Sun-Bun

You're so very welcome! I know I forgot a few things...Like the 12 South area---close to Music Row, it's a nice strip of lovely restaurants, boutiques and bars. I basically enjoy every place on that entire strip, so I have no specific recommendations. Except perhaps Jeni's Ice Cream, because that's the shit. Speaking of Music Row, it's on Demonbreaun and is just a long and cheesy strip of bars/restaurants/boutiques for college kids. Belle Meade neighborhood is like our version of Bel Air---it's the poshest area in town, perfect for mansion-gazing. If you need kid-friendly fun, Adventure Science Center is a worthwhile stop, and then down the street a few miles is our 8th avenue/Melrose antiques district. Our zoo is beautiful, although it's a lot of walking and in a fugly area of town(we refer to this area as "Little Mexico"). And if you decide to do one guided tour in town, do the NashTrash pink bus tour, because those gals are hilarious!! Okay, I'm done now, promise!!

Based on her Instagram, StASSi has since lost that "happy weight" and looks much like her old self again, complete with blonde extensions. Something told me she'd get tired of her shorter hair and "classy" Chico wardrobe. She still doesn't ppst much of her invisible boyfriend. I get not wanting to be exposed, but I'm starting to think he's shied away from her overexposure for more reasons than just professionally---until she's sporting a big fat wedding ring, I refuse to believe she's this happily fulfilled rich girlfriend type she wants to present to the world.As for Tom cheating on Arianna, maybe they just have an unstated understanding and are okay with having random mutual flings on the side? And that's a-okay in my book---before I met my guy and realized he was marriage-potential, I pretty much had such open arrangements with a few various ex'es as well. I knew we were enjoying each other for the moment, not long-term, so it was no big deal to screw around. Granted, I didn't live with any of them, but still, rent's not cheap in LA, so I don't even figure that much into Tom/Arianna's relationship. It just doesn't look like a storybook romance to me, but more like a really good friendship with benefits. Maybe at that time they realized they weren't likely ending up married or together forever anyway, so Tom was just having fun on vacation. Big deal?!

One of my fave genuine BFF moments with Heather & Carole was the time when they went out drinking and doing shots at a gay bar one night. They got so giddily wasted and just looked like they were having a blast, so much so that I kinda wished I was there toasting with them! I'd love to see more of such friendships on these shows. Nene and Kim used to have a similar friendship on RH of Atlanta, before the show ripped them apart---Phaedra and Kandi on there seem to be similarly genuine BFF's though. Not all of us like to watch drama; seeing gals who share interests and sweet friendships is inspiring and nice feelgood TV!

Quof, I desperately wish the US would keep up with Canada and the rest of the world---down here the servers' "minimum wage" is $2.25. Wish I was joking.

I'm a Nashville native, and I HATE country music as well, so welcome to my otherwise lovely city! I will say that even if you don't like the music, just going "honkeytonking" on lower Broadway is a fun experience that every Nashville tourist should try. Give Acme Feed & Seed a try---great food and music, three floors of fun, complete with a gorgeous view of the river on the top floor. Pub5 is also my personal fave eatery downtown. Just hopping from bar to bar getting moonshine shots, even doing karaoke or riding the electric bull at Tequila Cowboy or Wild Beaver is a hoot. Or go down the street to hit "Printers Alley" for British grit at Fleet Street Pub, live blues at Bourbon Street Boogie Bar, karaoke, or sleazy strippers at The Brass Stables. If you're into the hipster beat, head to the Five Points area of East Nashville---very hip bars and restaurants down there. Or at least stop by Bolton's for some of Nashville's famous hot chicken or hot fish. Prince's is the best in town, but it's in a gross area that requires a longer drive. If you're into glitzier, glam bars and shops and restaurants, go to the Gulch area and have a blast. My personal fave restaurants there are Virago(stylish sushi joint), St. Anejo(douchey vibe but chic Mexican food) Watermark and Adele's(Jonathan Waxman's eatery). And if you want good BBQ, go to a new local down n'dirty fave down the street from there, Peg Leg Porker, right behind the always awesome Yazoo Brewery(and have a few brews there if craft beer is your thing). Also, Party Fowl down there has decent hot chicken too. Brewery district is down the street from the Gulch in the SoBro area---two or three breweries with excellent craft beers and fun tours if that's your thing. The excellent and beautiful Southern restaurant Husk is down there too(it originates in Charleston, NC and was a regular hangout for the "Southern Charm" cast), along with the great live music/wine venue City Winery(yes it's a chain, but we just got it here so we're excited), and my personal fave hangout in Nashville, Pinewood Social! Stylish joint with excellent food that serves all three meals, and you can go there to swim, sing karaoke OR go bowling in their gorgeous vintage bowling alley. Just call ahead for reservations if you wanna bowl/sing. Wanna see some great art? The Frist Center downtown has got you covered. Go there and then walk over to the gorgeous Union Station Hotel afterwards for a drink. Wanna go see a plantation? Don't bother with the longgg drive to The Hermitage. Check out Belle Meade Plantation and their cute winery instead. Then drive nearby to Cheekwood Mansion for a tour of their own lovely grounds and Art gallery. Wanna eat biscuits? You'll be waiting hours at the far away Loveless Motel---instead, go right by downtown to the Germantown area to Monell's for a truly Southern-style food experience. This is my neighborhood and I adore it; very charming little area with a few fun little eateries and shops. Wanna visit our best winery? Arrington Vineyards is gorgeous, but it's a long drive, by the Franklin area. I would recommend a downtown Franklin visit if you're into upscale Southern shopping/living. It's a fun field trip, especially if you're willing to drive a little further into the lovely Lieper's Fork area---Miley Cyrus was raised there, Keith Urban/Nicole Kidman and other local celebs own farms there...it's a stunning pastoral paradise. If you want decent/upscale shopping, Green Hills Mall and the nearby Hill Center is your best bet, although the traffic around there gets scary sometimes. Wanna nice hike? Radnor Lake; I used to see Keith/Nicole hiking there all the time. Hope that helps and have fun!! I'm also an expert on Savannah, GA since my family owns a home down there. Such a charming, beautiful little city---like a more civilized and smaller New Orleans. But that's a whole extra post I don't feel like writing just yet!

Sounds just like my mom. She's a 70-something Boomer and still can't fathom how tipping nowadays has gone up to 20-25% from the former standard 15%---and we even argue about her leaving *that* much, because she always insists on using her credit card to go out to eat, and if I don't have spare cash with me to grab the tip myself, it can get beyond embarrassing when getting the check and figuring up the tip. She will literally argue over 50 cents, and get downright ugly over one dollar. To add insult to insult, I've left a cash tip on the table and have caught her stealing it if I don't watch her. I can't tell you how many times we have argued over this, and I've told her how she is basically stealing from servers. And me! It really makes going out to eat with her not enjoyable, because she only regularly goes to 2-3 local restaurants she likes(often with other family/friends who won't add tip, unlike me) and I can tell by our service when the servers have spread the word that her cheap ass is an awful tipper. And then she'll ask me why we're getting treated so poorly, and I have to tell her it's because the servers all know how awful her tipping is and so then she finds another local restaurant to haunt and it's the same damned circle of shame all over again. Yes, I've tried to get her to just enjoy a meal at my place or hers, but she likes going out and getting served her cheap Chardonnay. She won't go anywhere else or do anything else. Never mind that she is a rich woman---she's also been raised to be a cheapskate her whole life.(her mother was a product of the Great Depression and even would pull regular "dine and ditch" routines back in her childhood)

I suppose it's just a case of formalities to me---if you simply organize it as a fun and stylishly casual occasion unto itself, like "So-and-so's Potluck Party", I can somewhat dig it. But when it's carelessly attached to a festive occasion like holidays or birthdays or even housewarmings, it just seems stingy and déclassé. I've even heard of potluck-style engagement parties and wedding receptions! Yeesh!!!

Thank you!!! Yet another pet-peeve of mine. I've actually had arguments with friends over this---it's just plain tacky throwing parties like these, unless you've specified that it's truly a "pot luck" kinda gathering. And even then, I think it's chincey and goes against the whole point of *hosting* a party. More and more party invites I get seem to include the dreaded words "BYOB" or "bring a dish of your choice." To which I feel like writing back, "How about you quit being such a cheapskate and admit that you either can't afford to throw a party or you simply have no class?!" A friend of friends just sent me a housewarming invite that stated, "BYOB and bring a covered dish of your choice." I wanted to take that invite and shove it right back up his cheap ass---if I wanted to make my own food and drink my own booze I'd just stay home!!((and I'd probably enjoy myself more at home, given how lame this person and his friends truly must be))

EXACTLY!!! More and more drivers these days seem to find it perfectly acceptable to layyyyy on their horns for extended amounts of times for the stupidest of infractions, which means the rest of us otherwise sane drivers on the road all cringe at once. And it's times like this those when I wish car horns just didn't exist period. Seriously.

Here, here on the idiots who think only other idiots must work retail, food service or other odd jobs!! I'm a high school teacher full-time, but I do promotional jobs at various retail/food establishments on the side because it's decent dough that supplements my teaching salary nicely. On one of my promo jobs last summer(I was conducting surveys with customers at Cracker Barrel, which went about as well as you'd think), I had an old man actually take me aside and say, "You seem like a very intelligent young lady, so you really should consider getting an education so you don't have to do jobs like these." I got the biggest kick out of telling that old jackass, "Actually, I'm a full-time teacher who does jobs like these on the side so that I can pay off the loans from my TWO MASTERS DEGREES, but I appreciate your concern, sir." I still have to chuckle over how dumbfounded he looked in response just before he scurried away in embarrassment. Other pet peeves: ---MLM/Pyramid Schemes & Promo Parties: Please don't invite me to yet another party where I'm guilted into buying your overpriced, unnecessary shit. I don't need your crappy wraps/make-up/jewelry/home goods/Scentsy/oils, etc. And I sure don't need you to "sign me up" under your suspicious "sales team" for some shady product that will only make you and your minions a few hundreds richer while this shady company makes all the buckets of money it's promised you and millions of other suckers. ---People who stare at other people: You look like a moronic cow. Please stop it. ---Being made to feel like an idiot for not watching popular scripted TV programs: Yes, I'm too lazy to commit to watching TV shows that involve me keeping up with intricate, detailed plots. And no, I don't want to waste my time "binge-watching" anything. Yes, just because I like to watch The Real Housewives of Wherever and other silly reality shows on my off-time doesn't mean you have the right to act superior to me and sit there judging my taste in television. And just because I don't jizz all over "Game of Thrones" or "Mad Men" or "Downton Abby" and the like doesn't mean I'm an idiot, I just like to shut off my brain and relax with goofy trash after a long workday. ---Inconsiderate drivers: Please get off your horn, you made your point in 2 seconds! Please, please stop texting---text at a stoplight if you must! Please, PLEASE use your turn signal; how difficult is this and how lazy are you if you can't manage this?! Please get out of the left lane if you drive like Mr. Magoo. Please don't hog the entire line of traffic if you're making a turn or not making a turn; try to think about the line of traffic behind you. And if you're at a long turning light, please don't leave huge gaps between you and the next car!!! ---Nail-biters: If I see you nibbling your nails, be assured that I will likely never want to be around you again, because I know that everything you've touched has also been exposed to your saliva and germs, and that's disgusting. I've actually broken up relationships over this, it disgusts me on such a visceral level. ---Long nails: If women had any idea what kind of germs and bacteria linger under those long nails, they'd cut them immediately. I've worked in healthcare/seniorcare positions, so I've seen it firsthand. And once you've seen food and fecal-matter stuck under long nails, you're over them forever. ---Tans, fake/spray tans & tanning beds: It just looks so trashy to me. Why is looking like a leather handbag or a barbecued oompa-loompa desirable? What's wrong with just learning to love your skin in its naturally pasty state?? ---Botox: I know a few gals in their early-20's already getting "preventative" injections. It just seems scary and there hasn't been enough research in its long-term effects for me to sign up for getting poison regularly shot into my skin. It's just sad to think that it's such an acceptable thing nowadays. ---People who preach their religion/politics on Facebook: None of us cares and you're not going to convince us otherwise, so please keep your moronic views to yourself, thanks. The rest of us on FB actually like to go there to socialize and for shits and giggles, so please spare us your creepy agendas. ---Zealously Religious folks/fundies: I don't care who or what you worship, just please leave me out of it and please don't even attempt to invite me to your church(no, your church is not "different" or "fun" to me) under the guise of pretending to genuinely befriend me. ---Vocal-fry/upspeak: Thanks for this, Kardashians; you've now convinced young women around the US that talking like this makes them seem sexy and sophisticated, when it' makes them sound like unprofessional imbeciles. It's become this generation's version of "Valley Girl" shtick. ---Pinterest: I waste enough time online. I don't need yet another reason in the form of an online scrapbook I force my friends to see. Okay, enough of this pet peeves novel, sorry! ((I'm sure long-winded posts on forums are among many pet-peeves too, after all))

Well, I do declare! Indeed, kind sir, I do remember a rather over-served Thomas slurring something about delivering a "bitchslap" to Whitney. Goodness gracious, what would the family think of such things?

Four of the cast members are from very prominent, old-monied, historic Southern political families, all of the cast are graduates of highly-regarded universities/law-schools((one is even an Oxford graduate)), and the ones that aren't trust-fund playboys/aimless partygirls are all either professionally involved in politics, real estate, or law. "Good family stock" is definitely still important in some of the wealthier Southern/Northern areas where the those famous local "old money" families are still respected. These folks also exude enough manners/good-breeding to comfortably attend local charity functions and other elegant occasions without flashing tattoos, throwing liquor/punches/slaps at each other and dressing stylishly upscale enough to fit in with the rest of their upper-crust Charleston crowd. And Charleston is considered one of the wealthiest of the small Southern cities, so it does take serious money to live/play in the heart of that city. Not to mention that Thomas Ravenell owns a townhouse downtown(which I believe he's since sold?) and a plantation outside of the city---so he's like the Lisa Vanderpump of this cast money-wise. While they may act as buffoonish as the VR gang with their drunken antics at times, they still have the credentials, education and lineage to put them miles ahead of the trashy food service gang of VR "mactors" and failed LA showbiz wannabe's.

I'm going to desperately miss these chucklefucks and their crazy antics on my Monday nights as well, although *please* don't remotely compare them to the "Southern Charm" cast!!! Yes, all those SC folks may be equally nutty in their own gentile ways, but the main stars on there are also extremely well-educated, well-bred and (somewhat) well-mannered members of rich Old Southern society families. Although just like on VR, they all like to get drunk to excess---they just have much better vocabularies and don't resort to physical violence to settle their arguments. Why, I do declare, comparing the likes of those fine drunken Southerners to these uneducated drunken service industry buffoons is just giving me a case of the vapors! Pass my sweet tea and smelling salts!! Although it'd be a hoot to imagine those two casts co-mingling. Something tells me the VR cast couldn't last a day melting in that thick Southern heat and trying to understand most of the articulation and literary quotations being used in such lovely accents.

I've also gladly reclaimed my Vanderpump pom-pom's and have been cheering her on this entire season---watching her so stealthily shut down Brandi on repeat is giving me life!! The thing about Lisa that you have to respect is that she is pure class when she deals with her frienemies. Unlike crass Kyle, you'll never see her cursing out her opponents or screeching at them in public or so much as even touching them. Yet she has perfected that certain haughty charm that allows her to be just polite enough, but subtley withering in all her interactions with her often clueless opponents---yes, this is the social chess playing Lisa V that we all originally fell in love with, so it's *such* a breath of fresh air to see her back in fine form after her uncharacteristically self-pitying turn from last season's pile-on. Mind you, she has every right to be done with Brandi. They all do! Brandi lives to turn people against each other and has proven to display a weird tendency to turn on former allies. Taylor did the same damned thing, and look how far it got her on this show. The way Brandi has treated both Adrianne and Lisa V is beyond cruel. The way Lisa has made a particular point to steer clear of her just makes me respect Mrs. Vanderpump all the more---she knows that Brandi is nothing but poisonous trash.

Poor Katie. She's just such the classic late-20's/longterm-relationship girl, always hoping for that fairytale ending with her long term beau that'll likely never happen---at least not with her and him. I knew so many of these gals when I was that age, and they always ended these relationships feeling like they wasted precious years on these idiots. She's been desperately spending her hottest peen-hunting era waiting around for that boytoy schlump Tom to finally put a ring on it because he's pretty and puts up with her and they've been living together for too long---but it's time for him to either shit or get off the pot. And it's time for her to either help that sitch happen or pack up and move on already. If marriage/motherhood is that important to her, it's best to cut her losses now and leave herself open quicker to finding a better catch while she's still young and viable enough to land a decent guy in LA. I've known mealy-mouthed prettyboys like Tom Schwartz, and those fools will keep their women waiting 6-10 or more years before they even consider making a marital move! And LA is crawling with these types of guys, unfortunately. Why would these guys even *want* to settle down? They're pretty, they're uneducated food service workers looking for entertainment gigs, and they can get laid on the DL anytime they want(provided that they're smart enough to not disclose these adventures to Jax). I honestly think this is a case of the "just not that into you" theory---if a guy truly loves you and wants to create a married life with you, he's not gonna make you beg, plead and cry for it...or waste his time/energy giving you an embarrassing "ring on a string" like you two are still in high school or something. Grow up, Schwartz. Or better yet, be a man for once and cut the ring string so you and Katie can find the potential partners you're truly meant to spend your lives loving. I never thought I'd ever say it, but Scheana's proven to be the smartest Sur worker on this entire show. She's gotten her music promoted thanks to this show, got her wedding and random injuries paid for, and most of all, she was smart enough to realize that you do *not* shack up with your co-workers if you're looking for solid and healthy marriage/relationship material, especially when you work at a Eurotrashy LA bar filled with douchey prettyboys! As for Stassi, she's still a hateful shrew who sabotaged her own former potential on this show and in Vanderpump's posh scene.

Agreed. I follow her on Instagram and have had several guyfriends who had *no* idea who she was comment on her gorgeousness when I showed them her pics. I think she's such a unique combination of Yo's/Mo's distinctive European glam mixed with typically California/American girl good looks, which will serve her well in today's ultra-competitive modeling industry. Plus, her body is just sick. She is indeed "a better version" of Yolanda, and she definitely has a more distinctive and versatile look than her celebutante modeling buddy, Kendal Jenner. She can go from high fashion/avante'gard to commercial modeling beautifully, which is the trademark of most top fashion models. And she's still only 19 or 20, so something tells me she'll grow out of her go-to 'open mouth/vacant stare' pose she's known for using/abusing so often.

Agreed on all accounts---I cringed for poor awkward Alex throughout that entire season, although it did give us Kelly's one inspired and amusing talking head, when she mentioned that sometimes Alex would get all dramatic like a stage actress and literally become "Alexxxe"!!! She didn't fit in with *anyone* by then and it was just painful to watch her flail so hard. I was glad to see her gone if only for her sanity's sake, and no, it's not fun to watch someone who's the butt of all the jokes yet has no idea that she isn't in on the joke. Also, Cindy is perhaps one of the worst HW's ever. Not a shred of humor or fun there, always had the most sourpuss look on her face and haughty attitude, and just took herself wayyy too seriously, especially whenever she was interacting with Sonja. I always wanted to shake her and scream, "You paste plastic gems on and wax rich lady's vaginas! Get over yourself!!!!"

Well my goodness...she's done some high-profile work as well. So Vail isn't the only sad, formerly-accomplished/semi-successful performer on this show!

I'm an Xer who cannot stand vocal fry, because I equate it with conformity, stupidity and the ubiquity of the worst offenders of this epidemic, The Kardashians: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=txSSO4VglMI Also, most vocal fry'ers also tend to include the ultra-annoying upspeak trend as well, where every sentence seems to end with a question? And like, it's usually combined with like, excessive use of "like" and "you know"? So to see supposed singers like Britney Spears, Kesha and yes...Scheana...damaging their vocal chords like that to seemingly come off as sounding sexy and worldly is just planned stupid.

Ooof, and that dress was indeed pretty damned hideous. Well, maybe not so much the dress itself as her godawful styling, complete with the raging red lipstick, hair severely pulled back, and that idiotic damned blue bird on her head. When she first showed off the look to Miranda's shocked gasp, I half expected Miranda to deadpan, "You...look like a drag queen..." Plus, getting married in the NYC public library? I'm sorry, that just seemed so silly and contrived.

Good lord, WTF happened to Dennis Haskings aka Mr. Belding?!! That dude blew up into Porky Pig---I thought it was Louie Anderson, at first! I know it's easy to gain weight as you age, but damnnnn...he's huge and barely recognizable now. Couldn't get over how great the rest of the cast looks now though---Mario Lopez is truly ageless! Damned shame Lark Voorhees and Dustin Diamond couldn't crawl out of their own respective holes to make it.

Agreed. They'd supposedly been together for 10 years, they've finally been planning a nice wedding, and then all of a sudden he acts like a scared pussy because she needed to look at him and "reassure" him before the shindig that got way "too big" for his tight britches?? All because Miranda made some bitchy anti-marriage comment to him the night before?! What a selfish bastard---sure, she went overboard with the Bridezilla bullshit near the end and that freaked him out a bit, but that was no legitimate reason to keep the whole damned wedding party waiting for him and to publicly humiliate Carrie like that. Any bride would've been just as upset by her groom dragging his ass around right before the wedding and making her look like the fool. But hey, he was rich enough to buy her a Manhattan penthouse with a bigassed walk-in closet and too old/settled to go bag another ill-suited 20-something to marry on a whim a'la Natasha, so at least timing and the dumb luck of discovering sappy old emails got those two married in the quiet and boring courthouse wedding ceremony of *his* dreams.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I think Jax looks way better now---he just looks like a big-nosed, fugly version of Johnathon Schaech in that old pic. As gross as he is in all his douchetacular glory, I think the sculpted shorter hair and facial hair actually suits him and his big shovel-sized head. And obviously the nose job was somewhat necessary. Now as for the personality, there's just no prettying that mess up.

Stassi made absolutely no sense whatsoever with her side of her stupid arguments against Katie. She kept saying how Katie was her "last link" to SUR, but what about the pathetic way she keeps hanging out with that Kristina girl and those other sad servers from there?! And what, Katie is just supposed to not go with her boyfriend and their co-workers on a nice free vacation just because Stassi's had issues with "those people"?? I don't get her brain, at all. Because in what world should you tell your friends that they can't hang out with certain folks just because *you* don't like those folks? As Katie wisely mentioned, "It's not always about *you*, Stassi!!"

I *never* understood what she saw in him either, especially running off and leaving her entire successful lifestyle she'd built for herself just to play a Parisian concubine to some aloof, self-absorbed artist type. He just seemed so creepy and controlling with her, always talking down to her and treating her like his silly little American pet girlfriend. Granted, it provided a natural plot device and a dramatic way for Mr. Big to come back into her life and seemingly rescue her from "The Russian", but that whole storyline didn't fit the vibe of her character at all. At least to SJP's immense acting credit, she was able to make us believe that Carrie somehow decided it was a fun idea to suddenly jump into such a glamorous life revision of love and fashion Parisian-style.