We checked out The Taste Sunset Hour at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, a preview of the upcoming Los Angeles Times Food & Wine The Taste 4 day culinary spectacular during Labor Day Weekend. The Taste is a top food and wine extravaganza, celebrating all things epicurean.While I happily tasted all the fine food made by the best chiefs, I also chatted with the CEO of Sprinkles Cupcakes and got the sweet inside “scoop” on what big move the company is doing next… (hint:scoop)

The Taste Sunset Hour hosted some of the most prominent culinary names in Los Angeles that will also be taking part in the official and public LA Times Taste event. Chefs in attendance were Richard Ruskell from Scarpetta, Ricardo Zarate of Mo Chica, Jason Neroni of Osteria La Buca, and Roy Choi of Kogi. It was an evening where chef’s and food aficionados alike could enjoy hourdeves, sparkling libations and the delicious sunset.

Haute Happy Hour

Guests munched on the finest macaroons, crab cakes, banana cake, fruit tart and enjoyed drinks by Absolut Vodka. The food was perfectly prepared and extremely flavorful.  The tasting made me crave the bigger event at the end of this month.  Ticket prices go from around $100 to $800 for unlimited food and wine.  For tickets, visit here:  http://lattaste.eventbrite.com/

Delicious Chocolate Coconut mousse cake

The Montage Hotel rooftop terrace served as the perfect get away from the hustle and bustle of Beverly Hills and allowed guests to focus on the food, savoring each byte carefully prepared by the talented chiefs all while toasting to the amazing sunset.

Chief Richard Ruskall of Scarpetta.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Candace Nelson, owner of the famous cupcakery Sprinkles Cupcakes. Candace is as sweet as her cupcakes and was happy to dish the sweet details behind Sprinkle’s success.

Sprinkles Cupcake Owner Candace Nelson

SSD: What made you turn to baking cupcakes as oppose to full cakes like most common bakers?

Candace Nelson: Well you know what I started with cakes, and what I realized was you can only buy cakes for special occasions and i wanted to make something that someone could conceivably purchase everyday, but i wanted something that was artful like a special occasion cake, so I married the two!

SSD: What makes Sprinkle’s different from other cupcakes?

Candace: Well first and foremost, its our commitment to freshness and quality. We use all the best ingredients and a “just in time baking system” which means we use only what we need for that time period, so nothing sits for very long. To me, a cupcake isn’t worth the calories unless it’s super fresh and super delicious. Any of our left overs go to food-banks and homeless shelters and we start from scratch everyday.

SSD: I love that you guys donate your left overs to those less fortunate.

Candace: We have a commitment to our local community so we have a lot of charitable initiatives. We do different charity cupcakes throughout the year. Cupcakes with a cause!

SSD: I have to ask, what is your favorite Sprinkle’s cupcake flavor?

Candace: It depends on my mood and the day, but my go-to cupcake is the dark chocolate.

SSD: What is next for Sprinkle’s?

Candace: Funny you should ask! We are going to start making Sprinkle’s Ice Cream. We’re actually opening a ice cream store next to the original Sprinkle’s, but I can’t say much more than that. You got the inside scoop!

For more information on the LA Times Taste click here:  http://events.latimes.com/taste/

If you already thought Olivia Wilde was a head-turner, look here. With Cowboys & Aliens, Ms. Wilde grabs the spotlight with star power that’s being compared to Faye Dunaway and heart that keeps leading her back to Haiti. Leslie Gornstein gets the scoop from Ms. Wilde, while Ruven Afanador photographs her in crape couture styled by Hayley Atkin in the Los Angeles Times Magazine’s July cover story. This issue also features Cowboys & Aliens co-star Walton Goggins in the monthly Q+LA, the Image fashion report, a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story about going undercover with the ATF, a curated guide to what’s new in San Francisco and much more.  Click here for a sneak peak at the cover story.

Gorgeous wedding gowns at KTLA studios.

Some say your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and the wedding gown, well that’s arguably THE MOST important dress of your life.  So, could you imagine having the public choose your gown? Well, that is exactly what Los Angeles Times Assistant Editor Allison Kornberg has chosen to do, letting people just like you and I make the vote for her gown and other essential wedding decisions on her “Plan My Wedding” blog.

Style Seen Daily Co Founder Crystal Fambrini appeared on The KTLA Morning Show with Jessica Holmes to show Allison three options for wedding dresses and accessories.  Wedding lines Aalia Bridal Couture, Ullaa Maija Couture and Angel Sanchez each provided a dress.  Crystal went shopping at Westside Pavilion and The Los Cerritos Center and pulled diamonds from Zales, pearls from Ben Bridge, and costume jewelry from Nordstrom.

It’s time to make some decisions, and Allison needs our votes to figure out which dress she will be wearing walking down the aisle.

Watch the “Crystal Cam: Behind The Scenes at KTLA for Allison’s Wedding Dresses Segment” here…

And here is the KTLA live video…

Ivory Gown by Aalia Bridal Couture.

Couture Bridal Designer Nanaz Hatami created the gorgeous Aalia Bridal dress and was with us behind the scenes helping fit the models.  She told us she got her inspiration of designing when she worked for SAKS in the 80′s in the wedding department and scoped out all the incredible pieces from various designers.  Nanaz has had the honor to work with Valentino and Oscar De La Renta. Making elegant wedding gowns is not the only thing Nanaz does, evening wear and mother of the bride is also part of her line.  Bride to be Allison described Hatami’s dress as “enchanting” and stated “even my grandma, the toughest judge of the whole brood, said it oozed my personality.” The couture gown is priced at $2500.

Want to walk down the aisle in this couture dress check out the website here.

The petal embellished gown and jewels looked amazing on model Barbara. Accessories by Ben Bridge Jeweler, the necklace, Freshwater cultured pearl necklace 14K yellow gold priced at $499.00 and Freshwater Cultured Pearl Earrings 14K accented with cultured seed pearls, in 14K yellow gold priced at $199.00. Allison cannot go wrong with this look for her big day, it’s truly breathtaking.

Model Barbara wearing jewelry by Ben Bridge Bridal.

Will Allison wear this dress by Ulla Maija Couture?

This uniquely crafted gown called  ”Stephanie” is by designer Anna Maier of Ulla Maija Couture.  Each dress is custom made for each bride. Allison loved how this gown was “three or four dresses in one depending on the angle you looked at it,”and told us she “melted in it”  when she put it on. The beautiful draping and exquisite fabrics — dutch satin and italien taffeta– makes this gown very luxurious.

So, have you fallen in love with this gown? The Stephanie Gown is available at SAKS in Beverly Hills and the designer Anna Maier will be there in person on August 14, in case you are looking for a designer. The Stephanie is priced at $4,900.

And what girl doesn’t love a little sparkle, Crystal paired diamonds from Zales: The Diamond Store to this dress for an extra pop. Diamond teardrop earrings, priced at $2,400.

How about some flower power too, hand embroidered  with Swarovski crystals this brooch completes the dress, also can go in brides hair.

Diamond teardrop earrings by Zales & beautiful hand embroidered brooch.

Model Luba in a Angel Sanchez Gown.

“Simple yet elegant” Allison told us of the Angel Sanchez off white gown. The designer Angel Sanchez is know for his elegant  designs and architectural flare, also keeping in mind a  feminine glow with a touch of drama to each dress. It is a beautifully crafted piece of art  made of fabrics. The dress is priced at $2,860.

We added some extra glow to this piece with accessories from Nordstoms. The Nadri chandelier earrings priced at $138 and Nadri Bangles priced at $100.

Celebrites like Eva Longoria, Brooke Shields and Salma Hayek are also fans of this designer for their big day, because of the way the dress celebrates a women’s body. Focusing on the structure of the dress and keeping in mind, “less is more.”

Check out this architect turned couture designers work here.

Allison with the three wedding gown models.

Do you have your favorite gown in mind? Vote for the dress you want  Allison to wear here.

Crystal Fambrini, Designer Nanaz Hatami and Bride to be Allison.

To check out more on Allison’s wedding planned by the people and to vote for your favorite wedding dress, click here on her LA Times “Plan My Wedding” blog.

Which one will Allison wear on the big day?

So, tell us, which dress gets your vote and why?

September 08: Rachel Zoe and Kate Hudson attend Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project series launch party at The Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City.

Rachel Zoe dresses high profile celebrities and as a result demands high fees rumored at upwards of $6,000 a day.

The Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo is about the inner workings of Zoe’s world as she attempts to turn her style into a brand.

Zoe makes the perfect reality star and the decision to have a cable show was really a no brainer as she didn’t have much to lose in the general public’s eye. While respected in the fashion world for dressing high profile stars like Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudsen, Zoe’s public image desperately needed a make over due to accusations of drug use and promoting the stick-thin image. Los Angeles Times once claimed Zoe was “single-handedly bringing anorexia back.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to say that I’m responsible because I’m a thin person, that because I’m influencing their style I’m influencing what they eat,” Zoe stated. “There was this crazy rumor that I was getting diet pills from Mexico and distributing them. I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve never even tried cocaine. I don’t do drugs — I’m too much of a control freak’.”

But Zoe’s past drama in the press seemed to finally work in her favor. The premiere episode of her reality show got higher ratings than the first episode of Project Runway with 527,000 eyes.

Bloggers immediately took to the Internet and typed they were surprised how personable Zoe came across on television. The mainstream press, however, turned out to be a different story. New York Times television critic Ginia Bellafante called Zoe “a pox on humanity” and her “mad consumption … downright unseemly.”

Zoe, who reportedly cried after reading the NYT review, once again defended herself telling the LA Times: “It was the strangest thing in the world for someone who has never met me to accuse me of making our society superficial. Judging the state of society based on me? A ‘pox’? This show is not an effort to solve world issues. It’s a bit of glamour, a bit of an escape.”

Zoe got the last laugh as despite criticism show ratings continued to climb and we here at Style Seen Daily know that Zoe is going no where but up, up, up.

SSD Co-Founder Crystal Fambrini profiled Zoe for Current TV.

Click here for Rachel Zoe at Montblanc Oscar’s Event.