amarante

I don't doubt that a "bed" can be expensive - one of the least expensive Duxiana mattresses is about $10,000 and there are mattresses that sell for $50,000. Currently I own a "bed" mattress - adjustable bed frame - and actual bed (e.g. the decorative element) which was expensive but I never dreamed of taking out a loan to pay for it. I bought it when I could pay cash. When I was in my twenties my mattress and bed were cheaper and didn't necessitate taking out a loan. I probably would have been buying the equivalent of an Oscar mattress and an IKEA bed frame. God I sound like a grouchy old person but it seems to be part of the same delusional thinking where house hunters starting out in their 20's want a home thet is as nice as the home their parents achieved after they had worked for awhile. Of course there are plenty of middle aged financial idiots but let's assume that many middle aged middle class people didn't start out with the homes their spawn wants to duplicate as their first home. Circling back to the original discussion, I find it appalling that someone needed to take out a loan to purchase a bed. You can get a well reviewed mattress and bed frame for $1000 or a bit more. If you need a loan to afford that sum, maybe you shouldn't be purchasing a home.

Yes that really stuck in my mind as well. Who is paying off a bed over such a period of time that it has to be mentioned and if they are charging a bed, I would assume they are charging a lot of other stuff. Alabama woman doesn't seem to be someone who defers gratification - she mentioned needing a large closet as well which no doubt will house a lot of other credit card purchases.

I ask seriously why people want five or ten acres. What is the point unless you actually are using those acres for something - e.g. it is zoned for horses. But otherwise what is the point. If you have lawns don't you need to water them - water is fairly expensive and getting even more so. The $210,000 house (third one) with the steam shower is a disaster waiting to happen. A properly constructed steam shower costs about $15,000 to $20,000 because you don't simply water proof it - you need to make it vapor proof. And the glass needs to have a transom. I seriously doubt whether the owner of a $210,000 home spent $20,000 to build a steam shower and if they did what a stupid way to spend money in lieu of updating the kitchen.

Erika’s explanation for there nit being a prenup made no sense. She claimed there wasn’t one because Tom was such a shrewd lawyer that he could have wiggled out of the prenup anyway. Generally a prenup protects the assets of the wealthier spouse so it would be Erika who would have tried to have a prenup nullified.

I agree that the dissolution is going to be a dissolution of a business arrangement and what makes financial sense for the parties. I suspect that the Girardi law firm is a house of financial cards and Tom isn't as solvent as he used to be. By separating legally, Erika has now protected everything she earns from the date of the legal separation. Since California is a community property state, Erika's earnings could be used to pay off Tom's creditors. I could be wrong but Erika didn't strike me as someone who was particularly sexual. She impersonated someone sexual but to me it was a facade. I can't see her divorcing or marrying someone for love or hot sex.

I am shocked 😂😂😂😂 There wasn’t a shred of any kind of intimacy or warmth. What interests me is how this business partnership is dissolved. I assume there is a prenup but will Erika be getting enough to be able to support her glam squad and extravagant lifestyle. She does get a good salary from the show and I assume Gets other money from her side hustles. But it is hard to believe that her cabaret act or whatever she calls is is actually a source of income considering how much she spends for the support and wardrobe etc. Flying those people around isn’t cheap.

What were Karen’s achievements outside of marrying Ray? I don’t mean this in a shady way but she married well and was lucky to be cast on a reality show which lays her a high salary and provides her with promotional benefits. I don’t see licensing your make for a perfume which is not exactly topping the perfume sales charts as being a huge achievement.

What exactly is Monique's background that was so difficult. I get that she isn't a college graduate like the others - Gizelle, Robyn and Candiace clearly came from middle to upper middle class backgrounds. But Ashley seems to have had a difficult upbringing as her mother seems pretty worthless as a parent. She was on the pageant circuit so I guess that helped provide her with upward mobility. Not just by marrying an old rich guy but she seems to have also gotten some kind of degree so theoretically she could have gotten a job. Or perhaps I am missing something in terms of her background. Of course the dynamics of Candiace's mother/daughter relationship are also not healthy but Candiace at least had the economic and social advantages. Karen might not have gone to college but she came from what seems to be a very middle class type of family with a cohesive nuclear family and a strong extended family as well as a childhood that was both economically and emotionally stable.

To be fair, Wendy was not relying on medical expertise when she said that Karen's defense of Monique because of undisclosed *medical* issues was bogus. She was just making the common sense statement that the woman went back for a second round when she charged Candiace and that wasn't in the heat of the original fight. And all of the footage indicates that Monique knew damn well what she was doing all of the time including the blow by blow description in the limo when she was leaving the site of the brawl. Karen sought to diminish Wendy's statement by stating she wasn't a medical doctor which was completely irrelevant. Most of us are not medical doctors but can see that Monique doesn't have what most people think of as medical issues causing poor impulse control. People who have TBI (traumatic brain injury) might have medical issues which cause them to lose it but Monique doesn't. Monique not going on the upcoming trip was due to producers and not based on a decision by Ashley to disinvite Monique. None of these trips are actually planned by the housewives. I would imagine the women told the producers that they would not go on a trip with Monique and the producers decided they would go with the majority decision. Ashley merely was the messenger since she had been set up originally as the *hostess*. I hate to say it but Wendy is growing on me. I hold a degree in a field in which I was a pioneer and so I was used to being discounted and ignored. I think that Wendy has probably also had that experience as have many women - especially women of color and/or immigrants so I will cut her some slack on the display of her credentials especially since that was in the first episodes and she seems to have relaxed. I also come from a culture and family in which education and professional achievement is prized. I think it is great that Wendy is actively trying to raise strong black men who value education as well as personal values such as leadership and integrity. I really think that there just can't be enough of that kind of positive stuff. I think that a lot of racism that isn't perceived by white people is reduced when people see depictions of immigrants and people of color and realize that they are just like they are and people they want to live next door to. I was raised to by extremely liberal parents who instilled actively anti-racist ideals to the extent they could but I also grew up in a de facto segregated neighborhood and went to de facto segregated schools so I really had no interaction with POC. There weren't television shows which had black main characters. I remember Julia being a big deal when I was a kid and then Cosby of course. Obviously that is just a smallish thing in the scheme of things but I do think that there is much more implicit acceptance of multiculturalism as well as realizing that people might look different or have different customs but share many of the same values when there are different kinds of people leading normal good loves on popular culture. It just becomes what people become familiar with and no longer scary and strange. Of course there are still a lot on the other side but I will leave that be. I watch House Hunters and so many of the interracial or gay couples are just portrayed with race or gayness nit being part of the storyline what an incredible way we have come from a loving vs Virgina which was decided in 1967 or even Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner when the black boyfriend was the complete storyline In terms of my personal voyage, it was as an adult that I had my first true black friend. We shared so much in common - we had moved to Los Angeles - we were lawyers in the entertainment business - our mothers were both teachers in New York City and our fathers were both working for the government as well - her father was a fireman in New York and we both shared a passion for flea markets so we would get up at the crack of dawn every Sunday to hit one of the flea markets in Los Angeles. We were best friends for several years until she moved back and we couldn't keep up as much.

I didn't really take the NJ couple's comments seriously They had to have some kind of storyline so his music room and her feigned indifference was the plot point. He was into music - some men are into watching sports or playing video games. They have been together for 8 or so years and at least to me had a pretty normal fond relationship. In the end they made the obviously best choice which was to renovate a place that was reasonably close to the parents. Since they had renovated before they obviously knew what they were doing and what the realistic costs and time frames would be. I find some house hunters ridiculous when they act as if taking down a wall and even painting kitchen cabinets is a small thing. Based on the update they removed a load bearing wall to open up the kitchen. And they were so much better off than paying or some flipper's completely bland/poor style choices - not to mention how the flipper made the least expensive choices whenever possible. Anyone who opts for gray FLOORS at this point should have their head examined. The Vancouver couple with the 21 year old girl on the other hand was just weird. As I commented upthread when it first aired, I thought they were living with HER mother because the older woman looked like an older dried out version of the wife.

They go most regularly to the Baja Peninsula. They have had a few episodes in Mexico City. I think the two hairdresser sisters was set in Mexico City

She and her husband probably owned a home and so she would have split the equity or been paid off in some way. There might also be some kind of child support. She was Executive Chef and also said she was head of Food and Beverage so her salary would probably be better than just a cook or chef in a restaurant. Country club chef isn't the most exciting but I suspect it's a more solid position than most restaurants since the food portion isn't self supporting the way a restaurant has to live or die based on who walks in the door, reviews etc.

I assume that she had picked out the home without having all the yentas along and their being along for the fake camera tours was just to tour for the show. Without them, she had absolutely no storyline - not that the pack of yentas was a great storyline but it at least was more than the reality of a woman looking for an affordable home who had realistic list of wants/needs and chose a home that was most suitable for her and her daughter. I agree that all the yentas were included so as not to hurt any feelings - it's like having a gaggle of bridesmaids.

I didn't quite understand how the presence of a refrigerator would help you ride out the storm. Theoretically it would allow you to bring up furniture but I assume electricity is the first thing to go - even if your house isn't flooded. I can't imagine buying a home that had been flooded 12 inches and was in a flood plain when there are alternatives - albeit more expensive ones. It is only going to get worse and it is a major disruption to deal with. Also, how it possible that a home that is that badly flooded doesn't have potential structural and mold issues. And how can you have a bedroom if the windows don't open. Aside from there being no possibility of ventilation ever, it would seem that would be illegal as a safety violation because no way to get out of the room in a fire without breaking a window.

Free or significant discount for the Housewives. Anytime they are shown in a retail establishment the housewives are receiving free or greatly reduced merchandise. BRAVO negotiates for the more significant discounts like hotels.

They chose the place which was closest to the pre-school in the ex-pat neighborhood. Putting kids in a car and driving them to pre-school every day made no sense. And they would be far away from their classmates. Not much sympathy for the guy with his 45 minute commute. Many people have commutes of that length or longer especially when they have children and move to the suburbs. Given that they chose the place next to the pre-school their choice made perfect sense. Presumably there are also groceries and other establishments needed day to day. She had also mentioned pediatricians for example as part of her research and English speaking doctors are probably centered in that area as well. I don't know where else they would need to go on a frequent basis. Many people - especially those with children - don't live in the center of the hot spots. I grew up in Brooklyn and we went into Manhattan for the museums, Lincoln Center and department store shopping. But there was no need to go there on a daily basis as there was day to day commerce in our neighborhood. I did commute Into Manhattan from seventh grade to attend one of the specialized schools and I fled to Manhattan to live as soon as I graduated and started working.

Monique wanted the ladies to show up at her event so that she could publicize and sell tickets to the event. There would be little interest in just Monique versus having four housewives make an appearance. As others have posted, it would also be a tactical measure to show that she has support from the other ladies since she would post pictures of them together. I wonder if more people decided to buy tickets because the fight was publicized and therefore there was prurient interest in that versus the idiocy of Not For Lazy Moms.

It is the cliche - location, location, location. Studio City is a desirable location. It is significantly closer to many places where people want or need to be. It is considered "trendier" in terms of restaurants, shopping etc. Whether you personally care about such things is irrelevant since enough people do so that real estate is more expensive than in other locations. Studio City is literally named after the studios - many of which are proximate. Studio City and Encino (which is just west of Studio City) are the most desirable locations in the Valley. Chatsworth (second condo) is extremely far out and could add at least 1 hour in rush hour depending on where one has to be. It is also in the middle of nowhere and not even in the middle of nowhere in a *desirable* way like Calabasas. Van Nuys (third condo) would actually have made more sense as a bargain location. It is really not that much further than Studio City but it isn't as *nice* an area as Studio City is. Chatsworth was also a gut job - floors, kitchen and bathroom would have been at least $75,000 to $100,000 in the Los Angeles area where labor costs are high. I don't know if I would have chosen either of those condos but my criteria would have been different but I accept that for her budget, that is what she could get in Studio City. She obviously wanted a townhouse style since she didn't look at more standard one level condos in apartment house type of buildings. Also HOA fees weren't mentioned - presumably they were relatively cheap since they had no amenities to speak of - not even the standard small front yards which are paid for by HOA. The Van Nuys condo had a pool but it wasn't discussed as any kind of desirable thing. Thankfully I live on the other side of the Santa Monica Mountains and have a stupendous view :-). That was one of my main criteria as well as location.

I have no doubt that there are ways to monetize social medial of any kind as well as unique content. However as your excellent analysis points out, this is NOT a simple get rich quick scheme. I am simply not understanding what Monique's *brand* is in terms of what kind of content she could offer that would be enough to create a viable lifestyle website/podcase/social media presence. She can certainly make the kind of passive income that you get from hits based on your followers and/or receive money for promoting stuff in her social media - again based on metrics for her followers. I just don't understand why anyone would pay for any content Monique would be creating because she really doesn't have a particularly unique or interesting life. She married a rich professional athlete and has children. Aside from living vicariously by looking at pictures of her *glamorous* lifestyle, what else is there. She is no GOOP founder - and from what I have read GOOP isn't actually profitable either.

There is a website that has a LONG thread on Jamal's cheating. The thread dates back to 2004 and covers his pre-engagement cheating with an illegitimate child. According to the recent posts on that thread, he has had a recent illegitimate child and that this theoretical remarriage is solely a storyline. I don't quite understand how someone can be a pastor and just a man slut and it being well known. I realize that theoretically there is this whole forgiveness of sinners crap but at a certain point doesn't behavior - especially in someone who is theoretically a role model - become unredeemable and therefore the person is shunted off to sell used cars or some other job that doesn't carry the weight of being a theoretical moral beacon.

If her hats are lined with satin or silk, then she is an idiot for NOT mentioning that during the promotional segment for the hats. It would have been super easy for her to have mentioned that. The only thing she said was that she realized there was a dearth of "cute" baseball hats available and not that there was a dearth of silk or satin lined hats that were beneficial to AA hair.

That podcast was just weird. The business model of a podcast might be a paid subscription like Sirius Radio but frankly there is so much competition that it's hard to imagine who would pay to hear a podcast. What Monique was attempting was to make money by staging her own "event" which is why she needed housewives to show up since the people paying would be paying to meet and hear the housewives. I think most of these women make money by being paid to be at an event or even just to show up at a particular place - I don't know if there is a business model in which housewives make money by staging their own event. I wonder what the economics of Wine With Wendy were as she didn't seem to mention who picked up the tab for the venue and food/drink. But Monique is delusional in terms of a podcast or her website being a major source of income. How much money can there be In branded hats and t-shirts. Why would anyone want to pay a premium for her merchandise. I am not sure what the charge is for Robyn's hats but I guess there is more of a niche market for cute baseball hats. Years ago I had a Pucci style baseball hat and I would wear it for shade (literally) when I was taking a water aerobics class and couldn't wear sunglasses.

I am not sure if it was the norm but the house hunters in the early shows actually saw many more houses but only three were shown - but there were a few exceptions in which a home was briefly toured and so more than three were technically shown. Also the shows would state which number house this was - e..g. the 14th or whatever. The phone call was obviously staged in the same way that so many of the house hunters conveniently are staying at family or friends to disguise that they have moved in. I do miss some of the earlier shows in which very distinctively shaped furniture was covered up with sheets and then would magically appear in the reveal with no mention that furniture had been bought or left. To me an obvious tell is when there is some kind of very bulky piece of furniture that has been left or is somehow part of the deal. My understanding is that for many of the shows, the furniture is moved out because it is relatively easy to move out the small amount of furniture many house hunters actually have. The other obvious tell is the home in which the previous owner had mysteriously decided to stop construction right in the middle - especially when the house hunters are looking for a project.

Thinking back that staged bit of shock was in lieu of the staged cliched wish lists and/or divergent wants of the house hunters.

Row houses like the ones in Philly were built for the lower working class population. They are the equivalent of the tenement apartments that were built in denser areas like New York City. They were a slight step up. There are a lot of them in the old steel mill towns as well. My friends bought a similar one in Adams Morgan area of Washington years ago when it was first gentrifying.