I need the free stuff, not them!

Yes, the Oscars are almost here. I don't care about the actual show. The most I do is check my favorite newspapers the next day, look at pictures and scan a couple of reviews. I was just reading this article Let Them Eat Foie Gras (Gift Bags Are So Last Year) on NY Times. It's incredible to see how royally the Hollywood stars are treated. They get invited to stay at luxury retreats days before the big event where they relax, eat expensive meals, get salon and spa treatments, and all kinds of free stuff. Gyawd!

... This is the new swag, a twist on the widespread practice of giving to the already rich and famous. In the wake of a crackdown by the Internal Revenue Service on award seasons gifts, often worth tens of thousands of dollars, Hollywood marketers are relying on a different sort of giveaway: the “branded retreat,” an invitation-only, luxury destination where free products are just a corollary to the more subtle (and possibly tax-free) pleasures of food, drink, entertainment and spa treatments, on the house.

“I think goodie bags are a bit last year, aren’t they?” asked Nick Jones, the propietor and marketing talent behind Soho House, a chain of hotels and private clubs in London and New York. He hopes to open a permanent space in Los Angeles in the next couple of years. “It’s not like giving someone a motor car or a diamond ring,” he added. “It’s a more subtle connection. We’re entertaining....”

Soho House, the private members club for film and media professionals, set up a temporary club location at a Mediterranean-style mansion in West Hollywood for the week leading up to the Oscars. Above, the outdoor dining area, overlooking the city.

Another L.A. retreat with complimentary offerings for celebrities is Haven in Beverly Hills. Here, Charlie Lapson handbags and accessories are offered as gifts. But those who enter Haven must sign waivers promising to pay taxes on any gifts they accept.

Another complimentary product line at Haven is Jour Nuit shoes, which retail from $300-$1,000.