All around the world

....not just a Bieber song.but this is the episode to kick off a Bachelorette world tour!!
First stop Atlantic City.

It's like Las Vegas on the ocean they say. The Bachelors hop on a flight from LA to Atlantic City to meet Des.

First one on one date goes to...yawwwn...Brad..
Date card reads "Let our love shine through"
Oops..did I just yawn? Brad seemed like a bit of a snore to me. He does have a cute kid. yes.  Oddly Zak says that Brad has a 'sympathetic situation'. Huh?  Perhaps he has an "Awwww" factor. But sympathy? Sometimes I give the bachelors credit that they know what words mean. Ever the optimist.

Back to Shiny Brad. Brad and Des go to the boardwalk, eat some taffy then follow their noses to chocolate and enter a chocolate factory sans hair nets. Ewww. Love before sanitation on the Bachelorette. They ride some rides...apparently exciting/streesful dates create some type of attachment on an neurochemical level. Well..the slingshot didn't cut it...because there was no bond evident at dinner. What's with Des' glitzy outfits..This time a silver jacket. What the? They were in a lighthouse...some light shining on that jacket would be a serious beacon. There is close to zero conversation at dinner. I think they even ate a few bites at dinner. Des decides to end the dinner and asks him to explore the lighthouse. They climbed about 200 stairs..it was like a cardiac stress test..and indeed..he failed to win her heart. Right at the top she tells him she is not feeling it and that she doensn't want to take him away any more from his son. So back down the stairs Brad goes...and cries a little during his exit interview. I always wonder...do they guys cry for her or for their egos? I'm never sure.

Best Group Date ever: Mr. America.
Move over Captain America...Mr. America is way more entertaining! Brooks is excited to see Des and describes her as a mystical unicorn (as opposed to the non-mystical types).  I like Brooks.even though he seems like his upper lip has been Botoxed. He reminds me of Russell Brand without the accent or histrionics. The men enter Boardwalk Hall where they are told that is the location of the Miss America pageant. side note...i caught 30 unfortunate minutes of the Miss USA contest. What is the difference? When we see Miss America 2013 she is wearing a denim dress that looks like it was purchased at Marshalls and a crown. Such and odd pairing.
But back the guys....they get to pick their talent and their swimsuit...get a little coaching and then the perform in front of Miss America 2013, the mayor and Des of course.
Juan Pablo is a baton twirler. I wonder where he picked that up? Venezuela? Odd. Michael G says he has a dream of becoming Mr. America. Is there a Mr. America pageant. Mikey was upset that his swimsuit wasn't smaller. That guy cracks me up.

But on with the show!!
The Q and A session was as eloquent as I expected. It was a bit like when the guys exit the limo for the first time and try to outshine eachother with some type of ode to Des. Kasey says he's a giver and says both people in a relationship need to be a giver. Zak is fire...as it's his responsibility to light his partner's fire. Brooks is a lion and king of the forest. Did JP said that he had a daughter ? Or was he saying his future wife had to love his future daughter..and had to be a good dancer. Nothing cures a stress in a relationship like breaking out into some salsa dancing. Mikey tries to portray his sensitive side.
Then the talent portion..Brooks was hilarious..and then went a little Jimi Hendriz or Greenday by smashing his ukulele on stage. Zak wrote a song for Des..i think she got teary. Kasey tapped. Bryden did some pelvic thrusting. Mikey tried to channel Channing Tatum and Magic Mike and Chris pranced in heels. And the winner after all that was!! Kasey!! He seems like an underdog in this show..but he got the Mr. America crown.

At the poolside wrap up party, Chris reveals he writes poetry. I am a bit warm and cold with Chris - last week I liked him, this week..i'm not sure what she sees in him. But he writes and recites a poem for her. She's impressed. Zak gets to finish singing his song. It kind of sounds like it was set to the tune of She Talks to Angels..but I guess he said her wrote her a song and not the melody. And the group date rose goes to Zak (drilling Zak not publisher Zak)

Weathering the storm
This Bachelorette got serious.  This time it was product placement time for the Red Cross. Des takes James on a tour of some destruction of Hurricane Sandy. It was sad to see the devastation. This was the first serious helicopter date in Bachelor history.
Then James and Des met Manny and Jan a couple who lived through Hurricane Sandy. They toured their house and listened to their story..then gave up their romantic dinner in Atlantic City to Manny and Jan (who spent their 38th wedding anniversary in a shelter). Manny and Jan got into a limo for their first time..and off to their dinner they went. They magically changed clothing in the limo by the time they got to restaurant. They also actually ate their dinner ! and were presented with a refurbished wedding album courtesy of the Red Cross.  Meanwhile James and Des are keeping to real at the Baltimore Grill..where they ordered an entire pizza they did not touch. James disclosed that he cheated on his girlfriend in college...I'm not sure why he disclosed that..Des is down with his honesty then the two go back to crash Manny and Jan's date. Des says there is one more surprise! A private concert.well not so private because Des and James come too. Des and James dance a song and James tells Des how unbelievable she is..and proceeds to kiss her at any opportunity. Darius Rucker sounds good...
It seems like every second Bachelorette date is a private concert.

Decision Time
Since Brad is gone..one more guy has to go. At the cocktail party..Des arrives in another sparkly number. Bryden is not sure if he should continue to bide his time..he thinks his feelings are 'falling behind'. He has to have an awkward talk with Des. Des reassures him. Michael...writes out her name and gives some description of what each letter means to him. Nice try Michael..who doesn't like personalized attention?  Ben is wearing an unsightly yellow shirt....isn't yellow the colour for jealousy?

Rose time...
I wasn't sure if Mikey was going to get one..then there was the other Zak who made no impressions during the show. Bryden had a pregnant pause before he accepted the rose. That was unnecessary. Mikey announced that she made him sweat...well maybe he was sweaty because there was no room for ventilation in his tight suit...
but the rose did not go to Zak (publishing). He cried. For who I ask???? I guess I'll never know..but what I do know is..

I love this show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!