
*Warning: This post contains spoilers from the most recent episode of The Bachelor, so if you haven’t watched it, stop reading!*
Last week’s episode of The Bachelor ended with the showdown of the century season between Corinne and Taylor, and it was obvious we hadn’t seen the last of it in the previews. Before everything went black, we saw Taylor coming out of the darkness rather than heading home as she was supposed to. Let’s catch up with the group and see where things are now…
THE AFTERMATH OF LAST WEEK AND THE ROSE CEREMONY
Taylor crashed Nick and Corinne’s date, and our flaxen-haired villain was obviously pissed — Nick didn’t seem to be too happy either, TBH, though he consented to go outside and talk to Taylor. She immediately told him that Corinne was a liar and that she’d lied about Taylor’s character earlier in the day, and she felt she’d been sent home unfairly. She told him to “open his eyeballs,” after which he said he respected her opinion but sent her back on her way. Nick told Corinne that what Taylor said wouldn’t affect anything going forward, and Corinne seemed more confident than ever. Nice try, Taylor!
Corinne when she sees Taylor show up #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/549mSrc322
— Bachelor Husband (@BachelorHusband) February 7, 2017
They then moved right into the rose ceremony, continuing the non-traditional structure of this season. The women seemed especially nervous entering this ceremony, which was validated when Chris Harrison came with news that there wouldn’t be a cocktail party. That usually means that Nick doesn’t need any extra time with the women because he knows exactly what he wants to do, and the news sends anyone who hasn’t had much time with him that week into a blind panic — this week, most notably of which was Jasmine. The women with roses, of course, were feeling confident as ever.
Notable goodbyes were Josephine, a member of the peanut gallery; Alexis, our fave dolphin shark girl and Jaimi, the first openly LGBTQ Bachelor contestant. Now, it’s all women Nick calls “serious” contestants, including a few women who’ve made little to no impression on the audience so far. Astrid? Whitney? We hardly know ye.
We're cancelling another cocktail party!? Now we're never going to know who Whitney is. #TheBachelor
— Bach Bracket (@bachbrack) February 7, 2017
TRAVELING TO ST. THOMAS AND A ONE-ON-ONE
Nick announced at the end of the rose ceremony that they’d be traveling to St. Thomas, and everyone cheered (even if they didn’t seem to know where it was). Upon arrival, he said he “loved island living,” perhaps referencing his Bachelor in Paradise days, though let’s hope this version of island life is a little bit different for Nick (though if his colorful shorts are any indication, we may be in for a rocky ride). Kristina was given the first one-on-one, and it started immediately with a ride on a TINY plane with water-landing capabilities. She was totally game, but back on the ground, Jasmine was not stoked that she wasn’t picked for the date and the other women comforted her. Side note: It’s always so strange to me how these women are able to be here for each other under these circumstances!
Not taking Alexis to St. Thomas (aka dolphin paradise) was a savage move, Nick. #TheBachelor
— Thistallawkwardgirl (@thistallawkgirl) February 7, 2017
Kristina opened up to Nick about her family; she’s adopted and still has a sister back in Russia. He seemed very interested and wanted her to share more, but wasn’t pushy about it. It was a nice change to the usual Bachelor scenario where people either share too much too quickly to force a connection, or don’t share it all up front and the other person acts like they’re putting up walls. Nick acknowledged that it was normal for her to not tell him everything immediately, which was great.
I love seeing Kristina opening up about her past. What a strong, independent, beautiful woman. Love her. #TheBachelor
— Olivia Caridi (@OliviaCaridi) February 7, 2017
Meanwhile, back at the house, a woman named Lorna showed up to basically fulfill all the women’s needs — and basically ended up just filling in for Corinne’s nanny back home, Raquel. Poor Lorna. Back on the date, Kristina and Nick sat down to “dinner” and Nick asked more about her family situation (so much for taking it slow), and she opened up about her early life in Russia. She told him a story he probably wasn’t expecting, about how her family never had food and she eventually ended up in an orphanage. After a few years, she was given the choice to leave her sister behind and come to America to start over with a new family, which she took — Nick was moved to tears by her story, and told her she was incredible. He immediately offered her the rose, and she accepted.
THE GROUP DATE
After the group date card was read and two women were left off, the women assumed that Danielle L. and Whitney would be on a two-on-one date and the tone immediately changed. Two-on-ones breed tension; there’s no getting around it. Anyway, the group date started with a game of beach volleyball, which was probably not a good choice for women who are already in a competitive mode.
I'm now at an age where I feel maternal towards the bachelor contestants, so that's new #TheBachelor
— (((Loryn Brantz))) (@LorynBrantz) February 7, 2017
Many of them stated their concerns off the bat, saying that they weren’t there to play volleyball or compete in a literal sense for his time before quitting the game to sit on the beach and, more or less, pout. Group dates are terrible, to be fair, and I’d have a really rough time with them. The last shot before a commercial break was a dramatic scene of Nick kicking at the waves in the ocean, and like, c’mon Nick. Rally and go talk to your girlfriends.
During the nighttime portion of the date, Nick immediately started talking to Rachel. Their conversations are super refreshing and honest, 90 percent of which I put on Rachel (#RachelForBachelorette). She told him exactly what she felt, and in an honest and communicative way. He received her feelings nicely and obviously wants her to be there; they left the conversation asking each other for honesty, and it was a real conversation a couple would have IRL. Many of the other women were similarly stressed out and felt like they needed reassurance, but Jasmine especially, seeing as she hasn’t had a one-on-one date yet. Back at the hotel, Whitney and Danielle L. were stressing out just as much over the prediction that their date is a two-on-one.
Pretty soon, Jasmine got time with Nick, and it devolved quickly. She talked about choking him multiple times, and actually put her hands on his throat, which was a clear sign it was time to go. While she said she wanted to do it out of frustration rather than necessarily violence, that’s still never something to joke about let alone actually mime, and he sent her home immediately — and I’m glad he did it. That was not okay. While she was clearly having a lot of feelings and was unable to get them out clearly in such a stressful situation, and that’s probably not something she’d do in a more normal situation, that’s also not an okay thing to do.
THE TWO-ON-ONE DATE
Danielle L. and Whitney met Nick for a helicopter ride, and Danielle had a lot of feelings right off the bat. This is understandable! She’s had a lot more time with him than Whitney, and it’s strange that he’s comparing the two of them in this way. Whitney got one-on-one time with him first, which is the most time we’ve seen of her on camera. He told her immediately that she’s “really beautiful” and has a calming aura, which explains why he’s kept her around even though they haven’t had much time.
Nick is touching Whitney's leg like he has met her before even though she hasn't been on the show until today #TheBachelor
— Channing Tweetum (@ebrownie) February 7, 2017
Nick went right in with the hard questions for Danielle L., asking immediately what she asked herself when she thought about a future with him. She said that she could see herself bringing him home to her parents, to which he awkwardly left her alone and said, “Give me a second, I’ll be right back,” and went to break up with Whitney. She didn’t let him off the hook easily, and said that it was easy to say that when they hadn’t had that much time together. They hugged awkwardly on their beachfront cabana for about 10 seconds too long, and then Whitney took her helicopter home. During the dinner part of the date, Danielle L. compared falling in love to falling off of a cliff, which doesn’t really bode well for the rest of the relationship, so we’ll see.
Danielle gave Nick some pretty lackluster answers during dinner, however, that he didn’t seem to like, and his eyes got this glazed over look they get when he’s about to send someone home. When she finally told him she was falling in love with him, he fell completely silent and his face went red. I began to get the sense (along with the rest of the internet) that this two-on-one date would have no winners. He stayed silent while she giggled nervously, saying, “I’m so glad we’re on the same page,” as if she could speak it into existence. And what a shocker — he didn’t give her the rose, after all.
Nick on a 1:1 date with Danielle L #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/NPXcyImKOS
— Drunk Dolphin (@DrunkDolphinGal) February 7, 2017
He was obviously very conflicted about it and didn’t want to hurt her (or make a mistake). His rationale was just that he didn’t feel it back and didn’t want to hurt her more in the future, which I respect. She thought he was making a mistake too, and her tearful limo ride home was hard to watch. She did wisely acknowledge that “you can’t make someone love you” while he ruminated on the fact that she had been someone he’d had a ton of excitement about just a few weeks ago and it had dwindled. Hey bud, maybe that’s the problem with the whole Bachelor setup in the first place! You can overanalyze everything, get infatuated with the experience over the people, and fall in love with the idea of love rather than the actual people/person — but hey, that’s part of the fun of watching.
THE END OF THE EPISODE
The episode ended with Nick walking into the hotel room to talk to the women, clearly reeling over the decisions he’d had to make during the night. He began to cry, telling them that the relationships with the women he’d sent home had “fallen flat” and that he was terrified it’d happen with the rest of them. He revealed that he wasn’t sure if he could keep going through the process before walking out. That seems incredibly irresponsible and strange to tell them all that and not let them respond or ask questions, but hey, that’s Nick for ya!
Keep watching to see what happens next week, which looks like a rollercoaster of tears, anxiety and probably a few weird sports-themed dates, because of course!
What did you think about Nick’s decisions this week? Let us know @BritandCo!
(Featured photo via Maarten de Boer /Getty)
Artist Dev Heyrana On How Bravery, Resilience and Sunshine Influence Her Work
Ever meet someone who you feel immediate kinship with on a deep almost spiritual level? That is legit every person's experience upon meeting Dev Heyrana, the star of this edition of Creative Crushin'. A fine artist, hip hop dance teacher and constant collaborator, Dev's particular brand of creativity is one-of-a-kind. She manages to be warm, welcoming and woke, with a focus on inclusivity, social justice and motherhood that comes through in every piece of art she creates.
Anjelika Temple here, co-founder of Brit + Co and one of many humans who has benefitted from Dev's boundless generosity and kindness. We first connected at a launch event, then I asked her if she and her family would like to model for a B+C shoot (they did!), then months later, I asked the IG universe if anyone would be down to co-parent with me for a day so I could speak at a conference. Dev said yes! And for those that know her, none of these serendipitous moments are surprising.
Now it's time to delve more into Dev's story, her creative inspiration, her thoughtful approach to parenting and what makes her more passionate than ever about bringing her point of view and artistic voice into the universe.
Anjelika Temple: First, foundations. Where did you grow up? What is your heritage? What did you study in school? Where do you live now?
Dev Heyrana: Born in The Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. Me and my family are from the island of Cebu and I'm a proud Cebuana. My childhood in the Philippines felt like freedom. I had my swimsuit in my backpack for whenever we decided to swim and I biked everywhere.
Immigrating here at 9 yrs old was a transition, to say the least. My parents had big dreams but the move was heavy on them. It wasn't easy. I had to grow up fast. I took care of my sisters while my parents worked night shifts. By the age of 12 I would cook dinner and get my sisters ready for bed. Something I didn't realize was that kids my age didn't do those things until I got older. We would play these make-believe games to make, in hindsight, our hard situation brighter.
I think this is really when art played a big role in my life. It was something I could escape in and always felt healing.
I witnessed racism towards my family and didn't know how to make sense of it. These events left a mark. I was a quiet kid and observed everything and everyone around me. I think about my grandparents, Lolo Jose and Lola Rita, a lot as I walk through life. When I make decisions. As hard as it feels, you have two choices, do you let it take you down or take it one step at a time forward. I kept going and it really shaped me as to why I am the way I am today.
I studied Fine Arts at The Corcoran in DC. I owe that decision to my art teacher, Mr Giles, in High School. He was retiring and wore a Hawaiian shirt every day during my senior year. He was a curmudgeon and I felt incredibly special since out of everyone in the school he really believed in me. As grumpy as he seemed to the class, he would tell me things like "Go into the other studio and break some glass, then put it on a canvas." He's the reason why my abstract pieces have elements like clay and sand in them.
I've had incredible mentors and all were teachers. Mr. Giles in High School and Christine George in College. Christine was the one who told me to go either to New York or San Francisco because "D.C. is no place for an artist like you." She told me to not listen to anyone, how I can still paint, be a graphic designer, and, if I choose to, have a family. I've never had anyone tell me anything like that before.
I took a chance because of her. Moved and went to Design School in 2006 and I've stayed in the Bay Area ever since, raising two girls with the love of my life.
Anj: You are one of those magical human beings that has figured out how to be a full-time artist. What was your career path like before you were able to dive fully into your creative passions?
Dev: The most radical thing I could have done in my family, I did, I went to college for Fine Arts. A mix of being so young and having to do it on my own, I went with the school that gave me more scholarships. Even then I worked three jobs to be able to get through it. Hard work is ingrained in me.
With my sculpture background, I fell in love with Print and Packaging and why I came out here to San Francisco. I appreciated the security of having a career in Graphic Design. I also learned how to work with clients and the business side of things. Even then, I never stopped painting.
A few years ago I went through a pretty hard time with my health. I dealt with six surgeries in one year and I still have to do some follow-up ones. That experience almost broke me and what got me through was my family and painting in bed while I recovered.
When I finally got back on my feet, my heart just wasn't in Graphic Design anymore. So I made a two year plan. With a toddler and a mortgage, I wanted to make sure my steps were thought out. I put myself out there as an Artist while I still worked in Design. After a year I worked part time as a Graphic Designer and stepped down from my Creative Director position. I loved it, to be creative as an Artist and as a Designer. I looked at 2018 as my year to make the jump. If my work as an Artist balances out with my salary then I would quit in the Summer of 2019. And so here we are. I also am sharing a studio with my good friend, Naomi PQ, and I feel like my creative drive is just beginning.
Anj: What do you love about painting? How do you feel when you're in a creative flow state?
Dev: Like every part of me is free. Free to express myself through the stroke of my hand. How all of it leads back to my heart. These elements I use to paint have a mind of their own and how I need to respect the process.
It centers me and reminds me that the process is just like the life we lead. I know I still have so much more to learn but while I'm painting no matter how it's going, I'll embrace this moment.
Anj: You reference your roots quite a bit in your work. Talk to me more about how your roots inspire your work.
Dev: One of my earliest memories is of my Lolo Jose teaching me how to water mango saplings. He converted to Buddhism when my mother was young, so he viewed the world with love and kindness. I didn't realize it then but watering those mango trees were life lessons. We need to take the time to nurture, practice patience, and respect all living things. I still imagine him walking beside me often, carrying his teachings as I find my way in this world.
Nature and the Sun drive my pieces. My abstract works are fragments of moments. Like the sunset I grew up with when I was seven years old in the Philippines, like how I saw the water in Cebu when I dove in as a young adult, and like when I saw the redwoods with my children for the first time.
I see earth in our skin and especially when I paint people. How our mango trees grew and blossomed because the dark earth was rich with nutrients. I imagine the Sun piercing through these women I depict. I paint their love and bravery because their resilience cannot be contained. I want to celebrate all of it.
This is the beauty of Art, I am able to paint exactly how I see it.
Anj: Motherhood and your daughters are also central themes in your work. How has motherhood changed your approach to creating artwork?
Dev: Everything. I was still deep in my Design Career and I would paint at home. One day Quinn, who was 3 years old at the time introduced me at the park to a mom. "This is my mom, she's an Artist." It struck me that my toddler knew who I was more than I knew myself. That's really when I really owned it. I am more fearless because of my girls.
I own my body, I thank people when they compliment me, and I am selective but fearless when I use my voice. I am more in tune how I speak about myself because of them. When I paint these women I want to celebrate them. I notice how I embrace myself is translated in my paintings.
Anj: What advice can you give to parents who are trying to tap into their kiddos' innate creativity?
Dev: I don't have a lot of guidelines set up. I'll say "Let's draw the biggest fish we can draw" or "how many silly lines can we make" and I let them lead me. They ask me questions, show me things, and I sit there with my coffee watching their eyes wide with excitement. Watching them in their creative process is pure joy for me. Those silly lines can turn into a dragon or waves and next thing we know, we're drawing a big beach scene. My advice would be that you can suggest something to start it off but be open to how they take it. It is such a beautiful window into their minds.
Anj: Shifting gears to HIP HOP DANCE! Talk to us about his component of your creative expression.
Dev: I loved the Hip Hop scene in DC and discovered how much fun the clubs were in college. My friends told me about this Hip Hop Crew I should try out for, I was so scared because I've never taken a dance class in my life. I got in and it was like having another family. We competed all over the East Coast, it was a blast!
I found hipline when I started my first Design Job and needed an outlet. It was exactly what I needed and one of the owners asked if I was interested to teach. I've been teaching there since 2009 and am still going strong. It's a wonderful community of women. Now we're virtual and reaching clients all over.
Anj: What does a typical [pandemic] day look like for you? How does it differ from your rhythm before COVID?
Dev: I've been practicing being kinder to myself lately. Both me and my husband work full time and so having the girls at home is a challenge. Some days we are amazed by how smooth it went and then there are others where if the girls are clean and bellies are full, it's a total win.
Now that we're on month 8 our rhythm before covid felt more chaotic to be honest. I felt like we were always rushing out the door while carrying so many bags. Now my husband and I try to have coffee together, if he has a break from his meeting, and we sit with Quinn before school to see what she has to do for the day. Rowan's preschool closed down but we were able to find a wonderful speech therapist for her and she has an Adventure Pod we go to two times a week.
The one thing we really try to do is go outside once a day. Have some magic in their childhood no matter how small. It could be just going up for a hike by our home and picking up leaves, riding our bikes, or watching the sunset from our window. Seeing how the girls' react to these adventures we have is pure magic.
Anj: When you get creatively blocked or burnt out, how do you reset? Do you have tips you can share?
Dev: I go outside. I go out for a hike or go to the beach. Even if it's 15 minutes, something about grounding yourself in Nature is really healing. I also do exercise where I doodle for two minutes because it feels doable. Judgment-free doodles, always opens the doorway to more.
Anj: I know firsthand that community-building is huge for you. Tell us more about what your support system and creative community looks like.
Dev: I feel a lot of love and strength when I think of my community. My relationship with my sister led the way what women supporting women looks like. It's listening, asking questions, remembering, cheering for all the wins, being there even if it's hard, and taking time to invest in them. The way me and my sister show up for each other is why I have these amazing women in my life. I can talk to them about my family, motherhood, and we're all trying to balance it all while sharing my most recent project. I feel really blessed especially looking back in my college years where I don't know where Art would take me.
Anj: When you need to give yourself a pep talk, what does it sound like?
Dev: I usually take a deep breath then say or think "One step forward". Most of the time, I'm scared (as shit) but the thought of not trying scares me more. That one step forward can be hard as hell and maybe even heartbreaking, but I have to try.
For more on this brilliant artist, mother and friend, follow Dev @_heyrana on Instagram and check out (and buy!) her artwork here.