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Interviews


May 2, 2008

A Chat with Top Chef’s Spike Mendelsohn

By Denise Tong

Halfway through the fourth season of Bravo’s reality kitchen competition Top Chef, Evangelos “Spike” Mendelsohn is still cooking. Currently chef de cuisine at Drew Nieporent’s Vietnamese restaurant Mai House in Manhattan, his work on the Emmy-nominated series has included cooking for a Chicago Bears pre-game tailgate, catering the Meals on Wheels Chicago Celebrity Chef Ball, and co-creating a soup that head judge Tom Colicchio considered the best-seasoned dish at that point in the season.

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April 13, 2008

Book Talk with Jane Yolen

By Denise Tong

Jane YolenWhen browsing through a library or bookstore, it would be hard not to run into one of Jane Yolen‘s books—she’s written almost 300 of them. Famously called “a modern equivalent of Aesop” by The New York Times and the “Hans Christian Andersen of America” by Newsweek, the award-winning writer has moved and entertained readers of all ages for nearly 50 years.

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March 13, 2008

Nancy Magsig on Celebrating Women Every Day

By Denise Tong

Celebrations are often confined to major events or holidays, but Nancy Magsig and Nancy Murrah want to show that every day is cause for celebration. Co-founders of Here’s to Good Women, Inc. and HeresToGoodWomen.com, “the Nancys” encourage everyday women to exalt their daily accomplishments.

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February 1, 2008

Chitchat with Jeannie Mai

By Denise Tong

Jeannie Mai

Picture a fairy godmother, but imagine that she’s young, stylish, and has blue-streaked hair. That’s Jeannie Mai. 

Since 2006, Mai has been the bubbly host of USA Network’s Character Fantasy, helping the show’s viewers to realize their dreams. The first new episode of the year airs on February 2.

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January 4, 2008

Q&A with Lauren Messiah, the Fashion Kitty

By Denise Tong

Lauren Messiah, Fashion KittyWe all need friends who give good advice—the ones who will always tell it to us straight. Lauren Messiah is that friend to thousands of women with fashion dilemmas, counseling them through her blog, Ask Fashion Kitty.

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December 7, 2007

Party Time with Evite’s Lindsay Viner

By Denise Tong

If you have an e-mail address, chances are, you’ve received an Evite from someone. Since 1998, Evite.com has enabled millions of people to send free mass electronic invitations for virtually every type of gathering: Birthday parties, baby showers, movie nights, and more.

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November 1, 2007

Feeling the Beat with DJ bjoo

By Denise Tong

Album cover: Champion Selection by DJ bjooIn the sweaty circus that is the typical club, the DJ is the ringmaster, controlling the mood and keeping everyone hyped and moving. In Washington, D.C., DJ bjoo—née Barbara Joo—keeps the crowds happy with the fast, deep beats of drum and bass. 

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October 1, 2007

Gabbing with Gida Batista

By Denise Tong

The marriage between fashion and music is so close and long-lasting that it’s hard to think of one without the other. For designer Gida Batista, they are inseparable—her musical past flows directly into her stylish present.

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October 1, 2007

Dinner with Nancy Chu Woo

By Denise Tong

Considered one of Hong Kong’s most prominent artists, Nancy Chu Woo’s current exhibition—a retrospective of works from throughout her career, which has spanned over three decades—reflects the journey of a painter who has distinguished herself with her seamless blending of Eastern and Western techniques and materials.

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September 1, 2007

One-on-One with Tess Gerritsen

By Denise Tong

Tess GerritsenWith her last 10 books having landed on The New York Times bestseller list, Tess Gerritsen has become one of the most popular authors in the medical and crime thriller genres. But this year, she’s decided to shake things up. She takes her first leap into historical suspense with her latest work, The Bone Garden, which hits shelves on Tuesday, September 18. 

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