This Issue

Transcription

This Issue

FITNESS + FASHION + FUNCTION
BodyRockSport.com
HORS D’OEUVRE
Masthead
Contributors
Letters
On Set
From the Desk of the Editor
II
III
CAROLINE A. WONG
BEAUTY & WELLNESS
Love That Face: Your face is valuable, but it doesn’t have
to cost an arm and a leg to care for it!
Mooooove Over, Meat!: These sisters are proving that veganism is more than veggies and green juices.
Beads of Cairo: Egypt’s hottest young designer rises
above with her innovative ceramic techniques.
Editor-in-Chief
BRANDON GAMBLE
Creative Director
FASHION AND FEATURES
Fashion and Beauty Editor BREANA POWELL
Accessories Editor COLETTE CHOI
Features Writers LINDY TOLBERT & AMANDA CHI
ARTS & LEISURE
Music Lounge: Tayler Green may look like an angel, but she’s got the
voice of a diva.
The One Food App to Rule Them All: Tastemade takes restaurant reviews
to a whole new level—and you get to be the star!
Made: This customizable gift is a sweet treat for nearly anyone in your life!
Breathe Into Me: Author W.A. Fulkerson shares a poem.
IV
V
FASHION & FEATURES
You and Me: The Brits are coming! We spotlight Issa
London’s collaboration with Banana Republic.
Share Your Where: Make your way to the far east to indulge
in some surprisingly delicious food options!
Share Your Wear: Designer Diane Kroe dresses
the most savvy of the jetsetting crowd.
Thrift Store Challenge: Fashion finds on a budget—
our fashion editor shows you how!
Floaters, Grab a Life Vest: Big Brother’s biggest personality shares
her toughest experience in the house and what’s next.
Petri Dish: This month’s short story is all about wanting
something—and whether the sacrifice is worth it.
Always end with something sweet
ARTS AND LEISURE
Arts and Leisure Editor MOLLIE MCKENZIE
Arts and Leisure Writer BLAKE DAVIDSON
BEAUTY AND WELLNESS
Wellness Editor EMILY VAN GUILDER
Assistant Wellness Editor BECCA KANTOR
ART
Photographer ALEXANDER HERMAN
Assistant Photographer HAIL NOWAK
West Coast Editor ROSIE RYAN
UK Editor JENNA ANDERSON
Amanda Chi traveled
to Taiwan to bring you
this month’s “Share Your
Where” column. She dedicates this story to her late
cousin, whose love for food
was only surpassed by the
love her family has for her.
CONTRIBUTORS
september 2013
Danielle Robbins shares
her easy steps for making a
Sharpie mug in this month’s
“Made” column. She fills
her own Sharpie mug with
“a warm cup of Starbucks
vanilla rooibos tea with a
packet of stevia and some
almond milk. Mmmm!”
Breana Powell is a Southern California native. Besides writing, Powell enjoys
filmmaking, fashion, beauty,
and photography. For this
month’s cover shoot with
Rachel Reilly, Powell did
Reilly’s makeup before
taking behind-the-scenes
photos!
Alexander Herman doesn’t
watch Big Brother, but that
doesn’t mean he didn’t have
fun photographing Rachel
Reilly for this month’s cover.
He kept shouting for more
jokes on set as he shot the
reality star at Hollywood’s
Beso restaurant
Brandon Gamble mans
the Tastevin office in New
York, managing the design
of each issue. He is really
upset that Time Warner
canceled Showtime because now he can’t watch
his favorite show, Dexter.
Bring back Showtime!
Becca Kantor hails from
North Texas. In her free time,
she loves to immerse herself
in pop culture—be it movies,
television, or books—while
also writing short stories.
This month, she veers from
her steak-heavy diet to
explore veganism with the
sisters of Spork Foods!
Lindy Tolbert was born and
raised in Newport Beach.
She currently moonlights
as a technical writer at a
cancer research firm while
pursuing her dream of
becoming Lara Croft, tomb
raider. She interviewed
Tayler Green for this issue’s
“Music Lounge” column.
Hail Nowak is a photographer based in Southern
California. Nowak took
the photos for this issue’s
short story, “Petri Dish.”
2
Tastevin Magazine September 2013
WHAT
DO
YOU
THINK?
Is there something you’d like to see in the pages of an upcoming issue of
Tastevin? Are you an awesome fashion designer or an up and coming musician
looking for exposure? We want to hear from you! Send your thoughts on the
September issue (and any other thoughts you might have!) to letters@tastevinmag.com or go to www.TastevinMag.com and fill out the form on the Contact
page. All submissions become the property of Tastevin Magazine and may be
edited, published, or otherwise used in any medium.
And if you think you have what it takes to write a column for our magazine,
show us what you’ve got! Send your resume along with three column proposals and a writing sample to editor@tastevinmag.com for consideration.
3
On Set
Rachel Reilly of CBS’s Big Brother
met the Tastevin team at Beso Hollywood (Eva Longoria’s restaurant
with celebrity chef Todd English)
for a day of photos. Reilly worked
with Editor-in-Chief Caroline A.
Wong to select the looks for the
shoot and laughed with the crew
as they chased the afternoon light
around the “Estate Room,” the
newly remodeled upstairs lounge.
Photos by Alexander Herman and
Breana Powell.
Reilly and Wong look on
as photographer Alexander Herman shows them
some of the shots he captured.
4
Fashion and Beauty
Editor Breana Powell
does Reilly’s makeup at
the bar. Reilly styled her
own hair for the shoot.
Even our editor-inchief stepped in to help
with lighting!
5
from the desk
of the
EDITOR
I still remember watching the very first Big Brother. I was young,
and it was thrilling to me to think that a group of people were being encouraged to act out our society’s rules on a micro level—to
create bonds, to lie, to betray, to push themselves mentally and
physically…in essence, to be human in the very best and worst
ways. More intriguing than the thought of watching these strangers
interact was the idea that I could have a chance to be on the show,
to push my way to the top and come out the winner.
Fast forward fifteen seasons and I still haven’t even applied for Big
Brother, let alone been cast on the show. But our cover girl has! In
fact, Rachel Reilly has appeared in multiple seasons—and came
out victorious as season thirteen’s winner in addition to meeting
the love of her life on season twelve. Reilly is the type of girl you
either love or love to hate. I count myself among her fans, but even
if you’re a skeptic, I think you’ll find this girl to be absolutely vivacious and charming if you check out our chat on page 62.
I’d also like to announce the addition of a new fashion column by
Breana Powell, our very own Beauty-Turned-Fashion Editor. This
issue, she took a trip to the thrift store with only $20 in her pocket
and came out with TWO super cute outfits. Flip to page 58 to get
her shopping advice stat!
As always, we want to know what you think of the issue, so send
your thoughts—good or bad!—to letters@tastevinmag.com.
6
7
J
ust because summer’s almost over doesn’t
mean you have to lose your summer
glow—especially on your face! Here are
some products that contain special ingredients to keep your face healthy, hydrated,
and soft. You can find them all easily at your
local drugstore or online!
St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot
Scrub
This scrub “prevents blackheads and minimizes pores” and is made with 100% natural exfoliants. The product contains salicylic
acid, which helps combat acne, and apricots
that have carotenoids, which contain Vitamin
A. Additionally, the scrub contains cornmeal,
which is an exfoliant that removes dead skin
cells without irritating the skin and absorbs
oil without drying skin out. The walnut content helps skin regeneration and elasticity.
It leaves your skin baby smooth. If you don’t
need the salicylic acid, try St. Ives Timeless
Skin Apricot Scrub. It features gentle alpha
hydroxy, which breaks the bonds that hold
damaged and dry skin cells together. It also
improves skin pigmentation, decreases wrinkles, improves sun-damaged skin, and can
help open up the skin so that sunscreen can
better penetrate (and last on) skin. Price: $5
each. Available at drugstores.
Love That Face
By Breana Powell
10 Tastevin Magazine September 2013
BREANA POWELL
Yes to Carrots Nourishing Rich
Moisture Day Cream
This day cream contains organic carrots,
which are filled with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects skin from free radicals (organic molecules that are responsible for aging
and tissue damage). It also contains sweet
almond oil, which is fantastic for the skin because it contains essential vitamins (A, D, and
E). This product is perfect for someone with
extremely dry skin. It is a very rich cream, so
a little bit goes a long way, and it keeps skin
moisturized all day long without re-application. Price: $15. Available at drugstores.
Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition
Miracle Dry Oil
There are plenty of 2-in-1 products, but this is
a 3-in-1! This product not only works for your
face, but also for your hair and body. This dry
oil contains three moisturizing oils: avocado,
olive, and almond. Avocado oil is amazing for
dehydrated skin and, as a result of it being
easily absorbable, penetrates deep into the
skin, which helps new cell generation and skin
circulation. If your tresses need a little love, it
helps your hair grow longer and healthier because avocado oil contains proteins, vitamins,
and amino acids. Olive oil fights the signs
of aging and can also help give you a more
youthful glow. Through its antioxidant (which
prevent free radicals from harming healthy
tissue) properties, olive oil will improve your
skin and hair. Almond oil is (as we now know)
incredibly beneficial for skin and hair. (It promotes hair shine, too!) Price: $6. Available at
drugstores.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray
Tons of celebs, including Natalie Portman,
Jennifer Aniston, and Oprah, have used Mario
Badescu skin care products, and this hydrating spray has got to be a fave! This product is
great to throw in your bag to spritz on your
face throughout the day. Its floral scent (from
its herbal extracts and rosewater) is leasant
and refreshing. The product contains aloe,
which helps protect the skin from UV damage,
and bladderwrack, an herb that helps nourish
and free the skin of toxins that cause dryness.
You can use it alone, on top of your day or
night creams, or to set your make-up! Price:
$7. Find this product at www.MarioBadescu.
com—or www.Nordstrom.com for free shipping.
11
Mooooove Over, Meat!
This set of sisters gets down and dirty when it comes to vegan cooking, but their creations are more than just veggies and green juices. Sisters Jenny Engle and Heather
Goldberg—founders of Spork Foods, a company specializing in vegan cuisine—talk
with Becca Kantor about breaking the vegan myth and really doing something that’s
good for you. So set that steak knife down and give these vegan sisters a shot!
JIRO SCHNIDER
W
hen Jenny Engel and Heather
Goldberg
first
brainstormed
ideas for a business that involved vegan eating, they decided to settle for empowerment. “We knew opening a
restaurant was an option, we
knew creating a product was
an option, but we really wanted to empower people to take
their health into their own
hands and show people how
creative and modern vegan
cuisine could be,” Engel says.
And so Spork Foods
was created. Based in Los
Angeles, Spork Foods provides cooking classes in vegan cuisine. Not vegan? Don’t
let that stop you! “Most of
our students aren’t vegetarian or vegan,” Goldberg says,
“but they are excited about
being in a place where they
can learn and be exposed to
really healthy eating in a nonjudgmental context.”
Goldberg and Engel
both went vegan about fourteen years ago when they
were studying environmental
issues at separate colleges.
They cite the connection between what they ate and the
impact on environmental
and animal welfare as what
made them decide to go vegan. However, instead of con-
centrating directly on these
issues, the sisters decide to
make their classes all about
the food. “Our classes are focused on what ingredients
we’re using, why they’re good
for your health, and how to
make them taste good,” Goldberg says. They also spice
things up in the kitchen by
talking about the historical
context of the food they use.
For instance, one fun fact the
sisters divulge is that tomatoes were once thought of as
poisonous and people didn’t
really start eating them until
the 1500s in Europe.
As part of their classes,
Engel and Goldberg also make
sure their students know the
astounding health benefits of
the food they eat. “We really
emphasize using whole, pretty unprocessed ingredients,”
Engel says. “When you eat
that way and you’re vegan,
you reduce your cholesterol
from any animal sources, and
cholesterol is really linked to
high blood pressure, certain
types of heart disease, cancer,
and increases the chance of
getting Type II diabetes.” So
by going vegan, people can
decrease their chances of
getting these diseases while
boosting their overall health.
Engel also points out that a
person’s chances of healing
from these diseases can increase significantly when going vegan.
Who wouldn’t want
those benefits, especially
when the food tastes so
good? “If you feel like you’re
on a diet, you’re never going
to stay with it,” Engel says.
“So that’s why we want to
make food that’s so flavorful
because the only way you’re
going to stick with living
this way is if you don’t feel
deprived.” That’s why Spork
Foods offers cooking classes
in a variety of genres, ranging
from Vietnamese cuisine, to
Mexi-Cali classes, to Southern
Comfort foods. The class’s
theme changes each weekend, which keeps students
excited while also allowing
them to learn new things.
Sound like something
you’d want to do but bummed
that you don’t live anywhere
near their Los Angeles kitchen? Fear not! Anyone in the
world can have access to the
sisters’ cooking classes by
simply going to SporkOnline.com and purchasing the
Spork Foods vegan video
cookbook, which features
over thirty hours of cooking
classes, as well as over 150
original recipes.
But Engel and Goldberg aren’t content to stop
15
there. They’re on a full-on mission
to bring vegan cooking wherever it’s
needed. The two have a cookbook
out, Spork-Fed, and in addition to
their company, they’re chef ambassadors for GoVeggie, a company that
makes vegan products. “We’ll do TV
spots for them and travel around
showing people their products and
how delicious they are,” Goldberg
says. On top of that, hotels and resorts frequently hire the sisters to
train their chefs on how to make
vegan cuisine. They’ll also provide
classes for the hotel’s clients while
they’re there. Even UCLA hired them
to train their top thirty chefs.
Sounds exhausting, right?
Not to Goldberg and Engel. “It’s incredible what we do and what we
have the power to do with our own
health,” Goldberg says, and so Spork
Foods remains dedicated to giving
people the tools to empower not
only their food, but their entire wellbeings.
Southwest Black Bean and Corn Mini Burgers
with a Smoky Paprika Cashew Cheese
Let the sisters of Spork Foods take
you on a journey to the vegan southwest with their special slider recipe!
Burger Ingredients
1 tablespoon neutral-tasting high-heat
oil, plus 2 tablespoons
1⁄2 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1⁄2 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1⁄2 large red or orange bell pepper, finely
chopped
Dash sea salt, plus 1⁄2 teaspoon
1⁄4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1⁄4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons agave nectar
3⁄4 cup rolled oats
1 cup bread crumbs or 2 slices spelt bread
Whole grain mini burger buns
Ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, tomato,
and lettuce (optional)
Directions
Preheat large (6-quart) pot over medium
heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion
and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add corn, bell pepper, dash of sea salt
and black pepper. Cook until mixture is
slightly browned, about 3-4 minutes, and
set aside.
In a food processor, combine black beans,
chipotle powder, 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt,
Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and
agave. Pulse together 5-8 times. Add oats
and bread crumbs or spelt bread. Pulse
until uniform, scraping down sides to
further incorporate into food processor.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Add cooked onion and pepper mixture to
bowl and fold into veggie burger mixture.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat
and add remaining oil. With damp hands,
form burgers into patties and place in
heated pan. Cook for about 5 minutes on
each side or until browned. Serve on a
toasted mini bun with cashew cheese, if
using, and desired toppings!
Cashew Cheese Ingredients
(gluten-free)
smooth and uniform, scraping down sides
of machine as needed. Fold in thyme once
mixture is creamy.
Los Angeles based Spork Foods is a gourmet
vegan food company owned and operated by
sisters Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg.
They offer live cooking classes in Los Angeles
at Spork Foods (www.sporkfoods.com) and
an online video cookbook at www.sporkonline.com. Their cookbook, Spork-Fed, is currently in stores, with a foreword by fellow
fans and sisters, Emily and Zooey Deschanel.
3⁄4 cup cashews
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil
1⁄4 cup unsweetened almond or soymilk
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 sprigs fresh thyme, stemmed and finely
chopped
Directions
In a large food processor or high-powered blender, pulse cashews, garlic powder, sea salt, agave, paprika, oil, almond
or soymilk, and lemon juice. Blend until
17
Beads
of
Cairo
The ancient story goes that Cleopatra bet Mark Antony that she
could spend the equivalent of $50 million on one of their dinners
together. After a simple meal with Antony, she crushed one of her
priceless pearl earrings into a cup of vinegar and drank the mixture for dessert. Bet won. While we might not all drink our pearls,
we can certainly appreciate the intricacy and beauty of Egyptian
jewelry. Amanda Chi chats with Egypt’s newest innovative jewelry
designer, Dina Hegazy.
S
ome people dream of turning their
hobbies into careers. I often fantasize of becoming a professional rock
climber. But Dina Hegazy is a perfect example
of someone who’s on her way to a dream career. I sat down with Hegazy to discuss her
passion for making jewelry, her inspirations,
and her plans to become a renowned Egyptian artist.
Hegazy’s pursuits really stem from her
background. Born in Egypt, she grew up doing
what she called the “stereotypical kind of activity that you do on your own as a kid.” Making jewelry! Later, she made her way to the
States for college at the University of Southern California (USC) where she earned a fine
arts degree in ceramics and graphic design.
Hegazy then returned home to Egypt, with
her eye fixed on a Masters at the University
of Cairo. She currently works a full-time job
as a grade 4 language arts teacher, but on the
side, she designs her jewelry. From her early
days piecing together plastic beads as a kid,
Hegazy has made her way into the jewelry
world by crafting some of the most intricate
bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.
Her goal? To incorporate inspiration
from her world travels, Egyptian upbringing,
and college studies to produce her own materials. “I’m not just merging beads, precious
metals, stone, gold and silver. I’m making my
own beads.” Combining her creativity with
chemistry, she experiments with crafting her
own ceramic beads by taking examples from
nature itself. Her background studies in ceramics have covered much of the groundwork, but what she calls “pure chemistry” is
what lies ahead. It’s a process of knowing the
oxides in the clay and determining the formula of the glaze. Her attention will be directed
towards molding her own ceramic beads, especially since it will be the focus of her Masters thesis. With a new studio opening in two
months, she’ll be able to have her own kiln
running 24/7, which will allow her to carefully examine the chemistry of ceramics and
work on pit firing and glazing methods.
With such immediate plans for the future, what has she been creating so far? Look-
19
day Egypt. Silver jewelry is widely popular in
Egypt since the metal is cheaper there than in
the United States. Hegazy observed that many
of her friends in the States wore far less silver jewelry than her friends in Egypt. When
tourists visit Cairo, they usually flock to buy
silverware or jewelry. Rather than buy into
the hype, Hegazy plans to continue with her
beadwork, straying from the Egyptian norm
while creating her own brand and identity.
A lot of what she studied at USC plays
a huge role in her choice to create ceramic
beads, but I was curious to know if Egyptian
culture was a big factor as well. Does her country inspire her in terms of style or the component of her jewelry? “It’s not one or the other;
it’s both. When I say surroundings, I can say
anywhere I’ve been—Egypt, the States, Europe, China. The Egyptian influence is based
on who I am.” Hegazy explained how the global jewelry market is an active, evolving business and can take the form of an exchanging
of gifts with families and especially female
friends. “You go to someone’s place; someone’s sick. [Those] occasions where you get
someone gifts, you give them silver jewelry.”
These traditions stem from
her culture, but also from
her mom who has played a
big role in inspiration as her
model. Whether it’s as a role
model or jewelry model,
Hegazy goes to her for feedback. Her mother tries on
the fitting, critiques the design, and ultimately acts as
her muse. “My mom is definitely my model. If she likes
it, then other people her age
will also like it, and I trust
her taste a lot.”
Recalling some information from an ancient Egyptian art class I once took,
I asked Hegazy about the
jewelry and materials that
Egyptian pharaohs used back then. I specifically remembered faience being a popular
glazing process in pharaonic days. Well informed of various glazing processes, Hegazy
replied that faience, a bluish-green glaze, is
certainly something she wants to glean from.
Of course, she doesn’t want to limit herself
to a particular method or style of ceramics
or glazing, but as long as the material is the
same, she would like to draw upon certain elements of ancient Egyptian jewelry. One big
component is the colors. Looking at faience
and the necklaces of Pharaohs, there are usu-
COURTESY OF THE DESIGNER
ing at her collection, she has been crafting a
variety of pieces using any material she can
get her hands on, from leather to silver to agate. When she lived in Los Angeles, Hegazy
scourged jewelry conventions. In Egypt, she
frequents bazaars. “I find myself drifting away
from traditional jewelry. Like everything else,
jewelry is a trend. Every year, new stuff comes
up. I want people to purchase fresh new jewelry that [people] don’t see often.” Though she
lives in Cairo, her artwork is a bit more westernized and contemporary than the traditional silver jewelry that is so popular in modern
21
ally coral and turquoise colors, two shades
she frequently uses in her jewelry. As she put
it, “the contrast is amazing!” Similar to how
ancient Egyptians personified nature in their
art work, Hegazy imitates nature by valuing “how each stone looks in its color [and]
organic forms, how it’s created, and how it’s
brought from nature.” She examines how clay
bodies are formed through the earth’s crust
and volcanic eruptions. Hegazy explained
how this natural firing produces silica, which
forms agates that we burnish into precious
beads. All these components from nature will
be replicated in her own bead creations, but
she’ll be bringing the materials together in
her own specific man-made recipe.
After browsing her collection of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces, I figured she
only wore her own designs. But she doesn’t.
“I’m committed to [all] my jewelry,” she explained. A lot of the jewelry she buys and
wears is sentimental. She splits a silver pendant with her brother and hasn’t taken it off
for the last eight years. She added emphatically, “it reminded me of home so I’m very very
very much committed to my [store-bought]
jewelry.” However, she does still wear her own
products to show off to others with the hope
that they might buy her designs and form
their own personal attachments as she has
with her own jewelry.
Is there a type of jewelry that she
would one day like to explore further? “I don’t
do rings,” she said. With the different sizes,
I’d imagine that it would be complicated! “I’m
going to start making hand-carved wooden
rings and attach to them ceramic beads,” she
explained. It’s different and new, at least in
Egypt, but at the moment she’s having difficulty drilling the wooden rings since it takes a
considerable amount of time. She also doesn’t
find a lot of vendors willing to take the time
to carve the wooden rings, but her goal is to
eventually have them tailored to her design in
a special and unique way.
It may be a hobby for now, but with a
Masters in ceramics and with the designs she
has in mind, a career in jewelry design is soon
to follow for Hegazy. But she doesn’t want to
just sell jewelry. For Hegazy, it’s more. It’s a
passion for the art and creativity, from the design of a necklace to the chemistry of a bead.
Hegazy’s designs can be viewed at www.DinaHegazy.com and the Dina Hegazy Jewelry page
on Facebook.
blackmilkclothing.com
24
Music Lounge
Tayler Green
Don’t let this diminutive beauty
fool you—she’s got a big voice and
she’s not afraid to use it! Lindy
Tolbert sits down to chat with this
rising vocal star.
COURTESY OF JASON FARIOL
Photos by Joel Sigerson
ayler Green wasn’t born singing.
In fact, she wasn’t even born
performing. It took her until the
tender age of ten to catch the bug.
“I saw a show and fell in love
with it when I was ten. Singing didn’t
come until later. I wasn’t a good singer
growing up.”Green, 24, is a singer, actor, and dancer who has been singing
professionally for the last three years
with her four-person band Heavy in
Soul and in side projects Baytown and
The Dan Krikorian Band. The name of
her band wasn’t chosen lightly. With
a background in blues, rock, and gospel music, she wanted a band name
with meaning, and the name “Heavy
in Soul” sounded like just the one.
“When I was younger, I actually prayed for a voice and got one. It
was a blues voice that doesn’t match
27
my look at all. When I got out of college, I had
graduated with a theater degree. I was praying about what to do next and really felt led to
do music. It’s been a journey down that road
ever since.”
Spirituality plays a huge role in her life and
music. It definitely shows in the direction
of the band. “I really feel that my voice is a
voice on loan from God. I always make sure I
dedicate my performances to Him because if I
didn’t, I feel it could leave me as quickly as it
came. If God is going to give me a talent, then
He wants me to use it for His glory.”
I really feel that my
voice is a voice on
loan from God
That’s not to say that she can’t discuss
lighter topics, though. Green, a California girl
from Mission Viejo with thick, wavy blonde
hair, is a natural when it comes to style. “My
colors are maroon and gold and black,” she
says. “For fashion, I go in between girly and
tomboy. I always wear jeans and never dresses, and as stylish of heels as I can because I’m
a shoe person… Jewelry I try to keep it a little
more rocker style. I keep my makeup pretty
simple, but heavy enough to notice onstage. I
don’t wear too much if I [can avoid it].”
Green’s patent passion for music soon
steers the conversation back to her band,
though. Her music taste ranges from classic
rock to blues, soul, and rock in general. Janis
Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Steven Tyler, and Queen are her biggest influences. As
far as playing her own instrument, she sings
and plays keys to write.. “In my band, we have
bass, drums, lead guitar, and vocals. In five
years, I’ll hopefully be running my own band
and making a living doing it.”
The direction life has taken Green has
been very surprising but also very rewarding
for her. “I’m just blown away. I have no control
over what happens in my life, and I’m thankful
for that. In that, I feel like, not being able to
predict my life gives me the chance to have adventures I never thought I’d have. I’m so much
more willing to go with the flow, whatever that
looks like. I just hope that that means sharing
my gift of music with the world.”
Green’s got big dreams and a big message to go along with it. “Love is the most important thing and it’s okay to be yourself, no
matter what that looks like. If God can make a
little white girl a blues singer, then He has the
ability to makes our dreams reality.”
29
AVAILABLE NOW!
Get it on the iTunes store or at
www.jaydentonmusic.com
31
The One Food App to Rule Them All
KIMBERLY WONG
By Rosie Ryan
You can find sweet desserts like this Parisian one using the Tastemade app
I’ve had a not-so-secret lifelong dream
of having my own food-themed television
show. In fact, I’ve probably spent an embarrassing amount of time watching shows like
Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and pretty much anything Anthony Bourdain does. Every day I have to wake up to the sad truth that
I don’t have my own show on television, but
I’ve found something that will tide me over
until my big debut!
Tastemade is a newly launched free
iPhone app that essentially let’s you take
control of the camera and become the star.
With it, you can create minute-long videos
about your food adventures—whether it’s to
a trendy restaurant, a small hole-in-the-wall,
or even a friend’s tea party.
The best part is that it’s extremely
easy to do because of its six-part storyboardstyle layout. First, you create an opening
credit slide that has twelve different music
and font themes to choose from to pair with
what you’re reviewing. Then, you move on to
the introduction where you explain the who,
what, when, where and why of wherever you
are. You follow this with up to five “ambiance”
shots to help your viewer get a feel for the location. Next, you explain the pros and cons of
the meal before taking shots of the food and
you and/or your friends eating it. You finish
up with talking about your experience.
Let me tell you—making these videos
is a lot of fun. Although, I have to admit that it’s
a little hard to get over the embarrassment of
shooting a video in public at first, especially
when you have to do multiple takes to get the
perfect one. And, in my personal experience,
when your boyfriend is really impatient to
eat and would rather dig in than film you over
and over. But it’s so worth it when you have
the complete version. You feel accomplished
and even like a mini celebrity, even if it’s only
in your head.
It’s also fun to watch the videos that
other people make. It makes you realize how
many fun, creative, and interesting people
there are out there! It’s adds a whole new
level of community absent from other review
sites like Yelp. Tastemade has a featured section that curates the best videos throughout
the entire app from all over the world from
Los Angeles to Paris—literally everywhere!
However, my favorite feature on the app is
the one that shows you videos for restaurants
nearby. I’ve gone a few of them after watching
the videos because it feels like a personally
curated experience!
The whole goal of the app is to bring
the food lover community together. It’s real
people talking about the restaurants and the
foods that they love. And if they don’t love it,
then you’ll know about it.
Through Tastemade, I’ve found some
of my new favorite restaurants, learned how
to properly eat a lobster, and have seen the
madness that ensues in pursuit of a Cronut.
It also makes me feel like I’m practicing for
my future career. (Pick me, Food Network!)
Download the app and give it a try. Just be
warned, it’s really addicting! Happy tastemaking!
33
Foie gras mousse at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Paris.
Sharpie Mug
by Danielle Robbins
One of the cutest things I’ve been seeing pop up more and more
on Pinterest lately are hand-painted coffee mugs. I wanted to
try something that would look just as cute but wouldn’t take the
expensive materials and painstaking time to finish. All you will
need for this project is a white ceramic mug, black permanent
marker, pencil, eraser, baking sheet, and nail polish remover just
in case you make a mistake. This is the type of gift you can easily
customize for different occasions or different friends!
e
d
a
M
DANIELLE ROBBINS
I
Clean mug and make sure all
surfaces are dry.
35
II
Draw your design on the
mug with a pencil. If you
make a mistake, use the
eraser.
V
III
Go over your pencil design with a black permanent
marker. If you make a mistake
in the permanent ink, use nail
polish remover to wipe it off
(apparently it’s not so permanent).
IV
Gently blow over the design
to make sure any excess pencil rubbings are gone.
Preheat oven to 350°. Place the
mug on a baking sheet and put in
the oven for 30 minutes.
VII
Done!
37
Breathe Into Me
W.A. Fulkerson
Breathe into me.
For there is a longing inside that remains unexpressed
A true current of meaning, but second-guessed.
It lies just beyond my reach
Because we have forgotten the subtler things.
Pour into me.
For there is a light I feel but cannot yet see.
Even such stunted prescience has vanished for many.
The world grows not dimmer, but rather our eyes darker
Because we have forgotten the softer things.
Reinstruct me.
For I long to know the art of what most say is dead
Purported reason and meaning overtly insipid.
Treasures misplaced only the past have cherished
Because we have forgotten the slower things.
I
ssa London is the brand that
truly skyrocketed to fame two
years ago when Prince William
of Wales and Catherine Middleton
announced their royal engagement.
Middleton wore a princess-worthy
midnight blue version of Issa’s silk
jersey wrap dress, the color a conscious echo of her engagement ring’s
sapphire. The $615 dress sold out
internationally almost immediately
after the royal couple’s reveal and has
become the prototype for the “engagement dress.” But the explanation
is probably needless. We all know the
story…which is also why we were all
in hot anticipation when Banana Republic surprisingly announced their
collection with the British brand.
The press photos released
prior to the official launch promised the masses what they all longed
for within their hearts—a princess
engagement dress would finally be
available to commoners! For a com-
KIMBERLY WONG
The British are coming—
again! Or rather, they’re
already here in the form of
Issa London’s buzzworthy
designer collaboration with
Banana Republic. Preceding its early-August release
was much fanfare, but were
the glass slippers too big
to fill? Caroline A. Wong
investigates.
Dress, Issa London for Banana
Republic. Studded-toe pumps,
Michael Michael Kors. Crystalstudded chain bracelet, J.Crew.
41
paratively low $130, a slightly altered version of
the iconic outfit would be sold (sans prince and
hefty jeweled ring). While the original Issa was
silk jersey, the collaboration dress is a blend of
rayon, Lyocell, cotton, and spandex and features
two variations on the originally long-sleeved
engagement dress: one with short sleeves and
one with three-quarter-length sleeves. You can
get either sleeve-length dress in royal blue or
merlot, but really, who would get anything but
the blue?! Isn’t the whole point to echo Ms. Middleton?
Well…I went with the merlot for our
shoot this month because that was the only option available to Tastevin at press time. I would
like to mention, however, that while the royal
blue version sold out in the first weekend of the
collaboration’s release, Banana Republic has replenished its online stock, so if you want to nab
the dress, you can! But I would advise against it.
When you set yourself up to make little
girls’ (or little grown women’s) dreams come
true, you had better be sure you can deliver.
This dress did not deliver. In fact, it was a disaster. Banana Republic creates beautiful, wellmade clothes, and their past partnerships have
impressed critics. But the expectations were too
high and the media buzz did nothing to help. BR
allowed you to think that you could be a princess with their collaboration dress, and some
locations even went so far as to post pictures of
Middleton wearing the Issa original in front of
their stores. And really, there’s nothing worse
than being misled.
We all know that with collaborations
come a slight drop in quality (it’s almost a necessity), but this goes beyond that. In person,
the dress has none of the pretty sheen that it
appears to have in Banana Republic photos, let
alone the gorgeous depth of the original’s silk
jersey. The XS through XL collaboration sizing
can be forgiven with the help of a good tailor,
but when most BR dresses come in sizes 0 and
up, it makes you question why this collaboration didn’t get the same sizing attention. Obviously there was a demand! And the fit of the
three-quarter length sleeve was—who am I kidding talking about “fit”? The sleeves had NO fit.
If you thought you could get the three-quarter
sleeves to look closer to the long-sleeved version, think again. The fabric has stretch. Why
would they make the sleeves so wide? If you
push the sleeves up to make them look more
tailored, they slip right back down. And while
the merlot was a pretty purple, the “royal blue”
is a joke. It’s a cheap-looking shade that’s an insult to the original.
I styled the dress with a simple chain link
bracelet and a pair of classic heels with a slightly edgy twist, but that’s only because I didn’t
have a prince or a giant sapphire ring on hand.
This silhouette has become fairly recognizable,
and since the wrap dress is so classic, you can
definitely keep the overall look that way. If you
want to veer more trendy, try the short-sleeve
version of the dress with some cage heels.
I’ve never been so disappointed in a
designer collaboration. For the most part, the
pieces in the collection are decent basics and
stay true to both Banana Republic’s and Issa’s
aesthetics. I could have really loved the line if it
weren’t for the close resemblance to the iconic
engagement dress. Owning these pieces just
doesn’t seem as appealing as obtaining that Issa
original, but the one piece that tries to reproduce the Middleton dress fails on multiple accounts. Even having the princely love of my life
on my arm wouldn’t make me feel like a princess in this dress. My verdict? This line set itself
up for failure. Don’t waste your time.
Taiwan
A
sk anyone who has been to Taiwan
and the first thing they’ll rave about
is the food. When my foodie cousin
heard I was headed to East Asia,
she emphatically said, “You’re going to eat a
looooot.” And she was right! In Taiwan, I was
able to discover new foods such as durian and
even chicken testicles. When you’re somewhere new, why not do as the Taiwanese do?
In the city of Taipei, underground malls extend the lengths of streets, night markets are
packed with food stalls, and train stations act
as hubs for food courts. And don’t forget about
the bubble tea! Why not enjoy those tapioca
drinks in a more authentic way? While there
are of course historical and cultural sites and
scenes to take in, sometimes you just have to
By Amanda Chi
follow your nose and taste buds as a tourist.
When you think of food courts, fast
food comes to mind. But not in Taiwan. Fast
food there is like eating at a restaurant! Essentially, a Taiwanese food court is a collection of 200 restaurants in the confines of a
train station. And this isn’t only at the Taipei
train station, but also at the basement of Taipei 101, the airport, and underground malls
such as Q Square. Chefs prepare the food on
the spot and even make the noodles by hand
in the kitchen. Prices are especially low due
to heavy competition. Specific cuisines are
sectioned off—a place that specializes in beef
noodle soup or curry would be clustered with
other restaurants serving the same, all showing off their food awards and medals in order
any street food.
Another exciting aspect of markets
is fruit stands. Even within indoor markets,
the fruit sold in Taiwan is eye-popping. The
colors alone of various fruits not found in
the States will grab your attention. Ever seen
dragon fruit? It’s a vibrant pinkish purple that
looks as though the fruit were dyed. While
the fruits are often a visual feast, it’s not always a nasal pleasure. I’m no stranger to the
smell of durian, but my first taste was my trip
to Taiwan. Durian is a spikey fruit found in
Southeast Asian countries that is reknown for
its pungent and fermented smell. As a good
friend of mine described it, it’s like hot fart in
your mouth. It’s certainly an acquired taste so
I thought I’d give it a chance. The texture of
durian is surprisingly creamy, which in turn
threw me off. The taste, however, was a little
too fermented for me. I certainly don’t regret
the experience but the pungent burps that
follow one bite beg to differ.
Prior to my travels, there were two
things I had in mind when I planned to eat
in Taiwan: beef noodle soup and stinky tofu.
Since my dad is from Taiwan, I grew up loving
beef noodle soup and thinking of it as comfort food. The beef tendon stewed over night
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMANDA CHI
Share Your Where
to entice customers. The price is right and the
quality is amazing. For about 5 US dollars,
you can have a fresh-cooked entrée with savory side dishes and a cup of soup.
While the food courts and restaurants
may be health code regulated, street food
can be a bit dicey. There’s always the possibility of food poisoning with the food carts,
but some think it’s worth the risk. One of the
most famous things to do in Taiwan is to visit
the Night Markets, one of the biggest of which
is in Shilin. Here, you can buy tea eggs, barbecued meats, sugar cane juice, beef noodle
soup, exotic fruits, and stinky tofu. Like in
any Chinatown, kiosks of vendors line the
streets selling handbags, handmade trinkets,
iPhone phone cases, and clothes. The great
thing about these markets is that you can try
all types of food at different stands, but you
might want to watch how the vendors cook
their food before committing. I saw one man
handle the trash by sticking his hand in it,
wiping the garbage juice on his shirt, and
then handling the raw meat he was cooking.
We quickly skirted away as he made eye contact with us and tried to wave us over. But it’s
not all bad! Especially since I can safely say
that I did not get food poisoning from trying
45
gives the broth a savory strong taste while
the noodles are truly fresh without the hint
of freezer burn. I grew to love stinky tofu as
well, despite its strong smell. Okay, so it might
be contradicting of me to dislike durian but
loooove fermented stinky tofu, but to each
her own! Stinky tofu is a popular Taiwanese
dish often sold at night markets and can be
prepared and served different ways, like the
variations in the photo at left. Since my family
loves this fermented dish, we decided to seek
out the strongest tasting stinky tofu in Taipei.
And what better way than to listen to Andrew
Zimmern.
Andrew Zimmern is a chef whose
show on the Travel Channel is called Bizarre
Foods. He travels around the world eating the
strangest, cultural eats and has stomached everything except two things: durian and stinky
tofu. His episode on Taiwan inspired my family to seek out the restaurant that defeated
him, which he called Dai’s House of Unique
Stink. After eating the street tofu, he thought
it was rather tasty. However, once he tried the
restaurant version, he couldn’t stomach it. As
he said, “There is nothing quite like it.” I was
charged with finding the restaurant’s address
and a method of getting there via MRT (the
Taipei Metro). Since it was a bit far from our
hotel, we took a taxi instead and gave the cab
driver only the address. The address was on a
major road, which baffled the driver when we
told him it was a stinky tofu establishment.
He said a place like that would not be on such
a highly trafficked road due to high rent and
stink. So we asked him to merely take us to
whatever restaurant he thought was good. Lo
and behold, it was the SAME RESTAURANT
we were looking for! What a coincidence! We
walked in, ordered whatever Andrew Zim-
mern ordered (and more), and even met the
owner that was interviewed on the show. She
was on her way out, but when we talked to
her about the show, she was sweet enough to
stay, talk about the health benefits of eating
the dish, give us a culinary explanation of her
special fermentation process, and tell us how
to cook it ourselves. She told us how she ferments the tofu in aged vegetable matter rather than using chemical or old fish. Ultimately,
we bought a box of fifty pieces to bring to family and friends in Hong Kong. How we brought
THAT on the plane is another story though.
So why try the local cuisine of such
strange food? It could be delicious! Or if not,
it could make for a great story. This experience really stuck with me because it’s a part
of my culture. I grew up with my father taking me to eat beef noodle soup in the States.
But traveling to another country and tasting
these foods is something you need to try for
yourself. So train your nose and beef up your
taste buds if you ever find yourself traveling
to Taiwan!
To Jojo. For your love of food, your inspiration
to others, your smiles and your manuca honey
facials. You truly knew how to appreciate food
on a global scale. World traveler, wine connoisseur, and caratay expert. I’ll love you forever.
47
Share Your Wear
Travelling in Style With Diane Kroe
MODELLA MEDIA
T
he mark of an artist is the ability to
draw inspiration from anything and
anywhere. It’s that “where” in particular that inspires designer Diane Kroe. I caught
up with the jetsetter herself to get the scoop on
her work.
There are three places that most inspire
Kroe’s designs: airports, spas, and hotels. “I’m
always people-watching [at airports]—observing their luggage, clothing, and carry-ons,”
says Kroe. “I try to imagine the perfect items
that should be packed for each visit. Every destination is unique, leaving me with new ideas
to add to my collection.”
As for spas and hotels, Kroe was in-
By Rosie Ryan
Photos by Modella Media
spired to create a clothing collection that
embodied both comfort and elegance. “Some
recognized spas have world-class restaurants
where guests want to dine in comfort yet [also]
fit in with the upscale quality of their experience by wearing something fashionable.”
But Kroe gets even more specific with
where she draws inspiration—designing with
a particular destination in mind. Take her Limitless Chiffon Dress—it was inspired by hot
tropical destinations. “Customers [asked for]
something lightweight [with] the quick-dry,
non-wrinkle aspect of the travel fabric I use for
the rest of my collection,” says Kroe. “I found
a beautiful wrinkle-free chiffon which I use to
49
create reversible layers. It’s functional, and it
gives you options for day or evening.”
What really makes Kroe’s designs
unique is that many of her garments work for
every body type. The Reversible Resort Dress
can be worn eleven different ways, so the
wearer can find the style that best works for
their body. It was actually inspired by bridesmaids who needed dresses for a tropical wedding. “Each girl had a different body type and
were not impressed with the shade of purple
their bride had chosen,” says Kroe. “I told them
all I would make each dress reversible so they
could pick their own color for the other side.
They loved the idea that they could wear the
dress in a way that complemented their own
unique style while keeping the bride happy.”
Since Kroe spends a lot of time traveling from destination to destination, it’s a given
that she’s pretty savvy when it comes to packing. For her, it’s all about packing light without
sacrificing style, which is basically the goal of
every one of her pieces. For example, on a recent vacation to Mexico, Kroe packed six bikinis and six of her Endless design. By day, she
used it as a beach cover up and by night she
used it as a cocktail dress. This particular piece
has the ability to adjust into a scarf, poncho,
skirt, and—really—endless other options.
Her goal is to create quality, timeless
pieces that will give her clients a break from
worrying about leaving something behind.
53
“My multifunctional detailing allows each customer to express their own unique style depending on
their destination and especially their mood,” says
Kroe. “They never have to anticipate the weather or
how they feel while they travel because my designs
have it all covered.”
As for where she plans on going next, we
have a hint. Her dream destination is the Château
de Moissac in Provence, France. “It’s a close representation of my design aesthetic: simple elegance.
It’s casual yet formal and has the perfect balance
between two extremes.”
No matter her next inspiration locale, we
know that Kroe will, without a doubt, arrive in style.
55
blackmilkclothing.com
57
Thrift Store
Challenge:
The $20
Outfit
Fashion Editor Breana Powell gets thrifty
and shows you how to be chic for cheap.
Outfit #1:
I found this $2.99 jersey houndstooth
blouse hidden in a section of plain
black shirts. The material makes it easy
to dress up or down, and because it’s
black and white, it can be paired with
any color. Although I could have styled
the blouse with a bold, bright pant, I instead went for a pair of gray jeans by
Elie Tahari for a cleaner, more sophisticated color palette—perfect for fall.
The jeans were a steal for only $4.99.
ELENA LOPEZ
’ve been an avid thrifter for years
now, so when Macklemore’s smashhit “Thrift Store” came out, I was
thrilled—a theme song for my life!
Finally someone was celebrating the
art of looking good and saving money. To share my hobby with all you
Tasties out there, I decided to head
out to a thrift shop with, taking a
note from Macklemore, only “twenty
dollars in my pocket.” The goal was
to create one outfit for twenty dollars or less…I ended up creating two!
59
Outfit #2:
I had to check the tag on this BCBG
Max Azria button-down twice to
make sure I was seeing what I was
seeing. $0.79!? (It obviously had to
come home with me.) It’s a simple
and functional staple piece that can
be translated for work and play. The
pants, originally from Target, are
the real statement here. The metallic brocade is coated with a glittery
sheen! I snagged them for $5.99.
Grand Total: $14.76
Breana’s Top 5 Thrifting
Tips:
Set a budget:
It’s easy to get carried away when
everything is so inexpensive, so set a
budget before you go.
Go during special sale days:
Many thrift stores have days when
items are marked down even more, so
find out when those days are for even
greater savings. Also, various colored
stickers usually identify items that
are a part of a special sale. (A green
sticker, for example, could mean an
item is 50% off, while a red sticker
could mean an item is 75% off.)
Bring a friend:
It’s always fun to bring a friend to
help you decide on which items to
purchase.
Get that easily repairable item:
If you really like a piece, but it has a
minor defect—as in a missing button
or a small tear on the seams—if it’s
cheap enough, get it anyway. You can
always repair it with a sewing kit.
Go with an open mind:
With any shopping, you never really
know if you’ll find something you like.
But with thrift store shopping, there’s
a bigger chance that you’ll be scared
away because of the mix of contemporary and vintage clothing. Remember,
you’re in a place where you can find
hidden gems! Think of it as a treasure
hunt and see the potential in unique
pieces that speak to you.
61
Floaters,
Grab
A
Life
Vest!
Photos by Alexander Herman
Makeup by Breana Powell
Styled by Caroline A. Wong & Rachel Reilley
Three years ago,
Rachel Reilly exploded into America’s
consciousness as the
spirited redhead on
CBS’s Big Brother.
Besides meeting the
love of her life on the
show, Reilly won the
game, and her sister
is now competing
on the current season. Does Reilly ever
get tired of people
watching her every
move? Caroline A.
Wong asks that very
question in her chat
with the reality star.
Previous spread: Black top, Forever 21.
Black shorts, Forever 21. Gold heels,
(worn throughout) Badgley Mischka. Jewelry, Reilly’s own. This page: Gold dress,
(worn throughout) Alice and Olivia. Jewelry, (worn throughout) Reilly’s own.
F
resh from our cover shoot at
Beso Hollywood, Rachel Reilly
and I walk over to Groundwork
Coffee to relax and chat over
some iced drinks. As I bring my
tea over to our table in a corner of the shop, Reilly exclaims, “Oh my GOD!
Your chai looks SO good!” A long day of posing
for photos hasn’t run her down—her energy
is as bubbly as ever. It’s that same energy that
earned her fans and critics alike when she
first appeared on season twelve of Big Brother. For the time being, though, we talk about
Reilly’s younger sister, Elissa Slater, who is
now competing on season fifteen.
“I think my sister needs to step up her
game play!” Reilly says between sips. “I kind
of just want to see her win an HOH.” A “Head
of Household” competition allows the winner to select two players eligible for eviction
from the game. After our conversation, Slater
won one of the toughest HOH competitions
of the season. Reilly continues, “She’s on Big
Brother. She made it to the jury. I want her to
have the full experience, and winning competitions is part of that. I want my sister to
stand up for her own opinions because now
it seems like she’s just doing whatever Helen
tells her to do. I think Helen’s actually playing
a good game. I know it’s not popular opinion,
but I don’t care about not being popular.”
It’s true—Reilly, 28, is no stranger to
being on the outs. After Reilly’s first season
on the show, she says she was met with a lot
of negative feedback. But Reilly takes it all in
stride. “Any time someone says something
rude, I’m like ‘Okay, thanks!’ or I’ll just laugh
it off. I’ve come to a point in my career with
entertainment where I appreciate the haters
because they talk about you more. It’s good
for business.” She concedes that her stance
was an acquired one. “When I first got off the
show, it was really hard. But you also have
to realize that, you know, they’re not saying
it about you personally because they don’t
know you personally. They know this charac-
ter that they see.”
There is obviously a certain amount
of fame to be expected when you appear on a
national television show, with nearly 170,000
Twitter followers at press time as well as admirers and opponents alike, was Reilly truly
prepared for the explosive response to her TV
personality? “No! When I [auditioned] originally, I was just going on because I was a fan
of the show!” She speculates about why she’s
so recognizable. “I think it’s just because I am
myself, and I don’t care. I’m not going to apologize if I say something to someone. I’m not
going to try to be fake.”
Speaking of things fake, some people
might question the authenticity of a love that
blossomed on television show. But with nearly a year of marriage under their belts, Reilly
and husband Brendon Villegas, 33, can safely
say their romance goes far beyond their first
meeting on the Big Brother show. “I didn’t really think about a ‘showmance,’” Reilly says of
first entering the Big Brother house. “I kinda
went in, and I was like, ‘Ooh! There will be
cute boys.’ And then I [met] Brendon. I think
it’s 100% fate. We just fell in love. It’s crazy
because I still get goosebumps. I’m so giddy
about it—like a twelve year old!”
Reilly actually questions dating shows
like The Bachelor. “It’s so produced. Really,
are you going to fly to the African safari and
have your second date under the stars with
an African band behind you playing? I think
that people are lost in this romantic fairytale,
and then when they get off the show, they’re
like, ‘This is NOT what I signed up for.’” Is being locked up in the Big Brother house why
her relationship with Villegas is so successful? “Oh, absolutely. Living in the Big Brother house, you’re with someone 24/7 so you
seem them when they’re at their worst and
you see them at their best. You wake up, and
there’s morning breath. You’re not flying
around the world and doing these fancy vacations. Brendon and I went 24/7 nonstop talking so we weren’t just falling in love, we were
65
[also] getting to know everything about [each
other]. We would talk about even the dumbest things, like ‘What’s your favorite gummy
worm?’ to these big questions about eternity
and where are we going to get married.” For
the record, Reilly’s favorite gummy worm is
the pink one with the yellow tail.
Despite the bond that Reilly felt with
Villegas, her family wasn’t all too sure about it
at first. “They were SO skeptical. My mom was
like, ‘I don’t know what to do. Rachel’s falling
in love on TV with this boy. I don’t know if we
approve.’” Her mother warmed up to Villegas,
however, as the season progressed. “I think
she realized how Brendon and my relationship was in the house, and she knew that he
would be good for me outside the house.”
Villegas and Reilly first bonded over
their shared love for science. Reilly has a degree in chemistry, and Villegas is attending
school for his doctorate in biomedical physics. For a girl with such a loud personality, it
seems disparate to picture her wearing chem
goggles. “I am a geeky, nerdy girl. I would
rather sit home on a Friday night and play
video games than go out to a super big club
and go crazy. But I love [clubbing] too. I have
so many facets to my personality, and I think
that’s what’s really drawn people in. I had
so many people change their opinions about
me because [on season twelve] they saw this
feisty, over-the-top, in-your-face girl, and they
were just like ‘Oh my god, she’s evil.’ But then
in season thirteen, they got to see the softer
side and the geekier side and the goofy, fun
side.” Reilly fully embraces the range of her
personality, saying, “You can be smart and
you can be pretty and you can have fun and
do all this other stuff. You don’t have to just be
a one-dimensional person.”
Her relationship with Villegas also gets
goofy. “Brendon’s the dorkiest guy ever. Last
night, we were eating out, and he was doing
magic tricks!” A typical date night for the pair
is usually low-key. “The truth is, we’re such
nerds. Our favorite date nights are the ones
that we spend at home hanging out and having a good time.” The couple is also really active. “Brendon and I like to do athletic things,
so instead of going on a bunch of dates, we’ll
usually try to plan weekend getaways together. We’ll take our dog because we’re obsessed
with our dog. He’s our son! We only go places
where we can take our dog, like, I’m not even
kidding.”
Villegas and Reilly’s travels with their
Rottweiler, Benz, inspired her project Adventures for Pets. “Brendon and I were in Utah,
and we took our dog to Zion National Park.
It’s my favorite place in the whole world.” The
couple encountered some difficulties, however, with housing Benz. “He’s a big dog. And
a lot of places don’t let you take your pets into
hotels and restaurants. So Brendon and I are
like ‘This is crazy!’ How many people would
love to travel with their pets?” Thus, Adventures for Pets was born, showing people the
best pet-friendly places to eat and play. Reilly
emphasizes the point of their mission: “We
thought this was a great way to tell people
which hotels are pet-friendly—not just petaccepting, but pet-friendly.”
Aside from her travels with Villegas
and Benz, Reilly also visits Slater, 27. “My sister lives all over the world because her husband lives in Canada. Well, I say all over the
world—she just lives all over North America.
We see each other all the time. She’s my best
friend.” And because of their close bond, the
two would be a powerhouse should they
appear on Big Brother together. “How cool
would that be?! I would be really, really protective because she’s my little sister. I would
just love to do it! If they had an All Stars 2,
I would want my sister to be in it with me,
for sure. Crossing my fingers! She has a good
chance to win America’s Favorite. There [are]
only a few HouseGuests who could win America’s Favorite.” I joke that Aaryn Gries, 22,
who caused a stir this season with her racist
remarks, might be eligible. “Not Aaryn!!”
Gries was dropped by her modeling
67
“ I am myself, and I
don’t care. I’m not
going to apologize
if I say something
to someone.”
agency following her offensive comments,
which begs the question—is it possible to really forget you’re on national television? “You
forget that there [are] cameras all over the
place, but you don’t forget that you’re on the
show. By Day 45, you forget that there’s an alternate world going on outside, and your reality becomes the Big Brother environment.”
By press time, the HouseGuests will have been
in the house for 75 days. Reilly recalls, “Even
when I won [the game], it was really hard
to walk out of the house and I had just won!
Something goes on in your brain where it just
becomes your reality, and you want to fight to
stay there and save it and protect it.”
I ask whether Reilly had trust issues
after leaving the show. “Now I think I’m a lot
more hesitant. You do start to feel like the
whole world is the Big Brother house. You’re
like, ‘Wait, are you saying that because you really want to hire me or are you going to vote
me out?’”
In spite of the mind shift that Reilly describes, the hardest part of her Big Brother career was not walking out of the house, or even
adjusting to life afterward. “When Brendon
was voted out the first time [on season thirteen], I was so crushed. I was just torn. I felt
like I had literally lost my husband. He was my
fiancé [at the time] and we were happy and
sleeping in the same bed every night and then
the next day, someone took him away from me.
There’s no one [in the house] that could ever
replace that relationship.”
Luckily now, the happy couple doesn’t
have to go a day without speaking to each
other, but Reilly still makes time for her girl
friends. “My best friend Jeannie—I use her for
my stylist a lot because she is a vintage stylist, so she works with all the vintage stores and
thrift stores in Los Angeles. I’m into sequins
and glamour—very dramatic.” Like Gatsby?
“Yes! Like SUPER Gatsby! I’m obsessed with
headbands. I wear headbands, like, everyday.”
She and her friends have no problem getting dressed up. “If I’m going out with my girl
friends, we pick themes. It’s so nerdy. So we’ll
do a 1920s look, or 30s.”
I ask Reilly whether she felt pressure to
dress for the cameras while on the show. “Well,
my sister pulls it off effortlessly. Every time
she’s on camera, she looks ridiculously cute.
When I was on Big Brother, I had wet hair and
no makeup. But every time Elissa’s on camera,
she looks adorable. It’s hard because you’re always thinking about the cameras, of course, but
I’m not as fashion conscientious as I could be.”
Fashion choices aside, Reilly left a huge
impact on the game. This season’s contestants
were talking about Reilly before they even realized that Slater was her sister. I ask Reilly if
“You can be smart and you can
be pretty and you can have fun.
You don’t have to just be a onedimensional person.”
she’s pleased with her legacy. “I took a lot of
my mark from Janelle [Pierzina from season
six]. I was very fond of the way Janelle played
the game. She was competitive. She was feisty.
She didn’t care. And that’s kind of how my personality is anyways, but I think that because I
won the game, it left a greater mark. It’s kind of
overwhelming sometimes because some people will be like, ‘I want to play like Rachel.’ It’s
cool to know that people look up to you as a
game-player and [recognize you for] how hard
you work because it’s really, really, really hard.
To have people be such avid fans of your game,
it’s such an honor.”
Reilly’s connection to Pierzina is more
than just one of admiration. They keep in
touch regularly. Reilly even notes, “I think she’s
having her baby today!” And three hours later,
Pierzina announced the birth of her son Lincoln via Twitter. Aside from being friends, the
two are also true Big Brother competitors. Reil-
ly tied Pierzina’s record of six multi-seasonal
HOH wins and set her own Big Brother record
by being nominated for eviction five times in
one season and still winning the game. I congratulate Reilly for her many victories. She exclaims, “But Aaryn’s on our heels. That would
be a travesty!” Gries, in fact, did go on to tie
Reilly’s single-season total of four HOH wins, a
record also held by Pierzina, Drew Daniel (season six), Hayden Moss (season twelve), and Ian
Terry (season fourteen).
Reilly seems to have a gripe about
Gries. “This season, I see a lot of people being
outright mean and not where they’re just saying, ‘You’re a bitch.’ They’re being cruel. The
stuff that they say is so personal and mean…
for no reason!” Another bully that Reilly criticizes is real estate agent Amanda Zuckerman,
28. “She’s super bossy! She’s a really big threat
because she’s controlling everything, and she’s
basically telling the HouseGuests how to run
their HOHs. She never wins a competition.
Ever. I don’t think she ever will.”
Are the intense personalities we see
on the show reflective of who these people
are outside of Big Brother? Reilly thinks for a
moment. “It’s really hard because when you
see people on the show, we’re so stressed out.
We’re in this crazy environment, and you’re
constantly having to work. Like, you don’t take
a day off of Big Brother. You don’t take thirty
minutes off. In real life, I’m a lot more mellow,
and I’m a lot more like a normal friend. I want
to go to a coffee shop like this one and hang
out. But on Big Brother, I’m a little more feisty
because it’s the game. In real life, I’m not going
to go up to someone and say, ‘Floaters, grab a
life vest!’”
Reilly is recognized not only for her notorious “floaters” quote, but also from all her
other antics on the show. Does she ever get
tired of her Big Brother persona? “Not really,”
Reilly says. “I definitely want to continue with
a career in entertainment. That’s my dream. I
don’t want to not be associated with Big Brother. I met my husband on Big Brother. I won the
game. I’ve worked with CBS so much, and I
love them. We have a really good relationship
with them. If I was like Julia Roberts tomorrow
or something, I would still be like, ‘I started out
on Big Brother.’”
Whether she becomes Julia Roberts,
Reilly is focused on pursuing her career. “In
entertainment, it’s a business. Just like in any
other business, you need to be educated so I’m
taking acting classes. I’ve been taking vocal lessons. I was recently in a musical, and that was
so fun. I don’t know if I necessarily see myself
[auditioning for] movies, but I love television
and I love reality shows.” So is there going to
be a Keeping Up with Brenchel show anytime
soon? “Well, Brendon and I have a project coming up in the future, so you might be seeing us
again on TV. I’ve always wanted to host my
own science show. That was always my biggest
passion. I wanted to do something like Bill Nye
the Science Guy.”
Her ambitions for a career in entertainment haven’t made her guarded, as it’s done
other celebrities. “We’re not like super famous
or followed around by paparazzi or anything. I
don’t know if that would get invasive. We don’t
keep anything private. Our first kiss was on TV.
Our wedding was on TV. I mean, everything
about us was on TV.” Has the fame and recognition affected her family? “I don’t think my
parents get it. They’re really proud of my sister
and me, obviously. They love us to death. But I
don’t think they get it. They’re like, ‘Oh, what
are you doing?’ And I told them I was going
to a photo shoot today, and they’re like, ‘Oh…
what?’ They live in North Carolina, so let’s be
real. The highlight of their Saturday is going to
Home Depot!”
Reilly definitely keeps herself busy with
more than just Home Depot trips. Her time on
Big Brother ensures that she’ll always be in the
spotlight in some capacity, and she promises
me that we’ll be seeing more from her soon. If
anything is certain, it’s that this vibrant fireball
is taking Hollywood by storm. Floaters, grab a
life vest, indeed.
71
“ In real life, I’m
not going to go
up to someone
and say, ‘Floaters,
grab a life vest!”
petri
dish
What happens when you try really hard to
make your dreams come true?
By Caroline A. Wong
Photos by Hail Nowak
75
s
he watered the lily plant on the
kitchen windowsill and willed it
not to drown.
Her husband Ryan sat at the
scratched laminate wood table in
the corner, the table that he had
stolen back from his ex-girlfriend’s family garage, and poured milk into his bowl of cereal.
He looked tan against the pale, pale yellow—
almost white—of the kitchen walls. A neutral
color.
“You’re not that hungry?” She put the glass
cup—she didn’t have a watering can—down
next to the lily and wiped her hands on the
dishtowel folded over the oven door handle.
“No, I’m starving.” He spooned the cereal
into his mouth. A drop of milk fell from between his lips onto his chin.
“I made eggs.” She stepped over to him and
pulled a napkin from the basket in the center
of the table to wipe the milk. He took the napkin from her and smeared it across his face.
“Eggs don’t do it for me. I wanted cereal.”
“That can’t be healthy for you,” she said,
pointing at the bowl. She sat down.
“But they’re magically delicious.” Ryan
grinned and clinked his spoon down on the
table, drinking the last of the milk directly from the bowl. He stood to rinse it in the
sink. “Did you pick up the wine for tonight?”
She smiled. “About that. I had this great
idea of baking a roast in the oven and making
cocktails for us here at home instead of bringing wine to a restaurant.”
“Kelsey was really looking forward to trying that new place.” He wiped his hands dry
on his pant legs. “And I don’t think Kelsey
should have cocktails.”
“Well, she shouldn’t have wine either.”
“The wine would be for us, to celebrate.”
“I want her to feel at home here.” She
tapped the table to emphasize her point, then
put her hands in her lap. “I guess it won’t matter how she feels.”
“Yeah,” Ryan said, checking his hair in the
***
Dress, Forever 21. Model: Danielle Romero
77
mirror by the side door, “she won’t be the one
living here.” He smiled.
“Maybe we should go visit her at her place.
Would she cook for us?”
A bumblebee flew by the open window,
lazy and pregnant, and circled over her lily. It
floated away without even smelling the flower.
“I don’t want to inconvenience her any
more than we already are.” Ryan grabbed his
white coat off the hook by the door and threw
it over the crook of his right arm. He shined
his wedding band on his shirt. “She’s doing us
a favor.”
“Some favor,” she snorted. She looked
down at her hands, her own wedding band
sparkled brightly from her finger, the diamond winking wickedly at her. “Did you cash
the check my parents sent? It should cover
everything.”
“Yes,” Ryan came to kiss her on the top of
the head, “and baby, you’re fine. Just fine.”
“Baby.” She pursed her lips and tried to
keep her brows from knitting. “I’ll be fine.”
He smiled. “Yes, fine. I’ll be back to pick
you up at eight. Grab some wine for us if you
can manage.”
Ryan left the kitchen and went out the
front door. She could hear the latch catch behind him and felt the sudden emptiness of
their home. It seemed to expand without his
presence, without him hovering over her. She
had always liked to believe he was big enough,
strong enough, to fill the space.
She went to the dish rack by the sink to
rewash his bowl. Ryan had done a wonderful
job; he had always been good at everything
he did. But she washed it again anyway, just
to feel the work. The bumblebee flew by the
window again.
She wiped Ryan’s bowl and spoon with
the dishtowel and placed it back in the left
cabinet, the spoon in the drawer. Everything
had a time, a place. She opened the oven and
poured the eggs into the trashcan. She sighed
and closed the window.
79
Something Sweet
You made a wish on a falling star, and we’re
here to announce that your dream has come
true! This month’s sweet treat is Star-Crossed,
the new book from author W.A. Fulkerson! The
highly-anticipated sequel to Starfall (featured
in our “Pages” column in June), Star-Crossed
continues the journey of twin brothers Ducasus
and Malleus as they follow their path and shape
their destiny. Fulkerson creates a compelling
new world in his series. Be sure to check it out!

This Issue

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