The Chateau Diaries #39 The Grifterista Social Club

[Dippy Hippy]

What a strange place Chateau de Brives is. I would not want to stay in a place I couldn't find the entrance to. That room is really not nice, with a painting of a tomb above the bed, and that odd head that looked like something from an anatomy textbook.The furnishings looked cheap. There was definitely an underlying feeling that Stephanie and Philip were an imposition. Funny how most of the party vanished in the morning. I wonder if these other chateaux owners regularly meet up socially without SJ?

 

[Clara Burnett]

Why not egg her on with her mayo and whatever she chooses to do with it with our support?

Because she will not return that favour, being one of the biggest opportunists in SJ’s entourage.

think both the color of her dress and the mayo means she reads here

My eyes and ears have told me this is how these shitshow members deal with our writings here: SJ is keeping up with the latest tales (or lets Nutty or some other idiot do that for her) and warns the people that are mentioned here that we are writing about them. This way they only have to read when it’s about them, but mostly it’s SJ’s strategy to hide behind her troops. She plays the messenger (“I think you should know those awful people are writing about you”) and hopes those mentioned will take action, so she doesn’t have to. It’s been her tactics with everything else and it proved very effective up until a certain point.

 

[Stroppy]

I've actually stopped watching all the CD videos, as prescribed by my inner therapist, and just keep up by reading the posts here.

You and me both, love you tattlers, but hate the B

 

[Clara Burnett]

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaay... Well I am due... But it's a root canal first...
Kidding aside I like her because she does not seem so fake... She cooks traditional food. Gotta love that... And she seems like she is judging everything more critically even though she is a participant... She is definitely intelligent... She has an interesting look...

Might be an interesting look, but mostly intended to fool you. She’s playing the game just like everybody else, wanting to belong to the inner crowd and protecting her position, but the difference is she’s planning long term and is counting on qualifications she actually has (the cooking and willingness to clean up after). That’s certainly smart, compared to her uncapable competition, but tells nothing about her character. The way she stabbed my friends in the back because she felt she couldn’t afford to go against SJ does, I think.

 

[lalablahblah]

Yet another purchase of a shirt to wear without pants or skirt to flash her hoohaw for the benefit of France. Skank 101.

 

[Stroppy]

I am in the grumpy man club then.
I enjoy the banter on here and the personalities. I log on during breaks and sometimes after a Premier.

No she does not. A sexy and friendly woman, don't be a green eyed monster

The only off putting thing is the black underbags, otherwise Dana ROCKS the yellow, WOW that figure, Skank don't even try, you can't compete. If you are here Dana I need to know your exercise secrets

So, Dan wanted a new (more expensive) camera, and what did he do? Started one vlog a day challenge to cover the cost with the increased youtube revenue.

Good on DAN & ANNALISE I am Team DAN & THE OTHERS

 

[FlyByeNight]

Folks talking about markup on the tassle chairs etc. Bear in mind standard markup on wine in restaurants (at least UK) is a few 100%. Remember how much St Angela of 'Pay me to do my garden' kept suggesting folks charge per night for B&B. Also, watch bits of Dragons Den (Shark Tank?), or shows like that where the investors get unit cost figures and then the selling point. Often multiples of the cost price.

I did not have any problem with that markup. Not sure why people do. We are aware that people should be paid for their time? And that time includes not just project time but getting the furniture, cleaning it, etc. Also should be paying for materials, gas/mileage for a vehicle to transport furniture, marketing, taxes.

The fact that it was poorly done -- those tacks over the trim, why? yuck -- that's a different issue than markup.

Because she will not return that favour, being one of the biggest opportunists in SJ’s entourage.

You know her better! What does she get out of SJ though?

 

[FrenchGirl123]

Gwen bought Basmaignee for 1,050,000 Euros with a portion of her inheritance. Only 4.2% of France's population are millionaires. Who knows how many millions she inherited? I still call that affluent.

Just a precision :

Basmaignee has been bought for 1.050.000 euros and they got a loan from the bank to complete the sum (source : French local newspapers).

If my researches are correct, Gwen's dad was the manager/director of a Real Estate company in Cherbourg (we know that this sector usually makes a lot of money if you are talented).
Unfortunately, her mum died at the age of 54 and maybe her children got some sort of insurance money.

In 1897, the Mouchel who went to England (from Cherbourg) to make fortune (I had to Google him as I had never heard of him before) died childless in 1908. He never married.

I suppose Gwendoline brought the biggest part of the sum for the deposit and to secure Basmaignee purchase.
The Petherick clan just followed her....

 

[MidCenturyMadOne]

Christ on a cracker is it a prerequisite for all non-French chateaux owners to have teeth straight out of a Dickens novel?
I know, I’m a horrid American but seriously it is really hard to view some of those chompers. It is 2021 for gods sake. Go see a dentist!

we've had free Orthodontics for children under 18 for many years here, so not really an excuse. My kids have all endure braces and all have american style teeth. The 30s and over possibly didn't get that advantage? It is very hard to get an NHS (ie cheap!) dentist now and most are private.

If you have been here since the start, you will see that I am unashamedly a fan of the Chateau Diaries. I am not a friend or an insider. As for the rest of them, I think I have been very critical of them, it is just I am never rude and do not call out fading looks, or hair loss, or homosexual or metrosexual or whatever sexuality because there is enough to criticise without going that far. I am not totally uncritical of The Chateau Diaries either, and have called out bad behaviour and have enjoyed the wit and criticism and differences of opinion here. The gift grab, the hints for gifts and cash are embarrassing and disgraceful but I do not grudge Steph her Youtube revenue or Patron contributions, as long as they are made by people who are just paying for content. That they actually take from people who are misguided as to their wealth makes me queasy. As I have said before, I am a 61 year old heterosexual with too much time on her hands. What does this page give me? Well Clara has made me see that a planned visit to LaLande as a guest should never happen and the rest of you - well, I have been saved by Tattle as they have brightened some dark days.

I'm very similar. I enjoy most of the content and avoid the giftgrab (seriously, that channel should go). It's like a fascinating soap opera really. I don't agree with some of the more extreme views here, but have a laugh with most of it,

 

[witchgrass]

What a strange place Chateau de Brives is. I would not want to stay in a place I couldn't find the entrance to. That room is really not nice, with a painting of a tomb above the bed, and that odd head that looked like something from an anatomy textbook.The furnishings looked cheap. There was definitely an underlying feeling that Stephanie and Philip were an imposition. Funny how most of the party vanished in the morning. I wonder if these other chateaux owners regularly meet up socially without SJ? View attachment 602289

This though. Marble spaniel/setter was the best thing about the room. I loved the artwork in that room, including the dead saint. These rich people are kind of smug and boring though.

 

[ploppityplop2]

So Marie is the one being invited to these chateau’s but SJ somehow convinces her to get an invite with her entourage - just say NO Marie!!

 

[MidCenturyMadOne]

What a strange place Chateau de Brives is. I would not want to stay in a place I couldn't find the entrance to. That room is really not nice, with a painting of a tomb above the bed, and that odd head that looked like something from an anatomy textbook.The furnishings looked cheap. There was definitely an underlying feeling that Stephanie and Philip were an imposition. Funny how most of the party vanished in the morning. I wonder if these other chateaux owners regularly meet up socially without SJ? View attachment 602289

having seen them on ETTC DIY a few times - he has a very dry sense of humour that doesn't translate well.

 

[Heathcliffe]

The only off putting thing is the black underbags, otherwise Dana ROCKS the yellow, WOW that figure, Skank don't even try, you can't compete. If you are here Dana I need to know your exercise secrets

Can I be a sad old man (not fifty quite yet!) and raise my sword against this "beauty bashing" that is going on here. I am the first one to admit that I am swayed by lovely looking women,- but I will still say that what is inside makes a difference. Charisma, confidence, happiness, a love of life, humour, etc. A personality. Black bags under eyes is in fact not particularly important if you shine on people you are with. My wife is a real green eyed monster if I talk to a sparkely woman at a party say, she will afterwards be quick to point out that this woman had thin hair, fat ankles, saggy boobs, etc...well, she used to , now I have told her off so many times that I think she has stopped. It is childish! Imperfections can be rather perfect if you don't let it stop you from enjoying life and sparkle. I always get told off here if I say I find Stephanie attractive, and now Dana. Well, I don't care my friends! They are attractive, love it or lump it. They are not perfect in any way, none of us are, but they are attractive people and they sparkle (most of the time). Beauty bashing is so silly, often the most attractive people are not in any way picture perfect. My first wife used to fancy Gerard Depardieu! It used to annoy me at the time as I was young and handsome and thought he looked like a troll I love the gossip here, the humour, the fun, and it is always important to have the devils advocate in place and to dare to critisise...but beauty bashing, calling people ugly etc is just in my opinion very low indeed.

 

[TheTaxInspector]

The Petherick clan just followed her....

And that's when the nightmare began ... Billy's filled the place with crappy antiques and paintings that no one could be bothered to take to the tip, and stuck polystyrene ceiling roses everywhere, and Teabag's covered all the wood in Osmo ...

Dana looks like an ugly bloke with a wig on ...

 

[Seeingitasitis]

I appreciate your honesty and consistency. You have always shared your opinions in a way you deem balanced. It's good to have a variety of opinions in a forum such as this.

Thank you. That is a really nice comment to make. I appreciate it.

 

[Welsh-chatelaine]

[

Can I be a sad old man (not fifty quite yet!) and raise my sword against this "beauty bashing" that is going on here. I am the first one to admit that I am swayed by lovely looking women,- but I will still say that what is inside makes a difference. Charisma, confidence, happiness, a love of life, humour, etc. A personality. Black bags under eyes is in fact not particularly important if you shine on people you are with. My wife is a real green eyed monster if I talk to a sparkely woman at a party say, she will afterwards be quick to point out that this woman had thin hair, fat ankles, saggy boobs, etc...well, she used to , now I have told her off so many times that I think she has stopped. It is childish! Imperfections can be rather perfect if you don't let it stop you from enjoying life and sparkle. I always get told off here if I say I find Stephanie attractive, and now Dana. Well, I don't care my friends! They are attractive, love it or lump it. They are not perfect in any way, none of us are, but they are attractive people and they sparkle (most of the time). Beauty bashing is so silly, often the most attractive people are not in any way picture perfect. My first wife used to fancy Gerard Depardieu! It used to annoy me at the time as I was young and handsome and thought he looked like a troll I love the gossip here, the humour, the fun, and it is always important to have the devils advocate in place and to dare to critisise...but beauty bashing, calling people ugly etc is just in my opinion very low indeed.

Well said ! And some of the most beautiful people are distinctly unattractive.

 

[Seeingitasitis]

She seems to be pulling it off too, now buying random furniture she doesn’t even know will fit anywhere in her pile of rumble.

Agreed. She should have a list of what the chateau needs and stick to that. Although my house is very modest, I would not dream of even buying an ornament or picture unless I had a clear idea of where it was going and why I was putting it there, regardless of how pretty the item is. To do otherwise, is just a waste, even if you have a chateau.

 

[Alice Strictknickers]

Can I be a sad old man (not fifty quite yet!) and raise my sword against this "beauty bashing" that is going on here. I am the first one to admit that I am swayed by lovely looking women,- but I will still say that what is inside makes a difference. Charisma, confidence, happiness, a love of life, humour, etc. A personality. Black bags under eyes is in fact not particularly important if you shine on people you are with. My wife is a real green eyed monster if I talk to a sparkely woman at a party say, she will afterwards be quick to point out that this woman had thin hair, fat ankles, saggy boobs, etc...well, she used to , now I have told her off so many times that I think she has stopped. It is childish! Imperfections can be rather perfect if you don't let it stop you from enjoying life and sparkle. I always get told off here if I say I find Stephanie attractive, and now Dana. Well, I don't care my friends! They are attractive, love it or lump it. They are not perfect in any way, none of us are, but they are attractive people and they sparkle (most of the time). Beauty bashing is so silly, often the most attractive people are not in any way picture perfect. My first wife used to fancy Gerard Depardieu! It used to annoy me at the time as I was young and handsome and thought he looked like a troll I love the gossip here, the humour, the fun, and it is always important to have the devils advocate in place and to dare to critisise...but beauty bashing, calling people ugly etc is just in my opinion very low indeed.

Well said. I couldn't agree more! (and not only because I have a secret crush on you, Heathcliffe,....must be the icon picture!

 

[Seeingitasitis]

And in your not so humble opinion it is okay to finance that lifestyle with money grifted by telling lies and blowing smoke? I appreciate you being a fan and all, but connecting the absence of creating a legacy to her not being a narc only tells me more about your willingness to look the other way when it comes to her criminal behaviour. Your choice, obviously.

No, it is not okay. And I did not say she is not a narc - I think she may well be but I have no medical qualifications. My point was a general one. There are people who are not interested in legacy who are also not narcs. I won't look the other way if and when she does something criminal. I have questioned some of her moral principles. I am a fan, but of course she is not perfect.

And in your not so humble opinion it is okay to finance that lifestyle with money grifted by telling lies and blowing smoke? I appreciate you being a fan and all, but connecting the absence of creating a legacy to her not being a narc only tells me more about your willingness to look the other way when it comes to her criminal behaviour. Your choice, obviously.


I hope you will stick to this story when the tax problems start, let’s begin there. Sorry, miss Jarvis, your name is on the deed so you will be the one responsible for paying. I’m pretty sure she has found a way out of that mess already and you will probably come up with another defensive explanation, right?

I strongly believe that when it comes to tax, people should pay their share. If she evades tax, she is a criminal. If she avoids it (legally) then, she can do that. I don't believe she will have to pay much tax anyway - she can "legitmately" write off so much of her Youtube revenue.

 

[Wee Donkey]

You and me both, love you tattlers, but hate the B

I've managed to watch part of the 'How It All Started' video, skipped through one other video, and did bits of the post-Valentine's Day Gift thing, felt sick, and not felt inclined to return. If anything important happens, folks here will pass it on.

Btw who/what is this Dana?