Last Thursday evening, we braced ourselves for yet another dose of reality TV mania, with the appearance of Kelly Killoren Bensimon at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Park. What we got, however, was a surprising lack thereof.

 

Stopping by cialis cheap the Dallas book seller to sign her new release I Can Make You Hot, the former Real Housewife of New York City planned to continue her evening with a Hpnotiq Liqueur-sponsored meet-and-greet at Sushi Axiom on Henderson Avenue. As the author of American Style and the iconic Bikini Book, we readied our camera for a stylish night as Bensimon drew crowds of fashionable

fans.

 

But alas, it wasn’t to be.

 

For the first stop of the night, we arrived at B&N just a tad early, immediately noticing a total lack of mania. In fact, we did a location double-check to make sure that we were, in fact, in the right place.

A mere eight people had gathered for the signing, including a store manager and the book’s publisher. Did we hear the sound of crickets in the distance?

 

 

A few moments later, the guest of honor entered, looking radiant as ever. Bensimon wore a sequined Chloé cardigan and clear Alaïa pumps. At least the long-legged former model’s presence didn't fall short of expectations.

 

Without much delay, Bensimon commenced signing the new book. Part memoir and part diet cookbook, it’s subtitled "The Supermodel Diet". The glowing author explained her desire to give readers a simple way to look at dieting, tailoring her recipes to make them as easy as possible. Throw in a few tips and anecdotes, and it does seem like an interesting read for this pre-summer vacay season.

 

Crowd or no crowd, Bensimon's passion for her book and knowledge of the subject matter was apparent. The kooky, nonsensical persona painted on the Real Housewives (highlighted by a disturbing trip to "Scary Island" and a famous feud with Bethenny Frankel) melted ever-so-slightly.

 

After fifteen minutes, the book signing concluded, and it was on to location number two. Again, our hopes were high, as we imagined many fans had skipped the book store and headed straight to the cocktail party. Arriving at Sushi Axiom, however, history seemed to be repeating itself. Merely eleven

people populated the party. Setting-wise, it was a very chic little event, though, featuring light bites and cocktails all named ‘Kelly’.

 

Thankfully, after about an hour, the rest of the restaurant’s patrons caught wind of a celebrity in the house, and as the party heated up, we finally experienced the mania for which we had been waiting.

 

Adding to the much-awaited excitement, Bensimon let everyone in on some exclusive news. Turns out, I Can Make You Hot is being optioned for a new television show. What’s more, the model-turned-author also informally hinted at a possible upcoming fragrance launch.

 

In conclusion, the appearance wasn't a complete loss, thanks to a few last-minute arrivals and a little late-breaking news. However, Kelly dear, we respectfully recommend losing the PR team responsible for this junket.

 

 

(All photos, credit DFW Style Daily)