reading list – volume: 5

It has been a while, hasn’t it? Life has been crazy between multiple classes, the Sixers season, work, and dog-momming. I wanted to share what books I’ve been reading when I can find the time! (Shout out to Hannah – I know you’ve been waiting for some book reviews)

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Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park

Guys, if you need a good cry, this is the book to do it. It tells the story of Eleanor, the new girl from a broken family, and her slowly developing romance with Park, the kid who has been there all his life but hasn’t really found his person or his place. Through sharing a seat on the bus, Eleanor and Park develop the kind of romance that you only have the first time you fall in love – when you don’t yet know what it is like to have your heart broken. The two of them bond over their love of music and comic books, and through the two of them, you can re-experience all of the awkward firsts that come along with your first relationship. I didn’t want this book to end, and when it does it delivers on the suspected gut punch that you are expecting throughout. Cue the waterworks.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler

Z

I wanted to love this book, having always been fascinated by the Roaring 20’s and the Jazz Age but, I didn’t. I think I found Zelda to be unlikable, or unrelatable which prevented me from really committing to the story. I did feel for her as the story described her battles with mental illness and an alcoholic husband, all while having to quell her ambitions as a woman in an age where the man should be the breadwinner. I found myself wanting Zelda to just leave her marriage, and take their baby home to Alabama, where she could live a comfortable if less exciting life.

There is an Amazon show based on the book and starring Christina Ricci that I still may check out (when I finally finish Stranger Things 2). The book may not have gotten me, but I don’t know that I can turn down a period TV show!

Fitness Junkie: A Novel by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza

Fitness Junkie

I wanted a quick, fun book and Fitness Junkie fit the bill. It tells the story of Janey, a 40-something recent divorcee, and bad-ass girlboss. She runs a wedding dress line with the dresses being designed by her best friend Beau. When Beau gets a little too big for his britches and tells Janey that she has gained weight and can’t be the face of the company anymore, Janey decides to go on a fitness journey. I love that you can draw parallels between actual fitness crazes and their fictional counterparts in the book. There is definitely some commentary on Goop, SoulCycle, Fitbits and Tracy Anderson not so subtly sprinkled throughout the book. If you’re looking for a fun, light read – I’d recommend Fitness Junkie.

I’d love to hear any recommendations that you guys have! You can always find me in the comments or @third_and_girl on Twitter!

all images from Amazon.com.

reading list-volume: 4

Due to a massive reading undertaking (see the last book), it’s been awhile since my last reading list. I’m back on a reading kick, so let’s check out what I’ve been reading since we last talked books.

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Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales

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I’m a sports nut, so this title has been on my to-read list for a long time. The book is an oral history of the creation of ESPN, from the beginnings of the idea all the way up to its 30th anniversary. I loved reading some behind the scenes stories from my favorite on-air personalities! My favorite part was reading how some of the on-air talents were so difficult (shout out Olbermann and my guy Bill Simmons) to work with but also so popular, that there wasn’t anything ESPN could really do. I wish there was an updated version that I could’ve picked up that would’ve given me all the juicy details of Bill’s ouster from ESPN, but I guess I’ll have to put the pieces together myself.

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) by Lauren Graham

LG

So as I said in the last (and as of now, only) Box Score (I really need to bring those back – maybe this month!), I semi-recently finished binging all 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls and the Netflix series. I had never seen it before and I absolutely loved it. As soon as the credits rolled on ‘Fall’, I ran to my bookshelf and grabbed Lauren’s book. I had ordered it a while ago, as I’ve always thought she was super relatable and funny. I knew the book would have spoilers of Gilmore Girls in it, so I had to wait until I was done watching to read it!

The book is a pretty quick read and is full of personal anecdotes and stories. She doesn’t shy away from embarrassing photos or experiences and seems very authentic. It’s not surprising that Graham is so good on Gilmore Girls or Parenthood, it’s like playing a slightly different version of yourself. I loved the few behind the scenes stories and pictures that she shared from both of those shows. This book is pretty much, what you see is what you get. If you like Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls, or Parenthood, you’ll like this book.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

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It’s been a while since I’ve had a ‘reading list’ post and this book is the reason. It is a behemoth. Ever since my boyfriend saw Hamilton in Chicago, without me I might add, I’ve been obsessed with the soundtrack. I wanted to be able to talk to him about the show, so I listened to it while he was seeing it. I think I have listened to it approximately 179 times since then, and he has listened to it 2 – both times in the car with me. All that being said, I wanted to read the book on which it was based. Hamilton is well written and packed with information about the first Secretary of the Treasury. I found myself way more interested in the parts of the book that correlated to parts of the musical. Since I already had a slight background on the story, I was eager to get all the details that the musical couldn’t possibly put in. If you’ve seen Hamilton, or are just dying to see Hamilton like me, this book is worth the read – just be ready to put aside a few months to get through it.

Since finishing Hamilton, I’ve already gotten through 1 1/2 more books, and have 2 more waiting for me at the library! Can’t wait to ramp up my reading once again! I’d love to hear any recommendations you guys have, you can always contact me on Twitter @third_and_girl or on Instagram @thirdandgirl.

all images from Amazon.com

drink in my hand-bip4: episode 6

Well, big fail on the catch-up, as the finale was this past week and we all know what happens. Keep coming back for my thoughts on the rest of the season and where you can find some of your favorite Bachelor outfits!

My Takeaways

BIP 4-6 - Diggy Shocked
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The episode starts with the arrival of Daniel, or as I like to call him, Lacey’s dream man. He doesn’t disappoint and continues to be just as overconfident and delightfully misogynistic as I remember him. Lacey pulls him away first to tell him that she is genuinely interested in him and he tells her that he is just left with the scraps of the women. Charming, right? He also talks to Jasmine and Christen but doesn’t seem to really hit it off with any of them. It seems that his rose will be a real surprise come rose ceremony time.

At the rose ceremony, they ‘who the heck knows’ roses are gotten out of the way first. Daniel gives his rose to Lacey and Jack Stone gives his to Christen. I guess that last minute make out session worked in her favor. Shockingly, Matt comes back to hand out his rose because he doesn’t want it to go to waste, and gives his rose to Jasmine. Jasmine accepts it, but not happily. She wants no part of anything he has to say. After the obvious roses from Robby, Derek, and Diggy, Adam has to give his rose to either Sarah or Raven, and he chooses Raven. The ultimate f*ckboy, Dean, gives his rose to Kristina. I really can’t with Dean, and the stupid things he says and the way he plays with both of their emotions. Sidebar, does anyone know a more PC term for f*ck boy – I try to leave profanity off the blog, but that really is what he is. Shockingly, the last rose comes from Ben Z. and goes to DLo – ensuring that the Dean/Kristina/DLo love triangle continues. I’m bummed to see my girl Alexis go, but hopefully, she can join Wells at the bar next season.

I can’t even begin to describe the weird and bizarre scene between Dean and Kristina shown after the rose ceremony, so if you’re interested you can get the gist here.

The next morning, a bunch of luchadors invade Paradise looking for Daniel. Lacey talks to Daniel, and he tells her that he isn’t going to automatically give the date card to her, that isn’t how Paradise works. He wants to talk to all the girls first, and he will check back in with Lacey later. Daniel seems to have his eyes on Kristina, but she pushes Lacey on him. Luckily for her (and us so we can stop listening to her complain), Daniel selects Lacey for the date.

BIP 4-6 - Jack Stone_Tickle arrivalIf only you know he was about to steal your girl, Jack Stone.

We get the arrival of Dr. Ticklemonster. It really blows my mind that this man is known as a Ticklemonster and he is a physician. I think he’s great though, he’s down to laugh at himself, and knows how ridiculous it is. He is interested in Christen, and they have a pretty amusing conversation about tickling before he goes in for an awkward kiss. Dr. Ticklemonster asks Christen on the date and she accepts, much to the disappointment of Jack Stone.

Daniel and Lacey go on their luchador date, and they are tag team fighting with actual luchadors. I’m just disappointed that we didn’t get all the scenes of them learning and practicing this extremely choreographed fight. The highlight of this date: Jorge being in the audience.

BIP4-6 - Dean Dlo Fing Hot

The love triangle continues, with Dean still distancing himself from Kristina. He keeps giving her reassurance that he wants to explore things with her and then backing away from her again. The words Dean has used to describe Kristina include the most interesting person, smart, funny, sweet. For DLo, he uses interesting and so f*cking hot. Classy, Dean. He is in no way mature enough for a serious relationship and I can’t believe that I ever thought he might be the next Bachelor. Yes, they like a redemption arc (cough, cough Peter – I’m in denial) but, not after we watch him jerk around two women who don’t deserve it. Dean, grow up.

BIP4-6 - Scallops

Christen and Dr. Ticklemonster go to dinner, flirt, talk, and play with weird little hands. That is the date. As soon as they get home from the date, Jack Stone steals her to try and solidify their relationship.

In love triangle land, Dean continues his f*ckboy antics and flirts with DLo right in front of Kristina. We had just seent Dean and Kristina spend the night together and now we’re seeing Dean and DLo make out in the pool in front of her. Be confused all you want Dean, but you don’t have to be disrespectful.

Best Tweets

Best Dressed

There were only two pieces that stood out to me this episode.

BIP4-6 - Christen Crop Top
I really liked Christen’s bell sleeved crop top, which I imagine you could tie a few different ways. It’s cute and perfect for the beach. The top is 12th Tribe and can be found here!

BIP4-6 - Kristina Jumpsuit
This jumpsuit Kristina wore is amazing. If I was ever to buy a jumpsuit, it would be this one (PSA: I tried one on once and decided my memoirs should be titled “Why Did Anyone Let Me Do That: Trying on Jumpsuits, Washing My Feet with Shampoo, and Other Adventures”. The shampoo story is a long one). I can not find this jumpsuit to save my life. This one, from Faithfull the Brand, has a similar vibe and may be the same brand. Kristina has worn their clothes on the show before, but I just wasn’t able to find this exact one. UGH!

I’m still planning on finishing recapping the season. Since everyone knows what happens, let me know if there is anything you’d like to hear my take on! You can always find me @third_and_girl on Twitter.

coffee & tv – 3 new-ish shows i’ve enjoyed

With the arrival of my new fur-baby, I’ve been hesitant to leave the house on the weekends. I mean, what could be more fun than puppy snuggles? With a lot of my weekend being spent on the couch, I caught up on/started a couple of new shows that I’ve enjoyed and wanted to share with you guys.

ozark 1source

A few Saturdays ago, my boyfriend and I started Ozarks. He told me it was a bit like Breaking Bad but with finance. Having never seen Breaking Bad, I can’t attest to that fact but I can tell you that it is very good. Don’t worry, when I say it’s a finance show I’m not talking about backroom boardroom deals – I’m talking money laundering and drug cartels. After getting caught up in a money laundering scheme, the main character Marty, played by Jason Bateman, picks up his family and moves from Chicago to the Ozarks, after promising a drug lord that he can launder even more money there. He meets a host of other criminals, who don’t really like a newbie encroaching on their turf. If you like crime dramas and aren’t wary of a little violence, I highly recommend this show.

ffc
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He picked Ozarks, and I picked Friends from College. I’m a huge Fred Savage fan, having loved him since watching The Wonder Years on Nick-at-Nite. I loved the Grinder (you were gone too soon), and I’ve been happy to see him getting back into acting since until recently, he spent most of his time behind the camera. From what I’ve been reading, Friends from College is pretty hit or miss with people, but it was a hit for me. The characters aren’t really great people (I know I’m really selling it), but you also find yourself invested in them. I tend to skew towards dramas, so any show that can make me laugh out loud is a win in my book.

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Last weekend, while my boyfriend was golfing, I took the time to watch the entire season of Atypical. It’s the story of a high school aged boy with autism and his family. The son, Sam, decides that he wants to start dating. How he, and his family, is the main storyline that runs throughout the first season. ALthough Sam is the focal point, my favorite story lines was that of his sister, Casey. I thought the show was heartwarming, funny at times, and didn’t shy away from difficult subject matter. I’m not an expert on the Autism Spectrum, so I can’t speak on how it was portrayed, but I enjoyed the show a lot.

Have you guys been watching anything new that you’ve been enjoying? I’m always looking for something new to dive into. Let me know in the comments!

tijuana sunrise- bip4: episode 5

BIP 4-5 - Raven_WhatDatMoufDoTho

My Takeaways

The episode starts with a really fun game of ‘what dat mouf do tho’ between Alexis and Jack Stone. Unfortunately for my favorite human ever, Alexis, Jack thinks she took it too far when trying to feed him a dead crab. I tend to agree, but it shouldn’t cost her her rose, Jack!

Christen arrives and Jasmine tells her that she shouldn’t bother talking to Matt or Derek because it would be a waste of time. This is repeated by Jack Stone who tells her those two are coupled as well as Dean and Kristina. I find it interesting that everyone says Dean and Kristina are a couple instead of Dean and DLo. Matt interrupts Jack Stone to talk to Christen and to tell her that he isn’t actually spoken for. He doesn’t want to tie himself down and just wants to have fun in Paradise. Christen thinks that she and Matt were vibing so she asks him on the date which he accepts. This is also known as lighting the fuse on the Jasmine Bomb.

Matt tells Jasmine that Christen asked him on a date, and Jasmine tells him he’s not going. He asks her if he can go and she ultimately says that if his heart desires to go on a date with Christen then he can do whatever he wants. When a girl says that, she does not mean it, especially Jasmine. Jasmine decides the best thing to do is to confront Christen and goes to find her while she’s getting ready for the date. Christen tries to tell Jasmine that Matt told her that he wanted to go on the date and that he wasn’t spoken for but Jasmine has a forceful personality and steamrolls her. She tells Christen that she thinks its slimy that she asked Matt on the date when she knew the two of them had a thing. It’s interesting that Christen is getting this reaction for asking Matt when DLo didn’t get it as bad when she asked Dean. To me, it seems like Kristina and Dean have a more real connection than Jasmine and Matt, and least one that was reciprocated. I wonder what it is about Christen that is producing this ire?

BIP 4-5 - Girls Eavesdroppingsource

Christen and Matt seem to be having a fine time on their date, but Jasmine can just not let it go. She spends the entire time they are on their date bad mouthing Christen, telling mean stories about her, and genuinely making herself look bad. Jasmine tells everyone she will just make out with Matt when they get home, which is just an awful thing to do. Generally, it just left a bad taste in my mouth for all of the malicious badmouthing going on, when Christen wasn’t there to defend herself.

In addition to the behind the back badmouthing, there is a whole story about Christen eating scallops in a car with her fingers, and everyone thinks it is so funny. Funny enough that when Christen orders shrimp and is eating it with her fingers, everyone can’t stop laughing at her. WHO CARES??!? You’re telling me that all of these people eat peel-and-eat shrimp with a fork? That is not natural and weird and everyone is just being mean. I don’t like it.

BIP 4-5 - Wells_Scallop Fingahs

At night, Robby tries to woo Amanda with glow sticks in a pool. Seeing her reject him for a kiss continuously amuses me to no end. Sarah talks to Adam about where they stand and he says he’s trying to figure out what his feelings between her and Raven are. Sarah doesn’t like this answer, as she doesn’t want to play second fiddle to anyone. She is right when she says she doesn’t deserve that, but it’s the nature of Paradise. Dean and Kristina chat and I’m with Kristina when she says that Dean had basically told her that he is just going to do him. He wants to keep getting to know DLo and wants her to stay around but also wants Kristina to stay around. She is annoyed that he is leading them both on but Dean doesn’t see it that way.

Taylor and Derek have a weird argument about their relationship in which they talk about how much they’ve learned about each other but apparently, they haven’t learned enough. Taylor tells him he shuts down when he is annoyed and his response is “F*ck you”. Derek, you need to learn more about Taylor so that you can recognize that that would trigger (ugh hate that word) her. I actually believe in Taylor and Derek as a couple because this is a fight that a normal couple would have, while they are learning about each other. A not normal fight is because they have gone on dates with multiple women in a one week period. That being said, I think Derek did try and understand and apologize and Taylor just wasn’t ready to hear it.

At the rose ceremony, a lot of roses are up for grabs. Raven grabs Adam and he gives her reassurance that he wants to explore where things are going with her and kisses her. However, when Sarah talks to him he tells her that he enjoys Sarah because she is great at communication and that they have a different type of firework. Then he kisses her. ADAMMMM!

Diggy pulls Lacey aside because he wants to check in on her. She starts in on him about how she is so disappointed in him and that he isn’t the kind of guy that she thought he was. Diggy is trying to explain himself, and she will not let him get a word in. He tells Lacey that he is confident in giving his rose to Dominique this week and she is flabbergasted. To be honest, I’m not going to be sad to see Lacey go because I think she needs to work on her communication in a relationship before she is ready to make something work.

Dean tells Kristina that he puts her feelings before his in most circumstances and that he cares so much about her feelings. He says he considers her feelings in every decision that he makes. Kristina melts at hearing this and feels confident that she is going to get Dean’s rose. However, Dean’s actions do not indicate that he puts Kristina’s feelings above his own because he pulls DLo away to talk to her. She tells him that he needs to man up and make a decision. Dean takes that as his cue to go in and kiss her, really taking into consideration Kristina’s feelings.

Amanda continues to rebuff Robby’s advances, even as he gives her presents and tries everything to woo her. I think the cast is rooting for Robby to get that kiss, which Amanda is not giving up easily. Unfortunately for my amusement, she finally gives in and Robby gets his kiss.

Derek and Taylor have a conversation and continue to handle their relationship as an actual real relationship. Derek apologizes for triggering Taylor, and they talk through their issues. I’m actually rooting for these two.

Matt and Christen talk and he tells her that he is in an uncomfortable situation because he doesn’t like to hurt people. He communicates that he doesn’t know if her rose is going to come from him and he has to talk to Jasmine. Christen take this to mean that he wants to give her his rose but isn’t out of sympathy for Jasmine. I didn’t exactly get that but you do you, Christen. When talking to Jasmine, Matt tells her that there is something that is keeping him from falling for anyone in Paradise and that he doesn’t really think they would work long term because they are so different. Matt tells her that he is glad that he came but that he is ready to go home.

BIP 4-5 - Jasmine_DONEsource

Jasmine and Christen are both left in tears over Matt leaving and both left to fight for the rose of Jack Stone. Christen seems to have the upper hand with her last minute make out session with him.

We don’t get a rose ceremony to end the episode but we do get an additional Bachelor, Lacey’s dream guy, Daniel. Who will he give his rose to – we’ll just have to wait for the next episode to find out.

Best Tweets

Best Dressed

There wasn’t a ton of fashion that I loved this week but no surprise, Kristina was the one in an outfit I loved.

BIP 5-4 - Kristina Romper

I think Kristina’s romper is L’Atiste but I couldn’t find the exact one. Here is a similar romper in cream, and if you liked the floral print, this dress is similar (both really affordable!)

One more episode to catch up….except there is a new episode tonight. We’ll see how it goes. As always, I’d love to hear any feedback from you – you can always find me @third_and_girl on Twitter.

mai tai-bip 4: episode 4

‘I’m over halfway done with the catch-up! Let’s get to Episode 4!

My Takeaways

BIP 4-4 - Sarah_Guacamole

We get to the action pretty quickly with Sarah’s arrival, and Raven instantly knows that she is going to go after Adam. During the shutdown, Raven and Sarah stayed at Adam’s place and Raven walked in on the two of them cuddling. Knowing that he and Raven had been on a date, Sarah checks with Adam about where they stand. He acknowledges that he and Raven had a great date but also says he would say yes if she asked him. During girl chat time, Raven gives her blessing for Sarah to go on the date with Adam but, all of the girls push Ben Z. After not being wowed by her conversation with Ben, Sarah asks Adam on the date.

BIP 4-4 - Lacey_Ben Z Bench Press

Sarah and Adam go to dinner and out dancing on their date, and Adam acknowledges that Sarah has an energy, or ‘something’ as he calls it, that Raven does not have. Sarah works to confirm that Adam would have asked her out on a date in the “real world” and they share some kisses. Overall, uneventful.

BIP 4-4 - Adam_Rachel

Back at the resort, Wells and Danielle are chatting at the bar. The friendship between these two is so endearing and they make a deal if they are both single in 5 years they are going to be together. Why wait the 5 years?

The next day, Lacey gets a date card. She is adamant that the person that she takes on the date wants to go because they are romantically interested in her, not because they just want to be friends. As discussed in earlier posts, if she wasn’t so brash and dismissive, I think the men would be much more interested. She’s talking to Ben Z. and says, “As of now it’s not you, but I’ll let you know.” What a way to a man’s heart. Matt plays it best by saying that if she asked him it would be a mostly friendship date because he thinks her and Diggy would have the best time together. Taking his advice, Lacey asks Diggy who accepts.

BIP 4-4 - Diggy_Lacey_Makeout

The two of them go on one of Jorge’s Tour-ges which involves riding horses to a beach where he was conceived. Diggy genuinely seems to be into Lacey, and the two of them have the romantic time that Lacey was looking for.

BIP 4-4 - Jorge_Champagne

Back at the resort, Danielle M and Raven are discussing Wells, while Wells and Jack Stone are shown discussing Danielle. Wells tells Jack that he and Danielle went on a date 4 years ago, but he has never wanted to throw away what they have as friends to pursue something more. He says that Danielle is out of his league and that she is one of the best people he’s ever met. Danielle tells Raven that Wells is such a good man, but that he isn’t able to date anyone here in his bartender role. Since that is the case, Danielle doesn’t feel like her ‘person’ is here. She tells Raven that during the filming stoppage she was given the opportunity to go work in Africa, and she doesn’t want to miss that opportunity simply to stay in Paradise for no reason.

Next to arrive in Paradise is Dominique, who tells the ladies that she was interested in Diggy. Lacey is worried about Taylor getting in Dominique’s ear because she doesn’t think that Taylor likes her very much. Taylor does get in Dom’s ear, telling her that she thinks her and Diggy would be a great match. It didn’t seem that Taylor did this with malicious intent, but who knows? Dom does ask Diggy on the date, upsetting Lacey.

Diggy goes on his second date of the day, and he is really into Dom. He tells her that he went on a date with Lacey but he thinks they are on different wavelengths (I guess I was wrong when I thought Diggy was into Lacey). Luckily, he also says that he wants to make sure that Lacey is ok, which keeps Diggy on the side of the good guys.

That night, Danielle is leaving Paradise and everyone is sad to see her go, especially Wells. Wells walks her out to the car AND GIVES HER A BIG KISS. Loving this, loving them. Get married, and have babies, please.

BIP 4-4 - Danielle_Wells_kisssource

Best Tweets

[It’s hard to find funny tweets two weeks late  – I’ll pick this section back up while recapping Week 3]

Best Dressed

BIP 4-4 - Raven Green Swimsuit

Raven’s swimsuits have been some of my favorite this season, and I thought this army green one was super sexy. I always love tasteful side boob. Raven seems to love the L*Space swimsuits this summer, the Pamela one-piece can be purchased here (just in time for that one Indian summer weekend we hopefully get!).

Both Dominique and Sarah chose floral printed Show Me Your Mumu for their arrival outfits.

BIP 4-4 - Sarah Arrival Outfit

I knew as soon as I saw it that Sarah was wearing a Show Me Your Mumu set. I’m a big fan of the brand, and it seems like the ladies of Bachelor Nation are as well (Carly’s bridesmaids’ dresses were also by the brand as well). Sarah’s top can be found here and the bottoms here.  Lucky for us, both pieces are on sale!

BIP 4-4 - Dom Arrival Outfit

Dom’s romper can be purchased here and is unfortunately not on sale. Boo!

Two days until the next episode and two episodes left to recap. I think I can do it!

know better-bip4: episode 3

Work got in the way a little bit, but it can’t keep me from my goal of catching up on Paradise. Let’s get to Episode 3!

My Takeaways

BIP 4-3 - Adam Bug.gifsource

We start with the day before the first rose ceremony, and a bunch of the girls are super concerned that none of the men are romantically interested in them. First, there are going to be like 15 new men that come into Paradise at any point. Second, you have the power! It doesn’t matter if they don’t like you – they have no control. This should be easy peasy for them, no need to freak out.

Speaking of new men coming in, Adam makes his way into Paradise with a date card. He gets the low down on current relationships and gets the go ahead to take any girl he wants, minus Taylor. Adam is interested in Raven and Kristina and talks to both of them. I knew he was going to pick Raven for the date when he called her dynamic – I think that is such a powerful compliment.

While Raven and Adam go on a very nice, but boring, first date, Dean and Kristina continue to be on the rocks. I love Deanie Babies as much as the next person, but he really is a child when it comes to relationships. He liked Kristina enough to go to Kentucky with her during the filming stoppage but, not enough to have a conversation about where they stand. At this point in Paradise, he isn’t interested in anyone else but her so I can imagine how aloof and confusing he will be when someone else he is even remotely interested in arrives (Spoiler alert: we will get to see this).

BIP 4-3 - Jasmine Alex thirstysource

We FINALLY get to our first rose ceremony, and a lot of the men are feeling uncertain. After Amanda tells Alex that he no longer is going to get her rose he is scrambling to find a new one. Robby, unsure if he will get Raven’s rose, makes the move on Amanda. Robby is hesitant to go for her at first because she was engaged to one of his friends but he goes for it anyway. This conversation is so frustrating and annoying for me because they keep calling Josh Murray ‘Anonymous’ when everyone knows who they are talking about. If you don’t feel comfortable saying his name while you are having this conversation maybe you shouldn’t be having it.

BIP 4-3 - Amanda Robby You're really sweaty

Finally, Dean decides to have a semi-adult conversation with Kristina and tells her that he has felt weird vibes between the two of them and thinks that they should take a step back. He tells her that he wanted to have the conversation before the rose ceremony so she could make a good decision for herself. Too bad he couldn’t have had the conversation with her all the times she tried to have it, which would have actually given her time to get to know someone else.

Unfortunately, Kristina still gives Dean her rose. After watching the episode, the only mild surprise was Danielle M giving Ben Z a rose but after Raven gave hers to Adam, Danielle wanted to have a nice guy stick around.

BIP 4-3 - Alexis Damnsource

The next day Danielle Lombard arrives, and all the men go crazy. To be honest, I was never a DLo fan, and I’m not a fan of her now. She has a tendency to laugh after everything anyone says and it drives me crazy. She gets the scoop from the girls as to who is with who, and knows that Kristina and Dean have some type of connection. She disregards that, and asks Dean on a date anyway. To be honest, I don’t blame her for that too much, as I don’t think her and Kristina are great friends and Dean and Kristina are “taking a step back”.

On their date, Dean and DLo ride ATVs, talk about their seasons, their families, and share a kiss. God, these Paradise dates are boring.

Upon returning from their date, Dean goes to talk to Kristina to tell her about their date and tell her that him and DLo kissed. I know that he is just trying to be honest with her but I don’t think it’s necessary. Dean tells Kristina that he missed her during the day, and she leaves the conversation feeling good about their relationship.

BIP 4-3 - Alexis 'dean's a little d***'source

That night, everyone is having a bonfire and roasting s’mores. Dean and Kristina seem to be pretty cuddly around the campfire; that is, until he goes and brings DLo a half-birthday “cake” (watermelon with whipped cream). Understandably, it upsets Kristina to see Dean giving another girl attention when she thought they were moving forward. The episode ends with Dean oblivious, and Kristina crying on her bed with Alexis (who I would like to recruit to be my new BFF).

Best Tweets

[It’s hard to find funny tweets two weeks late  – I’ll pick this section back up while recapping Week 3]

Best Dressed

I was a big fan of the rose ceremony dresses this week.

BIP 4-3 - Danielle M Rose Ceremony

I couldn’t find Danielle’s purple maxi dress but I found a similar cut in hot pink here.  I loved the chunky gold necklace that she paired the dress with, I found a similar one here (only $18!).

BIP 4-3 - Kristina Rose Ceremony Romper

Continuing her romper domination, Kristina looked hot in this outfit from Calypso Boutique, which can be found here.

BIP 4-3 - Danielle M Off the Shoulder Dress

Of the casual outfits, only Danielle M.’s off the shoulder look stood out to me. This dress is Flynn Skye, which we know Danielle loves,  and can be bought here.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the season! You can find me on Twitter @third_and_girl.

 

still got time-bip4: episode 2

One day later, and I’m continuing my Bachelor in Paradise marathon. I realize now that my initial goal of catching up all in one weekend is extremely unrealistic, especially with blogging as I go. New goal: get caught up by the time week 4 rolls around, which includes full week 3 posts WITH funny tweets. I don’t know about you guys, but the tweets are my favorite.

My Takeaways

BIP 4-2 - Evan OMG

Easily the best part of this episode was Carly and Evan’s wedding. Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of either of them on their initial seasons but grew to love them as they joined the cast of Bachelor in Paradise. I think their relationship is one of the most realistic – the guy instantly knew and chased the girl and it took the girl a little bit of time to realize he wasn’t a complete lunatic. Hearing them talk about their relationship cracks me up.

BIP 4-2 - Evan Bass Hard In the Paint

The wedding seemed really fun and perfect for Mexico. I loved all of the colors and the pom-pom garland. Carly and her bridesmaids looked gorgeous and it was awesome to see some Bachelor family faces that we haven’t seen in awhile (Hi Whitney!). I cried through the entire thing.

BIP 4-2 - Wells Groomsmen

After the wedding, we go back to current day Paradise, where Chris is having a chat with the cast about the the DeMario/Corinne scandal. No one says anything that interesting, or different from what they had put out on Twitter. I think Diggy and Raven spoke the most eloquently about the issues. Diggy could relate to the struggles DeMario may face in the future as a black man and Raven, having been a victim of sexual assault herself, was able to voice the need for every victim to speak up. I think it was extremely brave of her to speak out and I admire her even more for it. Scandal aside, everyone agrees that they still want to be in Paradise so we can get back to the nonsense.

The interesting dynamic that this break in filming created is that some relationships continued when they were in the US for 10 days. We find out that Dean went to visit Kristina in Kentucky for a week, seemingly solidifying their Paradise bond. Jasmine is still very into Matt, although Matt seems to have cooled on Jasmine a bit. Raven has no idea what she wants to do, Amanda no longer thinks she is going to give Alex her rose, and Danielle doesn’t think she’s actually into Jack Stone. See what putting these people in the real world does! It’s chaos!

BIP 4-2 - I think she hates him

Even though Amanda is trying to keep her distance from Alex, he really isn’t having it. Amanda says that she used to take men being slightly possessive of her as a sign of flattery and attraction, but has learned that she doesn’t want that in a relationship anymore (cough cough, Josh Murray). I’m hopeful that this realization will lead to more successful relationships for Amanda, who according to Alexis deserves love more than her. Everyone can see that whenever anyone approaches Amanda, Alex finds a way to worm himself into the conversation. He asks Raven for advice with Amanda, and she tells him to not talk to Amanda and to talk to other people. Obviously, he takes this to mean, “I should go talk to Amanda right now.” Some people never learn.

The other person who is so concerned about someone liking them is Lacey. Unfortunately, her grandfather died before the shutdown, and she wasn’t in Mexico for the duration. Upon returning, she really feels like an outsider. I’m confused because Iggy was into her before she left, and the only interaction we see of the two of them now is her asking him if he is full of sh*t. Uhmm, not the way to a man’s heart, Lacey. Also, she thinks Danielle is the perfect human, so maybe none of these sane men are quite her style.

Derek gets a date card and obviously asks Taylor. They go on a pretty boring dinner date but these two seem to be following for each other hard. Are we looking at this season’s Jade and Tanner?

From the previews, it looks like one more man is going to join the group before the women hand out roses. Will it be Lacey’s beloved Daniel, or someone else set to shake everything up?

Best Tweets

[It’s hard to find funny tweets two weeks late  – I’ll pick this section back up while recapping Week 3]

Best Dressed

BIP 4-2 - Kristina Romper

Kristina is killing the romper game this season, as she had another cute one on during the sit down with Chris Harrison. Kristina’s romper is Ark & Co and can be found here (pre owned).

BIP 4-2 - Amanda Crop Top

If Kristina is killing the romper game, Amanda has got the crop top game on lock. Her top is actually a swimsuit from Tularosa and can be purchased here.

BIP 4-2 - Raven Swim Suit

I haven’t been super impressed with the swim suits this season, but I did like Raven’s due to the sporty back and neutral colors. Raven’s swimsuit is L*Space, with the top and bottom sold separately (but on sale!)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the season so far! Any outfits you want me to identify? Let me know!

 

holiday – bip4: episode 1

Paradise is back! What a welcome surprise, after the controversy that almost caused it not to be on our TV’s at all this summer. Finals had me way behind on the show, but I’m using this week to catch up. I don’t think I’ve ever recapped BIP and I’m really looking forward to it. Expect A LOT of posts this week.

My Takeaways

BIP4-1 - Chris Harrison Most Dramatic

The first to arrive in Paradise (here we capitalize Paradise, it is an important place) and her voiceovers sound like she is taking this whole thing wayyyy too seriously. You shouldn’t go into Paradise hoping to get engaged. You should go into it hoping to have a great time in Mexico, and if you leave with something kind of serious than consider it a huge bonus. That being said, I love Raven and am rooting for her to find love.

BIP4-1 - Iggy Dean Bromance

Dean arrives next, and I was surprised that he and Raven didn’t seem that into each other. She says that he’s cute, but I imagined the two of them being the power couple of Paradise. It’s possible that my love for Raven is clouding my judgment, but I would have expected all of the guys to be looking to meet her.

BIP4-1- Alexis Opening Scene

There are a bunch more arrivals, and none are too interesting. We see the arrivals of Danielle M., Kristina, Jasmine, Iggy, Diggy, Alexis (YAAAS), Matt, DeMario, Corinne, Lacey, Amanda S., Jack Stone, Vinny, Nick, Derek, Taylor, and Alex. I actually got most of those off the top of my head which, to me, is both concerning and impressive.

BIP4-1 - Corinne Siesta Fiesta

On the first day, a couple of pairs hit it off. Dean and Kristina have an oddly heartfelt (for Paradise) conversation about the tough childhoods that they both had. Ben Z. and Raven have some alone time and Raven learns a lot about Ben’s dog. To be honest, I could listen to someone talk about their dog all day, so there was no need for the do-do music to be edited in there. DeMario and Corinne are also all over each other.

The whole group gets together to hear the sad news that Jorge won’t be their bartender this summer, that he is following his dreams and opening ‘Jorge’s-Tour-ges’. I don’t know if this is a real thing or not, but sign me up. There is no way that our Bachelors and Bachelorettes are going to left high and dry, so Wells is brought in to be the bartender.

BIP 4-1 - Alexis Vagina Dancing

Kristina gets the first date card and asks Dean to go on her date. While those two are on their date (which was really boring) Danielle M., who was seen at least 3 times saying that Dean was the cutest one on the beach, vents to her pal from Nashville, Wells. Hearing the way Danielle talks about Wells makes you question why the two of them have never dated before. From personal experience, you always go for the radio guy.

Nick came into Paradise wanting to meet Jasmine, but he is blowing it big time by getting HAMMERED on night one. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, Matt swoops in. Jasmine seems to be more into Matt, and when he is given a date card a few days later, it is Jasmine that he takes on his date.

BIP4-1 - Danielle imitates Robby's hair

The next day Robby makes his way to Paradise – all 12 abs and 30 bathing suits of him. He is given a date card and decides to take Raven. They have fun jet skiing around, but Robby thinks Raven is much more into the date than she actually is. As she is unpacking the date with her girls she mentions that there were no sparks and that he talked about being a social media influencer. Robby thinks that is a cool thing, as he tells the guys that they talked about Instagram. Insert eye roll here.

BIP 4-1 - Robby wine Spritzer

At the rose ceremony, many of the women have their minds made up but a few are up in the air. Ben Z. gets the confirmation from Raven that she is much more into him than she is into Robby. Vinny, Iggy, Diggy, and a few other guys are looking to worm their way into getting one of the girls’ roses and get a shot at another week. It is at this time when the production shut down starts to take place. Corinne and DeMario are pulled away by producers and the cameras are going dark, and the episode ends.

BIP4-1 - Better Than Robby Kiss

Best Tweets

[It’s hard to find funny tweets two weeks late  – I’ll pick this section back up while recapping Week 3]

Best Dressed

BIP 4-1 - Danielle M Intro Outfit

Danielle M. was the style star for me this week. I loved the two piece set she wore to enter paradise and the green floral maxi she was wearing at the rose ceremony. Not only that, I’m loving her extra platinum blonde hair. The set was by Flynn Skye, a designer that I’d liked when she wore it on Nick’s season. The pattern is Floral Fireworks and you can buy the top here and the skirt here.

BIP 4-1 - Danielle M Rose Ceremony Dress

The dress is Karlie, and can be found here.

BIP 4-1 - Kristina Intro Romper

Kristina’s arrival romper was really cute. The romper is by Tobi, and is a pretty reasonable $80. You can buy it here.

BIP 4-1 - Amanda Intro Crop Top

Amanda’s wardrobe never disappoints. A nautical look will never be out of style for the summer, so her arrival crop top was a great choice. The top is Stone Cold Fox, and can be found here (actually on sale through the designer, but not any retailers!)

Who are your favorite couples in Paradise so far? Anyone? Let me know!

 

life with luna-gotcha day

Guys, my lifelong dream of owning a dog of my very own has finally come true, and I can’t tell you how much joy this girl brings to my life. If you haven’t seen on my Instagram already, meet Luna:

IMG_0140

About a week ago, my boyfriend, Geordie, and I decided it was finally time to get a dog. Well, actually, we decided more than a week ago, as the last weekend in July has been circled on our calendar all year. We have had so many out of town weddings this summer that that weekend was the earliest weekend that we were going to be in town and able to get our new pup settled. On July 28, we went to the PSPCA just to browse (year right) for a pup.

I had gone to a charity event the night before benefiting the PSPCA and fell in love with a puppy named Louise. When we got the shelter on Friday evening, Louise had been adopted and I was a little bummed. I turned around to look at the other row of kennels, and we locked eyes with this little black lab mutt, named Emma at the time, and our hearts melted. Not wanting to jump the gun, we browsed through the shelter, while Geordie assured me that, “no, we can not get three of them.” On our way back around we stopped at her cage again, and were amused by how she looked at us while all the other dogs in the kennel barked. It was the look of “IDK what these guys are barking at, they’re crazy.” I think it was that moment that we decided that we wanted to meet this little girl, and possibly take her home.

IMG_0122First family picture

We took her outside to let her run around and fell in love with her energy and love of life. I’ve never seen a dog look so happy running around, tongue out of her mouth and everything! I wish I had a picture of that. It was a no brainer that this silly girl was going to be our girl.

We were able to take her home a few days later (she still had to be spayed), and our life has changed so much in the past two week – but for the better. It is incredible how this animal who can not speak can have so much personality. Luna loves chicken (it’s the only way she will take a pill), tearing apart toys (especially stuffed ducks), pulling blankets inside her crates, and chasing bugs and leaves. She also is the biggest baby in the world and loves to cuddle.

IMG_0176Begging for chicken

I’d love to share my future experiences as a dog owner with you, especially living in the city. I’ve already learned that it’s really hard to keep her focus while outside , so any tips and tricks would be welcome!

Welcome to our family, Luna! We love you!