Combine remaining ingredients (except strawberries) in a blender or food processor and blend just until smooth. Pour into the crusts and place on a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until firm around the edges, but still slightly loose in the center. Cool completely on a wire rack. Then cover and chill.
Before serving, top with strawberries.
Note: You can also make your own five spice powder mix by toasting equal parts of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise and Szechuan peppercorn. Grind them in a coffee grinder to a powder and it can be stored in an airtight container in your spice cabinet for up to 3 weeks.
This salt is great as a seasoning fried food and roast meats.
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//global variablesvar cdnRoot = 'http://cdn.abclocal.go.com';var webRoot = 'http://livewellnetwork.com';var section = 'goodcookin';var mimeType = 'video/mp4; codecs="mp4v.20.8, mp4a.40.2"';var mp4MimeType = 'video/mp4; codecs="avc1.42E01E, mp4a.40.2"';var mobileVideoSrcPath = 'http://dig.abclocal.go.com/LiveWell/GoodCookin/2011/video/LWGC2911AWEB01.mp4'; var isValidMP4 = true;var queryString = 'site=lwhd&id=8041021&pid=8041046§ion=goodcookin';var isOTVdebuggingOn = false;var fallbackToFlash = 'null';var videoFileNotValid = 'Unable To Load Video With Path: http://dig.abclocal.go.com/LiveWell/GoodCookin/2011/video/LWGC2911AWEB01.mp4';var display3gpInfoMessage = 'Sorry, but this video won?t play on your device. Soon, all new video will play across all devices.';function fallback(video) {//$('videoplayer').setHTML(videoFileNotValid);//display 3gp info messagedocument.getElementById('html5player').innerHTML = display3gpInfoMessage;}Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saut? until it is golden, about 8 minutes. Put in the bell peppers, celery, and garlic and saut? 1 minute more. Mix in the paprika and thyme and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, stock, cream, and sausage, and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. This sauce can be prepared ahead. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Bring it to a boil before continuing.Preheat the oven to 400 degree oven. Dip the eggplant rounds in olive oil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake until quite soft, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
Add the red snapper and shrimp to the sauce. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add the oysters and crabmeat and simmer for 1 or 2 minutes until the oysters are plump. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the eggplant slices in the center of shallow bowls. Spoon the ragout over the eggplant and serve with rice on the side.
* Louisiana cooks learned long ago that tangy, smoky flavors of pork sausage such as andouille are a perfect complement to seafood. Many classic New Orleans dishes reflect this perfect marriage of the sea and the land. Cajun and Creole classics such as jambalaya, seafood gumbo, stuffed eggplant, and stuffed crab, all link spicy sausage and seafood together. This elegant ragout bathes the seafood in a rich sauce flavored with andouille. The addition of cream makes this a rich and delicious dish for a main course or you can serve smaller portions as an elegant appetizer or first course at a Creole banquet.
For more information about the Charcuterie Class with Bruce Aidells visit http://www.honolulumagazine.com/.
Heat a wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the oil, garlic, black beans, ginger, and finely chopped green onion. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the pork and any liquid and stir fry, using your spatula or spoon to break up the meat, until the pork changes from pink to gray, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock or broth, remaining hot bean paste, and vinegar. Add the tofu if doing the braised version and half the thin green onion strips. Reduce the heat to medium-high and gently toss bean curd in the sauce, taking care to not break the tofu cubes. Cook for 2 minutes. Bring to a boil, stir the cornstarch to recombine, and add it to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds or until the sauce has thickened. Sprinkle with the ground Szechwan or black peppercorns. If serving hot, spoon the bean curd into a serving bowl. Garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil and the remaining green onions and cilantro leaves. Serve as an entree over steamed rice.
To make the salad version, scatter a handful of mung bean sprouts or shredded cucumber slices (or both) over a shallow bowl or platter. Arrange soft tofu cubes over the vegetables, and the hot pork sauce over all. Sprinkle with sesame oil, reserved green onions, and cilantros leaves and serve as a first course.
Chef's Note: Chinese hot bean paste comes in a jar and is made with soy beans, spices, and hot chilies. It will keep, refrigerated, for several months. Sriracha chile sauce is a Thai and Vietnamese condiment made with chilies and is less salty than the bean paste. Either one works well in this recipe.
* While tofu can be pretty bland stuff on its own, its most redeeming quality to my mind, is its ability to act like a sponge by absorbing whatever liquid it is bathed in. The finished texture of this dish can vary according to your preference, depending on which kind of bean curd you buy, either the soft tofu or firm or extra-firm. If you prefer the "custardy" Japanese-style tofu, then cube it and serve it cold as a salad or first course, with bean sprouts and cucumber and the hot sauce poured over all. If you like the texture of the firm tofu (which is sold labeled as firm or extra firm) you can braise it in the sauce and serve the dish warm or at room temperature.
Bake 375 F for 20- 25 minutes.
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//global variablesvar cdnRoot = 'http://cdn.abclocal.go.com';var webRoot = 'http://livewellnetwork.com';var section = 'goodcookin';var mimeType = 'video/mp4; codecs="mp4v.20.8, mp4a.40.2"';var mp4MimeType = 'video/mp4; codecs="avc1.42E01E, mp4a.40.2"';var mobileVideoSrcPath = 'http://dig.abclocal.go.com/LiveWell/GoodCookin/2011/video/LWGC3311AWEB03.mp4'; var isValidMP4 = true;var queryString = 'site=lwhd&id=8086228&pid=8086318§ion=goodcookin';var isOTVdebuggingOn = false;var fallbackToFlash = 'null';var videoFileNotValid = 'Unable To Load Video With Path: http://dig.abclocal.go.com/LiveWell/GoodCookin/2011/video/LWGC3311AWEB03.mp4';var display3gpInfoMessage = 'Sorry, but this video won?t play on your device. Soon, all new video will play across all devices.';function fallback(video) {//$('videoplayer').setHTML(videoFileNotValid);//display 3gp info messagedocument.getElementById('html5player').innerHTML = display3gpInfoMessage;}Preheat oven to 450. Toss squash and shallots with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and thyme. Spread out in a heavy roasting pan and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally after the first 10 minutes, until squash and shallots are tender and caramelized. Remove from the oven and discard thyme stems.On the stovetop in a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add pancetta. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until a good portion of the fat is rendered. Add mushrooms to pot and toss well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high. Add bay leaves, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper and continue cooking for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are tinged golden-brown.
Stir in broth, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in farro and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is gone and the farro is tender. Stir in squash and shallots and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
* Farro is an ancient strain of emmer wheat. You can find it in many specialty shops and also online at ChefShop.com.
Lia Huber is the Founder and CEO of the rich-content website, Nourish Network (www.nourishnetwork.com), and its companion small group coaching program, My Nourish Mentor (www.mynourishmentor.com). She is also a widely published food writer and recipe developer, and a rising presence both on-screen and on-stage. In any format she tackles, Lia brings passion -- and fun -- to her message of nourishing body, soul and planet with every bite.
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//global variablesvar cdnRoot = 'http://cdn.abclocal.go.com';var webRoot = 'http://livewellnetwork.com';var section = 'goodcookin';var mimeType = 'video/mp4; codecs="mp4v.20.8, mp4a.40.2"';var mp4MimeType = 'video/mp4; codecs="avc1.42E01E, mp4a.40.2"';var mobileVideoSrcPath = 'http://dig.abclocal.go.com/LiveWell/GoodCookin/2011/video/LWGC2711Aweb02.mp4'; var isValidMP4 = true;var queryString = 'site=lwhd&id=8003293&pid=8003634§ion=goodcookin';var isOTVdebuggingOn = false;var fallbackToFlash = 'null';var videoFileNotValid = 'Unable To Load Video With Path: http://dig.abclocal.go.com/LiveWell/GoodCookin/2011/video/LWGC2711Aweb02.mp4';var display3gpInfoMessage = 'Sorry, but this video won?t play on your device. Soon, all new video will play across all devices.';function fallback(video) {//$('videoplayer').setHTML(videoFileNotValid);//display 3gp info messagedocument.getElementById('html5player').innerHTML = display3gpInfoMessage;}Place the crescenza into a pie pan or non-reactive baking dish. Combine the chopped herbs and the extra virgin olive oil, pour over the cheese and season well with salt and pepper. This may be done up to three days in advance. Just before serving cut the cheese, a spoon may be used for this, into 24 pieces."Turn" the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves with a knife and trimming any of the green part away, cut in half and remove the choke if it is tough. Place into water with the juice of the lemon to prevent browning. When all of the artichokes have been prepared, slice them to 1/8-inch thick. Place the pure olive oil into a saut? pan, heat over medium heat add the artichokes and increase the heat to medium high, season with salt and pepper. Allow the artichokes to cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until a nice golden brown and no longer al dente. Remove from the pan and allow to drain on a paper towel.
Make vinaigrette by whisking together the balsamic and the extra virgin, season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine the greens and the basil in a large mixing bowl.
Tear the bread into half inch pieces. Place the pure olive oil into a large saut? pan and add the bread. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned, add the artichokes and heat until warm. Place the greens in a large mixing bowl, add the warm artichokes and bread and dress with the vinaigrette and season well. Present on large individual plates with three pieces of cheese around the perimeter of the plate. Place the salad in the middle.
Guest Chef:
Traci Des Jardins
Chef/Co-owner of Jardiniere, Mijita Cocina Mexicana and Chef/Partner of Public House and Manzanita
Before opening Jardini?re in San Francisco just over a decade ago, chef Traci Des Jardins worked in some of the ?nest kitchens in Los Angeles, France, and New York City. She was raised on a farm in California's San Joaquin Valley and developed a deep love for the earth and its bounty at an early age. Though she never had a job in a restaurant before, through sheer determination she landed a tryout with Joachim Splichal, then at 7th Street Bistro in Los Angeles. Within two weeks she was running a station in the kitchen. In Splichal's kitchen she worked in an environment with uncompromising standards of excellence and discipline that spurred her to further hone her craft in France where she apprenticed with legendary chefs including Michel and Pierre Troisgros, Alain Senderens, Alain Ducasse, and Alain Passard.
Since Jardiniere opened its doors, Traci has made it one of San Francisco's most popular destinations. And she has earned a great number of accolades for her French-California cuisine, while at Rubicon in 1995 she won the James Beard Foundation's 'Rising Star Chef of the Year', Food & Wine Magazine's 'Best New Chef', San Francisco Magazine's 'Chef of the Year' and the James Beard Foundation Award in 2007 for 'Best Chef: Paci?c'. Jardiniere won Esquire Magazine's 'Best New Restaurant,' a nomination by the James Beard foundation for 'Best New Restaurant' in 1999 and the San Francisco Chronicle has listed it as one of the 'Top 100 Restaurants' in the Bay Area each year since opening. In addition, she bested Iron Chef Mario Batali on the Food Network show Iron Chef America.
In December 2009, Traci's destination restaurant Manzanita opened in the new Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe at Northstar. Taking its name from the ubiquitous California tree, the 94-seat restaurant along with 71-seat bar and lounge area, it is all about the kitchen and acclaimed chef Traci Des Jardins. The menu at Manzanita is a combination of Traci's signature French inspired California cuisine, with a regional mountain resort influence, sourcing organic, sustainable and locally grown meat and produce when possible. From the moment you enter the restaurant, the design radiates warmth, texture and natural materials with an open kitchen, visible from all vantage points in the restaurant
In 2004, Traci opened Mijita Cocina Mexicana in the San Francisco Ferry Building and in 2010 the second location at AT&T Park, combining the best of Bay Area seasonal and local ingredients with the traditional Mexican ?avors of her youth. She also serves as chef/partner for Public House located at AT&T Park the home of the San Francisco Giants, which opened in March 2010.
Beyond the kitchen, Traci is a deeply committed activist and philanthropist. She works with hunger-relief organizations such as Share Our Strength, Citymeals On-Wheels, and Wine. Dine. Donate, and is a former board member of La Cocina, a San Francisco Bay Area food service incubator. Traci joined the advisory board of the Bocuse d'Or USA to join fellow chefs in the quest to elevate culinary excellence in the United States.
"I’ve pretty much touched everyone’s hands in Hollywood, since Tina Turner,” celebrity nail artist Lisa Jachno told Pret-a-Reporter, whose memorable manicures have been seen on everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Jennifer Garner, and as of late, on Miley Cyrus’W magazine cover debut.
PHOTOS: Grammys: Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift Shine at Clive Davis Bash
"The inspiration for the look came from the photographers Mert [Alas] and Marcus [Piggot], who already had an idea of what they wanted," said Jachno. Cyrus, who had just stepped off a plane from Europe, arrived to the shoot sporting a vivid red gel polish painted on a set of long acrylic nails, which prevented Jachno from soaking them in acetone to remove the shade. Working against the clock to bring the photographer’s vision of bold, edgy nails to life -- a stark contrast from Cyrus' pale complexion, platinum locks and bleached-out brows -- Jachno first shaped the starlets' tips into what she calls a "rock and roll shape," tapered with a round tip on the end. Jachno buffed down Cyrus’ gel paint job before applying two glossy coats of Chanel Black Satin polish (and painting her toes to match), which eclipsed the vivid red hue beneath.
To get the look at home, Jachno suggests having some length to your nails or using press-ons. The shape can be achieved using a 180-grit nail file, strong enough to fashion the nail into a triangle shape with a softened tip. "I always close my hand and check it from both views," advised Jachno.
This is not the first time Jachno has worked with tongue-wagging Cyrus; she vividly recalls being on set with the starlet for the first time when she was 13 years old. "I hadn’t seen her for a long time," said Jachno. "I was very impressed with how grown up she was."
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1. Two-tone leather platform spectator pump by Saint Laurent; $665, at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills.
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2. Suede, PVC and snakeskin Positano pump by Aquazzura; $765, at Barneys New York, Beverly Hills.
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3. Leather, PVC and patent Air Chance pointed-toe slingback by Christian Louboutin. Jennifer Lawrence stepped out in a version of it on the red carpet; $845, at Christian Louboutin, West Hollywood.
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4. Red and black snakeskin pump with geometric-cut diamond heel by Fendi; $990, at Barneys New York, Beverly Hills.
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5. Patent Lekker d’Orsay pump by Jimmy Choo. Mandy Moore wore it to THR’s Women in Entertainment breakfast; $695, at select Jimmy Choo boutiques.
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This roundup first appeared in the Feb. 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
Arthur "Art" Ortenberg has died at 87, according to WWD.
The news comes days after his longtime partner, Cathy Horyn, announced her resignation from The New York Times as its longtime chief fashion critic to spend more time with him.
RELATED: New York Times Fashion Critic Cathy Horyn Resigns
Ortenberg — who was the founder of Liz Claiborne Inc. in 1976 with his former wife, Liz Claiborne, who died in 2007 — is described as a "vision [that] guided the phenomenal growth of the company in the seventies and eighties." The fashion company — which went public in 1981 — has generated $1.2 billion in volume and $110.3 million in net profits.
After Ortenberg and Claiborne retired in 1989, they established The Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation, an organization dedicated to nature preservation and wildlife conservation. Following the news of Ortenberg's death, the charity's website has since posted a short obituary dedicated to him, writing: "With greatest admiration and respect for his deep and passionate commitment to the conservation of wildlife and wild lands, and to the well-being of the human communities with which they are inextricably linked."
Pret-a-Reporter has yet to confirm the time, place and circumstances of Ortenberg's death.
Ashley Greene has just purchased a home in Beverly Hills, according to real estate web site Redfin. The Twilight actress paid $2.435 million for the 27,000-square-foot, Spanish style spread. Located behind a gated drive, the lushly planted property features a three-bedroom, three-bathroom home with beamed ceilings, plenty of skylights and a backyard pool.
Purple haired rock progeny Kelly Osbourne has listed her petite West Hollywood pad for $1.349 million, reports web site Trulia. The E! Fashion Police co-star is selling the one-bedroom, two-bath 1,250-square-footer that she purchased nine years ago for $1.195 million. Built in 1952 and designed by Robert Byrd, the home is perched in the hills and features city views. Jonah Wilson of Hilton and Hyland has the listing.Jordana Brewster is also putting her place on the market. The Brazilian-American actress has listed her three-bedroom, four-bathroom home for $3.8 million, reports Trulia. Residential real estate ace Ellen DeGeneres had owned the gated, 2,868-square-foot retreat from 1999 until 2002. Wilson of Hilton and Hyland has the listing.[Warning: spoilers ahead for this week's episode of Girls, "Only Child."]
After an emotional roller coaster for Hannah, the fate of her book deal is put into permanent limbo while Marnie and Ray get frisky. THR staffers Rebecca Sun, Brandon Kirby, Jessie Katz, Philiana Ng and Pret-a-Reporter editor Erin Weinger dish out who loses (honorable mention goes to Caroline's glorious exit) and who wins (nice lay, Ray!) in this week's episode of Girls. And there's no forgetting Marnie's adorable new BFF and dearly departed David's poor, poor wife.
Below, find the transcript and full audio of this week's podcast, episode four of Girls on Girls (+ One Guy):
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Erin Weinger: This is an interesting episode. It opened with a funeral.
Jessie Katz: It was a dark episode, with the intro “Girls” blacked out.
Rebecca Sun: It ended really dark, too.
Brandon Kirby: I think it was a cue for this whole season to start to go darker.
EW: Well people have been dying. There’s been some darkness.
BK: In the closing song in the credits the guy says, “This is the end of good times. Bad times are coming.”
Philiana Ng: So clearly it’s going to go even darker.
EW: Darker like jam a stick in your ear dark?
BK: No Q-tip eardrum punctuation.
JK: The end of last season felt really dark, so this will be dark in a different way?
RS: Maybe black comedy where the humor comes out of the bleakness of life. They’re hitting their quarter-life crises.
FORNICATION
EW: There were some funny dark moments in this episode, one of which is actually an Up on our list. For Fornication here we have Ray and Marnie, who have joined forces as one. Literally. So we gave them an Up this week because who doesn’t want to get laid?
BK: But my god, it was painful.
JK: It was painful for us. I don’t know about for them.
RS: I guess the act itself was an Up but man, I don’t know if the aftermath is worth it. Because especially for Ray, as he was just trying to be gentlemanly, like “let’s keep this on the DL,” Marnie was classic Marnie and basically emasculated him with one withering comment, like “you think that I would ever advertise the fact that I slept with you?”
JK: I feel like Ray could like that.
EW: He’s kind of a dark guy.
BK: Yeah, he likes that kick. And let’s talk about the reason that Marnie went over there, which was to basically get insulted by Ray. But you (Rebecca) said that this episode is very meta, and one of the things that happened was what Ray says about Marnie, “but you’re a sympathetic character even though you’re totally selfish,” which not only speaks to Marnie the character, but to what the audience thinks about that character.
RS: Interesting, because do you think that Marnie generally is considered sympathetic by the viewers?
PN: Not in this episode.
EW: I think throughout the series she has come off as that annoying person and you just want to roll your eyes at her. She’s the one in the $400 dress, she’s the one whose hair is perfect, she’s the one with the boyfriend, she’s the one who just has all of the annoying shit going on that you just want to roll your eyes at because she’s not nice and humble about it.
BK: But then the show throws her in the shitter, for the viewer, almost.
RS: Her perfect life at this point was two seasons ago.
EW: That’s true.
RS: But she’s had over a year to adapt.
EW: It takes a long time.
RS: So maybe Ray’s comment is really not just about Marnie – and maybe this is what you meant, Brandon – but that all of the characters, they’re written as gleefully self-absorbed, and yet the fact that he show has the fans that it does shows that its flaws endear them.
BK: Yeah, they’re somehow still likable while being unlikable.
JK: Well they’re still recognizable. Marnie is still a recognizable person, and that is why I am able to sympathize with her. I mean, I know those girls who had it all set up for them and they fuck it up and it’s hard. You are not likable when you’re going through that.
EW: It’s true.
JK: But I also want to point out that Marnie has been completely isolated from the group this season except for her connection with Ray. He’s the only one she’s had left, so really it’s not so crazy that they’ve gotten together.
BK: Right, because this is right after she tries calling Hannah, and she has her new best friend, little itty-bitty kitten.
PN: Scene-stealer!
EW: So yeah, Ray has been there. It remains to be seen if he will continue to be there.
PN: It’s going to be awkward, with Shoshanna and Ray.
JK: But they don’t see each other anymore! They’re all islands right now.
RS: “Only child!” They’re all scattered in the universe.
EW: And that was the name of the episode. “Only Child.”
JK: It can be seen everywhere in this episode.
EW: There were tantrums, there was selfishness. As an only child I shouldn’t be feeding into the stereotype, but…
JK: We know! We have two only children on the podcast, so we can help illuminate.
RS: See if you can guess who’s who!
EW: We’ll show you some only children, baby…
JK: *Throws the table over*
STORY: 'Girls' Costume Designer on Her HBO Hit: 'It's Not a Clothes Whore Show'
FRIENDSHIP
EW: So back to that cat that we mentioned, that was in our Friendship department. We had an Up for the cat and for Marnie, because Marnie said she found her new best friend and it was actually touching. As sad as that was, it’s a real thing that happens. Sometimes in your 20’s you find yourself floating around and alone and you get a pet! And it loves you.
PN: But it can backstab.
EW: True. It can shit on your floor, in your shoes and ruin your life.
JK: But it won’t leave you!
PN: It could run away.
BK: But after it shits on your shoes it will just cuddle with you. And you have to forgive it.
RS: The fact that the cutest kitten in the world, as cute as it is (which it was), the fact that that’s our friendship Up for the week really says a lot.
EW: Well that takes us to the Friendship Down. We have some vile behavior in the friend department (and the family department), really just the relationship department in general. Hannah was really bad. I get that she was going through a rough patch. She had a death, which she may or may not have cared about, we don’t know. The book deal she definitely cared about and she lost the book deal, got thrown out of the funeral for asking for a contact for a new publisher.
RS: From the widow!
JK: Can we touch on the Fornication Down?
BK: Poor Jennifer Westfeldt.
EW: Yes, our Fornication Down was the widow of the gay man who died. The widow was a woman, and she lived with this man.
JK: Apparently she kind of, sort of, knew he was gay – sometimes?
EW: Sometimes. Only sometimes, though. Hey, to each their own.
JK: Maybe she had her own thing going on.
RS: And it was clear that she loved him. There are all sorts of different kinds of coupling.
JK: But in terms of strict fornicating I’m guessing maybe theirs was…
BK: A major Down.
RS: Unless she didn’t lose much by his death, in the fornication department. See what I’m saying?
JK: This is getting into some abstract math.
EW: We’re writers here. We can’t be bothered with numbers.
JK: Okay, so back to Friendship.
EW: Hannah had vile behavior. She wasn’t there for anyone. Her father needed her, he had a procedure, she didn’t care, she was worried about the book. Marnie needed her. I mean, how are people still receptive to this girl?
BK: She tried the counseling thing though in her lovely lizard shirt. She was the Dr. Phil.
JK: Yeah, but this is not friendship, I don’t think. This is Hannah trying to maintain order in her house as her world is falling down around her. And the counseling she did started with getting them to say that they love her, right?
RS: Exactly. I think it was very characteristic of Hannah’s behavior. This is her chance to play-act at being Dr. Phil, make this about her, be the bigger one in her relationship. Her advice and her counseling were not good, to say the least.
JK: Although it allowed for some more amazing Caroline lines.
BK: I mean, Gaby Hoffmann just went out with a bang this episode.
RS: To go back to Hannah quickly, she really was together for the first four episodes up until now, when her true colors sort of come out. She’s okay if she’s got the boyfriend and the promising career and then she’s the most mature person at her birthday party, but as soon as something slides she really lets it all fall apart.
JK: She got what she wanted. They reconciled. And then she destroyed it at the end. Friendship Down for Hannah. Up for the cat?
BK: Up for the cat. Cute little kitty.
FASHION
EW: Back to Fashion. We have a tie. This group really couldn’t decide what we liked better, if it was Marnie’s sex hair, which I voted for, personally.
JK: How did it compare to her sex hair with Booth Jonathon? Does anyone remember?
EW: I don’t recall, to be honest.
JK: I don’t think we saw a lot of post-Booth sex, right? Wasn’t she tied up to a bed with him?
BK: No, she was just lying down face-flat staring at a doll. You know, normal sex.
EW: I don’t recall, but in this case I clearly noticed the before hair and the after. People should look like that all the time.
JK: I’m sure Ray is happy to help.
EW: So then Hannah put on a swipe of lipstick, a red lip to go to the funeral. I have to say, a red lip really does enhance an outfit, it can bring it all together. You can be wearing no makeup and a t-shirt and the red lip will stand out.
RS: A red lip adds a pop of color to your funeral ensemble. I also liked, and this was very small, but I noticed Jessa had this great hairpin in the scene where she is in Shosh’s room. It was a little goth, a little glittery, kind of like a black tarantula. Jessa had a really small part in this episode so I just want to throw out that her hair looked fab.
EW: It was a good hair episode. Hannah not so much, but everyone else. Fashion Down, speaking of. Hannah sported a t-shirt that looked like she brought it from her home in Michigan, circa 1st grade.
BK: They were like 3-D glued-on lizards.
EW: Let’s be honest. That shirt is awesome. I would wear that shirt on the weekend. Minus the fact that it was a bit shrunk.
RS: It was a lizard bib.
EW: Hannah wore a bib.
BK: Were Caroline’s armpits unshaved?
RS: Yes! Of course they were! She’s au natural from head to toe.
EW: Well according to the New York Times style section this week, for those keeping up on our reading list, big bush is back. The New York Times has officially said it.
RS: Which means that this trend is actually two years old.
EW: Well it’s official now. The bush is back.
JK: Did they credit Gaby Hoffmann?
EW: They did.
BK: Wooow.
RS: Did they credit Cameron Diaz?
EW: I didn’t get that far.
JK: Hey, we haven’t seen Cameron’s, okay? I think that Gaby Hoffmann has laid down the gauntlet, and that if Cameron wants to step up, we need to see what’s going on.
BK: Check it off this podcast that we have mentioned bush. So we don’t have to say it anymore.
FINANCE
EW: This brings us to Finance. We had an Up for Shoshanna in this episode because she was studying to be a businesswoman. She has a 15-year plan and is ready for the world. She’s gonna be married by 26 and pregnant by 28 and running a multi-national company by 33, so props to her. Go Shosh.
RS: It was a nice return to that aspect of the character.
JK: Did you feel like she was a little less social disorder-y?
RS: Yes, a little more recognizable. She has goals.
EW: All kidding aside, everyone in this show is so lost and wandering around and broke and helpless all the time that it’s nice to see a girl say, “hey, I’m going to NYU, I’m getting an education, I’m studying, I want to make something of myself.” We don’t hear that that much in this show and I appreciate it.
JK: And she said unlike the rest of her family, Jessa included. And Jessa looked totally baffled by the 15-year plan.
EW: Well Cousin Jessa is sitting on the floor playing with a floppy straw hat.
RS: And watching Forensic Files. Well I will say that in Jessa’s favor, she was looking for a job. It was at a place where children are involved, which, as Shoshanna pointed out, is maybe not the best. Or at least she should extinguish her e-cigarette.
JK: Her Dorff cigarette.
RS: Her Dorff cigarette, which was somehow perfectly Jessa.
EW: That was a really good line, too.
RS: I mean she’s trying. She’s looking for a job.
JK: Maybe she’ll be a future Finance Up. Crazier things have happened.
EW: We’ll keep the spot open for her if she ever wants it. Down in Finance, again, Hannah failed.
JK: I mean it was a roller-coaster episode for her. Halfway through we would have said she was up. Those amazing editors, the laughing editors.
EW: Hannah got offered a real book deal, and then had it snatched away by a contract.
BK: You know, Cousin Rudy looked through the contract. Who the fuck has a Cousin Rudy?
EW: Cousin Rudy apparently represents a franchisee who owns some Subways.
JK: Look, everyone has that relative who is the supposed go-to for a thing, and even though you feel like they’re really not qualified, and if you had to pay them you would never seek their council, because they’re family and its free…
BK: But Cousin Rudy was right.
EW: I mean I saw that and I was like, just either sue them and get your rights back or breach the contract and figure out if you’ll make more in royalties from your book. So there are solutions here. All is not lost on Hannah. She’s intelligent. She’ll figure it out.
JK: Yeah, but she might embrace self-loathing instead.
EW: She will. She’ll lay down.
BK: She did lie down!
RS: Can you imagine Hannah having it together enough to actually go through the litigation process?
BK: That’s a different show.
PN: That’s the season finale!
EW: Does going through litigation mean you have it together?
JK: Do you guys remember when Hannah tried to catch her boss in a sexual harassment situation? We’ve actually seen her try. It failed. So god forbid she try to pursue legal action here.
EW: She won’t.
RS: I want to talk about that publishing company for a little bit, which was hilarious, first of all. There were two things that felt very meta to me in that scene. One was the talk about Mindy Kaling in that scene. The fact that they are young, female, and I hate to use this phrase, but “unconventional beauties,” who have distinctive comic voices and make their own shows. Mindy is the broadcast version, Lena Dunham is for cable. The editors totally ate up all of those fat jokes she made about herself, which felt like such commercial punch lines to me. I just thought that was another little wink, like, “I know this is the kind of humor that you guys are comfortable with, and I know how to do it, but it’s very indulgent.” Did Lena Dunham’s book come out yet?
JK: She’s writing it now.
RS: I wonder if it’s going to be compared – I hate comparing these things because women get compared all the time – but is it going to be like Bossypants, is it going to be like Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, or is it going to be darker the way that Girls is darker than the Mindy Project?
EW: Well we will make an announcement right here, right now, that we are starting a Preta book club and perhaps that will be a selection.
RS: I think it’s gotta be.
JK: Oh, I like that.
EW: We’ll work on that.
Even after rocking a dozen showings at New York Fashion Week and dressing names like Sarah Jessica Parker, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Victoria Beckham on the red carpet, Christian Siriano still has his share of stress.
So just days before showing his Fall 2014 collection, he and his team are listening to a lot of Lorde, Lana Del Rey and Sarah McLachlan when putting the finishing touches on the Parisian-inspired pieces at his newly-expanded design studio in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.
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"I like pretty and calm, soft even," he tells Pret-a-Reporter. "I've been listening to Katy Perry's 'Spiritual' every morning, when I get ready, because it's calming and beautiful. It's been putting me in a really great mood this season." So much so that he's even found time to offer a few perks to an Indiegogo campaign (set up by fiance/electronic music producer Brad Walsh and fashion writer Nicolette Mason) to raise funds for Step Up Womens Network before his show on Saturday
We supposed that the CFDA designer knows a thing or two about beats, both on and off the runway. And we were right. So in honor of #MusicMonday, Siriano shared what he listens to when prepping for his New York Fashion Week showing (and the launches of his eyewear line in March and namesake fragrance later this year), told us what the secret is to working with your music-producer partner, and also passed along a playlist of our very own. Check out the calming collection below:
How integral is the music to your upcoming collection?
Christian Siriano: The collection has a lot of Parisian undertones because it's inspired by a French photographer, Fernand Fonssagrives; his wife Lisa is our muse of the season. She's "lady," but we want her to be cool, and have a stylish feeling. When Brad and I were talking about the music, we like songs from Miss Kittin. All of her sounds have a little bit of a French undertone, but with a little rock or electro. We have some of her, and then he's creating something original, like he always does. It's a lot of energy.
What is usually the strategy for putting together a soundtrack for a show?
Siriano: I like singers, but in a show, sometimes it feels like you're at a concert, so I don't always like too much vocal. But that depends on the season -- When we had our Russian opera season, we wanted an opera singer.
But when you have fittings or clients, you have to have an atmosphere. Right now, I'm on a Garbage Pandora station fix because we're having a '90s moment now, but then sometimes, during Market Week, we play classical because we want it to feel elegant for all the buyers. For model castings, I play the gayest music ever -- Madonna, Britney Spears, Rihanna -- because I want everyone to have energy. You have 200 girls hanging around, you can't have it be awkward. It all depends on who's here and what's happening that week.
What are some of the struggles when working with your partner on a creative venture?
Brad Walsh: [looks at Siriano] Him. He knows what he likes, but he has no idea how to express it, which is very frustrating.
Siriano: Only in music, because I don't know what things mean. If I were working with some other producer, we wouldn't fight like we fight -- but then again, I wouldn't say the things that I say.
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Walsh: And we would have meetings during the day, not at 10 p.m. after a long day.
Siriano: We always work on the music from 10 at night to 1 in the morning, so we're always tired of each other.
Walsh: But it always works, after 6 years, 11 or 12 seasons. I know what he wants now too. Also, I don't work well with other people in music. Every collaboration I've ever done, I do remotely. I do not write songs well with people, but he's the only person I can really work with, because neither one of us is afraid to say what we really want to say. Like, if you were to make a dress with me -- I mean, I'm no designer -- you'd say, "No, that's stupid, why would you say that?" But anyone else, you couldn't say that.
What is the last concert you went to?
Siriano: Brad used to go a lot, but now, we go see friends. We saw the B-52's and the Go-Gos, because we know them, but I had never seen them before and I thought they were amazing.
Walsh: And we saw Jay Z at Barclays. He was amazing.
Siriano: We clearly were intoxicating and having fun, but it was a great show. He kept you captivating and he doesn't do anything. No set -- that I thought was really an accomplishment. And I don't even know his music very well, but I really liked it.
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What concert are you looking forward to next?
Siriano: We're making a trip to Vegas for Britney. She doesn't really sing, but who cares? That's what so genius. If you think about Britney, she doesn't even do press, or go places, on talk shows -- and she's still the top earner. We're gonna do that around Brad's birthday in June.
Do you have ideas about the music for your upcoming wedding?
Walsh: I do sometimes; I make a little mental note. I think no matter what we do, it's going to be small and private, and I would like a friend to sing, more than a DJ or something.
Siriano: We were watching Downton Abbey last night, and they were having a party with a classical string orchestra outside in the garden. So I would love if the reception is very lady-debutante, and then the party is like, out of control. I want to be booty-dancing! I want really beautiful, chic, gloves, amazing, and then I want it to be low-down dirty. Wouldn't that be amazing to have the two? Because that's who we are! It'd be really, really, really fun.
Email: Ashley.Lee@THR.com
Twitter: @cashleelee
