PamelaMaeSnap

"Oh, OK, I'll do it next time." I was SO hoping that would be an ironic comment and there would be no next time for her. I am gobsmacked that she continues to advance despite her lack of creativity or presentation. So she made three edible cookies. I could have done that myself. I think she's getting by on her doe eyes because they want at least ONE attractive contestant and none of the others really fit the bill. Sad to see Padua go but he was classy about it. I'm still going to call Adalberto for the win, despite his being B2 this week. The rest of the finalists all irk me to varying extents (I'm looking at Steve in particular but Maeve is a close second, followed by a tie between big-mouthed Melody and hapless pointless Haley) whereas Adalberto seems like a total sweetheart as well as someone who has been creative with all of his challenges. Also, on a personal anecdotal note re: Steve's dessert ... I had a kitchen catastrophe during our Thanksgiving dinner prep (we were working in shifts in my daughter's small kitchen and so while I was making dessert I asked hubby to help me out since he was already in there and I needed four hands) ... I was making ... wait for it ... ginger ice cream (pretty much exactly how Steve made his with the chopped candied ginger AND the chopped fresh ginger root but without the vanilla aspect at the time) and had stirred and steeped the mixture. I set down the colander and asked hubby to strain the mixture ... and just spaced out reminding him that we'd need to strain it into a bowl, because unlike most things we strain (pasta, etc.) we were keeping the runoff, not what was left in the colander. So, of course, we realized the mistake simultaneously but not before three quarters of the mixture was down the drain in the kitchen sink. And had neither time nor ingredients to do it again ... I ended up melting down half a container of vanilla ice cream and mixing it in with what was left of the ginger ice cream and churning it together to put with the pecan pie ... and so Steve's making ginger-vanilla ice cream because it was less in-your-face than straight-on ginger ice cream vindicated me ... and yes, it was delicious and yes, you could still taste the ginger and yes, had we not screwed up the ice cream probably would have been a little TOO strong.

Mittengirl, ditto on Adalberto's wreath ... I thought it was breathtaking and was surprised he didn't get more love for it! I will also confess to being in the minority (possibly even of one on this board so far) in that I could not STAND Susan and was surprised but pleasantly so to see her go so quickly. I'm sure she's a really nice lady. Her personality just grated on me from the get-go and if she turned on the waterworks one more time about doing it for her kids I was going to barf. I understand on shows like American Idol et al why they make everything about the "personal back stories" ad nauseum, and I'm fine--I even like to a degree--getting a feel for the contestants' personalities, their stories, etc. (The personalities more than the stories, especially since I don't like to see outright assholes win.) But on a show that is ALL about the outcome -- getting the challenge, figuring out what they're going to do with it, and executing it -- I honestly don't give a fig (sorry, Haley) about the fact that you're doing this whole reality show to make your kids proud or whatever and to have to hear it several times per episode (that said, I admit that my dislike for Maeve was tempered the teeniest bit when she said she'd donate some of the money if she wins to a dog shelter). It can work in context -- like the fact that Adalberto was not thrown by getting the butternut squash because his aunt had taught him to make the butternut squash pudding when he was young. But seeing her photo 16 times was a little bit of overkill. Few shows seem immune (we rarely see it on Top Chef which is one of the reasons I love that show so much). Was watching a "Chopped" marathon with my daughter on Friday and we all love that show but I hadn't realized until then how much they just clobber you over the head with the cheftestants' stories with a castiron crying pan (just saw this typo but am actually going to leave it because it's pretty fitting) until the episode we saw -- we heard more about their sob stories than we saw them cook.

I'm also definitely on the Adalberto and Padua train ... Extra points for Padua because I live in the basic DC vicinity (though not legit like he is, since he says he's from the streets of Northeast!) ... wish he actually worked for a restaurant though ... I don't think hiring an executive private pastry chef is within my budget! Did anyone else think that he was encouraged to make those "villainous laugh sounds" last night when he was giving out the seasonal fruits and vegetables? All things into consideration, I'm predicting an Adalberto victory. And that would be fine with me! If Haley is not the next one off, I am definitely crying foul, though.

Love the rabbit hole I just went down re-reading this whole thread (and Cooksdelight, you rock!) ... THOUGHT I had posted about my experience (now experiences) at Kapnos, but since I haven't I'll throw in a comment here now, especially since I am officially getting SO EXCITED about the new season! Have been to Kapnos three times now ... once seated in the main dining room for my birthday dinner and two more times when we ate at the bar (which was just as good except harder to enjoy the view of George in the kitchen). And seriously, this is BY FAR the best "Greek restaurant" in DC, as far as I'm concerned. We've yet to have anything that wasn't incredible, and the saganaki there is the best I've ever had anywhere (and I'm a saganaki fiend). I live in the 'burbs and don't get into the city very often, but hubby directs a jazz vocal choir (among other things) that rehearses about 10 minutes from there on Tuesday nights and I'm in the group, so when we are not rushed for time (either by my work or his other work) we like to swing by there for dinner at the bar. And there is no such thing as too much George ... I'm so excited that Kapnos Kouzina is opening in Bethesda eventually (it was supposed to be open already but has been experiencing construction delays and it's been pushed back to 2016 ... not surprising, watching the other restaurants at that interchange having been under construction seemingly forever) ... it's across the street from where I get my hair cut so I know who will be getting all of my lunch business on those days now! ETA: I may have to check out Mexikosher this week ... my daughter lives less than a mile's walk from there so I want to swing by there and have a bite at Katsuji's place during one of my daily strolls. I loved Katsuji!

I know you wrote this over a year ago, but I am just bingewatching a whole TiFaux'ed bunch of episodes and this one ("... and a Talking Orchid") was on and after it ended I had to come here just to post ... and to check if others had commented on it earlier. I mean, I have seen a LOT of bitchiness, veiled or otherwise (ha! unintentional pun!) on this show but I don't think I have EVER seen someone actually say "as long as so-and-so didn't win, I'm fine." I mean, granted, Jessica did come off as pretty rich-girl yacht-club snotty and who knows how she treated the other three girls (were they all Latina? I wasn't sure about barefoot girl who won), but still, Ruby, show SOME klass (and I'm sure she assumed off camera that she only finished last (I don't remember seeing someone with that low a score in a long time) because hers was the least costly. But even before that comment, Ruby was pretty awful ... "I'm giving her a 5 because she was barefoot ... I'm giving HER a 5 because her bridesmaids wore different pairs of shoes." I mean, footwear-obsessed much? And then being an hour late (because she didn't like how her hair looked the FIRST time? Yow). But her husband was a cutie. And her DAD (and grandfather?) walking her down the aisle was adorable too. I'm wondering if her bitter bitter bitterness was a reaction to realizing that she was being very much outgunned from the get-go. For a DYI, I thought she did a great job ... just that bitter bitchiness turned me. In fact, overall, this may have been the most low-balling bunch of beeyotches in a long time. Okay. I've got 12 more episodes and am pretty much La-Z-Boy bound for the next few days after spending yesterday in the ER ... so good times ahead! Ahoy Nauti Cups!

I am still giggling almost three days later from this episode! The montage with Dawn, Luke and Patsy was epic, but when they threw in that snippet of his dancing to "Juana La Cubana" I just fell out ... I know it's a personal thing, but you know how sometimes you'll have a certain song that becomes your "vacation" song? Back in 1988, on the lone vacation I ever went on with my husband's entire family (still more than two years before our daughter was born), "Juana La Cubana" was THE song and for years afterwards, whenever we'd see his sister and brother-in-law it would be referenced (and sung). I even have it on my iPod.

Necrobumping here (what better place, really?) because I'm bingewatching the first two seasons to get my poor memory back on track for Season 3 and this episode totally reminded me of everything that is brilliant about this show ... Just when you can't stand James, she makes you go and love her in her awkward way ... I cried like a baby during that last scene with Carrie Preston. And thanks to those who clarified the farting scene. Also, apologies if this is TMI, I realized that for all of James' sometimes-seemingly ranting pontifications, her crusade about fecal incontinence in elderly women really struck a chord with me ... an elderly relative of mine who was always very much the lady battled that in her final months and I just remember how much it mortified her ... so, yeah, this is an issue even if it seems almost like a joke at the same time.

SO DID I!!!!!!! I know they're all self-congratulatorily slapping themselves on their own and each other's backs about how progressive and open-minded they are by their CLEARLY pre-anointed "winner," but the only thing "plus" about her (other than the obvious) was her sense of entitlement and smugness during those talking heads ... I wanted to smack her. Minus taste, minus style, minus actual technical ability ... did I miss the part where the zipper on that HIDEOUS romper fixed itself? ... I'm not technically a plus-size, I guess, by looking at me, but because of my weird figure I will, often as not, buy dresses and tops in plus sizes and I would not wear a single thing she sent down that runway on a bet. I surprised myself, actually, by thinking/hoping Kelly would win after runway (despite being firmly Team Edmond for so many reasons, and still am in terms of the designer I'd want to buy my clothes from) ... I absolutely LOVED her show (those headphones! So awesome! But we had to keep hearing about the stupid flowerpot headbands). I might have stopped taking the show "seriously" a few seasons ago, but now I can't even enjoy it anymore. Also, where was Edmond's cute dad?

Avant garde or not, one of the things I love most about Edmond is that with rare exception his models look so gorgeous when they walk the runway. I think he does an amazing job of designing for the person he's dressing ... Of all of the designers I can remember from this show over the years, he might be the person I would MOST want to design for me ... I have a really hard figure to make look halfway decent (even when I was younger, before gravity decided to move everything around in the worst possible places, I was sort of va-va-voom but super-hard to dress because I am short, curvy, and not only big-boobed but high-waisted, so my waistline is literally inches ABOVE my boobline) ... But I bet he could make me look good (or as good as possible). Plus he just seems like the loveliest person.

Thanks, Slothgirl! I must have been in the bathroom or something!!!!!!! So it's still in play. Awesome. And that makes my declaration even stronger ... if he lets this stand, I am done done done done done. I know they'll really care.

I think that's a model ... though I hope it's Edmond.

Not only did he not show Tim telling him to pack his things and leave (though since they'd just gotten back to NY, it's possible there was nothing left to pack), but there was NO MENTION of the Tim Gunn Save this week, YET there had been no mention of last week being the last time he could use it (unless I missed it, but I was listening for it). Previews say there is an extra twist next week so I am holding out hope that the episode opens with Edmond getting the Tim Gunn Save, otherwise I am done with PR. Ashley may be very sweet, and I respect her desire to design for the larger woman, but she is a hot mess IMHO who can barely dress herself, no less others. If they chose her over him to show in NYFW (and even that is sort of a joke because the top 6 show, really) then they've jumped the shark.

Thanks, Jocelyn! I watch the show but not religiously enough (generally because I am not a late stayer-upper anymore) to know whether that is a running joke in and of itself (the name being "Brian Fellow" but Tracy saying "Fellows") or whether it may have been as a result of his not being back 100% from his accident or that he just says "Fellows" and it is what it is. Small stuff, I know, but I get paid for being anal-retentive with a hyphen so these things tend to catch my attention and not let go.

I know this is an unbelievably stupid question but ... is it Brian Fellow or Brian Fellows (or both intentionally?) And I love camels. Almost as much as I love Tracy Morgan.

Just to set my crazy mind at ease, it was indeed Morris Day I was thinking of ... though I'm guessing Merline would have been about 5 in his heyday! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZdqPNVGmeM

I'm not sure why, but I got this odd vibe that Mikey may be getting some sort of "redemption" arc ... between the FCO (and he did rock the hallway like a runway), it seemed like they went out of their way to imply that he's starting to take things more seriously. He is not my type (though he might have been when I was 18), but he does photograph well and have that look that could appeal to a lot of women in ads that specialize in grunge and hair and getting naked. Admittedly, this is the first year in as long as I can remember that I have not snuck a peek (or read voraciously for that matter) any spoilers (on ANY of my reality shows ... it was sort of my Rosh Hashanah New Year's resolution!) so of course my saying this probably means he'll be cut this Friday. But it could also mean that he's in it for the long haul as we watch him transform from the skeevy sex maniac to the Great! Model! (who also likes threesomes, I guess). Moar Nyle, plez.

I call BS on Nyle being so far down on the call out list this week. I thought he was by far the best on the video. And I thought the results on the "dive" challenge were pretty close (with the exception of one of the hamsters who escapes me off the top of my head). I was happy to see the return of Don, aka "Jesse Williams Lite." Especially without the "peed on snow" hair. And I am going to say something that may permanently relegate me to the Siberia of this thread ... I actually didn't think the video sucked as badly as songs/videos of the past (Pot Ledom, e.g.). Let me clarify ... TyTy sucked and the song isn't going to be something I download from iTunes, but I actually -- surprisingly -- enjoyed the hamsters' individual performances much more than I would have imagined. Still definitely Team Mame and Team Nyle.

THAT TOO!!! But I keep thinking of someone who is doing a little dance with the square shoulders and more fitted lower half. From the early days of MTV.

The only thing I do not love about Edmond is the hat. Otherwise, I adore him ... his personality, his patience, his lack of whining, his knack for tailoring and understated form-fitting designs that are still (usually) creative. I really, really hope he wins which means he probably won't. I just spent 15 minutes wandering around YouTube trying to find the 1980s musician whose costumes reminded me of Merline's original jacket ... thought it might be Morris Day or Kid Creole. No luck, but it was fun to watch the "Endicott" video again. I would say I'm over Ashley but I was never under her, so to speak. I find her designs to be one step short of hideous, though in theory I should like them since I'm into thrift shop chic. But it's no surprise because she generally looks like a mess herself and I don't think it's because she's a "big" girl. She just, IMHO, has ZERO taste. Would much rather have had Swapnil stick around than her because at least he has the potential to trot out some nice-looking results. Someone else said something to this effect and I can't remember who (SORRY) but ditto/thritto to the idea that while I don't love Kelly's aesthetic, I totally respect that it is who she is and how true she is to it week in and week out. I do think she got the easiest assignment this week (though she executed it well) in that her ADORABLE crew member knew exactly what SHE wanted in terms of overalls, which gave Kelly a very good basic idea to work off of and "make her own dog" to mix reality show metaphors. (Also, am I the only one who thinks she looks like Boy George?)

I wonder if they'll pull a Byron-Mary with 10ley and bring her on about halfway through the season? I admit I didn't watch that much of the Kaitlyn season because she irked me so much, but I did think Benzie was cute. And it appears Jonathan did the best for himself of any of them now that he's dating Cassandra. Earlier reference to Mered-ian brought back memories of good times in the virtual hot tub.

They must have really hated Ava. If they'd liked her, they would have pulled the "you know, we made a mistake with your initial makeover so instead we're going to give you a pixie cut" (which she would have rocked). Instead, TyTy came THISCLOSE to saying "We loved you before your makeover but ever since you started sporting that fugly mullet we've hated you!" And I'm in the camp that thinks, much as I hate to be really cold, that Courtney is just stank ugly, period. Maybe she takes "fierce" fashion photos when her mouth is closed and she poses just so, but you can't base a career on such a one-note samba unless you are really strong and wonderful and healthy ... she doesn't know how to use her body and she's a whiny little bitch anyway. If they want her that much they should send her down to Brazil and pay for $10,000 worth of dental care to yank out all of her teeth and give her new fake choppers. BTW, as a resident of the DMV (DC/Maryland/northern Virginia), I love that 30 percent of the Top 10 is comprised of locals -- Nyle, Mame and Justin. I live pretty much halfway between Nyle and Mame, 20 minutes or so from each. Represent!

Cassandra and Jonathan? Awesome. And since I don't think they overlapped anywhere (other than maybe in the holding hut in Mexico if that existed) I guess it gives more credence to everyone hanging out together. I felt bad for Jonathan but she sounds like a much better consolation prize than any of the others he was saddled with. I'm convinced that Tenley held out through everything so that she could be the next Bachelorette.

Maybe next year they can do SPIP ... Single Parents in Paradise, with a nice day care center in one of the huts. I'm only half-joking. Think of the possibilities!

"I don't think however that there was anyone other than Carly interested in him, except maybe Juelia." And Juelia's daughter who picked Kirk as her new daddy when Juelia showed her the headshots before they left.

Many, many people whose faces I will not be missing ... I was NEVER on the Jared train. I think he looks kinda weaselly and even on Kaitlyn's season I could not get what she saw in him at all ... that said, compared to most of the guys that went the distance I guess I could see why he'd look viable after a little while. Like if you're on a desert island and there's that piece of slightly rotting fruit, you can start to think it looks good in comparison to the driftweed and rocks. I don't remember the last time I saw someone who could have as vastly different appearances based strictly on what she does with her mouth, but Ashley I is unquestionably stunning but once she starts to cry (98.3% of waking hours) her mouth turns into silly putty and she's just scary looking. I did like her super casual look in one of those last sets of talking heads, though. And I fear that Juelia left the set, I mean the beach, and immediately signed on the dotted line to be the next Bachelorette in which case, really, that's the last straw, right? Maybe her late husband's family could sue for custody of the child. Speaking of children, interesting that the last few BiPpers were single parents ... perhaps they actually had the decency to ask to come late so as to spend less time away from their kids? Or does that make too much sense. Anyway, I'd totally forgotten that Cassandra was Rodney Stuckey's baby mama. Maybe I can use that to convince Mr. Snap to watch the finale with me tonight since he's had Stuckey on his fantasy basketball team for ages. I also have to admit that it took me a LONG LONG LONG time to come around, but 10ley has finally won me over this season. She really does seem to either have (and I hadn't realized it) or gained a major measure of engaging self-awareness and a sense of humor as well. I think she may actually be my favorite girl on the show now! Finally, for all those teasers we've been getting since Day 1 (and I have stayed totally unspoiled!!! Yay me!!!!) of Tanner not giving Jade a rose, anyone else think it will go something like this? T: I cannot give you a rose. J: Wha-- T: Because I am dropping down on one knee to present you with this Neil Lane diamond ring!