Ok, it’s that time again! Reality Tea’s Booze ‘N Books Club! With zillions of reality stars – and new ones popping up every second – and each one with something to sell, we here at Reality Tea decided to test out some of these fetes of literary greatness. And what goes better with books that are badly written than cocktails? So we thought we’d try something fun and review some of these gems!
Each month Reality Tea will be reviewing both a book and a cocktail. Last month we reviewed Teresa Giudice‘s third cookbook, Fabulicious: Fast & Fit and her Fabellini Cocktail. While the recipes and igredences in the cookbook were pretty good, the cocktail had me reminiscing about college memories slurping up the Boone’s Farm in a frat house. I was a classy girl, alright.
This month we’re honoring the OG of the Housewives franchises, Vicki Gunvalson and taking a look-see through her self-help/memoir More Than A Housewife: Talent! Purpose! Direction! Drive! Yep, that’s the title in its entirety. The Real Housewives of Orange County star wants you to know that you too can be an insurance megastar (and meet a winner like Brooks Ayers at conventions! Enticing, no?) if only you learn from her experiences.
I was hoping for some killer throwback photos of Vicki and co. in the good old days, but yeah there were none. We also reviewed the offerings of Wines By Wives. Now there’s nothing I love more than a bottle of red, but a memoir sans childhood photos? Not so much!
CLICK THE CONTINUE READING BUTTON FOR OUR REVIEWS!
THE BOOZE:
Oh Vicki G, while your taste in both men and fashion leave much to be desired, I can get down with you on your wine selections. We drank “with” Vicki this month as Wines By Wives evokes us to do and sampled the flavors of Gabriella Wine’s Merlot and Pinot Grigio.
I personally think this club is a really cute idea. Each month you get two wines personally selected by either Vicki or her partner in business, but no longer her soul sister, Tamra Barney. And the money goes to charity! A charity that is not Brooks, I mean.
Two this month – I’m a lucky girl! I enjoyed both while watching the antics of our ladies proper on RHOC. Oh, did I say proper? I meant loony. Anyway, back to the wines! I’m not a wine snob – or connoisseur – by any means, but I think I earn credit for sheer love of the rancid and fermented grape.
I thought the Merlot was better than the Pinot. The Merlot was full, fruity, and had a nice solid flavor. It was definitely smooth and went well with the buttery popcorn I devoured alongside it. It smelled nice and fruity and gets a gold star from me.
The Pinot was really dry and crispy as Pinot is wont to do. It had some very obvious fruit overtones, but was a little too acidic for my taste. One thing I liked is that you could really detect the hint of peach in the flavoring, but it wasn’t totally obvious. It was a nice, delicate wine, although it had a bit of an odor upon opening the bottle. Joe Giudice tells us that’s normal though.
RATING: Shockingly and pleasantly surprising untrashy. I would not be embarrassed to share with friends and it didn’t make me gag from sugar overload. For some reason I was expecting one step above Franzia boxed rose and was pleasantly delighted to find that was not the case. Also, the club is a fun idea and the prices are pretty fair.
THE BOOK:
Oh, Vicki G, you just love to espouse and hear yourself talk, don’t you? Well, Vicki’s book is both a memoir and a bit of an advice tome. The advice is from her own personal experiences and I was really excited for that middle section that has all the fun photos of people throughout their lives that usually comes in books like this. There were none! Sads. No Vicki with 80’s hair and a prego bump.
Anyway, while I liked getting Vicki‘s perspective on things, the “advice” was mostly stuff we already know. Save your money, invest smart, plan for retirement, dress for success (is it really fair for her to be advising on this count?), don’t end up ass over teacups after you squander all your money on your boyfriend’s child support thus draining your savings account. Oh, I added that last part, but when she does her new revisions I expect it to be included.
This book featured several categories about the type of qualities Vicki possesses that led to her success. For instance Drive and Purpose and Direction. It also explained how Vicki jumped ahead of the pack to soar to great successes as the executress of Coto Insurance (For all your insurance needs). I was more interested in her relationship with Donn Gunvalson.
Vicki dedicates a section to the show and how editing plays a big role in what viewers perceive. And how Vicki got cast on the show – it turns out her son Michael wrote the casting director. LOL Damn you, Mike!
RATING: Overall, this was a bit dogmatic and I was hoping for more of a memoir and not a generic Suze Orman tome about how Vicki is the most successful woman in insurance. And here’s the thing, Vicki is a big success and she did it all on her own but it was too advice (“purpose”) driven and not enough about personal recollections. Vicki had a co-writer and the writing quality wasn’t bad, it sounded like Vicki talking which is both a plus and a minus.
If you’re a Vicki fan you’d probably enjoy this, if not – pass.
Next Month’s Challenge: Next month we challenge you, dear readers, to review our selected Booze N’ Book. For August, we will be featuring NeNe Leakes‘ book Never Make the Same Mistake Twice: Lessons on Love and Life Learned the Hard Way. I know y’all have plenty to say about Ms Leakes!
We will also be sampling the Moscato selections of Cynthia Bailey and Kim Zolciak for a Real Housewives of Atlanta ‘Moscato-off’! These ladies compete even in the off-season. NeNe supposedly has a moscato, but it’s nowhere to be found. If you’ve tried any of these ladies’ wines, please let us know!
THE RULES: Grab the book or the booze – or both – test them out and write your review. Or if you’ve read it already, please, by all means give your two cents! Keep them snarky, fun, and fresh – this is Reality Tea here – and be honest! Also, photos of you at your booze tasting or with the book are welcome!
The best reviews will be featured on the site! Send your reviews to: editor@realitytea.com by August 1st and title them Booze N’ Books August Review! Make sure to include the name you’d like your review published under – just in case you win!
HAVE YOU JOINED WINES BY WIVES OR READ VICKI’S BOOK? WHAT’S YOUR REVIEW?
