TAR13, Recap Leg 1, 9/29/08

Kmanpat, whom you might remember from my other recaps, also writes recaps of his own. Specifically "The Amazing Race". Read and enjoy! (click for recap)

Welcome to Leg 1! We’re back to TAR after a hiatus, which, in my opinion, was a bit too long. But it’s the same old, same old, as we have careening! Los Angeles! The top of some random building! And PHIL, looking oh so dapper in his jacket and jeans. Oh Phil, how I’ve missed thee. Let’s meet the teams as they arrive at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the only stadium in the world to host TWO, count them TWO, Olympic Games! (1932 and 1984, BTW). And they are in “classic” cars.

Toni and Dallas, AKA the Mother/Son team, are from Northern California. Toni has been a single mom all of Dallas’ life, and he’s turned into a handsome, strong young man. (Kmanpat: “Yes, he has.” Toyouke: “WE’re two minutes in and you’re already drooling. Stop that.”)

Nick and Starr, AKA Team HSM!, are from New York and Texas, respectively, and are brother and sister. They “get whatever they want”. Hmm, Ryan and Sharpay are going to be fun to watch. (Kmanpat: “Ooh, jazz squares! Everyone likes a good jazz square!”)

Ken and Tina, AKA Mom and Dad Evans, are a separated couple from Tampa, FL, and are using the race to save the marriage because Ken cheated on Tina. And we ALL know that after six emmys, marriages are SO not saved by the Amazing Race.

Aja and Ty, AKA Long Distance, are dating long distance, but they were made for each other. RIGHT.

Marisa and Brooke, AKA Blondies, are southern belles from South Carolina, whose interests are fashion and cupcakes. (Kmanpat: “I enjoy those things too, but I’m, like, such as, intelligent.”)

Andrew and Dan, AKA Team Superbad, are frat brothers from Phoenix AZ. Andrew: “We like parties, girls and booze.” Dan: “The only six pack we have is the beer we carry.” They could be really awesome or really annoying.

Anthony and Stephanie, AKA Team Commitment, are from Los Angeles, she wants to get married, he’s not sure. Blah, blah, BLAH! This was the exact comment I made about Lorena and Jason last season, and I’m not changing it. Because it hasn’t changed.

Anita and Arthur, AKA Old Hippies, are beekeepers from Fall Creek OR. And they are old hippies, if you hadn’t noticed.

Kelly and Christy, AKA Team Divorcée, are best friends from Texas. And that’s pretty much it, moving on.

Terence and Sarah, AKA Team Asshat, are newly dating from New York. Terence is a “free spirit”. (Toyouke: “And I’m going to have to listen to his free spirit all season. Not going to be fun.”)

Mark and Bill, AKA The Comic Book Geeks, are best friends from San Diego CA. They believe that The Amazing Race is the ultimate game on the world’s biggest gameboard. I’d tend to agree.

The camera careens to the stadium where the teams are standing where Phil gives his standard speech. There will be eleven legs where each team will get a “small amount of cash” and that eight of the pit stops are elimination points. We have our first eyebrow pop, and Phil tells them that their first clue is on their bags. They are to run up the stairs and get in a marked car to drive themselves to the airport, and the first team to finish will win ONE MILLION DOLLARS (US$1000000)! Then oh so sexy Phil does his standard patter: “Ready? The world is waiting for you. Good luck, travel safe. GO!” Who will be eliminated . . . tonight?

Los Angeles, California

Nick/Starr (1st)
Clue: Fly to Salvador, Brazil! You may take one of two flights. Once you arrive, travel by taxi to O Rei Do Pernil, a sandwich shop in Salvador.

Terence/Sarah (2nd)
Andrew/Dan (3rd)
Toni/Dallas (4th)

And then everyone else follows behind.

There is much car chasing, passing, and yelling. Lots of teams are turning right instead of left, asking for directions, and getting lost. Cue the Rattlesnakes of Discontent! (Rattlesnakes: *shakes tails*) Teams arrive at Los Angeles International Airport in the following order:

1-Aja/Ty
2-Ken/Tina
3-Mark/Bill
4-Kelly/Christy
5-Toni/Dallas
6-Anthony/Stephanie
7-Andrew/Dan
8-Marisa/Brooke
9-Terence/Sarah
10-Nick/Starr – who get in the wrong lane and don’t go to Park One right away.
11-Anita/Arthur

Teams choose flights to Salvador. Teams run for the American Airlines counter, since this flight leaves and arrives first. However, (and Aja points this out), you need to be at the MARKED counter, which everyone obviously doesn’t do. Thus, the flights shake down like this:

Flight 1: American Airlines
1) Mark/Bill
2) Ken/Tina
3) Terence/Sarah
4) Nick/Starr
5) Aja/Ty
6) Kelly/Christy

Flight 2: United Airlines
1) Andrew/Dan
2) Toni / Dallas
3) Anita / Arthur
4) Marisa / Brooke
5) Anthony / Stephanie

Mr. and Mrs. Evans (Ken and Tina) now make an alliance with their kids, Ryan and Sharpay (Nick and Starr), and they do a giant musical number in the airport!

The Amazing Yellow and Orange Lines take us from Los Angeles, while the American Airlines flight takes a swing by Rio de Janiero (shout out, TAR2!) and United Airlines swings by São Paolo (woo, TAR9!). But when the American Airlines flight lands at Rio, it has difficulty getting back in the air. So, teams arrive in Salvador in the following order:

1- Mark/Bill
2- Kelly/Christy
3- Terence/Sarah
4- Ken/Tina
5- Nick/Starr
6- Aja/Ty
7- Toni/Dallas
8- Andrew/Dan
9- Anita/Arthur
10- Marisa/Brooke
11- Anthony/Stephanie

Teams take taxis to O Rei Do Pernil. Then teams arrive in the following order:

1- Mark/Bill
2- Terence/Sarah
3- Nick/Starr
4- Ken/Tina
5- Aja/Ty
6- Kelly/Christy
7- Andrew/Dan
8- Anita/Arthur
9- Toni/Dallas
10- Marisa/Brooke
11- Anthony/Stephanie

When they arrive, teams must choose a vending cart and drive it through the streets of Salvador to the Plaza of Praça da Sé. They then must find Indio to get their next clue. And ride a funicular!

Teams find Indio in the following order:

1- Terence/Sarah
2- Mark/Bill – Bill: “This is like driving the world’s worst shopping cart.”
3- Nick/Starr
4- Ken/Tina
5- Aja/Ty
6- Kelly/Christy
7- Andrew/Dan
8- Anita/Arthur
9- Toni/Dallas
10- Anthony/Stephanie
11- Marisa/Brooke

Teams are now instructed to travel by taxi to 19 Batalhão de Caçadores, which is a Brazilian military base. Teams will sign up there for their departures the next morning. Teams arrive at the base in the following order:

1- Terence/Sarah
2- Nick/Starr
3- Mark/Bill
4- Ken/Tina
5- Aja/Ty
6- Kelly/Christy
7- Andrew/Dan
8- Anita/Arthur
9- Toni/Dallas
10- Anthony/Stephanie
11- Marisa/Brooke

Teams must now sign the book that allows them to get their departure time for the next morning.

Teams have pulled their morning departure times in the following order:

9:00 am
1) Terence/Sarah
2) Nick/Starr
3) Mark/Bill
4) Ken/Tina


9:30 am
1) Aja/Ty
2) Kelly/Christy
3) Andrew/Dan


9:45 am
1) Anita/Arthur
2) Toni/Dallas
3) Anthony/Stephanie
4) Marisa/Brooke

Teams eat, sleep and mingle at the provided lodgings (which are army tents with mosquito nets), in preparation for the next morning. Sarah spends her evening talking with teams, which royally pisses off Terence (“This should be all about me!” Kmanpat: “Hmm, that sounds familiar.”). And Dallas is walking around topless. He can keep doing that.

Time lapse, it’s morning, and Phil reminds us the order of departure.

Teams are now instructed to take a taxi to the Pelourinho, the historic center of Salvador, and find the church of San Fransisco.

Teams eventually find taxis and arrive at the church in the following order:

1- Terence/Sarah – who go inside the church to look for the clue box. Cue the Amazing Editors, as Terence complains about Sarah running too fast.
2- Mark/Bill – who also miss the clue box.
3- Nick/Starr – who also miss the clue box.
4- Ken/Tina
5- Kelly/Christy
6- Andrew/Dan
7- Aja/Ty
8- Toni/Dallas
9- Marisa/Brooke
10- Anthony/Stephanie
11- Anita/Arthur

And teams come to the first detour.

DETOUR:
Hard Way Up OR Soft Way Down
*Hard Way Up: Teams must walk to the Escaderia do Passo and make a spiritual pledge to climb up the staircase on their hands and knees. Once at the top, they must answer a question correctly (“How many steps have you climbed?” (53)) in order to get their next clue.
*Soft Way Down: Teams must find the outdoor Lacerda Elevator and use the service staris to climb to the top. Once their, teams must climb down a 240 foot cargo net, but only three teams may be on the net at any time. Once at the bottom, teams can get their clue.

1-Nick/Starr choose Soft Way Down
2- Ken/Tina choose Soft Way Down
3- Mark/Bill choose Soft Way Down
4- Terence/Sarah choose Soft Way Down
5- Kelly/Christy choose Soft Way Down
6- Toni/Dallas choose Soft Way Down
7- Andrew/Dan choose Hard Way Up
8- Aja/Ty choose Soft Way Down
9- Marisa/Brooke choose Soft Way Down
10- Anthony/Stephanie choose Soft Way Down
11 – Anita/Arthur choose Soft Way Down

After much climbing, teams complete the detour in the following order:

1- Nick/Starr
2- Ken/Tina
3- Terence/Sarah
4- Mark/Bill
5- Kelly/Christy
6- Toni/Dallas
7- Aja/Ty
8- Marisa/Brooke
9- Anthony/Stephanie
10- Andrew/Dan – who do the challenge twice because no one thought to count stairs.
11- Anita/Arthur

Teams must now get themselves to the PIT STOP, the Forte São Marcelo in the nearby bay. This is the first pit stop in a racearoundtheworld. The last team to arrive WILL be eliminated!

1-Nick/Starr – Really? Sweet! They win a romantic trip for two to Belize. Which, I don’t think they need a romantic trip. . . (Nick: “We knew we were going to Bop to the Top!”)
2-Ken/Tina
3-Terence/Sarah
4-Mark/Bill
5- Kelly/Christy
6- Toni/Dallas
7- Andrew/Dan
8- Aja/Ty
9- Anthony/Stephanie
10- Marisa/Brooke
11- Anita/Arthur

And Anita and Arthur are eliminated. Which is sad, because they could have been AWESOME.

ORDER NOW:
1st – Nick/Starr
2nd – Ken/Tina
3rd – Terence/Sarah
4th – Mark/Bill
5th – Kelly/Christy
6th – Toni/Dallas
7th – Andrew/Dan
8th – Aja/Ty
9th – Anthony/Stephanie
10th – Marisa/Brooke

Next week: We continue to galavant through Brazil. Mark and Bill try to get Mr. and Mrs. Evans to adopt them too. Who do you think you are? Troy Bolton, you are not. And The Evans Family Alliance upsets the Asshats in the best soundbite: Terence: “You can’t have an alliance. You’re two teams, not one team.” Sarah: “And they didn’t even say hi to us!” Oh, this is going to be interesting. Until next time. . .

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Suede-- Fashion Week collection

I think most people assumed Suede was one of the decoys. Here is his interesting collection. Pictures from Blogging Project Runway. (click for pictures)


I don't get this at all. It's a simple dress in a plaid, which is cute if not boring, and then it looks like she tied a tablecloth over it. It wouldn't even close in the front, would it? It doesn't match the dress. In fact, the model took it off at the end of the runway.














I think this would be more effective if you couldn't see the foundation fabric underneath the ruffles. It's not that great. Shiny + ruffles = "A lot of look", as Tim would say.















Couldn't I go to Macy's right now and buy this? In the same floral/tie dye fabric?
















I don't think this dress fits this model. And the giant silver ruffle makes her too lopsided.
















This looks like his car outfit. That is not a good thing. Or, also it reminds me of the grocery store challenge: mopheads and one of those sun shades for your car. It's not hideous, the shape is OK, but it reminds me too much of clothes he made from non-fabrics.














Eh. I don't even have anything to say about this.
Yes I do. The bustier doesn't fit at all and the jacket has a giant peplum so it's kind of like that one he made for that poor photographer girl.














Ice skating costume. Next!

















That skirt is really shiny and I don't like the pointed part. It's like a bunch of ties. This model looks bored.
















This looks like an ice skating outfit too. I think part of it is that his color palatte of silver and baby blue and pink is too cutesy for me.
















Why is there a wedding gown? I hate that short-in-front-long-in-back nonsense. It's like a mullet except in skirt form.
















This collection...I don't know. I wouldn't buy any of it, and it doesn't have that impact that good collections have, even ones I wouldn't touch. Clicky clicky

Top Design 9/24/08--"Bachelor Pads" summary

Previously on Top Design: we were forced into a crossover when “Project Runway” designers brought some outfits for these designers to make window displays for. Natalie and Ondine won, making a butterfly-filled pretty display for a very pretty dress of Sweet P’s. Daniel Franco had the best dress, I think, which you may have seen on Andrea at the Emmy’s this past weekend. Sadly whoever was in charge of that didn’t fit the bodice to her properly. Kerry and Wisit were forced to design for Jeffrey, and neither of them was really a good match for Jeffrey, as shown by their searing yellow and shiny wallpaper and the painting of the windows because the wallpaper was so horrid. No, really, Wisit talked Kerry into putting up a ton of the wallpaper and then they decided it sucked so bad they had to paint the windows themselves to try to hide them. Kerry took responsibility for being team leader and ended up going home. (click for more)

Preston is glad of his feedback, he thinks he can improve his designs. He says winning would be great because he’s never been in competitions? So he wants to be up against people with talent? Wisit feels guilty that Kerry sacrificed himself for Wisit, and he thinks Shazia should have gone home instead. Notice he doesn’t think he himself should have gone home. Shaz just doesn’t want to be on the bottom again.

India comes to the workroom to introduce their challenge. Their clients are clueless when it comes to design: bachelors. Hilarious. Shaz snobs that bachelors are disgusting and gross and then includes her fiancée in that list. Whatever. Nathan points out that bachelors are single men…”maybe they‘ll be hot.” I think Nathan is my favorite. (Kmanpat; “Sound bite whore.“) Obi, James, and Eddie are our bachelors. James is smoking hot. There’s only 3 of them so they’ll have teams of 3. Eddie, Natalie, and Ondine are a team. Nathan is stuck with Shaz and Preston. Nathan’s team gets Eddie (client Eddie, not blond designer Eddie) who is a young Asian man. Nathan immediately notices the fine quality of Eddie’s suit. The last team is Andrea, Wisit, and Teresa, and they have Obi. Natalie says James has some sports t-shirt and she is anticipating light up beer signs. India gives them the details: $10,000 budget and 2.5 days. Damn. They will also get painters, wallpaper people, carpenters, seamstresses. Eddie is relieved because he says his hands “look like a Polish potato farmer. During, like, the famine.” Eddie, dear, stop trying.

Everyone goes to the actual apartments, complete with pre-existing furniture. Eddie rolls his eyes at his client’s Nintendo and flat screen TV. James’s apartment is pretty empty. Not a lot of furniture. He seems pretty content to let them do whatever they want. Eddie confirms that he wants to have a cool place to have people over, namely girls, and “maybe drop their pants for you.” Eddie, shush. Obi is a producer, so he needs the TV to show clients their videos. He’s looking for Asian modern, feng shui, etc. He just happened to clip out some things from Elle Décor, wow! Nathan tells us his client Eddie had a disaster of an apartment that didn’t match his suit. He’s got a whole wall collection of shoes, lots of sneakers. They discuss covering the shoes, which are on shelves in the dining room. He wants conservative and classic. Preston appears to take over. Ondine and Teresa promise James some panties, and then they promise they’ll leave Eddie’s also. Hee. Obi leaves and says he trusts everyone. His team seems to be going “urban” and “Kanye West” according to Wisit. Teresa is frustrated that her teammates are leaving her out, but since I had to think hard to remember her name, it appears she hasn’t really been putting herself out there either. Eddie wants a “beautiful haven of good design” for his design for James. Preston suggests a bunch of things that are right up his alley, and Shaz asks why they shot her down when she suggested the same thing. Then she says it must be because they’re bitches, as she laughs. Preston won’t laugh and is like, don’t get like that so quick. Shaz is actually frustrated because she really wants to be heard. She and Preston argue about the TV. He doesn’t want her to shout over him because that’s rude, but I think she feels that she won’t be heard if she doesn’t shout. Poor Nathan already looks several years older and is not looking forward to shopping. (Kmanpat: “Aww, you can design my house!”)

Everyone goes to a furniture store with $3000 per team. Eddie’s team has actually named their concept “Panty dropping chic”. Ugh. He thinks a bigger TV means bigger boobs? Eh? Wisit feels pretty good, as they pick out stuff. Shaz is wandering around and apparently since her team has split up, they are double tagging things. She whines that if she and Preston both tag something, then it was Preston’s find. It’s possible he got there before you, you know. Sorry, I just got done watching “Project Runway” and after Kenley’s whining I have a low tolerance. Shaz complains to the boys that they ditched her, they didn’t show her all their stuff, whatever. Nathan calls her “Needy von McNeederson” and won’t give her any sympathy. Then they split up: some go to Cost Plus World Market, and The Container Store. Oh my gosh, I LOVE Cost Plus. We don’t see a lot of that shopping. But it looks like a lot of storage.

When they get back everyone has to meet with the painters/wallpaper people, and also the carpenters. None of the carpenters are Andrew Dan Jumbo, sadly. It goes well except that Shaz and Preston get into it over dowels vs. cornice boards. I think they’re just arguing because they don’t want to agree with each other, at this point. Anyways, Shaz wins this one.

In the morning they go to La Brea with $2000 to go into whatever stores they want and buy things. During the running around it looks like Ondine breaks a vase in one of the stores. She seems to be the one trying to fix it, it’s either her or Teresa and Eddie isn’t helpful because he’s just like, “A vase got broken”. Then he said it was ugly anyway. The store clerk tells him it’s $100 and Eddie starts bitching that it’s not worth that much and implying that the clerk is making it up. The clerk looks really familiar but I’m not sure why. He’s not impressed with Eddie. Since he’s not getting the reaction he wants Eddie busts out with his credentials, that he is a “professional” and he works for Martha and he’s “doing this for fun”. Really? So you won’t be mad if you get kicked off? The clerk turns out to be the owner of the showroom. Ha. Ondine smoothes things over.

Back at the apartments everyone gets to work a little before Todd shows up. He likes Nathan’s color palette. Eddie has some idea for changing shades of lamps, which Todd makes sure to mention is something people can do at home. Andrea is worried about the piano, and Todd feels that they shouldn’t put it in the dining room. Everyone goes to the “Top Design Showroom” and leaves their rooms a mess. When they all run in, Margaret and Jonathan stop them to make them do something extra! Ha!

Remember that first episode when they had a Pop Design challenge? And it looked like they’d be like Quickfires and they’d have them every episode? Apparently they’ll just have them whenever they feel like, because there’s one now. Jonathan is too excited about this. Everyone goes to the workroom which is full of cut flowers and vases. They each have to make a singular arrangement in 20 minutes, and the winner gets immunity. Cue the frantic running and spilling water on the floor and whatnot. Nathan is glad to show his design without others dragging him down. Everyone works and likes their design and whatever. At the last minute Preston strews flower petals on the table, but he realizes too late that they’re fake. Ha.

Wisit has a blue and white porcelain vase, and mums. Very simple. He has a lot of unused flowers, which he insists was an accident and not calculated to screw his competitors. It’s a nice arrangement, but it’s very much “my kid brought me flowers from the backyard.” Natalie has a big square vase and lots of bright colors. And it’s very tall. Ondine has a round “casual” arrangement but it’s cool looking. Eddie has lilacs and all purple flowers. Andrea has all white flo0wers and she doesn’t like how Margaret is looking at her stuff. Teresa has a flat wide design and it’s not that great. She can’t figure out where she’d put it. Shaz has these tall vases with tiny bowls, like wine cups, that only hold maybe a dozen blooms. She thinks she’d put these out of the way somewhere, like in the corner. Jonathan thinks they’re sweet, good sweet. Preston has a very tall silver vase with white roses and tulips. Margaret calls him on the fake flowers, and when he says he didn’t know they were fakes she says she knew they were fake the minute she walked in the room. Oops. Nathan has simple chic flowers. Jonathan likes this side of him. Hee. Back off, Jonathan, you’re married.

Jonathan didn’t like Natalie’s, it’s garish and too big. Preston’s fails on every level. Nathan’s arrangement is restrained and pretty, and Eddie’s flowers are beautiful but he could have wowed them more. Nathan wins! Yay! Shaz is pissed because she is convinced that he’ll get rid of her if their team is in the bottom.

Back at the apartments there is lots of work to do. Ondine is putting plates from an old biology book on the wall. You know, the kind with pictures of animals and whatnot. Wisit and his team bring in a giant shelving unit. Shaz complains about Preston who is apparently ignoring her, and then the cornices she fought so hard for aren’t done so they’ll have to rush to put paint on.

Lord. The guest judge is Jeff Lewis. He’s a bachelor because he’s OCD and freaky. Eddie, Ondine, and Natalie have black furniture, and square lamps, with some screens papered in the same biology book papers. The bedroom has a new headboard and a fake fireplace. There’s a bamboo rug too. The sofa was recovered, as was the chandelier which Jeff loves. The fireplace looks good. The entryway isn’t really “bachelor” but it’s cool. The bedroom looks different but this team says they all collaborated on everything.

Wisit, Teresa, and Andrea have a masculine space, with leather and dark colors. Most things are a shade of brown, dark brown shelves, lighter sofas, tan walls. Wisit says he channeled his “inner masculinity” and then he giggles. The TV is still prominent because Obi said he needed it for work. The bedroom has gray walls and one dark brown/red wall. Jonathan loves the styling on the bed.

Preston, Shaz, and Nathan have pained the walls gray and brown, with brown shelves. The wallpaper in the bedroom looks like wood. The judges ask about the valences, and Preston says they wanted to wrap them in fabric, so Margaret asks if the bedroom is more finished. Ouch. Nathan knows his design sucks. Good thing he’s immune. The bedroom has blues in it, and it’s very masculine and I like it. Then their client comes in and he absolutely loves it. All of it except for the stripes painted on the hallway walls. Obi and James like their apartments too. Well, James might get rid of the screens.

The judges get right into it and let everyone know that Andrea, Wisit, and Teresa are the winners. Obi loved it, and it was practical but also warm and rich and chic. Those three get to leave. Teresa admits that it was Andrea and Wisit’s win. Eddie, Ondine, and Natalie had great ideas, but their client didn’t like it. Oo! Jonathan points out that even though he may have said he liked everything they suggested, he’s a 23 year old “dude” and that apartment does not say 23 year old dude. Jeff says their client is too young to know what he wants. Margaret tells them that if she walked into a room and saw those screens, she wouldn’t think he was straight. Ondine says she did the biology paper treatment, and Jeff realizes he needs to work this on-screen time (apparently because he’s a famewhore) and asks her, “Now, this is called ‘Top Design‘, right, not ‘Over The Top Design?’” Shush. Thankfully India moves on. Nathan, Preston, and Shaz had no surprises and it wasn’t pretty. Preston thinks they had time-consuming designs, and he (of course) blames Shaz because the valences took up too much time. Margaret asks who the leader was, and both Nathan and Shaz go, not me! So Preston has to step up. Shaz also gets on her soapbox to complain about how the boys wouldn’t listen to her at all unless she pitched a fit. Nathan says that wasn’t the case, but Shaz keeps at it. Preston agrees with Nathan that she had tantrums and says she called him an a**hole. Which she did, because she asked him for something and he ignored her. Shaz reveals that she was told to talk to the carpenters because that wasn’t “labor intensive”. Oo, not a good choice kids. Jeff gets very condescending again and says that her calling Preston an a**hole is just as bad. Why is he even here? Not that I think Shaz is right, or whatever, but he bugs me. Shaz says if they want to get rid of someone for not showing what they can do, then that’s her, but if they hate the design, that’s Preston.

Ondine’s paper choices and the screens were a poor choice for the client. The bedroom was fierce though. Margaret thinks Eddie did more of the bedroom. Jeff hates the biology paper so much he would send Ondine home if that is the losing apartment. But you know that’ll be the other one. Backstage Shaz is still arguing. Jonathan agrees that Shaz is the one responsible for the valences and then Jeff brings up the a**hole comment, like, we get it. That’s offensive to you. Probably because you’ve been called a**hole too many times. Shaz didn’t appreciate being made to look like a huge bitch, I guess she didn’t think Preston should have brought up that comment. Strangely Preston says he won’t take responsibility for it. I suppose because she really did say that. Jeff likes that Preston took responsibility for the design. I think Jeff just sees another asshat in Preston so he’s going to be on his side forever.

Eddie, Ondine, and Natalie misread their client but had some great ideas. Nathan, Preston, and Shaz had good ideas in places, but it was incomplete. Nathan is safe, so it’s between Preston and Shaz. Preston took responsibility for the design, which wasn’t cohesive. Shaz made the challenge about herself, and her contributions only hurt the team. Shaz is out. She’s sad about leaving, but mostly because she could learn from it. She says in her culture being a designer isn’t really something that’s done. She apologizes to Preston but I don’t know what he said in response. Also she thinks that she’s opened up other career choices for the next generation.

Next week: triathlon? Lots of chairs. Running around. Nathan in trouble? No!
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Project Runway 9/24/08--"Rock 'N Runway" summary

Previously on Project Runway: everyone had to make outfits for women entering the workforce. They managed to find some designers and whatnot who wouldn’t need conservative clothing, but Joe for some reason still made a suit. That was ill-fitting and made his client look really fat. He went home for that. Kenley decided that she would make her client dress like her, but they liked it for some reason. Also the boys at Project Rungay pointed out that she told Tim she wouldn’t cut the tulle from her dress, but then she did. So not only is she going around talking about how Tim doesn’t know anything, she is secretly listening to him. Jerell won the challenge, with a simple but elegant outfit for his client. (click for more)

Korto is not thinking about going home. Suede’s been in the bottom for 3 weeks in a row. He’s not even talking about himself in the third person he’s so worried. Leanne would love all girls in the final 3 but she knows Jerell is talented.

Heidi says everyone will get to repick their models. They all do so, with some minor drama about how people having advantages and whatever. Then Heidi sends them off to Tim with no hints.

Jerell interviews that he has stopped guessing challenges. Tim says they will be designing…big pause…for each other. Then WHY THE HELL did you pick models??? God this show sometimes. Korto rolls her eyes and says she just wants to make something cool for her model that shows her as a designer. Amen, sister. Here is the breakdown: Suede must make clothes for Jerell (who says he is a difficult client, and then Suede says to bring it on because Suede is getting his model Tia back); Kenley designs for Leanne (ha); Korto for Suede (Kenley laughs, shut up); Jerell for Kenley (HA); Leanne for Korto. But wait, there’s more! The looks have to be inspired by a particular musical genre. Jerell thinks that is perfect and right up his alley. Tim picks from the bag for genres: Kenley‘s outfit must be inspired by pop, and I thought Tim said “pot” which was hilarious, but “pop” is even better; Suede will wear punk (Korto rolls her eyes); Korto gets stuck with country (oh she’s pissed now); Leanne has hip hop (Kenley has to make a hip hop outfit? HA); Jerell has rock and roll. Jerell seems to be the only one who likes this challenge. They’ve only got until 1am tonight.

1 hour for consultations. Korto listens to Suede and then tells him to let her know if he has problems, because if he waits until Tim shows up she’ll have to snap on him. Kenley wants to know from Leanne what she would wear if she was all hip hop, and Leanne says something about gangster, and then Kenley whines that she doesn’t want to do gangster. Tough. Then Leanne raps in the whitest way possible but she works in the line “it better not look like it’s from 1953” so it’s funny. Kenley is for some unknown reason talking about how awesome high-waisted pants are. Wow, that is so wrong I can’t even think of what to say. High waisted jeans? Seriously? For a hip hop look? Do you live in a hole? Leanne looks worried. Kenley thinks she will make Leanne look good. Jerell asks for a cape. Suede is listening to his inner voice and worries about getting in trouble for a dated look. Jerell is planning to make “Kenley Spears”. Heee! Leanne thinks country music stars are put together, and she does understand that “country” is not Korto’s style. Kenley butts in to make Leanne try something on, and Korto is like, go on with yourself, you had your 30 minutes. Then she threatens to get all hip hop if Kenley doesn’t leave. LOVE. Kenley starts to talk or something but Korto yells over her all what what!? I almost missed the fact that Kenley thinks gold strappy heels with a big fat ankle strap are hip hop. Hip hop video, maybe.

Shopping time! $150. Jerell wants to make Kenley into a pop diva and he says everything will be stretchy and netting. (Kmanpat: “I kind of want Jerell’s outfit to suck just because Kenley will have to stand there wearing it that whole time.”) Kenley has some print, which is not hip hop. Tim even says so but she brushes him off. Korto asks for stretch denim for Suede.

12 hours to work! Korto has renamed herself “Shania Jenk”, jenk like jenkity. Leanne and Jerell decide her name is “Lil’ Lee J. Blige”. Kenley is making a leather jacket and a high waisted jean. The jacket looks cropped. Sigh. She’s never made pants before so she’s nervous. I think she’s made them in the past but not on the show, that‘s for sure. Korto sees Kenley’s blouse but she has no interest in giving Kenley any kind of advice. Jerell seems to agree. Yeah, it’s a cropped blouse in one of Kenley’s favorite 80’s couch upholstery style prints. Not hip hop.

Jerell brags about how he’s won twice in a row and Korto is like, over it. He goes to show Kenley his outfit, and while he is describing it in confessional he’s all, “So, for Kenley’s final look, I’m doing a fishnet minidress with diamond cuffs.” Well played, Jerell. Well played. The “cuffs” seem to mean a diamond collar. Kenley doesn’t want to be sexed up by Jerell. Heh. Also ew. Suede tells Korto he usually wears baggy clothes but he’s OK with tighter things. Then he says he’s a classically trained cellist. WTF. He’s not punk at all. I’ll say. Korto tells us that in the name of Jesus she’s going to Bryant Park. Suede has stretchy pants and cuffs. Then he starts namedropping about Jordache. Lord. Korto tries on some country boots, and Jerell is like, you know you have boots like that at home, and then Korto starts singing and line dancing. Hee. Leanne wants to put spurs on them. It’s so random. Kenley goes to try on the dress Jerell has made but she can’t figure out how to put it on. Oh my God in heaven! I might die of laughter. The dress is fishnets, all of it, with only a strip down the center of her torso and then the skirt, which is very short. So you can see her white bra underneath the dress. Then at the neckline there is the high diamond collar and the netting doesn’t come up that far. Oh, I want Kenley to have to wear that, it sucks so bad. On closer inspection it’s not a white bra but rhinestones like the collar. Then Jerell is draping neon green leopard print on her legs. She doesn’t want to show that much of her body.

Tim time! Tim loves Jerell’s silhouette, but it needs more, but the right more. When Jerell shows Tim the other fabrics he has for “more” Tim yelps in dismay. There is a vest in the works. Tim just leaves him to his work. Leanne has a purple shirt, knotted at the waist, and some sort of black and white checked scarf. Tim thinks it might be too subtle, but Leanne doesn’t want it to be costumey. So there is a line to walk. Korto didn’t want to go “all the way punk” because she wants to avoid clichés. But she might not be far enough and it’s kind of basic. She’s going to push it. Suede has some leather thing. Tim is silent which freaks Suede out. He thinks it’s not ramped up enough. There are 5 people left and he should go all out. He’s happy overall but will make alterations. Tim makes Kenley explain hip hop to him. She says lots of hip hop stars wear leather jackets and dark denim, and mentions her high waisted jeans, but Tim is like, I’m an old fart, so I might be wrong, but isn’t hip hop oversized? Kenley tells him that’s 80’s hip hop. She doesn’t want Leanne to look stupid. Then she gets offended? I think? That’s what it sounds like but it’s such a random reaction. Tim reminds her that he’s here to support her, and she needs to listen. Kenley of course thinks it’s just that Tim doesn’t understand her outfit. Tim’s response: “It would help if you removed the sarcasm and the facetiousness, it would help a lot. You just think I’m being snarky.” No, Tim, all of us out here have more than enough snark for you. P.S. “facetiousness”, awesome. Korto interviews that Kenley is rude and even if you don’t agree with Tim he at least deserves respect. Finally that is over. I doubt Kenley learned anything. She confirms this by saying in confessional that she can’t listen to Tim right now and what does he know about hip hop anyway? More than you, 50’s girl.

Kenley puts the pants on Leanne and they are tight high waisted jeans with giant gold buttons. This is joined to a voiceover where Kenley says she knows way more about hip hop than Tim does. Those pants are so far from hip hop…I can’t even respond to her anymore. It’s like when you’re arguing with a very stubborn person and you finally just agree to shut them up because you realize you won’t get through and it’s not worth getting yourself all riled up. And she’s not even here. Leanne won’t lie if the outfit sucks. Especially not for Kenley. Korto can’t wait for tomorrow. She’s bleaching the sneakers and pants to soften the fabric. So now everywhere smells of bleach. Suede thinks his outfit will either be loved or hated. No “meh” for him.

Jerell in the morning thinks that he can sabotage Suede, but he might not. But he is thinking about it. Kenley refuses to change anything for Tim.

Leanne thinks she can get everything done even though she has a lot to get done. Tim comes to give them an hour, which kind of sucks because usually they just send off the models and keep working. Jerell implies that Korto’s ass is too big to be country. The leather jacket Leanne has to wear is tight and has elbow length sleeves. Kenley says there is a little bunching in the crotch but nothing she thinks the judges will notice. This pretty much guarantees they’ll notice. She asks Jerell for some suggestions and he agrees, not that he really thinks it’s a good idea, but because he doesn‘t care if her outfit is ugly. Kenley looks like Miley Cyrus. There is some crazy hair going on. Tim comes in and laughs at everyone. Everyone is confident.

Heidi introduces the challenge to the judges. Hee. LL Cool J is the guest judge. OH this will be good. Leanne: purple sleeveless shirt tied at the waist, with a bandana around Korto’s neck, and a long black slim skirt, and boots. All of Korto’s curls are piled on her head, which certainly is a Dolly Parton type of look. The skirt for some reason has a gold Wonder Woman belt thing. The skirt has gold underlining and the shirt has gold trim. It’s cute. Although, giant peacock earrings? Jerell: Wow. The dress has a mini skirt in black (the bottom of the skirt has some sheer trim), and then the black narrows to a slim ribbon that goes up to her neck and ends in a diamond/rhinestone collar. The netting starts further down (but still high) and fills in the space. Over her boobs there are more crystals. Then a purple cropped vest. Tall black boots too. And Kenley has her hair all blown out and seriously, she looks like Miley Cyrus, not that Miley would wear anything that skanky. You can tell she hates it. Kenley: Now that I see the whole thing, styling and all, I finally know what’s going on. Leanne looks like Mariah Carey. Not that I think Mariah is particularly hip hop, but at least Kenley didn’t make up her whole outfit out of nowhere. Tight high waisted jeans with big gold buttons, print blouse that is mostly hidden by black leather jacket with elbow length sleeves. Lots of giant gold hoop jewelry that is probably as close as bluefly.com gets to bling. Leanne’s hair is pulled back with long bangs sweeping over her face. And some purple hair too. And a purse for some reason. Kenley whines that Leanne looks like a poseur and she doesn’t have the attitude. She is trying to make gangster poses, but I think the outfit makes her more of a poseur. Korto: loose jeans that are all spotted from the bleach, some chains and metal in belt, sleeveless shirt with diagonal strips of fabric like slashes. Suede has some colored extensions in his hair and dark lipstick and eye makeup. The colored hair keeps him from being emo. It’s not bad, actually. Suede: Jerell is really skinny. You can tell, it actually works for rock and roll. Black pants, black leather vest, T-shirt that is very very close to Jerell’s actual skin tone so it looks like he is topless and has a great tattoo. Giant heavy punk boots. Actually it looks like it’s not a T-shirt but one of Jerell’s sternum exposing tank tops.

Heidi introduces the judges since they weren’t here before. Kenley craps her pants. Ha. Korto explains how she bleached the pants and that the top is suede (hee). LL loves it, and Nina thinks he looks like Marilyn Manson, which shows that she has no idea about that. Kors tries to ignore the accessories and says that it’s a good silhouette. I think Kors just said Suede looks hot. He sounds embarrassed about it. Suede’s vest, closer up, has patches or something. It’s patchwork. Jerell likes it. Kors likes the vest but he’s bored by the pants. Suede insists the pants are awesome, and LL says that subtlety doesn’t work for the stage. He and Nina both want some more drama or oomph or something. Heidi says that Jerell looks like Jerell. Oo. Jerell wanted to sex Kenley up. She thinks it’s pop. Nina totally loves it, especially the sparkly boobs. Heidi wants a bra for her boobs, and LL is like, they look supported! Ew. Kors says it’s not vulgar. And now we’re to Kenley. She says that she thinks this is hip hop and it’s also classy and expensive. Heidi just asks her what happened to the pants. Kenley is like, what, the pants rock. You can see the zipper isn’t lying flat anymore. Heidi tells her that these are the most unflattering pants she’s ever seen in her life. LL finds that the jeans are a problem, and it doesn’t look like hip hop. Kenley starts talking about baggy jeans, and LL is quick to say that’s not what he wants, but he says that Leanne doesn’t look like she’s a part of hip hop culture, and he would know. Nina finds that it doesn’t make the point. Kenley is like, all right! Like they are only picking on her. Kors wants something luxurious, and Kenley is like, I need more time for that, so Nina shuts her down by reminding her that there are 4 other people up there with the same time constraints and it’s hard for everyone. Oh, Nina is done with her. Leanne describes her country look, which actually did have some “vintage Dolly Parton” in it. Korto did want old school so it works. Nina loves the color but she wants more glamour, mostly because the skirt is kind of boring. The shape is great though. LL doesn’t know if it reads country, and Kors thinks it could be nudged up a little.

Kors thinks the hair and makeup did transform everyone, but the designing was wonky. Good: Jerell: (Kenley was hot and obviously pop, and not trashy), Korto: (very obviously punk, fit well, the bleach was good, felt authentic). Bad: Suede: (well made but boring, he’s too safe, not explosive enough, Jerell still looked like Jerell and on a daily basis Jerell’s actual clothes are more out there), Kenley (you could buy it at the mall, horrid jeans that were not special, totally lost and you could tell); Leanne (started out well but didn’t go far enough, not special).

The winner is announced first, and that is Korto! Nice. She’s thrilled that she did menswear, and she did it well. Jerell is in. Leanne is in. Suede played it safe, which is very un-rock and roll, and Kenley had no glamour and no attitude. Kenley is in. Dammit. It’s not that I don’t like her style, it’s that she won’t follow the challenges and she fights everyone all the time and she‘s rude to Tim. Suede is glad to have made the top 5. Then he quotes Madonna and says he’s ready to dress her up in suede. Blah.

Next week: field trip! Kenley appears to have lost some of her fabric, Korto and Jerell cry, Kenley bitches about something…everyone rolls their eyes.

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Joe-- Fashion Week collection

Now that Joe has been eliminated, we know that he was one of the decoys at Fashion Week. Take a look at his collection behind the cut. Pictures from Blogging Project Runway.

I'm going to try put pictures and text side by side. Last year that failed. So we'll see.

It's not really my thing. But it looks pretty well made and I like the styling.
















You know Kors would call it vulgar or something. Plus I feel like I could go down to the local country/western bar and see that on some girl with a cowboy hat. It's hard to see in this picture but the jeans are really long and have a zipper at the bottom.















The pants are velvet, I think, with a pattern. The bustier is denim. I don't know, I guess he could have paired the top and jacket with like, leather pants and it would be worse.















Like these leather pants, for example. Although points for fitting them so well. The jacket is OK.
















I hate these pants. They remind me of cheap faux snakeskin. Also they might be harem pants. The top is cute, I guess.
















The shape of this dress is really cute and I love the belt with it. I even like the pattern and the little red and yellow ruffle at the top and bottom. I'm not the biggest fan of the shoes but knowing the shoe travesties that I've seen before, these aren't that bad.














The asymmetrical strap on her right shoulder, it feels like Joe just put it there because he thought he needed to. Just tacked on for no reason. Although otherwise this wouldn't be very interesting and I feel like I could find this anywhere. The skirt has pinstripes, so it might not be denim.













This is pretty cute. Not terribly exciting, but cute. Although I am never a fan of the zipper that goes all the way down to the hem.
















Um...where did this come from? The first 8 looks make total sense together but then...random evening gown. Apparently Joe's collection was "Americana" so this would be the flag, I guess. It's just so random after all the rest of the country/Southwestern outfits.













This is pretty cool, that punk/evening gown combination. And since there were other leather bustiers in his collection it fits in more than the previous look.
















Joe managed to put out a decent collection that was cohesive. It was all stuff I think I could buy and probably isn't "tasteful", but it went together and I think there are plenty of people who would buy those clothes. Everything fit well which is hard to do with jeans. He was the best of the boys. You'll see.
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Top Design 9/17/08--"Window Display" summary

Previously on Top Design: the designers had to decorate bomb shelters. Oh, it was fun. They made them pair up, of course. The cutest couple, who didn’t win, but were super cute, were Nathan and Wisit. They got rid of one of the beds to make more space, since they decided they could sleep together. Hee. Andrea and Eddie won, because…I guess the judges liked their painting and they didn’t fill up the space with candles. Robert and Jennifer lost, since they pretty much drew a line down the center of the room and everyone was supposed to blend their styles. First the judges kicked off Jennifer, and then they kicked off Robert too for good measure. Surprise double elimination! Woo! (click for more)

Shazia says too many people are gone. More half naked shots of the boys. Nathan says winning would be amazing and he starts talking about being a starlet. Wisit tells us he graduated from Parsons (does Tim know him?) but he didn’t like his time in fashion. Eddie wants an individual challenge.

India is waiting for everyone in a strip mall parking lot. She wants to test them in “broader strokes”. Everyone will pair up to make window displays. Hee! Interesting. And actually more “design” than “decorating”. Andrea complains that she is paired with Preston, who has been in the bottom twice, and of course she’d rather have Eddie. India says of course they have clients! More reality TV stars! Sweet P, Daniel Franco, Jeffrey, Santino, and Andrae. Everyone recognizes them, I think. Eddie wants Santino. Jeffrey is rocking a 70s long mustache (the kind that hit your jaw but there’s no hair on your chin) and a red and tan stripped v-neck sweater. Yeah. Everyone else looks normal. Eddie gets his wish and he and Teresa get Santino. He thinks he is kind of like Santino. Honey, Santino could eat you alive. Kerry and Wisit get Jeffrey. Kerry kind of freaks out. Natalie and Ondine get Sweet P. Shaz and Nathan have Andrae. Oh they’re like twins! That means Preston and Andrea have Daniel Franco, who says that he was hoping to get “Team Gorgeous”. Oh man I have missed Daniel Franco. (Kmanpat: “I want Team Gorgeous too! Daniel can have Andrea and I can have Preston. That’s fair.”) They get 30 minutes to meet, and then one of them will be selected team leader.

It appears that each window has one outfit by the designer. Santino’s mannequin has a scary mask on so it has a face. It looks like a cape, with a hood. It’s “sick”. Under the dress is a black dress with a belt. Eddie totally takes over and just talks and talks while Teresa just stands there. I have no idea what he is talking about, though. Sweet P’s dress is a long strapless number with fat horizontal tiers in different autumnal colors. Ondine has made many many window displays. Natalie is also throwing ideas out, about butterflies. Sweet P thinks they’ll win. Daniel Franco’s dress is a chartreuse color. There’s a wide collar in a U shape, and the sides of the bodice are cut out. Then there’s a long ballgown skirt with a train. I actually like it. Andrea says she’d buy it in a heartbeat. Daniel Franco (I don’t know, I just feel like I always have to say his full name) has some poetry about his clothes. It’s actually descriptive of a landscape, so of course they’re going to go with that. He is glad to be making it easy for the people working with him. Andrae has a simple dark gray dress with a bubble hem and spaghetti straps. He starts talking about fall and elections and uncertainty. Nathan is depressed by the dress. Shaz speaks more his language, and is talking about vortices and whatnot. I think Nathan just sees a pretty dress. Jeffrey’s outfit is tight black pants and a black blazer, with no shirt. Actually it might be midnight blue. He tells them it’s inspired by “Blade Runner” but Kerry thinks he is talking about “Blades of Glory.” No…no that’s not the same at all. Jeffrey keeps talking and Kerry realizes he has no idea what Jeffrey is talking about. Wisit starts talking about graffiti and Jeffrey is confused. Kerry brings up mirrors and tiles and Jeffrey goes for it and makes him leader. Andrae picks his twin Nathan to be leader. Eddie is also chosen, and he makes sure to say that “we” will do a good job. Daniel Franco picks Preston, and Andrea pretends to be fine with it. Sweet P can’t decide, so she picks Ondine because she’s older. Sigh.

Now everyone has 30 minutes and $400 for paint, wallpaper, etc. Eddie is going for “Venetian mansion on the river”. Nathan doesn’t like Andrae’s vision but he’s the client so he’s going with it. Kerry is nervous about being leader and having to see the vision through. Wisit brings up his Rococo thing again, and Kerry has to shoot it down like Jeffrey did. Several times. But Wisit does bring up a good point, which is that there’s nothing special about a mirrored wall.

Shopping time! $500 to split between the hardware store and the craft store. They split up the teams. Preston takes almost all the money and gets trees. Ondine buys pink netting butterflies. Wisit is supposed to buy mirrors and spray paint, which he claims is not available (no paint? OK…). Instead he is buying “pretty things”. Kerry buys every mirror he can find for the kaleidoscope idea. Eddie breaks a mirror, apparently by touching it. Now everyone goes to the “Top Design Showroom” at the “Top Design Warehouse.” What is this? Is this like the center they were in last time, where they could go to all the super expensive showrooms and borrow furniture? It looks like a thrift store. But they get $600. Nathan doesn’t want to play it safe, so he’s getting some ethnic stuff.

3 hours to work. Eddie lets us know that “communicate and plan” is his mantra. By which he means “tell Teresa what to do by waving my arms around and talking really fast.” Preston has to trim and paint trees. Shaz asks Nathan if the wall is straight, and Nathan replies “Honey, there ain’t nothin’ straight on this show.” Hee! (Kmanpat: “Who needs me to make comments when they can do it themselves?”) He is worried about working with Shaz because she’s not really a hard worker. Kerry has foiled wallpaper, which seems to be shiny silver with red designs. He was going to make squares but Wisit wants to hang strips on each end of the window to frame the yellow paint. That yellow is the exact shade of yellow that their ladder is painted. Kerry is going with Wisit’s idea as a compromise. Being the leader means you don’t have to do that, silly. Natalie and Ondine paint blue on the walls and try to get it all done.

Todd shows up to give advice in time to make it useful. He tells Nathan to put paper on the mirror before he cracks it, to give him more control. He also tells them to put the dress in front of their gray to make sure it doesn’t blend in. Todd tells Kerry and Wisit to test their adhesive to make sure it dries. So Kerry gives Wisit one of the biggest mirrors and makes him hold it up by himself while he goes outside to get stuff. When Kerry gets back in the mirror has slid down so there are big smears of adhesive on the wall. Why didn’t they test it with a small mirror? Kerry blames Wisit for the screw up. Lots of people spray painting. Eddie also breaks mirrors. Natalie loses the arm off her mannequin. Eddie says they’re good. Their window is magenta with silver wallpaper. Teresa is fine with being the assistant. They’ve also got archways painted in the windows. I can’t tell if that’s the same wallpaper as Kerry and Wisit. Preston and Andrea are spreading rocks. He looks mighty fine in his wifebeater.

Everyone gets 4 hours the next day to work and finish everything. Ondine is mounting wallpaper, black with giant silver butterflies. Kerry mounts mirrors in different sizes. Preston and Andrea try to plan how to hang their mannequin from the ceiling. They figure out the rope will hold and then Preston tells Andrea to “put the bar in her butt” so he doesn’t have to hold it up. He says it like 5 more times because Andrea is having some trouble with it. Andrea says he needs to get along with everyone. Andrae shows up to investigate Nathan’s plan. He doesn’t want to hear from Andrae, in case he hates everything. And this comes true, because Andrae had too much wicker in his house when he was a child and now he is allergic to it or something. Finally he is like, “No, I can’t do the wicker, I’m so sorry.” I expected him to put hand to forehead. Shaz says there is a lot of wicker in the room. Sweet P is freaking out a little bit because her team is kind of behind. I would think that she would understand last minute working. Jeffrey hates the wallpaper. Fabulous. He just says he doesn’t like it and then leaves. Daniel Franco says that his window is the most dramatic, even though it looks like everything in it is black—walls, floor, trees. Preston asks him to sign the corner of the wall. Santino asks if that’s the finished color of the walls, and Eddie right away says that they can rub black shoe polish on it. Inside the building you can see that these aren’t really proper window displays, but instead are just walls that they built and then put in front of the windows. Santino asks Eddie if Teresa is “doing a good job for [him]” and Eddie says no. she’s taking too long. Teresa thinks he’s just freaking out.

Kerry doesn’t know what to do about the wallpaper, but Wisit thinks if they paint the sides of the actual window black, it will hide the wallpaper and narrow the space. The black stain is working for Eddie and Teresa. Nathan is still worried. Everyone finishes, and Teresa is worried because last time was a double elimination.

The judges appear that very night, after dark, to be judges. So all of Eddie’s freaking out about the paint in the sunlight is pointless. Kelly has a purple sequined beret on and her hair is frizzed out so much it looks like she got struck by lightening. Shazia reminds us that Jonathan Adler is married to Simon Doonan, who dresses windows for a living. No really, they’ll be married probably by the time you read this. Andrae’s window is gray, with French molding creating big frames. Inside the frames are broken pieces of mirror. There are more broken mirrors on the floor, and some dark pink flowers. A set of black shelves, and a wicker chair covered in canvas, and some silver lanterns. There isn’t much color. Nathan explains to the judges the concept of grayness and uncertainty and turmoil. Jonathan rolls his eyes. Kelly doesn’t get it, she thinks it needs Cliff notes. She asks about the ethnic vibe (the lanterns are kind of Asian) and Shaz makes up some BS about Pakistan. Andrae says it’s not what he imagined but that’s why you collaborate. Hmmm.

Sweet P’s window. Sigh. Blue walls, with framed unbroken mirrors. The skirt is pinned to the wall so it sweeps back, and there is blue fabric running from the mannequin to the ceiling like a cape in the wind or something. Covering the fabric are pink and purple butterflies. There are butterflies everywhere, all over the walls, the chair, etc. Natalie says it was her idea to pin the dress to the wall. Sweet P loves it.

Jeffrey’s window looks tiny on account of the black paint. Of course they shoot it from the side so you can still see the wallpaper. The yellow looks a little muted, and most of the open space is covered in mirrors anyways. There seem to be glass globes on the floor. Of course the first thing Kelly asks is why they closed off the windows, and Kerry describes the kaleidoscope idea. The baubles on the floor, Wisit says, don’t have a reference except for visual interest. Jeffrey says this isn’t what he imagined. Uh oh.

Santino’s window has dark draperies, and draped frames. The walls look old with the shoe polish on them. Actually, with the mask on the mannequin it really goes well together. There’s a black chair and black ribbons and broken mirrors everywhere. Kelly asks if they can get closer and Santino says he wants them inside. He says that he’s happy overall. Jonathan looks confused.

Daniel Franco’s window is all black. Black walls, black trees, black rocks. And the chartreuse dress. Well, the mannequin is suspended so it kind of floats (points deducted for using super thick rope that is obvious) and there are shiny bits in the trees. Kelly loves the dress. They like the color of the walls, which was Teresa’s idea. On closer inspection it might be a very dark charcoal gray.

India gets right down to business. Preston and Andrea get praise for their simple design with flawless colors. The judges also loved Ondine and Natalie’s creative confident window. Ondine and Natalie win. Interesting. Even more interesting is Jonathan’s admission in his blog that he liked the window so much that he wanted to wear the dress. I’ll let you have a minute to let that image sink in. They get to leave. Preston and Andrea also can escape. Backstage Ondine and Natalie break open the beer. Eddie and Teresa’s window had fantastic colors and satisfied their client, but it was sloppy and the dress didn’t stand out enough. But they are in. I just noticed that Kelly has on purple leg warmers to go with her beret. Well…they are not as thick as leg warmers, they’re more like purple socks with most of the foot part cut off.

Jonathan was disappointed with Kerry and Wisit. He picks on Wisit because he has a fashion background. The black paint enclosed the windows so much you couldn’t see anything. Kerry says Wisit is very talented, but Kerry is the one that connected with Jeffrey. He knows he screwed up by listening too much to Wisit. Wisit thinks that Jeffrey was too demanding and that was why their window sucked. Andrae’s political ramblings didn’t go with his dress, and Margaret thinks it’s good they satisfied their client but their window still sucked. Nathan admits that he didn’t like the dress and that might have thrown them off track. Shaz believes they just didn’t get their window where they wanted it. Jonathan would have liked to see them make a good window first, and then inject their story. India tries to get Shaz to throw Nathan under the bus, but she says that she won’t, even if that means she goes home with him. Nathan doesn’t want to throw Shaz under the bus (really he says that) but he also wants to keep going after working so hard. He knows he dropped the ball. Kerry carries responsibility for the failure. Wisit, after hemming and hawing, admits that Kerry shouldn’t go home just because he’s team leader.

Nathan and Shaz made a high school art project. Shaz has been quiet and is always behind someone. Kerry and Wisit could have done better work. Jeffrey was the wrong client for both of them. Jonathan knows designers have to be able to change their minds but they made all the wrong changes. Nathan doesn’t want to go home, he says, so Wisit gives him a hug. Aww, they’re so cute.

Nathan’s window was bad, and he is team leader, so ultimately he is responsible. Shaz hasn’t shown her style yet, so they have no reason to keep her around. This is how you know she is safe. Kerry pissed off his client and the window was unsuccessful, and he was team leader. Wisit has a fashion background but didn’t shine. Kerry is sent home. Wisit looks really hurt. I’m glad Kerry took responsibility for listening to Wisit, but no one really brought that up. He starts crying in his exit interview, saying he’s a man of his word and takes responsibility for the design. He says there’s something bigger for him, “because bigger is always better when it comes to Big Daddy.”

Nest week: design for bachelors. Shaz says bachelors are disgusting and gross. I think I’m going to put that at the same level as the one male competitor on “Hell’s Kitchen” that says “I can’t lose to a GIRL”. Someone doesn’t want to design a room around a TV. Eddie talks down to the salesperson at some store.
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Project Runway 9/17/08--"Transformation" summary

Previously on Project Runway: everyone had to make avant-garde clothes based on a zodiac sign. Should have been done with 12 people left, I think. But this way they could invite all the executed designers back to pair up with the people left. No one really did anything avant-garde. Remember Jeffrey’s yellow and red plaid dress from Paris? Anyway, Jerell was chosen the winner, chosen by previous Runway alumni. Then they kicked out Blayne for some weird fabric-pooping thing, and also Terri for a boring dress, or costume, or something. I really think Kenley should have gone home but that’s probably because I don’t like her. She was very defensive about how her dress was totally her sign, even though no one got it. And she insisted that she doesn’t look at other designers’ collections, which 1. actually is a bad thing, apparently, according to Kors, but also 2. so far, she is the only designer this season who gets compared to designers on a regular basis. When she won, with her 80’s print and poofy skirt? Someone’s fall collection of 80’s, high necked dresses. Her finale collection has been compared to others. It’s just entertaining that she’s so insistent that she is unique and great and she’s the only one that reminds people of someone else. (click for more)

Blayne is finally gone with his “licious” and nonsense. He was fine when he wasn’t doing that. Leanne guesses that they’ll be making evening gowns for infants. Kenley has no idea why she was in the bottom, so she’s basically saying screw you and doing whatever she wants. Yeah, that’s a good idea.

Heidi doesn’t even let them pick models before some older women come out. Cue the tootling “crazy model time!” music. Korto says she knows what happened the last time there were moms, and she doesn’t want to have to kick anyone’s ass for making her mom cry. Hee. Jerell knows these are moms, but they sure as hell aren’t his and Korto’s moms (that’s fo sho) so he doesn’t have any idea what is going on. Hey, he has a good point. Heidi clarifies: they won’t design for these women. Leanne is relieved not to have to design an “old lady outfit”. So their actual clients come out: some young women. Jerell thinks they are so young it might be another prom challenge, but as someone who works with high school students, I can tell you those women are in college. These are the daughters, and they have all recently graduated from college. So now they’re getting makeovers, I guess to join the workforce. Everyone gets paired up. I have a question: why are the mothers even involved in this challenge? Wouldn’t it have been just as good to only have the girls? Are we that desperate for drama? Kenley of course gets the girl with the retro glasses and the blond bangs. Leanne thinks her client is 12.

Joe is sketching even before Tim shows up. Tim points out that since he is sure the mothers will have opinions, in essence the designers have two clients. 30 minutes to caucus, $100 at Mood. Joe is convinced that if mom likes his design, daughter will not. Kenley’s client Anna tells her she’s cute. This is going to be SO GREAT. (Kmanpat: “You mean grate. *snort*”) She’s going to do her usual retro thing. Shocker. Korto is a hip mom so she feels like she is with it. She’s making a wrap dress. Jerell’s client is a designer but she wants androgynous. This translates to a pencil skirt, blouse, and men’s cardigan. Leanne’s client Holly is a teacher, so she wants comfort but also authority. Mom is kind of bossy. Avital (stuck with Suede, fun) wants an interview outfit but she’s a photographer so it doesn’t have to be that conservative. She wants pants which kind of freaks him out. But he sounds like he’ll do it. Laura tells Joe she has no job yet but has some interviews. He’s planning a skirt suit, and they talk about where the jacket should hit her so it looks good.

Shopping time! It looks like some of them bring bags to reuse. Korto interviews that now that Stella’s gone she’s the queen of leathah now. Suede has a “Pucci-esque” print. I don’t know if that’s spelled right and I don’t care. It’s not a bad print, I guess.

Tim gives them until midnight tonight and also all day tomorrow. Leanne is making a dress with what looks like a boxy jacket. She starts talking about her first job and the editors oblige with a photo. She looks 7. She was making clothes for someone else. Joe worked in the stockroom at Gucci. His picture? He is every 80s business man. Oh man. Hilarious. You can see the gel. Kenley moved to New York right out of school with no money, she’s not going to stop now, etc.

“Top Chef: New York”! Coming Soon! Woo!

Jerell, who is working the jheri curl in his old picture, is brave enough to admit he started at McDonalds. Korto is worried about her jacket, which is not quite heavy enough to be tweed and instead is looking burlap. Suede is starting with the jacket because he’s afraid of the pants.
Tim brings in the clients for 30 minutes to fit. Jerell has a ruffled and sheer top, in a dark color. It might be cool. Avital asks Suede to make her less professional. Mom asks if he can make cuffs out of the print, but he thinks it’s cheap. The jacket isn’t so matronly, but with matching pants it probably isn’t great. Joe’s client doesn’t like pinstripes. Mom thinks she’ll look sharp. Jerell interviews that Kenley can only make 50’s dresses, as if we hadn’t figured that out for ourselves. Holly’s mom tells Leanne that the top of the dress makes Holly look flatchested. She wants it lower cut. She’s a teacher, it can’t be that low. Mom insists that if they were in a store they’d put it back. It’s not that bad. Now Leanne feels behind.

Korto tells Leanne she cringed when she heard her clients telling her to fix things. Leanne’s going to keep the detail but move it. It still puts her behind. Suede is draping his top long like a dress and he hates pants so much he is going to make a dress and just sell Avital on a dress. Joe is making…a pocket square? For a girl? Sigh. Jerell makes fun of him to his face, but Kenley does it behind his back. Jerell borrows some fabric to make himself a pocket square, in his close-cut blazer with no shirt on. Joe says he has so many opinions, like…he starts laughing and won’t finish. I don’t know.

Day 2. Tim brings the clients back in, sans moms. Cool. Joe thinks his client is more excited, and he wants to show off fit and tailoring. Korto’s jacket looks great. Holly loves Leanne’s new dress. Sadly Avital loves Suede’s dress and doesn’t want pants. I was hoping for some drama. Tim wants everyone to gather ‘round. Suede knows “gather ‘round!”s are never good so he’s just hoping not to have to design for the moms. Tim brings in a special guest: Jeanie Syfu, head stylist for TRESemme. The winning look is going to be in Elle. Woo. Now we spend time on hair consults. Everyone just agrees with everything, except of course Kenley tells the stylist what to do.

Tim time! He hates Suede’s pockets on the jacket and the sleeves because they don’t look even. Joe’s client is a graphic designer but his suit looks too much like a lawyer. Joe isn’t listening, because he thinks a professional look is the most important thing. Tim calls Jerell’s outfit stunning. Somehow…it feels fake. I don’t know, I just have a gut feeling that his statement was edited. Kenley has a vest going on, for some reason. Tim tells her that without a belt, the look is very masculine, the vest I guess. So the vest without a belt doesn’t go with the girly dress. He also tells her that the tulle could be the same length as the skirt, and we see that she has like 2 or 3 inches of tulle sticking out of the bottom of the skirt. Stupid. Kenley thinks Tim doesn’t get her so she’s not listening. Ugh, she bugs me.

Korto tells Joe she’s made her daughter some stuff. Her daughter is so cute! She’s always in Korto’s clothes. Korto can’t imagine her daughter at 21. Joe calls his wife and kids from the lounge. His main purpose for being on the show is to prove to his daughters that no one can stop you.

Back at the apartments everyone hangs out and trash talks people. Well, mostly Kenley says that Suede isn’t a good designer because, and I quote, “he can’t interpret his style into different looks.” Then she calls him a poser. I can’t even improve on that statement by making a comment. I’ll just let it sink in.

On the day of the show Tim gives everyone an hour with their clients. Joe’s client says a job’s a job, so she’s not concerned about the conservativeness of the outfit. Anna shows Kenley she’s been practicing her walk. There isn’t as much frantic sewing as there has been. Kenley thinks everyone else sucks and she’s sure she’ll be in the top three.

Heidi is rocking a green dress that is apparently one of Rami’s. Guest judge today is Cynthia Rowley. Why is Jerell wearing a flat cap covered in feathers? He looks silly. Joe: pinstripe skirt, wrap blouse in stripes, navy blazer with red piping. And a leopard print pocket square. I’m sorry, but his client isn’t that big, and this suit makes her look huge. She looks like a man. There’s no excuse for that. AND he popped the collar on her shirt. Leanne: boxy gray jacket with elbow length sleeves and a circular pattern on one shoulder. The pattern is in dusty rose and charcoal. Then the dress is a navy with a block of rose down the bodice and a gray belt. It looks pretty cute, actually. She still looks young, but whatever. Jerell: pencil skirt in black, chocolate brown silk top with ruffles and a sheer piece over her upper chest, and a black cardigan. I think for a designer you could wear that to an interview. Korto: wrap dress in a green leaf-like print. It is pretty short for someone that works in a lab. It’s short for work, period. The jacket is camel and has black piping so it accentuates her curves. It closes just under her bustline and then is open up to the high collar so it has a keyhole opening. I really like it, even though it has bracelet sleeves and I think bracelet sleeves look like you shrunk your clothes by accident. Suede: the jacket, which his client whips off really quickly, is brown with lavender piping and flares out at the wrists. The dress is one shoulder, with braided straps at the opposite shoulder, in the purple print. The straps cross in the back. Kenley: first of all, she put one of her feather sprays in the girl’s hair. You know those aren’t on the Bluefly accessory wall. She’s got her usual retro dress with a pinkish print. Then there’s a brown vest and a wide peach belt. It’s unfortunate because the belt is really, really close to Holly’s skin tone so from far away it looks like a cropped top and skirt combo.

Heidi kicks the moms out of the room, and makes everyone stay on the runway. Kenley gets to go first. She tries to kiss ass and say she thinks her look would look good in Elle. Heidi says she created a mini-me. Ha! She did! Nina labels it “charming” and Cynthia likes it too. Damn. Joe gets slammed for making a suit, because you can be professional without a suit. His client admits she likes it better without the jacket. Uh oh. Kors implies that Joe is too old and starts talking about a pocket square, and then Kenley starts laughing. And Holly too. Will no one say anything? Seriously, it’s so unprofessional and rude, and this isn’t the first time she’s done it. I hope Joe yells at her in the waiting room. Nina labels it cliché. Korto made a fun outfit to fit her client’s age of 21. Everyone loves it and it’s well made. Leanne’s outfit looks much much better without the jacket. I guess they thought the jacket hid her body. I think they like the dress but not the jacket. Heidi loves everything about Jerell’s client. Nina likes the cardigan with the frilly blouse. Suede’s jacket, you can see now, has purple swirly piping on the sleeves, and the same color on the pockets. Avital wanted something to go day to evening, and Cynthia says she should just change clothes. Oo. Nina doesn’t like it and she clams up. I will say, that dress and that jacket don’t really fit. I think the jacket might look better with pants. Just maybe not matching pants.

Good: Jerell (a wonderful transformation, sophistication without being old), Kenley (interesting print, done well, worked for her client), Korto (perfectly tailored jacket that looked expensive). Bad: Suede (ridiculous jacket, looks 20 years older and not like a photographer), Leanne (didn’t look fresh, old fashioned, frumpy), Joe (out of touch, poorly done, not contemporary, cliché). Sadly, unlike on “Top Chef”, there is no drama backstage in the waiting room.

Korto is in. Whatever, I want that outfit she made. Jerell wins. Take that, Kenley! I am a small person so I am glad that she looks pissed. He’s thrilled of course. (Tim’s Take says that the feathered thing Jerell was wearing on his head was originally for his model to wear on the runway. Can you imagine?) Kenley is in. Leanne is in. Joe aged his model (25 years for him), and Suede’s look was impractical and silly. Joe is out. He doesn’t think he deserved to leave, he’s got some versatility, he thinks he’s proven that he can follow his dreams. And he still got to show at Fashion Week.

Next week: “unique”, says Tim. Jerell wants to sabotage Suede. Tim flat out tells Kenley to “remove the sarcasm and facetiousness”. To which Kenley replies, “What does Tim know?” (Kmanpat: “More than you, honey.”) LL Cool J is here! Korto says they’re leaving Kenley out to dry. Woo!
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Project Runway at New York Fashion Week

I'm sure many of you know about this already but all 6 of the remaining contestants showed collections at Fashion Week. Each person got 10 looks, which is smaller than in the past. Eventually I'll post pictures of each one, but I want to wait until some more people get eliminated. Also if I wait long enough there will be hi-resolution pictures up, and I want to see those. Until then, you can see all of the collections here at Project Rungay, with slideshows and links to videos.

According to Bravo's schedule, the finale is split into two parts, so they can stretch it out over two weeks. It looks like single eliminations each week to get to a final 3. Either that or they'll mess with it like they did 3rd season and have a final 4. But the season doesn't end until October 15th, and you know they'll probably have a reunion after that. I wish they would time things better. There's really no reason to need decoys.
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Top Design 9/10/08--"Artsy Bunker" summary

Previously on Top Design: the second season looked like it might not suck. There are Quickfires now, and a random hot woman to host and judge. There are entertaining characters. They even started out designing in a real space instead of those fake half rooms they used so much. After being split up into teams, the designers each were assigned to one of the judges to decorate a loft for them. All clients were difficult and so forth, as expected, and there was drama and disasters, as expected. In the end the team that designed for Kelly won, but the team making a loft for India lost, probably due to their crappy couch that I wouldn’t even buy. Serge went home, but I didn’t feel too bad because he kept talking about how he didn’t play by the rules or whatever, and people who actually say that all the time are the people who aren’t really rebels. (click for more)

My friend Kmanpat is watching with me. He generally watches "Project Runway" but I coerced him with the promise of half naked boys. (Kmanpat: “Woo!”)

Kerry wants to show everyone he is a good designer. Eddie busts out the phrase “_____ boot camp”, which I think is up there with “I’m not here to make friends” and “thrown under the bus” on the list of reality show clichés.

Back at the workspace, India comes in to interrupt the playing in rolly chairs. She says they’ll each get a 12’ by 14’ room to work in this week. To make things more fun, they have to share that space with someone else. As they make random selections, Andrea says she is relieved to be paired up with Eddie. After last week and her disdain for her team, she’s glad to have someone with some skill. Todd shows up with an old school TV to show them about their spaces. Complete with old VCR. He starts showing them a 50’s school filmstrip style PSA about the “tension” in the world and also “attacks”. A couple of people already get it and are laughing. Then the screen spells it out for everyone else: “Home Fallout Shelter”. Hee. Bomb shelters. Now they are kind of freaking out. Ondine thinks that you might actually have to live forever in a bunker, post 9/11. Natalie wants to make something that won’t make you feel bad about being bombed. I see. India says that they have to showcase each partner’s style, but the two halves must go together. They’ll have 30 minutes in the bunkers to think, then $6000 per team to shop, the rest of today to work and a few hours tomorrow.

They’ve built bunkers in the studio? Maybe? Gray walls and cots, and concrete. They should be thankful there’s no toilet. They have skylights, which are probably florescent lights. Everyone tries to make things pretty. Robert and Jennifer butt heads since he is really anal about planning and is horrified that she won’t plan out fabrics and whatnot. Nathan and Wisit are getting rid of one of their beds. Aww, they’re cute together! Really they want the space, but it’s still cute. Everyone is really taking this seriously, in that they’re thinking about what they’d like if they were really stuck in this space for the rest of their lives. Natalie starts talking in confessional, and it just makes my head hurt: “If the world was to end, and I could plan it, because I was God, it would have to be something stupid…like…the Chinese built the Transformers…to bomb us back, because they were PISSED about the Hiroshima bomb.” Wow, Natalie, that IS stupid. Teresa says she is glad to have Natalie because Natalie is entertaining. Jennifer wants green and yellow, and Robert wants blue, so she says they need to move closer. He calls her colors muddy, and she snips back that he shouldn’t assume because she has a plan. She’s offended, like he said she had no taste. To be fair, it’s not swampy, but it’s also a lot of brown and not as much green and yellow.

Shopping time is at Plummers, with $3000 of their budget. Preston and Ondine (“His & Hers”) each have their own little area within the space. Nathan and Wisit (“Edited Elegance”) have minimal furniture, with at least a sofa. Robert and Jennifer (“Personalized Spaces”, ha) seem to be agreeing on furniture. Eddie and Andrea (“Country Garden”) almost buy a dining table, until Eddie realizes it doesn’t make any sense. They seem to have put pillows in a pile of stuff that was labeled, and now they can’t find them. Jennifer came along and took them, because the pillows themselves weren’t labeled. Andrea and Eddie are bitchy about it, but…label your pillows.

Now is another 30 minutes and $1000 at Pier 1. Kerry and Shazia (“Clean and Classic Spa”) are looking for tea lights. Your air circulation is not good enough for candles. She wants 50. Kerry knows that it’ll be hot, even if he doesn’t know about oxygen. Ondine is getting plates and stuff like that.

5 ½ hours to work. Nathan thinks Wisit will be quick with the fabric draping. They joke about how Nathan loves Wisit and will do whatever he says. Hee. Robert and Jennifer are painting and seem to at least know what to do. Eddie is painting a tree. A tree of life. Kerry and Shazia are painting the ceiling. Kerry notices that she complains about everything, and then says he has a work ethic that “young designers” don’t often have. Preston and Ondine have a good floor plan. These rooms are like a dorm room size, I just realized now that there is furniture. Everyone is fairly far along, except Robert and Jennifer. She thinks that dividing the room in half is so silly that they might as well draw a line down the center of the room. She tells Robert that the point was to have a unified space, and Robert says that it doesn’t have to be matchy-matchy, Jennifer, but she thinks it’s stupid. He says he has a vision so she should just keep working. Nathan is worried about time.

Preston and Ondine bring things of their own to decorate with. Preston can use his shirt, that is fine with me. (Kmanpat: “And me too!”) Andrea thinks they’re almost done. Eddie is going to take a nap.

Some people are done, pretty much, and some people are really behind. 2 hours left! Shazia says that Kerry’s energy is really good, because she tends to panic. Todd shows up again, just in time to freak people out but not to do anything about it. He offers to help Eddie and Andrea, but they’re just waiting for a mirror, I think. Todd calls Robert and Jennifer’s space “sad dorm room”. I can see some unpainted wall space above the door in Wisit and Nathan’s spot. He tells Natalie and Teresa to edit if needed. Eddie and Andrea are so far along they go to visit everyone else and make fun of them. Not to their faces but in confessional. There are still people hanging things and working right up until time.

Judging time! Kelly has on a ruffley hat thing and silly hair. Kerry and Shazia are up first. The whole room is in tan and light blue, which go well together. It’s very beachy. The beds are both in one corner, to make a little seating area, and there’s’ a little bar table and some tall stools on one wall for eating, and a big mirror. Lots of candles. It’s pretty airy and soothing, I like it. Wisit and Nathan have fabric panels along the ceiling which changes the shape of the room. They only have one bed, with a sofa on the other wall. The walls are a light pink, which is odd. There’s a bamboo rug, and a chair. Kelly notices that they’re going to share a bed. Jonathan practically giggles about it. It looks like Kelly and Jonathan are looking at some rooms, and India and Margaret are judging together. Natalie and Teresa have crammed their bunker with a ton of stuff. There’s a table in the middle, with the beds serving as benches, several shelves, sideboard at the far end, and a wall hanging. The colors are browns with a green ceiling. The whole thing has an Asian feel to it. Their theme is “Zen Den”, which probably explains it. Natalie says it is a place to “chillax” which bothers me. Robert and Jennifer used a bookshelf on its side as a room divider, except they divided the room in such a way that you have to walk past one bed to get to the one in the back. The front bed is in browns and golds, and animal print, and the one in the back is light blues and creams, and stripes. The walls are white with a blue back wall, and then some wall coverings over the beds that match. It definitely isn’t integrated. Jonathan says the first thing he saw was the divider. Jennifer says they sort of got along. Robert thinks Jennifer’s personality didn’t come out. Whatever. Andrea and Eddie have painted a light green over the walls, with the tree painted on the back wall, and then creams and chocolate browns. There are mirrors that face each other to make the space seem bigger, and some shelves. It’s nice. Ondine and Preston have shiny silver wallpaper on the ceiling, which somehow does not look that tacky. The walls are blue, with a darker blue fabric panel on the back wall. There are curtains so you can block off each bed for some privacy, and a small table near the door. The drapes are velvet, I think. Over each bed they’ve hung baskets and bulletin boards, which make it really feel like a dorm room. Although I wish my dorm room had looked this expensive. There are more wicker baskets on the walls in the “common area”, sideways, for storage. Jonathan asks about whose idea that was, but doesn’t react when told. Preston says you never can tell, but they didn’t seem too hesitant to praise other designers.

India said most of them really did a good job. Jonathan starts with Wisit and Nathan, who did a great job with the tented ceiling, and their “marital bed” (tm Jonathan) was “j’adorable”. Wisit literally covers his mouth with his hand and they snuggle. Jonathan makes fun of them. Eddie and Andrea also did a great job, making a cohesive space that was sophisticated and well-planned. They are the winners! Aw! Poor Nathan and Wisit. I just noticed, Eddie is wearing a bow tie. Eddie, honey, don’t do that. On the way out, Nathan hugs Wisit and then kisses him on the forehead. I saw that! Natalie and Teresa made a great room, but it was kind of over accessorized, which is why they weren’t top. They are both in, though. Kerry and Shazia’s room was beautiful and functional, but boring. They are safe. That leaves Preston and Ondine, and Robert and Jennifer.

Jonathan tells Robert and Jennifer’s space was a buzzkill. Jennifer tells them they couldn’t agree on what to do, and that her suggestions were “met with resistance”. She says Robert didn’t like some things and then that would be the end of it. He says that she didn’t have any direction except for a color, and then when she pulled colors, they didn’t match the colors she had told him. Kelly says that’s too bad they didn’t work together with only two of them, because in real life they’d have to work in teams all the time. Jonathan thinks that even though they divided the space in half, neither of them brought it. Preston thinks their space was cohesive, but Margaret didn’t think anything was going on. Preston reminds everyone that there was a lot of practicality in their design, but no one was excited and Jonathan did hate the baskets. He tells them that Eddie and Andrea’s room was practical but also exciting, and then Jonathan calls it and says it’s a dorm room.

Ondine and Preston’s room had horrid styling, like they were propping the room for a movie. They were both to blame for that. Jennifer and Robert could both do better work. They also are both to blame, but Robert is more experienced and probably was more articulate. Jonathan calls them “petulant” and I am glad for the vocabulary.

Preston and Ondine cooperated, but their space felt disjointed. Jennifer and Robert “failed to address any of the basic tenets of good design.” Ouch. Jennifer is out. Robert nods and looks smug. Then India calls on Robert and says that even though he is more experienced, he was also to blame. Then she sends him home too. Ooo! I rewound to watch his reaction twice. He seems to be calm about it. Jennifer is disappointed too. She says architecture isn’t as frilly.

Next week: Project Runway! I think they’re designing display windows. I see Sweet P, Santino, Andrae, Daniel Franco, possibly Jeffrey. Santino is pretty calm in the clips they have, but Andrae is still drama.
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