Since it first hit the small screen back in 2006, The Real Housewives franchise has spawned six successful series (read: D.C. didn’t cut it) all across the nation. But Bravo’s spotlight on all that lavish living, girl fights and gossip started with one original: The Real Housewives of Orange County.

Now as the show dives into the drama of its eighth season, there is a single survivor who has been there since the beginning: Vicki Gunvalson.

“It feels great,” she told Celebuzz at the Bravo upfront event in New York City on Thursday. “If we weren’t successful season one and two, we wouldn’t be here.”

After many have come and gone from the O.C. mania, Gunvalson now stars alongside five other diamond-dripped Housewives: Tamra Barney, Gretchen Rossi, Alexis Bellino, Heather Dubrow and Lydia McLaughlin, the newest woman to hop aboard the Bravo bandwagon.
“I don’t know if I’m even looking forward to it after all these interviews,” McLaughlin admitted. “They’re all saying, ‘Be careful. You’re not going to be excited. It’s a lot of drama.’ So I guess I’m a little more nervous now.” The O.G.’s advice? “Just to have fun and to trust us,” Gunvalson said with a wink.

Though the new season has only just premiered, the women are already waging war, so to speak. Not only are Gunvalson and Barney still at odds, but Dubrow stuck it her nemesis Bellino by making her the sole persona non grata at her posh clambake, a snub Bellino isn’t taking lying down. “Well, I sold her to another country,” Bellino joked, as Dubrow was absent at the Upfront because she’s vacationing in Mexico with her children. “So she’s gone.”

But the season promises more than just bad blood between the women — wedding planning is underway for Barney, who is engaged to fiancé Eddie Judge. Though she stayed lips-sealed on what role, if any, her costars will play in her big day, there are four people who Barney promises will have a hand in the ceremony: her four children, eldest son Ryan Vieth, 24, from her first marriage, and her three younger kids, Sidney, Spencer and Sophia, from her second husband, Simon Barney.

And might wedding bells soon ring for another one of the O.C. women? Rumors have been swirling that Rossi is ready to say “I do” to beau Slade Smiley after she was spotted sporting blinding bling on her ring finger. But turns out, the sparkler is not a gift from Smiley.

“You know what? This is my ring from Jeff,” Rossi explained, referring to her late fiancé Jeff Beitzel. “I will always wear this. It’s a very sentimental piece to me. I’m never going to stop wearing it.” But Rossi didn’t deny that an engagement could be on her horizon. “There might be,” she teased. “So you have to watch to see what happens.”

For more from the biggest Bravo-lebrities — from The Vanderpump Rules cast to the confirmed returning stars of RHONY — watch the videos below.

Meet the newest castmember of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County!

The network announced on Tuesday that Lydia McLaughlin is officially the latest glamorous mama who’s set to join the cast for their eighth season. Bravo’s hit series needed some extra spunk and the 31-year-old brunette is guaranteed to bring the drama when the series returns Monday, April 1 at 8PM.

So who is McLaughlin? While our favorite OC housewives have already gotten to know her, fans have been kept in the dark until now.

Celebuzz has compiled a list of nine things to know about the newest housewife:

1. McLaughlin is from major money. She is the granddaughter of Geoff Stirling, a famous Canadian businessman and media mogul – owning several newspapers and television stations under Stirling Communications International. Stirling’s net worth topped $100 million in 2011.

2. She is the mother of two sons and lives with her husband Doug in Dana Point, Calif.

3. Lydia isn’t just a housewife, she’s a busy business woman. Her main occupation is serving as the Managing Editor and co-founder of Beverly Hills Lifestyle magazine.

4. In her free time, McLaughlin also designs jewelry under the brand name Lydia M Jewelry.

5. She knows that dogs are a man, and woman’s, best friend. As part of her jewelry line, McLaughlin released a limited-edition collection for dogs only called “Puppy Bling.”

6. She works closely with her husband. The two co-own a web design and digital marketing company called SKYLAB Media and an art gallery called SKYLAB Modern Art.

7. McLaughlin wasn’t always a California girl. She was born in Canada but raised in La Jolla, Calif. and attended the prestigious University of San Diego.

8. She’s already friends with a few other housewives. McLaughlin has been friends with Lisa Vanderpump, who writes a column for Beverly Hills Lifestyle magazine, and Heather Dubrow for years.

9. She’s a devout Christian. McLaughlin bonds with Alexis Bellino over their religious beliefs, but be warned the newest housewife’s religion doesn’t stop her from being headstrong and outspoken.

Are you excited for the next season of RHOC? Weigh in below.

Alexis Bellino will not be returning for another season of The Real Housewives of Orange County.

The reality TV star previously told Celebuzz that she wouldn’t come back “without backup” after a series of run-ins with other cast members, and it appears her ultimatum fell on deaf ears.

Did she give a reason for her departure?

In a statement issued to Celebuzz, Bellino explained her choice to move on.

“After three seasons of appearing on The Real Housewives of Orange County, I have made the difficult decision not to return for Season 8,” she said.

“Although Bravo made me a very generous offer and I’m thankful to have had this experience, I will be leaving the show behind to focus on my family and other opportunities.

“I am so grateful to have gone through this amazing journey and to have met so many incredible fans. I hope this clears up any rumors and questions. My heart is at peace, and I remain so excited for my future.”

Bellino had a tough last season as she failed to bond with new cast member Heather Dubrow. To make matters worse, former enemies Gretchen Rossi and Tamra Barney called a truce, leaving Bellino out in the cold.

She told Celebuzz exclusively just one month before quitting the show that she felt ganged up on during the Season 7 reunion specials.

“I think we had a really good season, and it was a really good cast. But I feel like it doesn’t have to be so hateful and mean all the time. We could still have a really good season, just not being so mean.”

The married mother of three joined the cast in the show’ fifth season.

It’s three weeks before Real Housewives of Orange County starts filming season 8 — and not everyone is in place yet, Celebuzz has learned exclusively.

While offers are out to numerous prospective first time “Housewives” — the jury is still out on who will return.

“Yeah, that’s true — the network always likes to have a couple backups,” said RHOOC star Slade Smiley on Wednesday.

What’s happening with the OC Housewives?

“Someone could come on, not like what we’ve seen last year, and not deliver any authenticity, and be lovey-dovey. They always hire other people that bring conflict to the show, so we never know who may end up being a full-time Housewife.

“They may bring someone and exit them that I don’t know about. Maybe Alexis doesn’t want to come back. She may film long enough to not come back,” Smiley told Celebuzz at the KIIS-FM Video Music Awards lounge, in L.A.

Alexis Bellino has been one vocal cast member who has voiced doubts about returning to the drama-filled hit Bravo show for its eighth season, unless she has a friend alongside her to back her up.

The current OC Housewives cast appear to be expecting new personnel changes.

“When somebody new comes in, it always brings some spice, some fun to the show — so I’m always open to new girls,” Slade’s paramour and  RHOOC costar Gretchen Rossi told Celebuzz, also at the KIIS-FM lounge.

“Whatever happens with the girls, it doesn’t give me anxiety or anything,” Rossi said. “It’s in the background of what I’m focused on doing.”

Rossi noted that she’s in the dark, regarding names of new cast.

“I don’t know who the new ones are yet — they haven’t told us,” Rossi said.

While Smiley knows offers have been made to new ladies — he said he is also clueless about specifics.

“I don’t think that I’m aware of the people they’ve talked to,” Smiley said.

There have been shakeups throughout the Real Housewives franchises — from New York and Orange County to Miami and D.C., the latter of which weren’t brought back for future seasons.

What may not change are the relationships the casts of shows have with other casts.

Rossi and Smiley, for example, are close with recently split, longtime husband and wife Paul Nassif and Adrienne Maloof, stars of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

The two couples have double-dined in the OC, Smiley said, on the Maloof/Nassif family trips to Disneyland.

The divorce news came as a shock to Rossi and Smiley.

“I was very sad — I texted Adrienne immediately,” Rossi said. “She’s obviously going through a really tough time. I wish them all the luck in the world. It’s very tough to lay out your relationship in the public eye.”

Smiley added, “Their banter to us always seemed like they communicated. It was very difficult to tell there was actually an issue. So it’s sad to hear that happened.”

Do you think we’re going to see some exits and entrances on next season of Real Housewives of Orange County?

Alexis Bellino certainly saw her relationships change on the last season of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County.

Previously, she told Celebuzz she wasn’t sure whether she would sign on for Season 8 as she licked her wounds after last season’s brutal reunion specials.

What does the Housewife need in order to return next season?

“If I do the show again, I would have to have a friend on the show with me,” she tells Celebuzz exclusively.

She later explains, “Who wants to go into a pack of wolves and not have anyone with her? I would definitely want to have a friend.”

Bellino certainly had a tough season as she and new castmember Heather Dubrow were like oil and water from the get-go. And to make matters worse, former enemies Gretchen Rossi and Tamra Barney called a truce that left Bellino out in the cold.

Bellino’s ultimatum for coming back on the show may stem from hurt feelings, as she felt ganged up on during the Season 7 reunion specials.

“I think we have a really good season and it was a really good cast,” she says. “But, I feel like it doesn’t have to be so hateful and mean all the time. We could still have a really good season, just not being so mean.”

In response to Celebuzz’s request for comment, a Bravo spokesperson tells us, “We have not yet made an announcement about a Season 8 pickup.”

Bellino, a married mother of three, joined the cast on its fifth season.

Do you think Alexis should be able to bring on a friend to even out the odds next season? Tell us in the comments section below.

Additional reporting by Andrea Simpson.

There’s no denying that Real Housewives have killer bodies.

But who is more striking in a string bikini?

Photos emerged on Wednesday of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong, 38, flaunting her stunning figure in a Missoni bikini around her Bel Air, Calif. estate.

The blonde reality star let her tresses fall past her shoulders in California-style beach waves as she lounged poolside.

How does she compare to another housewife stunner?

Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino was recently featured on Celebuzz‘s 101 Hot Bodies countdown, and, in this shiny pink bikini, it is obvious why she made the list.

The 35-year-old mother of three gave her tips on how to get a Bellino body, including “stay away from processed foods, and then don’t eat after, like, five or six o’clock at night.”

See more of Bellino’s body in the video below.

But Bellino may have some competition from an East Coast rival Real Housewives of New York’s Kelly Bensimon.

Which Real Housewives stunner works a bikini better? Take our poll and leave a comment.

Refusing to live life under a microscope, Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino keeps healthy without giving up life’s little indulgences.

Still, in order to maintain her killer bikini body, Bellino says she follows four simple rules that can apply to women of all ages.

“[Do] everything in moderation,” she told Celebuzz in our exclusive behind-the-scenes video interview. “You do have to have some kind of workout [routine] or activity level.”

What are her other two tips?

“Two other tips that I recommend are, stay away from processed foods, and then don’t eat after, like, five or six o’clock at night,” she continued.

Bellino also says she’s a big fan of exercising, to the point where if she doesn’t do it, she actually — wait for it — misses it.

“I consider myself lucky, because working out, to me, is a stress reliever. I enjoy it,” she said.

Want more about the 35-year-old reality TV beauty? Click through Celebuzz’s sexy gallery now, then be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes video with Bellino, below.

Above: Alexis wears a Marla Caftan in Blue Coral by Ava; Hair: Kristin Cicala; Makeup: Marco Ocha; Styling: Kira Coplin

For more on the countdown, visit the official Celebuzz Hot 101 Bodies page.

It’s been an emotional season for Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino — so much so, the 35-year-old beauty has told Celebuzz that she still needs to recover from all of the drama that went down before committing to another season.

“I am seriously just recovering from what has occurred this past few months,” she said in an exclusive interview on Friday, when asked if she’s thought about continuing on with the show.

“I didn’t know what was happening until I watched it all unfold on national television.

“I didn’t know that [during] every single episode they were going to call me a name or belittle me or try to ruin my husband. I didn’t know all that was happening, because it all happens off camera … I’m still trying to recover from that, because I wasn’t prepared.”

“I think I just need time to decompress and decide if I’m gonna move forward or if this isn’t something that I’m made for,” the 35-year-old mother of three, who joined the cast in series 5, told Celebuzz.

Bellino’s drama reached a breaking point toward the end of the season, when the Housewives took a trip to Costa Rica. While there, Bellino was confronted by her cast mates about her alleged phony attitude.

At the time, the intervention-style fight reduced Bellino to tears.

Now, however, she claims her time in Costa Rica, plus everything else that went down, has made her stronger than ever.

“I feel like I am such a stronger person walking today than I was before,” she said.

“I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now. I’m turning this negative year into a positive [year], because it has brought awareness to me that bullying doesn’t have any discrimination. I saw it happen in my friend’s preschool class when I was volunteering one day, and it happened to me at 35 on national television.”

“It put a fire in me to speak out against [bullying],” she added. “I have such a passion for it now. It’s a true passion … I’m happy for what has happened because of the fact that I’m going to be help so many people now with the great platform that I have.”

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs part II of its reunion special Tuesday night on Bravo.

Check back in with Celebuzz that same day for our full interview with Bellino, in which she opens up about filming the reunion, releasing herself from co-star Tamra Barney and why she says she’s still driving the bus.

Someone’s getting a hard start on their Fourth of July festivities.

Sporting an American flag bikini, Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino celebrated an early Independence Day at the Encore Beach Club in Lasy Vegas’ Wynn resort this Friday.

Although the 35-year-old was seen flaunting her amazing beach body, Bellino recently told Celebuzz that she’d gladly trade it for a baby bump instead.

“I am begging [my husband] Jim for one more!” she said, when asked about plans for more kids. “It’s an on-going battle between us.”

In a recent episode of Real Housewives, Bellino opened up about her near-death experience giving birth to twin daughters Melania and Mackenna, in which she had a pulmonary embolism.

Despite the incident, Bellino admitted that adding to the clan is fresh on her mind.

“You’d better believe, if I do not get one more baby I will be adopting a teacup chihuahua!” Bellino said with a laugh.

Still, the mom-of-three said she is “extremely blessed” with her “little munchkins,” adding: “I’m happy either way!”

Aside from her twin girls, Bellino is also proud mom to a son named James.

Although she already has three children, Real Housewives of Orange County beauty Alexis Bellino has admitted to Celebuzz that she is “begging” her husband Jim for another baby.

“I am begging Jim for one more!” Alexis revealed, in an exclusive interview. “It’s an on-going battle between us.”

Still, even though she wants to add another little bundle of joy to her family, Alexis said she is “extremely blessed” with her “three little munchkins,” adding: “I’m happy either way!”

In fact, Alexis said she already has a back-up plan, in case she doesn’t have another kid.

“You’d better believe, if I do not get one more baby I will be adopting a teacup chihuahua!” the 35-year-old star said with a laugh.

Alexis — who on Monday opened up to Celebuzz about her emotional season of Real Housewives — has been very candid about her issues with postpartum depression.

On a recent episode of Real Housewives, she also opened up about her near-death experience giving birth to twin daughters Melania and Mackenna, in which she had a pulmonary embolism.

“They were born at 34 weeks,” she recalled of her five-day stint in the hospital. “Their mom almost passed away.”

Alexis also has a son named James.

Things got very heated on last week’s episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County, during which the girls traveled to Costa Rica and confronted Alexis Bellino about her alleged pretentious and materialistic behavior.

Now, Alexis is speaking out about the fight, and taking specific aim at castmember Tamra Barney, whom Alexis referred to as “mean and hateful” during the now-infamous intervention.

“[Tamra] is the ringleader of the mean girls,” the 30-something reality star revealed in an exclusive interview with Celebuzz. “Each season, it seems she has this same pattern of singling one person out. Right before the ‘intervention’ in Costa Rica, Tamra, Heather and I were sitting at the bar having a glass of wine together. They were chatting with me, acting like we were all friends, all the while knowing they were about to confront me. So, you tell me who in this group is fake.”

Fake, of course, has been the operative word on Orange County this season; Heather’s husband, Terry,  described Alexis as phony — a comment Tamra later revealed to Alexis in a heated exchange.

Now that the dirty laundry has been aired, does Alexis — who says this has been the “toughest season” for her to film thus far — wish that Tamra had kept her mouth shut about Terry’s comments?

“I’m always open to considering people’s feedback,” she said, “but this did not feel like ‘constructive criticism.’ She delivered it in such a hateful way and to try and prove her point. I really don’t feel Terry knew me well enough to make such a sweeping comment. But looking back I see that It was somewhat exaggerated by Tamra. Shocker!”

Meanwhile, Alexis also revealed that the fight has taken a toll on her friendship with Gretchen Rossi after Gretchen accused Alexis of sometimes sounding pretentious.

“Our friendship has taken a huge hit this season,” she admitted. “Right now I’m not sure where it stands. I’ve seen a whole new side to her as she’s aligned herself with Tamra. The idea that I’m not authentic loses any legs when you look at how quickly and easily they’ve become BFFs. If she and I were ever really friends and she was having those negative thoughts about me, she could have taken me aside at any point over the past few months and expressed her feelings.”

“The fact that she ganged up with them that night at the table instead was confusing to me,” she added.

As for the intervention itself, Alexis described it as “brutal” and admitted she is still hurting from it.

“The girls are entitled to their opinions, but it all felt very malicious,” she said. “The message was that I am not real and that I talk too much about money … The show is about living a certain lifestyle, so for me to be singled out tells me the girls at that table needed a good long look in the mirror.”

“I have always liked nice things, since I was a little girl,” she continued. “I haven’t denied that and won’t apologize for it. I don’t see anything wrong with working hard and rewarding yourself. My parents did not spoil me; they made me work hard for whatever I had. I bought my very first Prada handbag for myself with my own hard earned cash at 24, and my first Mercedes at 27 years old. All the girls on the show like nice things but my things definitely don’t define me. I still shop at Target and use every last drop of shampoo out of my bottles.”

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Tuesdays and 9/8C on Bravo. For more on the series, visit its official website!

Tonight, Bravo debuts the seventh season (!) of The Real Housewives of Orange County (9PM ET), filled with more drama, more tears and, yep, another new housewife.

Earlier today, castmember Alexis Bellino gave Celebuzz the scoop on the brand-new season, including the latest status on her relationship with Peggy Tanous, how long she thinks Orange County will last and the big fight that reduced her to tears.

Meanwhile, Celebuzz is also debuting exclusive pictures from the latest photo shoot for Alexis Couture, which you can check out in our gallery now!

How will Alexis balance being a businesswoman and June Cleaver? What’s in store for the future of Alexis Couture and her other fashion line, Alexis by Tal Sheyn? Read about it all in our exclusive interview!

For more on all-things Alexis Bellino, be sure to visit her official website!

Late last year, Peggy announced that she is leaving the show. Was it a relief for you to hear that?
It’s so hard, because one day, I wake up and I’m thinking, “What happened? Where did our friendship go wrong? Why did we end up where we are?” And then the next day, I wake up and I’ve seen an episode of how terrible she was [to me], or I remember something that happened and how it was such a shady friendship the minute she got the show, [which] makes me [think] “Oh my gosh, I’m so glad she’s off [the show].” But right now, at this exact moment … I don’t put a lot of emphasis on thinking about her. If she was there and she was a part of the show, great. If she’s not, great. I wish her well. In the first two episodes, you’re gonna see her and I get into it, and it’s gonna probably be the last time you’ll see us interact together.

Do you think your friendship can be salvaged?
I always hope that a friendship can be salvaged, just because I’m kind of a dreamer; I like to think the positive in everything. But at this point, I honestly don’t know. I think there’s been a lot of things that have occurred over the past year and a half, and I just saw a side of Peggy that – I mean, for her to be able to flip that quickly, like, the minute that she became a member of the show, to just switch and go become good friends with Tamra [Barney], and forget about me. I mean, it was like she was all about the limelight and not really thinking about a true friendship.

What else are we gonna see from you this season?
Well, I have a new job! It’s only once a week, the show, but I go to San Diego and I’m called the Celebrity Lifestyle Correspondent [on Fox 5 in San Diego] … I had just started that position, like, three or four weeks before [Real Housewives] even started filming. So, you see me very new, getting involved … It’s very exciting! And you see my new dress lines coming out, too.

Orange County is now the longest-running member of the Housewives franchise. How much longer do you think it will last?
I don’t know! It’s amazing, because we have 16 episodes this season, and Andy Cohen has pegged it as the best Orange County season yet. So, for that to be said, it’s almost like we have a new fire. Maybe we have a few more years. I think that all of the housewives and I go in every year thinking, “This is probably the last year,” because it’s been going so long. But if we can keep the fun and the drama new and the drama real, then who knows how long we can go?

Did your perception of  Real Housewives change amid the Russell Armstrong tragedy?
I mean, that is just something that you just – I mean, it took my breath away! I can’t picture something like that happening. I am sure the show played a little bit in it, just because your life is exemplified in front of millions [of viewers], and things can be said about you that aren’t necessarily true. Once it’s out there, people believe it whether it’s true or not … But I think, at the end of the day, you have to remember, it’s a show, you’re here to entertain people. Don’t take it too personally. I think that him and Taylor, obviously, had a lot going on, and I just wish it would have had a different ending, you know? You always think, “What if?” And for Taylor, it feels that way.

Tell us about the new Housewife, Heather. Did you all get along with her?
Well, I think that, at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done and the season plays out, I think we’re all gonna kind of get along with her. Her and Gretchen [Rossi] had a little bit of a tiff at the beginning. Then, Heather and I get into it a little bit in the middle, and then we have a big blow-up in episode 10-ish. So, once that was all said and done, I felt like Heather and I moved past it and pushed everything aside. I can’t really tell you what it’s about, but I break down in tears and have eyelashes falling off. It’s just a nightmare. It’s not going to be a pretty episode for me [Laughs] … I think Heather is a little buttoned up. Sometimes, she talks like she knows more about things than other people. But, at the end of the day, I think that she’s a really, really sweet person, and I really genuinely like her personality.

So, tell us a little bit more about the second line of Alexis Couture.
It is so crazy! Well, I have two lines. I have Alexis Couture, by myself, where I don’t have anyone else working on that with me, except for my production manager … I only have three dresses in that line, because I launched my first dress, the Black-Braid Maxi, last season, and it went like crazy. I sold more of that one dress than all of the dresses than Alexis by Tal Sheyn sold. That dress is still selling, and I’m gonna bring it out in another color … And then I partnered with Tal Sheyn for Alexis by Tal Sheyn, because she was designing one-of-a-kinds for me, and I had a vision for what I wanted to do. There’s only one of me, and I couldn’t do it! So, together with her, we came up with my first Alexis by Tal Sheyn line. That one did really, really well. Now, we’re launching my second one, and now my second one is doing better than my first one even did and it hasn’t even launched yet! We’re out there marketing it. It hasn’t launched on the show, but it is just crazy! It’s so exciting!

Is the goal to eventually open up your own store?
We just started looking for retail spaces to have a showroom. We are in boutiques now. We’re in one in Orange County, and we’ve almost solidified two or three in Los Angeles. And then we’re even looking at go overseas. Israel is very interested; Australia is very interested. We have a lot of customers from Europe. We’re just getting our feet into those markets and we’re gonna be in boutiques throughout the United States and throughout the world.

When you first joined ‘Real Housewives,’ you were the June Cleaver-type. Now, you’re a budding businesswoman. Have your two fashion lines given you a newfound sense of independence?
It’s such a dichotomy, because I still am the June Cleaver. If you see me at home, [you'll see that] I do have a maid that comes once a week, or once every eight days. I do have an assistant who helps me. We have a sitter who comes and babysits. But for the most part, I’m still doing it all! I still make dinner five nights a week when I’m not traveling or working late in L.A. I still fold the laundry. I still get my kids up for breakfast and make breakfast before school, drop them off at school, pick them up at school and volunteer at school. So, I’m still very hands-on, and I’m not willing to give that up … I don’t want these years to pass me by and look back and go, “Oh my gosh, I didn’t get to volunteer at school. I wasn’t there for James’ football. I wasn’t there to take the girls to dance.” I’m still very traditional in my values, and I still believe that the way the family unit works best is to put God first, your husband second, or your spouse second, and then your children third. I just feel like everything falls into place under that.

Will we get to see Alexis Couture on this season of Real Housewives?
Yes! You guys actually get to see how I do the dresses from Alexis Couture. I have a little freelance pattern maker I use [who you'll see]. I have a production manager, who you don’t see, but you get to see that she’s shipped me the dresses, just so I don’t have to come up to L.A. every single day … You guys see me try that on in my own home, in front of my kids, [where] I’m like, “Do you like it? Do you like it!?” You get to see kind of the birth of it; how the dress starts and how the dress ends. And then you do see the photo shoot with Alexis by Tal Sheyn. After last year’s photoshoot, I was like, “I will never do another photoshoot where I am the model!” But she talked me into it, and I did it!

What does your husband think of the line?
He loves it! He loves it. He’s proud of me. He thinks I’m doing really well.

How is your new home? I saw a tour of it on Bravo’s website.
Yeah, but they didn’t even do it to justice! It’s a huge, 7,000 square-foot oceanview home. It is spectacular. We love it. I don’t know what the whole tour thing was, but they left out all my favorite parts. We have an elevator, a movie theater. It’s beautiful!

Lastly, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day?
This is so funny, because we just made our plans. We have two good groups of friends that we’re going to go out with, but not on February 14. I’m actually going to get a peel done on my face [that day], because I haven’t had any maintenance done in, like, eight months. So, I’m gonna get a deep facial … We’re celebrating [Valentine's Day] on February 25 with our friends. [Laughs] … That’s what a busy businesswoman-slash-mom does. When you have a week off, you take advantage of that moment! [Laughs]

Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino is no stranger to living a lavish lifestyle, so it should come as no surprise that she’s excited for the Royal Wedding!

Celebuzz chatted with the 34-year-old reality star turned fashion designer about everything from how she deals with negativity in the press, growing a “thick skin” during her second season of the Bravo show and the current relationship standings with all the other housewives:

The Royal Wedding is coming up – are you preparing anything or doing anything fun?
I’m not preparing anything, but I’m really excited about it. I’m going to drag my husband to watch it. [laughs]

What are you most excited about for the wedding?
I love everything about it. It’s so formal and elegant, and I love seeing the parade. I love the different presentations for it. I can’t wait to see her dress. It’s just all so exciting!

Do you remember anything from when Princess Diana’s wedding was going on?
I was pretty young during that time so I don’t really remember it.

On the show, you have the Alexis Couture fashion line. How is that going?
It’s going great! The episode you guys get to see it on has the photo shoot for it, so you’ll get to see the different styles. I also wear stuff on the show. I followed something that I was passion about and got someone on board with me, so I made it happen.

Is a lot of your personal style reflected in the collection?
A lot of it is. I got out of my box a little bit for some of it because I do have a partner that I’m working with. We incorporated a few pieces that aren’t my fashion but that I still love. The goal was to make it so that we have at least two pieces that every woman can wear.

What three words would you use to describe your own personal style?
Trendy, edgy, and girly. Very Sex & the City.

You’ve been on the show now for a couple of years. It what ways has your life changed since starting the show?
It’s changed a lot in the fact that when I first came on the show I was kind of naïve and thought I was going to be friends with everybody. After a season of seeing everyone’s true colors and seeing how reality television works, it put a bit of a twist for the second year. You second guess yourself more because you think about how other people will perceive it. I’ve also just decided that I need to take more risks. I was very timid and scared to be confrontational during the first year. I was worried about what America would think, but I realized people are going to have different opinions.

What is your relationship with the rest of the housewives like right now?
It’s sad because I thought with Peggy coming on we would be able to survive and get back to the friendship. We’re not really on good terms as of right now, but I’m still hopeful that something might change or that we can have a discussion and start over. I miss my friend. With Tamra, I’m just shocked at what comes out of her mouth. I was hopeful that Vicki and I could start again, but I’m hurt. I hope we can put the past behind us.

How do you deal with the negativity in the press?
I don’t even read what is in the press. I stay out of it because I know that no matter what, people are going to say negative things. If someone tells me they read something, I’m hurt at first, but I think my skin is a lot thicker this year.

Do you watch any of the other Real Housewives franchises or seasons?
Yes, I do. I watch all of the other franchises. I’m addicted. I’m not able to see everything every single week, but whenever I try to flip through them all when I have a free moment. I find it fascinating. I see why it’s popular. It’s like a soap opera.

Is there any other housewife from a different franchise that you identify with?
I don’t know if I identify with them, but there are definitely other ‘housewives’ I like. The group is kind of like a sorority. I like Kyle from Beverly Hills a lot because I think she is real. I think I can relate to her.

A lot of people would describe the show as a guilty pleasure. What is your guilty pleasure?
My biggest guilty pleasure is any peanut butter ice cream. I have my own milkshake flavor coming out for Millions of Milkshakes and that’s exciting. I also love to watch Dancing with the Stars because I love to dance. I’d love to do go on that show, my husband and I always joke that we should both go on, but I think I could kick his butt!

Now that you’ve been going to different events, is there anyone who you’ve gotten starstruck with?
I just met Joan Rivers. She’s such an icon and that was pretty amazing. I’d get starstruck by Oprah if I was in a room with her.

You already have three children, so are you planning on having any more kids anytime soon?
You know, I’d love to have another little boy. My husband is absolutely done, though. I’m hopeful maybe in a couple of years he’d like to adopt.