BusyOctober

I'm sure there are many ways to pronounce baklava, but Paul's irked me to no end! I worked with a woman from Greece and she would make it often for various office functions. She made the dough from scratch and it was always so good, but too sweet for me to have a whole piece. She pronounced it as "BAH- kla - VAH". Paul and his "ba-KLAVA" made my ears hurt. I've really enjoyed this series and I hope my local PBS station continues to show it in the future. These contestants and the no weird twists( a la any American competition show travesty) format makes me smile the entire episode. Lovely people behaving well toward each other and showing their incredible talent is what I've loved about it the most.

I have watched every episode, but for the life of me I can't remember how/why Shrimpy lost his money. He's a great dad though. Loved that Susan got cut down by so many of the family and her new in-laws. It seems she's been a pill and a party pooper all her life, so good luck finding someone to foot the bills after the divorce. Now that Rose and Atticus are married, that means Rose won't be living at the Abbey, right? If she's gone and Tom leaves for America, meal times are going to be pretty tense with just Mary & Edith for conversation. I thought it was great that the SY detective told Mary off when she demanded to be addressed as "Lady Mary Crawley" and he said he didn't care if she were Queen of the Nile. First, it's a murder investigation and titles dont' (shouldn't) out rank the law. Secondly, times they are a changin'- tiles, estates and posh manners don't mean much in post warI, 20th century and his pointing it out to Mary was a good dose of reality for her. Like most of the world, I'm over the Bates and their did they or didn't they plot. Just turn them into an English version of Bonnie and Clyde and let them lose in London or Liverpool or anywhere but Downton Abbey.

Heidi and Spencer are two of the most vapid soulless beings on Earth. After hearing their sob stories about molestation and daddy not being proud of me, these two wing nuts need to take a forgiveness 'journey' to forgive REALITY TV non-entities? At the end of the day its all about their egos being stroked 24-7 and if that "need isn't being met" (TM- hack therapists), then they lash out. This couple needs much more than televised faux therapy if they want to bring children into this world. Kids need to be the center of attention at least 50% of their time. I don't think it's possible for these idiots. Once Baby Speidi outgrows its Louis Vuitton pet carrier bag, I think they'll have no concept how to parent, If they remain childless, they can just feed off of the other's endless neediness and sap each other dry. And what condition does Spencer have that makes his mouth hang open all the time? Adenoids? Allergies? Apnea? He forever looks dazed and confused and witless. No words for Aviva & Whats-His-Name. So incredibly bad at acting! So incredibly boring trying to stay relevant! She is just milking her 15 min for every last nano second. I hope she disappears from TV when this show ends.

Kim's blog is up at Bravotv.com

AM at the final runway brought to mind this: girl has got to STOP with the updo's. After reading the recap and seeing the image of AM selected, I am even more convinced! Bitch stole Fairy Godmother's look...and expression!

I'm watching the "Pretty Little Mean Girls" ep now...these guests are neither 'pretty' nor 'girls'. All of these women are in their 20's but holy moly!!! They all look 35 to me. I'm not what kind of life style they are leading, but it isn't do them any favors.

Oh my, yes! I liked the character Flint in S1, but S2 Flashback Flint is all kinds of must see TV for me. I think he will be my new TV boyfriend since Timothy Olyphant & Justified are ending soon. I don't get where Eleanor is coming from with her flip-flopping. If Nassau and the control of trade are so important and if she's supposed to be smart enough to see the long game, are we to believe she just sold out all those plans for some sex with Vane? I agree there is very little chemistry between the two even though they obviously have "history". Do we know what happened to Lord Hamilton in the current time yet? I wonder if he is somehow supposed to be related to the real life Sir Wm. Hamilton. RL Hamilton's notorious wife Emma became Horatio Nelson's mistress and their story kind of echoes the Flint/Hamilton-Barlowe story. Still don't like Max. I like getting to Anne's story a little more this season. The actress playing Anne sometimes looks like Gwenyth Paltrow in a red wig, so it takes me out of the moment occasionally,

Attitudes toward alcohol vary by generation I guess. When I was very little, I lived on a naval base and my parents hosted a ton of cocktail parties. Adults drank and smoked around me for years and probably drove to & from my parents house lit up like Christmas trees. I never thought anything pro or con about it. But I guess all the anti-drinking and driving messages I heard in high school and college stuck during the 80's/ 90's with me. I was just out for dinner at a family friendly chain restaurant Saturday night. Two couples and 5 kids between them (from infant in a carrier to 10 yr old) sat near us.. All 4 of the adults had at least 2 drinks each while we were there (approx 1 hour). I was horrified that there wasn't a designator driver in the group. I mentioned it to the manager on my way out so maybe he wouldn't allow them to be served anymore. I am not a teetotaler but I couldn't imagine having 2 drinks then getting into a car, let alone with my kids! Back to the others at DA- I liked Mary's bob, but I don't see how or why she's the hottest thing in England. Why do we have to suffer through several more seasons of "Who will Mary Marry?" Also getting beyond tired of the Boring Bates. Just hurry up and solve the damn case already. Put them both in jail and let Mosely move up to Valet. Edith's prolonged torture is wearing thin too. At least she took action to get her story moving forward. Still love Violet and Isobel the best. I'd rather see them as the entire focus of the show if the current plan is to keep retreading the same plots for everyone else.

Didn't they do this task before at Universal? I remember Harry Potter themed "experience". NBC must really want to kill this show with all the slap-dash efforts put into this season.

Exactly! How about Katherine Hepburn? Joan Crawford? Marlene Dietrich? GARBO??? and on and on... I never liked Marilyn Monroe as a movie actress or the "personality" she became, so maybe I'm biased about what Hollywood icon means. And who was that "actress" who introduced the challenge? She's playing MM in a Lifetime Movie but wow, she had ZERO on screen charisma.

I'm convinced Brandi only wears her 6 inch heels to intimidate people. She loves to tower over the shorter women and loom over them as she spouts her pseudo ghetto girl from the mean streets lingo. She's already taller than most of the women in bare feet. She could wear 3 inch heels and still be a giraffe among bunny rabbits. But physical intimidation is one of the few power plays Brandi has to use. She certainly doesn't have a sharp wit, an educated vocabulary or good debating skills to defend her (indefensible) position in these foolish fights. I looked at the sneak peek of Brandi throwing shade at Yo's kid. Man, Brandi just doesn't see past life in the immediate moment does she? She's trashing her only supporter's kid? She backs up her statement with "well that's what people are saying." What 'people' Brandi? The same ones who were saying Mauricio was cheating? Or that Lisa V declared bankruptcy? Or that Kim did Meth? Just because you or one of your STD ridden cronies drops a story on TMZ or a tabloid doesn't make it true. Or, even if there are rumors that 'people' are talking about, as a supposed friend who is loyal or at the very least a co-worker, her response should be to shut it down versus stoking the fires. I'm tired of hearing Brandi's thoughtless and ignorant claims that she's a "truth cannon" and has no filter. She is really a bullshit bazooka & sprays her crap all over without any cares who gets hit. It is understandable for a 3 year old to point at a person in the grocery store and say, "he has no hair!" But by the time that kid is 4,5,6 that kid has (hopefully) learned empathy, etiquette and impulse control. I really hope Bravo pulls the plug on Brandi and she slinks off with her pack of gutless coyote ugly friends.

All that stuff and all those people and she only made $1000 at the yard sale? I have one kid and a 3 bedroom Cape, small basement & no attic to store anywhere near the amount Kate's family has. I had a yard sale three years ago and cleared $600. She must have had to pay rent for the location? Or did she keep part of the money? Which, no big deal if she did- it's her stuff and her time & effort. She just made it sound like she was doing this as a way to clean house and be charitable to a cause she loved. Kate looked like she was truly enjoying the yard sale once the people were lined up. She seemed to chit chat politely with many of them and she sounded so surprised how nice people were. I remember years ago when they moved into that McMansion, someone on TWoP who lived nearby told an interesting story. She said she and a few other neighbors walked over with a basket of muffins, jam, cookies etc to welcome the Gosslins to the neighborhood. According to this TWoP-er, Kate sneered at the basket and said her family only ate "Organic" and told the women to not step foot on her property again without invitation. Kate said anyone on their property would be considered trespassers and she'd call the police. I think shortly after they moved in they had a gate put at the end of the driveway. I get that they didn't want looky-loos stalking them or the kids. But in 6 years living there Kate never making contact with neighbors is just weird to me. Mady and Cara are so sullen and miserable. I know teens can be manic and have crazy mood swings, but Cara seems almost catatonic in most scenes and Mady is either raging or stomping or crying. The little girls are always disagreeable around their mom too. I was glad to see the 2 older girls have a party with friends and not just their sibs. I don't get why Kate thinks the younger ones need to be included in the older ones' activities so she searches for something suitable for all ages. I think Mady & Cara would appreciate a "Little Kids-free" day with just their peers. I had to laugh at the photo shoot. No one but Kate has a full day of hair, makeup and wardrobe changes for a family portrait. Not to mention the hours of time in that studio. We never did family portraits growing up, but I have taken my daughter to get professional photos taken...at JC Penney. And we were only there for 30 min tops. And I had enough sense to bring a few snacks and toys to entertain her and ward off the crankiness.

I admit to watching a lot of reality TV (Housewives, Survivor, Amazing Race...) so I'm guilty for giving some of these asshats a platform to mug for cameras. However, when these D-listers become so desperate to stay on TV, that's when we as viewers need to pull the plug. Why continue to reward them for shitty behavior? People like Spencer and Natalie and basically this whole cast get to make money for showing how unintelligent, crass and belligerent they are? Speaking of making money - how does posting pictures of your big fat ass on Instagram make money? Do Natalie's "fan" pay her to see those stupid pictures? I don't use Instagram so I'm completely in the dark on how posting a picture on social media generates income. The Carolls should be ashamed of themselves as well. But again if ANY of the participants of these kinds of shows had any depth of character or self-awareness, there'd be no more of these shows.

I'm convinced the whole wedding thing was a sham. That couple was either already married or they are getting married 6 months after the taping of this BS. The "bridesmaids" all looked like they had model proportions except height for a few. They had measurements close to the designers' manequins, so I call BS there too. My other theory is the "bride" got sick before shooting and they grabbed one of Georgina's employees to play the part. Whatever the behind the scenes story is I am sure someone ended up with a free Marchesa gown and ring. I hope they don't have to take the china because a) UGLY & b) 90% of couples who register for lah-di-dah china never use it. All those bridesmaid dresses were awful. Sonjia's was acceptable. I think the stress and sleep deprivation are getting to these folks. Their work is showing very poor fabric choice, lousy execution and lack of any real inspiration. Like many have posted, the time restraints are making this show laughable. Hee- whoever called AM a Faberge Egg is spot on! Not flattering at all, even for a Marchesa creation. As humungous as she is in these episodes, I don't think she was close to delivering. In side views, her belly is still pretty high up. I don't think the baby dropped yet! At least she wore her hair down and looked a little softer than her Dynasty era up 'dos.

AS much as I have snarked on this show, I am satisfied with the tidy wrap up. A lot of fans fought to keep this show going over the years and clearly many people love this fake family. It's trope-y and trite to give all the characters "happy ever after" but I think the writers and producers and the actors felt a responsibility to "make everyone happy". I'm OK with it. And I did cry a few times, just not as much as when FNL ended, though! ( Hi Jason Street & Luke!) My final hate watch irritants in this series: * Kristina & Adam becoming Snowflake Whisperers and "curing" the broken education system across America w/ Chambers Academy franchises * Max being his rude aggressive self and everyone just laughing it off * the opening scene where the women-folk are planning the wedding; someone says "All the cousins are coming!" and some responds incredulously "ALL of them??" Um, hellOO? Your co-dependent family all live mere blocks away from each other (except Hattie), they show up uninvited in every aspect of your lives (except Hattie), half of them are in the room with you RIGHT NOW (except Hattie). * speaking of guests for the wedding- who were all those non-Braverman people?? I'm assuming they must be from Hank's side because we have never seen any of the Braverman's interact with non-relatives (unless they were sleeping with the them - see all Sarah's exes, behavior specialists or shaming/mocking them - see any and all parents of Max's school peers, Luncheonette clients) * the unfathomable obtuseness of Crosby, Adam & Amber; Crosby never thought of running the business himself? Adam the wise business man never thought about renting the ridiculously underused areas of the building? And when Zeek & Camille are telling Amber their plans for Amber and the baby, Amber acts like she doesn't get it for 15 minutes...they asked her to move in and she's all "Huh, Whaaa?? Do you mean...???" It's been a fun ride with all of you PTV posters & former TWoPer's! See y'all around the forums!

Just figured out who JoJo's mom reminded me of...only she's blonde vs. red head. I think it's the pursed bad shade of red lips. Someone said it before but JoJo has got to GoGo. What a brat! And her mother is a walking definition of a stage mom.

Forgot to mention her other martyrdom gem- when Kate was all "woe as me! these kids are so ungrateful!" she went on about how she should have taken the money and fixed up a nice space for herself (with the unspoken but implied "look how I think of others first and sacrifice"). Blah. I wonder if there's any TLC trust fund account for the kids left or was it all eaten up in the house and divorce?

Random thoughts... Lisa V's new dog- she said Avery was an older dog, then she said she wanted to change her name to "Pumpy". I'm not a dog owner, but is it as easy as that? If the dog has been called Avery for 5-7 years, how do you just rename her? And how did Avery end up at the doggy camp in the first place? Her previous owner sent her & never picked her up? Lisa R & Eileen are superstars. Never saw either of them in the shows they are famous for but I am securely seated on their fan trains now. However, I still think the stuff at Lisa R's jewelry party looked cheap. Yo and her kids - I think Anwar (and Bella more than Gigi) has his dad's facial features but they are softened up with his mom's coloring. Thank God he doesn't have his dad's hairline (yet). I also didn't get his breakfast...one strawberry sliced into 12 pieces and a half glass of grapefruit juice to was down vitamins? Looked like he put the dish in the sink with 10 slices of strawberry left on it. Maybe he stops for a McMuffin on the way to school? I like almonds to, but I can't make a snack or a meal out of them! Brandi- so a mini denim dress, unbuttoned to reveal underwear or lack of is appropriate for parent teacher night? What the F difference does it make that the kids are in public school?? So she'd wear the same thing to a private school but with some bedazzled rhinestones for a "fancy" school?? - her friend Jen is looking rougher every time. She and Brandi looked like wax figures with all the fillers. So sad. I think these overworked women lose their eyesight as a side effect of all the chemicals & implants. There is no way someone with 20/20 vision can look in a mirror and think Damn! I'm fabulous! - her ridiculous TH styling in the orange plunging neckline, her exposed bolt-on boobs & "I dream of Jeannie" 'do. Was she on her way to a Bond Girl themed party at the Playboy mansion later? - "Hire a nanny" comment - first of all as said above, it's Eileen's home and she wasn't expecting to be hosting a USC frat party. She anticipated an adult social gathering w/ cocktails and poker. Secondly, does one "hire a nanny" for ONE night?? I think Brandi meant get a babysitter, no? A sitter comes for a short term. Isn't a nanny someone who is a regular caretaker? Maybe Brandi is trying to put herself in the other women's income level by tossing around Nanny in place of Sitter. I can hear her telling anyone who'll listen that her kids are with their nanny when she can't afford a permanent residence for her boys. - her sad ass non apology to Eileen. Last week she was crowing about how these ladies are actresses and should be able to keep a straight face in a poker game. Brandi should learn something about "acting" like you mean it when you say I'm sorry. Step one- look the person in the face while speaking to them. End of lesson. - stop with the cheating allegations already. She's gone after Kyle several times. When did she make the Joanna Krupa/Mohammad accusation? Was it before or after this season wrapped? If it was before, why would she go after Yo like that when she's the only HW who has stuck up for her for several seasons? Don't care enough about Kim, but I don't think we'll ever hear the real reason why she was in the hospital.

If Kate thinks 3 10 yo boys are stinky, wait until they hit puberty! I have 2 nephews, 12 & 10, and they've been using deodorant for a few years now. If Kate's kids play any sports, there's going to be a whole lot of stink in her future. I remember having to sit in the back of a station wagon with my 2 brothers' hockey equipment and their sweaty bodies. URP! I would beg to sit next to the window and stick my head out in 20 degree temps just to clear my senses. Kate is a bigger idiot than I ever thought her to be if she thought 8 kids would not get a drop of paint on the floor. Her freak out inspection of the kids' feet brought me back to that time she shrieked at the kids having been given GUM. She was in DEFCON 2 territory on that one. And what's with her planning these "fun" (read: camera ready) activities so close to bed time/dinner? During the painting party she yelled that it was getting late, hurry up, it's bedtime etc. Then for the pumpkin smashing "game" she kept squawking how it was getting dark, hurry!! If she is such a Organization Guru, why wouldn't she plan those activities when the kids have the time to really enjoy them? Because the activities are for her viewing public to see how 'fun' & 'spontaneous' SHE is, and NOT for the kids enjoyment. All those girls are complete personality clones of Kate. The whining, the bad temper, the snarky sarcasm are all learned behaviors. Still not sure how the boys manage to stay so even keeled. Maybe its a survival instinct? Lay low and let the cannon fodder fly over? How does she watch these episodes filled with asides bitching in front of the children about 'what she has to put up with' and not see that her comments affect the kids? I'm also sick of her complaining that she is all alone in the raising of the 8 kids. Sure, maybe Jon can't provide financially like you want him to, but he does see the kids and has a part in parenting. As for having help from friends or family, well that's on Kate for destroying any and all of those relationships. She has cut herself and her kids off from her side of the family. Loved how several of the girls got so excited about the idea of escaping Witch Mountain as soon as they were old enough. That's the best advice I could think of for those children. RUN fast & long distance.

It actually happened March 5, 1770. And there was snow on the ground because according to some documents, people were throwing snowballs at the British Regulars. There are a lot of inaccuracies and 21st century Michael Bay-type action, but it's interesting enough to keep watching. It's hard for me to not roll my eyes when I watch dramatic interpretations for historical events because I am a huge US History buff. I live in Boston and I've been a Revolutionary War nerd since 3rd grade! I haven't looked her up yet, but I think the actress playing Abigail Adams is the same woman who plays Sarah Bunting on Downton Abbey. If it is it may give me another reason to dislike this series. Abigail Adams has been a personal heroine of mine and that Sarah Bunting is a real PITA. My brain may not be able to separate the two!

When I saw all those savory pies I kept thinking of King Henry VIII and Game of Thrones. They all looked pretty good, but other than chicken pot pie, or quiches I've never eaten such a gloriously gluttony-filled pie before. I'm glad there wasn't a drinking game to take a shot every time someone said "hot water crust". I loved Norman and his accent! Best smile of my day was listening to Norman quote Robert Burns. I don't know why, but all season Paul came across so snooty and sneering to my adopted Grandpa! Maybe Paul has "daddy issues" and Norman's military service reminded him of dark times with his own father? Whatever the reason, Mr. Paul Hollywood is dead to me for kicking Norman out of the tent! ( I know he wasn't going to win, but he was such a sweet spirit) Go Martha! That girl is very talented. I was shocked to see Luis & Richard fall down a few pegs, but I still think they along with Nancy are the ones to beat.

I love how all these "bad asses" think jumping up and leaving the room while ranting in a loud voice & stomping around means they are "keepin' it real" and the winner of the argument. No, you are just proving how unintelligent you are. You can't debate, or keep a dialogue going in a sensical order that most 2nd graders are capable of doing. You lack the brain cells and vocabulary to state your opinion and defend your position. You are so deficient mentally that you don't understand the difference between disagreement and disrespect. Speaking of brain dead "celebrities"...Spencer's poetry and artwork are solid confirmation that he is missing a significant part of his cerebral cortex. Was he dropped on his head too many times as a baby? Did he play sports and suffer multiple concussions? Heidi is no Mensa member but she should run before she reproduces with that guy. I hope these 2 understand that a dad with an IQ of 32 and a mom with an IQ of 78 will not produce a child with a 110 IQ.

The whole Amber pregnancy has put me off this show almost more than anything else. It's so ridiculous and unfettered to any reality. Does she know she's now unemployed? She wasn't working for weeks and now the brothers are closing up shop. She's mentioned a few times that she's concerned about the economics of having a baby but HELLO?? Moping around in your hipster loft clutching your belly isn't going to make it any easier once the kid arrives. Her living situation is in jeopardy because no work means no money for rent, food, insurance, clothes etc. Her car is a death trap and completely unreliable. She has a high school diploma and very few marketable skills. Her resume is almost as scattered as her mother's - coffee shop barrista, political aide and receptionist. Woo! Single with apparently no help financial from Baby Daddy. so while Amber is rightly worried she won't be able to provide for this kid, her hippy-dippy mom tells her "Oh, once you hold the baby, something just clicks! And everything works out!" I don't think Amber was worried she wouldn't love her baby. That wasn't her concern. I want to ask Sarah aside from the rush of love and emotion toward her new baby, what the hell else "clicks"??? She will get a full time, well paying job, an apartment & a safe vehicle? GAH! Of course, on this show if you are a Braverman, (or if you've been adopted or taught by a Benevolent Braverman), your life will be perfect.

According to how the judges have ruled this season, if I were a contestant here's what I'd send down the runway: "My girl is a self-made 20-something jet setter magazine editor who owns a helicopter she flies off in to spend weekends drinking Absinthe with the crown heads of the Lesser Antilles. In other words, she's someone everyone can relate to. I've made granny print, backless, bare midriff, shoulder padded neoprene jumpsuit with the hem just below the shin and saggy draping across the ass. The tacked on rivets & lace make this look go from day to night." When do I get the prize money?

Only watched 20 minutes before I couldn't take it anymore. New Mom and her kid are more annoying than any other "guest" Abby has dragged in. When I look at JoJo all I can picture is "Baby Jane". She'll be wearing those dumb bows in her over bleached hair until she's 70 if her over bearing mother has anything to do with her "career". She'll end up like Donna Douglas dressing in her "Ellie Mae Clampett" get up for 50 years. I feel bad for most of the kids trapped in Abby's studio (thanks to their fame whore mothers locking them in & tossing the key). I really feel sick to my stomach when I see that poor little Sarah. She so tiny and scared and unhealthy looking. So pale and frail! And she's gotta go home with her cuckoo for cocoa puffs mom every night. I hope this is the last season for this show. The girls deserve better. Better training, better parents, better childhoods.