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In the Kitchen at El Bulli NOWNESS.com

In the Kitchen at El Bulli on Nowness.com.

 Call the food at Spain’s El Bulli sublime, an international temple to sensual eating atop San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Rstaurants.

As the most feted restaurant on the planet prepares to close its reservation book this month — preparing for a new future as a culinary academy — photographer and filmmaker Marcus Gaab gained exclusive access to the kitchen, documenting the magic that goes into a typical 47-course meal. Gaab trailed head chef Ferran Adrià and his 70-strong staff as they meticulously constructed everything from gorgonzola balls (a frozen sphere of the cheese with a soft center) to chocolate coral (strawberry-powder-dusted warm chocolate molded in the shape of sea coral). “They divide ingredients into their most basic elements, then reassemble: it’s a mix of kitchen and laboratory,” says Gaab.

French High Fashion on “Rocco’s Dinner Party” Wednesday, July 20th at 10PM/9c on Bravo

Leah de Wavrin | Tom Beard | ‘Suicide Blond’ | Bontributing Editor May 2011 AOC Fashion & Art

As a woman who cooked a multi-course sit-down dinner for 150 people, and with only one assistant except for the caterer who actually served the dinner,  Anne finds the El Bulli video a bit overwhelming. If El Bulli is rarified cooking at its best, we can tune in tonight to watch ‘Rocco’s Dinner Party!’ which might be a bit more humanly chaotic but also sensually engaging.

Celebrated Chef Rocco DiSpirito devotes his culinary expertise to Bravo’s new series that takes the competition beyond the kitchen. Rocco’s Dinner Party gives three highly skilled chefs a shot at creating the perfect meal and most memorable evening for DiSpirito and his handpicked celebrity guests.

Tonight, Chef Rocco’s guest is model Leah de Wavrin and the focus is French cuisine and fashion. French style is a major focus at AOC because the art of living sensually through flowers, fragrance, food and fun is part of French DNA.

Who doesn’t want some tips on how to throw a high fashion dinner party? Chef Rocco, Leah de Wavrin and friends will be discussing and critiquing the food and themes of two high-quality dinner parties while sharing actionable tips with us!

Also while you’re watching “Rocco’s Dinner Party,” visit Chef Rocco’s “Watch & Win” contest tab found on his Facebook page here: http://on.fb.me/RoccoWatchandWin for your chance to win a trip for two to meet him and assist him at the October 2011 NYC Wine and Food Festival!

Prizing includes round-trip airfare for two, a two-night stay at an NYC hotel along with free tickets to the festival! Viewers can tune-in to Rocco’s Dinner Party Wednesdays, 10PM ET/9C on Bravo to answer three weekly questions pertaining to each week’s episode. Submission form stays open until Saturday at midnight!  After answering all three questions, submit your information to be entered to win.  Enter every week to increase your chances of winning - every weekly submission counts as another entry!

The next “Watch & Win” will air Wednesday, July 20th at 10PM/9c on Bravo! (via PR release)

RedTracker

Pursuing Planned Pregnancies

IOM Report: “Birth Control Should Be Free” TIME

A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) — which focused exclusively on women’s health and reproductive issues — may be politically controversial, given the determination of America’s social conservatives to regain control over women’s bodies and reproduction capacities. While abortion is the focus of their current legislative agenda, there is every reason to believe that limiting access to birth control is next on the social conservative’s agenda.

At a time when Republican presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann has endosed a goal of “robust” procreation among American women, all 16 members of the panel agree that access to all forms of birth control approved by the FDA should not require a copay as aprt of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

“As someone who has worked on women’s rights for nearly 30 years, I can say that today’s news marks one of the biggest advances for women’s health in a generation,” said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America in a statement. “Currently, nearly one in three women finds it difficult to pay for birth control, and that’s why the United States has a far higher unintended-pregnancy rate than other industrialized countries. Making family-planning services available at no cost will help millions of women prevent unintended pregnancy and thereby reduce the need for abortion.”

Daily Caller Claims Bachmann Was Hospitalized for Migraines

Former Insider: Michele Bachmann Headaches Frequent, Left Her ‘Unable to Function’ ABC News

Brian Ross explains to The View that saying he was ‘roughed up’ by Michele Bachmann’s bodyguards yesterday is an exaggeration. Ross explains what actually happened when he attempted to pursue presidential candidate Bachmann with questions about her migranes, which she confirms are part of her life but don’t disable her in any way.

“I’ve maintained a full schedule between my duties as a Congresswoman and a presidential candidate traveling across this nation,” Bachmann said. “I have prescribed medication I take on occasion whenever symptoms arise and they keep my migraines under control. But I’d like to make it abundantly clear, my ability to function effectively will not affect my ability to serve as Commander in Chief.”

An inside member of Michele Bachmann’s staff disagrees with the idea that her migraines aren’t disabling. “We had many occasions where there would be a stressful situation — they were almost always stressful situations,” the Bachmann insider said. “We would have lights out. Close the office, shut the lights and she would lay in the office and try and recover. Everyone from interns on up knew about it.”

Conservative blog Daily Caller — founded by Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel, a past adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney — report that Bachmann has been hospitalized “multiple times because of the condition, citing three former aides to the Republican hopeful”.

Fashion, Style & Culture

New Editorials/Commentary

Valeria Dmitrienko | David Roemer | Glamour Germany August 2011

Krystal Glynn | David K Shields | ‘Onerism’ Talent Editorial

Sophie Vlaming | Thiemo Sander | Soon International #13 Sp 2011 | ‘Wild Skin’

Amanda Streich & Nathalie Sorrell | Andrew Katzowitz | Bullett Summer 2011 | International Playground