to Be in Love,” the out lesbian rocker performed at Aniston’s wedding to Brad Pitt.
She was the first guest on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show.
Most recently, she had a little kiss (nowhere near the wild makeout that some reports claimed would happen) with Courteney Cox on Dirt, in which Aniston played a rival editor to Cox’s Lucy Spiller.
Don’t worry if you’re not at the awards. For the third consecutive year, the Logo network plans to broadcast the Los Angeles and New York ceremonies.

—Additional reporting by by Matt Donnelly

Special thanks to Rovie and eponine70 of JACF for the heads-up!

Jennifer Aniston, upcoming projects, directing, GLAAD

Here are the latest stories to circulate:

A Friendly Evening Conflicting reports have Jen eating at Il Sole earlier this week. Some sources, with People chief among them, claim that Jen was seated with Courteney and Lisa, sharing some decadent entrees. Other sources purport that Jen was seated with the ever-present “mystery man,” with Courteney and Lisa seated at another table. Either way, Splash News caught Courteney and Lisa leaving, but Jen somehow alluded the cameras.

A Goodbye Peck A couple of nights later, Jen didn’t escape so easily. TMZ caught Jen leaving a gathering suspected to be Vince’s birthday party, and planting one on an unidentified man. As any Jen follower knows, she is given to the odd friendly peck (remember the fuss about her rather enthusiastic greeting for Matt LeBlanc?). However, these days any public meeting invites much intrigue, as talk of a new project steadily builds.

Jennifer Aniston, gossip, sightings, Courteney Cox Arquette, Lisa Kudrow

It must be an odd thing to be as famous as Jen is; however, part of her appeal is the grace with which she handles such attention. Whether the hype of the moment is good or bad, Jen has the rare ability to separate herself from it and simply be herself. Here are some of her musings about life in the public eye:

They want to know, ‘How do you feel about the media?’ We’re victims of the media, too. It’s a double-edge sword. You’ve got to promote and sell your work, and yet the media are so harmful. The beauty magazines particularly are there to feed on women’s low self-esteem. The truth is we’re all the same; there’s nothing greater about celebrities. It’s just a job. The media create this wonderful illusion – but the amount of airbrushing that goes into these beauty magazines, the hours of hair and make-up! It’s impossible to live up to, because it’s not real. But it’s a big job, extinguishing the shame we all have.

- Vanity Fair, May 2001

I don’t understand it even now. I know that the real person isn’t worthy of the adoration of innocent girls. And yet, those girls are allowed to have that, aren’t they? I’ve been on both sides now, but that doesn’t make it any easier to understand.

- Esquire, October 2002

There is a machine that creates these unbelievable illusions, based on, I’m sure, some of what the person gives. But it’s an important thing for me to demystify the illusion.

Without fail, the night before, I go, ‘Why do I think I’m allowed to be in a magazine?’ I just get so terrified, but especially this time. I was afraid that Steven was going to show up and go, ‘Ohhh, OK, I see. Wow, we’ve really got our work cut out for us. ‘Bring in the big guns!’

- Vogue, January 2004

To be a public person is to have a lot of energy thrown at you. People put out so much of who they think you are, and then you can kind of get lost. What’s real and what’s fantasy? And what’s the priority here? For 10 years I haven’t had time to deal with that.

We’re human, and like all other couples we go through good times and challenging times. And there’s always going to be that.

- People, May 2004

It’s literally two different people – the real me, and the ‘Jen’ they write about. ‘fighting back’, ‘getting revenge’ everything I couldn’t be farther from wanting to do.

- Vanity Fair, September 2005

And one from Vince:

She’s so genuine and warm, and she has a lightness, a classy ease about it all. You can see why people are so enamored. It’s like she’s stuffed with Elvis dust. Little kids see her and they don’t know she’s famous, and they just gravitate to her, they hang on her.

- Elle, 2005

Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, fame, Vogue, Vanity Fair, People, Esquire, Elle

The bizarre rumors about Jen’s love life continue to swirl, as we now hear from Famemagazine.co.uk that Jen and Vince have taken on the arrangement of “friends with benefits.” Read on:

Vince and Jen more than Friends

By Michael McGlade

JENNIFER Aniston and Vince Vaughn are busy having no-strings attached dates.
Embracing an “open” relationship has meant they’re now “friends with benefits” according to one close friend.
The loved-up pair split last year amid rumours of Vince’s one-night stand with a student.
But since the break-up Jennifer has been spotted spending quality time with the Hollywood hunk.
And when Vaughn crashed her 38th birthday bash at friend Courtney Cox’s Malibu mansion, onlookers noticed a definite chemistry between them.
A close friend said: “When Vince saw her again at dinner in January, that spark was still there.
“They both admitted it afterwards.
“But they’re realistic about their chances of committing properly so they’ve decided to just be friends with benefits.”
It turns out there are no set rules but Jen sees it as spending time together with “no strings attached”.

Great Friends

The friend then added: “It just makes sense. They love spending time together, they’re great friends and they trust each other.
“So why not have some fun until something serious turns up?”
The couple first hooked up on the set of film The Break Up in summer 2005 while Jen recovered from a devastating split with ex-husband Brad Pitt.
“When Jen and Vince started dating, they had no expectations and just decided to enjoy themselves for a while,” said a close source.
“Vince knew he was helping Jen through one of the hardest times of her life and she’ll never forget everything he did for her.”

Warning Signs

But rumours of difficulties surfaced last September when Vince flew to London to shot a film.
Jennifer chose to stay at home and appear on The Opera Winfrey Show to insist they were still an item.
Then Jen met with Vaughn for the first time in two months, spending most of the visit holed up in the Dorchester Hotel.
Alarm bells rang when Vince spent Thanksgiving in Budapest with 20-year-old student Laura Mallory Lane, who claimed to have spent the night with him.
The latest twist in the celebrity couple’s ongoing relationship saga may well be the perfect solution for Jennifer, who has confessed to difficulties meeting new men.

Well, if a “close friend” says it then it must be true . . . Seriously, how do people know this?

Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, gossip, relationship

This weekend marks the release of a surprise critical favorite starring not one but two Jen costars. Jake Gyllenhaal (The Good Girl) and Mark Ruffalo (Rumor Has It) costar in Zodiac, a movie detailing the case of the infamous Zodiac killer of San Francisco’s Bay Area. Its Rotten Tomatoes rating is a solid 86%, driven by great performances and a subtle, dialogue-driven quality. Interestingly, a look through the credits reveals a supporting cast filled with others who have shared the screen with Jen, including John Carroll Lynch (Jack Field, The Good Girl), Dermot Mulroney (Gavin Mitchell, Friends), John Mahoney (Mr. Fitzpatrick, She’s The One, General Rogard, The Iron Giant), and Adam Goldberg (Eddie, Friends). Anyway, this film is my pick for this week’s must-see.

Zodiac, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, new releases, drama, thriller, mystery

Most of the public came to know Jen through her role on Friends While that was, of course, her longest-running television role, she has appeared on the small screen in other series, even before anyone knew her as Rachel. Here is a sampling of her lesser-known work on TV:

Ferris Bueller In this short-lived spinoff of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Jen played Jeannie, the big-sister role originally portrayed by Jennifer Grey in the film. This series, which also featured Charlie Schlatter as Ferris, lasted only a few episodes and did not achieve the renown of the original.

Molloy This summer replacement series starred Jen as Courtney, and Mayim Bialik as Molloy. Unfortunately, it lasted only two episodes.

The Edge This sketch comedy series lasted one season, riding on the success of In Living Color. It is actually regarded as an underrated gem by many; while some of its humor borders on the absurd, other sketches are, in fact quite witty. This show provided a vehicle for a young Jen to hone her skills as a comedienne.

Muddling Through This series was actually slated for the fall of 1994 alongside Friends. The producers of Friends took a risk in casting her, knowing that if she ended up committing to another show, she would have to withdraw from theirs. However, Muddling Through faded fast, and the rest, as they say, is television history.

Guest-starring roles
Quantum Leap - Kiki Wilson
Partners - CPA Suzanne
Hercules - Galatea
South Park - Mrs. Stevens
King Of The Hill - Pepperoni Sue
Dirt (upcoming) - Tina Harrod