NYPost.com:
The newest “Real Housewives of New York” cast member is an Elvis obsessed catwalker — and she’s an actual housewife.RELATED: Back in a flash! Sonja Morgan heralds Real Housewives Of New York return by exposing her underwear
“I never in a million years thought about [doing this show],” Kristen Taekman tells The Post. The 36-year-old lives in a Tribeca pad tricked out with Elvis memorabilia with her husband, Josh Taekman — co-founder of the Eboost natural energy drinks — and their two children (son, Cash, 5 and daughter, Kingsley, 2).
“I’ve been in the mommy world for so long, which is why this show is so exciting to me,” says Taekman about “RHONY,” which kicks off its sixth season March 11 on Bravo.
“I got into the show when my daughter was a year old and [I] was just getting back into my skinny jeans and getting out,” she says. “I just kind of felt like I was just a housewife for a while, even though I was modeling.”
The Farmington, Conn. native started walking the runway when she was 14, after attending a John Casablanca modeling school in Hartford — just about the time she visited Graceland and developed a love for the King. “You either have [a love for Elvis] or you don’t. I have him,” she says explaining her over-the-top Presley devotion. She went on to model in New York and Boston and then moved to Paris to work for three years.
The blonde stunner has appeared in Australian Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Glamour and haute couture runways in Paris. She married her entrepreneur hubby almost 10 years ago, after meeting him in New York through mutual friends. They tied the knot in Key West, where her parents have a home and — despite marrying and having children — she continued to work in front of the cameras.
“I’m 36, and I’m still modeling. I modeled through my pregnancies, which was really fun,” says Taekman, who describes her own style as “Carrie Bradshaw meets Jackie Kennedy.”
Stylist Christiaan Choy, who has dressed some of the NBA’s top talent, dressed the yummy mummy for the new “Housewives” season.
In fact, before the show, Taekman had posed for fellow housewife Heather Thomson’s line of shapewear, Yummie Tummie. Thomson is an old friend of Taekman’s husband from their days working together at Bad Boy Entertainment.
But her introduction to Bravo came through “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast member Brandi Glanville, Taekman’s longtime pal. Taekman was Glanville’s reluctant plus-one to an upfronts party and caught former Bravo exec and “Watch What Happens Live” host Andy Cohen’s eye.
“Honestly, that night I went out with Brandi was the latest I had stayed out in a long time,” she says, calling the drama magnet “the best girlfriend you could ask for.”
Despite the catty nature of the show, Taekman found herself developing other great friendships, including Carole Radziwill.
“I’m closest with Heather. And I love Carole. We have a lot of mutual friends . . . Everyone was really welcoming,” she says, pausing.
“To start,” she adds with a laugh.
While Taekman says she considers her fellow “Housewives” friends, she says there were “shocks” throughout the filming. “I was shocked. When I told my mother [about incidents] she was shocked.”
And, she says, if she’s asked back, she would happily return. “I don’t have anything to hide,” she says. “I have to say, I’m one of those people that’s sort of like, ‘Why not?’ ”
After all, she’d miss out on “Housewives” colleague Ramona Singer’s own brand of Pinot Grigio.
“I gotta tell you, I’m a Sauvignon Blanc girl, and I am hooked on the Pinot Grigio. Honestly, it’s really good,” she says.
“It’s funny to sit down with Ramona and have her order herself.”
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