WHAT PUTS A CALIFORNIA GIRL LIKE
MARISKA HARGITAY IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND?
Bridges, Barneys, and Bar Americain
Mariska Hargitay is a born-and-bred Californian, but the way in
which she is bullying me into saying her name correctly is so very
East Coast. "It's Marishhhhhka! You know, like there's an H,†she
tells me with a hint of New York thuggery in her voice.
Yes, I'm afraid the Left Coast has lost this classic California
girl, the daughter of quinÂtessential 1950s bombshell Jayne
Mansfield and actor Mickey Hargitay. It's not terribly surprising,
given that Mariska Hargitay has called the Big Apple home for 10
months of the year every year since she struck acting gold in 1999
on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Actually, Hargitay is anything but intimidating. That is, if the
presence of a beautiful woman doesn't make you nervous. From her
whimsical, neckline-cropped 'do to her poised, street-savvy
swagger, she oozes confidence - much like her character, Detective
Olivia Benson - but immediately makes you feel at ease with her
carefree mannerisms and mischievous grin. (Unless you happen, after
at least 10 correct pronunciations, to let slip a slightly
incorrect articulation of her forename between bites of grilled
portobello mushroom.)
But it is the bling she is sporting that hints at the much more
playful personal side of Hargitay - a contrast to her Golden
Globe-winning performance on a hit show that's anything but a laugh
riot. Riding a fine line between hip-hop bling and royal bling,
Hargitay's gold necklace and attached charm are borderline
obnoxious for anyone not named Diddy. And rightfully so: This is
Jayne Mansfield bling.