S02.E02: The Barefoot Baroness

[stcroix]

Maybe I'll have to take another look. I usually enjoy some good house porn but I didn't notice much of her house. I mainly remember lots of camera angles that showed lots of close-ups of decor and accessories. And the accessories seemed to be piled on top of accessories. I could barely see the furniture.

And what I most noticed was HRH flitting about being Fun! and Quirky! and Look at Me! I'm Barefoot! I Do it All! Even though I'm Royal! And my family my family my family... Here, let me shove some food in your mouth! Okay! Everyone! Stop Eating! Out! All of You!

From the way the baroness was so totally focused into her food, and how the table was set, not paying attention to her guests, taking care of her puppy in the kitchen while being so behind in serving the food to her starving guests-- it made me think she was high.  She seemed pretty way out happy all by herself and not concerned at all with what her guests were thinking, even to the point of gaily shoving them out the door. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

I thought the crystal skull art piece was ugly and OTT.

[HunterHunted]

I thought the crystal skull art piece was ugly and OTT.

I think it might be a Damien Hirst piece. I hate most of his stuff and he's known for being sensationalistic and for the way he egregiously inflated the art market.

[NewDigs]

I think it might be a Damien Hirst piece. I hate most of his stuff and he's known for being sensationalistic and for the way he egregiously inflated the art market.

I was thinking Alexander McQueen. I guess we need to see if Annabelle wets her knickers when she sees it. I actually kind of liked it, in someone else's house.

But that ridiculous chrome loveseat thingy? No way.

I think the Baroness tries too hard.

[trimthatfat]

I don't think Caroline F. was high during the dinner party. She just seems a bit eccentric.

[balshureen]

I just watched both episodes this weekend, and I just loved both.  So much is packed into the episodes... unlike the real housewives where multiple episodes take place during the same events, or at least it seems like it.

 

So glad they did away with Caprice and Noelle.

 

I fell sorry for Juliet.  She does seem high maintenance, but not that awful that she should be excluded from an event like the sing along, where so many people were invited that Marissa would have hardly had to interact with her.  I think she needs to find a group of ex-pat moms and join them.  Marissa, since her husband is English, has an entre into London society that Juliet doesn't and wont ever have.  British society seems very insular, and either you are a member, or you marry one... moving there with a husband who has a high profile job just wont cut it.

 

I do think there is more to the Marissa/Juliet issue that we aren't seeing.... but it doesn't really matter.  Marissa is over her.. I hope the rest of the season isn't about them.

 

I think Caroline looks so much better without her spackled on makeup.  When she was at her house at the table one morning with Juliet, she did look quite beautiful.  She is unapologetic about who she is, and I respect that, nannys and party planners and all.  I also loved that she called Marissa's pinterest inspired gathering's "very middle class".  

 

Kind of feel sorry for Julie.  She seems like she is out of her depth. I wonder what common ground she and her husband had when they  met... they seem like they come from completely different worlds, and she doesn't seem to have adapted that well to his.

[balshureen]

I've read more about Caroline Fleming, apparently her ex was Rory Fleming, Ian Fleming's (of James Bond) nephew and a banking heir.  She got a $400 million divorce settlement.  In that context, her eccentricity and happy-go-lucky demeanor makes sense.  

[AuntDahlia]

As a business owner I am shocked and appalled (in other words, loving it as a TV viewer) that Caroline is told her employees do not have enough time to wrap and send all the orders by Xmas - then she goes and eats candy and bitches about it.  Girl, start packing and wrapping!!  WTH!

[trimthatfat]

I've read more about Caroline Fleming, apparently her ex was Rory Fleming, Ian Fleming's (of James Bond) nephew and a banking heir.  She got a $400 million divorce settlement.  In that context, her eccentricity and happy-go-lucky demeanor makes sense.  

Wow, must be nice! I'd be walking around without a care in the world, too.

[candall]

As a business owner I am shocked and appalled (in other words, loving it as a TV viewer) that Caroline is told her employees do not have enough time to wrap and send all the orders by Xmas - then she goes and eats candy and bitches about it.  Girl, start packing and wrapping!!  WTH!

With her mouth open, no less.

 

They're pushing me a little bit hard with Caroline1.  She has employees managing her business, raising her children, throwing her parties, driving her car/serving her toast/taking off her shoes/powdering her nose.  I think the only things I've seen her do for herself are tap some buttons on her phone and pop food into her mouth.

************************

 

I thought it was funny, during "red dress shopping," that they were reeling off Caroline Fleming's pedigree while the Baroness herself looked like rats had chewed off the ends of her hair.

 

But I'm not sure about her, other than she's in desperate need of a trim.  The dinner she prepared looked fantastic and she's definitely not too hung up on "proper etiquette," which is sort of refreshing with this bunch of class-conscious snoots.  (No, fowl does not equal finger food.)  But announcing to people who are still dining that everyone has ten minutes to vacate--after you've run late, refused all offers of help, and left your guests sitting around upstairs hostessless and hungry--is RUDE.

 

Have we seen anyone in this show be gracious? 

[Jules2307]

I've read more about Caroline Fleming, apparently her ex was Rory Fleming, Ian Fleming's (of James Bond) nephew and a banking heir. She got a $400 million divorce settlement. In that context, her eccentricity and happy-go-lucky demeanor makes sense.

I know Caroline F. because she had a child with Nicklas Bendtner, the disaster who played for Arsenal. Royalty or no, I would have thought having a "love child" with a footballer would be too déclassé for snobs like Caroline S. and Annabel...

[balshureen]

With her mouth open, no less.

 

They're pushing me a little bit hard with Caroline1.  She has employees managing her business, raising her children, throwing her parties, driving her car/serving her toast/taking off her shoes/powdering her nose.  I think the only things I've seen her do for herself are tap some buttons on her phone and pop food into her mouth.

************************

 

I thought it was funny, during "red dress shopping," that they were reeling off Caroline Fleming's pedigree while the Baroness herself looked like rats had chewed off the ends of her hair.

 

But I'm not sure about her, other than she's in desperate need of a trim.  The dinner she prepared looked fantastic and she's definitely not too hung up on "proper etiquette," which is sort of refreshing with this bunch of class-conscious snoots.  (No, fowl does not equal finger food.)  But announcing to people who are still dining that everyone has ten minutes to vacate--after you've run late, refused all offers of help, and left your guests sitting around upstairs hostessless and hungry--is RUDE.

 

Have we seen anyone in this show be gracious? 

Well, for what it's worth, i did notice that the Baroness made eye contact and greeted people very warmly when they came into her home, whether she knew them or not.  Any show of manners on a reality show is pretty rare.