Tag Archives: ben higgins

champion-which bachelor alum podcast should you download?

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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!

only one-the bachelor: week 10

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Well Bachelor Nation, we’ve finally made it to the end of another season. I can tell this is going to be a long one, so let’s get right into it!

Ben Whoop
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My Takeaways

  1. The episode begins with Ben chatting with his parents (after the obligatory pensive shots of the girls and Ben, complete with voiceovers), and surprising them with the bomb that he is in love with two women, and has shared that feeling with both of the women. Amy, Ben’s mom, begins her turn as the star of this episode, with her reaction. She says, “to know that Ben could possibly be in love with two women first of all is really disturbing to me.”

    Amy Reactionsource

    Lauren meets Ben’s parents first, and comes off poised and elegant, which I take as a sign of confidence in her feelings for Ben. She seems like herself, especially in the telling of her desire to meet Ben’s parents since their first date. She tells Ben’s dad, Dave, that she loves him and has shared that with him. She also shares that with Amy, but Amy comes back with some hard hitting questions. She states that Ben can often be his worst critic, and asks if Lauren has seen that side of him. Lauren says that she has a little but they also haven’t been through that tough of times, and their relationship hasn’t been tested. In a true showing of her love for Ben, she asks Amy what is the best way to show Ben that she is there for him and give him the support that he needs. Lauren is worried about making Ben happier, not about making herself happier. They are also holding hands (Lauren and Amy, not Lauren and Ben).

    JoJo meets the parents next. She arrives to the villa where Ben’s parents are staying with a very peculiar plant growing out of a seashell (sometimes I think people who don’t watch The Bachelor must think I make stuff up). Something about JoJo’s personality seemed off to me, and she didn’t seem to be acting like the woman that we had gotten to know in the previous weeks. I’ll bet it was just the nerves, but she seemed to be deferring to Ben more than usual. JoJo tells Dave that she loves Ben and that he is her best friend. Amy seems to really like JoJo. She said that JoJo knows what it takes to make Ben feel safe and that meeting with JoJo was “different” than meeting Lauren. Her tone seemed to imply that this was a good different. Looks like Amy is #TeamJoJo.

    Ben debriefs with his parents, and Amy delivers the line of the night: “I hate the fact that at this point in time he still doesn’t know who to plant his stake with.”

  2. For their one-on-one date, Ben and Lauren take a sail boat out on the Jamaican seas. These day-time portions of the date are pretty unremarkable, as I think everyone is just so nervous about what is to come. They cuddle and say “I love you” a lot. Ben tells Lauren that things have been perfect with her and it makes him nervous and that he knew he loved her and didn’t even know why. Uhhh thanks? It’s not Lauren’s fault she doesn’t have Chad as an ex-boyfriend.

    At night, Lauren says that she has a lot of emotions going into the night, but Ben gives her a sense of calm. She tells Ben she’s ready to spend her life with him. Ben does what he does best and further confuses the situation by saying “no matter what happens” which never makes anyone feel better. You can see the fear in Lauren’s eyes, which is followed by an ITM where she says she is scared that Ben is in love with JoJo too. Cue the one single tear falling, classic.

    Lauren Tear
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    JoJo and Ben’s last date was very similar to their first date in Jamaica, with the addition of a Jeep (and it was a really beautiful Jeep). They go to a watering hole, and jump off the cliffs, and then do a lot of making out under said cliffs. Then, it was time for serious conversation #1 of the date, which happens while they are drying off and sitting on a rock overlooking the water. They talk about what their life would look like together, and JoJo asks Ben if he feels good. His response: “That’s a loaded question.” JoJo continues to push and Ben says that it’s exactly what she would think is going on, and he confirms to her that he is confused about his final decision.

    JoJo no longer feels like they are on the same page, so things obviously need to be hashed out in the nighttime portion of their date. She tells Ben that she left the earlier part of their date feeling sad and confused, and Ben is left to fumble with the words to reassure her. He tells her that what he feels with her is deeper than anything he’s ever felt, and that if he makes that commitment, she would have nothing to worry about. Ben tells her that he doesn’t have any doubts or concerns about their relationship, which is also not helping JoJo understand. He says to her that she is his best friend, and that they also have great passion and intimacy.

    In an ITM JoJo says that she wants Ben to tell her that it’s her or give her a sign, and we see her leading him into the bathroom. I’m not sure if JoJo thought that she couldn’t be filmed in the bathroom, but I’m betting what he said is not what she had in mind. The two of them still had their mics on, so the entire conversation was recorded, and went something like this: 

    JoJo: I need something from you…

    Ben: …I’m sitting here, on a bathroom floor with you tonight….What I’m telling you tonight is exactly where I’m at but….
    JoJo: But you love her too. Am I right?
    Ben: Yes.

    JoJo mentions that she’s tired of competing with other people, and I question if this is true why she signed up for this show.

    After this, it’s time for Ben to leave, but he doesn’t want to leave JoJo tonight. Too bad Benny-boy this isn’t the fantasy suites, and you gotta get out of there. You have a big meeting with Neil Lane tomorrow. 

  3. After both girls have completed their dates, Ben takes a meeting with Neil Lane to pick out the engagement ring for one of the ladies, although we’re not sure who, as he continues to tell both of them he loves them.  Somehow, when looking at a very square ring, he knows who the girl is going to be. 

    We get shots of both JoJo and Lauren getting ready. JoJo is wearing a super intricate and beaded pale pink gown, while Lauren in in a simple cobalt blue racerback gown.  They both get into helicopters to find out their fate. The question the audience asks is, “Who is going to get out of the helicopter first?” Every long-time Bachelor fan knows the first girl is not the one getting picked. 

    Finally, we get our answer as JoJo steps out of the helicopter. After about a 10 minute walk to meet Ben, complete with voiceovers about Ben not blindsiding her, JoJo finally gets to him. JoJo immediately goes into the typical pre-engagement spiel, that I think is mandatory when you get to this stage of the “journey”. As much as I feel like Ben should stop her, I think he is contractually obligated to let her talk. If you look at his stance, he looks ready to run. JoJo tells Ben that she trusts him and that she’s never going to run from this. Ben can’t make eye contact with JoJo as he begins his speech, and JoJo begins to realize that something is wrong. Ben says, “I didn’t know if I could find love. I found it with you but, I found it with somebody else more.”

    Ben walks her out, and JoJo is mad, hurt, and confused all at once. Ben tearfully tells her that he doesn’t know what to say to make it make sense. They have the long good-bye hug, which is one of the most painful things in the world.

    Even though Ben is about to propose to Lauren, he keeps talking about how much he loves JoJo. Then we get a hilarious shot of Ben taking off his jacket, with an ice pack in his pants.

    Now it’s time for the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the big proposal! Ben adorably calls her dad to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage, culminating in a whoop when he gets the OK.

    Ben Lauren Proposal
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    Lauren approaches Ben and in her speech, she tells Ben that she wants him to be her last first kiss, that he is her person, and that she loves him. Ben’s response is to tell her that he thought he was unlovable, and they went through a journey with lots of goodbyes. He says, “but Lauren I never want to say goodbye to you. I want to wake up every morning and kiss you on the face.” (You read that right, face.) He gets down on one knee and presents her with a GINORMOUS diamond, which is rumored to be worth 100K. Lauren says yes to the proposal, and they look happy as can be! Ben tells Lauren she is his person! I love Love!

    During After the Final Rose, Ben and Lauren get to make their first public appearance as a couple, but not after JoJo gets to confront Ben. Anticlimactically, JoJo doesn’t really have much to say, I wonder why? Maybe its because she is the new Bachelorette!

Best Tweets

    • Best Dressed

    1. I loved the romper that JoJo wore on the nighttime portion of her date with Ben. The scalloped edges were cute, and the low back kept JoJo’s reign of “sexiest dresser” alive.

      2. Lauren Meet the Parents

    2. Lauren’s outfit to meet the parents, was actually one of the only ones in the entire show that I could actually pull off. A tank top tied at the waist and paired with a maxi skirt is something that all of us normal gals can work with.

      3. Lauren Proposal Dress

    3. The cobalt blue of this dress looks amazing with Lauren’s hair and skin tone. Lucky for us, this dress is actually available on Rent the Runway, and can be found here.

    That’s all we’ve got for this season. I can’t believe its over and we have to wait until May (probably) to get more Chris Harrison in our life. Until then, keep checking out the site for my comments on a wider variety of topics, and as always you can find me on twitter @third_and_girl.

    Thanks for reading!
    xxEm

    lips are movin-the bachelor: the women tell all

    Posted in Television by

    This episode was a bit of a bore – and I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to recap it. I’m all about sticking with what you start though, so let’s get to it.

    JoJo Becca workoutsource

    My Takeaways

    1. I thought the segment with Olivia was the most interesting. The more I listened to her, the more I thought that she really was just out of her element while on the show. I said the night of her Teen Mom comment, that I got the impression that she thought it was a funny joke. Seeing her reaction to all the women saying they felt attacked by her over the course of filming confirmed this feeling for me.

      Although interesting, the segment was also pretty uncomfortable. I felt like the other women continued to attack Olivia, when she was trying to apologize and say that she didn’t like what she had seen of herself on TV. Olivia mentioned being taken back to being bullied when she was younger, when she would walk into a room and it would be complete silence. I can’t imagine what that would feel like, to know that everyone was just having conversations and that you weren’t welcome to join. I thought it was out of line for Izzy, someone who I didn’t even know was on the show, to say that if she was bullied she would have learned from it and not acted the way that she did. Everyone handles things differently, and the way any two people deal with being bullied as a child can be on completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

    2. The segment with Caila was pretty heartbreaking. The Women Tell All special was filmed before last week’s episode aired, so I think they probably showed it to the women before filming. To have Caila comment on her heartbreak, so soon after watching it for the first time, must have been really tough for her.

      In usual Caila fashion, she handled all of her questions with grace. I find it interesting though that she mentioned still kind of being in love with Ben, when I’m about 95% sure she will start filming her season of the Bachelorette any minute. I guess that’s just Hollywood for you.

    3. When Ben came out, most of the women had nothing but nice things to say. Caila thanked him for allowing her to love and open her heart. Lauren H and Becca thanked him for showing them that there are great guys out there. Olivia even said she saw that there were problems in their relationship when watching it back!

      Jubilee had the most interesting question, and I also think she managed to get the answer out of Ben that she wanted. She asked him why when she started to pull away did he say that he didn’t see a future with her, but when Caila or JoJo began to pull away, he worked with them to get them to open up. She had felt like he was blaming her for their relationship not working out. Originally, Ben talked his way around the question, but Jubilee explained that if he didn’t see it working out, she would have rather him just say that, than putting the excuse on her lack of communication. This is the reason I love Jubilee, she says what is real, and makes sure she gets the answers to her questions.

    jojo funny gif

    [I’m just going to leave these here because takeaway 3 1/2 is how Becca and JoJo are friendship goals]

    Favorite Tweets

    1. becca tilley gif 1

    Best Dressed

    1. Olivia’s white jumpsuit was so major. I loved every single thing about it. I thought it was classy and fashion forward, and the peek-a-boo sides made it sexy as well. I’ve always looked like I was wearing clothes that were too small for me when trying on jumpsuits, but this one has made me consider giving them one more try.

      2. Caila jumpsuit 1

    2. I must be having a jumpsuit moment, because I also loved Caila’s black jumpsuit. It was an unexpected choice for her, one that I think paid off.

      3. Becca Sequin Boho

    3. Becca is the queen of the boho glam look, and this was no different. The deep neckline on the romper, paired with her beachy waves was at once easy and glamourous.

    Did you guys think this episode was kind of a bore? Or wish we could’ve just skipped it and gotten to the finale already? Let me know in the comments!

    xx
    Em

    dilemma-the bachelor: week 9

    Posted in Television by

    Hi guys! I’m back at it to recap another episode of the Bachelor, and we’re getting into unchartered territory over here. Although the final outcome of the episode wasn’t surprising to me, as I saw Becca and Amanda’s snapstories from the Women Tell All taping which included Caila, it was still filled with drama and uncomfortable decisions. Thankfully, I finally got all those L-bombs I was waiting for, and some from an unexpected source!

    turtles ben and lauren

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    My Thoughts

    1. First up was Caila’s date, which involved a raft ride down a river, and a stop at a jerk chicken shack. Caila admits that she is feeling anxious, and this is shown through plenty of awkward silences. During the daytime portion of the date, Ben tries to get Caila to tell him if something was bothering her but she continuously tells him that everything is good.

      At night, Caila realizes she has to be honest with Ben if she wants their relationship to move forward. She admits to having her guard up, as after her hometown date, she finally realized that there are two other women who also have very strong feelings for Ben. Knowing that it’s now or never, Caila tells Ben that she is in love with him. Ben’s reaction, telling once one watches the entire episode, is to smile and go in for the kiss.

      The fantasy suite card comes, and Caila accepts. After a quick jaunt into the ocean, Ben and Caila retreat to their room, with these crazy ass fireworks blowing up in the background. They don’t seem to bothering those two though.

      In the morning, Ben and Caila looked to have had a nice night. They eat breakfast on the terrace, and Caila is all smiles, repeatedly telling Ben she loves him, and being met with just a smile.

    2. After leaving Caila, Ben is ready to meet up with Lauren for their date. He mentions that it’s hard to go from one girl to another, but he says “the moment I see Lauren, the day is about her” (yeah, because he loves her). Ben takes Lauren on a boat to THE COOLEST DATE EVER. Seriously, if anyone took me to do this, I would hope that they would drop to one knee and propose right there.

      Ben and Lauren are going to help save sea turtles at Gibraltar Beach. Mel teaches Lauren and Ben about what his program does to save the turtles, and then lifts back a flap of mesh within a hole to reveal a small mound of baby hawksbill turtles. Lauren and Ben are both squeeing with excitement, and are told by Mel that they can grab a turtle and take him/her to the ocean and clean them off. After the turtles are all cleaned from their nest, Ben and Lauren place them in a bucket and release them into the ocean. Watching those little guys fight to get to sea is the most heartwarming thing ever, and I hope they all make it. To learn more about saving the sea turtle, visit The Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary.

      For Lauren’s nighttime portion of the date, her and Ben do a little bit of reggae dancing, and then talk about their feelings over dinner. Lauren is also very wary that there are two other girls in this process, and isn’t able to get up the nerve to tell Ben that she loves him. Even without the ‘I love you’, Ben offers the date card, and Lauren accepts. In the suite, the two of them sit on a couch, and continue to discuss their feelings (I really don’t know how else to put it). Lauren starts to ramble a bit, and you know the ‘I love you’ is coming. “I’ve felt this way for a long time but, I’m completely in love with you and you really are the man of my dreams and you make me feel a way I didn’t even know I could feel. And I feel like I’ve been wanting to tell you that for awhile, this isn’t something new”, says Lauren. Ben looks at her happily, and says “I have no doubt, especially talking to your family that you are someone who doesn’t just jump into things and they know you wouldn’t be here unless your feelings are strong. For me, I’ve known I’m in love with you for awhile as well”. Say whattttt???

      ben loves lauren

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      Lauren looks expectedly surprised, because, uhm, you’re not allowed to do that. Needless to say, she is extremely pleased, and the two have a cute moment of covering their faces and saying they love each other. Ben and Lauren make out, while Ben’s leg is awkwardly crossed. Their morning is uneventful, besides the two of them continuing to say “I love you”.

      Ben leaves to go on his date with JoJo and says “My heart is right now with Lauren but I need to explore where it’s at with JoJo”. The daytime portion of their date is pretty uneventful, they jump off a waterfall and go in a helicopter. In her ITMs, JoJo mentions that her love language is ‘words of affirmation’, and she hates that when she tells Ben that she loves him, he won’t be able to tell her back unless she is the last one there. As they talk about their feelings (this show seriously must be the most exhausting thing ever), JoJo tells Ben, “When I think about the future there’s not a doubt in my mind that I want to spend it with you.… and why I think it’s so hard for me to say I love you is because I’m so scared. But I do, everything that I’ve said up to this point makes me think that I do love you, like I’m not just falling in love anymore…I do, I do love you. To JoJo’s surprise, Ben says, “JoJo, I love you too”. Whatttt?!?! JoJo, being pretty adorable, says “What? Are you allowed to say that?”

      jojo are you allowed

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    3. After JoJo’s date is over, Ben is understandably confused about what he is doing with his life. He knows he has to let Caila go, as he just wasn’t able to say ‘I love you’ to her. He’s sitting outside, pondering his life choices, when Caila comes bouncing out to “surprise” him because she just wanted to see him. She is so excited, as she believes that Ben loves her too, and watching the whole exchange made me cringe. I just wanted to yell “Run Caila! Save yourself!”.

      Ben tells Caila that he has fallen and love and he just wasn’t able to get there with her and Caila handles the breakup as gracefully and realistically as anyone I can remember. In some of my favorite Caila moments of the season she responds with, “That sounds like a line, but uhm” when Ben says it’s going to be really hard to say goodbye to her. When he says he’s going to miss her, she says, “You don’t have to say that. You really don’t have to say that.” She tearfully tells him that she’ll miss him, and that’s she is going to go because “there is no reason for me to stay”. While sitting in the van waiting to leave, she decides that if she wants answers she has to get them now. She gets out and confronts Ben, asking him if he knew after their date and if he did, why he’s doing this to her now. Realizing, that the wound is too raw to really get any closure, Ben walks her back to the van that whisks her away. The real heartbreaker was Caila sobbing in the car while saying that she still loved Ben.

      For some unknown reason, there is still a rose ceremony. Both Lauren and JoJo tell Chris Harrison that they told Ben they loved him and he told them the same. Actually, I think they held the rose ceremony just for the Chris Harrison reaction shots to this news.

      Chris harrison face - bach tumblr

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      Ben first gives JoJo a rose, and then Lauren, and they participate in a super awkard group hug/toast. Sister wives anyone?
      Awkward Group Hug

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    Best Tweets

    Best Dressed

    1. JoJo Daytime Date
      JoJo’s date outfit was fun and casual for a day of hiking. I liked the deep v-neck of the shirt, which stays tasteful when paired with a bathing suit top. This outfit is something I would wear, and JoJo looks great.
    2. Lauren rose ceremony
      Lauren’s rose ceremony dress was a little casual as compared to earlier rose ceremonies, but I thought it was appropriate for the tropical atmosphere of Jamaica. I loved the high slit in the dress, as well as the bright color.
    3. Jojo rose ceremony
      JoJo continues her trend of really killing it in the sex appeal department at the rose ceremonies. The fun, tropical print is perfect for Jamaica, and the fit is impeccable.

    That’s all I’ve got for you today rose lovers! What did you think about Ben telling two women he loves them? Does anyone think that was a good move (I’m going to guess no)? And who do you think is going to win, JoJo or Lauren? Let me know in the comments!

    Xoxo Em

    the house that built me – the bachelor: week 8

    Posted in Television by

    Ahh the hometown dates, where things start getting serious and normally we start to hear the first “I love you”s. Unfortunately, the girls let me down in the second department, as none of them professed their love to Ben. Even though there were no romantic proclamations, this episode packed plenty of drama, so let’s get to it!

    JoJos brothers GIFsource

    My Takeaways

    1. The first hometown we see is Amanda’s, in Laguna Beach. Upon his entrance, Amanda runs to Ben, while pulling up her off the shoulder top the entire time. Suffice it to say, the outfit choice was not the best for a date that involves running around and playing with her kids. I was honestly shocked to hear Amanda tell Ben that she hasn’t seen them since she’s been home. It was a super cute moment for the producers to have on camera, but I didn’t think they would keep her away from her kids just to get that scene.

      Amanda’s kids are the cutest things on this planet. The first question the oldest one, Kinsley, asks Amanda is, “Where’s Ben?” Clearly someone is feeding this kid lines. They spend their date playing at the beach, which involves sand castles, kite flying, and just general chasing. Kinsley is loving it while the younger daughter, Charlie, is unimpressed. She expresses her unhappiness by crying and screaming for the entire ride back home.

      As soon as the crying lasts longer than a minute, you can tell Ben is becoming a little harried. As people say, you don’t truly know what its like to be a dad until you actually are one. Although Amanda’s girls are adorable, well behaved and sweet, I think this date really showed Ben that he wasn’t ready to be a father. I think he had feelings for Amanda, but knew at this point in his life he wouldn’t be able to give her and her girls everything that they deserve.

    2. Next, Ben travels to Portland, where Lauren “keeps it weird”. My girl crush on Lauren continues to develop as she takes Ben around downtown Portland, with stops for food at a food truck and a whiskey library. For the first time all season, we see someone actually put food in their mouth, as Lauren claims, “This is everything. I love butter. I don’t know if we’ve discussed my love for butter, but I love butter”. I don’t know about you, but I really need to get whatever brand of butter they have out there in Portland.

      Lauren takes Ben to meet her parents, sister, and two little brothers. Her sister, Mollie, is the one who grills Ben the hardest about his intentions with Lauren. She asks him, “My sister is an eligible bachelorette. She’s beautiful, she’s smart, she’s funny, she’s nice, good values, any guy would fall in love with her. What makes her stand out to you?” Ben’s response is telling of his feelings when he says, “There’s something about your sister that I can’t put words to. I don’t know, I feel really lucky, I do.” AND THEN HE TEARS UP. I really don’t see how anyone but Lauren can be the recipient of Ben’s final rose.

    3. Finally, we can talk about JoJo’s hometown! In all honestly, the rest of the episode was pretty anti-climactic, with dad’s warning their daughters that there are still other girls in the process and daughter’s spilling their feelings to parents; but JoJo’s hometown is where it really gets good.

      The segment starts with JoJo walking up to her “house” and seeing a bouquet of roses on the porch. They come with a letter and assuming it was from Ben, she reads it on camera without any hesitation. Unfortunately for her, and after a very long time, she realizes the letter wasn’t from Ben. It was from her ex-boyfriend Chad, who has decided it was time to tell her he made a mistake and wants her back. JoJo is furious, although I have a feeling she may be angrier at the producers for letting this happen than with Chad himself. JoJo calls Chad, whether to tell him that she doesn’t want to be with him or she does (we don’t know), as Ben walks up the drive. JoJo answers the door looking upset, and Ben is super confused. When JoJo sits him down to tell him what has happened, you can see in his eyes that he thinks it is going to be over between them. Luckily for Ben, she tells him that she called Chad to tell him how happy she was and how everything between them is done.

      Maybe not so lucky for Ben, that means he still has to meet JoJo’s charming brothers. At her family dinner, Ben meets her mom, dad, sister, and two older brothers, Ben and Matt. Both brothers seem WAY too excited to see their sister, and engulf her in a giant sandwich of a hug complete with screaming and very close to the mouth kissing. Seriously, I had to turn my TV down when these guys were on the screen.

      JoJo’s brothers don’t seem to like Ben as soon as he walks in the door. They continuously tell Ben that they want the best for their sister and don’t want to see her get hurt. Brother Ben says that when he sees JoJo light up around Ben it is spooky and scares him because she deserves better. Possessive much? Also, what? That doesn’t even make sense. When JoJo tells them that she can see herself falling in love with Ben, they don’t gently remind her that there are still other girls in the process but yell to Ben, “Ben you’ve brainwashed these girls way too much. To see my sister like that after two dates…” All of this becomes even more hilarious when you learn that JoJo’s brother Ben was on a reality dating show himself.

      On the opposite end of the spectrum is JoJo’s mom, who doesn’t seem to know how the show works. When JoJo tells her that she’s afraid to go for it because there are three other women, her mom’s response is, “Oh?” She also tells JoJo, “you’re not going to get hurt, you’re beautiful” and takes champagne bottles to the face. Essentially, what everyone wants in a best friend.

      4. Caila’s hometown was pretty uneventful, and Amanda is sent home at the rose ceremony. Next stop: Fantasy Suites.

    Favorite Tweets

    Favorite Looks

    1. Lauren B quilted leather jacket
      Lauren looked a little edgier than normal for her hometown, I guess she was tapping into Portland’s “weirdness”. There have been plenty of leather jackets on this season but I fall hard for any that have a special detail. I like the quilting on this jacket, paired with a long plaid flannel.

    2. I loved JoJo’s rose ceremony dress. It was super sexy, with a deep neckline, but a tasteful length making it a winner all around.

    3. Caila’s hometown date look was anything but edgy, complete with a white turtleneck and a puffer vest. She looked like she stepped straight out of an L.L. Bean catalog, a look I try and emulate on a day-to-day basis. Plus, with hair like that, you can never look bad.

    Well that’s all I got for you Bachelor lovers! Is it just me or do these posts get longer and longer? If you enjoy reading them, please subscribe in the sidebar to the right, and you can always reach me @third_and_girl on Twitter!

    xxEm

    small town – the bachelor: week 7

    Posted in Television by

    Hey guys! Sorry about the lack of posting in the past week, I had half a post planned and then the weekend just got away from me.

    This week on The Bachelor we traveled to Ben’s hometown of Warsaw, Indiana aka my dream small town. And it was the most dramatic episode yet (not really, it was kind or boring), and there’s lots of great stuff to unpack.

    Bachelor Episode 7 Leaves gifsource

    My Takeaways

    1. Ben takes Lauren (I will no longer be using the B as she is the only one left) on the first one-on-one date. The two of them drive around in this gorgeous vintage truck, and see the sights in Warsaw. There is one point when they are driving where it seems that he wants to just rest his head on hers. That’s love ladies and gentleman.
      Ben Higgens Lauren B
      He takes her to the youth center where he used to work, and the two of them spend the afternoon shooting hoops with the kids. Ben also brings in Paul George and George Hill of the Indiana Pacers, and the kids and Lauren are equally star struck (I’m going to choose to believe that Lauren is a huge basketball fan, so we can become best friends). Ben seems to be really great with children, and I think that this is where Lauren really falls in love with him, (as evidenced by the fact that she later says she’s in love with him). Lauren and Ben hang out in the condo where Ben is staying, then close out what would be my perfect date at the local dive bar with Ben’s friends.

    2. For the group date, Ben takes Caila, Amanda, and Becca kayaking, and then they hang out in a barn that is reminiscent of the barn where Farmer Chris dumped her one season ago.
      All three of the women were seeking validation in their conversations with Ben, but it seems that validation only comes in the form of a rose. Amanda received the rose on this date, ensuring that she will get to take Ben home to meet her daughters. Not only that, she gets to spend the rest of the night with Ben, taking part in shameless product placement for McDonalds. After working the McDonald’s drive-thru (that’s not me mocking the date, they actually did that), Ben and Amanda spent some time at the Warsaw carnival. The carnival actually looked like fun but I was unnerved by the number of people that were constantly surrounding them and taking pictures on their phones.

    3. On Emily’s one-on-one date, Ben takes her to his childhood home to meet the parents. I’m sure Emily was nervous and not being particularly eloquent, but the editing really made her sound like a rambling crazy person. For example, when Ben’s dad asks her what she likes she says, “Movies. If I could sit around and watch them all day long that would be my favorite thing in the whole world.” She also says that she doesn’t like vegetables. Shockingly, both Ben’s parents have reservations that mirror Ben’s about Emily’s age. Ben takes Emily back to the girls’ house, and tells her that he can’t see her being his wife. The downside of this breakup location is the fact that the other girls were watching the entire time. On the bright side, Emily was able to cry and download all of her emotions with the girls before leaving.

      At the rose ceremony, Ben gave roses to Caila, Jojo, and Lauren and sent Becca home. Next stop: hometowns.

    Favorite Tweets

    Favorite Looks

    1. Caila’s Cableknit Sweater
      Caila’s sweater looks so cozy, and the fringe at the bottom adds a fun, unexpected element.

    2. Emily’s Military Jacket
      Emily’s army green jacket is a casual staple piece that everyone should have to throw on. The leather paneling edges it up just a bit.

    3. Lauren’s Light Coat
      Lauren Episode 7 coatI’m not sure if the coat is light pink, or it just looks it in the light, but it gives off a Jackie O vibe and I’m digging it.

    What are your thoughts Bachelor lovers? Who do you think Ben is going to give the final rose too? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

    xxEmily

    don’t you want me – the bachelor: week 6

    Posted in Television by

    Hey guys, hope you had a great weekend and are ready to dissect this week’s episode of The Bachelor. I was pleasantly surprised that we got back on track with two rose ceremonies this week! The drama certainly hasn’t let up, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, so let’s get to it!

    pig gifsource

    My Takeaways

    1. This episode marked the emergence of a person who many viewers had almost forgotten was on the show, Leah.  After Caila received her second one-on-one date, Leah began a downward spiral of jealousy and self-doubt. She spent most of her time on the group date sulking over the fact that Ben wasn’t paying attention to her, due to his dating 6 other women, apparently forgetting the fact that that is the ENTIRE DESIGN OF THE SHOW. During the cocktail party, she spent her individual time with Ben talking about one of the other women, Lauren B. I take back what I said earlier about Leah forgetting that the entire design of the show was to have one person date multiple people because it is clear from this conversation that she has never watched the show before.  Can anyone tell me a time when a contestant spending their time with the Bachelor talking about the other women has gone well? Anyone?

      Besides the misguided topic of this conversation, the entire exchange between Leah and Ben during the nighttime portion of the group date was strange. I’m about 75% certain that Leah saying “Lauren B” when Ben asked her to clarify who she was talking about was dubbed in post production. At first, I thought that this whole exchange was producer manipulated, and that Leah was actually talking about Olivia. However, what she did after the date, made me doubt this original theory.

      After Amanda receives the group date rose and the women go back to the hotel, Leah decides that Ben still doesn’t know her. She “breaks the rules” and goes to Ben’s room to continue to talk to him. This move has had some success, but never when you spend your extra time with the Bachelor talking about the other women. (PSA: If you are going to go on the Bachelor, please watch the show first and don’t commit these cardinal sins of ‘The Bachelor’-dom.) During this conversation, the cameras show a full cut of Leah saying Lauren B.’s name as the woman who is different with Ben than the other women, therefore debunking my producer intervention theory. I’m still sure it was dubbed, but now I’m thinking it was just for clarity’s sake.

      Ben isn’t feeling the constant Lauren B bashing (because he obviously loves her), and sends Leah home.

    2. After the group date, Olivia and Emily go on their two-on-one date: a picnic on an island during a hurricane. I have to admit that I thought this pairing was a slam dunk for Olivia. There is such a track record on this show of the “villain” coming out on top one too many times.  I guess Olivia getting the group date rose last week was her last victory, because she certainly didn’t win anything on this date.

      During their one-on-one time, Olivia talks a lot about herself and tells Ben that she loves him. After she says this, she goes in for the kiss, which Ben doesn’t deny, but he certainly doesn’t let it linger.  This was my first indication that there was trouble brewing in Olivia’s paradise.

      Ben talks to Emily while her hair is attempting to eat her face.  It actually was pretty humorous and something that everyone not named Beyonce can relate to. Emily tells Ben that she wants to continue growing with him through her experience on the show, but receives no kiss that we see.

      When all three are back and seated on the beach, Ben takes the rose and asks to speak with Olivia.  I thought this was a pretty bad sign for Emily, but once again I was wrong.  Ben tells Olivia that he appreciates her being honest with him about her feelings, and he has to be honest in return, and not give her the rose.  He strands Olivia on what looks to be a freezing cold beach in the middle of a hurricane. What a winner. (I kid, Ben is quite the charmer).

      No matter how you feel about Olivia’s time on the show, I think you have to feel for her in that moment.  I don’t know what it would be like to tell someone that you love them, and then later that same day be dumped by them.  For these women, there is no additional closure, no drunk texts (although that is probably a good thing), no asking your friends “what did he say about me”. Its “Let me walk you out”, or in this case let me leave you on an island, and maybe we can talk about this during “The Women Tell All”. It can’t be easy.

    3. Ben is tired from his emotionally trying week, so there is no cocktail party.  During the rose ceremony, Lauren H goes home, pretty unsurprisingly.  I hope this means we can just start calling Lauren B, Lauren.The big thing of interest in the last section of the show was the promo for the rest of the season! OMG!

      From what I can see Ben tells two people he loves them, becoming the first Bachelor or Bachelorette I can remember to even tell anyone they are in love on camera before the final rose. There also is a very confusing montage where Ben is discussing his love for the two women, sobbing, and saying he can’t see his life without either of them.  There’s a classic Harrison quote of “What you’re contemplating now, that would absolutely change everything.”  The strangest thing to me however was Ben saying, “I have to say goodbye to a woman that doesn’t deserve it, it doesn’t feel right and this is the biggest mistake I’ve made. I want to keep her in my life, I don’t want to say good bye because thats how much I love her. I’m about to get on one knee and ask a woman to marry me. Unfortunately, I just love somebody else….more.” AND THEN HE MAKES A PHONE CALL!  Say WHAT?!?! This is the most I’ve been tempted by spoilers all season, but I’m standing firm. I can’t wait to know what happens, though!

    Favorite Tweets

    Best Dressed
    Becca and Caila were my style stars this week. They were killing it!

    1. Becca’s Romper – Bahamas Arrival
      becca tilley romper
      show me your mumu rocky romper

      Becca’s romper is Show Me Your Mumu and can be found here.

    2. Caila’s Bikini

      I liked Caila’s bikini from the front, but when she turned around and I saw that hot pink tassel I was in love.

    3. Becca’s Crocheted Crop Top

      Becca continues looking effortlessly cool by pairing a crocheted crop top with a leather pencil skirt.

    What did you guys think of this episode? Any guesses on what is going to happen in that final rose ceremony? I’d love to hear, in the comments or @third_and_girl on Twitter.

    xxEm

    from afar.

    Posted in Television by

    Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I thought this week’s episode was kind of a dull one.  I didn’t really have any “hot takes” while watching, so my thoughts are more like a recap this week.

    ben spat source

    Thoughts on Episode 5
    1. Amanda got the first one on one date, and I could see this coming since Ben made barrettes for her daughters. I really like Amanda, and I think Ben likes her too.

    Ben starts the date by waking up the women at 4am.  This was probably my favorite part of the episode due to Lauren H’s retainer, an unclaimed weave (and the fact that Ben knew it was a weave), and Ben affectionately saying good morning to “Jubs”. The two of them go on a hot air balloon date, and its pretty boring.  The only thing I got out of it was to ask myself whether Ben knows these facts about Mexico, or if a producer feeds them to him in the moment. Then they go on a picnic, and they both say “like” a lot.

    At “dinner” (they never eat), they discuss Amanda’s previous marriage, which certainly doesn’t sound like a walk in the park. Amanda deserves a guy that wants to spend time with her and her daughters and DEFINITELY deserves one that is faithful to her.  I’m proud of her for putting herself and her girls first and recognizing that she deserves better.  Ben gives her the rose, and I think their relationship is one of the stronger ones on the show.

    2. The big story of the group date was Ben sending Jubilee home.  On second viewing, something she said in one of her interviews really struck me.  She said , “Love seeing Ben, hate competing with 9 other girls for a man’s love”. I’m going to bet that the majority of these women feel the same way, but everyone deals with that stress in a different way.  Jubilee’s way was to shut down and put her guard up, something that isn’t going to be beneficial on a show where you need to be able to express your strong feelings for someone in a matter of months. Jubilee needed Ben to tell her she was special, and to give her that confidence that she was standing out amoung the other women. The look on her face when she realized that Ben wasn’t going to give her the validation she wanted at that moment, was truly heartbreaking.

    After sending Jubs home, Ben gives Olivia the group date rose. I think he appreciated her desire to spend time with him, when that is what he wasn’t feeling from Jubilee.  That being said, it definitely didn’t help with the other women’s feelings toward her.

    3. At the rose ceremony Amanda, Olivia and Lauren H have roses, Lauren receiving hers after a super boring date. Jojo and Lauren B tiptoe around telling Ben that they are falling in love with him.  Its refreshing that they are not comfortable saying they are in love with a man they barely know.

    Then the big comment of the episode happens. Olivia makes the misguided allusion to Teen Mom when Amanda was discussing her childcare situation while she was away. Immediately, you can see in Olivia’s face that what she meant to get across was not what was received by the other women.  I don’t think she was trying to be malicious towards Amanda, but instead was attempting to make a joke, in poor taste.  I give Amanda and Olivia both a lot of credit for having a discussion about the comment instead of talking behind each other’s backs.

    Emily uses her one on one time to talk to Ben about feeling disrespected by Olivia. Her time is interrupted by Olivia. Ben uses some of his time with Olivia to fish for information. She gives up nothing, saying that everything in the house is fine. Next comes a montage of girls talking about Olivia, something I’m sure was prompted by Ben or the producers.

    The rose ceremony is about to begin and Ben asks to speak with Olivia. Then the dreaded “To be continued”…..UGH.

    Tweets of the Week

    1.

    2.

    3.

     Best Outfits

    1.ben ep 5
    An unexpected favorite look was Ben’s from his date with Amanda.  I love a good puffer vest, and I like it paired with the checkered shirt. (My screen grabs may be a bit clearer, but I didn’t catch the best Ben face, #unimpressed).

    2.lauren b ep 5 2

    Lauren B’s white two piece maxi was so chic.  I loved the tasteful crop, as well as the high slit.
    3.amanda episode 5

    Amanda’s super casual “girl chat” look was how I wish I looked when I’m lounging.  She looks so cute in a checkered flannel with a bright headband. I look not so cute in a “Nap Queen” sweatshirt, messy bun, and pants if you’re lucky.

    What were your thoughts on the episode? Do you think Ben is going to take Olivia’s rose away?  Let me know in the comments!

    And as always, please subscribe in the sidebar, and follow on twitter @third_and_girl.

    xxEM