The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards celebration attracted American television, movie and music stars to Los Angeles on Monday, January 16th, 2006. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), NBC, Dick Clark Productions and Hollywood were the hosts of the annual show, which honors achievement in the film and television industries. 18.7 million viewers (about 2 million more than last year) tuned into the three-hour "Golden Globes", according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research figures.

NBC's broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards generally ranks as the third most-watched awards show each year, behind only the Oscars and the Grammys. The 2006 show was aired in 150 countries.

The Golden Globes are based on votes from more than 90 journalists living in Hollywood who are affiliated with international publications based outside the United States.

1,300 of Hollywood's elite were invited to the party.

Golden Globe winning "Best Director" Ang Lee, whose film also won the award for Best Picture of the Year, called it "an amazing year of American cinema."

Johnny Depp

Rugged Elegant Living's choice for best dressed, most "rugged elegant" soul celebrities of the 2006 Golden Globes included Sir Anthony Hopkins, "The Man" Clint Eastwood, John Travolta, Denzel Washington, as well as Reese Witherspoon, Emma Thompson, Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman.

The one star who exuded soul -- no matter what they said or wore -- was Johnny Depp. The only way to describe the talented actor, who was up for a nomination for his role in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? "Oooh Baby!"

The HFPA's Golden Globes attracted other notables including The President of The United States, i.e. an award-winning actress who plays the role of the first woman American president. Geena Davis came to the celebration already sparkling.

Commander in Chief Award-Winner

At the 2006 Golden Globes she went home with the award for Best Female Actress in a television series drama.

The new ABC/Touchstone drama she stars in, called Commander in Chief, is an inspiration to many young girls.

In this household, she has inspired a 10 year-old to consider one day becoming president of the free world. No kidding.

If they had been in Hollywood near the Red Carpet my daughter would have been that little girl Geena spoke of during her acceptance speech.

If only my kids, both aspiring pianists, knew how privileged they were today. On Sunday, January 8th, 2006, the world famous Chinese piano prodigy Lang Lang completed his fourth day of performances with the San Francisco Symphony. Lang Lang's name means "brilliant." And that he is! Sitting in our four loge seats above, we could not only see Lang Lang in action we could feel his soul exuding from ten finger tips that are attached an electric body. His eggplant purple velvet jacket only added to the personal charisma that is drawing sell-out audiences around the world.

After his performance of Beethoven's formidable Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, our ten year-old said, "He was really good at dynamics." When I asked her what she meant by this, she said, "It was amazing how he played so tenderly one minute and with such effervescence the next."