When Ellen Pompeo skipped maternity leave after the birth of Stella Luna, a few eyebrows were raised.

But the Grey’s Anatomy star, who went back to the set four weeks after the child’s birth, was not one to take her blessings for granted. She told Self Magazine: “A lot of people couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t take my maternity leave. I felt like I needed to work while I had this opportunity. The writers and producers were really gracious and wrote my scenes so I could pre-shoot them.”

Pompeo, 40, said Stella Luna is her first priority and earlier spoke about eventual plans to give up acting and live in tranquility with her family. She said: “I got pregnant and I was like, ‘Oh God, it worked! Oh, no!’ Will I know how to do everything right? Of course, nobody does everything right, but as long as your baby is the priority, that’s the best you can do.”

Pompeo, who is married to Chris Ivery, is already working on Stella’s sense of self. “I sing [Beyoncé's] Single Ladies to her: ‘Put your hands up!’ Even though it’s probably an involuntary movement on her part, I think she’s really doing it.

“I don’t believe in putting on airs. I call it like I see it. I am who I am, a Southie. I hope Stella has more self-confidence than I did as a child. Because when you believe in yourself – you don’t look for validation from others.”

Source: Splash News

She recently purchased her own home, and is having interior designer Kenneth Brown decorating it with her. He is also doing her boyfriend Zac Efron’s home as well.

Here are a few highlights from the interview:

“I keep a Taser in my purse for self-defense,” Vanessa said. “I’m moving into a house by myself, and it’s scary.”

She talked about not wearing makeup: “Sometimes I feel prettier without makeup. You take it off and you’re like, Oh, there I am! But red lips make me feel sexy . . . It brings out the vixen in you.”

Taylor Swift was on the cover of the magazine’s March 2009 issue.

Vanessa is currently in New York City to watch her boy Zac, as he is hosting Saturday Night Live TONIGHT @ 11:30PM ET/PT on NBC.

Lindsay looking fabulous. The wonders of Photoshopping are aptly displayed here aren’t they?

In other news on Linds…

She’s back on the prowl as TMZ is reporting that SaMan changed the locks on her home over the weekend, their photographers took photos of the locksmith, and Lindsay herself just gave this statement to E! News:

Lindsay tells E! News that she has confirmed that she has split up with SaMan. For those of you who follow her Twittering, you’ll most likely know about how upset she was! Here is her brief little statement:

“We are taking a brief break so I can focus on myself.”

Wonder if what went down on the weekend has anything to do with this little time-out…

Lindsay was not invited to the launching of SaMan’s sister, Charlotte Ronson’s new fashion line with JC Penney over the weekend. Lindsay had to be escorted out of the building by security as SaMan left instructions she was not to be let in.

Sources told OK Magazine Linds even knew she wasn’t supposed to go, but tried anyways to get in and ended up being “restrained from coming in by five security guards.”

Here is the Ronson clan… minus Linds:

Miley Cyrus and her bf dancer Mandy Jiroux are hosting a new contest.

The girls are asking their fans to make a “Vote For Miley” Kids’ Choice Award video. Check the notes section of the video about the contest which reads:

“Make an awesome video saying ‘Vote for Miley for Kids Choice Awards!!!!’ Whoever makes the best video will win one of the two prizes both of which are autographed by both girls… a Louis Vuitton iPod case or a diamond iPod.

“To let us know you made a video comment this video titled ‘Miley & Mandy Show! KCA’ saying I MADE A VIDEO and then title your video that you made ‘KCA and your name.’ Please make the video you made your main video so we can check it out! When we decide we will send you a message and let you know you have won! Now, two will win but the rest of our favorites will be put in a play list on our page thanking you for participating!!! God bless and thanks for everything! Y’all rock! XOXO MILEY AND MANDY!”

Jessica Biel is Golf Gazing

Jessica Biel keeps an eye on her boy Justin Timberlake as he participates in the second round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament on Friday (February 15) in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Other big name celebs who took part in the event included Carson Daly, Peyton Manning, Andy Garcia, Ray Romano, and more.

“Ah man, it’s awesome to see them turn out,” Timberlake said of all the fans who came out to lend support.

Last week, a construction worker was tragically killed on a golf course owned by Justin Timberlake.

Looks chilly there. Jessica is watching golf while wearing winter gear. Then again, Pebble Beach is up north and on the windy Pacific.

Hilary Duff wore this absolutely stunning Donna Karan dress at the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection 2009 fashion show in New York City during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Tent in Bryant Park today.

The fashion event is for a very important cause, raising awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women.

Hilary was a vision in red walking the red carpet strutting her stuff to her own hit song, “Beat Of My Heart”.

Beyonce looked elegant wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier Paris black wool crepe dress with attached wood necklace at the Unforgettable Evening gala held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Tuesday (February 10) in Beverly Hills, Calif. Check out the crystalized pumps. Love them.

The fundraising event benefits the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund (EIF’s WCRF), raising much needed funds each year for innovative cancer research, and recognizes one remarkable individual for his or her unwavering commitment to the cause.

Beyonce sang at the event.

Here she is posing with singer Cheryl Crow who is a breast cancer survivor.

Taylor Swift has partnered up with Wal-Mart’s Jone’s Apparel Group’s L.E.I. brand to be the face of their spring and fall ad campaign.

L.E.I. executives also came up with a plan to help Taylor create a small collection of sundresses after she expressed an interest and she will have a one-season collection of colorful cotton spring dresses that will be called L.E.I. Sundresses by Taylor Swift. They’ll be shipping exclusively to Wal-Mart stores on Feb. 1, just in time for spring, and they’ll cost $14.00 each.

What a great price.

Group chief executive officer, Jack Gross, said they chose Taylor because she is “someone with a good reputation and someone who we didn’t have to be afraid of getting any sort of bad press.” He added, “She is so famous, but really so grounded. We liked her immediately.”

When it came to designing the dresses, Taylor said,

“We had so many ideas to work from, and it came down to creating dresses that I would wear. If I couldn’t see myself wearing them, I wasn’t interested in making them” and that she found the price appealing because “It was very important for me to create cute, affordable dresses. Especially in these hard times, making expensive dresses just doesn’t make any sense. I go to Wal-Mart all the time. The one in my hometown of Hendersonville, Tenn., is open 24 hours, so I go there a lot to buy DVDs and stuff like that” because her PR person told her to.

It was announced that Leona Lewis would be coming out with an autobiography even though she is only 23, and now the buzz is that she will be designing a vegan clothing line and a perfume.

Says an insider:

“Leona has had a lot of approaches about launching her own perfume, but she wanted to make totally sure she would be working with an ethical company. She has had a big hand in helping to create the fragrance and the design of the bottle and now she can’t wait to see it in the shops.”

Take a peek at Jennifer Lopez’s new fragrance ad for Sunkissed Glow. It was photographed by Peter Lindbergh on the island Islamorada in Florida.

“Sunkissed Glow is a flowery, fruity and sensual scent with notes of orange blossom, waterlilies and passion flowers. It also has the scent of ember, musk and cashmerewood.”

The fragrance goes on sale at European stores in February 2009. So far, no U.S. release date.