And here's the more later . . . all the winners have been announced and right now the mother/daughter team of Susan Lucci (Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN) and Liza Huber (Gwen, PASSIONS), who presented the Outstanding Lead Actor award to a rather shocked Anthony Geary (Luke, GENERAL HOSPITAL), are being photographed in all their finery. I haven't decided which of the two is wearing the more interesting shoe, but needless to say I am in awe of them that they can actually stand and walk and talk on those heels at the same time.

Vanessa Marcil is now here. I think she did a great job and liked the fact that none of the actors seem to have been rushed off the stage. There was none of that panic that sets in when the actor/actress accepting the award learns they have ten seconds less to finish up. That was by far the best part of the awards show, I think.

Earlier at the annual Emmy Dinner at the New York Hilton, it was a crush of beautifully dressed actresses, very handsome actors, the behind the scenes people and many many adoring fans. The WEEKLY editors attend with tape recorders in hand, eager to pick up any and all little tidbits. After an hour-long cocktail hour, we were led into the Grand Ballroom for dinner. We dined on shrimp salad, halibut, wild rice, green string beans and the most delicious chocolate cake, which I personally doubt is on the South Beach Diet.

I won't begin to elaborate on what everyone was wearing (you'll have to pick up Soap Opera Weekly for that), but Keith Hamilton Cobb (Damon, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) was wearing the most unusual purple, fake alligator skin (plastic) clogs. Eden Riegel (Bianca, ALL MY CHILDREN) looked like an angel in white satin and kept checking the back of her head to make sure her diamond Harry Winston hairclip was still there. Let's put it this way, soap actors clean up very nicely for events like this. It is their Oscars, Tonys, Grammys and they know it.

The most out of the ordinary event at the dinner (which is usually more of a schmooze fest than a time to eat) was the near standing ovation Martha Stewart got when she entered the dining room at a little before seven.

I then headed out on the Red Carpet, past fans three deep who were clearly not interested in who I was. The Red Carpet is also lined with various media outlets where the actors are stopped for a two minute interview. Lorenzo Lamas (Hector, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) got a lot of cheers as he crossed Sixth Avenue.

The day before a major event, Radio City Music Hall is full of activity. The golden theater with vaulted ceilings is now decked out with a W-I-D-E flat screen that spans the width of the stage, and an oversized golden Emmy stage right. Presenters Susan Lucci (Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN) and Liza Huber (Gwen, PASSIONS) took a quick run-through as technicians fiddled with the cameras and the lighting and the big screen TV being used as a TelePrompter.

In a backstage room, vendors presented their wares for this year's gift bags. It's a good deal: presenters are showered with scores of lotions, potions, candles, breath mints . . . everything a weary star may need. Some of the more interesting treats include French-designed Chantelle underwear, Plantornics cell phone mobile headsets, sparkly jewelry from Anne Koplik Designs and a year's worth of free passes for two from Loews Theatres.

The most expensive gift is provided by Laser Eye center of Silicon Valley. Emmy presenters can treat themselves to free laser eye surgery -- a retail cost of $5000.

New Yorkers usually don't need a reason to throw a party, but an award show never hurts . . .

Event planner Marcia Tovsky threw her annual Emmy bash Tuesday night, attracting Daytime's young and hip crowd. Hip-hop set the scene as Quo, a spacious club on Manhattan's West Side, was filled with Scott Bailey (Sandy), Mandy Bruno (Marina) and Marty West (Shayne), GUIDING LIGHT; Jacob Young (JR), Justin Bruening (Jamie), and Aiden Turner (Aidan), ALL MY CHILDREN; Heather Tom (Kelly), Melissa Gallo (Adriana), Kathy Brier (Marcie), Tuc Watkins (David), and David Tom (Paul), ONE LIFE TO LIVE; and David Lago (Raul) and Thad Luckinbill (J.T.), THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. There was a whole lotta schmoozing going on.

If you're a woman, Emmy Week means the constant asking of the perennial question: What are you wearing???

This year, Cover Girl is helping people figure it out. The cosmetics titan has created a Cover Girl Truly Fantastic Style Suite at the Parker Meriden in Manhattan. Come Emmy day, Kathy Brier (Marcie, ONE LIFE TO LIVE), Christel Khalil (Lily, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis, GENERAL HOSPITAL) will be outfitted, manicured, petticured, hairstyled and made up by Cover Girl's best before being whisked off to the red carpet.

Brier, the only actress based in New York, had a chance to come in early and get a taste of early Emmy madness. She tried on several gowns as stylist Stacy London (host of TLC's WHAT NOT TO WEAR) looked on.

"The nominees this year are very confident," London said. "Theyre very clear about what they want. Kathy has been amazing. Shes had a completely open mind and she's a free spirit."

A free spirit contained by the demands of her surroundings. At one point she was standing completely still as artists fussed over her hair and lipstick. The movement around her sent her chandelier earrings into a sparkly dance while she kept the pose.

"Stacy has been so wonderful," Brier said. "She really listens to what I want to say. It does help, because I hate to shop."

Despite the hoopla, Brier said this week isn't much different from the rest of the year. "It's not different, except that now I have to get body treatments all week long," she said.

Soap stars from different shows could soon be sleeping in the same bed.

For the first time, Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress winners from Friday's Daytime Emmy Awards will be lavished with signature beds and bedding from W Hotels, including 350-thread count sheets and W's trademark pillow top mattress and feather bed.

Now these stars can light up the bedroom off camera as well.