with Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Gary Kremen

You might have your favorite online dating site, but did you know the Internet dating industry actually has their own awards ceremony, similar to the Academy Awards?

iDate Conference organizer Marc Lesnick emceed the 3^rd Annual iDate Awards ceremony along with Mark Brooks from Online Personals Watch. It was an honor and privilege to also be a presenter at the event held in Miami Beach on January 24, 2012.

The Internet Dating Executive Alliance and dating site members and users had the opportunity to vote.for their favorites in 12 categories.

OkCupid walked away with 3 iDate awards, received by Sam Yagan, CEO and co-founder of the site. Gary Kremen, known for creating online dating back in 1993 by being the original creator of Match.com received a well-deserved special Lifetime Achievement Award. Gary was a Keynote speaker earlier in the day,

The complete list of winners are….

Best Dating Site – OkCupid

Best Dating Site Design – OkCupid

Best Dating Software Provider – White Label Dating

Best Mobile Dating App – Grindr

Best Dating Coach – Evan Marc Katz

Most Innovative Company – OkCupid

Best New Technology – Grindr

Best Up-And-Coming Dating Site – How About We

Best Marketing Campaign – Match.com

Best Affiliate Program – FriendFinder

Best Payment System – Paymentwall.com

Best Matchmaker – Julie Ferman, Cupids Coach/eLove

We’ll be posting video highlights from the conference with the latest in online dating safety, mobile dating, and letting you know about some of the new niche sites that might help while looking for love online.

Julie Spira is an online dating expert and founder of CyberDatingExpert.com. Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieSpira for dating advice and on Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert

Every day we create a digital memory book of our experiences when we log onto Facebook, send a tweet, or even snap a photo and email it to our friends and family.

The largest and most exciting addition to my digital scrapbook was the most recent BlogWorld Conference and New Media Expo held in Los Angeles.

It was an honor to be selected as a featured speaker where I spoke about The Rules of Netiquette: How to Mind Your Digital Manners.  Following my session, I signed copies of The Perils of Cyber-Dating at the BlogWorld Barnes and Noble Bookstore on site.

For those of you who could not attend the 3-day conference, I encourage you to sign up for the BlogWorldExpo Virtual Ticket, complete with over 100 audio recordings of all of the sessions. You’ll learn an incredible amount about how to connect and relate in a Web 2.0 World from some of the most influential people in social media.

I also had the opportunity to be interviewed by Nancy Spears of GenConnect, Abby Johnson of WebPro News, and Sandi McKenna on Dot TV.

Watch our videos:

Genconnect - How to Find Love in Cyberspace

WebPro News – What is Netiquette?

Julie Spira is an online dating and netiquette expert. She’s the author of The Perils of Cyber-Dating and The Rules of Netiquette. Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieSpira. Like her at Facebook.com/RulesofNetiquette and Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert.

On Sunday, October 2, 2011 from 10am – 6pm, join me at the West Hollywood Book Fair, where I’ll be autographing copies of my bestselling book, The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online.

The event will be held at West Hollywood Park and at the new West Hollywood Library at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. in West Hollywood.

Among the festivities and featured authors, you’ll have the chance to see Jane Fonda, Dyan Canon, Meredith Baxter, Jackie Collins, Marcia Clark, Julie Newmar, Hal Needham, Tatum O’Neal and more.

The event is free and will include 300 featured authors, 12 stages, and 25,000 guests.

I’ll be at the Womens National Book Association Booth # B8-B9. If you can’t find me, just sent a tweet to @JulieSpira.

Julie Spira is an online dating expert, social media strategist, and bestselling author of The Perils of Cyber-Dating. Visit her at CyberDatingExpert.com, Rulesof Netiquette.com, and SocialMediaMore.com.

Photo Credit: Cirque du Soleil

Celebrating 24 years of performances, Cirque du Soleil now has a new home at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. On Sunday, September 25^th, celebrities and guests were treated to a VIP Red Carpet event, as Hollywood Boulevard was closed off for a pre and post theatre extravaganza.

Iris, A Journey Through the World of Cinema by Cirque du Soleil combines the musical genius of Danny Elfman, with a whimsical and historical look at Hollywood. According to their website, Iris is described as “a lyrical, fanciful, kinetic foray into the seventh art. Bringing together dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation, the show takes spectators on a fantastic voyage through the history of cinema and its genres, taking them into the heart of the movie-making process.”

Matthew McConaughey

Some of the celebrities in attendance included Patrick Dempsey and family, James Gandolfini, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Hendricks of Mad Men, Matthew McConaughey, Ann Heche, Priscilla Presley, Cindy Crawford, Kim Raver, Jon Favreau, James Cameron, and Mario Lopez.

It was a treat to have George Kotsiopoulos, co-host of “Fashion Police” give me a vote of approval on my leopard print dress from the BCBG fall animal print collection.

According to sources, the production cost $120 million dollars, which included digging 90 feet under the stage to be able to store the extravagant set designs. Cirque will remain at the Kodak Theatre for 10 years.

Going to see IRIS will make a great date night and one certainly to remember.

Tickets are available at CirqueduSoleil.com.

Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter.

With Fashion Police co-host, George Kotsiopoulos

According to Internet Dating Conference organizer Marc Lesnick, the industry is happy. Over 250 online dating executives attended the 8th annual iDate show at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, where the subject was focused on mobile dating.

I had the opportunity to interview Robinne Burrell, Director of Mobile Products at Match.com; Mark Brooks, editor of Online Personals Watch; Monica Ohara, Director of Marketing for SpeedDate, and Joel Simkhai, founder of Grindr about their mobile dating services.

Julie Spira is an online dating expert and bestselling author of The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. Visit her at CyberDatingExpert.com and facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert

Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane

The color of the evening was purple as much of Hollywood  joined together to raise over $1 million at the 10th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball.

Tom Arnold, emceed the event and took a moment to mention that we were  just a stone’s throw away from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s home. He added, “He won’t be making fun of who I’m sleeping with anymore.”

Honorees included Scott Stuber, producer of The Break-Up starring Vince Vaughan, WME Entertainment’s Richard Weitz, and Olivia Wilde from House and The O.C. .

Attendees of the star-studded event included Ashley Greene, Jason Bateman, Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, John Favreau, L.L. Cool J, Whitney Cummings, and Matt Lanter.

Dana Walden, event co-chair and chairman of Twentieth Century Fox Television was enthusiastic about breaking their fundraising record by  surpassing the $1 million mark.” She told the sold-out crowd, “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person,” as she praised the Chrysalis event committee for their hard work and efforts for the cause.

Chrysalis helps change lives of the homeless in Los Angles by helping them get jobs. They serve 3500 people every year. To date, the organization has raised $7 million for the homeless.

After the awards ceremony, there was an after-party on the Brentwood estate, where they served Sprinkles cupcakes.

To make a donation or to learn more about how you can help, visit ChangeLives.org

Matt Lanter

Julie Spira and Noelle Scaggs

Vince Vaughan and Chrysalis CEO Matt Loranger

Tom Arnold

Dream Circus Performer

Ashley Greene

Paula Abdul - Lupus LA Orange Ball

The Beverly Wilshire Hotel was the host to the 11th annual Lupus LA Orange Ball, where guests walked the orange carpet in support of the chronic inflammatory disease.

This year’s honorees were Debbi and Roger Cowan who received the Founders Award.  The lovely Paula Abdul, now a judge for upcoming FOX TV show “The X Factor – US” graciously accepted the Loop Award for her contributions to raise awareness for Lupus.

One of the highlights of the evening was the performance of Band From TV, a group of a television actors who perform for charity. Desperate Housewives Terri Hatcher (Susan) joined her on-camera husband James Denton (Mike) onstage. Hatcher talked about what it was like to be single and sharing her hope to find that special guy in real life.

Lupus LA hoped to raise $500,000 for Lupus research. Watch the video highlights below.

Follow Julie at http://twitter.com/JulieSpira

Heidi Klum and Seal

For those other than the 1900 guests invited to the Royal Wedding, there were still many ways to celebrate across the county.

A few hours before Prince William and Kate Middleton’s nuptials at Westminster Abbey, I was among the several hundred attendees at LA Live’s Event Deck for the 5th Annual BritWeek Gala. The event honored Tim Leiweke, President and CEO AEG, home of the Staples Center and UK’s O2 Arena.

Seal

Grammy winning performer Seal attended the Gala with his beautiful wife, Super-Model and Project Runway Judge Heidi Klum. He performed 6 songs including Knock on Wood, Kiss from a Rose, along with his finale of Crazy.

It was the third time I had seen Seal perform live. With an intimate crowd, it was a spectacular way to honor the British festivities and a night to remember. Seal dedicated a love song to his wife and the crowd created a dance floor along the stage to sing along. Many of us went home without too much time to rest as the coverage began for the Royal Wedding.

Julie Spira and Laura Linney

Listed as one of the “Top 10 Events of the Year” in southern California, the 16th annual “Taste for a Cure” honored Showtime’s President David Nevins. It was heartwarming evening filled with hope for those finding themselves at UCLA’s Jonnson Cancer Center with this frightening and often deadly disease.

400 guests attended the event to fight cancer at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel including honorary co-chair Laura Linney, from Showtime’s The Big C,  Evan Handler from Sex and the City and Californication, with musical performances from Dancing with the Stars Julianne Hough and Matthew Morrison from Glee.

Select wines and regional dishes from Oregon’s Willamette Valley were sampled

Julie Spira and Matthew Morrison

during the cocktail reception.

Matthew Morrison’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was the perfect song to touch our hearts and give hope to everyone whose lives need to be lifted and filled with joy.

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.cancer.ucla.edu/

Patrick and Jillian Dempsey

The sun was shining brightly outside the John Varvatos boutique on Melrose for the 8^th Annual star-studded Stuart House benefit on Sunday.

Along with his wife Jillian, Dempsey was a gracious host for the Bring Your Heart to Our House Event that drew over 1500 guests including Brooke Burke, Zoe Saldana, A.J. Buckley, Billy Idol, and L.L. Cool J.

The childrens tent was jammed with kids decorating Converse sneakers and Build-A-Bear Houses. 25% of the sales at the Varvatos boutique will be donated to Stuart House.

Grammy winner K.D. Lang and the Siss Boom Gang performed a medley of songs at the outdoor event which raised over $500,000 for Stuart House.

Artist Shepherd Fairey attended the event with his wife and two daughters. Fairey was the guest D.J. at the end of the event and played music including David Bowie, Lou Reed, and even Billy Idol’s Dancing With Myself as Idol watched with a smile.

K.D. Lang

Julie Spira and Billy Idol

Designer John Varvatos

Patrick Dempsey and Julie Spira

Guest D.J. Shepherd Fairey