The Bachelorette: Episode 9

Let me just start with this: Frank doesn't know himself at all. He doesn't know what he feels or thinks.

Dates with Roberto and Chris were great. The relationships are moving along quickly. Especially her and Chris'. He really opened up and even told her he loved her. (Yay!) Roberto shyishly said he was falling in love with her too. I love both of these guys. Truly.

Now Frank goes to Chicago to talk to ex Nichole. I do respect Frank somewhat for being truthful and not letting Ali pick him in the end when he was in love with someone else. But I must say: could he have figured out his feelings ANY slower? No. He couldn't have. KIRK could've had a chance with Ali if he had bowed out earlier. I do think Nichole was living a fairytale that episode though. Can you imagine your ex (that you're still in love with) knocks on your door when you think he's filming the Bachelorette to tell you he's in love with YOU? Yeah. Frank's gonnnnne.

I'm really glad Ali decided to go on with the rose ceremony even though she was keeping both men. It was a good chance to tell them about Frank and to let them know they were the two guys she wanted with her. I like how she said that the rose ceremony isn't just about Ali picking a guy, it's about the guy accepting the rose. Yeesh.

The Bachelorette: Episode 8

This week was hometown dates...where we see who's normal and who has to bury a dead bird (read: Molly's creepo hometown). Indeed.

Tampa, Fl. Roberto. This date was priceless. Priceless, I tell you. I'm one for a man in uniform, especially baseball. So I agree with Ali. That. was. hot. But it was so sweet how he made her a part of his passion for a day. Aww. I think his family is precious. Roberto's dad is definitely proud of his son. I like how he said to Ali: "I know YOU'RE going to be happy because my son is a catch, but will HE be happy?" He's watching out for his son. I loved how they all danced too. Wee. Ali and Roberto are really cute together. I think this date proved that they have more than physical chemistry. They can also be best friends.

Cape Cod, Mass. Chris. If you didn't cry, or at least feel moved, during this hometown...you have no soul. The family is so close knit and I fell in love with them. Before the family arrived, watching Chris and Ali seemed so natural. It seemed like they lived there and had done so for the past five or 10 years. All the girls in the family have the same kind of bracelet Chris gave Ali! So adorable. I completely respect Chris' dad, not only for the life challenges he's endured but also because of his strong character. I think Ali fit perfectly here. However, at this point, I don't think her feelings are as strong for Chris as Roberto.

Green Bay, Wis. Kirk. I wasn't the biggest fan of Kirk's dad. Yes, he used the dead animal scare tactic, but that's not why I wasn't a fan. He just wasn't very personable, and didn't seem real close with his son. I was worried Ali was checking out during this part of the date. Kirk's mom part of the date was MUCH better. It was moving to see her talk about Kirk's illness and how strong she was for him. The Livestrong bracelet thing? Aww. I love love love Kirk, but I was a little scared for him after this date.

Chicago, Ill. Frank. Frank, just go away. GO AWAY! Start out the hometown date with your insecurities? Please. Ali is absolutely right, he's not insecure because he's on The Bachelorette. He's insecure because he's not sure about his feelings for Ali. Does he need to put it in shining neon lights on the empire state building? He's just NOT that into you, Ali. And from the previews, it appears he's in love with SOMEONE ELSE. I thought his family was alright, nothing special. I just didn't really care if they were nice or not because I wanted Frank to go home.

Rose ceremony. Ali has a ridiculously hard time. All four of these guys are pretty stellar choices, honestly. But she had to break Kirk's heart. He finally gave his heart to her and she broke it :( I mean, she had to be truthful about her feelings. I just feel so bad for Kirk. He was head over heels for her.

Dear Kirk, You are a genuinely sweet guy, and you deserve a girl who's as in love with you as you are with her. And she will no doubt wear matching sweaters with you.

PS. I think Kirk would be a good bachelor, but I really hope he doesn't do it. He's too good to be a part of the Bachelor franchise again.

Next week: Tahiti, Frank drama and more!

Jake & Vienna: The Aftermath

I could not take my eyes off of the Jake and Vienna train wreck that was the final 30 minutes of The Bachelorette Monday night. It was everything I hope for and more. Well, kind of. I secretly thrive on this reality drama crap; it cracks me up. But that interview was over the top and very emotional.

Here's the highlights of the interview if you missed it: Interview

Jake was an absolute tool. And a douche. And whatever other choice words you can think of. Here's my take: He really wants to be a star. He did a few episodes of Walker Texas Ranger (RIP) when he was younger. He was a contestant on The Bachelorette, vying for Jillian Harris' heart. He was THE bachelor, and he chose Vienna. (To which we all said...WHAT THE HECK? More on that later.) He competed on Dancing with the Stars and ate up every moment of it. He filmed a guest appearance on Drop Dead Diva. Now, does that sound like a wholesome Texas pilot who just wants to settle down with his wife? Vienna said it, although not very tactfully: Jake is a fame whore.

Here's where I tell you this: I'm on Vienna's side. When Jake picked her, I hated her. She was the enemy of every girl in that bachelor mansion. I thought she was selfish and trashy. But now I see what the dilemma is. She's 23 and immature. She wanted love, and Jake seemed perfect. (He fooled us all with his act)

The actual interview.

• Jake was downright frightening. That chopping hand motion paired with the "STOP INTERRUPTING ME" had us all shaking in our boots. Albeit, I don't think Jake is all that strong and probably couldn't beat anyone up.
• It was horrible that he called Vienna lazy for not getting a job. He had her running all around America from LA, to Dallas, to Florida...FOR HIM. There's no way she could have been working.
• It's also clear that he was in it for the fame. Affection ONLY in public? He literally smiled for the paparazzi.
• I'll tell you why Jake described Vienna as needy and clingy. Jake was distant and practically ignoring her, of course she starts acting that way. She was in love with him.
• What about Vienna selling her story to Star? Jake would have sold his story as well, and I see where she's coming from. She wants her story out. Do I approve? Not necessarily. But I wish she hadn't taken the money, although it seems she needed it.
• Best line of the interview via Chris Harrison: "We don't really care about the dog."

Post-breakup Jake has been very active on his twitter (@jakepavelka1). He's still trying to win the fame. Apparently he threw the first pitch at the Detroit game. And he tweets a pic of himself in the cockpit as to prove to everyone that he HAS been flying, and that Vienna is apparently a liar. Who cares.

Vienna (@viennagirardi) has been tweeting things that make it seem like she's screaming to the world: "I'm totally over it! I don't care!" That's fine, too.

Jake and Vienna weren't meant to be together. We all knew that during the proposal in St. Lucia. I'm just sorry it just had to come down to this dirty tabloid war. On with the rumors...

My favorite rumor so far:

The Bachelorette: Episode 7

All I really want to talk about is the Jake&Vienna interview, but I'll do a separate blog for that after this.

This week the five guys and Ali were in Portugal. Beautiful city, really. Roberto had the first one-on-one date. They are just so natural together. Originally, I think Ali thought she wasn't good enough for Roberto. And that Roberto was too perfect and too romantic with not enough fun. Now that's all changed. The beginning of the date they were goofy and took pictures with each other. They ended up in a castle of some sort and had a romantic time. Their date didn't get much air time (partly because of the 30min interview tagged at the end of the show), but I think it didn't because there wasn't much to be said. Roberto and Ali are good together. There's no drama and there's no important conversation we need to hear. Smooth sailing.

Ty and Frank get the dreaded two-on-one. Frank whines and whines about wanting a one-on-one. He just had one last week! Get a grip, Frank. He's really started to get on my nerves. I don't think he's man enough for Ali. The date was awkward of course. Another castle, by the way. I don't think Ty is going to recover from his comment about being for the traditional family (and it playing a part in his divorce). He tried to say that he finds Ali's career-driven self sexy. It doesn't help. An awkward dinner goes by and the date ends.

Kirk gets the next one-on-one. Still love Kirk. I was a little worried that Ali's distraught attitude was going to trip him up. We all knew she was acting funny because she was nervous and overwhelmed about her decisions. Luckily, Kirk did too and took that chance to console her. And reassure her that they were in a good place. I really see their relationship going somewhere. (But why another castle?)

Chris L. get the final one-on-one. This one started out a wee bit awkward. I could tell he wanted to open up but he was afraid. By the way, quote of the episode goes to Chris when he and Ali are getting on the mo-ped: "I can't be the dude that kills the bachelorette! That's just not gonna look good." Bahaha. After some conversation about his mom, Chris L. does something fantastic. He gives Ali a bracelet he made for her before the show started and he's been waiting for the right time to give it to her. (Translation: he didn't use the gift on a different week as a bribe to get a rose. He really cares about her.) Chris L. and Ali got close very quickly on this date. It's about dang time.

Ty is sent home at the rose ceremony. From the previews, I thought he was in Tahiti. So I was shocked. Then relieved. Between, him and Kirk I definitely wanted Kirk to stay. Phew!

Ty, you were sweet and a good guy, but your idea of traditional gender roles and lack of chemistry with Ali got you sent home to Tennessee.

Next week: hometowns!

Sprinkles vs. Cupcakery

Today, Megan and I ventured to Frisco, Texas, to try the Cupcakery.

Full disclosure: Megan and I are HARDCORE Sprinkles fans. Haven't been to Sprinkles? We'll drive you down there and make you try one. We follow @sprinkles on Twitter so we can figure out what to whisper for the free cupcake of the day.

When we heard about the Cupcakery, we knew we had to try it. Would it be better than Sprinkles? Would it be different? Well, we found out and I'm writing to tell you which one you should go to.

From the beginning, we told the cupcake assistants that we were Sprinkles fans. The girls assured us that Cupcakery would win our hearts and beat Sprinkles any day. Oddly enough, their most famous cupcake flavor is also red velvet. Hmm. Copycats? The girls also told us that they were cheaper. "$3 and we don't do tax."

Atmosphere: Sprinkles originated in Beverly Hills and is very 90210 and beachy inside. A bar lines the windows for those who choose to eat in. Wooden forks are provided for a mess-free cupcake experience.

Cupcakery looks more like a bakery. Platters covered with clear tops contain each colorful cake. It's very small inside and very bright, but no seating. This was a disappointment. I drove to Frisco especially for this and I can't sit inside and eat. No forks either. (I'll rant more on this later)

Cupcake Appearance: Sprinkles adornes each cupcake with a flat, hard candy dot or some other decoration that fits the season. (For instance, July 4 red velvets had a flag.) Each cupcake is enclose in a brown cardboard-like personal box. The inside is pink. The outside is sealed with the special Sprinkles sticker.

Cupcakery's mini cakes look a bit more homemade. No fancy decor. Each cupcake is stored inside what looks like a Thai-to-go box, minus the red foreign lettering on the outside. Cupcakery's sassy pink logo is placed on the outside. Very cute. Cupcakery started to win my heart here.

I ordered a chocolate peanut butter cupcake. (Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing) Megan ordered a strawberry.

Cupcake Taste: Sprinkles, what do I have to say here? It's delicious. My only complaint is that a delish Sprinkles cupcake goes stale rather fast. But, who can let a savory cupcake sit out too long without eating?

Cupcakery. The cupcake was quite tall and hard to take a bite out of. Mind you, we had no forks and had to take our Asian-boxed cupcakes inside the mall to eat. It was very messy. But I must say that it was quite delicious. The icing takes the cake! (Am I punny or what?) The smooth peanut butter icing was to die for.

Flavors: The Cupcakery flavor selection was very strange. Lots of fruity, not many sweet. I'm a chocolate girl and with me, banana just isn't going to cut it.

So does it beat Sprinkles? No. Sprinkles is the Holy Grail of cupcakes. It's worth 50 more cents. But, Cupcakery is definitely an alternative.