The Hills: Stress and The City (Episode 312)

Lauren meets... Marc Jacobs's ass?: Lauren takes a break from a day of alphabetizing to meet designer Marc Jacobs.Whitney leads Teen Vogue editor Lisa Love and some Teen Vogue staffers into this gorgeous church. Is she planning a wedding now? Nope -- it's the venue for the Young Hollywood party, and Lisa loves it. Whitney's got ideas for a runway down the aisle, and setting up photo booths in the confessionals, and Lisa Love loves it all. Go Whitney!

In her office, Lisa informs Whitney and Lauren they'll be traveling to New York to make the party presentation to Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Amy Astley. Whitney will need to collect all manner of information -- pictures, swatches, and samples -- to give as complete a picture to Amy as possible. This is, Lisa describes, "serious business", and the girls must come back from the presentation "successfully and quickly." But whee! Trip to New York! First order of business -- what are the girls going to wear?

At Bolthouse, Spencer and Frankie (who's been freelancing for Brent) have an awkward run-in. While Frankie reminds Spencer that Brody reached out to him, calling on his birthday, Spencer doesn't want to hear it. Like he tells Heidi later, he would never do what Brody is doing -- namely remaining friends with someone who he considers an enemy, and besides, now he's interested only in moving forward.

In New York, Lauren and Whitney arrive at Teen Vogue headquarters dressed to impress. Whitney's in a black and white strapless dress (maybe a little too "Teen Vogue Barbie") while Lauren is wearing a gunmetal sheath with a cowel neck that I just lurved. Really, it's so cute. The girls look great, though Whitney is a bit nervous, as she didn't get to practice her presentation much before they got to New York. The girls don't have long to wait before meeting with Amy Astley herself -- a cool, sharply blonde contrast to the patrician Lisa back in Los Angeles. Seriously, I think her bob gave me a paper cut.

The presentation to the staff is that afternoon, but Lauren won't be there -- having heard that Lauren is a fan of Marc Jacobs, Amy has arranged for Lauren to spend some time at the designer's studio as long as she gets in a cab that second and hustles downtown right that second. Leaving Whitney with her boards and swatches, Lauren hustles to SoHo for her appointment with Marc Jacobs VP of communications, Kate Waters. Kate takes Lauren to director of casting Michelle Lee who, along with stylist Venetia Scott, is casting models for the fashion show the following week. Lauren is pressed into service, styling the look of each model as they walk for Kate and Michelle. Though Lauren is still dressed like a rock star, she slips right into intern mode and gets to working.

While Lauren is working, Whitney is stumbling. She has her boards, but Amy still manages to trip her up with questions. Will there be valet? How many chandeliers will be hung in the tree on the property? Are you sure about the wicker furniture? The wicker furniture, especially, seemed to provoke rather disapproving mutters from the staffers sitting coolly in the conference room. "This is just not right." "You think it's too brown?" Whitney suggests carpet for arriving guests to walk down, a notion Amy dispels immediately as being "tacky". Whitney's white flowers don't go over so well either -- an arrangement of white roses is more for tabletops -- what will be done for hanging flowers? Amy suggests that perhaps Whitney can "go back and fine tune some of these things?" The meeting is over, and Whitney is finished. Perhaps for good?

Still at Marc Jacobs, Lauren is busy... but not too busy to meet Marc Jacobs himself! He comes out for a brief hello, and Lauren appears rather star struck. But she should have gotten up from her seat to shake his hand -- remaining seated is a bit rude, even if she is a woman. The moment over, Lauren remains a bit stricken before getting right back to her alphabetizing.

The girls are already back at their hotel, packing for the trip back to L.A. Whitney frets, as she hasn't yet heard back from Lisa about what Amy had to say. Lauren is still excited about meeting Marc, though she is happy to go home: "I miss Brody." Mmm, I'm sure you do.

Back in Los Angeles, Spencer leaves a cryptic voicemail message for Brody, asking him to call. Apparently, there are "some things [they] need to talk about."

Whitney and Lauren are the first to arrive at Patina, the restaurant of choice for the Young Hollywood party. Lisa and the Teen Vogue L.A. gang soon join them. Lisa tells Whitney which seat to take as they arrive at their table (love it!), and finally give Whitney Amy's feedback: Amy said the meeting went well, that Whitney did great, and that her dress made quite an impression. The "grown-ups" titter while Whitney and Lauren look confused. When Lisa teasingly asks if from now on will Whitney be dressing up for work, the girls relax and join Lisa for a laugh before settling down to enjoy the tasting. Aw -- Lisa made a funny!

The evening ends with Brody coming over to Lauren's. Cuddling amongst candles and pillows, Lauren and Brody share what's been going on. Of course, Brody's message from Spencer trumps Lauren's encounter with Marc Jacobs. Though Brody seemed to embellish, saying that Spencer said he missed him when all Spencer said was they had some things to discuss. Lauren says again that she doesn't want to be held responsible for his breakup with Spencer, but Brody asserts it was his decision. Lauren is not to blame. Thus assured, Lauren promises Brody that she'll always be there for him, and he promises the same to her. Thus committed, they move in for a hug, and settle down to watch some television.

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