Reality on Bravo

Grub Review - by Lessa McDonald

(Lessa is a 451Press writer at http://watchingrachaelray.com, http://watchingsurvivor.com , http://bigbrothercraze.com, and recently took a vacation - where she was delighted to be introduced to Betty, of Top Chef, Season Two, at her restaurant, Grub, in LA. What follows is the experience in her own words. Thanks for guest-posting, Lessa!)

Imagine my surprise, upon waking up one lovely October morning on my vacation, to discover that the first order of business was lunch! Ok, so not so much a surprise, since we slept in till noon, lolling about in the glow of the California sun, safely cooled by the best air conditioning this Alaskan could ever hope for. My surprise came in when we decided where to eat lunch, and my hostess, Erica, said “Let’s do Grub! You know, Baddabing Betty’s place?”

At which point I’m pretty sure there was a whole bunch of fan-girly squealing involved, because I am oh so mature like that.

Yes, it seems that my friends, who I was meeting in person for the first time after knowing them online for years, not only are fans of Betty from Top Chef Season Two already, but know her personally and eat at her restaurant at LEAST every other day! Betty Fraser & Denise Decarlo’s Grub was less then three blocks away. There was NO WAY I was going to turn down the chance to meet Betty in person!

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) announced today that Todd Oldham will team with Old Navy to serve as the brand’s design creative director, effective Oct. 1. Mr. Oldham will divide his time between New York City and San Francisco and play a key role in developing and implementing the merchandise creative direction at Old Navy.

Todd plans to also develop and launch a line of merchandise under the Todd Oldham name to be sold exclusively at Old Navy stores in the future.

“Todd’s successful career in fashion and design has distinguished him as an innovative creative thinker who also understands how to appeal to a broad audience,” said Dawn Robertson, president, Old Navy. “He understands and appreciates Old Navy’s new positioning and fashion potential and will help elevate and evolve Old Navy.”

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With guest appearances supplementing their design work, it would seem that participating in Project Runway has been a good career move for many of the designers. READ MORE

Wondering what has happened to your favorite Project Runway stars? Buddy TV, in this article, reports on the whereabouts of Chloe, Jeffrey, Santino, Kayne, and more.

Just a reminder that there is only a few months left until the new season of project runway appears!

Project Runway, Bravo, reality television

Are you pining for Work Out? Do you feel empty inside without Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? Are you counting the days until The Real Housewives of Orange County, Season 3?

If you miss these old Bravo shows as much as me, never fear–I had some pictures of your favorite stars out and about in Hollywood, New York City, and so on. Bravo is introducing a bunch of new shows this summer (Hey Paula was just the first), so it may be some time before we get to see these smiling faces on our tv screen again!

Work Out’s Andre Riley at Fashion LA Magazine’s Premier Issue Launch Party in June.

Slade Smiley (Real Housewives) and Adrianne Curry (his hot date?) at the Light Nightclub Party at Bellagio Hotel and Casino Resort, hosted by Giantto and Von Dutch Watches

Queer Eye’s Jai Rodriguez shown with Keith Collins at “Styleyes Miami” (which they hosted), held at the Boulevard Lounge on July 2

Jonathan Adler, a judge on Top Design, at the “Poiret: King of Fashion” Costume Institute Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Heidi Klum, the host of Project Runway (with a new season premiering in November!), with her husband, Seal, at the Lorraine Schwartz launch of the Diamond Monkey Collection at Monkey Bar

Heidi Klum, Seal, Project Runway, Jonathan Adler, Top Design, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Queer Eye, Jai Rodriguez, Keith Collins, Slade Smiley, Real Housewives, Real Housewives Slade, Real Housewives of Orange County, Work Out, Bravo, reality television

To those who are subscribed to the RoB newsletter, this is old news, but it’s time to share the interview with the rest of you! Felicia, one of the contestants from Top Design, took a moment out of her busy day to talk about her life since the show and share advice and secrets to success with us:

RoB: Hi Felicia! Thanks for sitting down for a chat. What have you been up to since leaving Top Design?
Felicia Bushman: I have been non-stop with tons of business. It’s amazing how much publicity had been generated and the new clients that just keep on coming.

RoB: So the show has been good for business?
Felicia: I’ve had to hire a couple more staff members to help me out

RoB: What made you decide to get involved with a Bravo reality show like Top Design in the first place?
Felicia: I love what I do and saw the opportunity to show the masses what I do best!

RoB: But was it difficult having the cameras follow you around all the time?
Felicia: It was a bit odd at first, but I was surprised by how quickly I got used to it. Once I was busy creating the task at hand, I forgot they were there.

RoB: Do you keep in touch with anyone from the show?
Felicia: Yes, I am in touch with Andrew, Erik, Goil, Elizabeth, and Michael mostly. I thought I would lose interest after I was gone, but since the remaining people were all my friends now, I was just as interested in watching.

RoB: You made some really creative decisions on the show. What inspires you most when designing a room?
Felicia: It’s always something different, but usually stems from one item, be it a rug, a single piece of furniture, a wallpaper, or even a color. If you look at one item closely enough, it will tell you a story (or perhaps I just create them in my head). From that story, the room evolves.

RoB: Sounds like designing is in your heart. When did you decide to go into the industry?
Felicia: It was sometime during jr. high school, probably 7th grade. We were discussing careers in school and I had always had an affinity for spaces, fabrics, pattern, and color, so it seemed natural for me to go into interior design.

RoB: What advice do you have for teens and young adults interested in getting started in the design business?
Felicia: I always tell them to work for a design firm WHILE they are going to design school. Learning interior design is 50% technical and 50% application. One really learns from the actual hands on experience, taking a project from beginning to end. As far as starting their own business, when they get to that point, I think the best advise I can give them is to never ever leave a project with unfinished cycles, never leave your client having to deal with the pesky little items that need to be done to finish up. This leaves them completely hassle free and makes them so happy to refer you to others and to call you back when the next project comes up!

Felicia’s Five Favorites:

Book: The Scientology Handbook by L. Ron Hubbard, it gives me practical tools that I can use every day for every day life problems

Movie/TV show: Moulin Rouge, and TOP DESIGN, of course!! Ok, second choice is 24, go JACK!

Food/Drink: Sushi & Sake! Katsuya in Brentwood has the best sake martinis made with fresh cucumber juice, I feel like I’m at the spa!

Ways to Relax: Hiking and yoga…and, of course, going to the spa…

Holidays: Thanksgiving, it’s all about friends and family and getting together and eating lots of great food! And best of all we don’t have to stress about gifts!

Bravo, Top Design, reality tv, reality television, decorating, interior design, Felicia Bushman

The Real Housewives of Orange County television show may have been over for a few months now, but Jo’s still a rock star (at least in her own mind…) That girl’s not about to move from the D-list celebrity ranking, so here’s a few pictures of her out and about at VH1’s Save the Music Art Exhibition hosted by Robert Knight, one of the rock industry’s leading photographers.

Fierce. Even if she does get on my nerves, the girl is gorgeous and definitely knows how to dress!

…when you mix the Real Housewives of Orange County with Project Runway? Jo De La Rosa as a model of course! Here she is as the Los Angels debut of Marceau:

And some other images from the same show:

The Real Housewives of Orange County, Marceau, fashion, runway shows, Jo De La Rosa

Alright, those of you who have already signed up for the newsletter got a sneak preview of this story, but for the rest of you, here it is–the interview with Vicki Gunvalson! Along with Laurie Waring, Jo De La Rosa, Tammy Knickerbocker, and Jeana Keough, Vicki was one of the Real Housewives of Orange County during seasons one and two. Will she be back for the third season? Only time can tell, but while you wait to find out, here’s what she had to say about her life since the show, here career, and her family!

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it—the portrayal of Vicki Gunvalson on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County is an accurate one. She’s a great mom, an independent businesswoman, and a caring person. Recently, I had the chance to talk to Vicki about her involvement with the show and her life since Season Two ended.

“We never thought it was going to be on television!” Vicki was in Mexico when she got a call from her son Michael that Bravo was thinking about doing a new show about life behind the gates. He told her that he had written a letter to the producers about her, and they later contacted the family. The makers of the show came over to her house, hung out by the pool, and got to know the family. “We had a fun time. It was, ‘Here’s this professional businesswoman who can have fun, too!’”

After that, Vicki and her family pretty much forgot about the show—until four month later, when Bravo phoned her with the news that she was their first pick. “I was like, ‘First pick for what?’ Doing this show wasn’t even on my schedule.” At first, both she and Donn, her husband, weren’t interested, but a meeting with Bravo convinced them to sign the contract to film the pilot. No one ever thought the show would be aired, and even after the first season was picked up, no one realized the Real Housewives phenomenon that would hit America.

And then, something even more incredible happened—Vicki started getting phone calls and emails about her insurance business. “People were saying, ‘I want to live the way you do. I want a career like you!’” All of these calls inspired her to launch and new business venture—Coto Insurance and Financial Services—aimed at helping fans interested in her business become successful as well. The night her website, www.vickigunvalson.com was featured on the show, the site got over a million hits. Vicki wasn’t always in the insurance business, however. At 29 years old, she suddenly found herself in the middle of a divorce with no real source of income. A friend got her involved in the insurance business, and now, through Coto Insurance she’s doing weekly training calls and hosting forums with insurance agents who want the secret to her success. She also just finished writing her first book, Internet Insurance Selling Made Easy. Her goal is to continue to grow this business across the nation, helping others find success.

But oh no, that isn’t all, folks. Vicki also was inspired by all of the inquiries she received about her clothing and makeup. “People would really send us great emails about our fashion,” she says Together with the other ladies from the show, Vicki started The Real OC Brand, a company aimed not necessarily at making money, but more at simply helping fans connect with the products they see the ladies using and wearing every week.

So with all of these business ventures, how does Vicki stay in control? “The key is being organized. I keep on top of everything. Things don’t go undone. That way, you don’t get overwhelmed.” From doing the dishes immediately after dinner to folding the laundry as soon as the dryer buzzes, Vicki makes sure that she keeps ahead of her work. “My days are very hard—they are just packed with things to do.”

That won’t stop Vicki from taking a few moments to brag about her kids, which is fully justified considering how well they are doing! According to Mom, Brianna has made the dean’s list and is currently moving in order to be a little closer to home and to her still-boyfriend, Colby. Michael is attending summer classes and is looking for a job, maybe bartending, in order to buy himself a car. He’s also still with his girlfriend from last season, and they are very happy. And Donn? “He’s still putting up with me!” says Vicki. The entire family is doing great.

Beyond that, Vicki is making good on her promises last season to simplify her life. “The viewers will probably be surprised to know that my house is for sale,” she says, talking about how she’s trying to slow down and relax more often. She and Donn are moving to a smaller house in Coto in order to be able to take more time to enjoy life. Her goals for the future are to continue building the business, promote her book, and continue being herself—a positive role model. “Morals always shine through, when you do the right thing.

Vicki Gunvalson, Lauri Waring, Jo De La Rosa, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Bravo, Orange County, reality television

Designer Emmett McCarthy is multi-tasking. He’s giving a phone interview from his New York City boutique, EMC2, sending off an e-mail to “Project Runway” guru Tim Gunn and answering another ringing phone to give someone a job lead. Since his stint on the second season of the wildly popular Bravo hit, “Project Runway,” the North Haven-born and raised McCarthy said the experience on the reality show was “catapulting. “It totally brought me to a place I was unprepared for,” he said.

See, not all of the Project Runway stars are doing poorly post-show…right? Well, for the rest of the interview, click here.

Project Runway, Emmett McCarthy, Tim Gunn

In a recent interview with TV Guide Matt, the winner of Top Design, talked about his life since winning and what it was like being on the show.

Being a contestant and winning Bravo’s Top Design was “life-changing,” he says. “I view things completely differently now. Working around a group of people, having these professionals critiquing [your work]… I really consider it a condensed course for a master’s degree. Having gotten through this and impressed them, I realize that I can do anything. It’s a complete boost for my career and my self-image. READ MORE

This morning I had the privilege of speaking with one of the most positive role models on Bravo television–Vicki Gunvalson from the Real Housewives of Orange County! She truly is as nice in real life as she seems on the show. I’ll be posting the interview later this month, but you can get it EVEN SOONER by signing up for the FREE Reality on Bravo newsletter (click here)!

The Real Housewives of Orange County, Vicki Gunvalson, Vicki, Bravo

Remember Felicia from Top Design? Well, Reality on Bravo has an exclusive interview with her to found all about what it was like to be on the show and much much more. Want to read it now? There’s a catch–you have to sign up for the Reality on Bravo newsletter! Click here to get special access to this interview first!

Top Design, Felicia Bushman, Bravo, reality television

Buddy Tv recently interviewed Goil “the gargoyle” on his exit from top design:

Did you feel like the way you were edited was fair and true to your real life persona?

There was a lot of footage - cameras rolling all the time for weeks and months - they have a lot of power. Mostly I am grateful for the ways I was portrayed: as a real person. I went through my entire emotional range on the show, and the camera caught them: the ups and the downs. Of course I feel like we all have more depth than what can be seen in a one hour television program. I hope things like this interview can render me in a more complete way…Read More

Goil, Top Design, Bravo

With over 800 people in attendance, the very publicized Cosa Nostra fashion show by designer Jeffrey Sebelia (http://homepage.mac.com/reveur/JeffreySebelia-Show/index.html) packed in LA’s fashion elite and VIP. Jeffrey Sebelia, the most recent winner of the Emmy-Nominated Bravo television show Project Runway, not only featured an amazing collection but also the hottest new beverages to hit the market, which included 420 Artesian Water.READ MORE

I heart Jeffrey.

Project Runway, Jeffrey Sebelia, 420 Artesian Water

Remember Nick Verreos from Season 2 of Project Runway? Seems that a lucky girl will have the chance to wear a one-of-a-kind dress made by nick for her prom. PromAdvice.com is featuring the Fairy Godmother contest on their site right now, and the winner will get not only a dress, but also shoes, make-up, accessories, and $100 in cash. Sweeeeeet! You have to enter by Friday though, so head over to the site and send in your entry!

Nick Verreos, Project Runway, Prom, Prom Dresses, contests, Bravo