The Bachelor-Sleepless in Seattle

Ok, are we all sad that Stephanie was dismissed by Jason? I know a collective aw shucks went out through America as she was sent home in the limo. I guess you just can't spark chemistry when there isn't any. Just goes to show you that Jason is your typical man in the pants kind of guy. Notice how he's kept only the girls that are all pretty much airheads? Well, maybe with the exception of Molly. I'm like why couldn't he have tried to keep Stephanie and get to know her better, because isn't it said on every bachelor show that it is on the island dates when they supposedly fall in love? Jason takes the five girls to his home of Seattle, WA. Who knew he lives in a houseboat just like the Tom Hank's character in Sleepless in Seattle. In fact Jason points out that house when they were on the boat cruise. Jason's house is nice and tidy and has a great view, but where does little Ty play since I'm sure it's way too dangerous to play outside so near the water. Definitely not a house to raise kids in, but nicely decorated, snaps for that. The first alone date goes to Melissa, but it never begins because Ty decides to throw a fit that daddy is leaving again. Who can blame the kid? So Jason calls Melissa for her to come over, so Melissa takes herself in that dress with the gold asp (snake) as a bosom clasp to his house much to the jealousy of the other girls. Just the look of that dress screamed I'm too young and too immature. And how did it stay up is beyond me. For the group date Jason takes the girls to a radio station where he admits on air that the most special date he's been on was with Stephanie. Right there I did have my hopes up since I already knew they really didn't have any chemistry. I mean, they are never shown kissing or sucking face like the other tramps, er girls (did I just write that?). Like when Jillian said that she kissed Jason by sticking her tongue down his throat and touch his tonsils. Yuck, even tho she said she was just kidding, I'm sure the tongue in the mouth part was true. Did Steph even get to french kiss the guy? Maybe she should have let her hair down and tried to soften up her look which I think was softening as the show progressed. Someone who just doesn't seem to go with Jason is Naomi, the Eva Mendes' imitation. She gets the single date where they go rock climbing. She is all wrong for Jason and acts so unsure of herself which truly shows her immaturity or is it because she has that lisp which makes her sound like she's five? In the end, Jason lost brownie points with me by sending Stephanie home. Her class, elegance and gracious exit just goes to show you what kind of person she really is. His loss honey! I really don't think anyone left on the show will stand the test of time. Too bad for Ty, Daddy just sent your mommy packing!-Single D

Top Chef - Restaurant Wars

Everyone is down on Josea and Leah for throwing Ariane under the bus and are giving them a wide berth. Even Fabio gives them a bit of a curse wagging his fingers at them like the evil eye. The quickfire is to create a tasting which will set the theme for their restaurant. Radihka & Leah win so their ideas will be the theme of their respective restaurants. They chose their teams, Leah picks Josea first, of course, Fabio and ends up with Stefan by default. Radihka gets Jamie, Carla and Jeff.

Radihka doesn't have a very commanding presence and can't or won't be the boss. In Leah's camp, she is getting run over by the Stefan/Fabio train. When it was time to buy supplies and decorations, Stefan and Fabio look like a couple shopping for their first apartment. Feeling overwhelmed, Leah seeks solace in Josea's arms. The camera moves in and all you hear is kissing sounds. At least I think it was kissing sounds, my bathroom sink makes the same sound as the water drains. They both say they are in relationships and they shouldn't be doing this. Well DUH! Did you think your respective loved ones are not going to watch you on national TV? I hope you have better judgement in the kitchen. In the cold light of day, Josea & Leah act like they did the deed instead of just kissing. They avoid eye contact and remind themselves that they knew it would affect how they worked with each other. Meanwhile, Fabio gets the front of the house and is busy decorating. He does pretty good, I guess if he can't make it on Top Chef he could move over to Top Design. He is so sure of himself that he says, "we could serve monkey ass and empty clam shells" and he will sell it. Somehow I believe it! The big night comes and Fabio comes out looking every bit like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever with his leisure suit. At least it was off white.

Radihka's restaurant came out good, food and all but died with the desserts. Here she has the best pastry chef who is trying to make not so frozen yogurt. Instead of telling her to scrap that and do what she does best, Radihka just roams around the kitchen or stares at the tickets. She doesn't spend any time with the customers and looks like a dear caught in the headlights when more people show up than she expected. The judges finally decide to leave when it was apparent Radihka wasn't going to make another appearance. They leave and, sure enough, Radihka was no where to be found.

At judge's table, Leah's team wins by a slim margin and only because of Fabio's service and Stefan's desserts which wins him the challenge. Radihka bears the brunt of the judges criticisms. Carla said she knew she was sending out bad desserts but was also sending out love with them. I'm sorry but you can't taste the love in a melted frozen yogurt. Carla was a little scary then telling the judges she was making the desserts with a smile and love, they couldn't see the smile but it was there! Ok, ok calm down, smile. Radihka for her lack of leadership and indecisiveness is told to pack her knives and go. Double D

Ghost Hunters International - Denmark, Peru

Copenhagen, Denmark at the Trekroner Fort is the scene of this investigation. This is the site of a battle with the British in 1801. The northern building, which was used to house troops during peace time, is the scene of a lot of activity. People report being touched, hearing noises and footsteps. A woman is also heard and seen.

Barry & Angela start out in the basement doing EVP work when Angela gets something breathing in her ear. Maybe the spirits are getting fresh! They start hearing footsteps and follow the sounds when they get a footstep right in front of them. It seems whatever is making the footsteps was playing a game of tag. Angela goes to the basement with Robb this time and they were able to communicate with a spirit using the EMF detector. Angela asks if the spirit is happy that she is there and gets a spike on the EMF. Must have been the same one that was breathing in her ear!

Brandy & Dustin also check out the basement and get hits on the EMF as well as having the EMF detector get knocked over by something unseen as the camera is rolling. The findings are a couple of EVPs, one that sounds, to me anyway, like a dog whining. Robb says it's a whistle. The other audio was of the footsteps. Angela also captures a shape walk by the corner of her video camera.

Back in Lima, Peru, the team is asked to investigate a private residence, Casa Garland. The residence has been in the same family for 500 years, so you know something has got to be going on. The family has seen two nuns and have felt one of the rooms shake for no apparent reason and also hear noises. I would think spirits of nuns would be a good thing but not for them as the family is afraid to stay in the house and has asked GHI for help. One photo taken years ago shows a face in a window that looks like a late grandfather so maybe gramps is hanging around making noises. Robb & Paul, the local investigator, start upstairs in the shaking room and try to provoke the spirits when they hear a noise. Dustin decides to check out the roof and finds cats hanging out there which debunks those bumps in the night.

Barry takes a load of pictures to try and capture the grandfather's image but comes up empty. No evidence is found and Robb says the house is not haunted. Double D

Top Chef - Chefs Gone Country

The quick fire this week is to make a dish using canned goods and pantry staples. Spam seemed to be the most coveted ingredient and pandemonium ensued as all the chefs went for the prized meat. Stefan is getting on Josea's nerves (isn't he on everyones nerves?) but Josea takes the high road and even gives Stefan his extra Spam. Stefan ends up winning the challenge making his already too big head that much larger and Josea regretting that he gave Stefan his Spam.

Before they find out the actual challenge, the chefs are split into teams of 3 and already, no one is looking forward to working with Stefan. The cheftestants are driven to the country to Blue Hill Farm where they are to make a family style meal for 16 people centered around pork, chicken or lamb. The chefs get a tour of the farm and I am wondering if they are going to have to kill their main course. The chefs get to the kitchen and, luckily, their proteins are already dead. Stefan goes about being his superior self and tells Carla & Jamie what he is going to cook rather than being a part of the team. Hey Stefan, there is no "I" in team! Ariane has to work with love birds Josea & Leah who both leave her to her own devices. Ariane, who has done lamb very well in past challenges, is butchering the animal to the point where there is nothing left. She makes a stuffing and tries rolling the lamb but says she doesn't have experience doing that. Leah makes a feeble attempt at helping her tie the roasts and they come out a sad mess.

Team pig was somewhere in the middle with no one really digging Jeff's pork dish. Jamie & Carla give up on Stefan and let him do as he pleased which was soup and roast chicken. Now, it's like 85 degrees and humid on this farm and lunch is served outside in the sun. Who wants hot soup?! Jamie cooked chicken cutlets and Carla whipped up a fruit tart which everyone loved and the team (even Stefan) wins the challenge.

At judge's table, team lamb gets lambasted (hee, hee) by the judges when they find out that Josea has butchering experience and didn't offer to help Ariane with her botched butchering. Leah also does not escape the judge's wrath when they tell her that she too could have done more for the dish. In the end it was a sad day for the over 40's when Ariane was told to pack her knives and go. Double D

Ghost Hunters International - Brazil

The team is in Cambuquira, Brazil at the Grande Hotel. During the tour, they learn that the hotel was built in 1920 by an angry German woman. No explanation of why she was angry, I guess she needed some kind of outlet and said, hey, let's build a hotel! Reports are mostly of apparitions seen throughout the hotel. GHI has the hotel to themselves for the investigation and they get down to business. In the dining room, Barry gets a photo of a shadow then he and Brandy see another shadow in the kitchen.

During the review, Barry's photo of the shadow in the dining room seems to correspond to another form caught on DVR in the corridor. Barry continues on a roll when he gets photos of a figure walking in the kitchen. No audio but the pics more than convince Robb that the hotel is haunted.

The next case is the Little Castle in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Built in 1912 for a wealthy family, the house was the site of the murder of the family in the 1930s. There have been reports of voices and apparitions. A local group is trying to restore the house to it's former glory and wanted GHI to check it out. The house is in ruins without a staircase or roof and taggers have covered it in graffiti. The other problem with this case is that the house is located in the city right on the street making it near to impossible to get any audio. The only evidence was an EVP of a woman saying Eduardo but this could have been anyone and not necessarily paranormal. Double D

Mamma Mia-The DVD Review

Ok, so I don't go to the movies, first of all who can find the time and who can afford it. I rented Mamma Mia and let's just say it was not what I had expected. I knew there was some singing and a couple of dance numbers, but I didn't think it would be all singing with a sprinkling of dialogue in-between. My husband watched the first 5 minutes then it was upstairs to the spare TV he went, claiming that the wide screen was too narrow to watch, this coming from a man whose been known to watch the Lifetime channel. Yeah I know, even my daughter said, mom this is a chick film. Here's the story, musical number, Sophia's getting married, musical number, Sophia invites three men who could be her father, musical number, Mother, Donna (Meryl Streep) finds out, musical number, wedding day, musical number, musical number and more musical numbers. Who knew Meryl Streep could sing and I personally loved her name. Never has the name Donna held such beautiful musical connotations. The three would be fathers, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth (whom I've had a secret crush on since Bridge Jones' Diary-Mark Darcy) and Stellan Skarsgard (you'd know him if you saw him) can't sing worth a lick. The daughter (Amanda Seyfried) is not only beautiful but a great singer, who is she?

If not for the beautiful setting, Greece (next on my bucket list) and my favorite song showcasing Meryl's musical drama, The Winner Takes it All, I would have shut off the dvd and made a Greek salad instead.-Single D

Top Chef - New Judge

In this episode, Fabio starts the day by making everyone breakfast of Spam and pork and beans. You are a chef for goodness sake and this is breakfast, put some eggs in it!

Breakfast over, it's time for the quick fire challenge with guest judge Jean Christophe Novelle. The challenge is the dreaded dessert challenge. Everyone doesn't seem as horrified as in Top Chefs past until Padma announces that they can't use sugar then everyones jaws hit the floor. They all come up with creative dishes which Jean Christophe, being his bad French self says "interesting" about the dishes he didn't like. We will see how well JC does when his show, Chef Academy begins. He will probably Ooh, La, La all the way to the bank! Radhika wins the challenge and immunity by making a whole wheat bread pudding.

Padma tells the chefs that Gail will be replaced with English food critic Toby Young. Apparently he is the Simon Cowell of the food world. Should be interesting. The elimination challenge is to make a family style meal for a blind taste test in which 2 chefs will be packing their knives. Fabio is so busy ragging on everyone that he doesn't check his lamb and it comes out under cooked. Karma! In another twist, the chefs are split into 2 groups with each group acting as judges for the other without knowing who cooked what.

After Toby's scathing comments for the first group, "I've found the weapons of mass destruction and they are in this bowl!", the second group is off and cooking. Toby was more impressed by the second group. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with. At judge's table, he actually got Chef Tom to see his side of things. Jamie finally wins a challenge by redeeming her scallops. It comes down to Carla, Gene and Melissa. Poor Gene, I really liked him and hoped he would do better but his snapper dish was a mess! Melissa's tuna tacos didn't sit well with the judges which surprised me because I'm thinking how can you mess up tuna tacos? Well Melissa did and her and Gene are told to pack their knives and go. Pictures are not available to add but I did find these of Gene and Melissa. Double D

Gone Country Season 3

In a nutshell-

George Clinton snores loud, likes Fruit Loops and cracks his tooth.

George Clinton goes to the dentist.

George is snoring in the dentist chair.

Task-write a group song.

Group wants to write a lively light song.

Richard Grieco walks out.

Richard Grieco has anger and control issues.

Group outing-a forest trip where they are to climb a pole.

Richard Grieco has anger and control issues.

Richard Grieco walks out on the group.

Richard Grieco admits to a fear of heights.

Pairing as a team, Tara and Richard walk a tightrope.

Richard Grieco wants to control the situation.

Tara coaxes Richard to let go of the control stuff.

Tara becomes the Doctor Phil of the group.

Richard Grieco breaks down.

Richard cries.

Richard smiles.

Group hug.

Everyone becomes all warm and fuzzy.

Compose group song on bus back home.

Group song light and lively.

George cracks his tooth again-ouch!

Single D

Ghost Hunters International - Peru

Puerto Bermudez, Peru, Robb is back with Dustin, Irish Barry (my fave, he makes me laugh) along with new members Brandy and Angela, travel to Lima, Peru to investigate the Real Felipe Fortress which was built in 1747. The King's tower is the site of a dungeon and has reports of shadows. People hear voices in the Queen's tower as well as the apparition of a small boy. People also report having a feeling of wanting to jump off the tower. A small child is also seen in the Governor's house on the property.

Barry & Brandy start in the Governor's house and hear a loud bang. Barry comments that he would be impressed if "he" could do that again and they hear another bang. Just when they were getting excited that they may be communicating with a spirit, it turns out to be fireworks. After the initial let down, Barry & Brandy continue their investigation and see a full body apparition!

Dustin & Angela do EVP work in the Queen's tower and get responses to questions on the EMF detector but don't see the boy or get the urge to jump off the tower.

Robb, along with local investigator Paul, investigate the dungeon. Robb asks for a sign and hears footsteps. Paul asks, in Spanish, if there is anyone there and Robb sees a flash of light which could have been from the fireworks.

The findings include an EVP saying "Reina" which means Queen in Spanish, video of a shadow moving on the ramp leading into the fortress and the best piece of evidence was a video of an apparition of a small child which gave me goose bumps! With that, Robb declares the fortress haunted. Double D