By Kimberly
We start off with Anne carving up a roast chicken on a cat handled cutting board to give to one of her beloved cats. Cuddly Bear whines the cat gets the leg which is the cut he likes. Anne says ‘too bad’. We are starting to see the ‘cat lady’ obsession as the rich can only do it.
Anne has invited Michelle over to ask her to model a fur vest at the Pussy Galore party. Pussy Galore is a cat charity Anne has for abandoned and retired cats. This is great! Another segment with Michelle and animals! Michelle doesn’t hide her disdain for the cats, not one bit. I think someone on production copped on to the fact Michelle hates animals and animals hate her. This is why she keeps having segments with animals.
When I first saw Anne’s Pussy Palace in episode one I thought it was just a 12’x14′ type cage with 7′ ceiling type of thing. No! This is truly a palace. It’s huge! More like 20’x20′ and it’s connected to a small out building (like the size of a pool cabana- though not by a pool) which has heaters in it for the cats to keep them warm. No wonder Anne keeps saying she’s pushing her limits with Cuddly Bear where the cats are concerned.
True to animal instinct the minute Michelle walks into Pussy Palace all the cats are freaked out and stare at her. Anne even comments on their behaviour. Anne wants Michelle to help put out food for the cats. Michelle whines about her shoes getting dirty having to get off the bricked path. Michelle asks Anne how she puts up with the smell. She says ‘it smelled like pussy alright! It stunk!’ Wonder what pussy she’s been smelling?! It’s quite funny to see Anne make Michelle do things with the cats and take glee in Michelle’s discomfort.
We’ve got the first non-PC scene of the season. Anne pulls out five or six fur jackets. Michelle doesn’t feel bad (no wonder animals hate her) she’d take all of them off Anne’s hands. Ironically Anne is auctioning fur jackets at her pussy charity party.
Julia is onto the New Zealand version of a vampire treatment. Anne and Louise come for support. So what this treatment is they apply numbing cream to her neck. Take a vial of blood from Julia. They spin the blood in a centrifuge and separate the plasma from the rest if the blood. They take the plasma and inject it into her neck. What is this supposed do to? Don’t know but it looks like it hurts and she looks horrible after per Anne and Louise. While under the needle Anne and Louise take Julia to task for telling Gilda that Anne called her a goldigger. Anne admits she thinks Julia is a goldigger. This hurts Julia’s feelings. Julia has a vapid life. So far she’s had personal scenes with her hairstylist, makeup artist and getting a vampire treatment. Anne may not be much better but she’s got her cats.
Angela has a French PA. This girl Lea’ is either a put on French PA or a Sonja case where Angela has taken on a intern at low cost to her. Angela is proud at how much SHE is doing for Lea’. Bless her, she must have a lot in common with Lydia when it comes to the help.
Angela (or production) has decided to invite Michelle along to buy furniture for her Auckland apartment. Even though she claims to be a interior designer Michelle can’t seem to put anything together for Angela because their tastes are different. So Michelle can do the job if your tastes are like hers. Otherwise, she doesn’t understand what you really want. Michelle is worried Gilda will think she’s siding with Angela by attending this meeting to buy furniture. So now Angela is painting herself as the messenger for the name calling at Michelle’s party. Her stance is don’t kill the messenger. Michelle proceeds to tell Angela if she wants to fit in Auckland social life she better get along with Gilda. Angela responds by saying she’s been to top social events and has never seen Gilda there. SNAP! So either Gilda isn’t the Auckland socialite they say or Angela isn’t. My bet is Angela. Total wanna be.
It never ceases to amaze me how rich people buy things that are butt ugly. Gilda has on shoes that look like snow ski boots with the toes cut out and a heel added. VERY fugly. So Gilda and Michelle are shopping for the Pussy Galore party. They talk about Angela and how Angela thinks Louise is the perpetrator not her. She’s just the messenger.
It’s time for Anne’s party. In typical Australian fashion the electrics are dodgy. Anne is truly a cat lady. She’s got cat sculptures, cat jewellery, cat ashes, yes she has those. Cuddly Bear gets pissed off when they pee everywhere. He’s got the patience of Job I reckon. Anne gets weepy over her cats.
Just as the party gets going the electrics go out. The sparky (Aussie for electrician) comes out and gets it going. Cuddly Bear doesn’t let on about how much he CAN fix because then she’d keep him busier. Anne is wearing a backless dress with skin coloured fabric that makes it look like she’s part way nude. She’s just too old for this look. This dress looks like a negligee.
Now we’re back to non-PC furs where the women are arriving in fur coats. Anne says as long as animals are killed humanely it’s okay to have fur coats. Besides whether she wears them or not ‘isn’t going to change a damned thing”. However she cannot wear fur at a Pussy Party it would be just wrong. I’m on the fence about furs. It’s a part of an animal which might go to waste (such as a skunk, raccoon or goat) but can keep us hairless humans warm. People in very cold places like Canada, Netherlands, etc. makes sense to have fur. But women in places where weather is much milder like California and Australia it just doesn’t make sense.
Angela arrives at the Pussy Party in a catsuit. Anne says the suit was ‘definitely holding everything in’. Anne also wonders why Angela has brought her PA Lea’ to the party. She finds this strange. I guess Angela has no other friends in Auckland? Julia arrives in the SAME catsuit as Angela but it’s seams aren’t as taxed.
Gilda is the last to arrive and refuses to give Louise a hello kiss and tells Angela she doesn’t get a hello. Angela says Gilda shows up as a ‘sour puss’. Anne breaks down and puts on a fur coat because she’s cold and everyone is wearing them. Michelle tells her not to wear it but just a plain coat because of the ‘animals and stuff’. Anne responds she hasn’t got a plain coat…..so she only wears furs……..Michelle refers to her as Cruella Deville.
Louise is going to sit down Gilda and explain why she called her a reference which is bleeped out. She says Gilda has the wrong idea. Louise says Angela had this rumour which everyone in Auckland had heard. Louise says her premise was if everyone has heard it then don’t say anything at the dinner party because everyone knows. Gilda responds ‘why didn’t you just say nobody is interested in your stupid rumour’. Louise said if Angela hadn’t said it at the party she would have said it at some point. Angela and her PA are taking too much glee in Gilda’s rumour being outed.
Michelle and Julia go through Anne’s home. Anne’s taste is very original retro…..she never threw it out. Don’t get me wrong the things are lovely and expensive, but she’s just hung into these things until they came around again labeled as ‘retro’. The problem is the whole place is retro, not just a few key pieces. So it looks very dated. Expensive! But dated. They look at a photo of Anne from the ’60s and comment it must’ve been taken in the ’20s. These comments can only be made by people who think not only will they live forever but they will never age. Neither of these women are far from the precipice of wrinkles themselves. They comment Anne’s taste is antique because, well, she’s antique. Look out! Don’t think Anne is going to take that well.
Back at the party Michelle compares catsuits between Julia and Angela. “Who wore it better!” Angela is irritated Michelle would compare people like that. Then to add insult to injury, Michelle tells Angela to ‘pull your lower tummy in! Your in a catsuit for God’s sake!’ I can’t type this with a straight face! Angela comes back with the retort “I am a size 10!” ON WHAT PLANET? I’ve had friends as tall as Angela and even at a low weight for them a 10 would be anorexic. Angela is NOT a 10. How she can say this is laughable. However, she may sew different tags into her clothes……. Angela maintains her size and body shape is a New Zealand woman. Which she’s right because the average Kiwi woman is not petite boned nor in weight. Then Angela accuses Michelle of not knowing anything because she’s not a New Zealander. To which Gilda pipes up and says ‘so what makes a New Zealander?’ Angela asks Gilda ‘what’s wrong with you?’ Because Gilda is horning in on her conversation with Michelle. Michelle yells at Angela to get out of Gilda’s face.
Angela says to Gilda ‘tell us who you are!’ Now just what does that mean? Hmmmmm. Gilda side steps and says ‘I’m everything you’re not.’ To which Angela responds, ‘no, I’m everything you’re not. You’re the runt.’ Then Michelle says to Gilda to ‘let it go, don’t give her the time of day’ and Louise tells Angela ‘let it go. This is a nice party’. They go to their respective corners and Angela comes out for her gift she gave the auction.
Angela has offered a styling package for auction. Angela actually has her PA bidding to up the price. Julia ended up buying Julia’s package for $4K after Angela quite brazenly told the PA to quit bidding. Hilarious. I’m sure Julia was in on it too. Angela probably had a first and second back up so it would look like a bidding war. Pathetic.
Next week: looks to be some kind of ‘get in touch with others and yourself’ type get away. Julia shows off the cock ring she carries around in her purse because why? Michael’s nickname is Dixie………as in dixinormous.
The difference between what passes as wealthy in New Zealand and, say, Beverly Hills is startling.
The thing I love about these shows set in Australia and New Zealand is that they can be as posh as you like, but they will tell you to ‘get f*cked’ in a heartbeat.
Angela does remind me of Lydia a lot, especially when she talks about the staff. I think she’s pretty delusional tbh. Michelle and Gilda are just mean girls. This group of girls really lacks a connection IMO. I don’t think they would have made it on a US show.
I really like this show. Not sure if I like he girls just yet but they beat OC who ive had to break up with.
OMG! I am watching now on Demand because the show didn’t tape for me.
The vampire neck facial with the two harpies reading her the riot act while she was getting painful injections, Michelle at the pussy palace. Michelle saying she is in “mink heaven” around all the furs and then wryly adding “and so are they…”
Angela french assistant who is french and her assistance who is from France and her creepy interaction with her..
I am only a few minutes in and this is THE BEST EPISODE EVER!
It didn’t tape for me either TT. I had it set for “first run only” and it taped last week but for some reason known only to them the stupid cable co put ‘REPEAT’ on there for this episode and it didn’t tape. That might be your problem too. I went back and set it to “first run and repeats” in case they do it again, which they probably will. Thanks Charter or Spectrum or whatever they are now.. Anyway I was mad but then brightened cause I knew I could read the good recap here.
Crap I forgot about On Demand ! Thanks !!
Just watched this episode on the Bravo TV app because I’m rarely home at noon on Sat when this shows in my area and I loved it! With the exception of Angela, these women feel more authentic than some of the US Housewives and I think I love the lack of political correctness! Michelle’s joke about the mink heaven was hilarious.
Angela’s assistant running up the bids for her during the fundraiser was hilarious because Angela was shamelessly coaching her. Did Angela stroke her assistant’s hair when they were at the cafe like place or did I imagine that?!
Oh honey you did NOT imagine that. She is turning out to be a Lydia. I may have to be team Angela if she continues to hang out with her french assistant who is french from France. I LOVE her assistant.
HOWEVER, Michelle, Gilda, Louise are obviously the right team to root for.
But I am TOTALLY all about any scene with Angela (suck in your gut girl) and her French, francophone, assistant who is French from France.
Angela to the French assistant from France, “I need you to make a reservation. Do you know what that is?” I just CAN’T. Except I can. It’s priceless comedy right up there with flying a private plane to buy cheese.
I AM ALL IN FOR THIS SERIES.
I like this show! My DVR didn’t record it either so I had to watch it on the Bravo app. I think the ladies are a good mix. I don’t know why Julia thinks she is so hot. It’s actually painful to watch her describe how attractive she thinks she is. Unless New Zealand is on the metric system there is no way Angela is a size 10, no hate though. She is clearly the villain of the show. Her constant pageant fake smile is creepy. Gilda and Michelle really know how to keep the drama going. I’m dying to know what the bleeped out rumor was about Gilda. Michelle and Julia’s age shaming of Anne was sad. I’m sure Anne will have a lot to say about that if they have a reunion show. Just wait ladies, your time is coming sooner rather than later. I’m looking forward to the next episode!
Despite what they would like you to think these women do not represent the upper echelons of Auckland society. Most of the truly wealthy women in Auckland wanted nothing to do with the show because New Zealanders do not take kindly to people flaunting their wealth and as the country is so small the court of public opinion is brutal (there is actually quite a dark history of local ‘celebrities’ being driven out of the country).
As someone from Atlanta, I definitely feel your pain.:) We are all mortified by “the real housewives of Atlanta” most of them are not from here.
A group of OB/GYNs and other services for women came together and built a large. 3 story office building here in rural Ga. and it’s Pink, very pink brick. It’s called ‘The Pussy Palace’.
I don’t watch the show but your title gave me a great laugh.
I’m liking this show. I’m really liking Michelle and Louise which I think are the both the HBIC of this group simultaneously.
I watched this show for the first time this week and nearly died when I discovered that Michelle was on this show. I worked with her in London at Armani in the 90’s and she was hands down the nastiest girl I ever met. She was so rude and nasty back then even when she was a shop girl and even gave gold diggers a bad name! Her entire goal in life was to try and find someone with money because she was definitely not a model. I am shocked that she even made this show even given the fact that the rest of them would make paint dry. Are there no fun, fab women in New Zealand? They are so bloody boring and fake, the US girls would have them for breakfast!
I am a little confused about this “discussion” that Anne and Julia had about Gilda. Every time there is talk about it they keep saying that Anne called her a Gold Digger. And even Anne says Julia “dragger it out of her” to say that. Every time I see the roll backs from that conversation it is Julia that says it first, not Anne. So why isn’t Julia the one they are holding her feet to the fire?
That Angela is American Horror Story creepy. I keep expecting her to jump out of corner brandishing a bloodied knife on a rampage. Her assistant should run now and save herself.
Love the series and that shots of scenery. I hope we get more of that. It’s so funny how things are handled in the different cultures.
YES YES that stupid ugly prissy Julia said it first ! I don’t know what is going on with her saying that Anne said it first because she didn’t.
Julia is a has been trying to be somebody again,she was the first to say the rumor then tried to throw it out there to see who would fess up to saying it….
Julia knows that is these women see Gilda as golddigger then more than likely they see her as 1 too and it is funny
Julia is a has been trying to be somebody again,she was the first to say the rumor then tried to throw it out there to see who would fess up to saying it….
Julia knows that if these women see Gilda as golddigger then more than likely they see her as 1 too and it is funny
Wow; as a fairly shameless “cat lady” (though dogs are awesome too!), I still don’t get the appeal of kitty kitsch stuff–ceramics, cutlery, whatever.
My noisy, goofy, wildly active mama+cub make it seem superfluous, and the mama would surely push that junk off the counter to see if it’d all go “SMASH”. Also, kitty kitsch stuff never purrs, isn’t warm and silky, and doesn’t snuggle.
In short, while I could be biased by the tackiness, but Anne’s Cat Ladyness seems somewhat performative. More concerning, she appears to be unaware that domestic cats are not really designed to live together en masse. In NYC, at least, rescues are often housed 15-20 cats at a time in foster homes–and too often, the result is that, while they may overcome malnutrition from street living, they also acquire a variety of dangerous immune disorders, parasites, infections, etc.
Ehhh; here I am ranting again; mea culpa…