The Dominican Republic trip is proving to be an overall good time, unless of course you count the issues between Gizelle and Candiace and Robyn and Wendy…oh and with Karen…there’s some beef there, too. On this episode of the Real Housewives of Potomac, Gizelle is looking for answers from Wendy and Candiace and Karen outs the identity of her trainer, who isn’t actually a trainer at all. Plus, Mia calls Ashley a gold digger and if *that* ain’t the pot calling the kettle black…
While talking with some of the group, Robyn points out Wendy and Candiace’s snarky faces as Gizelle spoke about her daughter, Grace, attending college in Florida. It seemed shady. When Wendy walks over and asks, “What were ya’ll talking about?” an awkward silence falls upon the group. Wendy demands to know what the conversation was about and Robyn explains how she picked up on smirks and faces during Gizelle’s conversation.
Wendy knows she can’t say anything about this because in the past, she claims that Gizelle has weaponized Grace against her. Wendy refuses to speak about Gizelle’s daughter, but Gizelle is more surprised at how Karen did not shut it down.
Instead, Gizelle feels as though she received no respect from Karen, since she did not tell Wendy that if it had to do with a kid, the discussion should stop. Candiace makes it clear she doesn’t want to deal with anything or anyone that has to do with Gizelle, and that her chuckling has nothing to do with her children, but more so because she just doesn’t want to hear Gizelle talk.
The subject gets to changed to the Havana Nights party that Robyn is hosting for Ashley’s birthday this evening. Ashley had been planning this event for Potomac, but because of air quality issues, she had to cancel. It seems like the DR is the perfect place to revive this theme and so the ladies excuse themselves to get ready.
Gizelle left her pants home for the occasion and Candiace nearly chokes on her snack watching Gizelle twirl about. Ashley arrives in her birthday suit, which actually has a little more clothing than a regular birthday suit, but not that much. As they sit around the dinner table, Karen is over Robyn and Candiace ignoring the elephant in the room. She wonders if the ladies can get back to where they were in their relationship.
Robyn explains that Candiace thinks she has done nothing wrong to her, but she “slandered” her over and over. Wendy jumps in and claims it isn’t fair to Candiace, but Robyn knocks it down. Robyn repeatedly said she didn’t think Chris had bad intentions and should have never showed her support if she knew it would get her nowhere. Candiace isn’t sure if she believes the things that she once said about Robyn, but says it doesn’t matter at this point. Robyn’s victim mentality is exhausting to her and it seems like the ladies will never resolve their issues.
Ashley explains that she has celebrated 8 birthdays with this group, and that she is excited and nervous for this new chapter. She blows out a candle and jumps in a pool, donning her ensemble. All typical Housewife birthday behavior.
The next day, Gizelle has a morning chat with Karen to clear the air about the Surry trip. Gizelle believes that Karen becomes a different version of herself around Wendy and Candiace. For instance, when Karen stuck up for Candiace and Wendy’s faces, Gizelle was appalled.
Karen continues to claim she doesn’t have “sides,” but Gizelle is shocked that Karen didn’t remind the group that kids are off the table. Karen calls herself a good friend and tells Gizelle that she is the one with the problem. Karen goes on to say that anything she says to Candiace and Wendy, she would say it to Gizelle’s face…which is def not the truth. Gizelle believes that Karen loves her, but just needs support.
The group trip of the day is at a castle, a touristy outing that ends at a restaurant. Karen brings up her exercising again and hints at her trainer, Vernon. Vernon is not really a trainer, but he sure is easy on the eyes, which raises some questions in the group. Ashley mentions that she knows Vernon and they are “friends,” and then things get messy as Ashley excuses herself to use the bathroom. When she returns, Ashley explains that they have flirted, but nothing has actually transpired between the two of them…minus chatting on Instagram. Karen looks jealous!
Because what’s a show without stirring the pot, Karen announces Gizelle brought it to her attention that when she is with others in the group, Karen apparently acts differently. The others calls BS on this because Karen has no problem letting people know that they are being rude. Wendy states that Karen is simply holding the group accountable. Wendy also makes it clear that she is not the same kind of friend with Gizelle anymore, so no group healing progress was achieved whatsoever.
Karen and Candiace head over to the tennis court (in the 94-degree heat) and Wendy, Mia, and her stilettos join them. In the meantime, Gizelle, Keiarna, Ashley, Robyn and Nneka do some skeet shooting. Keiarna thanks Robyn for the invite and is enjoying getting to know the ladies. They find out that Wendy never outwardly told Keirarna she never liked Gizelle, but that Wendy was more focused on the issues between her and Nneka.
Keiarna talks about trying to figure out the cultural significance of what Wendy said and tells Nneka that Wendy was the one who felt offended. Nneka warns Keiarna not to stir a pot “that’s already piping hot.” Nneka warns Keiarna and tells her we don’t need her extra hands in that pot. Translation: she is saying shut up, Keiarna. Gizelle presses Ashley about Vernon, the trainer, but Ashley is not giving much info up.
After “playing tennis,” a phrase I say loosely cuz really they just sit on a bench watching Candiace hit a few balls, Mia talks about foot fetishes and Wendy says Mia’s “nickname should be Socrates cuz she’s always telling a story.” After some laughter, Mia’s obsession with Ashley’s divorce surfaces again. Ashley has shared about her non-existent relationship with her dad and maybe she feels like she is being abandoned by a father figure again, which is why she is dragging her feet. Karen likens divorce to an amputation of a body part without any numbing. Mia talks about when she left, she put her baby in the back of the car and was out. Wendy believes that Ashley wants to divorce…just not yet.
Side note: Ashley attempts to FaceTime her boys but when she tells Michael she is filming, he turns the camera off. He has made it clear that if he were presented on camera, he would sue Ashley.
It’s the last dinner in the DR. Robyn did a nice job hosting, according to Karen, but that’s like the only thing she did well. Candiace explains that during tennis, they discussed Ashley’s divorce. Candiace goes on to say that Mia thinks Ashley’s a gold digger. Mia admits to using that term and outright says that Ashley married Michael for his money. Ashley wonders aloud if Mia did the same. Mia makes it clear they aren’t talking about Ashley though, and wants Ashley to be more honest about herself. Ashley feels like Mia is jealous cuz she THOUGHT she was gold digging, but didn’t get that with Gordon. Ashley states that Michael contributes to her car and he gave her a credit card that can be used in an emergency. Oh, and they do have a joint account that should be used for the children.
Because they simply cannot let it go, the question arises again: Why is Karen being trained by someone who is not a fitness trainer? The ladies wonder why Karen wouldn’t get a trainer who is connected to heart health, considering her recent issues, but Karen wants to be stronger and “work on her inner thighs.” A lightness falls over the group as they make that catchphrase into a song and the evening ends in laughter.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RHOP EPISODE?
