The Bachelor: Week 2 Recap

HOLA mis amigos. This week is the FIRST week of dates, which is really when the season STARTS. (I'm TRYING to write like JP tweets, with random and OBNOXIOUS capitalization. Bless his HEART.)

Clare's 1-on-1: 
JP comes to pick Clare up in his awesome Tesla, and naturally all the other girls are jealous. They all follow the two outside and gasp, ooh, and ahh as JP blindfolds Clare and they drive off into the sunset. The viewers know from Sunday's extra episode that JP and Clare are headed to a "Winter Wonderland", complete with real (fake) snow. I have mixed feelings about the whole blindfolding thing. On one hand, it's romantic and I love surprises, but on the other (bigger) hand I think I would get carsick and probably ruin the Tesla's gorgeous interior. Luckily, Clare fared just fine and was giddy with excitement when they arrived to the date. JP piggy backed her across the snow and finally sat her down on the hill and removed the blindfold. Clare's reaction was precious and incredibly genuine. Her and JP frolicked through the "snow", ran through trees and slid down hills, or as JP would pronounce them, HEEEELS.

After a quick bout of ice skating, which Clare looked very out of place and not so graceful in, the date moved to the hot tub. Clare looked gorgeous in her bikini, and she snuggled up to JP to "open up" as all the girls feel they need to. Clare might have been a bit too open for date numero uno as she spent most of the time talking about her late dad, who was the "epitome of what a man should be." Also, she was massaging JP the whole time, which poor Crazy Amy did and she was sent home! JP must've liked Clare's touch better, because she got a rose. Just in time too. The first private concert of the season was starting. I hate that the girls still act surprised that they are a part of a private concert. That's ABC's signature move, ladies! However, I was surprised, and slightly annoyed, that the private concerts started on the very first date this season. Overall, I think it was a solid first date for this season. Clare did a great job of being herself; Juan Pablo did a great job of keeping the confusing accent and dialogue to a minimum.

Kat's 1-on-1: From a Winter Wonderland in LA...to Utah. JP sure has a variety of dates up his sleeve. Kat and JP board a private jet, and for whatever reason she thinks they're going to Miami. Really? Once again, I have mixed feelings about the whole private jet thing. Too loud and way too much turbulence for me. Or maybe I'm just really lame and old. Hmm. Anyways, JP disappeared (on a small plane, not sure where to) and returned in a flashy jumpsuit outfit with crazy neon colors and awesome sunglasses. He handed Kat a similar outfit, although much less material, and the two landed in Park City, Utah. Turns out, they would be starting this Electric Dance 5K. Now hold on just one minute. A 5K date? I would've definitely needed some prior warning that I would be running over 3 miles on my first date. And then I would have politely declined.

However, as the race started, it looked like an absolute blast! The running is more of a light jog with tons of pauses to just dance and have a good time. Yet again, an opportunity for JP to dance rather than speak. JP did know ahead of time that Kat loved to dance which is a plus as he has some pretty smooth moves himself. Naturally, the two found their way to the stage and led the crowd in one of the coolest raves I've ever seen. 5K aside, I would've 100% rather had this date than the lame Winter Wonderland. Kat gets the rose, and her and JP dance the night away.

Group Date: The first group date of the season...brace yourselves. The group dates always prove to be the most dramatic, and the most entertaining. On this date, JP took a group of girls to be a part of a charity photo shoot. Super fun, right? More like super funny. The charity that the photo shoot would be supporting was one I could get on board with: the adoption of dogs! And the models aka the girls posed with pups in some pretty interesting outfits. Notable outfits included a fire hydrant costume, a painted on dog, and cardboard signs. Now, to elaborate. Southern belle Kelly was sporting a painted on dalmatian? Whatever dog it was supposed to be, it was hilarious. She was painted head to toe in white and brown with a giant white spot around her eye. While other girls were dressed in beautiful dresses, sweet Kelly was a dog. She was a great sport about it though, so bonus points for her.

Undoubtedly the most controversy and drama came from the costumes that Andi and Elise were supposed to wear. No clothes, no swimsuits, just a piece of cardboard to barely cover them, that read "Adopt" and "Me" respectively. Naturally, the girls were stressing out about how scantily clad they would be, and for good reason. As a lawyer and a first grade teacher, posing practically nude on national television goes against everything they value and have worked for. Elise was quick and clever and traded her "costume" for Lucy's fire hydrant costume. Lucy is our resident nudist this season. Her job is listed as "free spirit", and she is every bit of that. Producers are clearly keeping her on the show to create drama with the girls. And cameramen are just begging to keep her around as long as possible. So, Elise was in the clear, but Andi was still stressing. JP came over to comfort her and informed her that he would also be posing nude in the photo shoot so everything was "allll goood." For whatever reason, this comforted her enough to convince her to do it. The three of them posed in the strangest photo shoot I've seen in a while. Quite the first date, eh?

As the sun went down, that's when things got interesting. Victoria was the star of the night, and not for good reason. It quickly became apparent that Victoria had one too many glasses of wine to calm her nerves. And as expected, she denied that she was drunk, insisting that "this is how [she] normally acts." Alright then. There was some provocative dancing followed by a quick exit to the bathroom. Here come the tears. Victoria was clearly past the tipping point as she sank to the bathroom floor and began to cry, whine, and yell. Renee, our resident mom, did her best to get Victoria under control and keep her from embarrassing herself any further, but she was beyond reason. Even JP tried to talk to her, and he too, came up empty. The night ended with Kelly getting the group date rose because she "was such a great sport",  even though I thought Andi definitely was the best sport. But Kelly's cute too, so it's all good. Oh gosh, I sound like JP.

JP visited Victoria the next morning in the hotel she crashed at and rightly sent her home. Her apology, if you could call it that, was incredibly weak. As a 31 year old daddy, JP is long past the stage of drunk nights and immature girls. Byeeeee Victoria.

Rose Ceremony: This week's rose ceremony was uneventful, especially in comparison to last week's. We did find out however, on the group date, that Cassandra is also a momma. During the cocktail party, Cassandra had a mini meltdown about missing her son Trey, and resident mom Renee came to her rescue. JP also consoled her, telling her she was cute. Thanks for the kind words, JP. We lost Chantel and Amy L this week. Not too many tears, not too much drama. JP is now down to 15 women, a much more reasonable amount of women to date at the same time.

My Top 5: 

Andi
Clare
Renee
Nikki
Kat

IT'S JUANUARY! (The Bachelor Premiere)

Ladies and gentlemen, mujeres y hombres, we are back! After much too long of a hiatus (there was no Bachelor Pad this summer), The Bachelor returned with Juan Pablo. Someone on Twitter, probably Chris Harrison, affectionately named this month "Juanuary", as each and every week, viewers are "blessed" with two nights of The Bachelor. So, although The Bachelor technically premiered on Monday night, there was a "Behind the Scenes" look into Juan Pablo's life as well as the casting process of the girls that was broadcasted on Sunday night. You didn't miss much.


Oh, the Bachelor mansion. It is good to be home. After a quick introduction by Chris Harrison (my candidate for the next Bachelor), we are off and running. Juan Pablo (JP) gets some advice from former Bachelor Sean Lowe. There is the standard awkward "how to kiss girls" talk, just as Sean received last year from Arie. This conversation felt very forced to me as Sean and JP aren't actually friends and weren't even on the same season. Just a not so clever time filler. C'mon Elan and fellow producers. We couldn't come up with anything better? Sean Lowe stole the show in this segment and quickly reminded America that despite JP's adorable accent, he is and will always be America's best and favorite Bachelor. Yessir.

The Limos: 
After another couple unnecessary bits, we are finally ready to meet the women. JP looks dapper as always, and apparently dapper enough to have 27 women rather than the usual 25. "Lucky" him. The first interactions are always very awkward as each girl often tries crazy things just to make a lasting impression on the Bachelor. This season was no different. One of the first girls that got my attention was Nikki, a gorgeous pediatric nurse that gave JP a stethoscope to feel her racing heartbeat. Cute, a tad sexy, but not over the top. Clare, bless her heart, stepped out the limo pretending to be pregnant. Now, as a father himself, JP handled the situation very well and played along until she admitted it was a joke. A very risky move, but Lindsay did something similar last season by showing up in a wedding dress and she made it to the final two, so maybe there's something to be said about being a tad crazy on night one. Keep an eye out this season for Clare.

I vaguely remember some mediocre piano playing as an intro, but I have no idea who it was. Either they were eliminated that night or they will be soon. When Andi, the final girl, stepped out of the limo, JP literally turns away at the sight of how beautiful she is. Now, prior to tonight I didn't think I was going to like her because her bio sounded like she was kind of a stuck up lawyer who was way too invested in herself and her job. However, she is absolutely stunning and they clearly have a connection. My fear that she might be this season's Tierra has mostly gone away and she is actually my front runner as of now.

Cocktail Party: 
After meeting all the women, Juan Pablo comes inside and starts a dance party to break the ice. What a fun idea! The girls all clearly loved it, as it showcased his ability to let loose and just have a good time. Also, it allowed JP to dance rather than talk which is a bonus because his English is absolutely terrible. Settle in for a season of very little dialogue from JP. With a photo booth, and Kelly's dog Molly in the house, the girls seem to be having a great time.

However, the night is still young and everyone wants their time with JP. Amy aka Crazy Amy decides that it would be appropriate to take JP outside and showcase her masseuse skills. First of all, he's in a suit so there's no way this massage is actually enjoyable. Secondly, just no. It was so awkward to watch and JP was visibly uncomfortable. Needless to say, Crazy Amy didn't get a rose.

Lauren H., who looks strangely like Blakely from Ben's season, is just a mess. She literally cannot stop talking about herself and the breakup she so recently got out of. Despite her attempts to convince JP, the girls, and us that she has moved on, it's clear that she hasn't. Hang out in the real world for a while sweetie, reality TV is not the cure. I was happy to see her go home, for her own health, and for mine.

First Impression Rose: This season there is only Juan first impression rose. Get it? It's a pun. My last one for the season, I promise (False). Apparently the producers were no longer fans of multiple first impression roses, as seen on Sean and Des' seasons. When interviewed about the rose, some random girl said, "It's not just a rose. It's my future." Oh sweetheart, you are in for a rough season. As a shock to myself and most of America, Sharleen got the first impression rose. Probably in part because her dress was super risque and Juan Pablo pointed out it was "super cute." (Another fair warning...when JP doesn't know what to say/how to say it, he often resorts to "You're cute"). Sharleen has an extremely delayed response, and when she finally answers, she simply says "Sure." Weird. I'm just not seeing it, JP.

Rose Ceremony:
Chris Harrison reappears from the darkness to announce it is time for the rose ceremony. If you're ready, here's Juan Pablo. And if you're not, here's Juan Pablo. Nine girls will be going home tonight, quite a few! I was definitely appreciating that Kelly's dog, Molly, was part of the ceremony. Precious. Perhaps the best and only noteworthy moment of the rose ceremony was when Kylie misheard Kat's name for her own. Super awkward, but also incredibly hilarious. The best part is that she didn't receive a rose. See the clip below.

Overall, it was an entertaining first episode. Not quite on par with Sean, but I am looking forward to watching JP struggle with English the whole season and the girls continue to insist that his poor English, inability to communicate, and heavy accent is "so sexy."


My Top 5:

Andi
Renee
Clare
Nikki
Kat

The Bachelorette: Finale Recap

It's here. It's finally here. Honestly, Desiree's finale couldn't have came sooner. This season was absolutely exhausting for me as viewer, especially towards the end. I don't particularly like watching TV and then going to bed emotionally drained from someone else's dating problems. Not normal. After last week, I was unsure that there was even going to be a finale, but after checking my TV Guide and seeing "The Bachelorette" for THREE hours, I confirmed one last time with Morgan and Lindsey for our girls night. 

The episode begins with yet another interview with Chris Harrison. After many tears, dramatic pauses, and ridiculous questions from Chris, Desiree decided that she would like to have the rose ceremony and continue her relationships with Drew and Chris. The rose ceremony was awkward and hard to watch as she broke down in tears after mentioning what happened with Brooks. Although both Drew and Chris received a rose, I knew Desiree was far from choosing either one of the them as her fiance. Or so I thought.

Drew's Departure: As Desiree approached Drew for their "date", it was clear that she was completely closed off and they were heading straight for break up town. It was only a matter of minutes (on the show) before Des pulled the classic "I need to talk to you" line and Drew settled in for heartbreak. She explained that she didn't feel capable of loving him like he deserved to be loved. Drew was incredibly mature, receptive, and composed during this entire conversation, earning him more bonus points in my book. (As if that was even possible.) After a tough goodbye, Drew headed home to Scottsdale, where thousands of women were eagerly awaiting his arrival.

(If you didn't read this in the Spongebob narration
voice, we can't be friends.)

Chris' Date: So, I'm not entirely sure what switch this girl flipped overnight, but she was bright eyed and bushy tailed for her date with Chris. Like nothing ever happened. The two spent the day on a private catamaran in each others embrace. Desiree was her usual giddy, goofy self and it took me by surprise. ABC did some serious editing this season because these strong feelings for Chris were never this evident until now. Of course. Dinner, conversation, and the rest of the evening flowed perfectly. My skeptical glasses were definitely on at this point.

After spending the day with Chris, Desiree tells the camera, "How could I not have loved him from the beginning?" Hmm. Interesting. She decides that she wants Chris to meet her family. Bring on the brother. Chris is very excited and eager to meet her family and ask her dad for his blessing. Nate, Des' brother, grills Chris similarly to as he did Sean last season, but gives Des his approval in the end. Bravo. Des' parents are really quirky and at this point I decided that the two families would get along quite well, actually. Chris gets the dad's approval, and it seems like we will be moving forward with this whole process. Again, interesting.

Enter Neil Lane with his classic six gorgeous engagement rings. Chris is so excited and is 100% sure of his decision as he selects the ring for Desiree. I would be ALL FOR THIS if the whole Brooks thing had not gone down. I will try my best to support Desiree and Chris as I truly wish them the best, but it's just all a little confusing for me. Desiree looks stunning in her "final rose" dress, nothing new. She looks so happy to see Chris as he arrives, though he's looking rather nervous. He begins pouring his heart out as every proposer does and as he goes to get on one knee, Des stops him. Hold up. A fleeting moment of panic and excitement...quickly destroyed as Desiree just professes her love to him, clears up the whole Brooks thing (quite well, I might add) and gives him the go ahead to propose. More or less. She accepts Chris' proposal amongst tears with the words, "Yes. A thousand times yes." Beautiful, although stolen from Pride and Prejudice. Less beautiful. The episode ends and we arrive at the Live studio audience for the "After The Final Rose" show. 

After The Final Rose: Desiree enters with the ring on her finger and a smile on her face. Chris congratulates her on her engagement, but wastes no time going into the tough questions. Brooks is the main topic of discussion, as he should be. Everyone was a bit confused how she could still pick someone after what happened with Brooks, and if Chris would trust her. She has nothing but positive things to say...so Chris brings out Brooks. Despite her claim that she was not nervous to see him, I immediately noticed a change in her demeanor. I could literally see her thinking as her eyes were constantly darting around the room. The conversation between the two is super awkward. However, Pro: Brooks cut his hair. Con: He didn't cut it short enough. Brooks leaves the stage, not fast enough for either of them I can imagine. For the rest of the show, Des just seems uncomfortable. Her meeting with Drew is nothing more than cordial conversation, though she did look more at ease with him next to her. 

Chris comes on stage and the two make their debut as a couple. Yay. Their relationship looks a bit forced to me. I don't think Desiree had enough time to get over Brooks and fall for Chris, and definitely not enough time to get engaged. Heavens no. Chris tortures the audience with one final exit poem; I wouldn't expect anything else. I hope they stand the test of time and turn out to be as an adorable of a couple as Sean and Catherine, though that's shooting for the stars. 

Undoubtedly the best part of the entire finale was the announcement of Juan Pablo as the next Bachelor! I am so pumped I can barely stand it. His season (I predict) is going to be absolutely hilarious, filled with adventures, and extremely entertaining. Word on the street is that ABC's website crashed last night from the flood of applications it received after announcing Juan Pablo as the next Bachelor. I believe it. 

I will definitely be blogging about Juan Pablo's season, starting in January. Until then, keep an eye out for random posts, videos, and/or a new series on my blog! Thanks for going through this exhausting journey to find love with me!

The Bachelorette: Week 10 Recap

Week 10

This Monday began the two part finale of Desiree's season as The Bachelorette. ABC advertised and promised that this would be the most shocking, drama filled finale yet...and they did not disappoint. However, they did leave the drama until the very end of the episode. Standard.

Drew: Drew and Des spend the day tooling around the island of Antigua in a sporty Jeep, stopping along the way to kiss. A lot. Drew is head over heels for this girl; he can't stop kissing her and saying 'I love you.' They attend a local festival with dancing, shopping, and awkward gestures from the locals. A local hands Des a heart made out of leaves or something weird and then proceeds to ask Drew and Des to kiss. Intensely. And then, he just sits there and watches. Creepy. The couple has dinner in their fantasy suite that Drew gladly accepted the invitation to. Drew talks of how excited he is to finally be able to say "good morning" instead of "good night." This kid really is precious.

Chris: Private island date. I knew it was coming. Although, this private island looked a little less than impressive. There was just lots of sand and not very many trees. As Des and Chris talked on the beach, I noticed that they were both squinting at the sun, but neither had sunglasses. Apparently, sunglasses are not allowed. That officially puts me out of the running for ever being on the show. At dinner, Chris presents Des with...another poem. I think this is poem number eight or nine. Enough is enough, buddy. Des couldn't care less though, at least it seems that way. She looks at him all wide-eyed as usual as he reads it aloud to her. They talk of where they would live if this whole thing were to work out, and Chris asks Desiree if she would be comfortable moving to Seattle. This is the first concrete discussion of plans after the show that I have ever heard. Some redeeming points to Chris to counteract his cheesiness. Just a few. Chris also accepts his invitation to the fantasy suite and the two spend the remainder of their evening in the hot tub, kissing and stuff. Eew.

Brooks: Here's where things get really interesting. Prior to flying out to Antigua, Brooks revisits his family to discuss some feelings and hesitations that he is having. Uh oh. Not a good sign. During his discussion with his mother and sister, he comes to the conclusion that he is not in love with Desiree, despite how much he wants to be, and will be breaking up with her when he arrives in Antigua. As we know, Desiree is in love with Brooks, (breaking protocol by telling us) so this is going to absolutely devastate her. Brooks talks with Chris Harrison and confirms his decision, though he was a wreck while discussing it. If he was this shaky and nervous while talking to Chris, talking to Desiree is going to be an absolute disaster.

And it was. As Brooks greeted Des, she immediately sensed that something was wrong. He led her to a bench where he began to try to explain what he was feeling, though he never said the words "I don't love you" or anything with the word "break up" in it. However, Des quickly put together the pieces and was crushed. As she should've been. The breakup itself took way longer than necessary and eventually got boring, in my opinion. I wanted to scream at Brooks to just leave already! Leave Desiree to cry and grieve. She needs to be alone and away from you to start the whole grieving and healing process. Having been in this almost exact same situation, I know how hard it was for both Desiree and Brooks. Many people just empathized with Desiree (which is fine and needed), but forget how hard it is to leave someone that you so desperately want to love, but just don't. Brooks made the mistake of staying with Desiree for way too long, trying to comfort her. That is not your place, bud! After what seemed like an eternity, Brooks and Des finally went their separate ways. Whew, that was exhausting.

So now what? Des was very much in love with Brooks, but he didn't feel the same way and left. In my opinion, after watching her get so torn up by Brooks' departure, there is no way that she can pick either Drew or Chris. It just wouldn't make any sense. So, for the first time in Bachelorette history, I think she chooses no one. If Brooks decides to come back for whatever reason, I think she would accept his proposal and they would both be making a huge mistake. I feel for this girl, I really do. Crossing my fingers for everything to turn out okay for her, at some point down the road.

The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All (Week 9)

Welcome to The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All. Let's put all of the men that have been cast off this season in one room and watch them confront each other. That is, if their egos can all fit in the same room. Honestly, I was not looking forward to this episode. Two hours of drama is just not up my alley. That being said...

As the men are introduced, the loudest applause goes to Juan Pablo and Zak W, and the loudest 'boo's went to Ben and James. No surprises there. After a brief recap of the drama highlights of the season, the floor is opened up for the guys to discuss their feelings. Here we go.

Jonathan was the first to catch a little bit of heat for his fantasy suite opener and he quickly apologized for that and we all moved on. Lucky break for him. Bryan was the next to be put in the hot seat, though he was not present for the grilling. Coward. The general consensus among the men was that Bryan was not there for the right reasons and had absolutely no business going on the show with a girlfriend back home (even if she was completely psychotic.) Once again, agreed. Let's move on to the more interesting stuff please, Chris!

With Ben in the hot seat, things heat up. But, only slightly. He explains his less than graceful exit with saying that he had just been dumped and battered about huge things in his life for eight hours straight. The guy was bound to crack at some point, right? However, I wish he could've cracked a little sooner and high-fived Michael G...in the face...with a chair. Ben was the classic snake of the season that none of the other housemates liked. One could compare him to Tierra of Sean's season, but not nearly as bad.

James was in the hot seat for way too long. Honestly, looking back, the drama of this season was rather disappointing. The main controversy with James surrounded a conversation between James and Mikey in a limo. For more on the whole James drama, feel free to read my recap of Week 6. As he is questioned by Chris and the other men, James gets defensive instantly and starts talking really fast and stuttering again. I'll give this guy some grace, but America certainly did not. Life goes on after the show. There was no master plan to become to the next Bachelor; this guy just said the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place around the wrong people. Amidst all of the shouting, pointing, and yelling, poor Juan Pablo is caught sitting in between Mikey and Kasey. Somebody get this guy a seat change.

Juan Pablo was next to be put in the hot seat, but for different reasons. That man sent the hot seat up in flames. So America, and the other guys, all have a crush on Juan Pablo. Literally no one had anything negative to say about Juan Pablo. He is the clear fan favorite...next Bachelor anyone? I'd watch.

Zak W is wearing the same outfit tonight that he was wearing on the night he was let go. Wait a minute, did he just come from Des dumping him? One would think so by how torn up over Des he still is. In a very creepy conversation with Chris Harrison, Zak reveals that he wrote a secret in invisible ink in the back of the journal that he gave Des. Very National Treasure of you. When Desiree arrives and confronts the men, Zak decides it would be a good idea to break out his guitar and sing Des a song he wrote for her...How did ABC let this happen? Aside from this just being a disaster in general, his performance looked a lot more like an audition for The Voice than a heartbroken song for Desiree. It was clear that she felt incredibly uncomfortable, as did everyone else watching that. He lost a lot of points in my book for that. Too desperate, bud.


The show ended with a three minute compilation of hilarious bloopers. I wish we would've watched two hours of that! Next week will begin the dramatic two part finahhhhhle (as Chris Harrison pronounces it). My prediction: Brooks leaves due to cold feet, Des is torn up and chooses no one. But, Brooks then realizes he made a mistake and comes back and they get engaged. Honestly, I have NO CLUE. 

The Bachelorette: Hometown Recap (Week 8)

Though it is rather obvious, I feel the need to mention that my blog template has once again changed. The template that I was previously using malfunctioned and I reluctantly switched to this current one. Although it is not my favorite, it does have a few cool features: A poll (be sure to vote before next week), a link to follow me on Twitter, and links to popular posts if you are looking for something additional to read. Hopefully all the recent switching isn't too crazy for you; I promise I'm done for a while.

Week 8: Hometowns 

Hometowns! This week, Desiree got to meet the families of Zak, Drew, Chris, and Brooks. This was arguably the best week of hometowns this show has seen in a while, but it didn't go without its usual quirks and awkward moments.




Zak's Hometown: Zak was up first and he was visibly thrilled to be showing Des around his hometown of Dallas, Texas. Their date started with Zak telling Des about a dream that he had, a very confusing, strange dream involving Sno-Cones, children, and penguins. He then disappeared, leaving Des (and me) perplexed. Zak returned moments later in an ice cream truck...the family ice cream truck. He and Des would be serving Sno-Cones to an elementary school full of eager children. Absolutely precious. This date actually looked like a blast and Desiree was clearly enjoying herself and enjoying seeing Zak in his element.

As Desiree and Zak walked into his house, they were greeted enthusiastically by his family. His mom was adorable and I fell in love with her instantly. She was so welcoming to Desiree and so excited to meet her and get to know her. Definitely not the typical potential awful "mother-in-law" situation. The conversations between all of the family members and Desiree went seamlessly and the family concluded the evening with the performance of an original song written about welcoming Desiree into the family. With such a genuine family, I knew Desiree was going to have a terrible time sending Zak home, if it came to that.

As Zak said his goodbyes to Des, he presented her with a promise ring and told her that he loved her. Although Desiree couldn't say "I love you too" back, (or so we thought...) she expressed how touched she was by his gesture and kind words. Overall, this hometown date went as perfectly as possible, by the books.

Drew's Hometown: Welcome to Scottsdale, Arizona: home of one of the few men in the world that can rock a bright pink shirt. Drew and Desiree start the day off by picking up Drew's severely mentally handicapped sister and bringing her home to spend the day with her family. Drew's sister's reaction to seeing her brother is priceless. Though she cannot formulate words or much of anything, her screaming is clearly from excitement and she rushes over to give Drew a big hug. Desiree is touched by being a part of this experience and, with her loving reaction to meeting Drew's sister, she slips into the family perfectly from the very beginning. Upon meeting Drew's family, it's instantly clear that he comes from an incredibly loving family and they welcome Des with open arms. In her conversation with Drew's father, he shares with her that he has met an angel, his daughter. Des is brought to tears and tells the camera that she is "ready to move in."

Drew tells Desiree that he loves her, and boldly. Des' reaction is more passionate and receptive than when Zak told her, which places Drew in front of Zak for best hometown date.

Chris' Hometown: Remember earlier when I said despite the overall awesome hometown dates there were some awkward moments? Well, it's time. The time that Chris and Desiree spend alone is not awkward at all; it's perfect. They play baseball in his home field and have an absolute blast. The connection between the two of them is easy to see. Things don't get weird until Chris' dad takes Desiree into the basement for an adjustment. Whoa, back up. Even though Chris' dad is a chiropractor, I don't see any reason why showing Des his "skills" is necessary, especially on the first meeting. Strike one. It just gets stranger from here, as camera shots of Chris getting his nose adjusted, as if it's a daily occurrence, by his dad are shown. Strike two. Honestly, I just got some weird vibes from this family. There was nothing outwardly wrong with them, no fights broke out, but something just seemed off. I don't see Desiree fitting in as well with Chris' family as the others.

With a less than compelling exit, Chris slides into last place thus far.

Brooks' Hometown: There are few things that I really love about Brooks. Primarily, his sense of humor. He is incredibly witty, as shown on almost every episode this season. Des is really into him...really into him. Brooks and Des canoe in a local lake and despite taking water, they have an absolute blast. Brooks has had some reservations almost every week, and it's obvious that Desiree is ahead of him in the "feelings" category. He's hoping that talking with his family will ease some of his hesitance and help him move forward in the relationship. Upon walking through the doors of Brook's home, the two are greeted by an enormous amount of hugs, screams, and hellos. Also, everyone is wearing name tags. His whole family is hilarious; I love it. The conversations are very meaningful, but not many answers to the deep questions asked are shared with the viewers. Brooks seems to feel more confident after talking with his family. HOWEVER. He is the only one not to tell Desiree that he loves her this week. That's big. (Or at least in the past it has proved to be).

Rose Ceremony: Once again, we are shown an incredibly confusing interview between Chris Harrison and Desiree. I refuse to discuss it because honestly, I'm upset. The editing these past couple of episodes is terrible and really making me frustrated. As I watched the episode with Morgan and Lindsey, we all agreed that these new pre-rose ceremony interviews need to go. Stat.

Brooks is called first, followed by Chris. Despite his two strikes, he slides in and is safe. "The final rose...when you're ready." It goes to Drew. BOOM. Spot on prediction on my part, though relatively unexpected. Zak is heartbroken, as was I. I was hoping that Chris would've packed his bags, but poor little Zak has to go home to his adorable mom and explain why Desiree let him go. And the hardest part will undoubtedly be coming up with that explanation. I feel for that guy, I really do.

Next Week:

"The Men Tell All" airs next week so there will be no elimination. Instead, we will have a reunion of 22 testosterone filled, protein packed, guys. There will be screaming, yelling, pointing, and most likely...crying. Get excited ladies and gentlemen.

The Bachelorette: Week 7 Recap

Week 7

This week, Des and her suitors traveled to the island of Madeira, well off the coast of Portugal. We are down to just five men, which means that next week is hometowns! My favorite week, personally. But, before we get there, one man needs to go and a few more dates need to be had. No sight of Chris Harrison at the beginning of the episode, and no personal delivery of the date card. (Turns out, Chris was supporting a friend at a charity golf tournament which is why he was late for filming. Fun fact.)

The episode began with a mini-reunion of a few of the girls from last season: Catherine (Sean's fiance), Leslie, and Jackie. Getting the girls' opinion on the guys seemed to really put Des' mind at ease after having it shaken last week with James. It was so good to see that the girls remained friends even after the show ended! I approve.

Brook's Second 1-on-1: The man who got the first one on one date of the season has gotten his second. Go Brooks. The two drive off in a super sexy...Smart Car and head for the mountains. They spent most of the day driving, not exactly my ideal date. When Brooks and Des finally made it to the top, they settled down on a rock in the clouds and shared a few kisses and good conversation. *Cue unnecessary amounts of metaphors to how "love is like being in the clouds."* I swear those lines are scripted. While atop the mountain and amongst the clouds, Des and Brooks create a few "adjectives" to describe the stages between like and love. They came up with "stepping", "skipping", "jogging", "running", and "finish line." Pardon me, but those are four verbs and a noun. Don't mind me, just the grammar police over here. As cheesy as these terms are, keep them in mind as they play into the show later on. Brooks and Des finish off the night with a private fireworks show, courtesy of ABC. First week without a private concert! I think ABC has been reading my blog...

Chris' Second 1-on-1: Chris, another front runner, and Des spend their day on a private yacht in the royal blue waters of Madeira. With an awkward send off from the guys atop the balcony, the date is underway. Chris and Des seems to have some really good chemistry and she is giddy when she's around him. He really is the dark horse of the season in my opinion. Des and Chris beach it on a private island (typical) and hike through beautiful trails and flowers. At dinner, Chris tells Des that he loves her...through yet another poem. I'm sorry, but I am over the poetry at this point and wish this guy could just talk to her not in Iambic pentameter. Des is still clearly touched by his expression of love and it's pretty clear that this guy will be getting a hometown date.

Michael's 1-on-1: Michael finally gets his first one on one date, seven weeks into the show. He was behind the eight ball from the very beginning of this episode and it was clear to the audience that he would be the one going home. Although, if I was Des, I would have sent him home a few weeks ago after his 2-on-1 date with Ben. But, alas. Desiree and Michael spend the day exploring Madeira, trying weird tropical fruits, and riding on a manpowered go-kart type thing. It was just strange, and boring. Michael does open up to Des, but it was just too little too late. It was clear that her relationships with other four guys had progressed much further than her's and Michael's and there was no time to catch up. Time to throw in the towel, bud.

Drew and Zak's 2-on-1: I know what you're thinking. Another two one one date?! With two of my favorite people?! Don't worry. Although there is a rose on this date, no one will be going home until the rose ceremony. So, there's not as much pressure and Des admits that it feels more like hanging out with two of her guys friends...both of which she's romantically involved with. Interesting. Drew and Zak race real go-karts around an amazing track as Des waves the checkered flag in her high heels just like in the arcade racing games. Zak wins by a mile, not even looking back to see Drew, let alone letting up on the gas. His first place in the race earns him the first one on one session with Desiree. He shares a bunch of drawings depicting the progression of their relationship and Des clearly enjoys that he is artistic and creative. Zak really has a way of making Desiree laugh, and it's fun to watch. Drew's time with Desiree is once again, impecable. She spends most of the day trying to get Drew to "let go" and he talks of how he makes sure the people he lets in are trusting. Drew also shares with Desiree his excitement for her potentially meeting his entire family, and Desiree can't help from smiling. Drew's kindness and caring personality is almost contagious it seems. Drew gets the rose, which really indicates him as the front runner, in my opinion. Overall, it was probably the coolest two on one date in Bachelor history.

Also, I would like to point out that both of these men wore Converses to this date. Major bonus points in my book.

Rose Ceremony: Prior to the rose ceremony, Des and Chris (thanks for finally showing up) have a really bizarre interview. Chris gets Des to admit that she is at the "finish line" with Brooks, which means that she loves him. Hold your horses. I could've sworn the Bachelor/ette were in a contract to where they couldn't say they were in love with a specific person until the final episode! I am so confused. At that point, it seemed as if she was ready to just end the rest of the show and choose Brooks. But then she tells Chris she's also falling for Chris (the other one) and he's confused as well. Basically, this entire interview was a waste of my time and hurt my brain. Des sends Michael home at the rose ceremony. His exit is very graceful and he makes it clear that he has nothing but good things to say about Des and respects her decision. He also wishes her luck and comments that she has four great guys. True, but a weird comment from the guy that was just eliminated.

So, Brooks, Chris, Zak, and Drew will each take Desiree to their hometown next week to meet their family. This coming week is really the make it or break it week. Things can change so quickly and front runners can go home in the blink of an eye depending on how their family reacts to Desiree. Because of this, I don't feel completely confident in my prediction for who will be going home next week, but I'll give it a shot anyways.

Elimination Prediction:

 Zak W.