S01.E01: Sand Dunes And Don'ts

[SemiCharmedLife]

22 hours ago, Marley said:

I had no problem understanding anyone.

The woman who was born in the UAE seems interesting I wanna see more of her.

Ayan was annoying and seems to be trying too hard. One of her wigs did not look good. At least I think it was a wig.

Sergio and Caroline seem really fake. I wonder what’s going on there.

Regarding Ayan:  I heard on a podcast that when asked who her favorite Real Housewives were, she said Jen Shah and named herself! *  Jen Shah is another one who tries too hard, so birds of a feather...  Also, on this episode, I can't remember which housewife was shading her (maybe Brooks), but she made a hilarious comment about her wig moving back on her forehead (shades of the Grande Dame).

Re Sergio and Caroline:  I'm reserving judgement about their relationship until more unfolds, but in my opinion, he is the hottest Real Househusband now. 🥰

*Edit:  I want to credit the Pink Shade podcast for this tea.  It's  a fun show, if you like to hear recaps about our favorite crazy ladies..

Edited June 6, 2022 by SemiCharmedLife
addition

[rollacoaster]

Sooooo...Caroline and Sergio were just lolling around in the same bed that Caroline repeatedly said that the dog had peed in.

OK. 

Nasty, nasty, nasty. 

Just from that, she's my least favorite. 

From the previews, this iteration seemed to offer a level of opulence that leaves the US versions in the dust, plus a variety of gorgeous women of color. I'mma give it a shot.

I didn't have any problem understanding any of them. 

Ayan tickles me. She is definitely discount Iman. I wouldn't wanna be her friend, but I would enjoy watching her generate chaos. She gonna ruffle some faux classy feathers! 

So far, I actually like Nina. She seems authentically gracious and elegant. And Sara, too. Love how she helped her son get over his fears. 

[SemiCharmedLife]

2 hours ago, rollacoaster said:

Sooooo...Caroline and Sergio were just lolling around in the same bed that Caroline repeatedly said that the dog had peed in.

OK. 

Nasty, nasty, nasty.  

Yes, they are definitely from a different class- waiting around for the housekeeper to take care of the problem.  Meanwhile, it doesn't bother them to stay in the bed?  Any of us normies would have jumped up and stripped that bed in a jiffy!

[rollacoaster]

12 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

Yes, they are definitely from a different class- waiting around for the housekeeper to take care of the problem.  Meanwhile, it doesn't bother them to stay in the bed?  Any of us normies would have jumped up and stripped that bed in a jiffy!

YES!

My cat recently vomited in our bed in the middle of the night. You best BELIEVE that mr. rollercoaster and I got up, cleaned it up and changed sheets IMMEDIATELY. 

Also, upon finishing the episode, I'm gonna have to agree, Ayan is a ball of insecurities that is trying WAY too hard. She was so rude at Nina's party. I kinda felt sorry for her, she looked like a wounded little girl at the end. So much FOMO and so desperate to hang with the "cool kids". Is Caroline (dogpis)S one of the cool kids, though? 

I totally felt sorry for my girl Nina, who just wanted to host a lovely evening with friends. Her sad lament that the sage doesn't work made me chuckle. 

[Kdawg82]

Caroline hasn't begun living her best life. She just lost her business and husband and had a nervous freakin mental breakdown if you ask me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Miss Slay]

On 6/4/2022 at 6:06 AM, amarante said:

But someone whose grandfather changed his name from Steinberg to Stanbury sometime in the 20th Century is NOT part of the aristocracy as she claimed to be in Ladies. 

She actually could be. A lot of Jewish people fled other European countries such as Russia in the 1800s and later in the early 1900s. Many came to England with money and were given titles and bought manor homes. You can see an example of this in shows like Downton Abbey.

If Caroline's family has been in England for over 100 years and are titled country home owners - she's a part of the aristocracy in my book,

[amarante]

4 minutes ago, Miss Slay said:

She actually could be. A lot of Jewish people fled other European countries such as Russia in the 1800s and later in the early 1900s. Many came to England with money and were given titles and bought manor homes. You can see an example of this in shows like Downton Abbey.

If Caroline's family has been in England for over 100 years and are titled country home owners - she's a part of the aristocracy in my book,

That might be theoretically true of some old English families that were the equivalent of the rich German Jewish families of 19th century New York City.

However if you followed the instagram link on Stanbury's family, it wasn't true of her family since the company that was responsible for the wealth (some type of retail store or clothing factory) was founded in 1904 and her grandfather who was born in 1911 changed the family name to Stanbury which would have occurred at the earliest in the early 1930's.

I could give a flying f about kowtowing to "old money" or think there was something worthy in aristocracy or social standing. However I do find it relevant to pierce the pretentiousness of someone like Stanbury who pretended that she was a member of the English aristocracy when she was just born into a relatively new merchant family. I doubt that her family was accepted into higher English societies until the 1980's when Thatcher rode the wave of money trumping lineage or at least being equivalent to it in the same way it has always been in the USA where high society was a mixture of money, celebrity and lineage. 

[rollacoaster]

1 minute ago, amarante said:

That might be theoretically true of some old English families that were the equivalent of the rich German Jewish families of 19th century New York City.

However if you followed the instagram link on Stanbury's family, it wasn't true of her family since the company that was responsible for the wealth (some type of retail store or clothing factory) was founded in 1904 and her grandfather who was born in 1911 changed the family name to Stanbury which would have occurred at the earliest in the early 1930's.

I could give a flying f about kowtowing to "old money" or think there was something worthy in aristocracy or social standing. However I do find it relevant to pierce the pretentiousness of someone like Stanbury who pretended that she was a member of the English aristocracy when she was just born into a relatively new merchant family. I doubt that her family was accepted into higher English societies until the 1980's when Thatcher rode the wave of money trumping lineage or at least being equivalent to it in the same way it has always been in the USA where high society was a mixture of money, celebrity and lineage. 

Ooooooh, so she's NEW money. 

 NEVER the new. - Agnes van Rhijn. 

[bichonblitz]

On 6/2/2022 at 4:35 PM, amarante said:

Stanbury remains loathsomely smug. She was loathsomely smug on London as well.

Couldn't stand her then, can't stand her now. Not impressed with her boy toy, either. I guess he's her new claim to fame because she's accomplished nothing else. He's only 27, what's she going to do when he decides he wants a couple of kids? 

Dubai better start showing us some phenominal backdrop scenery to show me why it's so spectacular to live and why it was necessary to go all the way over there to film another HW show there or I'm out. Deserts and camels just don't do it for me and we have high end shopping right here on Rodeo Drive and if it's so freakin' hot you have to throw big blocks of ice in the pool then I'm really at a loss with the magic of Dubai. 

22 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

*Edit:  I want to credit the Pink Shade podcast for this tea.  It's  a fun show, if you like to hear recaps about our favorite crazy ladies..

The Pink Shade ladies are the best!

[TV Diva Queen]

random thoughts:

I had such anxiety when the kids were diving in the pool with the unmelted icebergs still in there.  

That "Frame" building/art was actually kind of cool

Not digging Wish Iman

[princelina]

8 hours ago, rollacoaster said:

I totally felt sorry for my girl Nina, who just wanted to host a lovely evening with friends. Her sad lament that the sage doesn't work made me chuckle. 

Don't feel too bad for her - people who really want to host a lovely evening with friends don't try it in front of Bravo cameras 😂

[LoveLeigh]

On 6/2/2022 at 4:31 PM, Hedgehog2022 said:

one of them begging her son never to marry and stay with her forever??? OMG! I'm one and done with this franchise...Byeeeee!

LOL, I grew up at a time when plenty of moms said that to sons. We also heard little girls saying they wanted to marry "Daddy." It is meaningless banter.... in a larger context it's just letting the kid know he is very much loved. I would not read too much into it. 

[princelina]

So I just watched Ladies of London season 1 episode 1 that popped up on my DVR - Caroline S does not claim to be part of the aristocracy, just to have grown up "associating with" them 😄

[Hedgehog2022]

19 hours ago, LoveLeigh said:

LOL, I grew up at a time when plenty of moms said that to sons. We also heard little girls saying they wanted to marry "Daddy." It is meaningless banter.... in a larger context it's just letting the kid know he is very much loved. I would not read too much into it. 

Well…moms say those things to little boys and little girls say those things to their dads…from what I saw one “boy” was a teenager and the other one was about 11 or 12. I have two boys and they would have said “ewww” to me if I said that stuff to them at those ages. 

[Thumper]

I love the scenery and fashions — could do without more yelling and insulting across a dinner table.  Caroline Stanbury seems more relatable and less snooty … so far!  I still don’t know who everyone is.  I’m in for awhile.

[ZettaK]

6 hours ago, princelina said:

So I just watched Ladies of London season 1 episode 1 that popped up on my DVR - Caroline S does not claim to be part of the aristocracy, just to have grown up "associating with" them 😄

She is not part of the aristocracy, and doesn't have a title. 

[Bossa Nova]

Re: Caroline Stanbury and her former life on "Ladies of London" -

Just a heads up that Bravo is re-airing Season 3 (from late 2016) today June 8th, from 6am to 2pm EST.

The last episode is titled "Dubai Felicia" where Caroline gets ready for her move to Dubai.

I 

[Hiyo]

Quote

I don't know how severe Dubai's financial/import/export laws are, but it could be one of the places where it's easy to launder money, or practice shady business tactics. Also, there's a reason why so many beautiful women flock to Dubai.

As others have already posted, its human rights history is horrible. A lot of people who get rich there do it off the backs of repressed and abused people.

Pretty much all of that. Not just money laundering, but other things as well.

Dubai is basically Las Vegas, but with a beach, and no gambling.

Expats vastly outnumber locals, so any local culture is mostly limited to a few neighborhoods here and there.

One thing Dubai does have is Miami and Ibiza style beach clubs, which does make it popular for that crowd to go and party there, especially in the winter time, since winter in Dubai is rather pleasant, actually.

And it is a decent foodie city, mainly due to the diversity of the people there. Lots of choices (and price ranges too).

And lets be real, like any other HW show, none of these women are part of that city's "elite". Its mostly nouveau riche women trying to become more famous and/or shill whatever business they have via the show.

[Surrealist]

On 6/6/2022 at 9:36 AM, amarante said:

That might be theoretically true of some old English families that were the equivalent of the rich German Jewish families of 19th century New York City.

However if you followed the instagram link on Stanbury's family, it wasn't true of her family since the company that was responsible for the wealth (some type of retail store or clothing factory) was founded in 1904 and her grandfather who was born in 1911 changed the family name to Stanbury which would have occurred at the earliest in the early 1930's.

I could give a flying f about kowtowing to "old money" or think there was something worthy in aristocracy or social standing. However I do find it relevant to pierce the pretentiousness of someone like Stanbury who pretended that she was a member of the English aristocracy when she was just born into a relatively new merchant family. I doubt that her family was accepted into higher English societies until the 1980's when Thatcher rode the wave of money trumping lineage or at least being equivalent to it in the same way it has always been in the USA where high society was a mixture of money, celebrity and lineage. 

I didn't do a lot of background searching regarding Stanbury. I had assumed she was from an aristocratic English family. Like Annabelle was. Or, at the very least, adjacent. I thought Caroline converted to Judaism to marry Cem.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Surrealist

[tabloidlover]

I tried, but just can’t.  Only made it through 20 minutes of episode 2.  It’s painful to watch.  This one is a hell no from me

[Straycat80]

Boring second episode. The best part was at the end when Ayan gifted Lesa a goat for her Thanksgiving dinner and the goat jumped in the swimming pool. Now that was something you haven’t seen in any of the other HW’s shows. 
 

[Chatty Cake]

I hate to admit this but I watched the first episode twice so I could figure out who was who. 
I was vaguely familiar with Stanbury from LOL which I didn’t really watch. To me her life with the young guy looks a bit sad and pathetic. Sitting around in a peed on bed, ordering smoothies from the next room while the young guy tells her how in love he is.  Throwing hen parties and another wedding…….I kind of agree with Fake Iman that it looks transactional. 
I enjoyed the other housewives so far. Brooks will be messy so I have high hopes for her.

[Imara219]

I love Ayan. She looks like another Iman. I knew she had to either be Kenyan or Ethiopian. I respect her opinion on some things and her coming through with the 4 languages was 👏🏾. I actual like this show has more Black diversity and it was intruding seeing how it is presented on the show. This is real opulence and you could just tell. Honestly the show reminded me of Young, Famous, and African. 

[bichonblitz]

That sweet, beautiful Goat. Please don't hurt the goat. 

[SemiCharmedLife]

This candle reminded me of Nina frantically trying to sage her dinner party! 😉

[izabella]

I had a chance to visit Dubai a few years back, and was very curious about the lives of the ex-pats who lived there, although I didn't necessarily have these women in mind, lol.   It's definitely a "build it and they will come" kind of place, so I'm not surprised it attracts bold personalities.

The variety in backgrounds and cultures of the women is interesting, so I'm in for a few episodes, at least.  It would be helpful if they showed their names on the screen more frequently during the first few episodes.  It takes me forever to learn names.  And I really could have done without the shouting match at dinner.

Edited June 11, 2022 by izabella

[LoveLeigh]

On 6/7/2022 at 6:51 PM, Hedgehog2022 said:

Well…moms say those things to little boys and little girls say those things to their dads…from what I saw one “boy” was a teenager and the other one was about 11 or 12. I have two boys and they would have said “ewww” to me if I said that stuff to them at those ages. 

Kids react in different ways. Maybe they felt "ew" but they knew they are being filmed so the son said nothing. I would not make too much of it. It is a common expression that is used to show love. it does not have any deep meaning. A parent with serious sick intent is careful not to do a reveal..... You can't analyze every little thing a parent says.... the larger picture is what matters. 

[ladle]

So far this is soapy and materialistic and … everything I come to the RHW franchise to see, quite frankly .

I can’t keep track of all of the names yet but they all seem awful so far, except possibly Sara (?) (who’s also gorgeous!) 

[byrd]

On 6/2/2022 at 10:07 AM, Welshman in Ca said:

As a place it's been around since the early 18th century but growth exploded with the discovery of oil in 1966. So yeah sort of like LV but it's on the coast & on a different continent, it also grew from a fishing village and is a city, state & emirate rather than a country so nothing like LV then.

I don't care how wealthy you can become by living in Dubai , it's too freaking hot, anytime you have to ice the swimming pool that's a issue for me. 

[Hedgehog2022]

On 6/12/2022 at 12:14 PM, LoveLeigh said:

Kids react in different ways. Maybe they felt "ew" but they knew they are being filmed so the son said nothing. I would not make too much of it. It is a common expression that is used to show love. it does not have any deep meaning. A parent with serious sick intent is careful not to do a reveal..... You can't analyze every little thing a parent says.... the larger picture is what matters. 

I'm not watching this show anymore...I only watched the first episode and then bailed. I stand by my comments however and let's just leave it at that. I'm out.

[retired watcher]

I didn't realize this started, so I am catching up. Caroline S's dress on the boat was the ugliest thing I've ever seen.  This franchise looks so fake. They are all acting. Ayan really came out with a bang. Sounds like no one likes her here on the forum.

Edited June 24, 2022 by retired watcher

[Stats Queen]

28 minutes ago, retired watcher said:

I didn't realize this started, so I am catching up. Caroline S's dress on the boat was the ugliest thing I've ever seen.  This franchise looks so fake. They are all acting. Ayan really came out with a bang. Sounds like no one likes her here on the forum.

I’m not a fan of Ayan personally but am a fan of her as a real housewife (right kind of messy)

[Fig Newton]

On 6/4/2022 at 2:07 AM, Cheezwiz said:

I think that's actually kind of the point of these shows. Despite all their material stuff, these people are mostly pretty awful, so I'm happy to sit in my dumpy apartment in my bargain clothes and be glad I'm not them!

Also completely off-topic @Fig Newton, but I love, looooove your profile pic! Is that your puppy? Ridiculously cute!

Awww, thank you. He is or was "my" puppy. I am a puppy raiser with Guiding Eyes. This little cutie was my first pup I raised for them and he has my heart. 

On topic - Dubai. Beautiful. The women - not so much. 

[kassa]

I was just in Las Vegas where it was 110 - they pipe cold water into the pools there, too, or they'd be bathwater. I imagine the same technology exists in Dubai but they were making an extravagant gesture.

I bet they told Ayan it was a show about HER, as they did with what's-her-name in Potomac. 

[queta]

On 6/9/2022 at 8:58 AM, Imara219 said:

I love Ayan. She looks like another Iman. I knew she had to either be Kenyan or Ethiopian. I respect her opinion on some things and her coming through with the 4 languages was 👏🏾. I actual like this show has more Black diversity and it was intruding seeing how it is presented on the show. This is real opulence and you could just tell. Honestly the show reminded me of Young, Famous, and African. 

I like her too! I think we're in the minority around here, but she makes for good tv. I think she is a very insecure person and did have a hard life. Her constant "I look good" is a defense, IMO. I think she's trying a little too hard to be aggressive, but then again it would be hard to know how to act on a reality show. It's only the first season.

And I love that she mixes up English sayings like, "Tit for toot." She has a funny sense of humor.  The gift of the goat was thoughtless and not very nice for the poor goat, but she is at least trying to make the show entertaining. Her fashion choices are beyond as well so it's fun to see what she'll wear next.

On 6/24/2022 at 5:30 PM, retired watcher said:

I didn't realize this started, so I am catching up. Caroline S's dress on the boat was the ugliest thing I've ever seen.  This franchise looks so fake. They are all acting. Ayan really came out with a bang. Sounds like no one likes her here on the forum.

I know! The dress was so ugly it was distracting.

Edited July 8, 2022 by queta

[DeeplyShallow]

On 7/8/2022 at 10:45 AM, queta said:

I like her too! I think we're in the minority around here, but she makes for good tv. I think she is a very insecure person and did have a hard life. Her constant "I look good" is a defense, IMO. I think she's trying a little too hard to be aggressive, but then again it would be hard to know how to act on a reality show. It's only the first season.

And I love that she mixes up English sayings like, "Tit for toot." She has a funny sense of humor.  The gift of the goat was thoughtless and not very nice for the poor goat, but she is at least trying to make the show entertaining. Her fashion choices are beyond as well so it's fun to see what she'll wear next.

I know! The dress was so ugly it was distracting.

I kind of want to rewatch the first episode because I hated Ayan the first go around but I LOVE her now. I think it would be interesting to watch her through a different lens.

Caroline S’s “taste” in fashion and decorating is atrocious. When I used to follow her on IG for a short while, she was in the process of decorating her house (some of the pieces are seen on the show) and it was all so, so tacky.

Edited July 10, 2022 by DeeplyShallow
Spelling

[Vandy10]

Ok, I’m in. I’ve only watched the first episode so far, and I can tell this is all manufactured BS for Bravo like all the other Housewives shows, but I lived in Dubai for several years so I’m an easy mark. 

The one I’m most interested in, after just the first episode, is Sara. I met a lot of Emirati women while in the UAE (something most expats there don’t get a chance to do), and a lot of them were just like Sara…in private and when traveling in the West. But not while home in Dubai. I hope we get to meet her family this season. I’d love to see her parents and what they think about her and her choices in life.

[ZettaK]

1 hour ago, Vandy10 said:

Ok, I’m in. I’ve only watched the first episode so far, and I can tell this is all manufactured BS for Bravo like all the other Housewives shows, but I lived in Dubai for several years so I’m an easy mark. 

The one I’m most interested in, after just the first episode, is Sara. I met a lot of Emirati women while in the UAE (something most expats there don’t get a chance to do), and a lot of them were just like Sara…in private and when traveling in the West. But not while home in Dubai. I hope we get to meet her family this season. I’d love to see her parents and what they think about her and her choices in life.

Her father and a close friend were shown on the latest episode. Her mother was in quarantine.

[Vandy10]

3 hours ago, ZettaK said:

Her father and a close friend were shown on the latest episode. Her mother was in quarantine.

Awesome, thanks! I’m only on episode 2, but I’ll get to this latest one eventually.

[Nicmar]

On 6/2/2022 at 4:29 PM, Teriacky said:

Up thread someone mentioned the SATC movie that took place In Dubai. I’m… they went to Abu Dhabi. Not Dubai. 
 

Caroline Stanbury converted to Judaism when she married Cem.

This isn’t the first “two Caroline’s” show. There we’re two Carolines in Ladies of London.

I want to punch Ayan in the face. 

I thought Cem was middle eastern?

[Hiyo]

Spoiler alert: Jewish people can be found in the Middle East. And not just in the Holy Land.

[ZettaK]

6 hours ago, Nicmar said:

I thought Cem was middle eastern?

Cem is Turkish (and Jewish). There are Jewish people all over the world.

[DrSparkles]

On 6/4/2022 at 1:43 AM, TheCouchPotato said:

I’ve watched a lot of housewives and seen a lot of waste but spending $1200 on ice to throw in the pool takes the cake. 
 

You’re not wrong, but I live in Florida and have a pool and it only rained here three times in June, and my pool was just as warm as soup, and when I saw that episode I’m not gonna lie when I tell you I did that “woman thinking GIF” 🤔

[TheCouchPotato]

On 7/23/2022 at 7:31 AM, DrSparkles said:

You’re not wrong, but I live in Florida and have a pool and it only rained here three times in June, and my pool was just as warm as soup, and when I saw that episode I’m not gonna lie when I tell you I did that “woman thinking GIF” 🤔

I'm in Florida as well! Haha! I get it. It's unbearably hot and I don't even leave my home from June to August. I think it was the amount of money she spent for some damn ice. Can go to a Wawas and do it for far cheaper. 

[Nicmar]

On 7/21/2022 at 9:55 AM, Hiyo said:

Spoiler alert: Jewish people can be found in the Middle East. And not just in the Holy Land.

Thanks but I was not asking about location of every Jewish person. I was only asking about Caroline Stanberry ex husband.

[Hiyo]

And I was pointing out that he could be both Jewish and Middle Eastern.

[oakville]

On 6/1/2022 at 10:52 PM, Bossa Nova said:

Caroline Stanbury (the blonde), was a featured cast member on the now defunct "Ladies of London" (on Bravo). I loved loved that series. Sadly it only ran 3 or 4 seasons round about 2015 .

Stanbury was married to her 1st husband then, Cem, with whom she had 3 kids. They ended the series with her leaving London and moving to Dubai with him for his work. As you see, she has since divorced him and married the new 27 year old, Sergio. Interesting. A 15 year difference in their ages. 

From the interwebs:

"Caroline Stanbury said Ladies of London didn't endure because it wasn't positioned as a Bravo Housewives series. The show was canceled in 2017 after three seasons but amassed a loyal fanbase. "

It's good to see Caroline back on TV. She reminds me of Lisa Vanderpump

On 7/21/2022 at 4:52 PM, ZettaK said:

Cem is Turkish (and Jewish). There are Jewish people all over the world.

I think Caroline mentioned that she was Jewish