February
20th
2008
Sometimes it sucks to be me (see also: Saturday night alone-half way through a pint of soy ice cream). But sometimes being me is incredible (see also: last night). Yes friends, your very own beloved Parrish, spent last evening celebrating 21 Years of The Body Shop Community Trade Program while downing delicious pear-ginger cocktails and hob-knobbing with Minnie Driver.
First off, let me say that before this event I wasn’t a fan or foe of The Body Shop. Quite honestly, it was only about a year ago (with my ex-gf’s relentless persistence) that I started washing my face with anything more than a plain old bar of soap. Today, I am gushing…practically falling on the floor with excitement over The Body Shop’s incredible line of products and even more incredible commitment to establishing global fair trade. These guys are the real deal!!
Not only can The Body Shop be proud to celebrate 21 years of paying their suppliers fair wages, but also for taking it a step further by helping to set up schools, health care and various other public programs in the indigent communities that support them. Graham Clewer, Head of Ethical Trade for The Body Shop told me, “It’s all about letting these people make choices in life. We’re gonna pay them what their due, but we’re also gonna help them develop in their community as well. It’s little small things about how you can do business differently. Anita Roddick (the late founder) used to call it, ‘doing business as unusual’ and 21 years later we’re still doing it, it’s bigger than ever, and it’s just the most fabulous thing to be involved with.”
Later in the evening we were treated to a short program with speakers like Cecilia Appianim (a Chanaian Community Trade supplier), a guest speaker from the UN, and last but not least, actress and Oxfam representative, Minnie Driver.
It’s important to note that I have a thing for British chicks, and even more of a thing for famous British chicks, and even more of a thing for famous British chicks that want to save the world. Well, Minnie is all three. Before I left the party, I had the opportunity to sit down with the star for a little one on one. What Minnie doesn’t know (well she does now…hi Minnie) is that this was my very first celebrity interview EVER and I was a total nervous wreck. Whether she could tell or not, Minnie was warm, gracious and intelligent and made me feel uber comfortable.
Click more below to continue reading the interview
Read the rest of this entry »
These days Oxfam seems to be popping up just about everywhere. Earlier this week I 
