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 quin­tessential 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.