1. Anya is Trinidadian but of Chinese heritage. She was born in New York City and moved to Trinidad when she was two years old.

2. Anya’s 30 years old. She grew up the only daughter in a family of eight — yikes.

3. She’s a beauty pageant winner! Anya won Miss Trinidad and Tabago in 2008 and was a contestant in that year’s Miss Universe pageant. She’s also a classically trained ballet dancer.

4. Anya only learned to sew a few months before Project Runway began. She studied graphic and interior design at schools in New York and London before decided to pursue a career in fashion.

5. Anya decision to enter both the beauty pageants and do Project Runway because she was searching for strong female roles. She explains:

“We had just finished the panel with several very strong women and it struck me that they were all very modern women and that in the Caribbean, this is not to make a huge generalization, but generally there are very few female roles that are powerful and stand out in the public eye … The prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago is a woman, but she’s the first who ever has been in office. My point was that I was searching for a way … to have a voice and also still be me. So I did Miss Trinidad and Tobago and Miss Universe as my sort of grasping for that and that didn’t really work out so well. I didn’t enjoy being objectified in that way. But then Project Runway has given me, in a strange way, a role. I’ve become somewhat of a role model in my own community and it’s been amazing.”

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The Hollywood Walk of Fame has taken a firm stance against reality TV stars: When asked on their Facebook page if they would ever give reality show characters stars, they responded, “Hell to the no!” And for the most part we agree with them. A lot of reality stars are money-grubbing idiots screeching for attention and validation. But there are a few who have risen above the ruckus and actually made something of themselves — people who we respect and admire more than some “traditional” Hollywood actors. So maybe these guys can get stars?

[via]

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1) Peep Wars
Naturally, Star Wars is one of the most popular choices of material to give the Peeps treatment. Luke is a yellow bunny Peep, Han is a purple bunny Peep, and the Millenium Falcon is a giant Peppermint Patty. My teeth kind of hurt thinking about all that sugar.

2) Peep Floyd: The Wall
All in all you’re just another Peep in the wall.

3) Project Peepway
Make it work, people. Make it work.

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Nina Garcia

“We tend to minimize the importance of presenting ourselves,” the Project Runway judge tells Crushable. “We can control the image we put out there.  … We get SCARED of fashion! Women are very clever, and can do it very well.”

Since we work in an office – and we assume many of you do as well! – we were curious as to how best to look professional (and cute at the same time). And then, finally, how to transition from day to night when you don’t have time to run back home and change before going out to dinner (or drinks).

“I try to layer and peel off the layers,” she tells Crushable. “Wear more clothes during the day and peel them off. … Wear minimal makeup during the day and add more” before leaving the office.

On that end, other Nina day-to-night tips: Wear a blazer or jacket for day in addition to comfortable shoes; keep a pair of heels under your desk for night, and bring an evening clutch inside a work-y tote bag that you can carry later on. After removing your blazer, slipping on heels and grabbing your clutch, add on some “whimsical jewelry” as well, and you’re good to go.

And since looking appropriate when you’re looking for a job is more important than how you look working at one – it’s that first impression that can seal the deal – what the heck do we wear during a job interview? (We could never quite nail the “right look” for such occasions).

“Do your homework,” Nina says. “Where are you working? … Is Human Resources (doing the interview)? Is it someone from the staff? Dress for the person.”

Also, “Dress as safe and conservative as possible. .. Clean hair and makeup. A jacket, a tulip skirt, mid-high heel pumps. No stilettos. … I’m a big believer in wearing a jacket. … It’s an armor.”

In Nina’s Look Book, there are chapters on what to wear to therapy (“When you look good, you feel better. Fashion is a muscle you exercise”) and what to wear to meet your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend (“Looking good is the best revenge! Take advantage of that moment.”)

And on a personal note, Nina – whose expecting another child, a boy, in December – says there are commonalities between writing a book and having a baby.

“It’s very similar,” she says. “It’s painful!!!”

(Andy Kropa/Getty Images)

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So we mashed up Guest of A Guest party pics with the best lines from your favorite TV shows, and voila! Awesomeness:

This week, on Real Housewives of New Jersey:

The Housewives headed to Venice, where they made plenty of time for sight-seeing, eating, and shopping:

Joe: “I’m like King Kong. I might just start going crazy.”

On The Bachelor Pad:

What do you get when you take the most memorable rejects from past seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette? Mayhem.

Contestant Juan Barbieri: “It’s kind of hard to concentrate because everywhere I look, I just see swimsuit models in the weirdest poses-contorted. It was awesome. I’m not gonna lie. It was awesome.”

On the Jersey Shore:

Vinny shows us his classier side. (Classy is a relative term.)

Vinny: “My uncles want me to come here and just bang everything, but I kinda want better, quality girls.”

And Snooki can finally stop Snookin’ for love.

Snooki: “I found an amazing gorilla juice head.”

…Unless she’s drunk.

Snooki: “I really don’t want to cheat. But if you’re gonna hand me a bottle of frickin’ SoCo, something just comes over me. Like I just go crazy.”

Read more at Guest of a Guest for more recaps of this week’s Pretty Little Liars, The Rachel Zoe Project, Mad Men and more.

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Austin Scarlett

1. Austin and Santino are together! Taking the world by storm, the tall and lanky fashionistas make an appealing pair. Austin has always been one of my favorites, and Santino, while painted as a villain during his time on the show, is far easier to handle when not competing and when tempered by Austin.
2. This show has a refreshing take on the makeover genre. They arrived to make over cute-as-a-button Sadie Lynn Carter. Sadie’s an adorable blonde cowgirl who’s made a career out of trick riding with the Cowgirl Chicks. She was dusty, hair in a ponytail, no makeup and she looked fabulous. Refreshingly, Austin and Santino agreed. The show isn’t about shrilly shrieking at some poor girl that she’s wasting her potential while stuffing her into a wrap dress. It’s about making a special outfit for a special event, that the woman will actually like. How unique.
3. Forcing Austin into uncomfortable situations! This show forces Austin to try out some trick riding. He wore some kind of modified jodphurs. Picture a Dio De Los Muertes skeleton with makeup. On a horse. Magic. Pure magic.
4. Also magical? Austin’s seeming inability to age. Has anyone checked on whether or not there’s a portrait of a wizened Austin Scarlett lurking about in the attic at Parson’s? It’s inexplicable how young he still looks.
5. Santino is totally wearing a toupee. I am almost positive. Was his hair not thinning on PR Season 2? I thought it was but it appeared thick and lustrous, albeit unmoving, on this episode. I plan to treat it as a third character on the show.
6. The dress. Oh yeah! There was an outfit. It was adorable, made of red and white gingham. I personally wanted to see what Austin was going to do with his lace and spurs creation, but the dress they ultimately made was right for the event. She looked adorable.
7. The styling. Again, it was refreshingly in tune with what Sadie wanted. They got her some cute boots and her mom did her hair and makeup! Love love love. I feel like they gave her a special experience that will also be easy for her to replicate. She’s never going to say “Oh, well I’ll never look this good again.”  She totally can! Assuming her mom is available.
8. Austin and Santino have to work within the confines of the town they are in. Since they were in Weatherford, Texas, they shopped at a local mercantile and at Gibson’s. It was nice to see them using materials from the makeover recipient’s town.
9. Sadie’s hot, sweet stepdad. He was super hot. If every episode has a hot guy quotient, I am sold.
10. Austin and Santino exchange an adorably dorky high five and received cowboy hats! I hope they high five and receive accessories everywhere they go.

Next episode airs Thursday, Aug. 5 immediately following Project Runway. Looks to be interesting – military woman who thinks the initial design is like a bridesmaid dress. Drama!

Kristin Clifford is a writer and comedian in Chicago. Check out her comedy, her Web site and her Twitter.

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Crushable commenter Krissy is the lucky winner of our Project Runway swag bag giveaway. We asked who your favorite PR designer was during all the previous seasons and Krissy weighed with her fav, first season winner Jay McCarroll:

Of all the designers from Project Runway seasons past, I would have to say my favorite was the first season winner, Jay McCarroll. I remember watching throughout the whole season & being fascinated by his quirky designs & point of view. His runway show remains one of my favorites of all time because not only was it fashion forward, but you could truly see HIM in his designs. From the quilting to the knits, I fell in love with every piece in the line. And the best part was that after that fashion show, many of those pieces that he showed became popular trends. He is a true original.

Congrats Krissy! Even if you didn’t win, have you been watching Project Runway‘s Season 8, which debuted last week?

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Entertainment

• We had some great Television Critic’s Association conference coverage this week, courtesy of Crushable contributor Delaina Dixon. Here’s some of the best: Ed Westwick moves on, the stars of new NBC show Undercovers are — gasp! — black, Gabourey Sidibe never wanted to be an actress, Ashley Tisdale talks Hellcats and 90210‘s Matt Lanter dishes on the show’s new gay character.

• Bravo’s programming exec Andy Cohen puts rumors to rest about Housewives this exclusive interview

• One day after the second season for Jersey Shore premiered Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was arrested. Oh, and Angelina Pivarnick is leaving the show for her own reality show. We’re not sure we’ll be watching that one.

• Ellen DeGeneres is out at America Idol but we think Jessica Simpson should take her spot at the judge’s table.

• A tanning salon throws a “Free Lindsay” rally. Successful or no?

Pretty Little Liars actresses Ashley Benson and Shay Mitchell give us the dirt. Kind of.

• 17-year-old rapper Lil Twist answers our Crushable Questionnaire.

• We recap Bethenny’s Getting Married? — with Barbies!.

Style

• Crochet artist Olek shows off a new crocheted bike.

• Project Runway designers show off their style chops side by side with Heidi Klum.

Drew put on high heels for the first time ever, and survived to tell the story.

Relationships

• How young or old would you date?

• Men, women and money, the ultimate challenge.

• Advice: how to get your guy friend to stop flirting.

• This author dated DatingBrian.

• What happens when a joke via text gets taken the wrong way?

Other Stuff

• Love the New York Times wedding announcements? Now you can stalk them to your heart’s content.

• Platypai!

• The best of the creepiest creepy stares in soap opera magazines.

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Did you catch the season premiere of Project Runway last night? If you did, we bet you’d love some great PR swag to take with you to the beach this summer.

You have just a few hours left to enter our Project Runway giveaway and win a gift bag that includes a beach tote, beach towel, water bottle, mister, keychain and sunscreen — a retail value of $60. Just leave a comment here telling us who was your favorite designer from Project Runway seasons past by 11:59 p.m. tonight and you’ll be entered to win. We’ll announce the winner Monday.

Good luck!

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