NYCFree

I didn’t think it what odd at all. See if you can go to Bravo on demand and watch at least the first season to get an idea about the “players.” Shep lives on “mailbox” money. He explains that every month all he has to do is go to the mailbox and collect his check. He seems to look down on both Austen and Craig for having to earn a living (although now they really just get paid by Bravo or the production company). I used to love Shep, he was cute, educated and charming. Now he just seems like a womanizing boozehound.

I have minimal jazz knowledge, but have lived in NYC for most of my 52 years, so FJ was an instaget. My son sometimes watches with us, so I asked him last night if “he wanted to watch James win two million dollars.” In the middle of the game he angrily accused me of “jinxing” James. I am forbidden to comment on tonight’s game.

It’s fascinating that Bethenny and Barbara were the two people who most helped Luann through her last crises, yet Luann either wants to take the best room from one (Bethenny) or laughs heartily at the other getting the “worst” room (Barbara). The amount of ingratitude is staggering! From what I understand, although there is a regular chef at the White House on a daily basis, they invite guest chefs in from time to time. Marcus Samuelson wrote in his memoir about the honor of being asked to be the chef for a White House State Dinner.

I think Nene and Luann (from NYC) are suffering from the same delusion of being top mothafuccah. They assume their popularity insulates them from negative fan reaction. I think this is a severe miscalculation. Both have high flying gigs apart from the Housewives shows, but these are dependent upon them having personas that appeal to people. Porsha’s never been a favorite, but I LOVED her shear happiness and delight at the reunion.

Hester’s explanation of her design school experience was something along the lines of “they didn’t give me attention and support I needed.” She seemed to equate her lack of sewing skills with a learning disability like dyslexia. It’s like she wanted to take Spanish 2, without taking Spainish 1, then demanding the instructor teach to her level specifically. Very strange and entitled attitude.

I saw the car window smashing, hose through the window space thing in Manhattan in the 1980’s. It was to some fancy sports car. I was a teen and delighted at an asshole Parker getting such instant karma.

Eva looked stunning. I don’t understand why the second dress couldn’t have been the only dress? Shamari is not doing a great job about proving Marlo wrong. Nene continues to find the world revolves around her.

During Hurricane Sandy, at least one major NYC hospital very close to the real life Bellevue lost power entirely. Their backup generators were stored in the basement, which then became flooded. I don’t like Georgia, but don’t want a giant arc of mourning Max.

In Judge Judy’s admonition to the teen hitter and runner, she listed the things a 17 year old could do for a job. She randomly listed working at the “Riverdale Neighborhood House” which is about a third of a mile from me in the Riverdale Neighborhood of The Bronx. I was tickled, and a clip of it got posted in a local Riverdale Facebook group. Tuned out JJ lived here for quite a while when she was a judge, and many people wrote of encountering her here, both positively and negatively.

I am weeks behind and am just now getting caught up. When I think bad travelers/embarrassed they are from the US, I think OC as a group. Most of the OC women seem to prefer to eat items that would be happy on an American Kids’ menu. I think it’s actually easier to try foods when you are hungry, my mom used to say “hunger is the best sauce.” What’s hard, is to be open minded when you are tired, and I bet Kandi was pretty exhausted after that huge flight. I’m a really plus sized woman, and on the way overseas, or on vacation, I always have a carry on with stuff that could do, in a emergency, for the time away. Like two skirts, several undies (that can be washed out midway), several simple tops that go with either skirt, a bathing suit and something to wear at night. I doubt there would be much of anything in Japan that could fit me. On the way home I don’t care and will check everything. I actually love a respectful discussion of race and the issues that come up with it. Thank you to those who contribute explanations of history and why some comments and reactions can be viewed negatively. It must be exhausting having to do this all the time and I appreciate the willingness to take a break from enjoyable snark and spend time talking about some real stuff.

I have read that there are two different plastic surgery “styles” for the East and West Coasts. The East coast style is to make one look refreshed and natural. The West Coast style is to make one look like they have had plastic surgery done, like an ostentatious display of wealth “look how much money I have, I can afford to adjust nature.” All the Real Housewives East/West coast franchises seem to follow this, so there may be some truth to it. It’s interesting to see those styles played out on sisters within the same family.

I have spent a lot of time in the Catskills, just two hours northwest of New York City and the service is very spotty. You may get service in one place, but not another, depending on your carrier. My son would schlep a chair a quarter mile up a hill to get service (T Mobile) while my husband and I (AT&T) could get service inside the house. I did like the fact that the women were the lead stories this week.

Aha! I didn’t know the actress was pregnant, but in this episode I thought “she walks like a pregnant person.”

I’ve read somewhere that the “style” in Beverly Hills/California is have plastic surgery that definitely looks like plastic surgery. Whereas the East Coast style is to have the plastic surgery not be noticeable, but rather simply make the recipient look younger, or “refreshed”. Supposedly, the California style is like an ostentatious display of wealth “look how much money I have, in order to do this to my face.” I simply can’t imagine this. However, if you compare the looks of Beverly Hills Housewives to their NY sisters, this does appear to be the case. The CA women aren’t lacking for money, so they must actually want these features.

I’m normally not in favor of the party claiming “it was a gift, not a loan,” but with the pizza employee I believe it. I believed the detail where the the defendant claimed the plaintiff said “my granddaughter isn’t here, I’d love to take her clothes shopping.” Also, plaintiff never asked defendant for a budget, what if she spent $1,000? What about $2,000? Even in the hallterbiew plaintiff was very haughty about the state of defendant’s daughters clothes. People are totally out of touch about what it’s like to have less money than they actually do. I know I’m guilty of it at my middle class level.