The search is on for eligible men and women who are looking for true love! Our sister station, ABC is now casting for Season 18 of the Bachelor & Bachelorette AND they're having the first open casting call for the season right here in Columbus!
As Yahoo! contributor, Kimberly Moses described in her firsthand account:
Every Monday night throughout the spring and summer months, millions of viewers tune in to ABC's "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette" to find out which lucky contestants will hear those five little words, "Will you accept this rose?" But before all the unbelievable fantasy dates and dream getaways to destinations afar, thousands of would-be contestants flocked to open casting calls with hopes of romance and loveor visions of dollar signs for somein their minds.
I know firsthand, because once upon a time, I was one of those hopeful romantics who figured "What the heck? Let's give this reality dating show a shot," and I found myself at an open casting call.
You can find yourself at an open casting call too! Thursday May 30th from 4pm to 8pm at FM Food and Music All-American Bar & Grill (154 N. Hamilton Rd, Gahanna).
Cameron and I stopped by FM the other day where THREE Bachelor/ette alums from right here in Columbus (Alli Travis, Will Holman and Alexa McAllister) gathered to talk about their experience and promote the upcoming casting call.
Alli Travis was on Season 15 of the Bachelor with Brad Womack and on Season 2 of Bachelor Pad.

Click here to watch my interview with Alli!

WATCH: Alli Travis's one-on-one date with Brad Womack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgxZWXI6ahQ?rel=0

Will Holman was on Season 7 of the Bachelorette with Ashley Herbert and also on Season 2 of Bachelor Pad. (Sidenote: Doesn't he look JUST like a young Josh Lucas?)

Click here to watch Cameron's interview with Will Holman!

WATCH: Will's one-on-one date with Ashley Herbert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V88dI7InY38?rel=0

Alexa was on Season 14 of the Bachelor in 2010 with Jake Pavelka.

Click here to watch Alissa's interview with Alexa!

We had such a good time with them!

These three are proof that it's definitely possible for you to attend the casting call and then be on the show! And who knows? YOU can be the first from Columbus to accept the final rose! How cool would that be?

Mark your calendars, dress to impress and come show the producers why YOU should be the next star on Bachelor or Bachelorette!

For more info visit our sister station's website: http://www.abc6onyourside.com/community/features/bb-casting-call/#.UZpD77U4v9Y

Cameron and I will be at the auditions and we can't wait to meet you in person! Until then, tweet us at @CWStarColumbus and let us know if you or someone you know is auditioning for the show!

Over the past few months, I've been obsessed with polka dots and I really think I have The Carrie Diaries to blame. Week after week, young Carrie Bradshaw graces the screen in her polka dot sweaters, jeans, shirts etc and now I spot the trend in clothing stores everywhere -- and I want to buy all of it.

It seems what Sarah Jessica Parker did for Manolos in HBO's Sex and the City, AnnaSophia Robb has done for polka dots in The Carrie Diaries. (Thank God this new trend is actually affordable!)

Beyond just polka dots though, I've adored the fashion on TCD. True, the show is set in the 80s and the characters are in high-school but their outfits are awesome!

So, in honor of tonight's season finale, here are a few of my favorite looks:

 Dress + belt + jean jacket = perfection                Pink coat + polka dot tights 

 

Makeup + accessories #Perfection                   Love the polka dot sweater!!                                

Larissa is my fave! She is so match-matchy and red looks great on her

 

Bright sweaters + bright pants                Bright coat! 

Can't talk about Carrie Diaries fashion without talking about THE PURSE! 

 

                                       POLKA DOT SWEATERS!!!!

Be sure to watch The Carrie Diaries season finale tonight at 8pm on the CW Columbus!

(Special shoutout to awesome #TCD fashion blogs: http://fashionoftcd.tumblr.com & http://www.pradux.com/karissa-bowers)

To be honest, I hate reading interviews when the writer says "such-and-such celebrity was SO nice/down-to-earth/cool" as though most celebrities are (or have the right to be) despicable people. Why are we giving out medals for being a decent human being? Besides, you, as an interviewer, are doing him/her a favor by essentially giving the star free publicity. Of course the celeb is going to be a great person to talk to! Why would he act like a jerk to you after agreeing to said interview? 

Plus, are the positive descriptions truthful anyway? Just once I'd like a journalist to say, "I interviewed so-and-so and he was a real piece of work" or "She was total witch".  Instead, we're left to read all of these profiles that describe celebrities in glowing wordsand I'm left to wonder if the writer is blowing smoke.

Today, however, I am joining the ranks of journalists who have nothing but wonderful adjectives to describe the subject of their latest interview.

Kat Graham - who you know as Bonnie Bennet on The Vampire Diaries - really was nice! 

She was in town promoting her latest single "Wanna Say" at a WNCI/Flannagan's St. Patrick's Day event and we weren't going to pass up the opportunity to interview the CW's favorite witch. 

Before going to meet her, Cam and I did serious homework and it turns out Kat has done it all! She models, acts, sings and dances...and the woman is fantastic at everything. (Don't take my word for it. Google her yourself!)

The St. Patty's Day party was crazy loud so, in hindsight, we probably should have smuggled her to a quieter section of the building. Unfortunately, we interviewed Kat right in the middle of the fun and we have the awful audio to prove it! (Lesson learned.)

Still, it's an interview worth watching. She even shows us an easy dance move at the end. 

http://www.cwcolumbus.com/newsroom/features/cw-star/videos/kat-graham-talks-music-tvd-170.shtml

Can't get enough of Kat? Check out her website (KatGraham.com) for more info on the starlet and download her new single "Wanna Say". 

Guess who's making their acting debut on the CW?!

Well, if you read the headline than you already know: Prince Michael Jackson!

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the eldest son of the late King of Pop will appear on the season finale of 90210.

Prince will play Cooper, a trauma victim who bonds with Silver (Jessica Stroup) over the realization -- at a very young age -- how precious life is. He is filming his guest spot this week.

Looks like little MJ is making all of his dreams come true. When he made his debut Feb 19th as an on-air correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, he told ET's Brooke Anderson: "I'm looking to become well-rounded as a producer, director, screenwriter and actor."

The Today Show points out that the sixteen-year-old is the lastest in a string of other notable names to appear on 90210. Rita Ora, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ryan Lochte, Nelly Furtado, Carmen Electra, Ne-Yo, Denise Richards, Taio Cruz, Joey McIntyre and Terrell Owens have all appeared on the CW's hit show.

The season finale airs on Monday May 13th at 9pm on the CW Columbus!

A pair of actors who played key roles on "Lost" have signed on to two different pilots at The CW.

Mark Pellegrino, "Lost's" Jacob, will co-star in "The Tomorrow People," The CW's remake of a 1970s British series. Henry Ian Cusick, who played star-crossed lover Desmond on "Lost," has joined the cast of "The Hundred" at the network.

Pellegrino is familiar to CW fans from his recurring role on "Supernatural" as Lucifer. He'll play a bad guy on "The Tomorrow People" as well: a scientist committed to containing the "threat" of the show's title characters, young people with advanced abilities. The cast also includes Robbie Amell ("1600 Penn"), Peyton List ("Mad Men") and Luke Mitchell.

"The Hundred" is set about a century after nuclear war renders the planet uninhabitable. What's left of humanity resides on a space station called the Ark, and its leaders send 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth to see if it's possible to return to the surface.

Cusick, whose credits also include "Scandal" and "The Mentalist," will play an officer aboard the Ark who has his sights on a higher rank.

What do you think of the casting? Will the presence of Pellegrino and Cusick get you to watch these shows if they're picked up?

Zap2it": Rick Porter. (Source: CW59)

You might remember him from The Dark Knight, but actor Chin Han has landed a role in Arrow.

Han - who played Chinese mob banker Lau in the Batman blockbuster - has been cast as businessman Frank Chen on Stephen Amell's superhero drama, Deadline reports. 

Chen is an old associate of the Queen family and also has ties to the sinister Malcolm Merlyn, played by Torchwood's John Barrowman. Han recently played a recurring role on ABC drama Last Resort and has also appeared on Fringe, while his movie credits include the 2009 thriller 2012 and 2011 film Contagion.

Other forthcoming Arrow guest stars include Doctor Who's Alex Kingston - who will play Dinah Lance - and Battlestar Galactica actor James Callis, cast as elusive jewel thief The Dodger.

(Source: DigitalSpy.com)

Watch Arrow Wednesday nights at 8pm on the CW Columbus!

Claire Holt

The Original family of vampires will remain intact in their leap from The Vampire Diaries to their own series, planted spinoff The Originals. Claire Holt has been cast as a lead in Originals, which will be introduced in the April 25 episode of the CW drama. She will reprise her recurring TVD role as Rebekah, the vampire sister of Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and Elijah (Daniel Gillies). The trio represents all surviving Original siblings as their two other brothers recently faced their demise on TVD. 

(Source: Deadline.com)

Danielle Campbell

Prison Break actress Danielle Campbell has also been tapped to join the CW's back-door pilot The Originals. Danielle will play Davina, a young and troubled witch who has been sheltered by protective caregivers. Her innocence about the way the world works makes her equal parts wondrous and dangerous. She's delicate and ethereal but not without her own demons.

(Source: HollywoodReporter.com)

Written by TVD co-creator/executive producer Julie Plec, The Originals centers on the Original family of vampires, as Klaus returns to the supernatural melting pot that is the French Quarter of New Orleans " a town he helped build centuries ago " and is reunited with his diabolical former protg Marcel (Charles Michael Davis).

Stay tuned for updates!

Aimee Teegarden is reuniting with The CW. The Friday Night Lights actress, who last season toplined the networks initial Selection pilot, has landed the lead role in the drama pilot Oxygen, our sister site Deadline reports.

Oxygen, from Good Wife scribe Meredith Averill, chronicles an epic romance between a human girl and an alien boy when he and eight others of his kind (The Orion 9) are integrated into a suburban high school 10 years after they and hundreds of others landed on Earth. Life on Mars Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg are on board as EPs.Teegarden will play Emery, the teen girl who falls in love with the hottie E.T.

(Source: TVLine.com)

Young Australian actress Adelaide Kane (Neighbours) has landed the lead in the CW drama pilot Reign. The project, from CBS TV Studios, chronicles the rise to power of Mary Queen of Scots (Kane) when she arrives in France as a 15-year-old, betrothed to Prince Francis, and with her three best friends as ladies-in-waiting. It details the secret history of survival at French Court amidst fierce foes, dark forces, and a world of sexual intrigue. Brad Silberling is directing the pilot from a script by Stephanie Sengupta and Laurie McCarthy.

(Source: Deadline.com)

The Capital City Half-Marathon is coming up and I am so excited to run the race this year. Last year, I ran the quarter marathon and I wrote all about it on my blog.

This year, Im stepping up and running the half. Yes, thirteen miles!!! If youre interested in running in Capital City too, please go to their website and register. You can run the half, quarter or the 5K.

Here are a few training schedules:

5K

Qtr: 6.55 (the 10K is only slightly shorter, so this plan will work for the quarter race)

Half-marathon (a 10-week and a 12-week plan) 

There are tons more training schedules online. This is just to give you an idea of how experts suggest you should train for these races.

Let me know if you plan to run in the Cap City race. Tweet me @CWStarColumbus!

Happy Running 

If youre looking to get pretty for Valentine's Day - or for any random day -  youve got to try shellac manicure!

I tried it for the first time about a month ago and I dont think I will ever go back to regular polish.

Recently, I went to J. Bentley Studio and Spa and Marie did my Shellac manicure in this gorgeous hot pink color.

Normally, after the technician is finished, I have to sit under the dryer forever waiting on my nails to dry (and yet still somehow manage to smudge them before I get to the car). With shellac, its completely different! When Marie was done doing my nails, they were completely dry! No more sitting and waiting for paint to dry (literally).

I decided to try shellac because I've heard other girls rave about the manicure saying how long the polish lasts. I admit, I didn't quite believe it, but its true!! When I used to get regular manicures, the nail polish would start chipping, peeling and smudging almost immediately. Now, that never happens! Two full weeks later and my nails still looked smooth and shiny like the very first day I got them done. 

Marie was off the day I wanted to come back in for another manicure, but all of the technicians at J. Bentley are amazing so I fully trusted Stephanie to take care of me this time.

I still had the polish on from before, so she used special foils around each individual nail to soak off the polish. (No sitting my hand in a bowl of acetone or sawing the polish off.)

This time, I went with a lighter pink color. I decided that would look better as my nails grew out and there wouldn't be a noticeable color contrast between the polish and the new growth of my nails.

Again, my nails still look and feel fabulous more than a week later!

Of course, like anything else, if you want Shellac Manicure done right, its important to go to right the person. I highly recommend you go to J.Bentley Studio & Spa. I worked with Marie and Stephanie and both of them are fantastic! Marie is part-time and only works on Saturdays and Stephanie is full-time, so I'm sure if you call to set an appointment, you can book with either of them.

In addition, J.Bentley offers a LOT of different manicure and pedicure services. You can see the list & pricing here: http://www.jbentley.com/spa/manicures-pedicures

Hey Arrow fans!

Electronic music superstar Steve Aoki will appear on the March 20 episode of The CW Networks Arrow, playing himself at one of Oliver Queens fancy parties.

Airing Wednesday, March 20 at 8pm on The CW Columbus, the episode features the long-awaited opening of Oliver Queens Starling City nightclub, in which DJ and producer Aoki will make a cameo appearance as himself.

Since money is no object for a billionaire like Oliver Queen (series star Stephen Amell), he hires the worlds most in-demand  DJ " SteveAoki " to play opening night at his new club.

Tracks from Aokis recently released EP, Its the End of theWorld As We Know It, will be included in the episode, in addition to tracks from affiliated artists on Aokis Dim Mak music label.

The 35-year-old is an American electro house musician, record producer and the founder of Dim Mak Records. He has also been in numerous bands, including This Machine Kills, which released an album on Ebullition Records, Esperanza, and The Fire Next Time.

You can follow him on Twitter @SteveAoki

Source: Comicbook.com

Lately, whenever people tell me my hair looks nice, I've got three words for them: Keratin Complex Treatment.

Have you heard of it? I hadn't until a few months ago.

Currently, I'm in the midst of the long, grueling process of growing out my relaxer. It's been about two years now, so my relaxer is mostly gone. I still like to wear my hair straight though, and I was having a tough time getting it as straight as I like. When I told Taira Harris, a stylist at J.Bentley Studio & Spa (an official CW Columbus sponsor), about my struggles she offered to put a Keratin in my hair.

What's "a Keratin"? Well, according to my research:

The Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy works differently from traditional chemical straightening systems--including Brazilian straighteners--and its competitors. Relaxers are designed primarily to straighten curly hair. The keratin treatment is designed primarily to restore health to damaged or abused hair. The result is straight hair.

Traditional straighteners (thio or lye based) change the chemical bonds of the hair.  Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy does not alter the bonds.  Instead, this system conditions the hair while adding shine and increasing manageability by infusing natural keratin deep into the cuticle of the hair shaft.  As a result, each strand is keratin buffered by this unique, patent-pending process.  Natural keratin is restored and hair is rejuvenated.

It leaves the hair smoother, silkier, straighter and shinier.  It eliminates up to 95% of unwanted frizz and reduces styling time in half.  It is also safe to use on all hair types, including color-treated hair.

In layman's terms: It's. Awesome.

The day, I went to get my Keratin treatment, I got highlights as well. Apparently, it's best to get color immediately prior to receiving the treatment so the color will be sealed in. After the treatment, the hair has to wait 2 weeks before you can color it. (You can also get a Keratin on TOP of a relaxer!)

I already had red highlights that Mary Beth applied during the CW Star contest, so Steve Napier added lighter brown and blonde highlights to my hair.

All foiled up!

I've always, always, always wanted to get several shades of highlights in my hair, but I didn't want to get my hair colored while I still had a relaxer. Now, that my relaxer is mostly gone, I was super excited to finally get some variety! I didn't expect it to come out this nice though. Steve is amazing!

After Steve put in the color and washed my hair, it was time to get the Keratin.

The application is much like a relaxer with the parting, applying, smoothing and letting it sit for 20 minutes. The major difference is that it's not a chemical so I don't get that painful burning sensation followed by those massive scalp scabs that I'd be pulling out my head for the next several weeks. The thought of that makes me shudder now, but it was commonplace for the 12 years I wore a relaxer in my head. (Hashtag: Never Again)

Anyway, after the Keratin was applied, Taira blowdryed my hair then flat ironed it.

This color is gorgeous! Thanks Steve!!!

I was finished for the day, but she instructed me to wear my hair bone straight for the next three days. No ponytails, no getting it wet, no curling the ends, no putting my hair behind my ears. Any of that could cause a permanent bend in my hair. I was only allowed to loosely wrap my hair at night as long as I alternated directions when wrapping.

When I left the salon, I was terrified that I was going to mess up the treatment and accidentally get caught in a rainstorm or a hurricane or be forced at gunpoint to put my hair in a ponytail or something.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

These fears were unfounded, so on Monday, I went back to the salon where Taira washed and curled my hair.

Look at those roots!!

It looked and felt fantastic!! The highlights! The Keratin! I was in love!!!!...but still a little skeptical that it was the Keratin that got my hair straight and not just the fact that a professional washed and flat-ironed it.

Two weeks later, I attempted to do my own hair to really test out this Keratin and see if it's all it's cracked up to be. After washing my hair, it normally it takes me about 45 minutes to blowdry it. I part it in sections and use the comb attachment on my blowdryer yet still look like Simba when it's dry (yes Simba from Lion King!).

JBentley sells the Keratin shampoo and conditioner and which helps extend the life of the Keratin and keeps you from washing it out immediately.

Remember the earlier picture of my hair wet pre-Keratin? This is hair wet post-Keratin. A lot less kinky curly!

So, I washed my hair with those products, parted it and blowdried it in sections like I normally do and it only took 15 minutes to dry! Annnnd it blow-dried straight!

Ignore my messing dressing room haha

No more Simba! Even when I had a relaxer, my hair didn't blowdry this straight. I still flat ironed it but it was barely necessary!

So, yeah this Keratin treatment is the truth! Beyond making my hair easier to manage, it makes it megasoft and so silky straight, that it's hard to wrap it sometimes!

The Keratin isn't permanent, it just gradually washes out after about three to six months if you don't get it reapplied. I'll definitely be getting it reapplied though. This is one of the best decisions I've made for my hair since quitting relaxers two years ago.

If you're thinking about getting the treatment, I say do it!!!!

Unfortunately, this isn't something your cousin KeKe can throw in your hair in her "kitchen salon" while she fries chicken and babysits her neighbor's kids. They do have the Keratin product you can buy in the store, but if you want the real deal, you have to go to a professional.

In fact, the Keratin Complex people require every salon and stylist administering the treatment be trained and accredited prior to use. Taira Harris is actually a certified Keratin Complex trainer, so she definitely knows what she's doing. And for a fairly new (and pretty costly) treatment like this one, you want to go to someone who is qualified.

So, that's my hair update! This whole natural hair thing isn't so bad after all :-) 

Click on this link to see a video of the process. 

(Make an appointment online with Taira Harris today!!)

If you're a Columbus resident then consider yourself among the smartest in the whole WORLD! 

A press release from Mayor Coleman's office reported: 

The Intelligent Communities Forum announced Wednesday its annual list of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year, and Columbus is the only U.S. city on the list. The seven cities include three from North America, two from Taiwan and two from Europe and were selected from among the Smart21 of 2013.  In October of 2012 Columbus was named to the Smart 21 list for the second consecutive year.   Much of this years nomination focused on workforce development efforts in the region to build a knowledge workforce capable of competing in a 21^st century economy.  Programs from Columbus State Community College, Battelles STEM education and workforce development networks, Metro High School, the Columbus Metropolitan Library and the newly launched Per Scholas were just a few of the initiatives included in the citys nomination response. In addition, the ICF judges intelligent communities based on accessibility to broadband, digital inclusion and innovation.

Columbus will now go on to compete for honors as the Intelligent Community of the Year for 2013 which will be announced in June as part of the ICFs annual meeting in New York City.

For complete details on the ICF and the full list of the Top 7 for 2013, visit www.intelligentcommunity.org

Of course, we are smart. We watch the best network in the world: The CW! 

AnnaSophia Robb is one of the most buzzed about starlets in Hollywood these days! 

This week, Teen Vogue announced that "TV's Next It Girl" is on the cover of their February 2013 issue. 

AnnaSophia is playing a 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw in the highly anticipated Sex and the City prequel "The Carrie Diaries" and she tells Teen Vogue that she almost turned the role down: 

"When I was younger, I didn't want to be on TV," she says. "I made a conscious decision to stay away from Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel"not that they're not great companies, but because I wanted to play different kinds of roles and have the freedom to choose my projects. So when my agent called about this job, I said no way. TV was too much of a commitment." But [The Carrie Diaries] pilot script won her over. "I realized it was actually a really strong story. It had a lot of heart and integrity, and Carrie seems like a character that I can grow with."

Yeah, that and the fact that no one in her right mind would walk away from the opportunity to play one of the most iconic characters of the 21st century. 

You can watch a bonus video interview at TeenVogue.com (http://www.teenvogue.com/entertainment/cover-stars/2013-01/annasophia-robb-video)

The Carrie Diaries premieres Monday, January 14th at 8pm on the CW Columbus! 

Are you looking forward to The Carrie Diaries? Tweet us @CWStarColumbus!