You’ve heard of Bravo’s Real Housewives series, I’m sure. There are The Real Housewives of Orange County, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Real Housewives of New York, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Real Housewives of D.C. It also appears that they are casting for The Real Housewives of The Main Line.
Well, now meet the REAL Housewives of Springfield Township!
While I may be slightly embarrassed to admit it, last summer I wound up hooked on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey while writing my blogs late into the evenings. It started as mindless blather in the background to keep me awake while writing, turned to mild interest, which lead to an all out addiction. So there, I have publicly admitted it. Everyone needs a vice.
The fact that these women are so over the top, and most are run away trains, about to smash into a wall, is what keeps viewers coming back for more. There are times when I am entrenched in the story line because it is so ridiculous, times when I can relate to a few of them, and other times when I find most of them stupid and annoying. Then I got to thinking………..how can anyone in true middle America relate to them? I don’t mean the middle America most of us think we are in (80% of people consider themselves middle class), I mean true middle America. They can’t, which leads me to my next thought…..
Once a month, 9 wonderful ladies in Springfield Township, PA (a stone’s throw from the boarder of Philadelphia), get together for book club. My husband says we should just call it what it is; wine club, but there really is a book involved! Sometimes many of us don’t read it, but there is always a book assigned. Regardless, there is a similarity to The Real Housewives format. We have at least one monthly event with all of us in attendance, smaller groups interact other times throughout the month, and we are, by Bravo’s definition, housewives.
The difference? We are more relatable to most people, while still being interesting! We also know how to throw a party! (Insert this is a food blog)
Summer Book Club
Sushi platter from Spamps
No, Ramona, that is not Pinot Grigio, this housewife drinks Sauvignon Blanc
We have our own interesting group dynamic, having been thrown together by one common interest; we all have 13 year old sons. It seems to me that we are down to earth enough for people to identify with us, while being extravagant enough to be found intriguing, possibly even annoying, one can only hope. I spent the entire last book club, at my home, (see above), designing a show around our club. There is always a drama brewing, even if it doesn’t directly involve a group member. For instance, I ,inadvertently, called someone a whore (it happens). That’s a great clip. No subject is tabu. We could make a great show, so pay attention Bravo!
So, let’s meet the cast:
The True Housewife ~ Originally from New York, and formally a teacher who decided to stay home with her children, she is married to a tenured surgeon at Penn. She belongs to a country club, owns a ski home in the mountains, plays golf and is an exercise fanatic. Her discriminating taste and slight bitchiness, in the good way, make her the perfect girlfriend pour moi.
The Attorney turned Law Professor ~ Originally from Nebraska, the east coast has embraced her. After having twins and a 3rd child, she decided the hours of an attorney would keep her away from her children too often and changed course to become a law professor at Villanova University. She is married to an attorney, lives in an enormous home, belongs to 2 country clubs and has 3 boys in private school. She’s down to earth, yet honest with her opinions.
The High School Art Teacher ~ She attended private school locally, Graduated from Penn and went on to get her Master’s Degree in Art from The University of the Arts, and is not as docile as one would expect from an art teacher. She has strong opinions and is not afraid to express them. Having once lived abroad, she is married to a Coastal Geologist. They have a beach house, and travel non-stop while their son plays hockey from here to Canada.
The Chemist ~ Living in Philadelphia part time, as well as, part time in D.C., we see her the least. She’s brilliant (obviously, she’s a freaking chemist), and laid back, yet opinionated and will say what’s on her mind. While the most of the group’s 13 year olds are the eldest sibling, hers is the youngest, so we all learn a lot from her life experiences. She is married to the Senior Technical Director at Penn who spends his extra time fishing in The Hamptons.
The Architect ~ Originally from Wisconsin, and undeniably the most conservative member of the group, she is extremely laid back, yet has a shockingly foul mouth (not that there’s anything wrong with that) which takes you completely off guard, the first time you hear it. There is a running joke that her husband works for the C.I.A. because no one is really sure what he does, but oops, I’m probably not supposed to say that.
The Travel Agent turned Horticulturalist ~ After leaving us for roughly 5 months to move to Chicago, she returned to us this January. Clearly, she missed us too much! She and her husband, a landscape architect, have just purchased Botanical Expressions in the last month and are instant business owners. They are long time members of The Cricket Club, and she has organized the Moonlight and Roses Ball at Morris Arboretum for years.
The Elementary School Teacher ~ Definitely the quietest member of our group, she is married to an attorney, has a beautiful property with an in ground pool, and is as uncomplicated as they come. Although she is quiet, I think she processes things quietly for a while before she adds her point of view, but when she does, its passionate. She also has an older son adding to our life lessons.
The Single Mom ~ I give her this title because a) it makes the story more dramatic and b) I’m not sure what she does. Her facebook page says she used to be a project manager, so I’ll go with that. She is great fun and because she has been dating and the rest of us are married, that lends itself to some spiced up conversations. (I don’t want to ruin upcoming episodes, so I’ll leave it at that).
The Crazy Bitch Writing this blog ~ I am without words….well, not really. My whole life is drama, but not on purpose. My husband and I are both self employed which has its ups and its downs. When things are up, we travel lavishly, entertain and dine out often. I have a passion for food, so I spend half of my life eating, and the other half cooking, which is why I am constantly struggling with my weight, while boring the group with my endless complaints. I have a Prada addiction and no conversation lasts long without me discussing twitter.
So, you see the group is “normal” enough to relate to many as your neighbors, but extravagant enough to have drama, excitement and intrigue.
The real question is, when Bravo picks up our show, do we call ourselves The Real Housewives of Philadelphia or simply The Book Club?
Would you watch?
