Top Chef

Last night The Fashion Show debuted on Bravo, and I can’t tell you how excited I was to see the show. So excited, in fact, that I was able to convince my boyfriend (who is so completely not the target audience for this show) to watch it with me.

The show clearly had to differ itself, and Bravo did a great job doing so. Here’s what I thought were the freshest twists:

Harper’s Bazaar Mini Challenges - These are totally Quick Fire Challenges a la Top Chef. Very creative and fun to watch the designers under pressure.  I must admit I was confused by Laura Brown’s accent, but that’s a-okay because she was responsible for the spread on The Simpsons in Paris, and I am forever amused by that piece.

Designers are judged by an audience of buyers and fashion insiders! - Totally unique twist. I loved hearing what the show attendees had to say after the fashion show. Now if I could fandangle a way to get the boyfriend into that audience. His utter confusion and commentary over the Harlem pants (or Hammer Pants, as he likes to refer to them as) was priceless and would make for some good TV.

Isaac Mizrahi  and Kelly Rowland - Not going to lie, but I was a little scared when I heard that Isaac Mizrahi was going to be a host.  Flashbacks to the Scarlett Johansson red carpet incident immediately came to mind. However, I think that he did an amazing job balancing host and fashion icon He gave straightforward advice in a very mellow and calming way.

Backstage at the fashion show - Great perspective. This truly showed what goes on backstage at a fashion show in its true light. Oh, and watching the models have to squeeze into the tube skirts made me feel so much better about myself.

The music - This is totally minor, but music in reality competition shows makes such a difference. I mean, I still get a knot in my stomach when I hear the Top Chef theme music (oh Fabio, how I miss thee). Seriously, the drum beats were very cool and refreshing for a show of such stress.

So there you have it - five things that I really like about The Fashion Show. What are your thoughts? Comment away!

Photos courtesy of Bravo. No celebrity endorsement implied.

What we are reading at SeenON!

Real Housewives Bethenny says She Can Make Oprah Thin - Us Weekly

Jon & Kate Plus 8 Season Finale - Controversy - Philadelphia Magazine

Top Chef Tour Kicks Off - YumSugar

Gossip Girl-Inspired Reality Show - Fashionista

Anne Hathaway to Play the Role of Judy Garland - Popbytes

Photo Courtesy of Us Weekly. No endorsement implied.

One of the perks of my gig here at SeenON! is getting to watch advanced episodes of my favorite shows.  So you can only imagine my delight when I saw Top Chef Season 2 contestant Sam Talbot’s appearance on The Real Housewives of New York City. Of course, I couldn’t run out and blog about it until now, which left me in a total state of disarray. (I get so overwhelmed when my favorite televison shows combine).

What was great about Talbot being featured on the show was the t-shirt that he was wearing.  (And not to mention his good lucks and skills in the kitchen, but I digress). As it turns out, Sam was sporting the Project E - Feed the Models shirt which isn’t some cheesy message tee , but rather a shirt supporting a very important organization called EDIN.  EDIN is the the Eating Disorder Information Network which aims to prevent anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating and other eating disorders through outreach, awareness and action.  The organization is based out of Georgia, but everyone can get involved through volunteering or making a donation.

Thanks Sam, for using your appearance wisely! And please come again

What we are reading at SeenON!

Real Housewives of New York’s Kelly Killoren Bensimon Arrested for Assault - New York Daily News

Roberto Cavalli Creates Collection for Dogs! - Style File Blog

Introducing Fashion Orbit - Fashion Orbit

DVF Stephanie Bag - Purse Blog

Top Chef’s Carla Shares the Love - People.com

Last night’s Top Chef Reunion Special was fantastic! And honestly, I think that I am developing a slight crush on Andy Cohen. Not only is he a bigwig producer for Bravo, but he leads the best reunion shows on television - hands down.

Featured on last night’s episode were some fabulous clips from throughout the season, as well as some fancy Top Chef tee’s.  Lucky me, the people who create these t-shirts sit about 10 feet away from my cubicle so I get all the scoop.

Here are some of my faves:

I Heart Fabio Tee - If you are like me and think that Fabio should have won, then you need this shirt! And now that Stefan has one… I think that we all should!

I’m a Cougar in the Kitchen Tee - Love this shirt and how Ariane totally embraces her cougar status.  (Side note - did you know that her restaurant is called CulinAriane? How cute!).

Top Scallop Tee (not featured last night) - This tee is hilarious. Being that I live in San Francisco, I think that I will have to go to Absinthe and personally deliver this to Jamie.  One of the best lines from Fabio inspired this tee, “This is Top Chef, not Top Scallop.”

My other two favorites are the Team Rainbow and I Heart Padma shirts.

With so many choices, it is hard not to support your favorite chef!

Photo courtesy of Bravo. No celebrity endorsement implied.

Top Chef Season 5 is coming to a close and we are now down to the final four contestants.  Watching last night’s episode and the commercials leading up to it made me realize even more why I like this show.  Not only does it have the typical Bravo recipe (excuse the pun) that makes for fabulous TV - talented people with skills you wish you had + drama between contestants, but it also has the last four contestants being promoted like the Superbowl Playoffs. Fantastic!

That being said, I decided that it would be fun to find out where “the teams” are coming from.

Huddle round….

Hosea - Jax Fish House Denver, CO - It has won Best Seafood in Denver year after year and apparently has a good happy hour with PBR in cans… count me in!  The place looks cool and I feel like Hosea would be the type of chef to come from the back of the restaurant and hang out - worth it to me.

Fabio (my odds-on favorite to win) - Cafe Firenze Moorpark, CA - I am always hesitant about Italian resturants with generic Italian city names, but this place sounds great.  The people on Yelp gave it really high reviews and the Trio of Creme Brulee seems to be a hit. Va Bene!

Stefan - Stefan’s Catering Santa Monica, CA - In researching Stefan not only did I find his Myspace Page with lovely ladies leaving comments on it, but I also found his catering site which is making me very hungry. And should you wish to learn how to can jams, Stefan offers lessons at your home. Sweet.

Carla - Alchemy Caterers Washington DC - Hmmm, couldn’t find much online other than some events that she catered but… if you want my two cents, I would hire her on a heartbeat based on personality and humor alone (oh and fabulous hair).

So that’s  your play by play for the upcoming Top Chef Throwdown (sorry Bobby Flay).  Hopefully we will have a good match up.  And of course, should you wish you to support your teams check out the Bravo TV Store for Hosea’s I Heart Padma tee , Team Rainbow Tee (belated) or the I Heart Fabio Tee.

Utensils Down!

Bravo Fabio!

Not since Roberto Cavalli was a guest judge on Project Runway have I been so excited for an Italian to appear on a reality show.  Fabio, the chef that everyone has grown to love on Top Chef , is kicking butt and taking everyone down with his sexy accent.

Our friends at the Bravo TV Shop clearly share our love and created this fabulous tee.

P.S. Did you know that Fabio also works as William Shatner’s private chef ?!? I love him even more!

Who’s mouth was watering at the sound of the recipes in the last episode of Top Chef? Who’s willing to see if they can master them in their own kitchens?

We’re not suggesting you turn these delicious-sounding recipes into soup as our favorite chefs did on this epsiode’s elimination challenge. We are suggesting that this winter, you hunker down and attempt some of these fabulous Top Chef favorites. The book includes recipes from all three seasons of the show, and a healthy dose of Elimination and Quick-Fire recipes as well. (We’re assured by the show that any recipes that made Padma spit out her food have been edited away!)

And, if you’re dying for more Top Chef must-haves, check out our shoppable selction. Happy Chef-ing!