Southern Charm Real vs. Fake "Saints and Sinners"

What a perfect way to end my holiday weekend, watching Southern Charm! Overall, this was a good episode, but I think I still might have a warmed heart from seeing the new Kathryn Calhoun Dennis baby at the end. No matter what I think about her, she has some cute little kids. But it wasn't an entire episode about Kathryn and TRav drama, and I don't recall anyone bringing up the "invite-gate" scandal so you know that makes me happy.

We have a confession of jealously, a man child trying to be an adult, a new baby, paternity questions, and more! But how many are real moments and how many are based off of a Bravo script? Here's my opinion with the Real vs. Fake!

Real Moments

• Spa day with mother-to-be Kathryn Calhoun Dennis and Cooper. Confession: Cooper has really grown on me. It's not that I ever didn't like him but I just wasn't sure what to think about him. However, we have seen him give Kathryn Calhoun Dennis solid advice twice now. Dressed in a plush robe with a bow tie and loafers, Cooper tells Kathryn that she may want to stop hitching her wagon to TRav's star because he is a 50 year old playboy and although he has two children, he is not looking to settle down and this she should just accept. I like that he gives her big brother advice like this, I think he really looks out for her and wants her to do well and be happy. Not reality show happy, real happy.

• Naomie's concern about Craig taking a trip to LA right before the public launching of Gentry Bourbon. He's not concerned, he has everything done that was asked of him. Uhhh, isn't he the project manager? A week before a huge event is ... well... HUGE! Come on, Craig. Get it together.

• Landon admitting to Cameran that its a hard knock life for a single lady in Charleston. She knows what she wants and what she doesn't want. And confesses that its hard to see Shep getting a little serious with Bailey. (Although, last episode he said she didn't even know he was going away for an entire weekend so I'd argue that it isn't THAT serious). Whether they are real feelings or just a little jealousy of your close guy friend (been there!), I can't tell. 

• However, when she calls him to ask if he will be attending the Charleston races, and he tells her that his grandfather passed away so he won't be there, you really get the feeling that they are good friends. Friends before a reality show, friends during, and friends after. I felt that way anyways. I like these two. 

• Ugh, that dinner with TRav and Kathryn Calhoun Dennis. Kathryn begins the start of a conversation that you can tell means something to her and she was working her nerve up to say, and homeboy takes a call from his decorator! And tells her he'll be home in 45 mins. Come on, TRav, you can't even have dinner with someone your SO concerned about? Go away. I do think that was a real moment though because Thomas is a moron.

• JD is pissed off that Craig would just straight up not be at work the week before the bourbon launch. He doesn't even get to the event bright and early but sleeps in and arrives with the rest of the guests. Even interns have to be there before the guests.

• Landon telling Cameran to wear a sundress to the races when we see later everyone is freezing and its raining. We all have that one friend...

• The last scenes of TRav eating with his adorable family (omg, Kensie is the cutest) and getting ready to take Kathryn Calhoun Dennis to the hospital. Cut to how many hours later but St. Julien Rambert Ravenel is born and I got a little teary eyed, folks. Although I don't have or want babies of my own, I'm a sucker for a little face wrapped in a blanket. 

Fake Moments 

• JD and Thomas having a bourbon and discussing the paternity of Kathryn's child. I don't understand why this was even brought up or why JD thinks its suspect that the inducing date got moved up. I really am confused... Regardless, I don't think this was a natural conversation, I think if JD was going to tell TRav to question the paternity of the baby, it would've been when they first learned she was pregnant, not weeks before. And maybe he did, what do I know? They do have lives when the cameras turn off.

• The whole trip to LA. I don't understand why they even went out there? It really was a scene that could've been cut. Did they even do anything? They were in LA for like two days and they partied and stayed in for a massage. Way to make that trip count.

• JD calling Shep about not being able to reach Craig. Perhaps Bravo wanted to continue the story line of Shep harping on Craig for every little thing. I get that his voicemail was full but why didn't he call Naomie? Did he even know Craig was in LA with Shep? Cause he didn't seem to...I'm just wondering why he would call Shep.

How would you categorize the conversation at the end of the show between JD and Craig? I couldn't tell! I know JD was really upset with him but Craig's attitude was just brushing it off. I really wasn't sure if he didn't care or was just pretending not to care to save face. I do think he acts like a brat and could be the poster child for stereotypical millennials.  Let me know what you think!

Til next time!

xoxoxo

My Favorite 90's and Early 00's Teen Movies

I had the evening to myself the other day and I was just browsing through Netflix, trying to figure out what to watch when I came across one of my favorite movies, Save the Last Dance. And it got me thinking, in the early 2000s and late 1990s, teen movies were everything and I was right there in theater going to see every single one of them. They were the best and I think people my age would agree. So I put together a list of my favorite teen movies, and yes they are in descending order of my favorites.

10. American Pie (1999)

This movie is definitely a classic. It centers around a group of guy friends who bet to lose their cursed virginity by prom night.There isn't really a point in even describing the plot, just watch it. Awesome early 2000s soundtrack and the freaking Sherminator. 

Favorite Quote: It's not a space shuttle launch, it's SEX.

9. Cruel Intentions (1999)

Okay, so I know this movie is weird but it has a freaking great cast. Who would've thought that Reese Witherspoon would be the one we would hear about past teen stardom? This movie is about two odd step siblings Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) who like to make a game out of seeking revenge on people for their own humor. They place a bet that Sebastian can't seduce good girl newcomer Annette (Reese Witherspoon). Spoiler alert: He falls in love with her.

Favorite quote: Eat me Sebastian. Its alright for guys like you and Court to fuck everyone but when I do it, I get dumped to innocent little twits like Cecil. God forbid I exude confidence and enjoy sex. Do you think I relish the fact that I have to be Mary Sunshine 24/7 to be considered a lady? I'm the Marcia Fucking Brady of the upper east side and sometimes, I wanna kill myself.

8. Varsity Blues (1999)

This movie is about high school football in a small town in Texas called West Cannon. The football coach is on God level and the football team experiences their own hero worship around town. This is the first time I saw James Vander Beek as man instead of just Dawson Leery and Paul Walker...LOVE! Another great soundtrack and everyone who grew up in a small town can relate to the hero worship of the football players.

Favorite Quote: Before this game started, Kilmer said "48 minutes for the next 48 years of your life". I say "fuck that". All right? Fuck that. Let's go out there, and we play the next 24 minutes for the next 24 minutes, and we leave it all out on the field. We have the rest of our lives to be mediocre, but we have the opportunity to play like gods for the next half of football.

7. Bring it On (2000)

I mean, when I was a teenager all you would have to tell me is that Kirsten Dunst was in the movie and I'd go see it. But this movie is particularly amazing because its so over the top and tongue in cheek about cheerleading culture. A cheer stick? Jazz hands? A Cheer-ocracy? Sign me up! The new girl in town auditions for the squad and reveals to them that their cheer that is going to win them the competition is a rip off. Whoops.

Favorite Quote (from the announcer at the game): Our next defeat is scheduled for next friday, 8 o'clock

6. Save the Last Dance (2001)

Sigh. Julia Stiles is another one I loved back in the day. Sara (Stiles) moves in from the suburbs to the south side of Chicago with her father after her mom dies in a car crash. She gives up dancing as part of her mourning for her mom but gets back into it after meeting a group of new friends in her predominately black school. She falls in love with Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas) and he encourages her to get back into dance. This movie  has a young Kerry Washington in it which I didn't even make the connection til I recently watched it. Also this has an amazing soundtrack, too. Makes me want to be young again and go out dancin!

Favorite Quote: You can do it. Sara, you were born to do it.

5. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Ahh. Another Julia Stiles movie! The Straford sisters, Kat (played by Julia Stiles) and Bianca (Larisa Oleynik...aka Alex Mack) have a strict dad with strict dating rules. Bianca isn't allowed to date unless her older sister, Kat dates. Which is fine by Kat because she's pretty abrasive and doesn't really attract many high school boys. Until she crosses paths with Patrick (Heath Ledger *drool*) who isn't turned off by her. Which leads the girls on a series of paths leading into high school dating life. Not only did this movie introduce me to Julia Stiles but also Heath Leder (RIP) who I harbored a love for up until Dark Knight..and even to this day.

Favorite Quote: I guess in this society, being male and an asshole makes you worthy of our time.

4. Mean Girls (2004)

Does anyone know me? I mean REALLY know me? Yes, I was out of high school by the time this movie was released but its still one of my favorite teen movies! Home schooled jungle freak, Cady (pronounced like Katie) Harrion begins high school for the first time and becomes a member of the plastics, the high school's most popular, most loved, and most hated group. Not only did this movie introduce me to Rachel McAdams who I've loved ever since but I had been a fan of Lindsay Lohan since Parent Trap.

Favorite Quotes: 

• Is butter a carb?
• Omg, Karen, you can't just ask people why they're white.
• She doesn't even go here!
• The only person who calls my house is Randy from Chase visa.
• I know she's kind of socially retarded and weird but she's my friend so promise you won't make fun of her.

3. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

This movie doesn't get the fanfare that it should. If you love dark comedies, you'll love this movie. Its a mockumentary about a teen pageant in Minnesota and follows the local girls who are in the competition. It has Dennis Richards, Kirstie Alley, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, and plenty of other cameos. It's hilarious and ridiculous all rolled up into one. And I love it! This is a movie that even Nathan will watch with me. 

Favorite Quotes: 

• Jesus loves winners!
• Are we on 'Cops' again?
• Yeah, well, if you gotta take your top off, get the money first. And bring me my smokes!
• With one week to go before the pageant, I was finishing my outfit, rehearsing my talent, brushing up on current events, and running 18 miles a day on about 400 calories...I was ready!
• Oh yeah, guys get out of Mount Rose all the time on hockey scholarships...or prison. 

2. Can't Hardly Wait (1998)

Well, this movie should be on everyone's must watch list. We meet a group of high school kids going to a big party on their last day of school. The main story revolves around Preston (Ethan Embry) and his recently single high school crush Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt) but there are a host of other funny story lines. This movie also includes Seth Green. Its hysterical. 

Favorite Quote: It means I gots a ninety-two percent chance of embarrassing myself. I roll up on that shorty be like, "What's up yo?" she be like, "You don't know 20 different ways to make me call you Big Poppa" cuz I don't yo.

1. Jawbreaker (1999)

And my favorite teen movie of my time, is Jawbreaker! Another dark comedy that was 'mean girls' before that movie even existed. Its about the popular group in school that pulls a prank on their 'friend' by gagging her with a jawbreaker and intending to take her to breakfast. Only thing is, oops, they ACTUALLY gagged her with a jawbreaker and now she's dead. The movie stars the amazing and beautiful Rose McGowan and the Noxzema girl Rebecca Gayheart. I think this is another movie that I talk about all the time and can quote on demand that not a lot of people know about it. I forge unbreakable bonds with the people who loved this movie like I do. 

Favorite Quotes:

• I don't think we've met, what with the cruel politics of high school and all.
• Okay, reality check, Liz is in the trunk of this car and she is dead. And that is a sad, fucked up thing, but you're going to walk into that school and strut your shit down that hallway like everything is peachy fucking keen.
• Ms. Shane please cover your bosoms, this is a learning institute not a brothel. 
• If I was friends with every Pam, Beth, and Sally just to be nice I'd have Noah's fucking arc in my phone book.

And that's it! Those are my faves, these are the movies that I love now just as much as I did when I first saw them.  Any I missed?

xoxox

The Real vs. Fake on Southern Charm "Whit's End"

I just want to state on (digital) paper that Bravo can really skip the recaps in the beginning. We know what happened last week, its not rocket science.

This episode starts where we left off, which is Craig dropping a major Kathryn Calhoun Dennis bomb in the group's lap about Whitney having more than just a hooked up with her. We have to witness about 10 mins of everyone shouting around and yelling at Craig and Whitney storming off, I was dizzy. I really needed to collect myself. And this is basically what everyone talks about for the entire episode, so brace yourself. It's really hard not to think that they're all getting a bonus every time they mention Kathryn's name. It's sort of comical how people who spend so much time not wanting to be around a person, talk about them non stop. Bravo set up? I think so.

And with that, here are my moments of Real vs. Fake on this week's Southern Charm.

Real Moments

• Whitney's complete shock that Craig would even bring up the situation between himself and Kathryn Calhoun Dennis. He storms off and goes upstairs to his room and then leaves early the next day with Cameran, of course, his new buddy. I really think that he was blindsided that this news was shared with Craig.

• Craig bringing up the Kathryn Calhoun Dennis drama in the middle of a nice evening of hanging out. I gotta mark this as a real moment, because Craig is really a baby. That whole thing stemmed from a fight about how to cook steaks, for god's sake. JD was saying the exact same thing that Whitney was saying about KCD and all of the sudden Craig's just like "Oh you're just mad cause..." Yeah, I said those kind of statements in like middle school. Jesus.

• Craig's inability to gauge a room and see how awkward his confrontation with Whitney has become for the rest of the group. He keeps going, even after Naomi tells him to reel it in because he's just coming off as someone who just wants to start shit. He acts like such a little baby in this scene, its annoying. 

• Danni telling everyone they need to check themselves because there's no reason they should be excluding Kathryn but be friends with TRav. THANK YOU! I'm glad someone said it because it really doesn't make any sense. He's just as ridiculous as she is. We don't see Danni for the rest of the episode after that comment, I think Bravo executives stormed in and carried her out in a black hood for mentioning that on camera. 

• Did Craig really have chew in his lip while drinking red wine? I know you're in the mountains and all but, Gag. 

• We cut to Mount Pleasant where Kathryn is in the kitchen with Kensie and nanny Dawn. I loved seeing this little moment of Kathryn playing with her little girl and saying "She's waving! She's saying dadda!". Kensie is adorable and its really cute to see Kathryn as a mom because it seems like she let's her guard down and is actually normal for a moment.

• Naomi has a little heart to heart with her bf Craig about the Whitney situation. She was effing pissed that he brought that Whitney situation up in front of everyone. She's tired of hearing about the Kathryn drama and would like for Craig to stop pushing the issue. Why thank you, Naomi. You're so right with that. I guess the only people who can make sensible comments on this show are the 'non cast members'. 

• TRav saying that every time he opens his mouth it gets him in more trouble. I 100% believe that because you are a moron. 

Fake Moments

• Cameran forcing Whitney and Craig to hash it out right after their fight. It was awkward and I don't even know why it happened. 

• Mother dragging Michael through Charleston so she can slum it and go visit her one and only love, Whitney. Can we stop with the Patricia worship already? Especially after she says Whitney's loft looks like an ISIS prison camp. Is that suppose to be funny? 

• Kathryn Calhoun Dennis "disappearing" because she's SO distraught that TRav was even thinking about going to LA for TWO DAYS to hang out with Whitney. TRav calls Nanny Dawn because he can't get a hold of KCD and she fills him in on the situation of why Kathryn is having another nervous breakdown. Does anyone else feel bad for Dawn? We have already witnessed two melt downs that she had to be in the middle of, so who knows how many are off screen. She better be paid well. 

• TRav not going on the trip to LA to please Kathryn Calhoun Dennis. Stop acting like you care about her well being. 

• Whitney and Larissa, ugh, can we not? Everything about these scenes between them is so...I don't even know what it is. 

• TRav sending Kathryn Calhoun Dennis flowers. He probably has a florist on speed dial for every time he apologizes to her. And the standard card just says "I'm sorry" so it can be used for every occasion. 

Final Thoughts

• Craig really thinks that he was asking Whitney a question about the Kathryn situation instead of spewing it out like a high school girl who knows a good piece of gossip. Grow up. And honestly, between this episode and last, I think I really am watching a different show than everyone else. Everyone on Twitter was like praising Craig and how he handled it, its bizarre. He acted like a brat

• I love Naomi, she's good for Craig. 

• Another thing people were talking about on Twitter last night, was justifying Kathryn Calhoun Dennis not wanting TRav to leave her the week before her due date. I get that, I really do. Whether I was with the person or not, I would really want him around for the birth of his child. However, can't she just handle it like a normal person? Why does she have to spiral out of control and not take his calls and have nanny Dawn be in the situation to explain why she's mad. Uuggghhh. I'd be sick of it, too. 

• I think its time for Bravo to do some serious reworking of this cast. If the Kathryn and TRav drama gets dragged into season 4, I don't think I can take it. I'm ready to learn some new stories here. I'm sure the drama will happen on its own just like in season 1! Here is my dream cast: Cameran, Craig, Naomi, Elizabeth, JD, Shep, Danni, Landon, Cooper (where's Cooper been?). And that's it. So basically no Whitney, Kathryn Calhoun Dennis, and TRav. I'm over it. 

Well, folks, that's it for this week. The previews look good for next week, we'll see how this LA trip goes. If I'm being real, I'm ready to wrap up this season. 

Til next time!

xoxox

Book Review "The Invention of Wings"

Title: The Invention of Wings

Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 15 of 5

Synopsis: The book is inspired by historical figure Sarah Grimke, an abolitionist and one of the first member's of the women's suffrage movement. The story takes place in Charleston on Sarah's 11th birthday when she is given ownership of Handful or "Hetty", a 10 year old slave who is to be her handmaid. Sarah knows at a young age that she is meant to do something bigger in the world but is restricted to the limits imposed on women, especially in the south. And Handful, born as a slave, of course desperately yearns for life beyond the walls of the wealthy Grimke household. We follow their journey throughout the next 35 years as they both strive for a life of their own while dramatically shaping each other's destinies and forming a complex relationship of guilt, defiance, and estrangement.

Thoughts: I've been a huge Sue Monk Kidd fan ever since I read The Secret Life of Bees. My friend Adrienne chose this book for our book club. (It was her turn to pick a book and if you know Adrienne, you wouldn't even be surprised that this book drew her interest.) I had been wanting to read it as well but it went above and beyond my expectations. I loved this book. Love. The chapters of the book are written between Handful and Sarah's experiences in life. They intertwine with each other but are so complex in themselves. Kidd does a great job in introducing us to them as girls and then we follow along with their journey as life begins to get in the way. They have a relationship, but its uneasy of course. Sarah feels guilty about the privilege she was born into and Handful knows she is just part of the Grimke's property. In the beginning of the story Handful's mother tells her a tale about how long ago in Africa people could fly. She she says her shoulder blades are her wings. As the title suggests, both Sarah and Handful develop their wings in their quest for freedom of their lives.

My favorite part of reading this book was learning that Sarah Grimke was a real person. I didn't realize that out front but I know enough about history to recognize some of the names that are used throughout the story. Names of people, places, and events that I know to have happened. I read the Author's Note at the end and she explains her fascination with the Grimke sisters (Sarah's younger sister Angelina is also mentioned in the book) as abolitionists and early campaigners of women's rights. I even found myself Googling the Grimke sisters late one night because I just needed the story to continue. Okay, I know you think I'm crazy but I just got really into the story.

It's just such a compelling book that I had trouble putting down. It's going onto the list of books I tell people about when they ask what they should read. Honestly, I've had trouble getting into the next book I'm reading, simply because this book sucked me in right away and nothing seems to compare to it. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loved The Secret Life of Bees or The Help. They're definitely along the same lines of narrative and amazing literature.

Favorite Quotes:

• "Ain't nobody can write down in a book what you worth" 

• "This all what left of your wings. They nothing but these flat bones now, but one day you gon get 'em back"

• "My body might be a slave but not my mind. For you, its the other way around"

• "You gotta figure out which end of the needle you're gon be, the one that's fastened to the thread or the end that pierces the cloth"

• "Don't you remember me for that. Don't you remember I'm a slave and work hard. When you think of me, you say, she never belong to those people. She never belong to nobody but herself."

Oh, by the way, I teared up writing every single one of those quotes. I'm such a NERD.
xoxo

"Blue Ridge Mountain Blues" Thoughts on Southern Charm

Can we go back to last week's episode? When everyone was actually a human being instead of a Bravo TV employee? I was feeling really good about it, like I had an old friend back. But OH NO, we have to continue talking ad nauseum about why Kathryn Calhoun Dennis should be invited to events and included in everything and Craig continues his campaign to find out why Whitney really doesn't want to be around her.

I'd like to point out that I was tweeting along with last night's episode and I'm just thinking...did I miss something? Perhaps an entire season? Why is Kathryn Calhoun Dennis getting so much love while Landon and Cameran are being put in front of a social media firing squad? KCD has done nothing to make people WANT to be around her. She spent the majority of last season flailing around and trying to make TRav pay attention to her and put a ring on it while being mean to Landon and alienating herself in the process. What do they owe her? Look, I think its totally lame if everyone made a pact to not film with Kathryn Calhoun Dennis, I think that's a little prima donna of them, but...can you blame them? You reap what you sow, in my book.

Anyways, the group head up to NC to Shep's family home this week and here are my thoughts:

10. Shep invites Kathryn Calhoun Dennis to the trip up to North Carolina with the group, knowing she's not going to be able to make it because she's on bed rest. I think that's actually a nice gesture - she still feels included while Cameran and Whitney can feel superior to her in every way because they get to go and she can't. Win, win?

9. Cameran meets with a therapist about her fears on becoming a mommy. I know therapy is a safe place and everything but it seems like its time she had this conversation with her husband. There are only so many dinner parties you can throw on a man to distract him from the fact that you don't want children. Especially since he was never invited to the dinner party in the first place.

8. To that point, I'd like to point out that Cameran needs to stop harping on Shep about getting married JUUUSSSSTTT like she hates when people ask her about babies. Its annoying Cam, stop.

7. Craig goes to visit KCD and through a not at all staged sit down (You're not fooling me, Bravo) Kathryn magically confesses that back in season 1 when we learned she slept with Whitney and made it seem like a one night stand, she actually calculated her moves to not only move some clothes into his place but hang out with him AND go with him to a party she knew TRav was going to be attending, in order to make TRav jealous and compete for her. It worked. And not only that, but MAGICALLY Bravo has unseen footage of Whitney storming out of the party because Kathryn goes home with TRav. She said she vaguely recalls a nasty text from Whitney about her stuff being out on the lawn for her to collect. See...this is what I'm talking about, she has no feelings. She had a goal in mind and she was getting to it. How did that work out for you, Kathryn? Whitney was just who she needed to get to where she wanted and she could care less if she hurt him. This is why I refuse to feel bad for this girl. I say it again, you reap what you sow cause, girl, now look at the mess you're in.

6. Craig mentions that Cameran drank the Whitney Kool-Aid which at first I was like "piisshhaaa" but they do seem to be awfully chummy lately. I can't remember from the past seasons if they were ever really friends but a couple episodes ago they skip the party bus to drive together to Shep's roller rink party and then this time they take a separate car AGAIN to avoid the party bus to Shep's mountain home. It either has something to do with party buses or or just excluding themselves from the group.

5. Okay, so was it just me or did you get the impression from Shep that this group would be roughing it? That was the most gorgeous house I've ever seen. Like seriously, that's a house I would work my whole life to be able to retire in and its only 1 of 4 properties for Shep's family. I'm green with envy.

4. Shep calling his mom to about the mountain house and she tells him the fridge is stocked for his friends and a cleaning crew would be coming up after they leave. I'm speechles...I am without speech.

3. Landon FINALLY admitted that she did not invite Kathryn Calhoun Dennis to Shep's roller rink party. Okay, she said it. Can the Twitter lynch mob for Landon stop now and we can all move on with our lives? I agree that she was in the wrong but it really was not that big of a deal.

2. TRav pretending that he really cares about not upsetting Kathryn Calhoun Dennis by not going to Shep's mountain house. He insinuates that he can only stay in Asheville one night because of Landon. To that I say, since when you do you really care about what Kathryn thinks. Stop acting like you have her best interest at heart when all you've done is cheat on her. Go. Away.

1. Craig and Whitney have a little tiff over how Craig is cooking the steaks. "Did you put salt on the steak? I'M LOW SODIUM!" says Whitney "This is how I cook my steaks" says Craig. To which Whitney says that Craig can't cook and Craig gets his wittle feelings hurt so decides to blurt to the ENTIRE group about Whitney and Kathryn.

And that's where our episode ends. I guess they will be dragging this fight into the next episode. I really don't understand why Craig likes Kathryn Calhoun Dennis. I mean, I get that they're friends but...why?

Til next time, we'll see what happens in Linville!
xoxo

The Real vs. Fake on Southern Charm

I've loved this show since season one. I was a fan of Cameran (Cammi!) from Real World San Diego and just about fell out of my chair when I heard that the grown up Cammi would be on another reality show. So I checked it out and became hooked with not only the drama but the characters. They were funny, real, young (ish), carefree, and authentic. They were just livin' their lives and I was excited to get a glimpse of it. Even Landon was a refreshing addition into season two. My initial reaction of her was she was adorable. I was a fan, fo' life.

Cut to season three, five episodes in and I'm beginning to lose my fandom of this show. To me, the same old drama between TRav and Kathryn Calhoun Dennis is just really getting stale. Now I can almost see the Bravo puppet strings pulling them around in the different scenes and its just exhausting. Maybe I've watched too many Bravo shows to know when things seem formula-ize but then I'm reading on Twitter that the cast has a made a pact to not film with Kathryn Calhoun Dennis my first thought is "get over yourselves". You're turning into Housewives.

However, Monday night's episode had the potential to pull me back in. There were some real moments trickled in with a lot of funny and fake moments, as well. So here are my thoughts.

Real Moments:

• Cameran falling over while doing yoga in the opening scene which is basically me trying to do life. 

• If you read my blog regularly or follow my twitter its easy to conclude that I love Danni. And I was so excited that we saw more of her this episode. We found out through JD and Craig's conversation about his Gentry Bourbon that she has been in the liquor business for years and really knows her stuff when it comes to wine and spirits. She helps out at the bourbon tasting and JD asks her to be his VP in the Gentry Bourbon division. And true to form, instead of jumping at the job, she encourages JD to speak with Craig who has his hopes set on pretty much that exact same position. Between that and her conversation with Kathryn on last week's episode about not shutting people out, I can conclude that Danni is true blue and has her friend's backs. I noticed a lot of people on Twitter last night who are #TeamDanni as well so maybe we can all make some noise and get her on as a regular cast member!

• Kathryn Calhoun Dennis reaching out to Elizabeth. Last week, Danni encouraged KCD to reach out to people individually, remove herself from the TRav drama, and build a friendship as herself and not TRav's baby mama. After she was shot down by Cameran (sidenote: I don't think Cameran owes Kathryn anything) she decided to reach out to Elizabeth who is the godmother of her daughter Kensie. I loved this conversation and I honestly have to say that I teared up a bit listening to these two women be honest about their feelings. It was so nice to see them reconcile their friendship because I get the feeling that it's really genuine. It was kind of refreshing to see Kathryn let her guard down like that.

• Shep giving brotherly advice to Craig when he was SO bummed about his position with Gentry Bourbon. It seems like Craig tends to get overly excited about things and really wanted to feel included in the bourbon tasting. When it was clear that he wasn't an asset, he got really embarrassed. Typically, we've seen Shep take that opportunity to tease him and be really hard on him but this time he actually pulled him aside and gave him some advice on how to speak with JD about being involved. Craig always says they fight like brothers, well it looks like they may truly have a big brother/little brother relationship...or relationSHEP.

• Landon in her investment meeting. Landon, Landon, Landon. She's my girl, I seriously always loved her. I feel horrible that she's getting such flack on Twitter about this season. I really don't think she's as fake or disingenuous as people are making her out to be. That's why I have to put her choking at her investment meeting as a real moment. I mean, I get it. I could be perfectly prepared on something and totally become and babbling buffoon once I'm actually suppose to sit down and discuss something. Now, I think she needs to narrow in on what she actually wants to do but that's a different story.

• Whitney and Cameran not wanting to go hiking in the Appalachian mountains with Shep and the crew. I truly believe these two have never camped, hiked, or roughed it in their lives.

• TRav's bachelor refrigerator with no food in it.

• The opening scene where Craig gives Naomi the ring. Its a cute scene, I can tell they really love each other. 

• JD's Gentry Bourbon business. Its legit! I want Gentry Bourbon in Lancaster, PA!

Fake Moments:

• Pretty much any scene with TRav in it can just be edited out, in my opinion. And I hear he has quit the show? It could be a rumor because we have heard this once before but good riddance, if its true! When Shep stopped by his place and TRav said that he wanted to encourage Shep to keep Kathryn Calhoun Dennis invited to events and included with the group because it "keeps her blood pressure down and make her happy" so that the baby is healthy, its like shut up. You've made zilch effort in trying to ease her stress so don't make it someone else's job. He's been running around these past couple of episodes trying to make sure everyone keeps KCD included when we've seen them in like two scenes together. 

• Whitney and Cameran saying that they won't go on Shep's vacation if Kathryn Calhoun Dennis is invited. Seriously? Get over yourselves. I had to put this under fake moments because I really don't think they're being real, I think they said that for the show. We've all been there when you're friends with someone but you can't stand their other friend so you just get drunk and pretend they're not there. It's called life..well, this is reality show life...

• Naomi waking up with perfect makeup in the opening scene. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of hers but that was a fake moment...harmless...but fake. 

All in all, a great episode! There were more real moments this episode than the whole season so far, and I loved it. I don't know if I'm speaking for just myself or anyone else but I really just want to watch them be themselves, without the drawn out drama, and see what happens. There's something to be said about that fact that I'm paying more attention to the "friend" characters like Danni, JD, Elizabeth, Cooper, and Naomi than the main cast members.

Although I did like seeing Kathryn be real and let her guard down with Elizabeth. And Shep is always hilarious. I'm losing a little of Whitney this season, though, have you noticed him not being around much? I wouldn't be surprised if this was his last season just cause he's bored of it or something. 

Til next time!

xoxo

Little Amps Coffee Roasters

There's something calming about a good cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. During the week I have to choose between either guzzling down my coffee before rushing out the door for work or trying to drink it at work and reheating it 10 times because I keep getting interrupted with...well...work. Not fun!

When I was in my 20s, I use to look forward to a rum & coke on a Friday night to celebrate the end of the work week. (Sounds amazing but lets face it, I can't do rum anymore) I also use to drink brown sludge and all but walked around with an IV on my arm just in order to function for the day.

Now that I'm in my 30s, I love waking up to a good cup of coffee to start the weekend. It usually feels like a treat after a good night's sleep and a morning run. I'm also more appreciative of a well crafted cup of coffee instead of just aiming to get my fix.

So this past weekend my gracious friend, Christine, came with me to check out Little Amps Coffee in downtown Harrisburg. I've never been before but I had heard good things. It's nestled right on the corner of Green and Muench street and was really easy to find.

I loved the ambiance right away. The brick walls are pretty characteristic of those cute downtown buildings. There's a mismatch of chairs and seating set up inside and outside. I was surprised that at 11:30 a.m. on a Saturday they weren't as busy as I had imagined. However, there was a steady stream of people coming in the door. Going to this place I kind of had a feeling it was going to be on the smaller side (I was right) so I was expecting a line out the door but we were able to find a seat right away and didn't even have to wait in line. This is a good thing.

They had a pretty classic coffee menu like cappuccino, latte, espresso, mocha, etc. But they also stepped into the more artisan coffee like cold brew, pour over, and french press that has been all the rage in the past couple of years.

We wanted to try something fun so we got an "Uptown Ginger Brown" which is a cappuccino with brown sugar, ginger, and orange zest. And of course it had the cappuccino flower design that is always fun to see. I get excited by that every time, it seems.

It was good but boy was it strong! Pace yourself, Christine and I both gave each other a little face after the first sip because the orange zest shocks your taste buds. The sips after that were fine, though. I was wired afterwards and had a hard crash later in the afternoon. But it was a rainy day so what else was I going to do?

Oh! Did I mention that there are vinyls to purchase? There is a stack (I should've taken a picture) of little crates with records to purchase, which was kind of cool, it ties in the little amps theme. 

It was a really great little place to check out. It definitely fits with the revival of Harrisburg with small businesses that has been a big push lately by Mayor Papenfuse. Which I can totally appreciate and will look forward to supporting another day!

Ambiance: A+

Coffee: A

Tips:

• There are two locations in Harrisburg. One on Green street and one on State street. The one on State street is not open on Saturdays. 
• Parking is street parking, we didn't have any issue but good luck on a busy day. 
• I didn't notice any food to purchase. There may have been some small pastries but I think its generally just coffee. (Update: They do have catered baked goods but they sometimes go quickly on the weekends!)

xoxo

Dear Mama...

Mother's Day is always a holiday that has me reflecting on my childhood. I don't have children of my own but I know a lot of amazing mothers out there, including my sisters. At this age, most of my friends are mothers and mother's day takes a whole new meaning. But for me, there's only one.

I don't even know how to begin to describe my mom. If you've met her or know her you would probably describe her as pleasant, sweet, but shy and even reserved (she'd probably even fuss knowing I was writing this). And you're right.

She's a mother, a sister, a daughter. She loves music like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Carole King, Joni Mitchell. She's a feminist. She can finish a book in 3 days. She loves cinnamon, the color green, sunflowers, and cats. You get the picture. But my mom is a woman of so many layers.

As a kid, I always viewed her as fun but stern. She would make up games and play with us and she was always welcoming to our friends. We had season passes to Hersheypark, she took us down to the pool in the complex we lived in, took us to the neighborhood parks, and let our friends sleep over on the weekends. However, she wasn't without discipline for us -- and I always got the feeling that it stemmed from nervousness. Nervous about what, I'll never be sure. 

When I was a teenager, my  mom and I would butt heads a lot. Over stupid things like homework, boys, and curfew. My dad died when I was 14 and she became really depressed, a depression that I don't think she ever fully recovered from. All of that while raising two teenagers all by herself.  I lost a little bit of her in those times. She began to be really nervous about the future and small things overwhelmed her. And I can't blame her. Looking back at those times as an adult, I couldn't image losing the man I spent 30 years of my life with. And a not an easy 30 years either. She went through a lot with my dad because she loved him. They weren't married but they had a family, and you stay with your family even when the times get rough. That's just the way she is, she's from a different generation. 

As an adult my mom and I have been able to form a deeper relationship. I'm able to go through hard times WITH her. We need each other. She depends on me for certain things, even though I can tell it kills her to ask for my help. She is still only a phone call away with advice I need and she always knows just what to say. Quotes like:

Don't ever try and change someone, you'll only be disappointed if you try

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time

You have to be happy for you, no one else 

will always stay with me and have shaped the way that I live my life. She's been honest with me about the things that she feels she gave up in her life or missed out on. And encouraged me not to do the same thing. That I can be whatever I want to be.

But I am the person I am because of her. She's always been a guiding force in my life and someone to really look to as an example of a strong woman. She's a woman who has been shaped by the experiences she's endured in her life. So, I'll take her to breakfast and send her some flowers but it still won't be enough to show her how much she really means to me. But I think she knows, I hope she knows.

Cause when I was low, you was there for me. You never left me alone because you cared for me.
And I could see you coming home after work late, you're in the kitchen trying to fix us a hot plate.
Just working with the scraps you was given, and mama made miracles every Thanksgiving.
But now the road got rough, you're alone. Trying to raise two bad kids on your own.
And there's no way I can pay you back, but the plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated.

xoxo

Southern Charm Recap : Invite Gate

Even from the title of this episode I know I'm doomed to hear about Kathryn Calhoun Dennis not being invited to parties. I agree with Landon's sentiments "I'm so bored" of her. Also, can we stop adding "gate" to the end of every little disagreement?

Anyways, let's see what these kids are up to this week.

Craig and Naomi are packing up their things because apparently the house has been sold. Conveniently, she has a "fixer upper" house they can move into. I have to say again that I love her and them together. He confides in Naomi about pretty much getting TRav's panties in a bunch with the Jennifer Snowden issue and thinks that its Whitney's fault that Mother is not inviting Kathryn Calhoun Dennis to the parties.

He tells her his elaborate reasoning as to why Whitney is jealous of TRav and Naomi speaks for all of us when she says "Its really hard to follow you on this..." #mahgirl

Basically he thinks Whitney has feelings for Kathryn Calhoun Dennis.
Don't think so, he has Larissa, his Austrian reality show celeb/model girlfriend and we actually see them talking on the phone as if they're still really in a relationship! Dawwww, how cute.

Speaking of Kathryn Calhoun Dennis, we see her meeting Cooper for lunch with a new Birkin bag...a reward for herself...because of "everything". Yes sweetheart, you deserve it.

 Its FAUX real...she says is like fo' real but them spells out faux so we know its fake. She doesn't have money but she just wants everyone to think she can still keep up the appearances. I really don't get it, Kathryn Calhoun Dennis is trying to act like she doesn't have a dollar to her name but that's so not true. I can't be fooled with your little act, I watched season 1 and 2.

Cooper says Mother told him its not good for his imagine to hang out with Kathryn Calhoun Dennis. *Yawn* I'm bored with them.

HOLD ON, he actually tells Kathryn that he doesn't trust Jennifer Snowden. This is new! It's different to hear someone besides TRav say that.

Who's this girl bringing shit to Shep's house? Bailey, we find out her name, She's umm..painting him? He poses with a surf board so that she can paint a picture of him fully dressed on a horse at the beach. Okay. He tells us that they haven't defined their relationship but she's definitely DTF. Oh Shep...she's not cute.

Landon and Whitney go thrift shopping...of course! They're looking for outfits for their roller disco party she's throwing for Shep's birthday. Sounds like fun to me, I'm down Landon. They have drinks IN THE SHOP and discuss the party, Landon says that Kathryn Calhoun Dennis is Debbie Downer! HA. I love it.

Ahhh, so Shep DOES still own the Palace Hotel bar. This is the first time he's mentioning it. Good for him! Cameron meets up with Shep at his bar and they talk about her new listing that she's going to mentor him through. Oh what wacky hijinks could come of this? Cameron always has to mention her commission..its weird. haha. I don't know why she does that.

We learn that Shep does think about settling down but he says you can't force "the right one". Which is true. I hope he's not thinking this Bailey is the right one...over Landon? Nah...(yes, I'm still hoping they get together)

We see Kathryn and TRav moving into their respective homes. I have to say...Kathryn Calhoun Dennis's house is ADORABLE. TRav's is grandiose and a perfect Charleston home but it's kind of tacky and he's definitely trying too hard with the decor.  Kathryn's is cute and settled and something that is fitting for her.

Kathryn stops by Danni's house. She says she thinks that her friendship with Danni is genuine and I think its because Danni IS genuine. Kathryn Calhoun Dennis says she hasn't reached out to Danni cause she's friends with Cameron and those guys and Danni encourages her to reach out to people in the group one on one.

I'm not okay with Landon's friendship with TRav. Oh well, she stops by to see his new place and she invites him to Shep's party...he can't make it but wants to know if she invited Kathryn Calhoun Dennis, ugh. We find out that she hates Landon because of a picture Landon posted of her and TRav out and about in London. Seems like a stretch to me..

Landon tells TRav that she's meeting with investors about a travel website she wants to start. I'm pretty sure you don't need investors to start your own travel website. Just start writing! You're on Bravo, someone will pick up your blog and start paying you for it.

KCD reaches out to Cameron to see if she wants to get a cup of coffee and Cameron straight up says no. Ha! I love it. Also, do you love Cameron's kitchen? I do!

We finally get to the roller rink for this party. Its going to be Shepic...

Omg, hot mess time...Shep is chilling on time for his own party and everyone else is late. Including Landon who is throwing the party! And there's no booze! I'd be pissed. Sorry this party sounds all about Landon...he doesn't seem excited at all. She straight up lies and says that she invited Kathryn! I don't know, Shep doesn't seem too into this party. Are there even non reality show friends here?

There's an awkward scene of everyone flailing around while trying to skate.

They all discuss Kathryn Calhoun Dennis because they're under the impression that Landon invited her but she didn't come which is a complete lie. Did Landon forget this show was being filmed and they were going to eventually see the truth? Or is this drama specifically constructed by Bravo? I'm on to you.

Craig is disappointed in Cameron for not wanting to get together with Kathryn Calhoun Dennis when she reached out. He also takes it upon himself to call Kathryn Calhoun Dennis and find out why she didn't come to the party if she was trying to smooth things over with the group.

JD and Elizabeth show up and they are so cute. It seems like with season 3 of this show, I'm more curious about the lives of the "side characters" like JD& Elizabeth, Danni, and even Naomi. I want to know more! Why have them around if they're only there to randomly comment to the newest drama?

Anyways, Shep talks with Kathryn Calhoun Dennis on the phone and she informs him that she was not invited to the party and didn't even know about it until she got Craig's voicemail. He gets really upset and I don't blame him. This is his party and Kathryn Calhoun Dennis is his friend. If Landon had a problem inviting her, she shouldn't have offered to throw him a party. End of story.

Shep confronts Landon in front of everyone about why Kathryn Calhoun Dennis wasn't invite to the party and she's all "If she didn't want to come, its not my fault, I texted everyone". Come on, Landon you didn't invite her. But homegirl keeps trying to put up the rouse the KCD was invited but just didn't come. She's all "Who cares" and Shep says "I care." And that's the end of the episode.

I don't know, I feel bad for Shep. The party was for him but had no trace of him in it at all. I mean no alcohol? It almost felt like he was mad about the party and finally had an excuse to get annoyed with Landon about the whole thing.

Landon is getting some major flack on Twitter about this episode and the last. Everyone is all #TeamKathryn and I'm over here like #TeamDanni. I'm BORED with these people this season. How do I get Andy Cohen to put some more air time onto Danni and JD & Elizabeth?

I feel like there is unnecessary drama and anything that gets Kathryn Calhoun Dennis more attention doesn't really do it for me. I miss the Landon from last season when she was just hanging out and being adorable. She's still super cute but she's all Bravo-tized now with her little comments about KCD which seem unwarranted.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.
Til next time!

xoxo

Savannah, GA - Travel Guide

My husband and I try and take a trip to somewhere new once a year. This year we picked Savannah, GA and I'm so glad we chose to escape here for a couple of days. I've never been to this part of the country before and it was everything I imagined this deep southern historic city to be. It was April so the humidity was pretty mild but the temperatures rose to 80-85 degrees. I could see how the temps might be a bit grueling in the summertime. Its a great trip if you're into history, yummy food, and beautiful scenery.
Here's a bit about what we did for our week away.

Where We Stayed

There are so many places to stay in Savannah. Lots of historic Inns and a lot of newer hotels, too. We stayed at the 17 Hundred 90 Inn on President's street right in downtown Savannah. It was such a cute spot with the charm of the city in our hotel rooms. Apparently this place is haunted...by a ghost named Anna who at one time jumped from Room 204. EEP! We had one of the guest houses so we weren't in the main building so I didn't get the chance to be spooked by Anna but it was kind of cool to have your Inn as one of the mentions at the old town tours. Our room had a beautiful hand painted ceiling and a jacuzzi tub, hello!

What We Saw

I don't even know where to start, there were so many things to see. If you stay downtown, there are a lot of things to just walk to. River street has a lot of shops and bars along the Savannah River, and its pretty but this spot was pretty touristy, its a good spot to go pick up one of the town tours.  We did a lot of walking around downtown where you would just run into beautiful spots. We also rented a car for the afternoon to get to specific things we looked up beforehand. 

Bonaventure Cemetery 

Since Nate and I are both book nerds, we HAD to see Bonaventure Cemetery which was featured on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Unfortunately, the "bird girl" statue made famous on the book cover had to be moved because she was getting vandalized. hmph. People don't respect anything anymore.  Anyways, Bonaventure is about 20 mins outside of the downtown so we had to rent a car for this visit but its so worth it. Here we got to see a bunch of old cemetery statues underneath the Spanish moss. It was so haunting and beautiful. Note: Even though this brings a lot of tourists, it is still a cemetery with real burials. 

 Wormsloe Historic Site

 This is a state park site 20 mins outside of Savannah (about 15 mins from Bonaventure Cemetery, we visited both sites on the same day while we had the car). It is the site of colonial plantation ruins of  Noble Jones who arrived in Georgia as one of the first settlers. These ruins are one of the oldest standing structures in Savannah. The site is covered with huge canopy style oak trees with Spanish moss...I mean, its so beautiful. There's about a 1 mile trail around the site that explains the story of Noble Jones and his estate. If you think the driveway with all the trees looks like the "run Forrest run" scene from Forrest Gump, its because it is!

 Mercer House

Again, book nerd alert. We had to find the Mercer House, now called the Mercer - Williams House Museum. This house was the scene of famed shooting death of Jim William's assistant, Danny Hansford, which is the story in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Also, its gorgeous. We didn't go inside but its easy to run into around town. 

Forsyth Park

This is a beautiful park right smack dab in the middle of the city. It has a beautiful famous fountain in the middle of the park and its just so shaded and beautiful. Its nice to just grab a cup of coffee and spend your morning in the park. AHHH, if I lived there I would be there everyday with a good book. 

First African Baptist Church

This is one of the oldest churches in the city and one of the oldest for an all black congregation. Slaves were permitted to go to church on Sundays since there was no working. It was part of the underground railroad and has markings on the ceilings that would let slaves know that it was a safe church for them. In front of the church, they had a mural of the Charleston 9 of the Emanuel AME Church shooting last summer. Which of course, I loved.  

Jones Street

Okay, so you can't walk around downtown Savannah without running into a beautiful street. But Jones street was especially beautiful with its cobble stone streets and picturesque homes. If you find yourself just wanting to wander around the historic district (basically the historic district is the part of downtown where you'll notice the street signs look old fashioned) try and find Jones street. You'll love it. Also, the gray house on the right of this picture below is for sale, anyone want to buy it for me? It's probably only a million or so...:)

Where We Ate

This is a section I have to mention but its so hard to condense. There are so many amazing restaurants around town in Savannah. We checked out a lot of places to just grab some food and a drink to relax. Places I need to mention was the cool looking bar at the 17 Hundred 90 Inn where we stayed (we got one complimentary drink each for staying, how cool??) and I ordered a mint julep...because I'm in the south! Bay Street was awesome for some bar hopping, We stopped at the Treylor Park to have a drink and this place was cool. Kind of super trendy but in a non obnoxious kind of way. We didn't eat here but the bar had a good vibe. We also checked out Churchill's Gastropub which was so funny because we didn't really want to try out a British style pub while we're in the South but we were walking around downtown and we saw this huge brick building with an adorable rooftop terrace and since it was such a beautiful night we searched around to where the terrace belonged to and we found Churchill's. It was cute, it didn't disappoint. For a splurge dinner we ate at The Pirate House which seems like an annoying, kitchy place at first but the food was amazing! Pricey, though, but hey, we were on vacation. 

The Collins Quarter

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you probably would notice that I kept posting pictures from a coffee shop/restaurant called The Collins Quarter right downtown. I LOVED this place. It was right down the street from our Inn and we just bumped into it one day walking around. I stopped and got an afternoon cold drip coffee and it was AMAZING so I told Nate we had to stop by the next day and try their food. Plus the ambiance is so relaxing, I just wanted to pick it up and take it home to Lancaster county with me. I love a good cup of coffee just as much as I love a coffee shop where I never want to leave. Also, is the coffee cup not the cutest thing you've ever seen?

Driftaway Cafe

We found this adorable little cafe, The Driftaway, that was located right outside of the Wormsloe Historic Site (so you would need to rent a car to get there). But it was low key, GREAT food, and good prices. Exactly what you would need to break up the day of driving around. 

Savannah Travel Tips

• We only had a couple of days and we didn't want to spend a lot of it driving (its about 10 hours from Lancaster, PA) so we flew from Washington Dulles to Savannah airport. From the airport it was really easy to grab a taxi and take it downtown which amounted to about $50 (with tip). If you stay at one of the chain hotels they would most likely offer a shuttle from the airport but since we stayed at a small Inn, that wasn't the case for us. 
• Downtown is in a grid shape so its really easy to walk around. And the blocks are super short so if you're staying downtown, you really don't need to worry about transportation to get around. 
• We did rent a car for the afternoon because we wanted to see Bonaventure Cemetery and Wormsloe Historic site and there is not a bus that goes out to those areas. Enterprise Rent a Center is right downtown and easy to walk to. It ended up only being $36 for the entire day. 
• Don't pick up the Spanish moss! I don't know if its just something to scare the kids but apparently it can be full of fire ants. And you'll see a lot of it just laying on the street.
• Bring bug spray with you for walking around in the evening. It wasn't too bad since its still early in the season but we did get bit up a bunch. I can imagine its worse over the summer. 

I hope you enjoyed hearing about Savannah as much as I enjoyed sharing our trip with you. If you ever have the chance to get down there, please go. It was such a nice area and a really relaxing trip. 

It's back to work tomorrow for me, but I'll still be daydreaming about Savannah. It went by too fast!

XOXO