Home Town - General Discussion

[chediavolo]

Did anyone make the Miss Dots poundcake? I did, and I would not call it a poundcake it must’ve weighed about 5 pounds you could see the butter bubbling through while it was cooking it tasted like eggy/buttery, fattening very heavy something but certainly not a poundcake and yes I followed the very simple directions☹️

Edited June 24, 2021 by chediavolo
Spell

[CrazyInAlabama]

I read that Jesse and Lauren had their little girl a while ago.    

[pasdetrois]

Quote

I followed the very simple directions☹️

My mother and other family cooks would not provide full recipes. They'd leave out certain instructions or ingredients.

As I watched, it sounded as if Miss Dot did all of the work, and Miss Bunny simply gave away the treats.

Also, whose home were they in when they visited Miss Dot?

Edited June 26, 2021 by pasdetrois

[3 is enough]

I believe they were in the museum.

 

[3 is enough]

7 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

As I watched, it sounded as if Miss Dot did all of the work, and Miss Bunny simply gave away the treats.

I hesitate to make any stereotypical assumptions, but given the age of the women I wonder if Miss Dot was Miss Bunny's housekeeper.  I got the impression that Miss Bunny and her husband were somewhat well-to-do, so having a housekeeper would not be out of the realm of possibility.

[absolutelyido]

1 hour ago, 3 is enough said:

I hesitate to make any stereotypical assumptions, but given the age of the women I wonder if Miss Dot was Miss Bunny's housekeeper.  I got the impression that Miss Bunny and her husband were somewhat well-to-do, so having a housekeeper would not be out of the realm of possibility.

You are correct. There is a posting on the Laurel Mercantile blog about Miss Dot's cake and it quotes Miss Dot saying, "When I first worked for Miss Bunny, I'd do a lot of her baking for her because she was an older lady".

Here's a link to the story:

https://www.laurelmercantile.com/blogs/journal/miss-dots-pound-cake-the-secret-ingredient

[nb360]

I’m watching reruns and the woman who is a superintendent who kept screaming at the reveal annoyed me. I had to mute the tv - her scream was so high, it grated my ears!

[CrazyInAlabama]

I get a kick out of her husband seeing the main bathroom on the second house (the one they bought).    At least Dr. Watts (Laurel School superintendent) had enthusiasm, I have to mute the kitchen reveal on that episode too.  

[3 is enough]

Erin just posted on Instagram that Season 6 of Home Town and Season 2 of Ben's Workshop are a go and shooting has begun. They will air some time in 2022.

Not that there was any doubt, but nice to get confirmation.

[Grrarrggh]

Some interesting Laurel history www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/inside-the-murderous-bumbling-ku-klux-klan/2021/08/05/9eff16d0-eb47-11eb-ba5d-55d3b5ffcaf1_story.html

[CrazyInAlabama]

On the house from this season with the rain chain, and the big jug to catch water (Country House, City House), I bet the rain chain, and jug would have to be emptied constantly, to prevent mosquitos breeding in the water.      

I didn't see any useful purpose for the pull out drawer for the dog water and food bowl.   The dog will need access, and that means the drawer will be open in the aisle.   A big hazard to walking in the kitchen.     I'm guessing the water bowl is only when the dog is eating, and the dog probably has another bowl available.  

Edited September 14, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[absolutelyido]

On 9/8/2021 at 6:59 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I didn't see any useful purpose for the pull out drawer for the dog water and food bowl.   The dog will need access, and that means the drawer will be open in the aisle.   A big hazard to walking in the kitchen.     

I don't get that either and I've seen it on several remodel shows. I could maybe see for food, as most dogs generally eat all their food as soon as it's served, but isn't it best for a dogs health for it to have access to water all day? I have cats, and would never imagine not having water available for them all the time.

[RoxiP]

My pets have a fountain and they get snippy if it stops working. 

[Grrarrggh]

I'm having creepy nightmares now of laying down to sleep and getting nibbled on by a kitty or pup! 🦴🐕🐱🥩

[JJ1]

Yay!! New season starts tonight!

[CrazyInAlabama]

I loved the new episode!     I loved everything they did to the house, and meeting the new homeowner, Jemarcus.     The Ross house was spectacular.   Erin's right, when you get young people to stay in a community, then the community will be better for it.    

I also loved the rerun, with the commentary of Jesse and Lauren's house (Ben's brother and sister-in-law).  

If you want a starter home below $100,000, then Laurel certainly has that.   

Edited December 27, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[mojito]

First Time’s the Charm

Thought I had two episodes I’d not seen before, S5 E16 and S6 E1. But it was the same episode listed differently.

It was a nice home with a nice homeowner. He got a place and a dad for only $142K.

It’s was so nice hearing Erin say that his $150K budget was perfect for a starter home. I don’t expect to hear a comment like that much, if at all, in the future.

 

 

 

 

[deirdra]

I was glad to see that Erin did not paint another cameo silhouette portrait of a white woman to hang above the stove like she did for another Black family. 

Stick to gifting a painting of the new home.

Edited December 27, 2021 by deirdra

[buttersister]

Um, Ben’s Christmas Workshop felt like a Discovery+ infomercial. Were all those kids at the end related? Or did it just look that way.

[chediavolo]

Wow, when did they film this? The baby is like seven months old or more and she isn’t even showing on the show! Kind of scary seeing them there, pregnant, with no masks on during Covid. 

[chessiegal]

I'm sure they have Covid protocols they follow. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

All of the shows have strict Covid protocols, lots of testing, and you notice that the hosts aren't hugging or standing close to the home owners.    

[irisheyes]

14 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

All of the shows have strict Covid protocols, lots of testing, and you notice that the hosts aren't hugging or standing close to the home owners.    

Yeah, Erin mentioned on her IG how hard it was not to hug the homeowner in the latest episode. They also don’t hand over the watercolor anymore. It’s usually just hanging somewhere in the house. 

[pasdetrois]

Finally! They addressed asbestos. Although they must have tested the kitchen floors before production rather than mess around with it even a little bit while demoing.  No way a pregnant Erin would have taken a chance..

Looks like they put in ducts for HVAC.

I loved what they did with this home. It's adorable and handsome at the same time.  I love Erin's design aesthetic when she lays off all the tchotchkes.

I kept expecting them to hug that wonderful young man, then remembered COVID.

[CrazyInAlabama]

They've said on other episodes that they test for asbestos, and lead paint before they start demo.    I'm guessing a lot of the repipes are for galvanized pipes too, since they deteriorate badly.   

I really loved Jemarcus, and his story.    I loved his enthusiasm, and really liked his reaction to that beautiful garage door.    

I really liked the two house hunters last night.    However, I would have picked the second house.    The extra bedroom (it had four) could have been for an entire room for the one man's collections, and an art studio.     I loved seeing the Walter Anderson print shop.  

Edited January 3, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[pasdetrois]

What in Sam Hill was Ben smoking during this episode?

[Scatterbrained]

It seems like the honchos at HGTV want Ben to be more of a “character” this season.  GROAN!!!  I wish they would leave it alone.  This is the ONLY HGTV show that I do not watch on fast forward because I actually like the more genuine interactions between the individuals.  

[buttersister]

Felt like they made him watch Chip Gaines for hours. Just no.

[deirdra]

Chip Gaines (and the one size fits all designs) is the reason I stopped watching their show. Please leave Home Town alone!  There is a reason people are moving to Laurel, not Wako.

[chessiegal]

3 minutes ago, deirdra said:

There is a reason people are moving to Laurel, not Wako.

Haha. I see what you did there. 😆

[Barlowe]

On 12/31/2021 at 1:25 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I really liked the two house hunters last night.    However, I would have picked the second house.    The extra bedroom (it had four) could have been for an entire room for the one man's collections, and an art studio.     I loved seeing the Walter Anderson print shop.  

I knew they were going to pick the first house because it just seemed more manageable and easier to transition into coming from a small place in Jersey(?). I think they even said that kitchen was still bigger than their current kitchen. The other house would've been more overwhelming with so much space to fill. 

It reminded me of those English "chocolate box" style homes.

 

[sheetmoss]

On 1/3/2022 at 10:32 PM, pasdetrois said:

What in Sam Hill was Ben smoking during this episode?

Yes,  Ben doesn't need add'l 'personality'  or . be 'on'

One of the reasons I enjoy Fixer to Fabulous is because  Dave Marrs isn't  OTT

[RoxiP]

I've always thought Ben was kind of a show hog (and that isn't a comment on his size).  

[deirdra]

On 6/6/2021 at 7:53 PM, absolutelyido said:

But I don't understand the logic of having a weekly farmer's market there, across the river from downtown. 

Free parking close to the stalls, making loading up the car easy.

[Gam2]

1 hour ago, RoxiP said:

I've always thought Ben was kind of a show hog (and that isn't a comment on his size).  

Funny, but I always thought Erin was kind of a show hog. She constantly interrupted Ben when he was speaking. However, I really do like both of them. They’re genuine, kind and sincere people who love their town and their children. This is my favorite show. Even my husband likes it and he doesn’t like any of these home improvement shows! Even my grown son will watch this one when he’s over here. Go figure!

[CrazyInAlabama]

I've read that Ben is the outgoing extrovert, and Erin is a shy introvert.     I'm wondering how many takes of the different scenes, and the talking head segments they have to film?  

I really hoped the home buyers this week would take both dogs.  I hope the little dog got a home too, and I'm guessing that one was adopted by one of the crew. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[RoxiP]

I do like the show and I like how they work together and tease one another.  Nice dynamic.  I do think Ben likes being on camera more than Erin (just my opinion though).  They seem to be genuinely nice people. 

[MsJamieDornan]

4 hours ago, RoxiP said:

I do think Ben likes being on camera more than Erin (just my opinion though).  They seem to be genuinely nice people. 

I think Erin wants us to think she is an introvert, but several times she has referred to herself growing up as a "theater kid" so I find it hard to believe that she doesn't want to be on camera. And, thats ok.

[satrunrose]

I'm willing to believe Erin on this because I'm an introverted ex-theatre kid too! There's a lot of ways that theatre makes life easier for some introverts. You have a script, so you don't have to figure out what to say; theatre kids spend a lot of time debating the minutia of their favourite musicals, so no dreaded small talk and there's a set time limit, so you can go home and recharge after practice. 

[DonnaMae]

Is Home Town still shown on HGTV or is it now on Disney?   

[chessiegal]

My DVR is picking up new shows on HGTV. Confession - I usually delete them without watching, but I'm not set to stop recording them because something I'm particularly interested in might pop up. I find Ben and Erin to be a breath of fresh air.

[mojito]

Bones and Bugs

Listed as S5E17, but when I saw the thumbnail, I was pretty sure I'd not seen this couple before. I'd've remembered them. I guess they just film a bunch of shows and split them out by the season at the most convenient point. 

I loved it when people don't have elaborate, specific demands, and these two simply wanted something better than what they had before. Once again, I loved what they did to the house. Yeah, Ben was uncharacteristically wacky in this show. Usually, he just revels in his bad puns and "Dad" jokes. On this particular day, he wanted to show off his physical acting chops. Hmm...

[CrazyInAlabama]

I love the Pumped About Laurel episode.     I love the house, and the remodel.   I also love that Shuff's mother was the artist who contributed the lovely art work on his episode, and on this one.      I love the way the relocated kitchen turned out.    

The Walter Anderson print studio has been deluged with orders after the show aired.  Realizations, Inc. is the studio name, and the owner says that they usually have a quiet period for sales this time of year, but not this year. 

https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/2022/01/10/mississippi-realizations-ltd-ocean-springs-hgtv-show-hometown/9155378002/   This may be behind their pay wall. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[JJ1]

Love love love this week’s show!! Probably my favorite episode. Just shows what is possible even without knocking down walls.

[chediavolo]

This was my least favorite. Looks like there was a problem with water retention in the driveway that was never addressed. Besides being unsightly this is a problem that should’ve been fixed. They could’ve saved some money somewhere else. I kept imagining how bad that carpet must’ve smelled  because she mentioned a couple of times there were dog stains on it. 🤢I would’ve painted the wood which was cheap and ugly instead of painting the brick on the exterior of the house. House definitely needed an a lot of work at least she  got half of it done but that bedroom & bathroom have to be done down the road. And why did Ben waste his time and good wood on that inexpensive ,what , 15-year-old kitchen table? I definitely know what it’s like not to have the money to get your house done all at once. I’ll be dead before mine is done the way I want it!  

[CrazyInAlabama]

I like that they did the house in sections, and the homeowner will do the other parts when she can afford it.     Ben redid the dining table, because the homeowner loved it, and wanted to keep it.     

[Scatterbrained]

I liked that they mentioned that “this is how it’s done in the real world”.  The homeowner seemed liked a kind and considerate person who was deserving of kindness and consideration in return.  

[JJ1]

1 hour ago, chediavolo said:

And why did Ben waste his time and good wood on that inexpensive ,what , 15-year-old kitchen table? 

LOL I can identify with Ben regarding the table! The first piece of “real” furniture I ever bought was a kitchen/dining room table in 1989. It has been so beat up that I’ve had it stripped and refinished twice since then. I’m sure I’ve spent much more to refinish it than it cost to begin with, but that table symbolizes my first job, my first home and so much more. It will probably go with me to my grave!!

[deirdra]

Ben should have made a leaf for that little table (making it an oval instead of a circle) so that people on the ends of the banquette table could reach their food. 

Edited January 17, 2022 by deirdra

[buttersister]

I was a little surprised he didn’t take that opportunity. But I liked what he did (maybe he got distracted by the cool drawers) and so did the homeowner. I really liked what they did with the kitchen—leaving the walls alone because budget. Kitchen looked great and much improved.

My question was whether those white sofas (that made a huge difference) were staged or if Erin put white slip covers over those dark leather couches?!