Pepper Mostly

Gabriel is mad he lost his meal ticket. Sleazeball. It may be that Yamir wanted to come to the US. And its possible that Chelsea was unable to stay in Nicaragua for whatever reason. I don't believe that Chelsea employed her deceitful feminine wiles to bamboozle Yamir away from all he's ever known, for some nefarious reasons of her own. Staying with her family in East Muffin Illinois is not the long term plan, its the short term stopgap. I think they will be just fine. They appear to be devoted to one another and whatever happens I give them props for taking that leap of faith. Ahem. Danny and Amy, on the other hand. Sweet tapdancing Jesus. So, racist dad "hasn't had much exposure" to interracial couples? Where does he live, a gated community owned by the Klan? And do not get me started on douchebag brother and his ridiculous hat. Does he wear that thing to bed? That whole scene with him squeezing between Danny and Amy on the couch was cringetastic. I can only imagine what Amy endures from him each and every day. I repeat, Amy--RUN, do not walk, to the airport and head back to CapeTown while the getting is good. Justin's whole family seems so uncomfortable around each other! the interaction between him and his brother had me squirming in my seat, they were like two co-workers who don't know each other very well. Looks like Bitch SIL has the whole bunch cowed. No one mentioned her name but boy, was she looming. And the mother? Please. Why the weeping? Danielle, I just can't with her. She is awful and her kids look so depressed. This is not the first time their phones have been turned off, either. The winner of the episode is Ron, again. I laughed so hard when the camera panned back during Jason and Cassia's epic argument and we saw Ron, busily swiffering the floor, with a look of total concentration. Ron for the win!!

I loved Tanya, the girl with the grandfather who left a fortune to all his granddaughters--that is so not my world, I can't even. But I like her and I like her clothes. I liked Ryan and her knitwear, too. I thought it was pretty and unique. No one else really caught my interest except the jewelry designer, but I am ready with the popcorn! I love this show! It make Project Runway look so low-rent in comparison.

I was pleased for her, too. They said early on that they didn't have much money and that Brianna goes to thrift shops or through her mother's closet looking for things to tear apart and re-use. So having the access to lots of fabric (even Jo-ann fabric!) and a good sewing machine will really be a benefit to her. I wish with all my heart that they would get rid of the stupid "twists" and the absolutely terrible host. then they might have a nice little show. Sigh.

LOL. My son just graduated from Johnson & Wales. He works in a hotel, has since the summer between his first and second year. His chef's been a great mentor to him and he's learned a lot. In both venues. Culinary school is like law school or medical school, in a way. You get fundamentals, learn the lingo, and get a good, broad based introduction to cooking methods and styles. Its a great way to go for some people but not the only way. Plenty of excellent chefs started out washing dishes. It seemed like Aaron couldn't make up his mind whether he was a poor widdle deprived child who never got his chance to show his stuff at culinary school, or a swaggering oaf who had nothing but contempt for those effete posers who went to culinary school--why, he could out-cook any of them! Pick one, dude. Or don't. I will never see you again and that suits me right down to the ground.

I'm glad Aaron's gone. He was a bore, in the end. I strongly disliked him as the season began, but he was so one-note and unoriginal in his assholery I couldn't even muster up the energy to hate him any more. Just go, douche. And please, plenty of celebrated chefs never went to culinary school (Thomas Keller, anyone? Jacques Pepin? Charlie Trotter? Ferran Adria? TOM COLICCHIO?) so quit whining about how you never had the opportunities the others had. Shut it.

I live in Salem. I would have bet you $100 that the episode scheduled to air Halloween week would have been Salem-centric. But I'm already killing myself since I didn't know they were filming in Boston this summer, (right across the river from my workplace!). If they'd come to Salem and I missed it, well, I just don't know.

Kier is so obviously in on the joke! she's playing it up big--"I thought she was coming over to APOLOGIZE to me". Gold, I tell you. She cannot be serious. Poor little Lenore. I love her. She's so naive, she is going to be torn to shreds. And really, why is Tattoo Girl there at all? She doesn't care about fashion, DVF, or anything so mainstream. Wonder what she actually auditioned for to end up on this? Diane doen't give a rusty goddamn about any of them. She's cracking me up.

I think Danny is gay as an Easter bonnet and when he tells his racist dad that he's not going through with his marriage to a mixed race girl from South Africa to move in to a downtown loft and open a coffee shop with his friend Tad from school, racist dad will be so relieved that his son's been saved from perdition he won't even mind about the gay part. I spend every episode yelling "RUN AMY RUN!" Its exhausting. And I think that the "open mic night" was as much a TLC producer setup as the "impromptu" football game and bar skanks.

I'm in. I loved every tacky minute. I've lost my heart to Lenore from Staten Island, she's adorable. and in a departure from reality show formula, the crazy divisive trainwreck girl gets axed first! And bitch face model girl gets axed second! I laughed my head off when she was just standing there at the buffet table looking like a three year old facing a plate of broccoli. hahahahahaha! I am definitely sticking around for more of this!

a rabid weasel with no sleep and a migraine is a nicer guy than Josh.

The old Bull and Finch was a nice place, and it was a neighborhood kind of place, low key. The TV show changed all that, now its just a tourist destination, not a local hangout. Just like the full replica of Cheers at Fanueil Hall is strictly for when you have guests from out of town.

Yeah, the rubes in Boston might not be sophisticated enough for radicchio. Cram it, Blais. I was neutral on him, even liked him his first season, but last night sealed my active dislike. I found him so smug and pleased with himself. Ick. I don't have an issue with Kerriann missing her family. You can know intellectually that you'll be away from home for a while, but still miss your kids and husband. I would not think very highly anyone who could take off for three weeks and never miss her children.

Jason is cringetastic, but I have to confess I kind of loved his dad. He seems quite happy with his algae farm (pool), his dogs, flopping on his couch and being bemused. He knows his life is going to be a wild ride for the next three months, he's accepted it and is going with the flow. I'm looking forward to his eloquent eyebrow raising and head shaking and eyerolls for the season.

I love Christian so I suffer through this misbegotten exercise for him. Vanessa is so terrible it is actually painful. She is wooden, charmless, lacking in any kind of spark of individuality or personality, and does not inspire confidence in her fashion knowledge. if she has any. Kelly Osbourne would have been better. She at least knows how to talk to people. I guess I just don't get why the producers thought this hot mess would be entertaining? It would have been fun if the kids had one challenge, proper mentoring, and the opportunity to learn. Watching children cry is not fun.

My mouth dropped open when Jennifer began her third degree. What a bitch. Some people are like that, they have to live everyone else's life for them. and gods forbid if anyone opts not to do what she thinks is best for them. She takes it personally and becomes furious. Her husband (and indeed, the whole rest of the family) sitting there mute or grinning uncomfortably as she became judge and jury was just sickening. the whole bunch of them have Stockholm Syndrome, I guess. none of them dared stand up to her, or even say mildly "OK, Jen, let's let Evelin get used to us before we we overwhelm her", or offered Evelin a drink or something. Jesus. My heart broke for Amy. Douchebag brother in law, waking her up and demanding that she perform like a trained seal before she can even brush her teeth? And dumbass sister in law who doesn't stop him? and she's stuck with these people for three months? I can't even imagine. And that horribly awkward dinner! "say something in African!" "So.....are you worried about the wedding night?"(leer, giggle) You can tell Danny never even told her ahead of time. The social skills of this family seem to be sadly lacking. She should run back to Cape Town as fast as her feet can carry her.

Well. That was.....awkward. That put me right over the edge. They were so invested in telling Sandhya that she was wrong wrong wrong in EVERY WAY that they interpret Hernan's very obvious use of the word bitch as a stinging insult as an endearment? It wasn't like they were buddies and he know he could get away with it. He meant it to hurt. Poor Sandhya. I've been there. I'm usually really popular in groups and work places. One time after a work reorganization I ended up in a work group that ostracized and marginalized me, misinterpreted what I said, and took offense at the most innocuous things I did. It was awful. I really felt for her. I'm really glad all this is over. I never thought I would say that about Project Runway. Bleh.

Boston has a thriving southeast Asian community, a lively Hispanic community, Greek and Armenian communities. Chinatown? Alive and kicking. The North End, with a fabulous Italian restaurant on every corner? Check. Soul food? Check. Caribbean? Check. I could go on. If Bravo has decided that a superficial "Cheers Bar" (gah!) treatment of the city is good enough, that's not Boston's fault. Its a great town with a very varied food scene. I'm sure that, in addition to the obligatory Cheers episode, we'll be treated to the "feeding of the Harvard students", and some sort of "Banned in Boston"motif. Maybe Aerosmith or the J.Geils Band or the Cars might turn up. For now, I'm just enjoying the lovely B roll of the city. Its beautiful here.

I make braised short ribs all the time--in 3 hours. falling off the bone. Hahaha, Eleanor, I agree. We don't care about New York. New Yorkers think we do, but we don't. Really. We love our town and are fiercely loyal to our sports teams and institutions because they are awesome!

There has been nothing shown to us to indicate that they did not, in fact, discuss these options when they made the decision to move here, though. They could very well have done so. I really don't think that A) we are getting the whole story, or B) that Chelsea is a bully who is forcing Yamir to leave all he holds dear to follow her to the US. I haven't seen any indication that she unilaterally stated that they had to move to the US or ELSE. Yamir is a grown man, and I'm guessing he had some say in the matter. Maybe it was his idea. Its his life. If he wants to move to the US and try and make it here, there is no reason why he shouldn't. In the end he needs to do what's right for him. Gabriel behaved very badly and I can't figure out what he hoped to accomplish with that bitchy little act. So far he's tried to win Yamir over by writing a scathing letter to the woman he loves, calling her a manipulator and a liar; and publicly humiliating him. I think Yamir is right to run, and fast, away from this guy.

I think Chelsea is lovely. She has more of a healthy/outdoorsy look than a movie star/model look, she has a beautiful smile, gorgeous hair, and legs that won't quit. And last night she referred to "opportunities" for Yamir's career. They know what they're doing. They'll settle down in Illinois for awhile, to get Yamir up to speed in English and to start checking out prospects for his future. Then it'll be off to Miami or LA or NYC. I'm not worried about Yamir and Chelsea at all. He's not some kid, he's 28. If he wants to try and make it in the US, why not? And its not as if Nicaragua is so far. Once Yamir and Chelsea get married and he gets his green card, he'll be able to travel back and forth, right? People on House Hunters buy summer places in Nicaragua all the time. Its not New Zealand. Gabriel is mad about losing his meal ticket, nothing more.

Agreed. It seems that his "strategy" going in is to needle and annoy people. Its not as if he can back up his arrogance with kickass cooking, so I wonder how he came to think so highly of himself, and so little of others. She needs to stop rising to his bait. He knows he can get a response from her so he keeps doing it. Take the high road, Kerriann. Walk away. And oh my stars and garters, I would have been hard pressed to do the same, admittedly. He does that Chris Christie thing--he gets all wide eyed and talks in a patronizing, "reasonable" tone and says "I'm just saying! No need to raise your voice! Look at me being reasonable here, while you're all red faced and shouty!" with that repellent smirk on his face. Just thinking of it is making me all tense and headachy. I cannot stand that. I actually yelled "NOOOO!" when he suggested it. Out loud. I KNEW that would be a fail. I had visions of the horror on Anne Burrell's face on that show she did on FN--Worst Cook in America? Some woman kept insisting on adding vanilla to chicken dishes, and Anne said "did you ever think there there might be a reason why this never caught on?" Echoing the Stacy love. Boston, represent!

I lost my heart to them first episode, when one of them did bunny ears on Misti. They are funny and smart and they make me laugh out loud every episode. Some people are just ebullient and extravagantly expressive (I know, I'm one). I don't equate that with mugging or attention seeking--its just how they (we) are. Maya is really, really pretty too--there was one shot of them exposition-ing, she was wearing a hat--she looked like Naomi Campbell. Her faint at the sandwich shop was so cute and funny. I love them without reservation. Unlike the mother/daughter team. I rarely change allegiances once I decide I like a competitor, but these two-blech. Neither one comes out looking good or sympathetic to me. Mother smug and overbearing, daughter short tempered and utterly lacking in coping skills. Feh. Done. The wrestlers cracked me up! I like them. It *is* refreshing to not actively hate anyone.

I found Chelsea and Yamir adorable and I wish them well. I feel pretty sure that they will make this work for them--once they are settled they can look at Yamir's career potential in the US and move wherever. The manager may have been right, but calling Chelsea names and yelling at her was not the way to win her over. I feel like the "Nicaraguan superstar relocates to Small Town USA" storyline is just a storyline and that Chelsea and Yamir have plans for his career. Danielle, its been said. The poor woman is a pathetic train wreck. I did not like San Jose bachelor at all. That whole awkwardly staged scene with the sink full of dirty dishes may have been for the cameras, but his attitude is insufferable. In other news, I can't believe I missed the first season of this show! Its FANTASTIC. I binge watched the end of the first season yesterday, oh my god. best. show. ever.

The single best thing about this episode was Tim Gunn's hula lesson! I haven't laughed so hard in an age. and say what you will about Tim, (I still love him, despite everything), he's a great sport, and I always love his interactions with people's families and friends. Sigh. Remember season 1? When the designers had, what? 8 months to make their collections? Five weeks, no wonder the final collections are dull and uninspired.

Oh yeah. Another misogynistic turd waving his dick around. He and baseball cap wearing, messy guy are members of the He Man Woman Haters Club. All about control. He was going to show that little blonde who was boss. What a dink.