Snark Talk: Home, Home on the (De) Ranged

[maggiemae]

There is no way Ree did the interior designing, imo.

[grisgris]

I agree with that statement 1000%.

[Kohola3]

20 hours ago, maggiemae said:

There is no way Ree did the interior designing, imo.

Lawd, no.  Otherwise every horizontal surface would be piled high with all kinds of unrelated crap.

[Lura]

I'm glad to know that others feel the same way.  Besides, I didn't see any paper flowers in the whole place, and we know that paper flowers are one of Ree's decorating go-to's.

[cathy]

I agree she did not decorate that hotel.  You have to know where to buy the furniture, the carpets, drapes etc.  Professional decorators also get a discount, Ree would not, and it would be too expensive.  I looked at her magazine in Barnes and Noble, did not buy it, and she said that if she had to live anywhere but Pawhuska, it would be New York City.  (!!!!!!!).  I thought she was an "accidental country girl" who just loooooovvvved being in the country with all the cows that she plasters all over her Chinese made crap.  If you have a lot of money, any city can be "GLORIOUS."  But if you are middle class, it might be ok, and if you are poor, it is scary, and a nightmare (I'm guessing).  Quite telling that she did not say another rural area, or a beautiful place like Hawaii.

[peacheslatour]

I've lived in Hawaii, of course it was Honolulu, which is pretty much like any other big city, and believe it or not, I got really sick of the weather. I like having actual seasons. In Hawaii every day feels the same. There is no fall color, no spring blooms and Christmas? Forget it.

Edited April 18, 2018 by peacheslatour

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

I got really sick of the weather.

I thought I must be the only one in the world who doesn't like Hawai'i.  Everyone refers to it as "paradise" but I can only tolerate it in small doses. I used to go there every couple of years to participate in humpback whale research and (other than my whales, of course) I found it to be very unpleasant.  I need seasons!

Now the data collection we do in Alaska - heaven!

[peacheslatour]

I also used to live in Ketchikan. It was very odd and almost Gothic. We lived in an apartment building that was also a pier. You could drive all the way out to the end of it where there was a tavern. Across the street there was a laundry mat/strip club with a glass partition between the two.

[Kohola3]

6 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Across the street there was a laundry mat/strip club with a glass partition between the two.

Hee!  Bet the those laundromat patrons got an eyeful!  Alaska is SO entertaining!

[Lura]

I love these posts about living in other places and could read them all day.  If anybody feels like writing a PM more about any of them, this swollen, (with edema from eyes to toes), miserable, suffering friend would appreciate the entertainment more than I can say.  Ree's life in OK was interesting a looooong time ago, but it sure got tiresome fast.  Amen to what cathy said about living with the cows all day!

Just think, Kohola, if Ree lived in Hawaii, she could put a cheap facsimile of your beautiful whales all over her dishes, that is if people in China know what they look like.  *shudder*

Edited April 18, 2018 by Lura
left out a word

[grisgris]

Oddly, I've never had any desire to visit Hawaii. My sister and her friend are going in November and I'm not the least bit envious. I will be a good sister and take care of Charlize's "cousins" while she's away and that's about it. I wouldn't turn down some good macadamia nuts as payment. LOL!

Another region that has failed to live up to expectations is Florida. Granted, I have only been to Orlando and Sarasota/Tampa and didn't care for it.  Everybody had heard the story 1,000 times now about how I spend a dreary Saturday night in a Sarasota hotel room due to my painful pre-surgery hip and then I sprained the opposite ankle and out of boredom, I downloaded and read Ree's memoir.  I would like to see a Key West sunset mostly because I've read some mystery books set there and I am intrigued but it seems very very touristy.

Of all of the places I've visited, I liked D.C. and Baltimore the best. I also like Chicago a lot. I like being near water and Kansas City is about as land-locked as you can get. Living here is OK because you have four seasons but lately, we've had no colors in the fall, hot hot summers and unseasonably cold winters and springs.

I appears that half of Oklahoma is on fire right now. Geez ... I forgot to mention here that I have a new "Oklahoma connection" and this is one who I am sure would willingly go on the Ree tour with me. It would be right up her alley. I discovered a whole new set of relatives on my mother's side who live in Nebraska, where mom was originally from. Two days before my dad died, my mother's BIL passed away. My cousin called to let me know. She lives in Nebraska, but her sister and family live in the Tulsa area. Tulsa cousin is going to be in the KC area at the end of the month and my sister and I might meet her and her family for breakfast or brunch. If so, I will casually work PW into the conversation and see how she reacts. I should not judge or jump to conclusions based on FB posts but she appears to fit "the demographic." That's fine. Geez ... I can only imagine what people would think of me and never met me and based their impression solely on what I post on FB. LOL!

[Lura]

I hope that you and your cousin hit it off well, grisgris, and that she is excited about visiting Pawhuska.  You never know when long lost relatives can open up new doors.  That's good of you to invite them for breakfast or brunch.  You have a big heart.

When my FIL passed away, my MIL and he had visited every state but Hawaii, a lifetime goal of hers.  For her 80th birthday she asked us to take her to Hawaii on her "dime."  It was summertime and so hot and humid that it was insufferable, but it was semi-interesting to see the state.  Two summers later, she wanted to go again because she was a bird watcher and couldn't get enough of the unusual birds there.  I suffered through it with swollen limbs from the heat, etc.  Not much fun repeating the visit.

If Ree loves OK, CO and NYC, I can't quite picture her liking the tropics.  We found it touristy, with bus tours and cruise ships everywhere, and more people with cameras than I'd ever seen.  Of course, Ree might be right at home with her camera, but I suspect she'd miss the cows pretty fast.  How does that old, old song go?  Something about "You can't take the girl out of the farm, and you can't take the farm out of the girl" or something like that?

[Cupid Stunt]

I don't know if this has been previously posted ...

The Pioneer Woman's Oklahoma hotel is already booked solid

 

Her empire marches on. 

[Lura]

It's a good thing this show doesn't come with Smellavision.  Can you imagine what it must be like when the family has been out wrestling cattle to the ground and riding horses all day?  When they all gather for lunch, it must be an assault on the senses.  With Smellavision, the show might not have made it onto the air.  All that reeking of animals and sweat would certainly override the aromas of Ree's cooking.  Ewwww!

[Kohola3]

13 minutes ago, Lura said:

All that reeking of animals and sweat would certainly override the aromas of Ree's cooking. 

Well, honestly, with some of her cockamamie concoctions it would be a toss up as to what smells worse.

[Lura]

LOL, Kohola!  Truer words were never spoken!

[HyeChaps]

They would have to take a shower at the Lodge before going to the real house  

[Lura]

There's an old saying -- I don't know how true it is -- that if you have an odor, you don't smell the same odor on others.  Maybe they don't realize they're wearing Eau d'Horses and the only one suffering is Ree, who hasn't been out all morning.  Ree doesn't mind because she's leaving for NY soon to head up the FN and to publish her magazine from swanky offices on Madison Avenue.

[txvoodoo]

On 4/18/2018 at 7:42 PM, grisgris said:

Another region that has failed to live up to expectations is Florida. Granted, I have only been to Orlando and Sarasota/Tampa and didn't care for it.  Everybody had heard the story 1,000 times now about how I spend a dreary Saturday night in a Sarasota hotel room due to my painful pre-surgery hip and then I sprained the opposite ankle and out of boredom, I downloaded and read Ree's memoir.  I would like to see a Key West sunset mostly because I've read some mystery books set there and I am intrigued but it seems very very touristy.

I've lived over a lot of the US. I lived on South Miami Beach for a while in the 90s. Loved it, but it got SO expensive. But I adored south Florida. Also lived in Tampa, and I could easily go back there, or really, Saint Pete.

I've been in Texas 19 years now. I'm basically resigned to it, but the summers are dreadful. I'd take Hawaii's lack of seasons to ours. We have the cold season, and the OMG-I'm-Gonna-Die hot season.

I was raised in PA, lived there first 29 years. I sometimes miss the seasons, but not the ice storms!

[rocketinu]

All the tv stations here in the OKC area featured the opening of the "boarding house"  the past few days and said it was booked through April. But seriously it's just eight rooms to fill up and if people were coming to the merc it wouldn't take that long. Next up for the metropolis of Pawhuska - Ree is opening a steakhouse and a pizza parlor this fall.

 

Then there is a guy running for State Attorney General here in Ok with the name of Gentner Drummond - he's riding a horse in his campaign ads - has to be "kinfolk".

[Lura]

Love your posts, txvoodoo and rockitinu.  You both bring something new to your threads that we haven't seen before.   I'm sure I'm not alone in the hopes that you'll be back with more.

A steakhouse and a pizza parlor???  I'll be darned!  Ree is always saying that she and Ladd are highly competitive.  It sounds like she is building her own empire.

From the description, I think I'd be fairly miserable in Texas.  My in-laws lived in Bradenton, FL, so I've spent a lot of time in the Bradenton-Sarasota area.  I liked it.  There is a small Mennonite community tucked in there with some fantastic restaurants.  Those people can cook!  After eating there, I had to go to Amazon and buy a couple of Amish cookbooks.  Their pies are incomparable!  Simple food but the best! 

[Kohola3]

9 hours ago, Lura said:

Ree is always saying that she and Ladd are highly competitive.  It sounds like she is building her own empire.

Maybe they plan on declaring themselves King and Queen of Paw-whatever it is County and she can wear a crown with a buncha jewels.

[grisgris]

Kohola3, really? Don't you know by now that the Drummonds rule OSAGE COUNTY?!!!  (j/k & LOL!)  Sheesh ... It hasn't been so bad this season, but for a while there, Ree was dropping Osage County as many times as possible within an episode. /eye roll.  Maybe it was part of the plan to grease the skids for the upcoming town takeover commercial boom she was hatching.

[Kohola3]

51 minutes ago, grisgris said:

Don't you know by now that the Drummonds rule OSAGE COUNTY?!!!

Since her voice (to me) is like fingernails on a blackboard and her recipes are so ludicrous I guess I tend to tune out most of her blathering! 

Osage County is where Native American members of the Osage Nation (mostly women) were murdered because of their ownership of oil rights.  Pawhuska was the epicenter of things. "Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" was a great (and very sad) book.

Hmmmm, how long have the Drummonds owned the land?

[rocketinu]

The Osage Reservation is still south  of Pawhuska. North is the 30,000 acre Tallgrass Prairie Preserve filled with buffalo, many other species of wildlife, birds. From May thru June it is filled with wild flowers . You  can drive through and it is still untouched and quite beautiful.  So the Drummonds I believe have most of their land in that area to the east. Everything else is federally protected. I believe that besides Kansas they own a lot of land in southeast Oklahoma. 

[rocketinu]

I mentioned Gentner Drummond running for OK Attorney General. Did a little more snooping. He is a Tulsa attorney who just happens to own a large family inherited ranch in - wait for it - Osage County. His first name Gentner is the maiden name of the woman who married Fred Drummond who migrated from Scotland and settled in Osage County. You can bet he will defeat the current AG as the name Drummond will get him most of his votes.  He is all over the tv with his high priced political ads. Will be interesting to see if he uses Ree in any of his ads. It's about to be Drummondhoma ya'll. 

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, rocketinu said:

The Osage Reservation is still south  of Pawhuska. North is the 30,000 acre Tallgrass Prairie Preserve filled with buffalo, many other species of wildlife, birds. From May thru June it is filled with wild flowers . You  can drive through and it is still untouched and quite beautiful.  So the Drummonds I believe have most of their land in that area to the east. Everything else is federally protected. I believe that besides Kansas they own a lot of land in southeast Oklahoma. 

We'll see how much longer that lasts. I'm not optimistic.

[Lura]

I didn't know that the Drummonds owned land in Kansas, too.  Can Colorado be far behind?  Maybe Ree is getting her feet wet in OK, where land must cost far less than in Vail.  What about Vegas, where every Tom, Dick, Harry and Giada in the food business has to appear on the map?  Even her "country cooking" would be successful there on her name alone.  The sky's the limit.

[txvoodoo]

8 hours ago, rocketinu said:

I mentioned Gentner Drummond running for OK Attorney General.

Is he friends with Scott Pruitt?

(snerk)

[Lura]

I think this means that Ree knew the name Drummond long before she ever met Ladd.  I also suspect that marrying Ladd was part of her grand plan for her future.  Look at how she sped to the ranch every weekend to cook for him  and took along movies for him to watch.  She might have done those things anyway, but I doubt it.  He knew he was onto a good thing, and she knew that she was.  He never had to take her anywhere because she was content just giving him everything he needed there on the ranch.  No wonder her parents had doubts about her choice!

[butterflyeludesme]

On 3/17/2018 at 10:20 AM, cathy said:

Cowboy Josh sounds like he has marbles in his mouth when he talks.  "Papa" has a gravely smoker's voice.  They all have such heavy southern accents.  The Kansas ranch is pretty.  But it is the same ol same ol. Making burritos again.

Josh is deaf, so that's why he talks the way he does. 

[Lura]

I admire Josh so much for being on this show despite his hearing problem.  He wears hearing aids, so he must not be entirely deaf, but he has enough of a problem that it affects his speech a little.  He's enough of a man not to let it hold him back from being himself and letting Ree's vast audience get to know him.  I'd bake him a chocolate pie, too!

[rocketinu]

15 hours ago, txvoodoo said:

Is he friends with Scott Pruitt?

(snerk)

Mutual admiration society I'm guessing.

[film noire]

@grisgris -- I've been fascinated by Kansas City (always hear the blues tune in my head when I say that) since I found out about the amazing Christmas light display  (Nigella showed them to me -- not personally,  on tv ;) The photo below just dropped my jaw.

And wtf do any of these recipes have to do with Kansas? I'm not an expert on the state, but aren't Kansas style ribs a better fit than burritos, brisket and baked sweet poatoes?

Pioneer Woman (Season 18: Episode 7): "Kansas Cookin'.  Ladd's going ranching in Kansas, so Ree Drummond plans ahead with Awesome Breakfast Burritos packed with an all-in-one spicy meat-and-egg scramble for him to share with the cowboys. While he's busy across the state line, she's cooking up delicious Braised Brisket and Vegetables, Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes and decadent Chocolate Slab Ice Cream Sandwiches for a family dinner later in the day."

[peacheslatour]

Wow, that is pretty. Not how I pictured Kansas City at all.

[Lura]

I've seen several nice pics of KC at Christmas but never one that covered that wide of an area.  That is amazing!  It must take a lot of work to decorate all those buildings, but it's beautiful to see.

[grisgris]

That is a superimposed photo of the Plaza during the holiday season.  It is a composite of about four photos. I'll post a photo below so you can get an idea of how it looks during the day. This photo was taken after the Royals won the World Series in 2016.  The plaza actually covers only about 12 square blocks. It's not that big. The architecture is Spanish and influenced by Seville Spain and is designated as the "first shopping center" in the U.S.  It was originally built by J.C. Nichols, a long-time KCMO realtor back in the 1920s. The Nichols real estate group owned it forever then sold it about 15 years ago (not sure on the timeframe.) Since then, ownership has changed hands a few times and the quality of tenants has declined sharply.

Every years, KCP&L (Kansas City Power & Light) sends out crews and they start stringing the lights. Every building is outlined. On Thanksgiving evening, there is a huge "Plaza Lighting Ceremony." There is music and a guest of honor (some local celebrity, usually a sports figure, but one year it was Gillian Flynn, who is from this area.) A child is selected from the audience to help flip the switch. It is very beautiful but I used to work on the Plaza, so I got kind of tired of seeing it every night. The lights stay on until the week after New Year.

Nigella was in Kansas City back in 2011 or 2012 for a book signing. I could just kick myself for not going. She obviously stayed at a hotel on the Plaza to see the lights.  At least Nigella got it right and went to a BBQ joint. There are so many here that I am not familiar with the one she went to, but good for her for selecting a hole-in-the-wall instead of one of the mini local corporate chains. She also went to some bar on the Plaza, but so many of the occupants have changed hands that wherever she was most likely is not around any more. My guess is that she stayed at the Raphael Hotel (at least I hope she did.) It is a very elegant boutique hotel that has been around for decades. Otherwise, the only hotels in that area are Sheraton Suites, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn Garden, etc., Blerghh ...

The shops on the plaza used to be high-end and very exclusive/upscale and was the shopping haven for the wealthy. I used to work for the in-house agency for three very exclusive high-fashion (EXPENSIVE) department stores owned by the Hall family (of Hallmark fame.) Sadly, the stores there now are mostly national retail chains like Forever 21 and H&M and national corporate chain restaurants. I never go there, so I don't even know. I do know that the current owners keep increasing the rent, so there is very high turnover of tenants. Unfortunately, during the summer, for the past few years, there has been a pattern of inner city youth congregating and there have been several muggings and shootings. There is a very strict curfew for teenagers. There used to be horse-drawn carriages but that was closed down after there was a carriage accident and a horse was injured (as well as the passengers.) I want to say that the horse wasn't put down, but don't remember. Anyway, animal activists jumped all over that and the livery service shut down.

Soooo ... more than you possibly want to know, I am sure. I am happy that Nigella enjoyed her stay in Kansas City and she certainly picked the best place possible to stay for a December visit.

Regarding Ree's "Kansas" menu. I have lived on the Missouri side of the state line longer than I did when I grew up in Kansas (still in the Kansas City metro area.) Barbecue would be a good choice and maybe some type of homemade wheat bread, since at lot of wheat is grown in Kansas. Other than that, maybe something with artisan honey from Lawrence, Kansas (home of KU Jayhawks) and there is a decent winery about 25 miles from where I grew up. Otherwise, Kansas and Missouri don't have much to offer in the way of "signature cuisine." We've seen Ladd ruin perfectly good K.C. strip steaks with his buttery/lemon pepper baptism, so I wouldn't suggest that.

 

[Lura]

Great post, grisgris, and KC really does resemble beautiful Seville, arguably one of the prettiest cities in Spain.  It's a shame what's happening to the plaza, the same thing that's happening in so many of America's cities.  I'm glad that the traditional lighting continues, however,

[txvoodoo]

On 4/24/2018 at 8:04 PM, grisgris said:

Kansas and Missouri don't have much to offer in the way of "signature cuisine." We've seen Ladd ruin perfectly good K.C. strip steaks with his buttery/lemon pepper baptism, so I wouldn't suggest that.

Well, the picture shows Fogo de Chão, so they have at least SOME really good food! 

[grisgris]

True. I wonder how much they paid for product placement in that photo! LOL!

[Lura]

I'm mulling over what to think about the townfolk of Pawtuska and what their reactions are to all this burst of energy from basically Ree -- the Merc, the Boarding House, a steakhouse, a pizza parlor....  Feelings of jealousy and envy must be high with some people. The vast wealth of the family must mean that they control nearly everything that goes on with the town.  I wonder whether there is any hidden story behind how Ree just happened to get a cooking show on the air.  I wonder whether she offered her services at a rock bottom price that the FN couldn't refuse.  And that's when the murders began....

[Kohola3]

55 minutes ago, Lura said:

I'm mulling over what to think about the townfolk of Pawtuska and what their reactions are...

I wonder if they hate the crowds. I live near a small one traffic light town and the increased traffic would drive me bonkers. Plus all of (or most, anyway) the money goes into the Drummond coffers with not much left over for the locals.  I'd hate to have my life disrupted like that for no compensation and lots of aggravation.

[cathy]

I saw an article about Ree's cousin Gentner Drummond, who is running for Oklahoma attorney general.  It says that his own cousin says he told her to lie on an affidavit about her place of residence in her divorce trial. Why didn't he get into trouble for that?  That is a breach of ethics.  Most lawyers would be censured/disiplined etc for something like that.  It couldn't be that magic last name, could it?  Why things like that could never happen in America!!! Never in Oklahoma, a deep red Christian state! I bet this guy wins the race.  If he does it means that the people of Oklahoma have no brains whatsoever.  History has shown so many rich families taking over states/countries and then becoming very corrupt and ruthless.  It reminds me of the Kennedys, who made their fortune in bootleg, and ended up to their eyeballs in the mafia. Maybe little Toddy will be governor someday.  I looked at Gentner's facebook page.  Not one mention of Ree, not one photo of her.  I think the article title was " Cousin says AG candidate advised her to lie in divorce case."  

[Gam2]

This man must be a relative of Ladd’s. He’s not Ree’s relative except by marriage. I’m not sure what this has to do with the Pioneer woman show which is what we’re supposed to be commenting on here.

[ariel]

2 hours ago, Gam2 said:

I’m not sure what this has to do with the Pioneer woman show which is what we’re supposed to be commenting on here.

He's Ladd's relative.  Ladd is married to Ree.  Some of us are questioning if he gets elected, will Ree (and her many local business endeavors that include her show ) benefit from this.

[Lura]

I can't get too excited about anyone's views about the Kennedys, the Bushes, or any other political family here on Ree's board or anywhere else for that matter.  It's interesting to me that a Drummond is running for AG, and I enjoy learning more about "Ree's" Oklahoma because I've always loved the musical but don't know much about the state.  As for Gentner, he's related to Ladd, and I don't see any connection to Ree other than the one that ariel mentioned.  Politics is a polarizing topic that I can see why we're asked to avoid it.  Just my 2 cents.

[cathy]

Yes, Gentner is Ladd's cousin, I should have been more clear.  I just meant to comment on how rich families tend to become powerful in many ways, and that this is bad for society.  I will keep to the subject which is Ree's aweful show.

[Lura]

I feel guilty that my meals seem kind of boring and that I'm cooking the same old things, so I've been spending more time at the FN website lately. looking for new recipes.  While I've been there, I've noticed that they seem to be giving a lot of space to Ree's recipes.  Has anyone else noticed that, or is it my imagination?  If hers is the #1 show, then maybe that stands to reason, but I don't know anyone who's dying to make her food.  What do you think?  Some of her cakes appeal to me -- maybe a few cookies -- but that's about all, I think, with just a few exceptions.

Edited April 29, 2018 by Lura
typo

[peacheslatour]

I will admit to making her Key Lime pie, but I do modify the recipe. That's the only one I can think of. I know what you mean about getting tired of making the same recipes all the time. I rectify that by doing a lot of baking. My dad, husband and son appreciate it.

[Lura]

If you ever feel like making another Key Lime Pie, I highly recommend the original from Joe's Crab in Miami.  It's the one that the restaurant is so well known for and is simple to make.  The recipe is on the FN.  Don't use the one from Giada.  Use the other one unless they're identical.  It's the absolute best Key Lime Pie I've ever tasted, and I've had friends say the same.  Just thought I'd throw that in for anyone interested, not that yours wasn't yummy, Peaches.