Looking for last minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas? MTM has compiled another list of our holiday favorites to show your significant other how much you care.

Photo courtesy of J Girl

1. Intimate Encounters

Lalicious’ tropical blend of coconut, macadamia nut and almond oils combine to make the perfect sultry sent of Coconut Cream. Whether used for skin moisturizing or an intimate massage for two, it’s the gift you both can enjoy. $24, at jgirllingerie.com

Photo courtesy of Sea Lily Malibu

2. Forever in Flowers

Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a vibrant floral arrangement from Sea Lily Malibu. Gift a European garden-styled bouquet or a stunning contemporary design that will take her breath away. Prices vary, at Malibu Gardens, 6444 Trancas Canyon Road; 310.457.8100

Photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

3. Sleek and Stylish

Made in silicone-wrapped stainless steel, the Emporio Armani Sport Chronograph Watch boasts subtle sophistication at its finest. Crafted with rose gold accents and made water resistant to 3 ATM, you’ll add maximum luxury to his everyday attire. $395, at saksfifthavenue.com

Photo courtesy of Malibu Family Wines

4. Wine and Dine

The watermelon hued 2009 Rose yields scents of cherry and strawberry which lead into a clean blend of apple, melon and nectarine flavors to get your taste buds tingling. Coupled with fine eats at a romantic dinner or for casual sipping while enjoying an intimate evening alone, 2010 Semler Rose is the perfect wine to celebrate your love. $20, at malibufamilywines.com

Photo courtesy of Open Table

5. Extraordinary Eats

Regularly serving up tasty dishes like classic steaks paired with designer cocktails, Charlie’s is featuring a Valentine’s Day fixed dinner menu for you to dazzle your date while enjoying some of the finest food in Malibu. Starting off with a mouthwatering choice of Oysters, Shrimp cocktail or Smoked salmon bilini and ending with your choice of two Chocolate ganache heart cakes or Raspberry cream dome cake, you’ll be sure to leave satisfied. $95 per person, at Charlie’s, 22821 Pacific Coast Hwy., 310.456.3231

Photo courtesy of popsugar.com

Hollywood heartthrob Matthew McConaughey popped the question over a month ago, but it wasn’t until Camila Alves’ striking presence during the QVC Fashion Week that she showed the goods. Alves was the talk of the town as she showed off her stunning red dress and three stone, rose cut diamond ring.

Malibu locals Camila and Matthew, who have been together for five years, say they are enjoying the fiancé life, but haven’t quite started planning the wedding just yet.

“I am really enjoying being engaged right now … no wedding plans as of yet,” she told People Magazine reporters.

Camila has been busy working on her handbag line and is spending time away from her husband-to-be at this years Fashion Week. She is presenting her newest collection during her stay in New York, and later touring around the United States with her mother. She honored Matthew by acknowledging how supportive and helpful he is with her fashion career.

She also applauded his sense of style. Not only did the Brazilian beauty rave about her stunning sparkler, but how Matthew has a great eye for bag styles and colors.

“Matthew has great taste,” she said. “He always has great opinions on what works and what doesn’t,” as she told People Magazine

Camila and Matthew are one of Hollywood’s hottest couples. Be on the look out for when they officially announce the big day.

Photo Courtesy of lacounty.gov

The Malibu Surfing Association (MSA) has set the date for this years beach clean up. On February 18th, the MSA, who works with the California Coastal Commission’s'Adopt-A-Beach’ program, will look to wipe Surfrider beach clean of all trash and debris.

Some locals win, others lose, but the biggest movie prize of all is yet to come.

Photo Courtesy of the Palm Springs Film Festival

There were plenty of upsets and surprises at 5:38 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 24 when the Oscar nominations were officially announced. Malibu’s Leonardo DiCaprio seemed to be a shoo-in for a Best Actor nomination after his acclaimed performance in “J. Edgar,” but was surprisingly left off the list. Still, there are lots of other Malibu locals to keep an eye on at the Kodak Theatre later this month.
Steven Spielberg, Nick Nolte and Gary Oldman have all been given Oscar nods. Spielberg’s “War Horse” could win by a nose for Best Picture, but it is in a tough race with the Golden Globe-winning silent film “The Artist,” “The Descendants,” “The Help,” “The Tree of Life,” Martin Scorsese’s whimsical “Hugo,” Woody’s Allen’s magical “Midnight in Paris,” the baseball hit “Moneyball” and the 9/11 tale “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” starring Malibu’s Tom Hanks.

Best Actor is another close contest. Gary Oldman received a nod for his turn in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” which pits the local against Golden Globe- and SAG award-winner Jean Dujardin for “The Artist,” Brad Pitt for “Moneyball” and George Clooney for “The Descendants.”
Meryl Streep may be the favorite for her Globe-winning role as legendary British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” but Michelle Williams’ portrayal of Marilyn Monroe and Rooney Mara as “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” are also serious contenders in a category that includes Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs” and SAG award-winner Viola Davis in “The Help.”

Longtime resident Nick Nolte is up for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the sports drama the “Warrior.” He is going toe to toe against film vet Max von Sydow, who appears in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” Sunday’s SAG winner Christopher Plummer in “Beginners,” Kenneth Branagh for “My Week with Marilyn” and Jonah Hill in “Moneyball.”

The award season is just getting underway, so expect to see those shiny Gemstar limos lined up along Pacific Coast Highway for weeks to come. But for the biggest, starriest, flashiest night of nights, tune in for the Super Bowl of cinema, the 84th Annual Academy Awards on Sun., Feb. 26.

Pictured from left: Janet Graham, Laura Tate, Loraine Shields and Sarah Fazeli at a Writers on Fire Workshop in Topanga Canyon.

Not interested in this year’s Super Bowl Sunday? Then stop by the Juicy Heart Reading at Café Mimosa in Topanga Canyon and help celebrate four-plus months of the Writing the Publishable Novel or Memoir workshops through Writers on Fire.

New and published writers will read five-minute pieces featuring the trials and rewards of relationships and love, as well as other tantalizing subjects (see below for writers bios and reading titles).

Wine will be offered, and a special guest musician will perform prior to the readings.

Writers on Fire, founded by widely published author Rachel Resnick, offers writing retreats in Los Angeles and around the world. More information can be found at www.writersonfire.com

Where: Cafe Mimosa, 395 S Topanga Canyon Blvd, Topanga, CA 90290

When: Feb 5th. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Reading begins promptly at 5:30 p.m.

Café Mimosa in Topanga Canyon

Ann Carli

Ann Carli

Ann Carli is an independent media producer and music consultant by day, and unmasked, capeless writer by night. Currently working on a novel, she owes her current fire and courage to Writers on Fire.

Ann’s story, Hugo the Magnificent, was published in Gentle Strength Quarterly.

Andrea Custer

Andrea Custer

Andrea Custer is an emerging writer currently participating in her first Writers On Fire workshop. She is a devoted reader, occasional historian and full time mom. She is currently working on her first novel.

Custer will read, “Bite and Scratch.”

Sarah Fazeli

Sarah Fazeli

Sarah Fazeli is a graduate of a self-designed interdisciplinary MFA program at California Institute of the Arts. An actress and published author, she writes a column “Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered: Thoughts on Life in Los Angeles” for www.fierceandnerdy.com.

Sarah will read from her memoir-in-progress, “Asleep and Awake in Fantasyland: My Failed Attempt At A Disneyfied Life.”

Janet Graham

Janet Graham

Janet Graham is a writer and psychotherapist, currently practicing in Santa Monica, California. She is presently writing her memoir, centering on love, devotion and loss, while living with her partner of thirty-three years in the mountains of Malibu.

Graham will read, “Dinner Hour.”

Justine Musk

Justine Musk

Musk is the author of two dark-fantasy novels with an imprint at Penguin (BLOODANGEL and LORD OF BONES) and a YA supernatural thriller with an imprint at Simon & Schuster (UNINVITED). She blogs and is working on the novel, “The Decadents.”

Caron Perkal

Caron Perkal is a freelance art director, born and raised in Los Angeles. A short story writer and poet, her poems appear in the anthology “Twelve Los Angeles Poets.” She has done readings throughout the city.

She will read, “Cinnamon Disc.”

Rachel Resnick

Rachel Resnick

Rachel Resnick is the bestselling author of “Love Junkie: A Memoir” and the novel “Go West Young F*cked-Up Chick.” She is the founder and CEO of Writers On Fire, and lives in Topanga Canyon.

Rachel will read an excerpt from the essay published in Slake, “Natural-Born Butcher,” which was nominated for a James Beard Award, the M.F.K. Distinguished Writing Award 2011.

Loraine Shields

Loraine Shields

Loraine Shields is a graduate of Reed College, and recipient of the Kirkwood Award. Her stories, “The Good Life,” and “Borderline” are published online. Loraine also teaches drama, memoir, and directs and acts in film, television and stage.

Lorraine will read her piece on lost friendship: The Last Station.

Laura Tate

Laura Tate

Laura Tate has served as editor of The Malibu Times newspaper, and Malibu Times Magazine. She is the founder of CrackerjackScribe.com, an online content and social media marketing business, as well as DeliciousVoyages.com, a travel and dining publication.

Laura will read, “My Twenty-Year-Younger Lover.”

Also reading are Susan Landau and Lisa Firestone

Photo courtesy of ew.com

The marriage between movie giants DreamWorks and Reliance is hoping to pay off at this years 84th Academy Awards.

With movies like War Horse, which is up for six nominations,  The Help, Puss In Boots, and others, Spielberg and Indian partner Ambani are looking to take home hardware.

Forged in 2008, Reliance Big Entertainment entered into        a $1.5 billion partnership with DreamWorks. Forces were joined, a studio in Hollywood was built, and work quickly began. With new funding, Spielberg and colleague Stacy Snider have pumped financial steroids into their recent films, and the pay off is palpable.

But even with eleven nominations, it is unsure that their films will strike gold. Critics are doubtful the results will as pleasant as years past.

Top dogs like Hugo and The Descendants stand in the way for best picture, while Rango and Kung Fu Panda 2 are set to fight for best animated feature film.

But regardless of the outcome, Reliance DreamWorks will be looking forward to their next crop of star studded films. It is clear this is just the beginning of their success.

The Oscars are scheduled for Sunday, February 26th.

Photo courtesy of missmalibu.com

Miss Malibu Brie Gabriele was named first runner up at the Miss California USA 2012 pageant on January 8th. But it was Natalie Pack, Miss Hoag Hospital, who earned the top spot.

Nearly 300 Californians from Shasta County to San Diego Bay competed in the competition. Gabrielle was named Miss Malibu this fall.

The Miss USA pageant will be held this summer.

Photography by Julie Ellerton

By MacKenzie Ring

The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation recently held a fundraising concert— La Vita Bella—at Malibu City Hall’s Performing Arts Center. Hosted by Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, CLF raised more than $40,000. Guests enjoyed an evening of fun filled festivities that included dinner, drinks, a live musical performance, a show by Star’s Stilt Circus, and festive live and silent auctions to raise money for the cause.

Musical performances included classic tunes like “River of Love” and “Love is a Battlefield” by hosts Neil Giraldo and Pat Benatar as well as ballads by legendary gospel singer Sylvia St. James, and the Malibu High Choir. Attendees Kris Jennings, Marla Michaels and Cha-Cha Weinstein were awarded the CLF Angel of the Year awards for their great fundraising works. Christopher Rojas and Randy De Leon were awarded the Cindy Landon and Mary K. Ryan Scholarships for Academic Excellence. Additional attendees included Malibu’s Mayor Laura Rosenthal, Jeffry Michaels and Juna Roth, Frances Bowdery and Council Member Lou La Monte.

The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to positively transforming the lives of Los Angeles’ at-risk, very low-income and homeless youth and families.

Though the holidays are a time of joyous family reunion and festive merriment, the impending days leading up to the time of celebration  prove to be a long, stressful process of shopping. To take off some of the stress that the holidays have bestowed upon you, MTM has compiled a list of our top five favorite stocking stuffer items so that you can minimize your time searching for a gift and make sure you find something he/she will love.

Photo courtesy of fitsugar.com

1. Voli Light Vodka:

Voli Light Vodkas contain, on average, between 20% and 40% fewer calories than the leading brand. Seeing as though the holiday season is filled with delicious, yet higher calorie-content foods, make sure your alcoholic beverage won’t add on to your waistline. Both delicious and low in calories, Voli Light Vodka makes for the perfect gift during the holidays. $24.99, at volispirits.com

Photo courtesy of Research In Motion

2. BlackBerry Bold:

Bring in the New Year with the latest technology. The new, premium BlackBerry Bold 9900 is distinguished by its iconic Bold design and delivers best-in-class productivity for people who want the industry’s leading full keyboard while enjoying the convenience of a touch screen. With WiFi capabilities and amazingly clear graphic display, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. $199.99 with a two-year contract online and in company-owned retail stores, at blackberry.com/bold  

Photo courtesy of the Chocolate Box Cafe

3. Chocolate Box Treats:

Rich, elegant treats from the Chocolate Box Cafe make for the perfect stocking stuffer to those of all ages. Gift the “Treasure Box” for a showcase of the finest assortments of hand-made Belgian chocolates and confections or the “Sweet Dreams” box with classic French pralines, calorie-conscious creamy buttermilks, richly formed truffles and savory marzipans.Prices vary, at  3939 Cross Creek Rd., Suite C100

Photo courtesy of bloomberg.com

4. Kindle Fire

With web capability and access to movies, games, apps, reading and more, the Kindle Fire is the perfect entertainer. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic movie from a media library containing 19 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books or need to do a quick search on the internet featuring ultra-fast web browsing, you’ll never go bored again. $199, at amazon.com

Photo courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

5. Pure Tiffany

Pure Tiffany features the scents of fresh cut magnolia, exotic jasmine, water lily, may blossom and tuberose with sensual woods. This nature-inspired fragrance makes for the ideal stocking stuffer while showing the lady in your life how much you care. $100, at tiffany.com

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By MacKenzie Ring

Television personality Ellen DeGeneres is officially the proud owner of a new Malibu home. Formally owned by A-lister Brad Pitt, DeGeneres purchased his Malibu manse for $12 million this past Friday. After putting the Architectural Digest-featured home on the market for $49 million, Degeneres and wife Portia De Rossi became interested in the Malibu estate around Thanksgiving.

Though DeGeneres and De Rossi will be downsizing from 15,000-square feet of interior space to 4,000-square feet, the couple’s new house features an overlooking view of the ocean with access to the private beach, a pool, tennis court, and lush gardens. Though leaving his Malibu home behind, Pitt and romantic partner Angelina Jolie, along with their six children, still have a three-house compound in Los Angeles, a beach house in Santa Barbara, California, a chateau in France, a home in New Orleans, and a house on stilts in Cambodia.