Author Archives: thirdandgirl

champion-which bachelor alum podcast should you download?

Posted in Television by

So I might be the worst Bachelor recapper in the world. My life has gotten twice as busy in the past week – I started a six-week class, that I’m hanging out in for up to 4 hours a night after work. I haven’t even watched last week’s episode! I might tap out on Rachel’s season, and recap Paradise – because that is gif gold.

All that being said, I definitely haven’t tapped out on Bachelor Nation. Recently, a ton of Bachelor alum have started podcasts. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a podcast junkie, I literally listen to them all day at work. I thought I’d take a listen to them all for you, and let you know which ones are worth a listen, and which you can skip (spoiler alert: I’m not going to skip any of them).

KaitlynPodcast_OffTheVine

Kaitlyn’s podcast, Off the Vine, is by far my favorite. I think she is funny and engaging, and I love that she is drinking wine the entire time. Her podcast is fairly new, so I’m not sure that she has completely found her voice/focus, but I enjoy all the avenues she is exploring. So far, she has had Bachelor alum, country singers, and body positive influencers join her in the studio. Kaitlyn uses her signature personality and sense of humor to bring you in and feel like you’re listening to a conversation amongst your friends. You can listen here, or on iTunes.

AshleyI_IDon'tGetIt

I was never a big Ashley I fan on Chris’s season, but her forays into Paradise and her post-Bachelor career in the entertainment industry has changed my opinion. She’s killing the podcast game, doing interviews for Access Hollywood and even can be found in the new Fall Out Boy video! Ashley hosts this podcast with her sister, Lauren, and close friend/Bachelor producer Naz Perez. The girls talk about all the things they don’t get in life, and mostly in dating. You will frequently find Bachelor alum on this podcast as well, along with celebrity guests (I’m looking at you Aaron Carter). I relate to Ashley’s boy band crazy personality, and it’s fun to listen to her talk with her friends about the craziness that is being in your twenties. You can subscribe and listen on iTunes.

OliviaCaridi_MouthingOff

Olivia Caridi, the former Bachelor villain, hosts a podcast where she talks to reality TV stars about their careers and shows. She is much more likable on her podcast than she was on Ben’s season, but I don’t know that she gives you anything content wise that you can’t find anywhere else. I think not having a regular co-host hurts her, as I don’t find her personality engaging enough to carry a show like I do Kaitlyn’s. She has had some interesting guests on in the past, such as  Shep and Craig from Southern Charm and Lala from Vanderpump Rules, so if those shows are your thing (raises hand), I still think you will enjoy her conversations. You can listen here, or subscribe on iTunes.

BenAndAshley_Almost Famous

I have a deep seated love for Ben Higgins, so it pains me to put his podcast with Ashley I last on my list. The format of this show is just a little odd. The transitions between topics and ad reads could definitely use some work and they take calls from listeners (I think it may air live on I Heart Radio). The callers spend most of their time fangirling over the two of them, and not addressing the topic that they are supposedly calling in about.  Ashley and Ben recap the week’s episode of the Bachelor for part of the show, so their insight is interesting. I’m hoping that they tweak the format of the show a bit, because the two of them do have great chemistry, and I think the podcast could be quite good. You can listen here, or you guessed it, subscribe on iTunes.

Have you listened to any of the Bachelor alum podcasts? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments or @third_and_girl!

hey there ophelia-rachel:week 6

Posted in Television by

Hi Everyone! This may be going up as the new episode is airing, but it IS going up. The MLB Home Run Derby is up on my TV right now, so it is like it hasn’t even aired yet, right?

My Takeaways

We pick up on the two-on-one date, where Kenny confronts Lee about telling Rachel that Kenny had pulled him out of the van. When Kenny brings this up, Lee had the audacity to say, “I never said that.” Uhmm, we literally had just seen him say that. Whatever, Lee sucks.

Kenny goes on a profanity ridden tirade against Lee, which Rachel luckily doesn’t see. Rachel tells the men that she is making her decision based on who she trusts and who she believes, since they both are telling very different stories. She asks Lee to leave, saying that she doesn’t trust him. However, she is not ready to give Kenny a rose and wants to spend more time with him that evening. Always wanting to get the last word, Lee tells Rachel that Kenny threatened him when he came back. Rachel just lets it roll off her back, but Kenny is not able to do the same. Rachel takes him to the helicopter so they can get to the next part of their date, and Kenny has to go back and talk to Lee. Rachel is super annoyed by this, as she can’t understand why Kenny just can’t put it behind him.

ILookStupid_RachelWeek6
At night, Kenny is turning on thecharm. He speaks in a manner that is so sincere that you can’t help but be enamored with him. If some people said the same things Kenny did they might come off as “lines” (cough, cough Josiah), but with him, it doesn’t. Kenny has a lot going on in his “real” life, so he is taking the process seriously. I think that Rachel does like Kenny, and I enjoy(ed – spoiler alert!) watching their relationship develop in an organic manner.
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At the rose ceremony, we get a lot of ITMs about how confident Josiah is going in. I’m pretty sure that ups his chances of going home by about 135%. My production/editing intuition was correct, as Josiah and Anthony are left without roses. Anthony was a quiet guy, but I liked him and am sad to see him go.

JosiahShocked_RachelWeek6___

Rachel and the guys are headed to Denmark, and Eric has the first one-on-one date. I haven’t really been able to get a good handle on Eric yet – he seems to be a good guy and to like Rachel, but he also seems pretty surly most of the time. However, on this date, he is incredibly charming. I’m not sure if he was waiting to have Rachel all to himself before really letting his personality shine, but I’m glad I got to see it. If the fun-loving side of Eric is the one that he was showing Rachel in allof their alone time, then it makes all the sense in the world why Rachel has kept him around.

EricRachelDance_RachelEpisode6

At night, we learn a little bit about Eric’s background. He tells Rachel that he never really received any love from his mom or family. He likes the way he is feeling towards Rachel but doesn’t want to yet call it love because he doesn’t even know what that feels like. This also helps to explain why Eric has been so guarded in this process and wanting to know where Rachel stands before really putting himself out there. He is so afraid to get hurt because he hasn’t felt these feelings before. Rachel has confidence about the place they are and gives him the rose. The two of them continue their fun night by playing in the amusement park. I honestly got chills when the two of them were riding the roller coaster and Eric yelled, “Life is Beautiful!”. It really is.
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The group date is next and the guys are taught the Viking ways by Tom and Morton. All I got out of this portion of the date is Dean is definitely not a Viking, Kenny is the ultimateViking, and I would really like to have a Viking games birthday party.

TomandMortGif.gif
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At night, Rachel has a lot of good conversations with the men. She continues to be soon thirsty for Peter. He is always trying to get to know her and all Rachel wants is for Peter to kiss her. No judgment though, Rachel, we all get it.

CanYouKissMePeter_RachelWeek6

Kenny is starting to worry about his relationship with Rachel because he has a lot riding on the outcome. He is missing spending time with his daughter McKenzie. I think that Rachel really cares for Kenny, she is shown spending part of her alone time with Matt asking about how Kenny is. When the two of them get together to talk they have a heart to heart about the process. He tells Rachel that he isn’t 100% sure he is comfortable with the place their relationship is. Rachel takes in everything Kenny says but isn’t ready to commit to Kenny that he is the one, which is ultimately what he wants to hear. He wants to hear Rachel fight for him to stay, but she just can’t do it, especially when that fight would take him away from McKenzie for longer. Unfortunately, Rachel tells Kenny that she thinks it is best that he go home. I think the two of them have a lot of mutual respect for each other, and I really enjoy their friendship. I’m a big Kenny fan, and would love to see him in a future installment of the show – he really deserves a great woman.

At the end of the group date, Rachel gives the rose to Peter because she wants him.
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Wil and Rachel have their one-on-one date next. Rachel is really looking for Will to be affectionate with her, and to take their relationship to the next level. Unfortunately for Will, he gets the awkward date editing from the beginning so I can’t imagine it is going to go well.

RachelWill_RachelWeek6

At night, Rachel asks Will about his past relationships and to what he is attracted to. His response? “I typically date white girls.” So not Rachel then, Will? We’re shown a cutaway scene to the men talking about this issue. Eric thought it was important for Will to tell Rachel this information, while Dean didn’t see it as an important fact at all. Eric assumes that Rachel would assume that Will had dated black women and that she would want to know that he generally did not. I don’t have a real conclusion based on this conversation, I just think it is interesting to see the different perspectives.

Back on their date, Will says physical intimacy is important to him. He also says that he has been too physical in past relationships, and was neglecting words of affirmation. I think with Rachel, Will made the mistake of overcompensating from his past. Rachel was confused why Will wouldn’t hold her or be physical with her, especially if he considered himself a passionate person – and she wasn’t sure if he could get there with her. It made me sad for Will to realize he made a mistake in the way he approached their relationship because I think he is a great catch. I do applaud Rachel for going after what she needs in a relationship and knowing when it was just not there.
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We finally end the episode with a rose ceremony, and Rachel is not feeling great about it. She has so few guys left, after sending 2 home during dates this week. She even has to pause the rose ceremony in order to collect herself. The only guy who didn’t get a rose at the ceremony was Alex, who I was a big fan of. I thought he was funny and smart, and pretty easy on the eyes. Plus, his outfits were crazy! I’d love to see Alex in paradise, so hopefully, he comes back to the franchise!

From the previews, it looks like Rachel has a few rough weeks ahead of her before she finds her happy ending. I actually love that we know she gets engaged at the end because I can’t wait for my girl to find love!

Best Tweets



Best Dressed

MackageCoat_Week6Rachel’s white jacket is Mackage, and is sold out everywhere. I struggled to even find anything similar, but there are some beautiful white belted coats out there. These are great options.


Rachel’s sequin dress is Randi Rahm, and looks flawless on her. I love that it is a wrap design, which adds some added flair. You can rent a similar dress at Rent the Runway here or here! (Any screen grab I took just did not give this beauty justice).

RachelMakeup_Week6
I think Rachel’s makeup looks amazing here. Girl can really pull off a beanie.

RachelCutoutSweater_Week6Rachel’s casual cut out sweater is so cute. I wasn’t able to confirm the exact sweater but this one is very close.

Peter_RachelWeek6Peter looked so great at the rose ceremony, so I had to include his look.

Thanks for sticking with my poorly timed posts guys! I’m so appreciative of everyone who checks out this little corner of the internet. I’m always open to any feedback, so feel free to send me an email at thirdandgirl@gmail.com, or shoot me a message on Twitter @third_and_girl.

is she really going out with him?-rachel:week 5

Posted in Television by

Wow, I am the worst. Real life took over the past couple weeks – I had a crazy week at work to hit our 6/15 deadline and then capped that week off with an amazing weekend in Nashville to celebrate with one of my best girlfriends. I needed about a week to recover from that, only to go into a whirlwind wedding weekend in New Hampshire. I’m waving the white flag on two weeks of recaps – if I don’t, I’ll never get them done. The highlights of those two weeks: the funniest scene talking about a banana I’ve ever seen, Lee being a lunatic, America falling in love with Dean, and Rachel continuing to be the best Bachelorette I can remember. I’m determined to finish out the season, so let’s get to recapping week 5.

WillKennyLee_Rachel_Episode5

My Takeaways

We pick up at the cocktail party of the group date, with Kenny confronting Lee about talking to Rachel to him. Part of this argument stems from (besides Lee being an ass) the fact that Lee is using the word aggressive to describe Kenny. Despite being told that the word could be a trigger for Kenny, Lee continues to use the word, further annoying and enraging Kenny. I was really impressed with the calmness with which Kenny spoke to Lee, even if all of his frustration was evident under the surface. Kenny knows who he is and that he is there for Rachel, and he is working his hardest to not let someone who is there with disingenuous intentions get under his skin.

Bryan gets the group date rose, and Kenny gives a passive aggressive speech about how Bryan is not a snake. Lee tells him to F*** off, which made me laugh out loud. All of the smart guys in the house (Peter, Bryan, Will) know exactly what Lee is doing, and the fact that he would even get offended by Kenny’s speech is laughable – he’s getting exactly what he wants.

KennyDissingLee_Rachel_Episode5

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Next is Rachel’s one-on-one with Jack, Jack Stone. You can tell this date isn’t going to go well, simply by the way it is being produced. Jack isn’t eloquent in his ITMs, and their interactions are being shown as awkward. Personally, if Rachel would just try calling him by his full name, they might have a chance.

JackCreepyStare_Rachel_Episode5

Jack Stone tried so hard to have that romantic kiss moment, but Rachel was just not into it. She continuously gave him the cheek, but the guy was just so deliriously happy to be on this one-on-one date that he didn’t see what was coming next. At dinner, Jack is pouring his heart out to Rachel about how he feels that they could really work out because they have so much in common. If they were spending a day together in their hometown of Dallas, he would just want to lock her in the house and lay in bed. Romantic, right? Rachel is not feeling it and sends Jack home. I feel for the guy because he really thought that things were going well. The real gut punch was the perma-grin that has been on his face since the beginning finally falling.

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Rachel decides that they don’t need a cocktail party, she knows what she is going to do. Iggy believes that the people who are going to go home are the ones who have been causing drama, pretty much unintentionally foreshadowing his own departure. Following Iggy out the door is the tickle monster, Jonathan. Oddly, I’m kind of sad to see him go. He seemed sweet and made Rachel laugh. I think the producers upped his creep factor, but he really needs to stop tickling people.

JonathanSaysGoodbye_Rachel_Episode5

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The crew is headed to Oslo, Norway and we get our first Dean sighting of the episode. What a welcome distraction.

Bryan’s one-on-one date is up first and the two of them are just exploring the city of Oslo. they repel off a ski jump and obviously kiss on the way down. Everything between these two seems very easy, and this is causing Rachel to wonder why is he still single. He is 37, has a good job, is handsome, why has no other girl snatched him up? I think this will be a reoccurring doubt and fear that she has as her journey continues.

Rachel187_Rachel_Episode5

Rachel and Bryan’s chemistry is off the charts. He is not my favorite (because, Peter) but I can see him making it very far in the quest for Rachel’s heart. It is surprising to me that he is ready to drop the L-bomb already, the two of them haven’t really spent any time together. Obviously, Bryan gets the rose.

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The group date has the guys playing handball, and the singlets they were wearing were enough to keep me watching. Most of the guys are trying to be uber competitive (causing Rachel to make a ‘Jordan in the ’97 Bulls’ reference, and causing me to girl crush even harder), but Peter has his eyes on the prize. He is flirting and being affectionate with Rachel any chance he gets, and I think it is winning him some major brownie points. He is just so adorable!

JosiahHandfullofAss_Rachel_Episode 5

At the cocktail party, Will tells Rachel about his past relationship. He tells her that around the same time she was being heartbroken by Nick, he was being heartbroken by a girl that he was in love with and thought that he would never put himself back out there. Yet, somehow, here we are with Will on a nationally televised show to find love just a few months later. Hmmmm….

During Josiah’s one-on-one time, Rachel calls him out for never trying to get to know her. He lays lines on her constantly, always trying to appear sincere but she sees right through it. Also, his hand was lingering on her shoulder so awkwardly the whole time, like he was afraid to touch her.

During Peter’s one-on-one time, things get steamy. I LOVE that he puts the break on their make out session because they only have a limited amount of time to get to know each other. Her response, “Do you wanna cover ground in the hot tub?” I don’t know about you but I didn’t see much talking happening in the hot tub.

Will got the group date rose, and poor Peter is doubting himself a little. Personally, I think that she wanted to give Peter the rose but knew that it may make him a target for the guys. They already had mentioned that he was gone on his one-on-one time for awhile. All of this may be very incorrect, but I am shipping Rachel and Peter 4ever.

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The two-on-one date between Lee and Kenny is up next, and we all know this isn’t going to end well. Rachel and Kenny’s time goes well, and Kenny only brings Lee up once. I think he is trying so hard to focus on her and their relationship, but the situation with Lee has just gotten under his skin too much.

During her time with Lee, he makes a point to tell Rachel all about Kenny. He says that Kenny pulled him out of a van and tried to get physical with him. Lee said that this side of Kenny comes out when he drinks and that he is a different person when he is not drinking. I have to think that if there was a physical altercation of any kind that the producers would have shown it. Not only that, all of the guys seem to be on Kenny’s side.

Rachel tells Kenny about what Lee told her, and the entire thing is turning into a big game of ‘he said, he said’. Understandably, Kenny is not pleased with Lee upon hearing this, and that is where we leave the episode.

All that being said….why do Kenny and Rachel appear to be so cold on this date, and Lee seems to be fine wearing a long sleeved henley? Anyone?

KennyByeSnakey_Rachel_Episode5

Best Tweets

https://twitter.com/chanelb94/status/879513406272917504



Sorry for that one Jack – but I literally LOL’ed

Best Dressed

OneonOneSweater_Rachel_Episode5Rachel went casual on her date with Jack. I found a cardigan similar to this one here.

OneonOneNecklace_Rachel_Episode5I love the triple Maltese cross necklace Rachel wore on her one-on-one date with Jack. I’m pretty sure the designer is Nan Fusco, and it is ‘call for availability’ expensive. You can visit the designer’s website for more information here. This side-eye is good too.

CowlNeckwithBryan_Rachel_Episode5Rachel’s sweater is BB Dakota, and I wasn’t able to find the exact one anywhere. I did find some similar options here (sleeveless), here and here.

HandballJacket_Rachel_Episode5Rachel does athleisure so well. This bomber jacket is by Lime & Vine, and can be found here.

TwoOnOnePuffer_Rachel_Episode5I am going to be crushing on this jacket big time come winter. The brand is Mackage, and I’m pretty sure this is the jacket, but if not its similar enough. It’s not cheap, but looks so warm!

Thanks for coming back and checking out the blog after my unintentional hiatus. I’ll be back soon to recap Episode 6 of Rachel’s journey. Which of the guys do you think will be great with Rachel? I’d love to hear! You can find me @third_and_girl anytime!

who let the dogs out-rachel:week 2

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As much as I want to write 1000 words about Copper and his pool party, I’m not sure that is what you guys are here for. That being said, expect a BUNCH of dog party gifs.

My Takeaways

Rachel_Episode 2_Dog Party 1

The first date of the week is a group date, where after a BBQ and some backyard football, the men compete to show Rachel who is the best “husband material”. The relay race includes changing a diaper, vacuuming, unclogging a drain, and setting a table. The star power was amped up big time this episode, with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis serving as guest judges for the competition. I know that tons of celebrities are fans of the Bachelor, but I think it speaks to the popularity of Rachel that two A-list celebrities wanted to come on and help her find love.

Rachel_Episode 2_Ashton and Mila

Unfortunately, Whaboom (this is what most of the men call him, and I think it’s funny so I’m going to join them) wins the competition. I’m unsure if he won any extra time with Rachel, or if he is so boring that they just didn’t show it. I was rooting for Kenny in this race because as a dad it seemed like he actually had the most experience in this arena. And he knew better than to dunk the babies head in the sink while “unclogging the drain”.

During the evening, Rachel and the guys spend time, and Rachel is #unimpressed. None of the men are wowing her, filling her time with uninspired conversations, and the inability to make a move. The only guys who even attempt interesting conversation are Dean, who Rachel shares a sense of humor with, and Kenny, who tells Rachel about his daughter. We also find out on this date that Whaboom and Blake know each other from outside of the show. Blake says that he used to live with Lucas’s ex-girlfriend and that he knows he is there just to gain publicity. Funny that Blake would say that, as Whaboom and Blake were on the same season of a show called ‘Ex Isle’, where couples came to fix their relationships, only to be tempted by ‘sexy singles’. Lucas was there with his ex-girlfriend (the same one that Blake lived with), and Blake was there to try and create friction in the relationship. I don’t blame either of them for not liking the other, but it’s a bit of the pot calling the kettle black for Blake to say Lucas is there for the wrong reasons. Dean gets the group date rose, and finally takes initiative and kisses Rachel as he walks her out.
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Rachel_Episode 2_Copper ArrivesThis has got to be the greatest surprise of Peter’s life.

Is everyone ready to swoon? Peter gets the first one-on-one date, and Rachel is taking him to Palm Springs on a private jet. Not only that, her dog Copper is going along, and they are going to a dog pool party. If any of you know me, you know that this is literally my dream. I want to live at this dog pool party.

Rachel_Episode 2_Dog Party 2

It took awhile for me to settle down from seeing all those dogs, but once I did I liked what I saw. Rachel and Peter have an ease about their relationship that can’t be manufactured, you either have it or you don’t. At night, Peter and Rachel bond over their mutual love of therapy and gapped teeth. The therapy conversation was interesting because it showed that both of them are interested in improving themselves, and are not afraid to ask for help when it comes to relationships. I think that this will help them both immensely as their relationship progresses.
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The last date was another one I would love, a basketball date featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This season is really amping up the star power. The men were put through drills by Kareem, and he essentially just made fun of them the entire time. It was fantastic. DeMario and Eric thought they were ballers on the court, but only one of them could back up their talk with an actual game. Unfortunately for DeMario, that wasn’t the only game he was playing.

At the conclusion of the date, Rachel is confronted by Lexi, a girl claiming to be DeMario’s girlfriend. He essentially ghosted her upon coming on the show, and she had the text messages to prove it. There were so many great moments in this exchange; whether it be the look on DeMario’s face when he recognizes Lexi and then remembers that he has to pretend he doesn’t know who she is or, Rachel telling him to ‘Get the F*&! out’. Gold.

Rachel_Episode 2_DeMario Reaction

Rachel is upset by this whole exchange and tells the remaining men that she isn’t there to play games and if they are they can get out as well. I was surprised that she chose to have the nighttime portion of the date. In the past, I feel like if the lead has a large disruption to their process like this, they normally cancel the nighttime portion because the day has just been too much. At night, all the men seemed very concerned about Rachel, and how she is holding up after the afternoon’s shocker. She has the best conversation with Josiah and gives him the group date rose.

At the rose ceremony, an uninvited guest shows up. Any guesses who? Obviously DeMario comes back to talk to Rachel. We don’t get to see if Rachel allows him to talk to her as the episode ends with Mr. Harrison (as the security guard calls him) telling Rachel of DeMario’s arrival. To be Continued….

Best Tweets

https://twitter.com/PrincessProbz/status/869353019384750081

Best Dressed

Obviously Rachel is always going to be the best dressed in this season, unless her gal pals make more appearances. Here are the details on some of her outfits from this episode!

Rachel_Episode 2_BBQ DressFor the afternoon BBQ, Rachel opted for a fun floral dress. Her dress is Self-Portrait and can be found here.

Rachel_Episode 2_Purple Sparkle DressRachel wore this sparkly shift dress to the nighttime portion of her basketball date. This dress is Mlv and appears to be sold out. I found a similar dress in a different color which can be found here (and it’s on sale! WOOT!).

Rachel_Episode 2_Zipper DressThis zipper detailed dress Rachel wore is absolute fire. This dress is by Michelle Mason, and can be found here (at over 50% off).

Rachel_Episode 2_Rose Ceremony DressRachel’s rose ceremony dress is by Mac Duggal and can be bought here.

Rachel_Episode 2_SweaterI tried so hard to find this asymmetrical ribbed sweater that Rachel wore to play with Copper. Alas, I didn’t have any luck. I did find a pretty similar sweater here, although it has a bit of a high price tag.

What did you guys think of Episode 2 of Rachel’s quest to find love? I’m still loving Peter and Kenny, and am looking forward to getting to know even more of the men!

that’s my girl-rachel:week 1

Posted in Television by

So much for keeping up with the blog over the Bachelor break. Thankfully, Rachel is back to charm us in her search for love. The first week is always low on story and high on men, so I want to highlight the four guys who I think have the best chance to win Rachel’s heart.

Rachel_week1_That's my girlsource

My Takeaways

Rachel_week1_peter.gif

Number 1 in my power ranking is Peter. He was first out of the limo which is always a telling sign of someone lasting awhile. Although he didn’t seem to have much to say to Rachel besides that he was from Wisconsin, I’m going to chalk that up to nerves. From a quick poll of my friends, we all mentioned Peter as the cutest. I mean, they have matching gaps in their teeth – meant to be!

Rachel_Week1_Josiahsource

Josiah came in with the most touching story, and seems authentic and sincere. Rachel appreciates his honesty when he tells her about his rough background, and they seem to be beginning to build a genuine connection. Josiah loses some brownie points for being bombastic and a bit over confident in his belief that he will end up with Rachel. I’m hoping that being called near the middle of the pack at the rose ceremony will knock him down a few pegs, and he will begin to shine.

Rachel_week1_kennysource

Kenny is my dark horse pick. As a professional wrestler, I worried that he was just coming on the show to gain screen time and advance his career. However, seeing him interact with his daughter in his video package put him in a whole new light for me. He seems to truly want to build a family for his daughter, and he seems like a great guy (having sex with a woman while her husband watches not withstanding).

Rachel_Week1_Bryansource

Bryan got Rachel’s first impression rose, so I’d bet that he’s staying around for awhile. He seems a bit mysterious, and I think Rachel likes that. She also seems to like kissing him. In his video package he seems to be close to his family, but I want to learn about him before I give him front runner status.

Rachel_Episode1_Adam Jrsource

I can’t even comment on the Whaboom guy or that weird Adam Jr. doll. I hope we get past these ridiculous gimmicks soon (although Adam seems kinda normal).

Best Tweets

https://twitter.com/PrincessProbz/status/866843171069800448

Best Dressed

Rach only sported one outfit tonight, a stunning Randi Rahm (the same brand that JoJo wore for her first night) gown. I loved her fur stole, and I’m looking forward to seeing Rachel’s outfits throughout her journey.

Rachel_Week1_Dress
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What did you guys think of the premiere? Any front runners? Let me know in the comments!

rich girl – the best ways to earn extra cash

Posted in Personal by

I’m going to skip the part where I apologize profusely for not posting more frequently and just leave it at – I’m trying. I’ve been doing this blogging thing for about a year, and still, haven’t found a way to fit it into my schedule on a regular basis. I’m here now, and I want to share with you, my favorite way to get a little extra spending cash!

free money

A friend at work introduced me to Swagbucks, and it’s become one of my favorite things in the world. Swagbucks allows you to earn points for things you do online anyway: perform searches, buy things, watch videos. The only point generating activity that you may not do every day already is taking surveys (unfortunately, these will get you the most points). My favorite way to use Swagbucks is to take a couple of surveys during my lunch break, and then run the video playlists in the background while I’m at work. You can even mute the tab if you don’t want to hear the videos! Then just sit back and watch the points roll in. They also have a Swagbucks Local component to the website. If you link your debit or credit card to the Local module, you can earn points for shopping at some of your favorite local eateries. One day, I went to get lunch and earned a surprise 160 Swagbucks, just by buying a sandwich I would have bought anyway! You can then redeem your points for gift cards at pretty much any retailer you can think of (I almost always choose Amazon). The points accumulate pretty quick – I’ve earned enough for a $30 gift card since Easter. If you’re interested in Swagbucks, you can sign up here.

Dollar bills

Another website that I use to generate cash is InboxDollars. InboxDollars works much the same way as Swagbucks, in that you take surveys and watch videos to earn points. The main difference between the two is that with InboxDollars, you earn actual cash. It takes a bit more time to accumulate money, but cash is king, as they say. During the video playlists on InboxDollars, they frequently present virtual scratch cards where you can earn extra cash or entries into their sweepstakes (for more cash). Therefore, it’s a little harder to have the videos playing behind your work screen, if you want to maximize your earning potential. You can sign up for InboxDollars here.

cash

The last opportunity is switching your search engine to Bing. I know, ‘google’ has turned into a verb, so why would you want to switch to Bing? Bing offers a point system, where you earn points for every search you perform on your computer. You can even default the search engine on your phone to use Bing.  Every time you’re at brunch and can’t remember who that background actor on Gilmore Girls is – well whip out your phone, Bing the answer, and earn a point. Bing points probably take the longest to accumulate, but there are levels to the program, so the more points earn, the quicker you can accumulate them (and there is an additional discount on the gift cards for which you redeem your points).

Overall, I’ve earned about $240 worth of gift cards from Swagbucks, about $25 from Inbox Dollars, and $70 from switching my search engine to Bing. If you ask me, it’s not a bad haul for doing things I would do anyway.

Do you guys have any ways to make some extra money? I’m always looking – so let me know in the comments!

(gifs source of Giphy – they had so many amazing cash ones)

 

stronger-10 fun sports bras for your next workout

Posted in Style by

Hi guys! I know I’ve been completely terrible about connecting on this blog, and I’m really going to try and show up at least once a week. #goals

Speaking of goals, I’m trying to get my fitness in order this spring/summer. I’ve been keeping up with my trainer about 2 times a week, and really want to try and add a few more morning cardio sessions in the mix. I am just NOT a morning person. In this vein, I headed out to a SoulCycle class 2 weeks ago with one of my besties, Hannah. We’ve been to SoulCycle together before, but the real draw here was it was a PSPCA fundraiser (sadly, there were no puppies in attendance).

About halfway through the workout, I realize that I am dripping buckets of sweat. It was SO hot in there and I was working my butt off. So, I decided to do something that I’ve never done while working out before. I took my shirt off.

fitgifsource

I wasn’t the only one in the class who was pedaling in just a sports bra, so I didn’t feel too uncomfortable in the dimly lit room. However, as soon as our instructor turned up the lights for a song, my instant reaction was to critique my body in the mirror. Were my hips, more pronounced due to my leggings, offending people? Were people judging me thinking, “there is no way that girl should be taking her shirt off”? Can I pull my leggings up a little higher to suck my belly in?

All these thoughts are running through my head, but SoulCycle has a calming effect on me (it must be something about all of those positive affirmations the instructors yell out). So, I decided to just let all of those negative thoughts go. I decided, if I was comfortable enough to sweat it out in a sports bra in the dark, then I’m confident enough to sweat it out in a sports bra in the light.

In honor of this revelation, I’ve rounded up 10 fun (although maybe not functional), cool, and strappy as all hell sports bras for you to flaunt during your next workout.

Sports Bra3Clockwise from top left: Forever 21, Under Armour, Forever 21, Forever 21, Old Navy, Lululemon, Fabletics, SoulCycle, SoulCycle, Fabletics

Do you guys have any workouts that you swear by? Or any gym clothes that make you crush your workout? I’d love to hear about them, let me know in the comments!

 

 

summer girls-10 one piece bathing suits under $100

Posted in Style by

I took a quick break from blogging after The Bachelor wrapped up, but I’m back and have some fun things in store. My life has been pretty crazy as I get ready to move apartments, but I’m planning some fun decorating posts! I’m even hoping to add in a few recipe posts here and there as I take full advantage of a kitchen for once. Today, I’m easing back into blogging with a fun bathing suit roundup!

I have a ton of trips planned this summer, most of which are Bachelorette party related. I’ve loved the recent trend of one-piece swim suits coming back into style so I rounded up 10 of my favorite options, each that come in under $100!

10 One Pieces Under 100Clockwise from top left: The Bikini Lab, Billabong, H&M, Private Party, Forever 21, Target, MiYang, Out From Under, Asos, MINKPINK

I honestly can’t decide which one is my favorite! There are just too many unique things about each of them. I think the Private Party ‘Poppin’ Bottles’ suit would be SO fun for a bachelorette party and The Bikini Lab suit is actually reversible. That is two suits for the price of one. If I had to choose, I think I’d go with the Out From Under suit – it comes in a bunch of different patterns and the back is to die for! Crazy tan lines be damned!

Are you guys loving the one piece trend, or do you like to stick to bikinis? Any cute suits that you’ve come across that I’ve missed? Share them in the comments!

xo Em

blessings-nick:week 10

Posted in Television by

We’ve done it guys, we’ve made it through an entire season of Nick as the Bachelor. Vanessa was the big winner, and walked away with a fiance and a large Neil Lane ring. Let’s see how we got there.

Vanessa After the Rosesource

My Takeaways

Both Vanessa and Raven meet Nick’s family, and in my opinion Raven made a better impression. She may have had a leg up as she had already met them back in Wisconsin. Nick’s sister Bella even told her she hopes that Raven would be the winner.

Raven is all in on the relationship, and has no hesitations about getting engaged to Nick. Unfortunately, Vanessa is the queen of hesitations, and has no problem sharing those hesitations with Nick’s family. She is worried that love is not enough to make the relationship work, and even tells Nick’s dad that exact thing. Nick’s parents are understandably reserved when it comes to Vanessa, as they have seen Nick get his heart broken a million and one times.

Even though I thought Vanessa’s visit went worse than Raven’s, I thought this was the first sign that she might be the one. In Andi’s book, she mentions that she had Nick meet her family first, so that their expectations would be lower, and she could really impress them with the guy that she wanted to marry.

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For their last date, Vanessa and Nick take a sleigh ride to Santa’s hut. Santa gives them a really cool wooden carving that is meant to bring happiness and fertility. It’s actually pretty sincere and cool how excited Vanessa gets about Santa, as she really is just being a kid again in that moment.

Vanessa Santasource

At night, Vanessa wants the answers from Nick that can make her confident in her decision. Unfortunately, Nick isn’t able to give her the answers that she wants. I liked that Nick knew what she wanted to hear, but refused to tell her just because its what she wanted to hear. He wanted to be sure he was confident in his decision before making any rash decisions.

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For his date with Raven, the two of them went ice skating, reminiscent of their first one-on-one date at the skating rink. One thing about Nick’s relationship with Raven that I have always enjoyed is that they always seem to have fun together. His relationship with Vanessa is intense, full of questions, and serious discussions. With Raven, Nick is just able to let loose, have fun, and enjoy life.  Plus this date involved puppies, so it was an automatic win.

Raven Puppiessource

There was substantially less drama at night with Raven and Nick, as her confidence was through the roof. Raven was convinced that Nick was the one for her and she would be engaged the next day.

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Unfortunately for Raven, that was not to be. After a record 4th meeting with Neil Lane, Nick is ready for the proposal. Raven gets out of the limo first, and we now know that Vanessa is the one. I applaud Raven for keeping it together in the face of rejection. The best line of the night was Nick saying, “I’m going to miss you,” and Raven saying, “I know.” What a bad-ass confident girl.

Raven I'm Going to Miss you gif

Also, you could have at least given her her coat to walk her to the rejection car, Nick.

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The music swells as Vanessa gets out of the limo, and she walks in to meet Nick. Oddly, Nick talks first, telling Vanessa all the reasons he loves her before she professes her love to him. There is nothing wrong with this, it just goes against the normal script of the show. As she’s stated many times, Vanessa is skeptical and not sure if she’s ready to get engaged. However, when Nick gets down on one knee and flashes that Neil Lane diamond at her, she says yes right away. Congrats to the happy couple!

Vanessa and Nick Proposalsource

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At After the Final Rose, Raven looked amazing and announced that she was going on Paradise. She is such a quintessential southern belle that she didn’t have anything bad to say about Nick, and even said she thinks that him and Vanessa will get married. After their appearance together, I’m not sure I can agree.

When Nick and Vanessa are brought out together, their interaction is so awkward. They both admit that the relationship has been hard, and they are excited to have a normal relationship. While I don’t doubt that, I think it has been a little harder than they admitted. The two of them didn’t seem to be that excited to take their relationship public, and focused on the difficulties they’ve been having instead of the exciting things they have to look forward to. I really don’t think these two are going to make it.

Additionally, the Bachelor did something crazy and had Rachel meet some of the men that are going to be vying for her heart in the upcoming season of the Bachelorette. This choice, while interesting, may have been made to take some of the attention of Nick and Vanessa. In all the other After the Final Rose specials I can remember, the episode ends with the happy couple talking to their friends, fans, and family in the audience. At the end of this episode, the happy couple was replaced by Rachel. I think production is ready to sweep this relationship under the rug and get the focus on the potential that Rachel has as the Bachelorette.

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I think this was an OK season of the Bachelor. Corinne was great TV and a real stand out reality TV star. I’m excited to see a few of the women in Paradise (Alexis, Sarah, Raven – but I have no idea if any of them besides Raven will be going), and happy for Nick if he truly has found love. Getting your heart broken is hard enough, but being ready to propose twice, being rejected, and doing it on national TV is even more difficult.

Best Tweets

https://twitter.com/PrincessProbz/status/841474291577303040

Best Dressed

Raven After the Final Rose

Raven was in full out revenge mode during her appearance on After the Final Rose. Her dress is STYLESTALKER (a favorite among the women this season) and can be found here.

Raven Finale Sweater Dress

I thought Raven’s sweater dress was a little different, as it has a pattern that is more normally found on a cardigan. It was perfect for the Finnish weather. Raven’s dress is Woolwich (not surprising, I even said to my roommate, “do you think Woolwich is sponsoring this, considering how much they are making sure Nick’s tag is showing?”). You can find the dress on Amazon here (I just bought it).

Rachel After the Final Rose

With that Bachelorette budget, Rachel looked great to meet some of her guys. I loved the bold choice of a jumpsuit, with a cape, and she pulled it off flawlessly. Her caped jumpsuit is Jovani, and you can find it here (it allows you to search for a store near you where they carry it!).

And that’s a wrap on Nick’s season of the Bachelor! Are you guys as excited as me to see Rachel as the Bachelorette? Do you think Nick made the right choice? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments, or you can always find me @third_and_girl.

firework-nick:week 9

Posted in Television by

Short episode last week, hella long episode this week. Most of this post is going to focus on the actual episode (both parts), and then I’ll cover some of the outfits from the Women Tell All. I really don’t want to write about that, as it’s just a bunch of people trying to talk over each other.

Nick Chambongo.gif

My Takeaways

The episode starts with the Andi/Nick “confrontation” that was teased at the end of the last episode. I know you were all shocked to discover that this confrontation was really just Andi giving Nick advice as he heads into the Fantasy Suites. I question the choice of the producers to bring Andi back, as she didn’t have the kindest words to say about her personal Fantasy Suite experience with Nick in her book. That being said, we did get to see Andi bring up Nick’s infamous, “if you weren’t in love with me why did you make love to me?” quote which makes me laugh every time I hear it. Sorry, Nick.

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The rose ceremony had very little drama for me. With Rachel being announced as the Bachelorette so long ago, I didn’t have any doubts that she made it to the top 3.

Nick’s goodbye to Corinne was kind of bizarre. He seemed to really like her, but know that she was not ready to be married, but simultaneously seemed happy to send her packing. In her exit interview, Corinne went on a rant about how she no longer is going to try and act a certain way to impress a man. Take your own advice Corinne, and we’ll see you in Paradise!

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Vanessa, Raven, Rachel and Nick are heading to Finland, somewhere I personally have always wanted to go.  Seeing the Northern Lights is definitely on my bucket list. Raven has the first Fantasy Suite date, and I really love her and Nick together. Their conversation seems so natural, and I think the two of them could really build a life together. I also like that Raven is not afraid to give Nick some of her sass.

Raven Folding Clothes Gif

As much as I love Raven, I really wish we hadn’t spent such a long time hearing about how she had never had an orgasm. I have to believe there were a few too many alcoholic beverages and a bit of producer goading that got her to admit that on camera. Although this is the girl who admitted to beating an ex with a stiletto so maybe she truly has no filter. The first half of the episode ends with Nick and Raven cuddling in this ah-mazing skylit room, so we had to wait a whole week to see how Nick stacked up to Raven’s ex.

raven wine gif

The next morning, Raven gives the impression that Nick really satisfied her needs. I’m a little sad that that was the least gross way that I could put that. Kudos to the producers for the extended montage of Raven skipping through Finland after her night with Nick.

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The next date is Rachel, and SPOILER ALERT she’s the new Bachelorette. So I had to imagine this would be her and Nick’s last date. As much as the Bachelor producers don’t mind spoiling part of their show, I don’t think they would want to spoil the final rose.

Nick and Rachel go cross-country skiing, and I was LOL-ing at Rachel’s ineptitude at this activity. As she is my ultimate girl crush I imagine she is good at everything, but apparently she is good at everything but cross-country skiing. They ski into a lodge where they have their heart-to-heart which is always about Rachel’s fear of being rejected and opening up.

At night, Rachel finally drops the bomb that she is falling in love with Nick….uh duh. Nick is giggling like a school girl at this news and I still can not for the life of me figure out how she is not the one. The two spend the night in the fantasy suite and then spend an adorable morning making breakfast together. Rachel’s penguin onesie just makes me love her even more.

rachel onesie gif

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Vanessa and Nick spend their date jumping from an ice bath into a sauna. Nick seems to be a bit of a baby and unable to stay in the ice bath for more than .5 seconds, while Vanessa is ready to set up camp.

Vanessa Ice Bath gif

Luckily for Nick, the Bachelor producers have blessed him with a hot tub, so that he can have a heart to heart with Vanessa about their futures. I found it weird Nick kept calling Vanessa’s family traditional….as in they just had a lot of family traditions. To me, traditional harkens back to more of traditional family values aka June Cleaver and the families of the 50’s. Am I the only one?

For some reason, Nick and Vanessa’s relationship seems combative to me. They always seem to be arguing, which I think Nick likes because it keeps him on his toes. However, their arguments never have a resolution. For example, they talk about the fact that they currently live in different countries and where they would live if they got engaged, but never actually come to any type of decision or meeting of the minds. It’s very odd to me.

That being said, Vanessa is obviously in love with Nick (I don’t see it, but of course she is, it’s the Bachelor). She tells him at dinner, and he has a seriously odd look on his face. I’m not sure if it is the camera angle, but it seems like he’s not even looking at her. It could be producer manipulation of the actual conversation or Nick is just a weirdo, I wouldn’t be surprised either way.

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At the rose ceremony, we know Rachel is going home but that doesn’t make it any less hard to see her go. Nick seemed really broken up about it, mentioning that he selfishly hopes that this isn’t the end of their relationship. Uhmm, maybe don’t break up with her then Nick? He really missed out on a good one with her.

rachel kickoff gif

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Best Tweets

Best Dressed

Danielle M Women Tell All Jumpsuit

I am obsessed with the jumpsuit that Danielle M. wore to the Women Tell All, as well as her new platinum hair color. She looks amazing. Unfortunately for us, Danielle’s jumpsuit was custom made by Cavanagh Baker, who made her jumpsuit that I loved in this episode. I found a few that were comparable here and here.

Sarah Vendal Romper Women Tell All.jpg

Sarah has been a style favorite of mine throughout the entire season, and she didn’t disappoint at the Women Tell All. She looked adorable in a lace Stylestalker romper, which can be purchased on their website here. If the price point isn’t for you (don’t worry, me either), this romper can be rented through the Stylist LA, which works a lot like Rent the Runway. I liked how she paired it with a criss-cross undershirt to amp up the deep v-neck.

Rachel Women Tell All.jpg

When Rachel came out for her time as the Bachelorette, we knew she was going to be looking great, she’s got that Bachelorette budget now. Rachel’s dress is by Dion Lee and can be found here. I found a few more cost effective options here and here.

The next episode is the finale, and we will finally find out who Nick has decided to break up with in a few months….I mean get engaged to. Who do you think it is, Raven or Vanessa? Let me know!

xo
Em

source for gifs not made by me