This week on Princesses: Long Island we saw friendships strengthened and broken as the girls took sides on the rift between Joey and Ashlee that has been widening since the first episode. We also got a look at new relationships as both Amanda and Erica prepare to take things to the next step while Chanel tries to just get through a first date. Nevertheless there was plenty of drama to go around, so let's dive right into the newest episode of Princesses, "Who Are You, the Pope?".
This week we saw Joey, Erica and Amanda create somewhat of an alliance when Joey reached out about her issues with Ashlee. I find Joey and Erica perfectly suited to be best buds, as they share a kinship of not really caring about other people's feelings, after Joey was so apathetic to Amanda's pleads for help in the first episode, when Amanda and Jeff were being socially accosted by Joey's strange "facebook pal", I find Amanda to be a strange fit. Joey complained about her encounters with Ashlee and went off about being so offended by being called a bad person. This is so hypocritical because she went out of her way to butt in to Ashlee and Chanel's conversation with a potential suitor and publicly said she mas mortified by Ashlee's behavior, then after everyone at speed dating was offended by Joey's actions she again publicly called them out spouting nasty comments, and finally at Amanda's launch party she walked over Ashlee, called her "Mama Dukes" and continued to accost her throughout the night. Why is it okay for Joey to constantly say nasty things, but because she thinks her comments are funny she casts Ashlee as the mean one? They also touched on the subject that Ashlee had sent texts to both Erica and Amanda warning them about Joey. I think this got widely misinterpreted. Just like Joey reached out to them, Ashlee did the same with hurt feelings and concern that Joey would turn on them just as she bullied her. Although Joey paraphrased the text messages to make it seem like Ashlee was instructing the girls to stay away from Joey, if you pay attention to what the actual message was that is not what she said. Instead it was a warning to her friends, so they wouldn't get hurt, rather than a rule or statement not to associate with her.
Joey decided to try to meet Ashlee to work out their differences and I was appalled at Joey's actions. While I think that Ashlee does come off as an elitist, as her overconfidence makes up for her insecurities about her height, I think that she gave Joey a fair number of chances before she began looking down on her. Joey however, came off as a bully repeatedly interrupting Ashlee, putting words into her mouth, and the straw that broke the camel's back was when she called Ashlee "funny looking". Ashlee tried her best to enlighten Joey of her mean girl ways, but Joey didn't even try to hear her out and with the attitude she brought with her I don't even know why she made the meeting if she wasn't even going to try. She then followed Ashlee out of the restaurant, still verbally accosting her, and did a complete change of attitude from bully to victim in record time by ultimately calling Amanda and breaking down into tears. Joey suffers from her own insecurities about coming from less money, she puts on a tough girl act and repeatedly makes jabs but when Ashlee and others don't find that personality to be charming she is severely emotionally hurt because her underlining feelings of not measuring up come out. It didn't help that Joey's actions made Ashlee feel disgusted and like Joey was classless thus she acted in an "I'm better than you way" which resulted in pulling out Joey's biggest insecurity. They all have issues, everyone does, but Joey needs to understand that her actions aren't helping her fit in they're hurting her and if she doesn't stop acting like a bull and charging at people more will be hurt by her words.
With Ashlee and Casey quickly forming a bond, it was time to meet the parents. Although the awkward environment of treating Casey like she was a new boyfriend, Ashlee's parents seemed to enjoy her company and were pleased that their daughter found a genuine friend. While talk about Joey pursued, overall it was a good meal and a positive step towards their new friendship.
We also saw Amanda interacting with Jeff's parents and other than her non-kosher faux pas they seem to interact well with hopes of a promising family unit one day. Since the beginning of the season we have seen Amanda and Jeff's undying love and while Amanda insists publicly that they are getting married, she doesn't have a ring or a proposal and I have never heard Jeff claim the same. Nevertheless they seem very much in love, and they tell each other so every two seconds, even though they have only been in a relationship for a short while. Amanda complains to Erica that her mom Babs, while fun and a friend, doesn't act like a mother figure enough. However, when Amanda brings up the idea of her marrying Jeff, Babs takes to her role easily protesting that they haven't been together long enough and, though she likes him, it takes more time to really know someone. Instead of seeing this as motherly advice, as being a mother means you don't always say what your child wants to hear, but rather jealously that her daughter is in a relationship and she isn't. I think Babs' comments come from a place of love and experience and since we are yet to see any deep conversations or even a petty rift, I would have to agree that it is vital they actually talk about their needs, wants, dreams, anything instead of constantly complimenting one another before they take the plunge.
Rather than to begin to work on their relationship issues, party less and become more committed to each other, Erica and Rob decide to move in together. While this is a common step today amongst younger lovers, it's certainly not the step of a "princess" atop that we aren't talking about a one bedroom apartment like my husband and I started out in, Rob is looking to buy a million dollar starter house for a relationship already on the rocks. Although Erica's faithfulness had come into question in every episode, it's a huge step forward for her to even consider this type of commitment. Erica's comments on pregnancy prove she is nowhere near ready to have a child, even my husband who overheard her fears of pregnancy commented that she shouldn't be a mother. While I don't want to make as broad a statement as that, if her concerns about pregnancy are as self-centered as getting fat, swollen ankles and the condition of her vagina then she has no idea how much actually comes after the birth, that loving, caring and raising children makes all your needs come last.
Luckily Chanel's love life is looking up as her sister sets her up with the best man to be at her wedding. While he's cute and very into Chanel, the sparks don't seem to fly. One thing that surprised me was that there seems to be two sides to her; there is CoCo the fun outgoing bomb on the dance floor and then there is Chanel much more shy and reserved making it hard for them to strike up a good conversation. I was also a bit taken back by the idea that Chanel (and Ashlee) aren't well trained in the home life. Although they live with their parents now, the whole idea is to meet a man, get married and have kids. For this they should be learning how to cook, clean and be prepared to become mothers, however not only are they naive to the concept (Ashlee can't set a table or even steam broccoli) they seem against it. For example, when Chanel's date talks about wanting a woman to care for him at home since he works so hard, this idea seemed to disgust her and completely turn her away from him ever becoming a serious love interest.
Overall I think the telephone game is a horrible happening on these shows as everything gets misinterpreted and some always gets hurt. I also believe that Joey needs a filter between her brain and her mouth as even I saw her actions as classless and hurtful and I'm no princess! Chanel and Ashlee clearly need to decide which path to take; learn how to be a good housewife or decide to be a working woman and get a job and finally Erica needs, well she needs far too much for me to sum up in one sentence. The catfights continue and I can't wait to see the result! Watch Princesses: Long Island Sundays on Bravo and check back here for recaps, reviews and interpretations of each episode here! Enjoy!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
Princesses: Coco Loco!
This week on Princesses: Long Island we saw changes in friendships, relationships and even personalities! "Coco Loco" didn't skimp on any of the drama we've fallen in love with, as you can ascertain by the title, and has me waiting anything but patiently for Sundays. Let's dive right into this episode of Princesses: Long Island!
Channel's little sister's big day is coming up which has ignited mixed feelings. While Channel is happy for her sister to be married, the pressure on her is just intensified. This week we saw Channel, her sister, and her mother going wedding dress shopping (only one part of the enormous amount of planning Channel is at the center of). When they introduced themselves to the clerk she asked if Channel was the younger sister, which to some might be considered a compliment but to Channel it just brought up a wave of emotions. To top it off their mother was constantly commenting on how she's dreamt of this day and how she cannot wait for Channel's wedding day as well. This could be interpreted as motherly confidence, she's sure that the day will soon arrive, but to Channel it just brought up more stress and was a reminder of her feelings of failure - not only by not being the first to marry, but also that she has no real prospects. While Channel's wedding day might be a little further off than she hopes, I really do believe that she will soon find love.
With Channel being to stressed over the wedding planning, she backed out of a speed dating event and Joey was chosen to take her place. Although I had high hopes for Casey, Ashlee and Joey, unfortunately no suitors were found and an already shaky friendship was completely shattered. The men were nothing short of awkward, but it was Joey who took the cake on unrefined behavior that not only shocked the potential suitors but also her companions. I understand a little humor, but Joey came off as tasteless, unhinged and "low class" with her questions about the men's penis size, their previous sexual partners and more. It got to the point where Casey and Ashlee were embarrassed to even be associated with her. In my original review of the show I named Joey the South Beach girl, whose attitude is a front for her insecurities from not coming from a wealthy family, and rather than breaking through that stereotype she is solidifying it. Her strong-woman attitude doesn't make the girls see her as one of them, it makes them think she is classless. She should just be herself and if I'm wrong and that is who she is deep down, it's not very deep as her comments are offensive and her actions don't make her part of their circle, they exclude her from it. In total the speed dating was a disaster and while Ashlee got a date out of it, between her father Hal's meet and greet like it's prom night and the obvious incompatibility, the experience turned out to be a complete failure.
Joey was shone in a positive light when out with Erica supposedly to help Joey meet a man, but instead she acted like Erica's babysitter trying to keep her from jumping on every man they met. While at this point everyone has told Erica that this type of behavior is not appropriate, especially with a boyfriend, she still doesn't seem to get the picture: flirting with anyone in reaching distance and giving her number to random men she just met is not okay. However, we did find out at the end of this episode, that after some kind of drunken binge, Rob helped pull her through and she had made the decision to actually commit, or as she puts it "after sitting on the pot for so long you have to chose whether to shit or get up and she's shitting". While I'm happy she's finally settling down, only time will tell if she will actually tone down her partying ways or like the cheating girlfriend just become the cheating spouse.
Amanda held an unusual launch party for the Drink Hanky that became a tumultuous evening for everyone. A few strange things about her event were; it was held at a salon, it was totally financed by the owner, and while at normal launch parties gift bags with the product are given to the invitees, the Drink Hanky's were being pushed on everyone to purchase. Nevertheless it was a success as they sold more than their goal. Unfortunately, Amanda's good fortune didn't keep everyone happy for long as during the party on the dance floor Channel claimed there was a woman taking ice chips out of her cup and throwing them at her which was followed by the woman tossing her entire drink in Channel's face. Channel went off like a switch and charged like a dog without a leash at the woman causing a plethora of people to tear them apart. When the girls tried to calm her down, Channel was clearly disappointed by her behavior and everyone chalked it up to the stress of her sister's wedding. Afterwards, when Channel was obviously upset and the owner was furious asking people to get out of his shop, Joey worsened the situation by acting immaturely in an attempt to give Ashlee a taste of her own medicine. While Ashlee was trying to diffuse the situation and directing everyone to back off, Joey ignored her and pushed her way through practically walking over Ashlee to get information about what was happening from Amanda. She is just so rude! All in all everyone went back outside which yielded Channel fighting with the same woman compounded with Joey yelling at Ashlee, only making the situation worse, until Channel and Ashlee left while the others continued to party. Success and failure were blended into a night that was nothing short of interesting.
This week's episode, Coco Loco, was a fusion of a never-before seen side of Channel and the obnoxious side of Joey we've become accustomed to. I look forward to seeing if Erica keeps her word and how the dynamics of the group change with Casey and Ashlee being done with Joey. We'll have to wait and see on Sunday's new episode of Bravo's east-coast hit, Princesses: Long Island!
Channel's little sister's big day is coming up which has ignited mixed feelings. While Channel is happy for her sister to be married, the pressure on her is just intensified. This week we saw Channel, her sister, and her mother going wedding dress shopping (only one part of the enormous amount of planning Channel is at the center of). When they introduced themselves to the clerk she asked if Channel was the younger sister, which to some might be considered a compliment but to Channel it just brought up a wave of emotions. To top it off their mother was constantly commenting on how she's dreamt of this day and how she cannot wait for Channel's wedding day as well. This could be interpreted as motherly confidence, she's sure that the day will soon arrive, but to Channel it just brought up more stress and was a reminder of her feelings of failure - not only by not being the first to marry, but also that she has no real prospects. While Channel's wedding day might be a little further off than she hopes, I really do believe that she will soon find love.
With Channel being to stressed over the wedding planning, she backed out of a speed dating event and Joey was chosen to take her place. Although I had high hopes for Casey, Ashlee and Joey, unfortunately no suitors were found and an already shaky friendship was completely shattered. The men were nothing short of awkward, but it was Joey who took the cake on unrefined behavior that not only shocked the potential suitors but also her companions. I understand a little humor, but Joey came off as tasteless, unhinged and "low class" with her questions about the men's penis size, their previous sexual partners and more. It got to the point where Casey and Ashlee were embarrassed to even be associated with her. In my original review of the show I named Joey the South Beach girl, whose attitude is a front for her insecurities from not coming from a wealthy family, and rather than breaking through that stereotype she is solidifying it. Her strong-woman attitude doesn't make the girls see her as one of them, it makes them think she is classless. She should just be herself and if I'm wrong and that is who she is deep down, it's not very deep as her comments are offensive and her actions don't make her part of their circle, they exclude her from it. In total the speed dating was a disaster and while Ashlee got a date out of it, between her father Hal's meet and greet like it's prom night and the obvious incompatibility, the experience turned out to be a complete failure.
Joey was shone in a positive light when out with Erica supposedly to help Joey meet a man, but instead she acted like Erica's babysitter trying to keep her from jumping on every man they met. While at this point everyone has told Erica that this type of behavior is not appropriate, especially with a boyfriend, she still doesn't seem to get the picture: flirting with anyone in reaching distance and giving her number to random men she just met is not okay. However, we did find out at the end of this episode, that after some kind of drunken binge, Rob helped pull her through and she had made the decision to actually commit, or as she puts it "after sitting on the pot for so long you have to chose whether to shit or get up and she's shitting". While I'm happy she's finally settling down, only time will tell if she will actually tone down her partying ways or like the cheating girlfriend just become the cheating spouse.
Amanda held an unusual launch party for the Drink Hanky that became a tumultuous evening for everyone. A few strange things about her event were; it was held at a salon, it was totally financed by the owner, and while at normal launch parties gift bags with the product are given to the invitees, the Drink Hanky's were being pushed on everyone to purchase. Nevertheless it was a success as they sold more than their goal. Unfortunately, Amanda's good fortune didn't keep everyone happy for long as during the party on the dance floor Channel claimed there was a woman taking ice chips out of her cup and throwing them at her which was followed by the woman tossing her entire drink in Channel's face. Channel went off like a switch and charged like a dog without a leash at the woman causing a plethora of people to tear them apart. When the girls tried to calm her down, Channel was clearly disappointed by her behavior and everyone chalked it up to the stress of her sister's wedding. Afterwards, when Channel was obviously upset and the owner was furious asking people to get out of his shop, Joey worsened the situation by acting immaturely in an attempt to give Ashlee a taste of her own medicine. While Ashlee was trying to diffuse the situation and directing everyone to back off, Joey ignored her and pushed her way through practically walking over Ashlee to get information about what was happening from Amanda. She is just so rude! All in all everyone went back outside which yielded Channel fighting with the same woman compounded with Joey yelling at Ashlee, only making the situation worse, until Channel and Ashlee left while the others continued to party. Success and failure were blended into a night that was nothing short of interesting.
This week's episode, Coco Loco, was a fusion of a never-before seen side of Channel and the obnoxious side of Joey we've become accustomed to. I look forward to seeing if Erica keeps her word and how the dynamics of the group change with Casey and Ashlee being done with Joey. We'll have to wait and see on Sunday's new episode of Bravo's east-coast hit, Princesses: Long Island!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Property Envy & Interior Therapy
This Tuesday Bravo premiered two shows both starring the foul mouthed, eccentric, hypercritical prankster, Jeff Lewis. While Interior Therapy is no stranger to Bravo, Property Envy is brand new to the network. Both shows revolve around the world of real estate as Jeff Lewis is a well-known house flipper, interior designer and now he even has his own paint line. Now watching Bravo on Tuesdays is like watching HGTV with a little snare. So let's dive into Bravo's home night with Property Envy and Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis.
While Jeff also stars in Flipping Out, a show that revolves around his business and personal issues, Interior Therapy is just as much about each episode's crazy new client as it is about Jeff. Each week Jeff and his assistant Jenny visit a new home that suffers from décor issues equally matched with the owners' personal problems. They pick a room or area to renovate and attempt to not only reveal a stunning new space but also improve the lives of their clients. While Jeff is persnickety and clashing with the clients is to be expected, his sharp tongue and willingness to say anything, no matter how offensive, makes the show humorous to watch in addition to its exceptional reveals. I would have to advise you to tune in! If you're into home improvement shows you get that plus so much more! The personality clashes are entertaining to watch and even with Jeff's off the cuff comments it still provides a feel-good ending to see not only their home but their lives a little bit better after the team leaves.
Property Envy is all about spectacular homes across America and the expert panel comprised of Mary McDonald (Million Dollar Decorators), Jeff Lewis (Flipping Out) and Brandie Maylay (real estate expert) who tour the country's most unique and most expensive homes giving their thoughts and their price tags. While the cast brings the show some much needed humor and lightens it up a bit, it reminds me of something on PBS at 2am. It's boring! Yes we get to peek into some spectacular real estate and they try to spice it up by adding a few games, but overall it is incredibly slow and not what I'm used to from Bravo. This is a genre that a lot of people like but it strays way off the beaten path from the normal drama we love from this station. However, if you are interested in short clips of various over-the-top housing Property Envy is for you.
When it comes down to it, I probably won't keep up with Property Envy because it's just not my cup of tea. Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis however, brings viewer tons of drama, laughs and awesome remodels so it's a home run. Tune in to Tuesdays on Bravo's to see both shows on their night dedicated to real estate and more importantly, Jeff Lewis. Enjoy!
While Jeff also stars in Flipping Out, a show that revolves around his business and personal issues, Interior Therapy is just as much about each episode's crazy new client as it is about Jeff. Each week Jeff and his assistant Jenny visit a new home that suffers from décor issues equally matched with the owners' personal problems. They pick a room or area to renovate and attempt to not only reveal a stunning new space but also improve the lives of their clients. While Jeff is persnickety and clashing with the clients is to be expected, his sharp tongue and willingness to say anything, no matter how offensive, makes the show humorous to watch in addition to its exceptional reveals. I would have to advise you to tune in! If you're into home improvement shows you get that plus so much more! The personality clashes are entertaining to watch and even with Jeff's off the cuff comments it still provides a feel-good ending to see not only their home but their lives a little bit better after the team leaves.
Property Envy is all about spectacular homes across America and the expert panel comprised of Mary McDonald (Million Dollar Decorators), Jeff Lewis (Flipping Out) and Brandie Maylay (real estate expert) who tour the country's most unique and most expensive homes giving their thoughts and their price tags. While the cast brings the show some much needed humor and lightens it up a bit, it reminds me of something on PBS at 2am. It's boring! Yes we get to peek into some spectacular real estate and they try to spice it up by adding a few games, but overall it is incredibly slow and not what I'm used to from Bravo. This is a genre that a lot of people like but it strays way off the beaten path from the normal drama we love from this station. However, if you are interested in short clips of various over-the-top housing Property Envy is for you.
When it comes down to it, I probably won't keep up with Property Envy because it's just not my cup of tea. Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis however, brings viewer tons of drama, laughs and awesome remodels so it's a home run. Tune in to Tuesdays on Bravo's to see both shows on their night dedicated to real estate and more importantly, Jeff Lewis. Enjoy!
Below Deck: All the Work You Never See
Bravo's new show, Below Deck, follows a luxury yacht as it wines, dines, entertains and transports high end clients for high end dollars. This almost 200 foot yacht, The Honor, consists of a crew with: three girls who act as the maid service, the hostesses and the waitresses, a personal chef, three male deck hands, the illustrious captain and his right hand man who all work around the clock on private charters. Yes, it's a bit like Gilligan's Island and there is no shortage of crazy on Below Deck.
Adrienne is the head stewardess, followed by 2nd and 3rd stewardesses Kat and Samantha. While Adrienne is accused of being the uptight boss, if anything goes wrong it falls on her. Kat plays out as the younger Kim Richards (RHOBH), a ditsy, fun-loving, slightly alcoholic, quirky blonde who always gets her job done while Samantha is a pain. Constantly second guessing orders and talking back to her boss, she is a spoiled self-righteous child who thinks that growing up on a yacht means she understands the needs below deck. I think that because she has a degree in engineering she holds herself higher than the others and took the job thinking it would be an easy break from the monotonous day-to-day. In the show's first two episodes we find her napping, complaining she hasn't had a break for a shower or dinner and just not comprehending that during a charter they get paid ridiculous amounts of money to work 24 hours a day, then between clients have the freedom to do as they please. Work hard - play hard, she just doesn't seem to understand the former. I would never speak to my boss the way Samantha speaks to Adrienne, and while Adrienne may be a perfectionist and have high standards, so does her boss Captain Lee who won't hesitate to come down on her if the job isn't done right. A great example of this was in the latest episode when Adrienne went to pick up more vegetables as their hypnotist clients had upwards of 15 "green" smoothies a day. She said she doesn't trust anyone else to get the job done right and while she is gone Sam and Kat can't even figure out how to work the espresso machine, leaving the guests without their morning coffee. I mean how can you blame her? She takes her eyes off them for a second and all goes to hell. While Adrienne might need to let loose the reins a bit, Samantha needs to understand that she is new to this and should be learning from Adrienne's expertise rather than challenging it.
The deck hands are comprised of Eddie, David and C.J and they are responsible for the care of the boat. While there are fewer issues on the boys' side, C.J. also encounters some problems with following the rules. He is perfect for Samantha as neither one seems to understand authority. Although everyone on the boat tells him working without a shirt is unprofessional, including Captain Lee, he continues to defy them claiming he looks good without a shirt and the more they tell him the more he is going to work topless. I just can't stand the lack of respect, it might be a fun job but it's a job nonetheless. Ben is the laid back personal chef who is constantly concocting new dishes that always please the clients. He is lucky as he has no real boss or staff to care for. Finally Lucas is the co-captain and, while a captain himself, he understands his place in the boat's hierarchy and is happy to please Captain Lee. Maybe Samantha should take a page from Lucas's book as even though he has experience, which Samantha does not, he still follows the boss's orders and we haven't found him challenging his superior once.
Below Deck is an interesting new show and I haven't quite decided whether it will become a regular for me. I like the aspect of having new charters with new clients in each episode, but I am less interested in their life off the boat. The drama living and working in close quarters is no stranger to me and tensions can run high, which gives Below Deck a lot of potential. I will just hang on for the ride and see where Bravo takes us in this new type of reality drama we haven't seen before. As always Bravo managed to find a profession and a crazy group of people working it, that takes us into places we've never seen before, heck never even thought of before, with Below Deck.
Adrienne is the head stewardess, followed by 2nd and 3rd stewardesses Kat and Samantha. While Adrienne is accused of being the uptight boss, if anything goes wrong it falls on her. Kat plays out as the younger Kim Richards (RHOBH), a ditsy, fun-loving, slightly alcoholic, quirky blonde who always gets her job done while Samantha is a pain. Constantly second guessing orders and talking back to her boss, she is a spoiled self-righteous child who thinks that growing up on a yacht means she understands the needs below deck. I think that because she has a degree in engineering she holds herself higher than the others and took the job thinking it would be an easy break from the monotonous day-to-day. In the show's first two episodes we find her napping, complaining she hasn't had a break for a shower or dinner and just not comprehending that during a charter they get paid ridiculous amounts of money to work 24 hours a day, then between clients have the freedom to do as they please. Work hard - play hard, she just doesn't seem to understand the former. I would never speak to my boss the way Samantha speaks to Adrienne, and while Adrienne may be a perfectionist and have high standards, so does her boss Captain Lee who won't hesitate to come down on her if the job isn't done right. A great example of this was in the latest episode when Adrienne went to pick up more vegetables as their hypnotist clients had upwards of 15 "green" smoothies a day. She said she doesn't trust anyone else to get the job done right and while she is gone Sam and Kat can't even figure out how to work the espresso machine, leaving the guests without their morning coffee. I mean how can you blame her? She takes her eyes off them for a second and all goes to hell. While Adrienne might need to let loose the reins a bit, Samantha needs to understand that she is new to this and should be learning from Adrienne's expertise rather than challenging it.
The deck hands are comprised of Eddie, David and C.J and they are responsible for the care of the boat. While there are fewer issues on the boys' side, C.J. also encounters some problems with following the rules. He is perfect for Samantha as neither one seems to understand authority. Although everyone on the boat tells him working without a shirt is unprofessional, including Captain Lee, he continues to defy them claiming he looks good without a shirt and the more they tell him the more he is going to work topless. I just can't stand the lack of respect, it might be a fun job but it's a job nonetheless. Ben is the laid back personal chef who is constantly concocting new dishes that always please the clients. He is lucky as he has no real boss or staff to care for. Finally Lucas is the co-captain and, while a captain himself, he understands his place in the boat's hierarchy and is happy to please Captain Lee. Maybe Samantha should take a page from Lucas's book as even though he has experience, which Samantha does not, he still follows the boss's orders and we haven't found him challenging his superior once.
Below Deck is an interesting new show and I haven't quite decided whether it will become a regular for me. I like the aspect of having new charters with new clients in each episode, but I am less interested in their life off the boat. The drama living and working in close quarters is no stranger to me and tensions can run high, which gives Below Deck a lot of potential. I will just hang on for the ride and see where Bravo takes us in this new type of reality drama we haven't seen before. As always Bravo managed to find a profession and a crazy group of people working it, that takes us into places we've never seen before, heck never even thought of before, with Below Deck.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Bravo Blast!
Check back tomorrow for a Bravo Blast when I release my latest Real Housewives of New Jersey, Princesses: Long Island, Below Deck, Property Envy, & Interior Therapy Reviews! Come on...you gotta do it!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
The Latest form The Princesses: Intermenschion
So, first let me apologize that this is coming out so late in the week, I've had some DVR issues and an unusually busy schedule. But enough with my excuses, let's dive into this episode of Princesses: Long Island, Intermenschion, because there was some hilarious content, new personality discoveries, and interesting business ideas that are just begging to be written down!
This week we saw Erica falling down the slippery slope. While in the beginning I wasn't sure how she would play out, it has become crystal clear that she hasn't changed since high school. After betraying her boyfriend at the club in the previous episode, we see him try to have a serious conversation about their relationship. While he makes it clear that he wants to settle down, a partnership that is going somewhere, a faithful girlfriend who will someday be his wife and the mother of his children she just buffs him off and strings him along. Erica claims he is bugging her to much, she is smothered and if she needs a few days or a few weeks to herself she should get that. Sure, in a casual relationship but not in one heading towards marriage. She also toots her own horn quite a bit about being a fun, attractive, outgoing girl so of course guys are going to hit on and text her. This is why she will always be the mistress. She basically whores herself out there getting drunk, giving out her number to random men, flirting with anyone in reach and hooking up with people she just met in a club bathroom. Unlike the other Princesses she isn't looking for Mr. Right, she is looking for Mr. Right Now and poor Rob is being strung along as a back-up plan for when those guys are with there real girlfriends. You ever wonder why Beyoncé changed her music from "Bug a Boo" to "Put a Ring on It"? She grew up! Rob even gave her an out, saying that if she wasn't serious they should just stop, but she weaseled out of the conversation claiming she needed time, food and rest before she re-addressed the issue. I think that she is just holding onto him so he's there when she wants him and invisible when she's with someone else. I also believe her need to constantly compliment herself, like it's not her fault guys like her, atop of holding onto Rob when she's just not that into him, stems from some insecurity in which the boys, the drugs and the alcohol drown out. They make her that "it girl" again, when deep down she knows she's not. Erica's reckless behavior reaches out to her friendships this week when she had plans with Channel and Amanda to go out to help Channel get over her ex and out there again but she ditched them with little explanation or communication. Then when all the girls planned a breakfast together, she didn't bother showing up or calling for that either. I understand that Erica wants to have fun, and when did "29 become the new 34", but she is doing it at the price of her friends and her boyfriend. Erica is all about Erica and just like when she stole Casey's boyfriend in high school she doesn't care who she hurts along the way. She is also at a point where too much partying is damaging her image, her relationships and herself. Everyone in Long Island seems to realize that Erica has hit this low and in an effort to help Casey and Channel plan a mini-vention to try to bring her into the light everyone else is seeing her in.
I would have to classify this "intervention" as an Epic Fail. Erica is not the sharpest crayon in the box and Channel and Casey's surprise visit and beating around the bush didn't help at all. It was both laugh-out-loud funny and painful to watch as Erica's ADD kicked in the minute she opened the door and was over the whole thing, I believe that's what they call denial. Casey's references to stars dying in bathtubs and Channel's comments on her eggs going bad made it clear no one in that room was having the same conversation. I get it, Channel was addressing the fact that it's time for Erica to lay down the bottle and start looking for a husband and Casey was addressing the dangers of Erica's partying. They probably should have rehearsed the situation and got on the same page before trying to kindly lay it out for Erica, but while it was not effective at least it was entertaining. After they left the failed intervention Erica's conversation with her mother shed a lot of light on where Erica got her personality. Rather than having any concern that her daughter's friends are worried about her drinking and partying, she just agrees with her daughter goading her on about how it's so high school for them to gang up on her even though the whole group wanted to do an intervention and they chose the less invasive approach. Her mom also comments about that's how girls are always bitching and complaining and it's so much better to have guy friends, I agree with the statement completely but there is a difference in having guy friends and leaning on, hitting on and hooking up with random guys for support. A bitchy girlfriend is still better than a one night stand. While it was hard to discern what the intervention was about, Erica got a bit of the message about her partying and ditching her friends but just gave excuses and her mother strangely backed them up. Anyhow it wasn't a huge disaster like some of the girls thought when Casey decided to participate but it was just blown off and now that Erica's friend, boyfriend and even her frienemy told her she has an issue in this episode, maybe it's time to stop making excuses and realize your doing something wrong.
This week we also got to take a look into two of the girls' business ventures and I must say they were both interesting. Amanda has her brand the Drink Hanky, a fashionable cover for your to go beverages. It's a unique idea and I admire that she really takes a hands on approach to all aspects of her company. Her best friend and male twin helps with the creative aspect and the photography, she sews them herself, which I'm sure will change when they are mass produced, and she didn't take herself too seriously when it came to the photo-shoot. Turning the obnoxious construction noise into an impromptu picture opportunity in the street was awesome. Her work is fun and it's even a better idea than structured shoots because it shows her using the product in an everyday situation which is the point. I didn't think she would, but Amanda is growing on me. I think it is seeing her away from boyfriend Jeff and in situations where she; is a supporting daughter with a girls night out for Babs, showing disapproval and a strong moral fiber with Erica, being a caring friend in Channel's time of need, a loving and respectful girlfriend when out on the town and a savvy fun business woman attempting to launch her own creation to the world. We also see Joey working on her brand the Kissamint, a duel chapstick/breath freshener, which just doesn't do it for me. I don't think it is a great idea and opposed to Amanda's home-based business, Joey is throwing a lot of money into a market that is already flooded with every kind of lipstick, lipgloss, chapstick, breath mint etc.. In addition instead of working with friends in a low-cost environment, she has partnered up with an executive and instead of taking his inputs seriously, she ignores his advice, challenges his ideas and complains constantly about his personality - so why is she paying him? His ideas are good, valid and better than her own when it comes to the fact that she named the chapstick/breath freshener hybrid Kissamint but doesn't want it associated with kissing. I am not sure who she plans on marketing this to, she claims it is the business woman who can go to a meeting and freshen up, but I'm sure she is using name brand lipsticks for all her scenes and not some mid-level chapstick just because it has Mentos attached to it. Joey's dad also questions her business decisions and I have to say on this front I feel for her. It's devastating always trying to please a parent and nothing is good enough. I've dealt with this my whole life. I was an awesome student, in all AP classes at the top prep school and so advanced in math I did duel enrolment at my local college as a junior, never got into any trouble but when I asked to go see a special one-time midnight showing of a movie got denied. It felt intolerable! I've learned from it and realized a lot of my parents concerns were well founded but also that their expectations were astronomical and make different choices for my own kids. I'm not even Joey's age and have come to the realization that parents say and do these things because they care, they are not always the best messengers, but it's a good message. I agree that Joey's approach to her business is all wrong and she is dumping a lot of money that will only go big from its Bravo advertising if that. It's not a great concept or business model, but you never know maybe a mid-rate chapstick with a breath mint on the other end will be the next big fad. While Amanda has won me over, Joey is still a thorn in my side putting everyone down with a tough girl front while refusing advice from all sides.
Finally we saw some Casey and Ashlee bonding as they shopped for heels, Ashlee's own therapy for her height impediment. They are awesome! They always make me smile and have found a perfect symbiotic relationship, where Casey loves Ashlee's humorous personality that keeps her smiling and Ashlee appreciates Casey's genuine nature. If one of them was a man it would be a match made in heaven! While Ashlee flirts openly and lightheartedly with every cute man, she still calls home to daddy to approve her $5000 spree. The funny thing was, when Ashlee said she needed to call the boss before making her purchase, the clerk new it was her dad! I guess she just oozes "paid for by parents", but she gets away with it with her lovable personality and approachability rather than a stuck up heiress. Kudos and lots of love for these two!
Overall this was a great episode and we saw some new sides to the girls that we haven't seen before. While some are shattering their stereotypes, others are playing right into them and I'm about to lose hope. I'm excited to see what's to come and you should be too, as Princesses: Long Island does to the east what Shahs of Sunset did for the west; although they all share the common bond of living the traditional Jewish way, finding a man and making a name for themselves they all do it their own way, on their own time and with their own attitude.
This week we saw Erica falling down the slippery slope. While in the beginning I wasn't sure how she would play out, it has become crystal clear that she hasn't changed since high school. After betraying her boyfriend at the club in the previous episode, we see him try to have a serious conversation about their relationship. While he makes it clear that he wants to settle down, a partnership that is going somewhere, a faithful girlfriend who will someday be his wife and the mother of his children she just buffs him off and strings him along. Erica claims he is bugging her to much, she is smothered and if she needs a few days or a few weeks to herself she should get that. Sure, in a casual relationship but not in one heading towards marriage. She also toots her own horn quite a bit about being a fun, attractive, outgoing girl so of course guys are going to hit on and text her. This is why she will always be the mistress. She basically whores herself out there getting drunk, giving out her number to random men, flirting with anyone in reach and hooking up with people she just met in a club bathroom. Unlike the other Princesses she isn't looking for Mr. Right, she is looking for Mr. Right Now and poor Rob is being strung along as a back-up plan for when those guys are with there real girlfriends. You ever wonder why Beyoncé changed her music from "Bug a Boo" to "Put a Ring on It"? She grew up! Rob even gave her an out, saying that if she wasn't serious they should just stop, but she weaseled out of the conversation claiming she needed time, food and rest before she re-addressed the issue. I think that she is just holding onto him so he's there when she wants him and invisible when she's with someone else. I also believe her need to constantly compliment herself, like it's not her fault guys like her, atop of holding onto Rob when she's just not that into him, stems from some insecurity in which the boys, the drugs and the alcohol drown out. They make her that "it girl" again, when deep down she knows she's not. Erica's reckless behavior reaches out to her friendships this week when she had plans with Channel and Amanda to go out to help Channel get over her ex and out there again but she ditched them with little explanation or communication. Then when all the girls planned a breakfast together, she didn't bother showing up or calling for that either. I understand that Erica wants to have fun, and when did "29 become the new 34", but she is doing it at the price of her friends and her boyfriend. Erica is all about Erica and just like when she stole Casey's boyfriend in high school she doesn't care who she hurts along the way. She is also at a point where too much partying is damaging her image, her relationships and herself. Everyone in Long Island seems to realize that Erica has hit this low and in an effort to help Casey and Channel plan a mini-vention to try to bring her into the light everyone else is seeing her in.
I would have to classify this "intervention" as an Epic Fail. Erica is not the sharpest crayon in the box and Channel and Casey's surprise visit and beating around the bush didn't help at all. It was both laugh-out-loud funny and painful to watch as Erica's ADD kicked in the minute she opened the door and was over the whole thing, I believe that's what they call denial. Casey's references to stars dying in bathtubs and Channel's comments on her eggs going bad made it clear no one in that room was having the same conversation. I get it, Channel was addressing the fact that it's time for Erica to lay down the bottle and start looking for a husband and Casey was addressing the dangers of Erica's partying. They probably should have rehearsed the situation and got on the same page before trying to kindly lay it out for Erica, but while it was not effective at least it was entertaining. After they left the failed intervention Erica's conversation with her mother shed a lot of light on where Erica got her personality. Rather than having any concern that her daughter's friends are worried about her drinking and partying, she just agrees with her daughter goading her on about how it's so high school for them to gang up on her even though the whole group wanted to do an intervention and they chose the less invasive approach. Her mom also comments about that's how girls are always bitching and complaining and it's so much better to have guy friends, I agree with the statement completely but there is a difference in having guy friends and leaning on, hitting on and hooking up with random guys for support. A bitchy girlfriend is still better than a one night stand. While it was hard to discern what the intervention was about, Erica got a bit of the message about her partying and ditching her friends but just gave excuses and her mother strangely backed them up. Anyhow it wasn't a huge disaster like some of the girls thought when Casey decided to participate but it was just blown off and now that Erica's friend, boyfriend and even her frienemy told her she has an issue in this episode, maybe it's time to stop making excuses and realize your doing something wrong.
This week we also got to take a look into two of the girls' business ventures and I must say they were both interesting. Amanda has her brand the Drink Hanky, a fashionable cover for your to go beverages. It's a unique idea and I admire that she really takes a hands on approach to all aspects of her company. Her best friend and male twin helps with the creative aspect and the photography, she sews them herself, which I'm sure will change when they are mass produced, and she didn't take herself too seriously when it came to the photo-shoot. Turning the obnoxious construction noise into an impromptu picture opportunity in the street was awesome. Her work is fun and it's even a better idea than structured shoots because it shows her using the product in an everyday situation which is the point. I didn't think she would, but Amanda is growing on me. I think it is seeing her away from boyfriend Jeff and in situations where she; is a supporting daughter with a girls night out for Babs, showing disapproval and a strong moral fiber with Erica, being a caring friend in Channel's time of need, a loving and respectful girlfriend when out on the town and a savvy fun business woman attempting to launch her own creation to the world. We also see Joey working on her brand the Kissamint, a duel chapstick/breath freshener, which just doesn't do it for me. I don't think it is a great idea and opposed to Amanda's home-based business, Joey is throwing a lot of money into a market that is already flooded with every kind of lipstick, lipgloss, chapstick, breath mint etc.. In addition instead of working with friends in a low-cost environment, she has partnered up with an executive and instead of taking his inputs seriously, she ignores his advice, challenges his ideas and complains constantly about his personality - so why is she paying him? His ideas are good, valid and better than her own when it comes to the fact that she named the chapstick/breath freshener hybrid Kissamint but doesn't want it associated with kissing. I am not sure who she plans on marketing this to, she claims it is the business woman who can go to a meeting and freshen up, but I'm sure she is using name brand lipsticks for all her scenes and not some mid-level chapstick just because it has Mentos attached to it. Joey's dad also questions her business decisions and I have to say on this front I feel for her. It's devastating always trying to please a parent and nothing is good enough. I've dealt with this my whole life. I was an awesome student, in all AP classes at the top prep school and so advanced in math I did duel enrolment at my local college as a junior, never got into any trouble but when I asked to go see a special one-time midnight showing of a movie got denied. It felt intolerable! I've learned from it and realized a lot of my parents concerns were well founded but also that their expectations were astronomical and make different choices for my own kids. I'm not even Joey's age and have come to the realization that parents say and do these things because they care, they are not always the best messengers, but it's a good message. I agree that Joey's approach to her business is all wrong and she is dumping a lot of money that will only go big from its Bravo advertising if that. It's not a great concept or business model, but you never know maybe a mid-rate chapstick with a breath mint on the other end will be the next big fad. While Amanda has won me over, Joey is still a thorn in my side putting everyone down with a tough girl front while refusing advice from all sides.
Finally we saw some Casey and Ashlee bonding as they shopped for heels, Ashlee's own therapy for her height impediment. They are awesome! They always make me smile and have found a perfect symbiotic relationship, where Casey loves Ashlee's humorous personality that keeps her smiling and Ashlee appreciates Casey's genuine nature. If one of them was a man it would be a match made in heaven! While Ashlee flirts openly and lightheartedly with every cute man, she still calls home to daddy to approve her $5000 spree. The funny thing was, when Ashlee said she needed to call the boss before making her purchase, the clerk new it was her dad! I guess she just oozes "paid for by parents", but she gets away with it with her lovable personality and approachability rather than a stuck up heiress. Kudos and lots of love for these two!
Overall this was a great episode and we saw some new sides to the girls that we haven't seen before. While some are shattering their stereotypes, others are playing right into them and I'm about to lose hope. I'm excited to see what's to come and you should be too, as Princesses: Long Island does to the east what Shahs of Sunset did for the west; although they all share the common bond of living the traditional Jewish way, finding a man and making a name for themselves they all do it their own way, on their own time and with their own attitude.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
RHONJ and Princesses: Long Island Upcoming!
Don't worry, I will have my Bravo updates for the latest episodes up soon, so check back before Sunday for all the drama from last week! Browse my other blogs on all of television's hottest shows in the mean time!
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