The Sunny Side of the Street
Episode 14: Bravotv.com's Editor talks about keeping up your side of the street and Spanish lessons.
Hello Frankel fans! Hopefully you (like Bethenny will be) watched this episode on your 73-inch television (Seriously, that is a big television, no matter what you think Stephen Fanuka). Let's recap the penultimate episode of Season 3 shall we.
Ariba Ariba
We open with Bethenny trying to be sure her apartment bar is all she wants it to be. She feels she worked her behind off in all things and now it's time to celebrate it with something a little more high class than a TV cabinet. And seeing the montage really reminded me it was so -- I had forgotten that one of those first trips to Costco really only resulted in some dried blueberries.
Besides the joy of thinking of fully stocked bars, warm nuts, and dried blueberries, we also get to see the delight that is Bryn in Spanish class. How cute was she in her little poncho and silver boots saying "frío." Also, maybe I'm over-sharing here, but that Spanish instructor was adorable. I guess I'm just a sucker for a dude with a 5 o'clock shadow and excellent language skills. What do you think the age cap is for Spanish classes?
Off Track
Next we see Bethenny get together with Jason and some of her old buddies from the race track. Over a sizable Italian dinner (and, as Bethenny promised, some serious Sopranos-style chatter), they discuss the difference between her father Bobby and her stepdad John. Bethenny does have some great memories with her dad (and with his friends) so despite all the rough patches, she has made it through.
But it wasn't all good times, and Jason tries his best to understand how Bobby could have abandoned Bethenny for all those years. Louie defends both sides of the equation, and it's true that there's more to family than just blood. In the end, all those issues were part of the bigger plan. Everything had to happen the way it did to make even that dinner possible, let alone all of B's life. It's good to see Bethenny getting some levity on the situation, as painful as it is.
Wendy’s World
Bethenny takes her tour to Wendy Williams, which becomes less of a jovial talk show visit and more of a fact finding mission. B's been approached about some six-week test options for her talk show, so she wants to get all the details about how the whole scenario works.
She gives the poor makeup guy a little bit of the third degree, which is cute. It's adorable to see Bethenny 'back to being a novice when she's been so on top of her game for so long. It's back to the old days of her figuring things out -- and eventually kicking ass and taking names. It's problem-solving skills like those that make her the woman she is today -- a woman who can use her wiley ways to get out of tight pants. . .Oh Julie, you'll miss this most of all won't you?
At Dr. Amador's, Bethenny discusses the upswing in her life. She and Jason are in a better place, and she had a great visit with her stepfather. And perhaps it's that spirit of goodwill, that leads to a discussion of Bethenny's mother. Bethenny's been pondering the idea of reaching out to her again. After all this time, she admits she's not angry with her mother, but instead just accepts the person that she is -- and is maybe even a bit worried about her. Dr. Amador explains that she's kept up her side of the street with her father (seeing him before he passed), and maybe she should do the same with her mother. Even if her parents have disappointed her, she can do her best to keep up her side of the family. It's all so mature and street-centric. Way to go Bethenny, you continue to be the best therapy patient ever.
Home is Where the Heart Is
Bethenny and Jason take another visit to their future abode, and see that things are progressing nicely. As classy as the whole affair is going to end up being, they're still keeping it real with an Ikea dresser. Much respect for your frugality and love of fine Swedish furniture Hoppys.
They've worked through the apartment issues and, moreover, their issues and are in a great place. They are different people, and that's why it works. The differences in personality and family upringing have made them the family they are. They're accepting each other and living like they just met and fell in love, which was a pretty blissful time if you recall.
Next week is the big finale which includes three huge moments -– the big reveal of the finished apartment (hopefully with lots of Brooke Gomez giving the grand tour), the big reveal of Bethenny's secret (the one she's all curled up in Bryn's room sneaking around about), and Julie's big departure from the team. I hope you'll remember to have some tissues on hand. Until then, leave your favorite moments from the season in your comments -- and check our gallery of the big events to see our choices.
