I am a Bravo addict and I cannot stop watching their 101 reality TV programs. It is a problem. However, my most favorite of them all is back! Top Chef Season 5 premieres tonight. This installment takes place in the Big Apple which will chew up and spit out the 17 contestants. Perhaps in honor of the premiere I will whip up a concoction from the Top Chef cookbook. Where is Smell-O-Vision when we need it?

Madonna has oft been chastised for her foray into the acting world. Her infamous performances in films like “Swept Away“, “Body of Evidence,” and  “The Next Best Thing” earned her critical sneers and jeers. Personally, I loved her in “Who’s That Girl?”. Nevertheless, Madonna is not a good actress, maybe she was ok in “Evita,” maybe. However, the bad reviews have not stopped the Material Girl from trying to break into the celluloid universe. Her latest contribution is her directorial debut, “Filth and Wisdom.” But me thinks that this one (even though M is not in it) may go down too. Evidence: after the premiere party last night all anyone can talk about is Madonna’s pistol-packing heels, her hollowed-out cheekbones, and the likeness that Lindsay Lohan’s hairdo bore to her Madgesty’s. Nothing was really said about the film. Nada, zip, zero. For a director, this is not a good sign. Cue the curtain call.

*Photos licensed to: Photorazzi.com

If you followed my posts during Fashion Week you know that when Vickie attended the Marc Jacobs show she brazenly wore a dress from her new collection and not one from the designers’ line. Well it’s all business. I’m sure he understands and they’re still friends. Unlike her DVB label of jeans and sunglasses, Vickie is solo on this line of dresses called well, Victoria Beckham.

“It’s for women who want to look sophisticated,” Vickie told me backstage after the show. “It’s exactly how women want to dress today.”And giving some stylist notes she added, “You just need a good handbag and a great pair of shoes.”

She herself looked very Jean Seberg and sophisticated in a navy strapless dress and her new short ‘do.

“I wanted to do something different, I like change,” she said explaining why she let hairsylist Garren chop, chop.

“I just told him to chop it all off.” Personally, I think she probably got tired of all the wannabe Victorias running around. At first it must have been hugely gratifying then 10 starlets later and it starts to get a bit tedious don’t you think?

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com

From the looks of the photos that have been surfacing online, the DVD release party for Sex and the City was almost as major as the actual film premiere. It was a star-studded event with the gals coming out to support the DVD which will no doubt, be a runaway best seller. And speaking of best sellers, it’s been reported that a paperback prequel to SATC will be penned by original Sex and the City author, Candace Bushnell. The Carrie Diaries will be aimed at young ladies who want to know the history of how the Manolo-loving lass came to be the toast of the Big Apple.

*Photo licensed to Photorazzi.com

Click on the video link to listen to Marc Jacobs talk about his Spring 2009 collection –

Political affiliations aside, you cannot deny the country’s current obsession with all things Sarah Palin. There’s even evidence on eBay: on Wednesday, August 22nd there were no Sarah Palin items listed on eBay.com. The following day one lonely item popped up on the site. However, on Friday, August 29th, 105 items hit the eBay—and in the following, sales skyrocketed. There are some funny items up for sale including a “Read my Lipstick” button and my personal favorite, the “Sarah Cuda” flip-flops. But nothing is as funny as Tina Fey’s dead-on impression of the candidate on SNL. Watch below and weep with laughter.
Here’s a snapshot of her first week on eBay:
*Sunday, August 31st – 122 listings
*Monday, September 1st - 107 listings
*Tuesday , September 2nd - 156 listings
*Wednesday, September 3rd - 224 listings
*Thursday, September 4th - 290 listings
*Friday, September 5th - 444 listings
*Saturday, September 6th - 554 listings

Our very own Constance White was voted one of the most powerful figures in fashion by the New York Daily News. Constance is in the top 10 and is surrounded by stellar company like: Vogue editrix Anna Wintour, designer extraordinaire(s) Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg, NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg, supermodel Gisele, Senior VP of Fashion at IMG, Fern Mallis, and many, many more. We are SO proud..we’re beaming! Cheers to Constance!

“I loved it!” Jennifer Lopez said of the Marc Jacobs Collection, “the fit, the colors, it was beautiful! And there’s a green leather skirt I have my eye on.”

JLo and VB were seat mates, but Victoria Beckham aka Posh Spice was not, we repeat, NOT wearing Marc Jacobs. Instead the budding designer wore a dress of her own design, a preview of her coming Victoria Beckham collection.

“I loved that they use Gershwin and composers like that” said Winona Ryder in a black satin dress by Marc Jacobs, of course. Some of her favorites included, toga-style dresses and the blue and white striped looks.

Now that I’ve lost one cell phone, I’ve decided to switch to using the iPhone full-time. It’s truly amazing how many things this phone can do. Here are a few of my favorite apps (aside from the eBay app, of course!)

Shazam: This is so amazing! I am constantly hearing music thinking, “Who sings this song and what’s it called?!” This program will actually tell you! Start Shazam and hold it up to a speaker that’s playing a song you can’t remember. Seconds later the app returns the song name, album title, album art, artist, and links to YouTube videos!

Ambiance: If you’ve ever tried to work in a noisy environment, you know how counterproductive it can be. If you need some peace, this app is for you. Use it to scroll through several different relaxing sounds like rain, waves, white noise, and more.

Restaurant Nutrition: I’m a bit of a junk food junkie so trying to keep all of the calories, carbs, sugars, and fats straight is really hard. This app helps me like no other! It has a list of almost every fast food chain along with their menu. After you’ve ordered, bust out the app to get the nutrition stats for each item. At the end of the day, it gives you a full update on what you’ve eaten.

Writing Pad: The iPhone’s touch screen now lets you place your finger on the screen and move from letter to letter to “type” easily and quickly. It’s pretty amazing and very responsive. This is one of the coolest apps out there.

iRibbit Plus: This eBay approved app keeps you up-to-date on the items you’re watching. It alerts you via email or text when auction-style listings are ending or you’re being outbid and includes a link to those listings so you can update your bid anytime. Plus, it includes a big countdown clock at the top of each item page so you can see how much time is left. If you don’t want to bid, you can use it to “Buy It Now.”

Technophobia is a real phenomenon! Why are people so afraid of new technology and new gadgets? If you are reading this, chances are you are fairly tech-savvy, but you probably know several people who have admitted resistance or fear of the latest technological advances. Maybe they are over the age of 65 and have a hard time relating to the computer world due to limited exposure. Or maybe they are part of the “anti-tech” culture, spouting off about health hazards and how technology is diminishing human interconnectivity.

In any case, their resistance is not original. Throughout history, there have always been those who’ve had difficulty accepting the latest breakthroughs to make our lives easier….including medicine, cars and airplanes, telephones, etc. As time passes and we are exposed to more technology, we all become more comfortable with the familiar. I mean, if you were having a root canal today, you wouldn’t opt to go without anesthesia and antibiotics, would you? Soon enough, almost all of us will prefer not to travel without a cell phone, a personal entertainment device, and access to the Internet. Our cars will all come with built-in Bluetooth compatibility, a USB port, and a navigation system.

I don’t think it is necessary to become a technological wizard, but I think smart people are on a constant search to learn easier and more efficient ways of doing things. Once you jump in and familiarize yourself with a little bit of the tech “language” (finding experts at tech stores or looking for tech sites online is a great way to do that), the fear will be replaced by understanding. This is the way of the future, people. It is not meant to replace human connectivity, but perhaps connect us faster, and better! At the very least, it will help us take care of “business” faster so that we can get back to spending time with more people face-to-face.