There Goes The Neighborhood

Sometimes, on a nice day, I’ll randomly get the urge to explore outside and take pictures alone. It dosen’t make me weird for creeping around in people’s backyards. I have a camera in my hand, and that makes me less of a threat…right? Don’t mind me, just your normal 24 year old guy taking pictures in your garage. It’s just how i choose to relax. Some people bake, and I take pictures of your trash cans.

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Mad Men Episode 9 Recap

Episode 9 starts off with what seems to be a very sad and depressed looking Betty. She’s weighing cubesImage of strange looking cheese, and chomping on slightly burnt toast. The Betty of yesteryear would most likely be seen smoking and gossiping about the woman she’s become. An overweight and depressed housewife living in a house of dysfunction. Betty has become somewhat of a slave to her weight. Next we are invited in on some morning elevator talk amongst the men of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. What would a 30 second elevator ride be without Pete gloating about something? Apparently the New York Times is writing an article about “hip” New York City agencies, and they want to feature SCDP. The only problem is that they, of course, only want to speak to Peter. It makes sense right? Pete Campbell is exactly what you think of when imagining hip New Yorkers. Roger makes a funny joke about the company being called “Stearling Campbell Draper Pryce”. Pete is like the little brother that none of these men ever wanted.

ImageNext we see Joanie, presenting some of the recently worked on projects to Don in his office. Don catches a glimpse of the names attached to each project, and It dawns on him that Peggy’s ideas are being buried by Ginsberg’s. How ironic that the guy she didn’t want to hire is now outshining her with his unconventional methods. He mentions it to Joan, but she doesn’t react. Don is probably the only person in the office that could understand the magnitude of the situation. Work is just as important to Peggy as it is to him…probably more. We are then taken into Rogers office, as Cooper propositions him with a project. He wants Roger to take part in schmoozing a Jewish wine executive with his ex-wife Jane (I’m guessing it’s because she’s pretty and Jewish).

Next we see Megan and Sally having some stepmother, stepdaughter bonding time on the floor of the apartment. Megan is showing off Imageher acting chops, and teaching Sally how to cry on demand. This is exactly what Sally needs, a lesson on how to be even more dramatic. Later that night, Betty patiently waits outside to pick up the kids. They end up taking so long that she is forced to actually ring Don’s door bell. I would imagine that this is something that Betty has fantasized about for a long time. What would it be like when she actually enters his home? What would her interaction with Megan be like? We know by now that Betty isn’t the confident Barbie doll she once was. Had she not been suffering with her weight, she probably would have forced this interaction a long time ago. As she apprehensively enters the apartment, she becomes overwhelmed. His home is beautiful, and it’s filled with reminders of her old life. Things she hadn’t seen since her painful divorce. Just when she thinks it can’t get any worse, she sees Megan changing clothes in her bedroom. Yet another reminder of her old life…Megan’s body. The final straw is seeing Megan kiss the kids goodbye. Megan shows more affection with a 4 second kiss than Betty has her entire life. The stress of it all forces her into a whipped topping relapse.

ImageThe next day, Don and the copywriters share their ideas for a Pepsi drink called “snowball”. Peggy needs for Don to like her idea the way she needs food and water. To say that Peggy is having a hard time at work lately would be an understatement. Everyday she watches the men around her prosper off of mediocre ideas, and hers never seem to see the light. It all seems to have started with Heinz, and its been a snowball effect ever since (pun intended). Don pitches an undeniably good idea involving the devil. The frustration of having to sit through Don pitch ideas to himself, and have the final say seems to be wearing hard on the copywriters. We then get to sit through one of Betty’s awkward Weight Watchers meetings. She shares with the group that she had a “trying experience” the past weekend, and that she lost half a pound. She left out that she shoved a can of whipped cream in her mouth and purged it in the sink.

Later, Roger calls Ginsberg into his office to help him come up with ideas for the “Jewish wine” project. ImagePresumably because he’s Jewish. By help him, I actually mean pay him to do all the work. The office is passing this project around like a hot potato. The final puzzle piece in this elaborate plan is for Roger to convince Jane to actually show up with him to the dinner. She informs him that the only way she’ll come is if he buys her a new apartment. The old one is apparently filled with to many memories from their ridiculous marriage, and drug induced divorce. He buys into it (literally) and agrees to get her the home of her dreams. I’d like to know just how rich this man actually is, and how I can get in on it. All of a sudden we’re in Pete Campbell’s office, and Beth shows up to seduce him. She’s wearing a gigantic fur coat, with nothing underneath. She tells Pete that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him, and confesses how badly she wants him. Just as she goes in to kiss him, we find that Pete is actually day dreaming on his office couch. It’s to no surprise that this is merely a dream. I don’t think a woman has wanted Pete that badly since Peggy’s first week in the office years ago.

ImageWe’re taken back to the Francis residence, as Betty helps Sally with her family tree diagram. Megan has already started her on it. Betty finds a note written to Megan from Don on the back of one of Bobby’s drawings. It says something about him going off to find a light bulb, and coming back to “find her better”. I bet he wrote it after one of their chase and tackle fights in the living room. The note sends Betty over the edge, and she decides to try to stir up some trouble for the Draper’s (while gnawing on a celery stick, of course). She lets Sally in on one of Dons many family secrets, that he was married before her. I have to say, this is probably the most conniving things Betty has ever done. Sally obviously doesn’t take it well, and blames Megan for not telling her. This is one of those moments that you just know Sally will bring up in her future therapy sessions. The next day she confronts Megan about it. If she’s inherited anything from her mother, it’s her way of defending herself. To try to hurt the person who’s hurt her as much as she possible can. She calls Megan a “phony” and tells her that she’s “nothing special”. She even mocks her for crying. Megan tells Don about the incident, and he goes straight into “my secret past is catching up to me” panic mode. Megan tells him that if he calls and confronts Betty about it, she would win. She would get exactly what she wanted. A glimmer of darkness in their perfect life together. Being overweight really brings out Betty’s evil side.

Ginsberg returns to the office after work to get started on the “Jewish wine” project for Roger. He, of Imagecourse, runs into Peggy. Where else would she be in the middle of the night but behind her typewriter. He spills the beans on the project, and she takes personal offense. She’s obviously wondering why Roger wouldn’t come to her to do the extra work. She worked really hard last time to take care of the pro-bono work he gave her. Why would he not come to her again? Peggy’s frustration is building and building lately, I’m sensing something really big happening to her sometime soon. She confronts Roger in the elevator, and tells him that he isn’t loyal. The next morning Don finally comes clean to Sally about Anna. He tells her that they had a marriage that helped them with a law, and forces her to apologise to Megan. Pete calls Don to tell him that the New York Times article was a bust, and that they aren’t actually mentioned at all. Yet another embarrassment blown up in Pete’s face. Sally puts an end to Betty’s reign of terror by telling her that Don and Megan were extremely honest about Anna. He even showed her pictures. Nice try Betty, maybe next she’ll show Sally pictures of all the women he cheated with.

ImageFinally its time for the “Jewish wine” dinner ( I never want to have to type that again). Jane ends up accompanying him, and plays up to the “beautiful Jewish girl” role. Roger pitches Ginsberg’s idea, and they love it. Jane spends the night flirting with the executives son, which apparently makes Roger want her again. He’s made a habit of going after his ex-wives, it’s a little backwards.Roger and Jane end up having sex in her new apartment, and the next day she resents him for taking advantage of her. She feels as though he’s ruined her new, and clean apartment. It’s now filled with yet another horrible memory of Roger. In the office, Ginsberg is enraged by the news that Don didn’t even pitch his idea to the “Snowball” executives. Peggy seems to relish in it. He confronts Don in the elevator and calls him miserable.

The episode ends with it being Thanksgiving. Megan tells Don not to open the door because the city is filled with toxic air. The irony in that statement sums up this entire episode.

Met Gala 2012 aka Heaven

If I were given the chance to be a fly on the wall at any event it would be the Met Gala. I compare it to be what heaven would be like, only the red carpet would just be clouds. If only I had 200,000 dollars to spend on a ticket…one day. All I need is to somehow express to Anne Wintour how much we have in common. We both love a sensible bob, and gigantic sunglasses to cover our cold eyes. When we meet it will be magic. Anyway, I gathered some of my favorite looks from the event.

I have to be honest though, there weren’t any huge stand out moments for me this year. When I think if the Met Gala, I think of Rihanna in that Louis Vuitton tuxedo last year. I wanted another stand out like that. Neither here nor there, I still loved it. Here are a few of my favorites.

Sarah Jessica ParkerGiancarlo Giammetti, and Valentino

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Florence Welch in Alexander McQueen

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Carey Mulligan in Prada

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Diana Argon in Carolina Herrera

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Lea Michele in DVF

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Katharine McPhee in Elie Saab

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Beyonce in Givenchy

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Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada

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Solange in Rachel Roy

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Karolina Kurkova in Rachel Zoe

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Rihanna in Tom Ford

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Christina Ricci in Thakoon

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Mary Kate Olson in The Row (her own line)

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Jessica Biel, and Justin Timberlake in Tom Ford

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January Jones in Versace

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Scarlett Johansson in Prada

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Cameron Diaz in Stella McCartney 

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Spicy Steak Shish Kabobs

Do you ever watch someone on TV cook or eat something, and obsess over it until you’re able to have some of your own? I watched an episode of Diners Drive Ins and Dives the other night and had crazy dreams about shish kabobs. I don’t think I’ve ever actually made my own shish kabob, which is pretty insane to me. They are so easy, and I love any recipe that involves improvisation.

I went with a simple steak, green pepper, and onion kabob (we were out of mushrooms). This is my take on a much more complicated recipe.

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • seasoning salt and black pepper to taste
  • cubed steak
  • onion
  • green peppers
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
Like I said, this is completely improvised. You can pretty much take a stab at any veggie you’d like (pun intended)
 
I rubbed the steak with the dry seasoning mix, and let it sit in the fridge for about a half an hour. I used that time to cut up the green peppers and onions.
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 I cooked the kabobs for around 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on how thick the meat is that you’re using). You also want to try and make sure the pieces are around the same size, otherwise it wont lay flat on the grill.

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They turned out amazing! the combination of the brown sugar and spicy chili powder is mind blowing. You’ll definitely want to let them sit for a few minutes after they come off, so that the steak can absorb the juices (thats truly where the flavor lies)

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I cheated, and paired the kabobs with a boxed rice. You can’t really go wrong with the San Francisco treat though, can you?

Mad Men episode 8 Review

Let me just start off by wishing Megan a well deserved farewell on behalf of Stearling Cooper Draper Pryce. Is it weird of me to say that one of the things I’ll miss the most about her working with Don is their regular morning wink at each other as they separate in the hallway? Now what is Don supposed to do seconds before he opens his office door? I guess only time will tell…

ImageLets start from the beginning, shall we? Episode 8 (like most from this season) begins with Peter, on his daily commute into the city. Except this time there’s no morning gambling going on. It’s just Pete and Howard, the annoying insurance salesman. Pete picks up immediately on the fact that Howard sees their alone time as an opportunity to sell him life insurance, just in-case he all of a sudden drops dead. I can’t think of anything better to talk about right before a hectic work day. They get on the topic of adultery, as most men do in this show. Howard let’s Peter in on the fact that he has a new “side dish” in the city that he’ll be spending the night with. In his mind his wife is happy because they have good insurance. As long as she doesn’t have to worry about what will happen to him, shes contempt. Am I the only one having a hard time understanding this logic?

We now move on to Megan, busy typing at work like she normally would. She receives a phone call under the name Image“Megan Calvet” and sneaks away to answer it privately. She seems to be doing something that she maybe shouldn’t be doing, and we’re left to guess what it could possibly be. She glances in the board room window at Don, as he squirms through Ginsberg’s theatrical presentations of “Hard Day’s Night” to the Chevalier Blanc executives. They make it clear that they want the concept for the campaign to revolve around The Beatles. Hours pass, and Megan greets Don in his office right before he takes off. She starts to tell him something important but hesitates, leaving us even more intrigued by what her secret phone conversation had to do with. Situations like this just fuel the idea that Megan is simply a rebellious, teenage girl stuck inside a woman’s body. All I want to do at this point is sneak into her bedroom and read her diary.

In the next scene, Pete ends up ironically running into Howard’s neglected wife, Beth in the train stop parking lot. She’s locked her keys in her car, and needs a ride home. You can hear the pity in Pete’s voice as he tries to convince her that there could be a logical excuse for Howard’s absence. The term “battered housewife” is an understatement in the case of Beth. This woman is past the point of crying out for attention, she’s screaming. She even tells Peter an awkward story about how often she makes eye contact with bums. A man who she’s known for all of a 15 minute car ride. In between the scene Don calls Peggy to get the whereabouts of his sneaky wife, and ends up catching her in a blatant lie. Who would have ever guessed that one day Don Draper would be at home waiting up for his wife all night, and feeling neglected. My how the times have changed. Megan comes home and tells him that she went out for a drink with co-workers. Were only 10 minutes in and Megan has me biting my nails down to the cuticle. Anyway, back to Mr. Campbell. The combination of Beth’s need to be rescued, and Pete’s need to feel like a man fit like puzzle pieces. They end up having sex in her living room, right after she creepily whispers in his ear “don’t you want me?” This woman is drunk with desperation to be desired by a man.  After it’s over, she tells him that she wants nothing more to do with him. The whole distance thing doesn’t typically work for Peter.

Peggy ends up confronting Megan in the bathroom about putting her in the middle of their strange marriage. Megan finally comes clean about the phone call. She had an audition for an off-broadway show, and didn’t end up getting the part. It seems as though her fathers lecture from last week about being in the wrong place has resonated with her. Peggy, being the ball busting, career driven “mad woman” that she is couldn’t be more furious with her. To Peggy, there is no better job in the world, literally. I think she would turn down a shot at being president to continue copywriting. Especially, given the fact that Megan is making such strides with the company. It seems like everyone in Megan’s life is trying to parent her in some way.  Megan ends up surprising Peggy by showing up in the conference room to discuss a”Cool Whip” campaign. Don and Megan practice a bit that the executives apparently loved that involves her saying “just try it” like 80 times. Megan gets to shove her acting chops in Peggy’s face, and she’s pretty damn good. As expected, Peter is obsessing over Beth. She boldly tells him to stop calling her, and to leave their living room romance as nothing more than a memory.

Megan finally comes clean to Don in the middle of the night about her audition for the play. Again, it seems more like she’s sitting on her father’s bed, and getting sound advice. It continues to weird me out. She breaks the news that she wants to quit advertising to pursue her acting career. Don tries his best to reel her back in, and fails. Don sees their office relationship as one of the few aspects of the marriage that seems to work without any kinks. It’s at home that things tend to get a bit strained. At work these two are as perfect as one of the families in their ads. The next day she breaks the news to the copywriters that she wont be returning.  They judge her, both to her face and behind her back. Stan says something that resides with Peggy about the work being meaningless. Peggy then realizes that what Megan has done is actually pretty ballsy. When Don walks Megan to the elevator, he has a sort of “Ah-Ha” moment. When he goes to get on the elevator himself, the elevator isn’t actually there when the doors open. He could’ve died in that very moment. Would he die wishing that he had the guts to do what Megan is doing? Is advertising really where he wants to be in his life, or has he programmed himself to think so? Megan’s decision has forced everyone around her to immediately reflect on themselves.

On Peter’s train ride home, he manipulates Howard into inviting him over to his house for dinner. He’s decided that the double standard of women being able to “choose” is just unfair. His plan is to seduce Beth in between Howard coming to and from room to room. Pete’s perfect world is a creepy world that I don’t want to be a part of, and apparently Beth feels the same. Don comes home to find a cloud nine Megan cooking him an “I appreciate you” Beef Bolognese. Even Megan is surprised by how supportive Don is being. The next day Don, Peggy, and Ken meet in the “Cool Whip” test kitchen. Peggy is forced to reenact the bit that Megan helped to perfect. She completely screws it up, and possibly ends things for the campaign all together. Don and Peggy have a massive fight about Megan, in front of one of the “Cool Whip” execs. He tells her that she’s been jealous of Megan since she started working there.

In the last scene, Don stays home and listens to The Beatles song “Tomorrow Never Knows”. He reflects on his role as a supportive husband, while Megan auditions for another play. I read that lionsgate paid $250,000 to be able to play the song in the last scene, and it was well worth it. Probably one of my all time favorite Mad Men closing sequences.

 

Crushed Strawberry Pancakes

Is there anything better than eating breakfast for dinner? It reminds me of being young, and thinking you were doing something naughty by eating pancakes past 2 in the afternoon. I felt like being naughty today, and I found this strawberry pancake recipe online. To me pancakes are like a blank canvas, waiting to be turned into something exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I love a traditional pancake as much the next guy. I just figure, why not jazz it up if you have the means.

The recipe called for the strawberries to be pureed, but I wanted a little bite in the cake. I snipped the stems off and smashed them for a few minutes with a fork. I then mixed them with my favorite traditional pancake recipe. You can basically use whatever mix you’d like.

I also stirred in a little cinnamon to give it even more of a kick.

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I paired the cakes with a maple sausage, and heated up some maple syrup. If only we weren’t out of milk!

Ferngully, Ohio

One of the best things about living in Akron (besides Swensons and Luigi’s) is the fact that we have access to a plethora of such amazing nature parks. I have no problem schlepping through the woods in 90 degree heat, as long as I have my camera. My friend Sarah and I decided to pay a visit to one of my favorite parks in the area, The Seiberling Nature Realm. Seiberling is definitely the biggest name here in Akron. In the 1800′s Frank Seiberling started the Goodyear Tire Company. Since then his home has become a national treasure, and people travel from all over the country to see it. The Seiberlings are also responsible for some of the most beautiful gardens in the area. By the end of our walk, I could’ve been mistaken for a Big Foot sighting, but I got some great photos out of it.

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Mad Men Episode 7 Recap

If there’s ever a guinness record for “Television show with zero bad episodes” Mad Men would be in the running (along side Toddlers and Tiaras). Episode 7 should be called “Megan’s parents are coming to dinner…and they are going to raise hell”

ImageEpisode 7 starts off with Sally calling her old creepy friend Glen at his all boys camp. I was shocked to see how much older Glen looked. It’s obvious that once Sally and Geln’s hormones start to eat away at eachother’s brains, they’ll question their relationship. In a perfect world these two would get married someday, and have children. Sally would read her children the story of Repunzel, and replace the wicked mother with her very own. The phone call is typical of Sally, complaining about being a slave, and hating her life. This call, however was cut short by her drug dealing granny slipping on the phone cord in the hallway. I would be lying if I said I didn’t laugh at little at her grandmothers ridiculous cries for help.

Next, we are introduced to Megan’s extremely French-Canadian parents. Right off the bat they start speaking in their Imagenative tongue, and completely excluding Don. We learn from the very beginning that Megan is never fully comfortable around her folks, and understandably so. Don then receives a phone call from Sally, informing him of her grandmothers tumble, which means Sally and Bobby are making an appearance at the Draper residence. In the next scene we see Roger and Mona out for drinks, catching up and flirting like old times. It seems to be one of those “distance makes the heart grow fonder” situations. Roger’s failed attempt at being with a younger woman (that he had absolutely nothing in common with) makes him appreciate Mona that much more. He fills her in on his life altering LSD trip, and informs her of how symbolic his hallucinations were. He is now able to come to terms with some suppressed feelings he had on the lucky strike debacle. Realizing that it was the moment in his life when everything as he knew it would change forever. He also lets her know of the American Cancer Society’s party, in honor of Don and his infamous letter to the public.

ImageWe are then taken back to the awkward integrating of the in-laws at the Draper house. They seem to be worried about her current life choices. They obviously don’t think that Don is the man she should be with. The apartment downtown, and perfect children aren’t enough to impress these two. It’s no wonder that Megan won’t take any crap from Don. It seems as though she’s spent her entire life proving herself, and defending her actions. It’s ironic that she acts out as a child, when that’s exactly what she’s been trying to prove that she’s not. Megan’s mother rudely excuses herself from the dinner table, and falls asleep with a lit cigarette in her hand. Would it be forward of me to assume that this has happened before?

Finally Peggy makes her first appearance, and at work of-course. She’s seen having lunch with Abe Imageher and fellow copywriters. Abe seems to feel inferior to the people Peggy surrounds herself with at work, including her. He can’t keep up with their witty back and forth banter about Playtex and age demographics. He comes up with an excuse of still being hungry after having just eaten, and leaves. Peggy is so happy around Ginsberg and Stan that she dosen’t even notice that her boyfriend is clearly upset, and feels left out. I have a feeling that something inappropriate is bound to happen between Peggy and Stan. These two are clearly perfect for each other. Plus they’ve already seen each other in their underwear. It’s almost like fate is pushing them together, but they don’t realize it because they are both equally obsessed with work.

ImageNext, Megan and Don have a discussion in bed about her family. Don tries to slip in that he would rather her parents not come to the Cancer Society banquet dinner. Which is completely understandable, simply based on the fact that they hate him. She informs Don that her father only hates him because she’s the “favorite” and that it makes her mother jealous. Immediately the dynamic between these two becomes much more interesting. There’s just something about a competitive mother and daughter relationship that gets me every time. Maybe it’s all the Lifetime television for women that I was forced to watch as a child? Megan even went as far as to count how many times her mother touched Don over dinner (6 to be exact). The next day at work, Megan comes to Don with a revelation. A Heinz campaign inspired by her recent visit with her parents. The irony that the idea involves Megan’s mother literally becoming her is not lost on me. Megan, as always is worried that the rest of the office will hate her for being Don’s equal.

ImageAbe then calls Peggy and convince’s her to meet him somewhere for dinner. She’s sure that this will be the dinner that finally ends their already failing relationship. Who better to ask relationship advice and have a cigg break with than joan? I love any scene that involves Joan giving Peggy advice. These two have been through so much together, and it really shows in moments like this. Joan is somewhat of an office mother to Peggy, and has been from the start. Joan somehow convinces her that the dinner will instead be a proposal, and that she should go shopping to prepare for him to pop the question. Peggy’s ora is as pink as her pepto inspired dress when she arrives. In Peggy’s mind this means that she hasn’t actually been cheating on her boyfriend with her job, and that everything must be fine. We haven’t seen her this dolled up since her awkward short bangs days. It’s nice to see her embrace her feminine side around her boyfriend for a change. In my head, she channels Joan while she shops. This dinner feels like more or a first date for high school freshman than a wedding proposal. Just as Peggy thinks Abe is about to ask for her hand in marriage, he then asks for a key to her place instead. Her heart pops like a balloon, and just like that she’s deflated back to reality. Realizing that this, in his own way is Abe’s version of a proposal.

ImageMegan, Don, and Ken meet the annoying Heinz family out for dinner, hoping to sell them Megan’s campaign. The equally as annoying Heinz wife accidentally informs Megan in the bathroom that they are actually there to be fired, leaving it to Megan to save the day. She pitches the idea to Heinz and they love it. Finally somebody makes this man happy. I don’t know how many more times I could stomach hearing him say “we’ll think about it”. Hopefully we wont have to see him much more after this. It’s in this moment that Don and Megan’s relationship finally starts making sense to me. The reason these two are so in love is because they challenge each other, but not just negatively like I’ve stated in the past. Megan is just as much of a mental challenge as she is physical for Don (they have great sex, and she’s hard to catch when he’s chasing her around the house). Betty would’ve felt completely lost at an executive dinner like that. Megan on the other hand, was in charge the entire time. All while still letting Don appear to be the man. The shade has officially been lifted from my eyes when it comes to these two. Megan and Peggy share the peak moment of the episode for me the next day at work. Megan is worried that Peggy will for some reason be jealous that she came up with the winning idea for Heinz . Peggy of-course isn’t mad at all, and praises her. She reflects on her Belle Jolie days, and informs her that they as strong women need to stick together in the office. In this moment, you can totally see in Peggy’s mind that she feels like a bit of a trailblazer at work. She was not only the first woman in the company, but probably one of the first in general to be where she is today. Our little Peggy has come such a long way.

ImagePeggy’s bible thumping mother pays a visit to her and Abe’s newly joined apartment. Is it just me, or is this woman right on the verge of becoming Carrie’s mom? She’s never really shown any form of support for anything Peggy has done or accomplished in her life. She’s dead set on making sure she feels worse about herself after every one of their visits. She of-course has a problem with Peggy and Abe living together. In her mind Abe is using Peggy as target practice for his future wife, as so many men do… She also has a problem with them living in sin. I’m pretty sure that bridge was crossed once Peggy gave birth to her illegitimate child. This time though, Peggy stands her ground. This years Peggy already has more life experience than her mom could ever imagine. She’s the Annie Oakley of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and she gave a hand job in a movie theater a week prior.

Last but certainly not least, the American Cancer Society banquet. Only minutes after Roger arrives at the Draper house, he’s already in a full blown romance with Megan’s mom. She seductively ties his bow tie, two feet away from her husband. Blatantly aiming to make him jealous. Apparently this woman is in competition with everyone around her. As they are preparing to leave, Sally shows that she has officially come into her tween-hood. She’s donning a full face of makeup, a sparkly go-go dress, and white patent leather, knee-high boots. Her coming of age moment is shortly lived when Don forces her to loose the makeup and pre “Pretty Woman” inspired boots. Sally unofficially becomes Roger’s mini date at the banquet. Roger is like the guy in your family that you call uncle even though you aren’t exactly related by blood. Megan’s mother appears to be turned on by Rogers charm. She may as well just have sex with him at the dinner table, with the way she’s looking at him because the eyes she’s giving him aren’t hiding anything. The two disappear together, with no apparent fear of being seen. Megan’s father informs her that he feels like being married to Don has changed her for the worse, and in the end Sally walks in on Megan’s mother giving Roger a blowjob in an empty banquet room. A moment Sally will most certainly remember for the rest of her life. Don is then introduced to Ken’s father in law, Ed Baxtor. He informs Don that his career is basically over after the letter he wrote, because most companies are afraid to trust him.

The episode ends with a much needed phone call to Glen from Sally. He asks her how the city has been so far, and her amazing responce is “dirty”. Leave it to Sally to sum up the episode perfectly in one word.