I don't know how come they keep turning Brit chick lit into American flicks

Opening up this week at a multiplex near you is I Don't Know How She Does It, starring Sarah Jessica Parker as Kate Reddy,a busy Boston business woman who finds juggling home and career a hard trick to manage on a daily basis. Amongst her many distractions are child care,competitive moms and the temptation to fool around with a handsome new client.

Some of the themes of this movie may sound a bit dated,partly due to it being based on a 2002 novel written by Alison Pearson. While that can be easily overlooked,the most striking change from page to screen is the nationality of the characters and setting. The source material is British and why the powers that be here felt the need to move the action to America is puzzling to me:





Perhaps in this case,it was to tailor the script as a SJP star vehicle but this isn't the first time that we've gotten Americanized versions of popular British chick lit stories. A couple of years ago,Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series was memorialized in film with a very Yank Isla Fisher playing the amiable addicted to spending leading lady.

While the movie was called Confessions of a Shopaholic,the first book in the series,the plot of the second book was merged into the script and considering that one was titled Shopaholic Takes Manhattan,that seemed to work out well there:





What gets me scratching my head over this is that part of the reason these books were optioned for the movies to start with is their popularity with readers and since the fans of the book like having their chick lit served up with English tea,so to speak,why not keep them Brit for the film adaptations?

Granted,some authors don't mind this at all such as Cecila Ahern,whose runaway bestselling novel P.S. I Love You was completely set in Ireland(and yes,I count that as British chick lit)but the movie started off in New York and worked a trip to Ireland into the film. Yet,I'm sure that this must perplex some of the UK readers as well as the US ones:





After all,it's not like a British version hasn't proven to be successful. Both of the Bridget Jones films stayed in England,with a fully British cast and even USA born lead Renee Zellweger took great pains to develop a proper accent for the part. She received a Best Actress nom at the Oscars that year and there's talk of a third film going around the campfire currently in Hollywood.

While the sequel didn't do as well with the critics and the movie going public as the original Bridget Jones' Diary did,it wasn't bad enough to scare away filmmakers from merry old England for good there.

A musical stage version is in the works on as we speak and not only is it in London but the likes of Lily Allen and Stephen Daldry are on board. An American Bridget just wouldn't do and I hope they never try it:



Perhaps I Don't Know How She Does It will do well,regardless of it's cultural transplant. Meanwhile,it would be nice for Hollywood to take a hint and realize that we in the States do enjoy British stories on screen that are not just set back in the past. Take a note,folks and do offer a spot of sweet English storytelling for the cinema which is in present day mode,won't you? You might be pleasantly shocked at how sweet a reception you'll be getting at the box office come Monday morning:

Are witches coming back in pop culture style?

In considering what to wear for Halloween this year, I found myself saying "Witches do seem to be in style this year" and in thinking that over,my quick assessment does hold a ring of truth to it.

Just look at season four of True Blood,which finished up it's run last night(more details to come later in the week)and how jam packed with witchy goodness it was. Fiona Shaw's performance as Marnie,a meek and mild medium who went buck wild with power brought back pleasant memories of Willow Rosenberg's magical emotional journey on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The mythology may be somewhat different but the character arcs were in many ways the same:





True Blood isn't the only spell casting stop in town for witches. The Vampire Diaries have been making more and more use of Bonnie and her powers during the second as well as the third season,setting her up as a major weapon in the battle to save Elena and friends from the forces of darkness.

Her personality has grown in leaps and bounds along with her sorcery skills,which keeps her story lines as fresh and as riveting as the lead characters on the series. Bonnie has come a long way from the sweet yet sensible best friend role she started out with and that's a good sign of strong writing and acting on any series:





The same network that gave life to the Vampire Diaries is now placing it's bets on an all witch show with the debut of The Secret Circle this fall. The show's premise is eerily similar to it's bloodsucking cousin;newcomer arrives in town and discovers a clique of supernaturally inclined folk eager to help or hinder her down the path of power.

It's also based on a series of teen themed books written by L.J.Smith(creator of Vampire Diaries)and whether or not lightning will strike twice on the CW with fans remains to be seen. However,it may be worth a look just to see more than mystical vibes humming along together:





The witch renaissance seems to be more of a small screen thing that a silver screen one at the moment. Granted,there are a handful of major Hollywood films in process that are tackling witches such as Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and two live action productions of Snow White with the likes of Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron embodying the role of the Evil Queen.

I do believe that it is better in the long run for witches to build a stronghold on television rather the films these days. TV allows more time for character development and nuance while the demands of a big budget movie drives any magical persona right into the special effects section of the set and boxes them right in.

TV gives them some much needed breathing room,plus the f/x for many of these productions is at times right up there with the big boys in cinema:



While having witches strutting their mighty mojo on the fashionable streets on Pop Culture Lane is wonderful to see,there will be those anxious to have a more down to earth positive Wiccan approach taken instead of the traditional wicked witch motif.

There's room for both sides of that sinister coin to shine,in my opinion. After all,who better to defeat a bad witch than a good witch? Besides,part of the fun is in the reveling of evil and no one can touch a true mean queen witch on that:

Browsing thru some of the odds and ends at the book trailer park

Since we at LRG cover upcoming movie trailers on a regular basis,it only makes sense to include a book trailer round-up beyond our bimonthly book posts. As they say,so many books and so little time to catch up to them all but as they also say,nothing ventured,nothing gained.

First up is the highly anticipated new novel by Stephen King that has him taking on one of the most touched upon areas of American history over the past few decades. 11/22/63 is a time travel story,in which a high school teacher is clued in on a secret portal to the year 1958 within his small town.

Out of despair,he journeys back to that distant era and awaits his opportunity to prevent the JFK assassination. During those years,our hero takes on a new identity and meets what could be the true love of his life that could affect the course of more than just a nation's fate.

This isn't the first time that King has waxed nostalgic about the fifties/sixties and such a premise can be easily overwrought. However,if anyone can bring authentic emotion along with compelling twists of fantasy,it's Stephen King:





For something set in modern day but with a sinister kick as well,Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters promises to provide that special creepy-crawly feeling.

Susan and Alex Wendt decided to embrace their good fortune in life by moving their small family into a trendy new brownstone in Brooklyn. Everything seems to going great,with daughter Emma happy in her new school and father Alex's photography business gaining a nice batch of big name clients.

Mother Susan,however,keeps getting strange vibes about the place and insists that their apartment is infested with bedbugs,which the exterminator can't see and are only biting her. Sounds like a blend of Rosemary's Baby and Pacific Heights,which could make for some scary page turning fun:





Another eagerly awaited title due out this season is Erin Morganstern's debut novel,The Night Circus. The title is quite literal as the traveling performers at Le Cirque des Reves only entertain after dark.

One of their newest members,a young girl with psychic gifts named Celia,is pitted against Marco,another young protege,by their mentors with the intention of their student destroying the other.

However,as time goes on,Marco and Celia grow fond of each other and begin to fall in love. Advance word on this book makes it sounds like an instant must-read and hopefully,the story truly offers a display of literary wonders for the book loving audiences out here in the stacks:





Author Alice Hoffman is known for her mixture of fantasy within her works of women's fiction yet for her upcoming novel,The Dovekeepers,she plunges into the heady waters of historical fiction.

Her story is set in the year 70 C.E,as a group of women prepare for the worst at Masada where one of the most brutal battles against the Roman Empire was fought by an army of 900 Jews determined to outlast them. One is the daughter of an assassin,another was raised as a boy and taught to be a warrior.

With the limited protection that the dovecote they are assigned to tend barely holding out,these women must learn to trust each other in order to survive and save those who they can. This out of the box approach for Hoffman is rather ambitious and definitely worth checking out:



How much of an impact these book trailers will have upon the sales of their toted titles is uncertain but every little bit helps. With the release of any new book,there will always be those who are either quick to find fault or to see themselves in the work(especially if they personally know the author) yet it is encouraging to get some sort of reaction,even if it's not what you expected:

Top Chef JD gets pretty in pink,Design Star's final three and True Blood's witch war comes to an end..or does it?

In the guest judge spot this week on Top Chef:Just Desserts,we had a former Top Chef Masters contender,Hugh Acheson,start things off with a sticky Quickfire Challenge. The chefs had to create a new favor for Extra gum's line of Dessert Delights by whipping up a mini sweet treat that would fit into a tiny serving cup.



Much to his surprise,Craig won the challenge for his tiny pancakes with strawberry amaretto and mascarpone cream. Not only will his favors be added to a new pack of gum,he gets $25 grand and immunity for this round besides! Talk about cherry on top there,folks.



Craig also had the dubious honor of being a team leader for the Elimination Challenge,with Amanda heading up the other group. Each team has to create a special dessert table for Lisa Vanderpump,one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,for the second anniversary of her restaurant Villa Rosa.

Her husband stopped in,with their little dog in tow, to give the teams helpful hints on what would be most appreciated. The color scheme is pink and a centerpiece is expected.



Team Amanda did very well,despite their initial confusion on what to do in the beginning. Their table layout was charming and they were smart enough to make a special treat for the couple's dog as well.

Amongst the stand out sweets were Katzie's macaroon with strawberry jam and a mint pipette,Melissa's white chocolate creme(which had melted a bit yet still tasted great)and Amanda's cava gelee with buttermilk foam. They were declared the winning team,much to their mutual joy and delight.



Team Craig crashed and burned,starting with Craig's sour tasting pink lemonade served in sugar rimmed glasses. He was called on the carpet during judging for not contributing anything else but Rebecca spoke up and said he spent most of his time helping everyone else with their food. He had immunity,anyway,but Craig has been screwing up since Day One here and he needs to get some game mighty quick.

Sent home was Nelson,for his passion fruit lollipops adorned with cotton candy. They were bland and so was the pink chocolate side dish he added on at the last minute. Orlando got nasty with everyone afterward,insisting that they keep their "sob stories" to themselves. Way to make enemies there,pal!

Next week's big challenge is candy land themed,as the child stars from the cult classic version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory show up and an edible recreation of the infamous sugary wonderland from the film is on deck. Should be scrumdiddlyumptous!



The Final Three contenders on Design Star were charged with designing a whole house,a rather small house as it turns out. A trio of "tiny houses" were set up in Battery Park for each one of them to furnish and have their assigned carpenter build such needed sections as the kitchen and living room.



Meg decided to go with a cottage theme,smart considering that each house had less than a hundred square feet of space.

She had her carpenter built a storage closet and bathroom,which was set by the front door in order to create the illusion of a foyer and that worked out great. Some of her furniture finds added a extra dose of coziness to each particular area of the home,like the pair of rustic chairs and table for the dining room.

While some of the judges thought her color choices for the trim were repetitive and the floating shelves by the back window not properly showcased for storage,Meg's overall look and feel for the place was very user friendly(along with both of her camera presentations)and she won a spot in the finale for it.



Karl will be joining her,due to the well balanced elements that he arranged for the house. His selection of pinkish red for the walls was pleasing to the eye and the library ladder that he had his carpenter build for the loft bed was a savvy move.

He also chose a number of household items that could easily be re-purposed,like small cutting boards as place mats and decanters that could be vases when needed. Karl has gained some more confidence in his camera challenges,too and is a strong competitor for Meg to be up against here.



That made Mark the odd man out and the one going home. His charm and styling selections were enticing but his weakness for overly focusing on art projects pulled the welcome mat out from under him at this crucial point in the game.

The argyle stripes and belts that Mark applied to the walls of his house made no sense either visually or practically. Sorry,dude,but that just won't fly here. The finale is next week and both contenders are at their wit's end with shooting pilot episodes for their possible shows. I'm rooting for Meg but would be happy with Karl winning as well,so good luck to them both!:





Things were strange as usual on True Blood as Alcide and Sam got some payback while Andy got some funky fairy sex out in the woods.

Meanwhile,the battle royale at the Moon Goddess Emporium began,as Marnie/Antonia's protection spell provided to be lethal for vampires since it was made from sun energy.

During a failed negotiation that had Pam firing a rocket launcher at the witches,Marnie again had a tussle with Antonia who wanted to leave her body due to the killing of one of their witch allies.

Marnie reined her back in and while Jesus and Lafayette went into the back to apply first aid,she forced the others to form a power circle. The spell being cast,however,was drawing the vampires outside into the path of the solar force field. Sookie heard her brother's mental plea for help and delivered it but not without cost:





As Sookie was surrounded by flames,Jesus was working on a spell to separate Antonia from Marnie. Lafayette urged him to hurry things up and finally,the connection between Marnie and her now reluctant spiritual mentor was severed. King Bill and his crew stormed in and took Marnie out,which seemed to end the witch war once and for all.

That may be speaking too soon,as Marnie's restless spirit managed to possess Lafayette later that night and judging by the previews for next Sunday's finale,she's not ready to call it quits just yet. Stay tuned,folks,because it's hard to tell what cliff hangers we're going to be teetering over the edge on for next year:



RANDOM NOTES:

THE SECRET CIRCLE: Following the proven Vampire Diaries formula,the CW is presenting another supernatural soap opera for teens based on a popular book series. This time out,witches are front and center of the drama and with any luck,the story lines and acting will be just as spell binding as the ones for the other magical show on that network are:

Reading between the lines of today's TV commercials

TV advertising these days is especially tricky,since the number of other channels to click over to during the breaks in regular programming is higher than it was,say,30 years ago.

Of course,many of the commercials are also shown online which increases the audience reach but adds on the pressure to quickly capture consumer interest. That need may account for some of the off the wall approaches given to certain products lately but what does it say about those products and/or the people they're being aimed at? Let's do a little compare and contrast to see what's really being said:



Nook Vs. Kindle

Recently,I was given a Nook by my family as a celebratory gift for publishing my first e-book and while my physical book piles are in no danger of being completely ignored,the Nook is a welcome addition to my home library.

Part of the reason why is how Barnes and Noble has gone about promoting it. Their best commercial shows a woman's reading life from girlhood to teens and now as a mother with books to guide her along the way. The Nook is shown towards the end as a natural evolution for a lifelong reader meant to be a helpful extension for leisurely reading in her busy life. Using this tact with reluctant literary lovers is smart and satisfying:



The Kindle,on the other hand,tends to be a bit more snarky in their sales pitch. Their recent set of ads features a Reader Girl who keeps running into a Techno Boy who gently but firmly points out the benefits of his e reader over doing things like reading a print book or going to an actual bookstore and even just carrying around actual books and magazines!

Yes,I know this is supposed to be funny but depicting people who like print books as peppy dimwits who need to be enlightened by sleek techno lovers is extremely off putting,to say the very least:



My Tide with new attitudes?

What's even more interesting is how mixed messages can be sent out for one product by their own company. Take Tide,for instance-their latest campaign is called "My Tide" which showcases individual perceptions regarding the use of the detergent. Some of the ads are amusing without ruffling too many feathers.

However,a couple are causing some concerns. One spot has a lady strongly proclaiming that she will wear white pants after Labor Day if she wants to,which some interpret as making her own fashion statement while a few feel that since the woman in question is African-American,her behavior is stereotypical. That's a debatable subject but one worth thinking about:



This ad,however,immediately rubbed me the wrong way. It shows a mom dressed in a rather 1950s style of wardrobe watching her little girl play with blocks and bemoaning the fact that her daughter prefers to wear "hoodies and cargo pants."

At one point,Fifties Mom talks about how Tide prevented her child's regular clothes from being ruined by crayons in the pocket and the wistful regret in her voice is beyond obvious about that. Say what you will here but the white pants Tide ad does seem to salute the lady in it for being an independent thinker while this one clearly has it in for tomboys and not in a good way:





Why is Jell-o so childish about adult desserts?


A few months,folks were in an uproar about the advertising campaign for Jell-o Temptations line of "adult only" mousses that insisted upon parents scaring kids away from them. The company pulled a couple of their more troublesome commercials off the air and have released one that proves they can promote this product in a enticingly mature way:



However,some of the "creep out the kiddies" ads are still around. While an Edward Gorey theme has been the underlying tone for two of them-one for Olive and the other for Benny-the parents subtly threatening their children vibe hasn't left the picture.

Just listen to this bedtime story where Mom dangles the dark promise of her daughter's favorite stuffed animal disappearing forever over taking one of those damn desserts. Don't give me the "it's only a joke!" argument,because losing a cherished toy like that is no laughing matter to a little kid:



Maybe I'm making too much of this yet what does it say about all of these ads when the automatic defense to them is that they aren't meant to be taken seriously. Making something a joke is not a free-for-all excuse,in my opinion,and while I and many others who are raising their eyebrows over some of these commercials do appreciate a good jest,there is a fine line between gentle mocking and meanness.

Then again,commercials are all about perception and what makes one person vow to avoid that product or place like the plague can easily make a dozen others rush out to shop. It's just harder to laugh it off when the joke is on you:

Lauren Shockey's Four Kitchens serves up a truly mouthwatering memoir

When Lauren Shockey finished up with school,she decided to go on stage starting in New York but not on Broadway. A stage in the culinary world is the term for an unpaid apprenticeship which can last for weeks or months and earns you some valuable experience as a restaurant chef.

The subtitle of Lauren's book, Four Kitchens, is "My Life Behind The Burner in New York,Hanoi,Tel Aviv and Paris" and the choice of these particular cities was not random. She not only wanted to learn more about different styles of cuisine,Lauren was eager to check out other ways of life as well.



Her first stop was at wd-50,a restaurant known to many Top Chef viewers as the NYC setting for Wylie Dufresne and his molecular gastronomy dishes.

Learning the ropes there gave Lauren some valuable tips on how to prep food in a manner more precise than what she had been taught in culinary school and insight into how the unique edible creations made by Wylie and his staff are conceived:





After that,Lauren then worked at La Verticle in Hanoi which is run by Didier Corlou,a master chef from France. The food is a blend of Vietnamese with French and the tone of the restaurant is a bit more laid back but sure handed skill is required to keep up in the kitchen.

While making some good friends both in and outside of the restaurant,Lauren also got the chance to explore the street markets of Hanoi and sample many of the local delicacies,some of which tasted better than what was offered up on the menu in most of the other high priced eateries around town:





Lauren's third leg of her kitchen tour was at Carmella Bistro in Tel Aviv,where she was one of the few women working behind the scenes,a standard norm that appears to be internationally known.

What she was happily surprised to discover during her time there was the amazing variety of food to be found not just at Carmella but in the city as well. A good number of influences from many parts of the world abound in Israeli cuisine and eateries both upscale and street stand style are embracing it with open arms.

Lauren was also able to share in the warm spirit of the community and redevelop her love of home cooking amongst her new friends. In a country that might not be readily associated with harmony,there was plenty to be found for Lauren both at work and leisure time:





Lauren's last stop was Senderens,a two star Michelin restaurant. This was not the first French restaurant she had worked in;in a previous stage,Lauren landed a spot at a small bistro that didn't do enough business to keep the regular staff busy,let alone a newcomer.

She had hoped to make up for that lost opportunity and while her work load was considerably more substantial,some of her dealings with the male chefs played a small part,in my opinion,in her ultimate decision as to what direction her career in the food world would be headed in.



Four Kitchens is an engaging read,full of true to life experiences and advice to those considering joining the ranks of restaurant chefs. The work is hard and the hours long yet it does have it's rewards. The question is whether or not those are the goals you wish to obtain at the end of the day.

Lauren is now a food writer and happy to be so,cherishing those memories of her restaurant stages as life experiences worth having. Her love of food shines off each page,especially amongst the various recipes that are placed at the end of certain chapters. She offers adaptable solutions that you can find in your local shopping area for a few of the more exotic items and if you're looking to liven up your home menu,they are worth a try.

Four Kitchens is now available at a bookseller near you and with the holiday season rolling around,this would be a deliciously perfect gift for any budding foodie on your list. For a taste of familiar as well as far away places,this book brews up a banquet of savory smart delights:

The Hench Woman's Handbook get it's first review and other literary highlights

We've got a mix of book related news to talk about here,so please hold off on packing up for your Labor Day weekend getaway(or scheduling the various marathons you'll be watching at home)for just a few moments,folks.

To start with,my e-book,The Hench Woman's Handbook, has gotten it's first review at Book Babe and it's a really great one. Tara Chevrestt was more than kind,giving THWHB a three star rating(both at her blog and on Good Reads)and selecting her favorite quotes from the book to showcase in the review as well.



She's also an e-book author,her latest work being a set of short stories entitled Dog Tails,which is available from Amazon,B&N and the Sony Reader store. Do check it out and her blog Book Babe for other new and entertaining reads.

The Hench Woman's Handbook also received a bit of notice at Galleycat last week,in their New Books section for which we here at LRG are grateful,especially since they featured my sister Stephanie's amazing cover art. So far,so good on this front and I hope that it paves the way for more interest in the origins of comic book hench women:





Enough about me-let's move on to some Jane Austen headlines. A winner has been chosen in The Jane Austen Made Me Do It contest and congratulations go out to Brenna Aubrey,whose story will appear in the paperback anthology due out by early October.

Her story,"The Love Letter" is a modern version of Austen's final completed novel Persuasion,in which a young doctor takes a hint from Captain Wentworth's literary example and seeks out a former love to rekindle.

I look forward to reading Brenna's tale of recaptured romance,along with the other wonderful ones included in the book,particularly since it's based on what I consider to be the most moving declaration of love ever to be put in print:





Speaking of books to look forward,the buzz about Ernest Cline's debut novel Ready Player One is growing stronger and stronger. The story takes place in the year 2044,where just about everyone in the world is connected to an all powerful online game called OASIS.

Since the real world is a nightmare to live in,the major hope for a better existence lies in unraveling the secret portions of the game that will allow the winner to take over the company that owns exclusive rights to OASIS.

Wade Watts may able to do what many have struggled and failed to do fro years,due to his vast knowledge of 1980s pop culture that is key to finding the hidden keys to the digital kingdom. I plan to have a full review of this book later this month and hopefully an interview with the author himself. Stay tuned,fellow geeks and readers:



Happy Labor Day weekend,folks and I'll see you all on Tuesday. Hope you have fun with your last shot at summer time vacation and that many good surprises come your way,even if they don't seem to be that great at first:

Top Chef JD sings a sweet song,Design Star visits Nate Burkus and True Blood's supernatural warfare goes up a notch

This week's guest judge on Top Chef:Just Desserts was Margaret Braun,who challenged the contenders to make a creative treat out of lemons. Real lemons,that is-not flavoring or extract.



Out of all the lemony delights prepared,the one that won belonged to Matthew. His lemon vanilla creme with mint puree and hazelnut sable thrilled the taste buds of both judges which gave Matthew both immunity and leadership of a team for the Elimination Challenge.



Four teams were made up with each one tasked to make a cake for the opening of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at Walt Disney's Concert Hall. Each member of the team was responsible for one layer of the cake and all were encouraged to choose favors that would work well together. Everyone,however,was accountable for the overall look of the final product.



The cakes had to be set up outside,which lead to some troublesome melting issues. Team Black's entry,however,had enough trouble on their plate with the wonky appearance of their cake.

The layer that really stood out in the worst way was Craig's. His drum looked awful and the chocolate caramel cake,despite being allegedly his Grandma's recipe,was only so-so.

Lucky for Craig,his teammate Nelson stood by him during the judges' panel when asked if that drum should have been removed. Nice to see some positive support being given this early on in the game.



The winning cake came from the Red Team,made up of Matthew,Melissa,Chris and Megan. Not only was their design a brilliant echo of the unique architecture of the building but the flavors showcased in each slice came off in three point harmony.



While the judges enjoyed Matthew's lemon pound cake layer and Chris's chocolate sponge with praline jam,the layer they liked most of all was Melissa's. Her cardamom sponge cake with ginger cream and strawberry jam section truly hit the sweet spot.

Melissa had been chosen last for her team,due to last week's drama with Lina,so this little redemption moment was sweetly savored.



Team Green presented a very lovely cake that revealed the excellent flow of team work between Carlos,Sally and Rebecca. The various flavors and cohesive design did bode well for them but a few flaws held them back from a win.

For one thing,Judge Johnny was less than thrilled with the color of the frosting and the denseness of the top layer. Rebecca's lower layer of devil's food cake with a carmelia ganache and almond filling was deemed tasty but messy.

Considering that Rebecca had to work with only one hand(her other was injured at the TC loft)and she worked without complaint there,I think cutting her a break is reasonable here.



The cake that hit the sourest note belonged to the Blue Team. Even Katzie admitted that they overshot the mark here with the poor execution of their visual theme. The musical instrument decorations were made by Van,who did think that they were much too small-good thing Kerry Vincent wasn't on that judging panel or he really would've had the riot act read to him on that element.



In addition to the poorly made instruments,Van's layer of cake was dry and you couldn't even taste the smoked salt in the caramel. Therefore,Van had to pack his knives and go. The guy tried his best,at least.

Next week,one of the Real Housewives of NJ stops in and Craig is still stumbling around the kitchen which could mean trouble for his team. We shall see,indeed!



It's down to the Final Four on Design Star and for their camera challenge,everyone had to appear on the Nate Burkus show for a demo on re-purposing items in your home. The big challenge was to do an inexpensive makeover of a living room for a small apartment with a budget of $2,500.



Meg aced the apartment challenge and did great on the Burkus show as well. For her TV spot,she upgraded the plain gray coffee table with a simple yet elegantly painted design. She had poise and confidence while managing to engage the audience as well.

The apartment looked amazing. Meg used molding to create stripes for the wall and had small floating shelves built that filled up the spaces nicely. She won the challenge and is now in the Final Three-way to go,girl!



Karl and Mark will be joining her,as the fellas did good work here. It was Karl,however,excelled over Mark this time out. His idea of using old books for shelving is very much in the now and he really sparkled during his camera challenge.

Mark is usually more surefooted but he left a big blank wall space in his apartment and his demo for silver-leafing a lamp had him saying "tin foil" instead of the proper term for the material. Tin foil is not good for lamps at all and Judge Vern strongly warned him that giving out correct instructions is important for a DIY show.



Kellie had to go home this week,for her lack of pizazz in both her design and TV appearance. Her Nate Burkus demo was a tad on the robotic side there and despite having a couple of bright touches such as rag rug covered stools and a specially made art piece,the apartment was pretty slip shod when finished.

The curtains in particular were sloppy and showed just how much of an after thought they were for her. Also,she really scrambled to finish up another art project for the walls and wound up having to reuse the basic pictures already in the apartment. Sorry,Kellie,but we have to say goodbye. Personally,I would've sent her packing last week for the bunk bed incident but,hey,at least she wasn't Cathy!

Next time,the challenge is to design an entire house and the stakes will be high as well as surprising:





On True Blood,life goes on somewhat normally as Andy and Terry have a private intervention for Andy's V habit,Sam deals with the death of his ne'er do well brother and Alcide needs to watch his back as Debbie and her new pack master are scheming against him.

Meanwhile,we last saw Sookie screaming her head off to warn King Bill as Marnie/Antonia's vampire posse pounced on the assembled crowd at the Tolerance event. Just as Eric was about to execute Bill,Sookie unleashed some of her fairy magic and broke the spell over him. As a bonus,Eric now has his memory back and Marnie/Antonia had to make a hasty retreat:





While King Bill decides that talk time is over,Sookie forms her own pack of Scoobies to help Tara and the rest of the hostage witches break free from the Moon Goddess Emporium. Jesus volunteers to go in first,since he has more of a connection with Marnie and wants to help her cast Antonia out.

After proving himself worthy by walking painfully through the magical barrier surrounding the shop,Jesus gets Antonia to let him talk to Marnie. Only problem with that is that it's Marnie who is running the show now. Thrilled by the power and terror of their combined mystical actions,Marnie even had to convince Antonia to stay within her-puppet and puppet master changing places is not good,folks!

Marnie/Antonia soon catches on to the escape attempt being made by Tara and Holly,along with the presence of Sookie and friends. While a major showdown is brewing up inside Moon Goddess,by nightfall Bill and his band of angry allies are ready to storm their castle. People need to get their priorities straight fast and furious here,folks:



RANDOM NOTES:

MTV VMAS: The biggest splash made at the Video Music Awards this year was courtesy of Lady GaGa,who appeared as her male counterpart Jo Calderone. While her onstage monologue was a tad overdone,it was a great piece of performance art that just goes to show how solid her versatility is: