Kim and Lisa fight!

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Kim and NeNe fight!

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Also, there will be a reunion special on Nov. 25, followed by the premiere of "The Real Housewives of Orange County." Until then, check out the preview clips from tomorrow night’s show, airing on Bravo at 10/9c.

Ed’s Ludacris Birthday Party:

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Kim and Sheree’s Absence:

Not Just be Cordial:

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Jane: So I watched “First Class All the Way” and really loved it. I love that you seem like a real person, that you lie awake at night and worry about all the little details. That made me think, ‘Ok, she’s one of us.’

Sara: Well, I grew up in Minnesota, so maybe it’s the Midwestern work ethic thing. I just think if you’re going to do something, you have to give it everything you’ve got. If that means sweating the little stuff, you sweat the little stuff. It’s the little stuff that makes the big picture work.

Jane: Now that the show’s been on a few weeks, are you really busy with new clients?

More after the jump…

Sara: I’m busy most of the time. It gets really busy through the summer season, which starts at the end of April through the first week of November. I’m back and forth between here and Europe about every three weeks or so, and it’s crazy. With the TV show coming out, I think it’s going to be a busy couple of months. So, we’ll see what happens.

Jane: Talk about the economy. How do you think that’s going to affect the travel business?

Sara: Between commission caps and 911, the travel business has had many setbacks over the years. Now it’s a question of people feeling like can they afford the extravagance of travel. But we all need a mental break, and travel is a terrific mental break that helps us to bond with our family and the people in our lives. And it doesn’t have to mean getting on a plane and going halfway across the world. When I first started out in this business, I didn’t have a huge amount of money. I would drive down to Santa Monica and check into a hotel at the beach. It was seven miles from where I lived, but it felt like I was a world away.

Jane: I love that you are all about the details, like in the premiere episode when you bought the chocolates for the girls, or when one lost her passport, you weren’t about to accept her traveling coach to get there. How important are those little details when it can all fall apart so easily?

Sara: I always say to people, “Travel ensues drama.” Back when I first started this show, the producers were worried that there wouldn’t be enough things that would happen, but on most trips, something goes wrong. It’s the little things that make people feel like they’re special. Yes, they saw the Eiffel Tower and went to the palace, but sometimes it’s the tiny touches that make them feel like, “This person cared enough about me to remember that I love chocolate.”

Jane: Is it weird having the cameras there, or are you pretty comfortable with that?

Sara: After about the third day, you kind of forget because you’re just doing your job. The only time it becomes an issue is because I deal with a lot of high-profile people. So I had a separate office set up to handle the calls for those people that didn’t want their name on TV.

Jane: What’s your favorite travel spot?

Sara: It depends on what my focus is. If I just want to sit on the beach and decompress, one of my favorite beaches in the world is in the Philippines, this little obscure island in the Sulu Sea. If I wanted to put things back into perspective, I’d go on safari in Africa. If I wanted history, I would go to Egypt in a heartbeat. If I want a mindless vacation where I can just eat and drink, I always go to Italy. Good food, good fashion, good wine … what else can you ask for?

Jane: Do you handle only luxury travel?

Sara: There’s a big trend in travel of charging very expensive retainers - anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 per year just to have the luxury of your phone number. That’s fine if you want to do that, but it keeps me sharper as an agent to have a wide variety of clientele. If I only dealt with people who are spending half a million dollars on a vacation, it’s just too much. It’s nice to have faces that are more down to earth. It’s a nice balance.

Jane: Well, thank you so much for all your time. I look forward to seeing more of the show. From the previews, it looks like there will be some drama!

Sara: Well, it takes all kinds of personalities to cater to the clients. So when you have that many personalities in one space at one time, things are bound to happen. Not everyone gets along all the time.

Jane: Absolutely. Thanks again, Sara.

Sara: Thank you very much.

Images: Bravo, 2008

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(Season 5, Episode 1)

"Top Chef: New York" kicked off with a bang (and a few bloody fingers) last night. It’s fun to see the show set in NYC, where there’s such a huge assortment of food everywhere in the city. The first elimination challenge had the teams visiting ethnic neighborhoods to shop for food that reflected that part of town. Fun!

Seventeen contestants started the night, but Lauren quickly got the boot in the first quick-fire challenge. The contestants had to peel 15 apples with a knife (resulting in a bloody-thumb incident - yuk!), dice the apples into perfect squares, and cook something with them in 20 minutes — outdoors on a single burner.

More after the jump, including a video of Patrick:

I’m so impressed with how fast they put the apple dishes together! Thank goodness bloody-thumb guy didn’t have to cook his. But when Padma said, "Please pack your knives and go," I was heartbroken for Lauren. She was classy, though, about being the first to go.

And I thought all the ethnic dishes looked tasty, but my palate goes crazy for cheddar cheese, so what do I know? In the end, Patrick was given the boot. Not sure who to pick for a favorite at this point, but Team Rainbow is lots of fun.

Did you watch? Any thoughts on the show and/or who might go the distance?

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A Lot of Look:

More after the jump…

Needing Everything:

Now People Are Supposed to Dress:

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Also, NeNe gets the results of her DNA test to find out who her father is. Check out the previews:

Can anyone drive the boat?

More after the jump…

Trying to get along:

Who’s the father:

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Here’s a pic of Heidi Klum at the Madonna concert at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles last week. She always looks camera-ready, doesn’t she?

In other news, Klum is all about the underwear, isn’t she? She recently did the whole Tom Cruise-Risky Business underwear dance for a Guitar Hero ad.

But on Dec. 3, when the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs on CBS, Klum will be wearing lingerie of a different sort — glittering red wings that measure 10′ x 6′ x 3′. Sounds kinda fun, doesn’t it?

More after the jump…

At her fitting on November 1, Klum said the wings felt heavier than 10 lbs. and wondered how she’d keep from taking off on the catwalk. Actually, I think they should just work that into the event. Make her fly.

She’ll wear a few other outfits, as well, including a leather and lace outfit with straps entwining her legs like knee-high boots, and an orange and pink floral robe with white bra and panties.

The annual holiday runway show takes place this year at Fontainebleau resort in Miami Beach, Florida, and features musical guest Usher.

Image: Newscom

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Check out Rachel Zoe at the U.S. Launch Party for the New Blackberry Bold from AT&T. Ok, I’m not too sure about the giant bow - it just overwhelms tiny Rachel. But I die for the colors and really like the rest of the outfit.

Your thoughts?

Image: Newscom

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(Season 2, Episode 6)

This week on "Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style," Tim and Gretta worked with a young musician, Eliza, who started out in ripped t-shirts (yes, she actually ripped all her t-shirts on purpose), ripped and too-tight jeans, and wacky hats.

While her music career is on the way up, I didn’t feel like Eliza was making the best use of her personal style. She sang a little at the beginning of the episode, and her voice has this wonderful, jazzy tone to it. But her wardrobe looked cheap and trashy.

More after the jump…

By the time Tim and Gretta were done working their magic, Eliza’s wardrobe was clean, stylish, and sophisticated. I love that Eliza was really open to trying new things. Some of Tim and Gretta’s past people have been more than a little reluctant to take the leap into a new wardrobe, but not Eliza. She embraced it. And her big-event outfit was a beautiful lemon-yellow dress from designer Kay Unger (see photos below).

The finishing touch was Tim giving Eliza a necklace made from her father’s guitar picks. Even though he’s not with her anymore, the necklace is a great piece she can always have close to her. Also, Gretta crafted a beautiful handbag from a too-tight leather jacket of Eliza’s.

I also love that Tim and Gretta don’t tell someone what to wear. They work with each individual’s personal style, and help them choose the right pieces for their wardrobe. So when the person sends her little video at the end of each episode, you can tell she has a grasp of what and what not to wear — and can take that with her into her life.

Tim’s Tips:

• The right-sized clothes will make you look slimmer.
• Own your body shape and work with it.
• If you’re pear-shaped, sleeves help emphasize shoulders.
• Have one quality, signature accessory. For Eliza, that was a sweet fedora-type hat given to her by Tim and Gretta.

Images: Bravo

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At this point, it’s hard to choose a favorite on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." DeShawn has such a good heart and is like a little puppy sometimes. I love that. Sheree is a go-getter, but she seems kind of snooty.

NeNe has some self-esteem issues that could benefit from a good therapist. And Kim is way too focused on all the "stuff" in her life, not to mention the misconception that she can have anything she wants. As for Lisa, I love her energy for life. I would probably have to say my favorite housewife at this moment is Lisa. How about you?

Image: Bravo

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