The Kitchen of Jillian Rose Reed

Lucky for us, we got to spend a day with actress Jillian Rose Reed (MTV's "Awkward"), and she taught us how to make popcorn-themed cupcakes! We're movie fanatics, so this is the perfect call for a movie night with your best gal pals. And after Jillian taught this fun DIY, we got to sit down with her to talk about everything going on in her busy life!

It was so fun working with you! Thanks for letting us invade your home for just a bit... It was gorgeous! Tell us, are you secretly a Martha Stewart wannabe? Because your decor is spot-on.

Thank you! It really all comes from my mom. I grew up in a gorgeous house that my mom and grandma took a lot of pride in decorating! I owe it to her, she helped me decorate my entire apartment!

And you baked some delicious cupcakes! (Can you share the recipe?) We loved the fun take on the cupcake decoration – how perfect for the movies! Are you an avid baker? What are some of your specialties?

Speaking of Martha Stewart, I actually use her recipe for Vanilla cupcakes! After I make the cupcakes, the decorating comes in. I started baking when I was younger and realized I wasn't the best cook. I figured I'd start baking because who wants to show up to a girls night with a bowl of macaroni and cheese...which is about the best I can do! For me, the fun is in the decorating, because anyone can make a cake!

My mom started my collection of cupcake decorating books when I was younger. She gave me one every Christmas or birthday, and I probably have 10-15 of them now. The popcorn cupcake is my favorite. After making the cupcakes, I just use yellow food coloring to dye half a bag of mini marshmallows and then alternate a "buttered" mallow with a white mallow. Cut the mallow in half, then stick it back together (gives it a kernel look), pile them on the cupcake and you're done!

So are you very much a DIY-kind of person? Do you read up on any blogs? I love making DIY crafts and other fun things. I use Pinterest..I get a lot of my ideas from there. Last Halloween I threw an entire DIY Halloween party with tips and tricks from Pinterest!

What are some other things you enjoy pursuing in your downtime… assuming you have any while on filming schedule! I like to exercise! I also spend a lot of time with my family and friends. We enjoy hanging out and going out to eat!

So you're on MTV's "Awkward!" It is, of course, a very dramatic show. Do you think your life is nearly comparable to the show's many twists and turns? Sometimes! Obviously, since were on TV, everything is a bit more exaggerated but I think we do a really good job of mirroring what a real high school experience was like. I can't say my life has as many twists and turns now, but it probably did when I was 16!

What’s the next step in your future? What kind of role are you dying to play? Or what type of movie/show do you want to work on – horror, romantic comedy, etc? And who with? We all have those celebrity crushes! I'm in love with comedy, so hopefully in the future I can do more of that. I would love to do a comedic movie and work with people like Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, or Sandra Bullock!

Tell us what a day in your life looks like! What are some daily routines? Outings? Anything new that you’re obsessed with? Whether about news you’re following, or bad reality shows you watch but have yet to confess? Usually I go to bed super early, so I like to get an earlier start to my day. I try to go to the gym in the morning and then it's off to work! I can't lie, when I get home I usually find myself watching Bravo...I love all of the housewives!

When you were breaking into acting, did you face objections from family or friends? Did you have any doubts starting out? What got you through? I didn't actually. My family and friends have been nothing but supportive from the start! That's one of the main reasons I've been able to stay in L.A. so long. It's really wonderful and a lot easier when you have people looking out for you.

The best piece of advice anyone has ever given you…? The best advice I've ever gotten was just to always work hard and be the best you can be. I've learned that in such a competitive industry, it's most important to always be proud of the work you're doing!

Photographed by Jessica Castro Styled by Alisa May Hair by Erika Barquinero Makeup by Jeanne San Diego

A Day with Lyndie Greenwood ("Sleepy Hollow")

Lyndie Greenwood ("Sleepy Hollow") is the kind of girl we adore. She's a major bookworm, loves to study (currently reading up on wine!), and is already coming up with some movie ideas. If she ever hosts a book club, we're signing up.

So we were shooting at the coolest bookstore in Los Angeles. Were you in awe as much as we were? Are you a total bookworm? I absolutely loved shooting at The Last Bookstore. The building itself is gorgeous, and the sheer volume of books was almost overwhelming. I love to read, and I could’ve spent many more hours exploring their collection.

Tell us about your favorite reads! What’s currently on your nightstand? Right now I’m reading Steven King’s The Dark Tower series. I’m almost finished the second book (The Drawing of the Three), and can’t wait to start the third. While reading this series, I’ve been reading various comics. My favourite comic lately has been Saga. I’ve also been reading a non-fiction book called A History of the World in 6 Glasses.

Do you live in Toronto, Canada? If so, how does Toronto compare to Los Angeles? Canada’s a pretty big country, and the culture varies from city to city just as it does in the states. I am from Toronto, and I’d say it’s sort of like a little New York. We’ve got a sort of east-coast sensibility here - a cynicism and directness that probably comes from dealing with such crap weather.

Which do you prefer? How have your trips to Los Angeles been? Any fun discoveries? I’ve been to LA twice now. I stayed for a couple months each time, so I felt I really got to know the city pretty well - although, I know there is much more to discover. I love LA for many reasons, but especially the weather and the hiking. I spent a lot of time running and reflecting in Griffith park. But I love Toronto, too. They are very different cities.

“Sleepy Hollow” films in NC and NY, right? During your downtime (if you have any!), what do you enjoy doing? Sightseeing? Any explorations lately? We actually only shoot in NC. Screen Gems studios is in Wilmington, so that’s our home base, but we’ll shoot on location in surrounding cities, too. I really like Wilmington! It’s got a fantastic food and wine culture, and tons of history. I’ve enjoyed many a nerdy tour: horse-and-buggy through the historic downtown area, walking the USS North Carolina Battleship, ghost tours. I’ve met lovely friends, and had a lot of fun going to see independent theatre, film, and live music.

Now, you’re back in Toronto! What are your current plans in the next few months? When does filming kick back in? Unfortunately, my plans for the time I have in Toronto before shooting starts again in May (one month!) are pretty boring: mostly just moving and taxes. But I get to see my family and friends in between, and my dog, so I’m happy.

Tell us how you think your character on "Sleepy Hollow" will progress in the current and next season! What has it been like to be a regular on the show now? I don’t know much about how Jenny will progress in the show. I’m really excited to get back to work, and find out! She’s been so much fun to play, and I know the writers have some cool stuff up their sleeves for her. Being a series regular feels fantastic; I basically felt like a regular last season, but having it become official gives me a lot of gratification.

How are your cast mates? We worked with a few last year and adored them! My cast mates are the best! I feel so lucky to be a part of a crew that gets along so well. It makes the long hours (and downtime, for that matter) much easier to bear.

Did you ever think you’d be in a show like “Sleepy Hollow?” Although “Nikita” is equally dramatic! I really love sci-fi, fantasy, and anything of the “speculative fiction” genre. When I saw the preview for the "Sleepy Hollow" pilot, I was really excited to watch it. It was only afterwards that I auditioned and got the role of Jennifer Mills, so I was extremely excited. I guess you could say I’ve always hoped to be on a show like Sleepy Hollow, so I feel very lucky and grateful.

You studied acting for quite a bit and at numerous schools in Toronto! Not many people really pursue professional training. What made you want to start? I didn’t pursue professional acting training until after I did an undergraduate degree in life sciences at the University of Toronto. After I graduated, I decided to try acting professionally, and quickly realized I needed some lessons! Now I love to train; I go to classes at Lewis Baumander’s acting studio whenever I have the time. I also really enjoyed studying Meisner Technique with Jason Fraser, and at Pro Actor’s Lab with John Gordon.

Looks like you’re both a dancer and martial artist! What else do you do in your spare time that we just don’t know about? Are you an avid baker? Cook? Etc? I used to study martial arts, but I don’t do as much of that anymore. In my spare time, I love to read, run, watch tv/movies, and go out for dinner with friends. I like to study things, and for the past couple years I’ve been studying wine.

Lastly, if you’re like us and love to keep up with the news, what’s caught your attention lately whether about entertainment or worldly news that you have been following?

Last night, I learned that the Vatican has been funding extensive astrobiology research for many years. They are very interested in finding our "brothers out there." Apparently, they feel that these "others" may never have fallen from original sin, and that we may have much to learn from them. I was very surprised by the whole thing, as it seems counterintuitive for creationists to believe in extraterrestrials. The whole thing is bizarre and awesome. I think someone needs to make a movie about it soon.

Photographed by Christopher Orrett Styled by Sarah Chorley Hair and Makeup by Amber Bruehl Special thanks to Katie Orphan from The Last Bookstore!

Simple Almond Butter Banana Shake

Kathy Patalsky shared us this yummy shake recipe in 2011, and of course, we want to bring it back to everyone online. This vegan shake is to die for, and is a great breakfast starter!

Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups almond milk or soymilk, vanilla flavor 2 large frozen bananas, ripe 2 heaping Tbsps almond butter 1/3 cup ice 1/4 tsp cinnamon garnish: roasted almonds "Spiced Up" Version: Add-In 1/2 tsp ginger powder, dash of cayenne, dash of nutmeg

Directions: 1. Place all ingredients in a high power blender. Blend on high until smooth and thick. 2. Pour into glasses and garnish with roasted almonds.