PamelaMaeSnap

ETA: My unpopular opinion is too unpopular to even post here.

I knew absolutely nothing about this show or its history (never saw Goldbergs) and saw a coming attraction during something (maybe Grey's?) so recorded the last two eps ... I actually quite liked it ... Amazed it took this long for Rachel Crow to actually book a regular prime time gig (though I'm assuming she's recurring, she didn't appear in the Tamagotchis episode) and she doesn't look a day older than she looked on X Factor (though she's actually 21).

Hoping this gets combined with my previous post so I'm not breaking PTV rules ... but NO, don't think you're a stalker! As a longtime TC fan, I think (guess) a lot of us have a little extra interest when there are cheftestants (especially ones we like) who have places near us! I made Mr. Snappy join me for a cocktail at Kith and Kin in DC (Kwame's place ... lovely!!!!) the last time we were able to actually manage a dinner out in the city. I also confess to being super-stoked last week when, while relocation-neighborhood hunting and daughter-visiting in Los Angeles, we had dinner out at a good friend's nephew's restaurant coincidentally on the night that Graham Elliot did a pop-up meal there. Got a great family photo of the Snappy Fam with Graham (we can call him by his first name now) and our friend and we ALL look great LOL (BTW, Graham was incredibly nice and also shockingly handsome IRL). And when he said that, I commented to Mr. Snappy ... "dun dun dunnnnnnn"

But he WASN'T barefoot (apologies if this was mentioned later after this post but I'm tech-challenged and commenting on the post after reading it) ... what freaked me out was not that he thought it would be kinda cool and different to serve from the hot tub, but that HE DID IT WITH HIS SNEAKERS AND SOCKS ON!!! Those shoes didn't look cheap and it had to be incredibly uncomfortable. I have liked Brian quite a bit though there's something a bit "off" there, but his comment about his team not standing up for him kinda turned me off to him (and I was already pretty sure he'd get the PYKAG since he'd been close to being auf'ed last week and it sounded like his porchetta was gross). He was the one to go ... I couldn't see them cutting David when he's been so on point this whole season (while he may not be my total favorite-favorite all things considered, I have thought he was the one to beat from day one and continue to hold that opinion). I need the recipe to Puppy Chow (never heard of it before). I want to rent a houseboat for a week and party on a lake. Finally, I can't help but wonder ... my memory is bad so please help here ... has there ever been a situation before where a cheftestant was out sick for the challenge? If so, how was it handled? Luckily (or editor-monkey-thanks), Adrienne had already detailed her dish and they'd bought the ingredients and Eddie made it and the judges liked it. If she hadn't clarified/bought her dish/if Eddie had pooched it/if the judges simply didn't like it, what would have happened? Would she have been given a pass? My guess is they wouldn't have released her to go lie down while they were eliminating someone so that was kind of a giveaway for me. Final Q, and I realize a full answer to this might involve indirect spoilers so feel free not to answer ... have they changed the process of LCK? It seemed they started from scratch last week after Brother came back to compete, with Brandon being PYKAG'd, but in the coming attractions for this week it appeared to show Brian cooking alone with Tom. I'd have thought if Brandon had been the lone guy in LCK, they'd wait for this week's eliminee to have cheftestants cooking against each other ... I don't want to inadvertently get spoiled by checking the LCK thread but am curious how it's being handled.

I actually figured out who she reminds me of when I watched Grey's Anatomy last night ... Kim Raver! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Raver

I absolutely got the feeling that it was something along these lines ... maybe it was visibly noticeable (not shown to us so as to keep us guessing) ... a lot of things didn't add up. And since he seemed to make it clear, in the clips that were shown to his girlfriend before she freaked the F out, that he did NOT return EEEEEVIL Katherine's attraction, I am sure the Editing Monkeys are playing with us. Also, I think he is one of the handsomest men we have ever seen on one of these shows. Also also, Kaci is kinda scary looking but I hate bringing that up because I get the feeling she may have some sort of eating disorder that makes her look like scary-witch. She also REALLY reminds me of a skinnier uglier version of someone reality-TV famous but I can't put my finger on who it is ... anyone? ALSO also also, though we got maybe another nanosecond of Jack Allen, V2 with a lot of tats, I'll just say that he's the absolute epitome of the kind of guy college-aged Pamela Mae Snap would have wept over in her college dorm room while playing a lot of chick singer-songwriters' LPs on repeat.

Yes!!! The first shot I thought someone put a fake dead hand in the body cavity! Second shot I realized it was supposed to be a gloved hand but seemed like a bad prop!!!

I am really curious (and maybe reading further and/or reading LCK notes will clarify this) but I was also surprised by the outright animosity the chefs had towards Brother. I quite liked him during his season (partly because he reminds me SO much of one of my favorite relatives) ... but it's not like the show has not pulled some surprise contestant switches in past seasons. Still, I thought when Brandon got PYKAG'd whoever hugged him (David? Brian?) said something along the lines of "Go beat the shit out of him" and I assumed they were referring to Brother (not even sure if he returned to LCK to give this week's eliminee someone to cook against or if he just went home ... it appeared from the snippet they showed that Brandon was cooking solo with Tom watching). It seemed really harsh and I wonder what might have been said/done that we didn't see. ETA: I was out of town last week and did not bring my computer, so while we watched LAST week's Top Chef (January 10) at our daughter's house (they're also big fans) and this week's episode this past Thursday night, I knew nothing about what had happened on LCK (and am still not sure but it seems clearer) ... but did the remaining cheftestants know what was going on at LCK? ETAA: While away, had an amazing dinner in LA which happened to be at a friend's nephew's new restaurant the night that Graham Elliott was doing a one-night pop-up menu there. His food was terrific (killer Caesar) and he could not have been nicer or friendlier to us (he is really good-looking "in real life").

Then I'm shallow with you. I was so confused especially this episode, wondering if they were going to break up the Lucy/West couple by having her hook up with the lawyer guy. Took me a bit to remember she WASN'T THAT cop.

BINGO! Thank you! He's totally adorable ...

Did they actually introduce all of the guys (and I guess gals) who were shown, or only some of them? There was a guy with glasses I thought was cute but I don't remember ever seeing him introduce himself ... (obvs that means that if he does exist he doesn't get far but just wondering if I was being gaslit here). Oh, also? Yahtzee. (ETA I know Toni was Paradise Hotel, not Temptation Island, but to me they were all intertwined in the TWOP universe and she was the queen).

Hold it PROPER!!!!!

How awesome would it be if some intrepid designer created a Mrs. Maisel fashion line? I would totally buy that dress/coat as well as some of the swing coats she's worn! The summer after I graduated from college, I spent that summer working at a vintage (read: used and fixed up nicely) clothing store in Greenwich Village where I spent most of my income on employee discounts! And since I'd get first crack at the clothes, I had some really nice items but my favorite by far was a long (about lower/mid shin) black cashmere swing coat with bell sleeves with faceted black buttons up the back and at the cuffs ... it was truly spectacular, in fabulous condition, and set me back about $50 with my employee's discount. I was living at home after graduation ... my mom was in the final months of a terminal illness so after most of four years away, I wanted to be there with her. Physically she was frail but not really bed-bound until the final few weeks, but her memory was pretty much gone. I remember once the weather got cold, I couldn't find my coat and wondering what the hell had happened, and then a few weeks after my mom passed away (December), a friend of hers came over wearing it! I couldn't quite figure out what to say, so it was something along the lines of "Oh, hey, nice coat ..." and she said, "Yeah, your mom gave it to me. She said she never wore it so I could have it." Almost 40 years later and I'm STILL kicking myself for not just saying, "Well, she never wore it because IT WAS MINE, and I'd really like it back" but I think I was so stunned that I just nodded. I would give anything to have that coat back. It was SO MIDGE!!!!!

Question: Anyone else wondering whether Susie has taken on Sophie as a client IN ADDITION to Midge, or possibly INSTEAD of her? I wonder because we don't see the terms agreed to, Susie seems extremely agitated about telling Midge even before she knows about the tour, they've had friction, and I get feeling that pulling something like that is something Sophie would do. Glad to get an answer on how they afforded that apartment! Good luck packing up and downsizing lol. FInally, ecstatic to get another shot of La Bonbonniere (here, The City Spoon), my favorite NYC diner and inspiration for one of my all time favorite CDs, Live at La Bonbonniere by Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers. I cant wait for S3.

THAT is also MY favorite outfit!!!

PS I wrote that post before watching S2 finale (just finished) so indeed looking forward to how that's handled!!!

I'm gonna speculate here that Shy Baldwin is based on Johnny Mathis ... Hoping that he is part of the recurring cast for S3 (perhaps with Midge opening for him) ... and would not be at all surprised, if that indeed is part of the storyline, to see issues of both race and sexuality addressed (however subtly). Thank you, Basil, for that Nitty Gritty clip. Definitely an homage (that's being kind ... direct rip is also accurate ... I really enjoyed watching both)

BOTH Mr. Snappy and I said the exact same thing ... when we saw her face, we were both WHO IS THAT? Did they add a new cheftestant in the third episode? I vaguely remembered she had an M in her name but that was it.

Saw this headline and couldn't help share it here ... https://wtop.com/national/2018/12/police-argument-over-snoring-leads-to-stabbing-at-motel/ PS Oddly, I am absolutely on board with the S2 rehab of Joel ... Yes, total dick move in S1 but back in the day when divorce was really a last option/resort (especially among nice Jewish couples), at the very least we are now seeing a side of Joel that makes (some of) us understand what Midge saw in him to start with (yeah, I'm speaking for myself). If they go the reconciliation (at least a try at it) at the end of S2, I would be willing to give it a wait and see how it works out. PPS Re: Abe telling the plotline of "Time Enough At Last," T-Zone had JUST premiered less than two months earlier ... it's only the 8th episode of the show ... and probably was not a huge hit yet. So while those of us who grew up on the series (and all of its offshoots) know that it's a oft-viewed classic, I'm sure it was still an unknown entity to many people.

And this is yet another reason why I LOVE PTV and its posters ... this is fascinating! I love to bake and am pretty creative but not really experienced ... here, I learn something new every thread!

I noticed that but then theorized that the rule only applied to the CAKE flavor, not anything else in the mix but I could be wrong ...

Totally this and it actively bugged me. As someone who has a lot of wine and a lot of gifty "wine boxes" for when we need to give a gift on the fly, that was not even remotely a wine box. Maybe a Makers Mark box but not a wine box. I think a wine box (tall and narrow and cylindrical) would have been a very cool idea but harder to execute. I wonder if Lerome had emphasized "colors of Jamaica" and the tie-dye effect to honor Bob Marley or something it would have gone over better. I actually thought his cake was cool looking and it sounded delicious. I may have to use some of my Marriott points to go down to Naples and spend a night at that Ritz Carlton just for his pastries!

We can't be sure no one came because they cut right to the wee hours of Suzy and Midge drinking scotch in coffee cups while Jackie was closing down.

Ditto, and something I've wondered about for awhile ... both of my maternal grandparents came over from Russia in the 1920s (they met here because his older brother was married to her older sister) and my mom and aunt were born in the Bronx in the 1930s. Neither of those grandparents had what I can only describe as a "New York-raised Jewish" accent but rather both had strictly Russian accents until their deaths in their 80s (both spoke fluent English, Russian and Yiddish but the latter very rarely). Neither my mom nor my aunt had ANY accent per se ... definitely no New York accent. I guess they could have been identified as being from the east coast by, say people from other parts of the country but they didn't have that "New York" accent, and neither do I nor my sister. My dad's dad also came over from Russia in his 20s (my paternal grandmother was the outlier, a second- or third-generation American Jew on her dad's side, with family coming to Wilkes-Barre from a town that changed hands weekly between Poland and Lithuania, I think, some time in the early/mid-19th century.) My dad grew up on Long Island and then Manhattan and had NO New York accent whatsoever, but his older brother did so go figure. I guess I have assumed that people tend to pick up the accents of those who raise them but that doesn't always seem to be the case. With the Weissmans and Maisels, we've got the Maisels having the "regional" accents for lack of my being able to remember the right word, as well as Abe to a degree (with him, I think it's a little more Shalhoub's delivery than accent per se) while Rose seems to have no accent ... which may or may not tie into our question about which parent's money provided them with that amazing apartment ... Mr. Snappy commented there was no way he could afford that on a Columbia math professor's salary, and we know now that Bell Lab is not making much financial difference, so assuming Rose comes from older money and this is the life to which she was accustomed and has provided (her early years in Paris back that up but I can't remember how much else we've learned of her background) Re: whether their liberal scattering of F-bombs is anachronistic is something Mr. Snappy and I were discussing last night when we were talking about some of the moments in the show where we find ourselves calling that sort of thing out ... It doesn't bother me that much because I think overall the show really works so well, but I don't remember F-bombs being dropped in my house, though my parents were by no means stuffy or repressive (my mom told the best dirty jokes). I'm only through this episode because, especially with Mr. Snappy's busy pre-holiday schedule, we have to sneak in our hour here and there to watch together but I REALLY loved it ... I was struck by the ... I think there's an artistic term for it but can't remember ... negative space, maybe? That three key moments were NOT shown to the viewer: Howell's painting, Midge's fantastic set, and Midge and Benjamin together in his townhouse (I may be leaving out another example). By the third one, I was pretty sure this was a conscious choice.

I do wonder just how much back-story info the judges are privy to before making their eliminations ... when they asked who had felt their dishes were compromised by Eddie-gate, only Eric raised his hand, even though several others were as well ... and those others did mention it eventually to the judges but from what I recall not until they were being critiqued for something that was (directly or indirectly) caused by items they couldn't get. If Pablo's downfall was the lack of spices, and he couldn't get the spices because that was one of the items that got dumped after the $540 lamb charge, then that may be why he wasn't auf'ed. The other two had, plain and simple, execution problems. In hindsight, I do think they made a point of eliminating someone for something where the WF incident did NOT contribute to the main problem (though the lack of lemons were an issue, I don't think the flavor was the kiss of death but rather the baking execution). I'm surprised they didn't have Brandon PYKAG because his dish seemed the worst, but I'm guessing he's either next on the block or they like him so much they're giving him a pass. BTW ... does anyone know who knocked over Justin's tray of corn? As frustrated as he was, he seemed to rock the challenge. Eric is definitely one of my favorites, partly because he's a "local" for me as a DC chef.