Emmys, Nordstrom and Fashion Shows

Let me update on what’s been going on lately. First let’s start with the fashion show that I volunteered for. It was very different, because I thought it was going to be a traditional fashion show. But no, it was a type of “platform modeling,” where the models had to be on platforms and pretend they were mannequins. It was very interesting to say the least. I was in charge of styling and dressing two models, a women and a little kid. It was a fun experience!

The Emmys just happened last night and everyone looked beautiful, here are some of my favorites…

Eva Longoria Parker in Robert Rodriguez

Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta

Heidi Klum (My personal favorite)

 

And last but not least… I just found out that I got the job for Nordstrom! They said that they enjoyed my enthusiam and excitement and they would love to have me work in the Shoe Department. YAY! [Insert happy dance] 

Lazy Tuesday

So my friend left this morning from surprising me with a visit. I don’t have a job yet and school doesn’t start for another week, so I’m left here… bored out of my mind. I have been exploring the city and hanging out on the beach, but today I’m enjoying myself at home, on the couch, deeply fascinated by The Cooking Channel. I have a great love of cooking.

During my downtime, I browse my favorite websites… Food Network, Style, Elle, etc. 

Here are some interesting things I found.

Valentino Couture Fall 2010 

 

Mini Pineapple Cakes

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-pound) pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces* see Cook’s Note
2 tablespoons pineapple juice plus 2/3 cup
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 egg whites
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker Super Moist)
Special Equipment: 6-cup mini Bundt pan

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a mini Bundt pan.

For the Cakes: Place the pineapple in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, combine the chopped pineapple, 2 tablespoons pineapple juice, sugar, and butter over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the mixture begins to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon the pineapple mixture into the prepared pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, water, vegetable oil, almond extract, cake mix, and 2/3 cup pineapple juice. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour the batter over the cooked pineapple. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the tops are golden. Allow the cakes to cool for 15 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cakes. Put a baking sheet, upside-down, on top of the parchment paper. Flip both pans over and allow the cakes to cool completely while still in the Bundt pan, about 1 hour. Unmold the cakes and place on individual serving plates.

Cook’s Note: This recipe will also work using 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in 100 percent pineapple juice, drained and juice reserved.

Almond and Lemon Biscotti Dipped in White Chocolate

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from about 3 to 4 lemons)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped whole almonds
18 ounces white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixture until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Mix in the lemon zest and then the flour, and beat until just blended. (The dough will be sticky). Stir in the almonds. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough evenly into 2 equal mounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. With moist hands, space the dough evenly apart and form into 2 (9 by-3-inch) logs. Bake for 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick diagonal slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are pale golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the pan does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the end of each biscotti in the chocolate. Transfer the dipped biscotti to a wire rack, set over a baking sheet, until the chocolate has hardened. Store in an airtight container.

Elsa Schiaparelli on TV

How interesting!

Two Seconds of Fame

The show The Daily 10, on E! posts multiple questions on their Twitter, where people can tweet back their responses and answers. This morning, one of the questions was…

@THEDAILY10: Is Ashton & Demi’s Twitter obsession too much? Why or why not?

and I responded…

@LaurenKeyser: @THEDAILY10: Ashton & Demi’s obsession is a little… creepy. I like Twitter, but I don’t dedicate a chunk of my life to it.

Around 4:30 in the afternoon, the show was going to be one. I asked my dad to stay on the channel, because a glimmer of me thought it would have been cool if they chose my reply.

When the topic of Demi and Ashton came up, I ran over to the TV to listen.

THEY SHOWED MY TWEET! My little picture and twitter background were also included!

I SCREAMEDDDDDDDDDDD. My parents and sister came running and I couldn’t stop screaming.

Some of you may think it’s silly how excited I got… but it’s things like this that keep life exciting.

(And for the record: I LOVE Ashton and Demi)

The Cosby Show

I finally get to sit down and relax. I don’t have to worry about anything for the next two days. To celebrate this needed time of peace, I lie down and turn on my DVD player and put in my favorite show, The Cosby Show. I seriously wish I were alive during the eighties, because the fashion of the 1980’s amazes me.

Of course we must talk about Bill Cosby, who plays Heathcliff Huxtable, and his infamous collection of sweaters. Every episode, Mr. Cosby dons a wild sweater; each sweater ranging in patterns of tasteful colors to humorous symbols and pictures. Personally, I love the look of menswear sweater. I was even influenced by Mr. Cosby and tried to design a few sweaters based on the show. Bill Cosby and his sweaters will always be an icon in decades to come.

Claire Huxtable is played by Phylicia Rashad. She is a classy well dressed lawyer, Claire is well known for witty banter and snappy business attire. 

I have to give my props to Denise, the middle daughter played by Lisa Bonet. Her style on the show was always flamboyant and interesting. Glitter makeup, Neon color palettes, and fringe and lace jackets just give a sample of her electric style. Denise was also known for her changing hairstyles, changing in each episode. Her cuts would range from cute pixie cuts to almost floor length dreads.

Theo and Vanessa showed what was popular with the young teenagers during the eighties. Theo often wore sporty clothes, while Vanessa was more conservative than her older sister Denise. Vanessa did have her own sense of flair when it came to fashion. Rudy was the youngest daughter of the Huxtable crew. In the earlier seasons, Rudy was known for wearing adorable little blazer jackets with bow ties and suspenders.