By: Annelise Peterson

Rachel Bilson; the brown hair, brown-eyed beauty with a girl-next-door charm that teenage audiences fell in love with in the hit television series "The O.C." and men swooned over in the romantic comedy-drama "The Last Kiss." The self-proclaimed "fashion addict," known to many as the muse of designer Brian Reyes. The 28-year-old fiancée of actor Hayden Christensen that Howard Stern named the "hottest chick in Hollywood." Talented, stylish, sweet, sexy and engaged, what's not to love (or envy) about this young woman who seems to have found the delicate balance between fame, fortune and keeping it real?

There are dozens of chic lunching meccas in Los Angeles to choose from- The Ivy on Robertson, The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Joan's on Third, but Rachel Bilson chooses to meet at The House of Pies. A historic under-the-radar haunt in Silverlake; the same diner that Charlie Kaufman frequented while writing Adaptation and Quentin Tarantino ordered his coffee at while penning Reservoir Dogs. "I just love the food here," proclaims the Los Angeles native. "I come here all the time." 

Ordering a corn-beef hash with a side of toast, Bilson possesses a potent combination of sweet and savory innocence, a kick of spicy self-confidence, a hint of humble shyness mixed with an inner-wisdom beyond her years. Petite with long bird-like limbs and small curves, she wears clothes that both conceal and flatter her just-shy-of 5'4" frame. She comes to lunch in a mini drop-waist dress, "I don't know who makes this one," slouchy Chloe ankle boots, foldable sunglasses, "the only ones I haven't lost" and carries a YSL hobo bag. She has a bohemian carefree style about her that is both captivating and comforting yet seems unaffected by the fame or pressures of Hollywood- or the fact that about a dozen paparazzi lurk patiently outside for her departure. She doesn't seem to notice the gaggle of teenage girls to her left who stare incessantly her way in hopes of scoring an autograph (which she later offers up with a generous smile). And what Hollywood fad diet permits white bread and fried beef? "I love to cook. My dad is Jewish so I have recipes for briskets from him. My mother's side is Italian and my grandmother was amazing in the kitchen, so I have all her Italian recipes as well." Good home-cooked food and attending to family are obviously a focal point for Bilson, "I love baking cakes, for no reason. Sometimes when I am at home relaxing, I will go in the kitchen, bake a cake, and make whoever is around try it." Bilson admits to watching The Food Network for hours on end and to being a huge fan of Top Chef. "I personally don't watch reality television, but shows like Top Chef and Project Runway are really just people exercising their passions" she says, "Actually, I was asked to judge an episode of Project Runway along with Max Azria, which was fun and kind of intimidating at the same time." 

The multi-talented Bilson is obviously no amateur in the kitchen nor when it comes to playing in the fashion closet. In 2008, Bilson joined forces with DKNY Jeans to launch a capsule collection, Edie Rose, named after her Grandmother and best friend. "I love clothes, I love fashion, I love that whole world," says Rachel, "ever since I was a little girl. It is a form of expression and creativity and clothes can make you feel a certain way." Bilson notes Brian Reyes, Rodarte, and Zac Posen as a few of her favorite designers. "Right now, I am putting my focus elsewhere - on my acting career and my personal life - but it is definitely something I will always be interested in. There is a time and a place for everything." 

When asked how she keeps the body that Maxim magazine named sixth in their 2005 "Hot 100 List" in sample size form, she admits (with a hint of guilt) to eating whatever she craves and having no strict exercise regime. "I walk my dog..." she hesitates, "I can't go to an exercise class," she finally admits, "because I embarrass myself beyond belief. I will make a mess and spill everything. I will walk in to a wall. I will trip. I am the kind of person that turns on music and dances in my bedroom and then someone walks in..." she says with a grin as if it's happened numerous times under awkward circumstances. Honest and endearing, Rachel Bilson maintains that fun-loving girl-next-door charm. She is just self-deprecating enough to force you to see beyond her immediate beauty and make you want her as your best friend.

Although Bilson shies away from the subject of her personal life and engagement to actor and former co-star Hayden Christensen that she met on the set of Doug Liman's thriller Jumper, she clearly has no plans to for a grand Hollywood affair. "The thought of walking down the aisle in a big wedding terrifies me. I find attention in any way nerve racking." Preferring intimate family gatherings to large public affairs, Bilson seems focused on her film career for the moment. "I just finished New York, I Love You," a city that she admits she may trade her native Los Angeles roots for - at least for a little while. "People attend to their own business in New York. You can still get work and be in "the business" in New York, yet have a more normal life." Although her "heroes" are comedians Lucille Ball for being a pioneer in Hollywood and Larry David for being "the modern day Lucille Ball," Bilson looks up to actresses like Kate Winslett, Sandra Bullock and Reese Witherspoon who have managed to find a balance in their personal lives while achieving significant success and career accolades over the years.

"It's hard to say ‘I want this.' You kind of have to pave your own way."

Photographed and Styled By: Hellin Kay
Hair By: Davy Newkirk
Make-up By: Troy Jensen