The Chateau Diaries #4 Jarvis in Jeopardy

[66carola]

Oh man things are really getting heated about Brenda on these FB groups! Seems like people have been catching on about her scams. Good riddance I hope.

Tonight's vlog was a lot of fun. Glad that SJ has internet now. I don't mind Philip as a camera man, actually. Are they all going to stay around for Chrsitmas? Marie already said she's going home, wonder if Philip will stay.

SJ really treats him like a younger brother.

He is maybe a bit too nice, too well behaved, too polite. Never good if you want to appear manly or if you have so many allergies. People don't take you seriously if most of the day you have to ask: can I eat this? Is this with nuts? Nobody wants to talk about food, just eat it.

I watched Selmar's vlog about the peacocks. 1:20 minutes long. I lasted 3 minutes and read the comments. I want my 3 minutes back

Still one of his more interesting videos the idea was good, I love the peacocks but it was just too long and not well edited.

 

[La Brocanteuse]

I think Marie was using the flowers she picked on the walk as a sort of practice hand-tied bouquet thingy that she favours. If you look at how she places them in her hand in that crossover fashion it makes sense. And that’s why she didn’t want to put them down... I think she needs to keep to her half of the table so that her mind isn’t cluttered. It’s a compromise. I don’t like people in the kitchen when I’m cooking either. I get distracted and make mistakes.

 

[Nina Rose]

Random things we found out in the latest CD vlog.

• Prince Philip is royally allergic to citrus
• Mushrooms are mesmorising
• Kat is not afraid to call out SJ’s hoarder tendencies (bravo)
• Many of the past gifts are surely amongst the pile of ‘to go’ items
• 4G internet is your friend (if you can find it in amongst the haystacks)
• SJ needs to grab one or two of those pretty gift boxes and rise her newly-desked laptop to eye level
• Mummy’s apartment will be stripped bare by the time she and old Percy inhabit it again
• Selmar was either at “the beach” again or he has dry-walled himself inside the downstairs loo.

I love that breakdown!

 

[Pno]

B&B has been running for years, they started to get more customers after she entered ETCDIY tv-show, but YouTube broke the bank. Laland is off the beaten path and tourist attractions are a day-trip away, that's probably the main reason her B&B never stood on its own feet. Competition is also fierce, there's a chateau in every village and valley offering B&B accommodation. British tourists mainly stay near in Normandy/Bretagne regions or go to Paris or the Mediterranean South Coast. Laland is far off from all these places.

I went to booking.com because I’m bored with lockdown and during the winter only Michael Potts’ apartment and that Renaissance apartment are for rent (can’t recall the proper name but Selmer toiled in the toilet and PP helped put odd Renaissance Faire Henry the 8th looking furniture in it). Potts’ is rarely available so he or Hanni must be coming back. So no need to pay Nati all winter if only dealing with one apartment to potentially manage (bearing in mind if the lockdown is lifted). Let’s hope someone can stay. No way in hell would I stay one second in the ShatO by my lonesome. I always am in awe that SJ has!

 

[C’est la vie]

Morning all! The b&b in the past has usually closed down over winter (probably far too cold for paying guests) and reopens in late spring. This year that was why Isabelle got ‘trapped’ at Lalalande when Covid started. She had gone to the chateau to start to get it ready for the season while Step was on holiday with Gerry.

 

[frenchessence]

Bonjour all ! Can anyone clarify from last nights vlog .... I noticed SJ said Nati is moving her desk to the upstairs bedroom that ‘Nic used to stay in’ ... I watched this when I was half asleep so I hope I’m correct here . Isn’t that the bedroom near to SJ’s that was supposedly ‘MP’s room’ when he stays & the bedroom they were going to grandly revamp for him and has anyone noticed there has been no reference to MP for ages ... even when she spoke about the Advert Calender she didn’t reference him - just said she’d be doing it with Philip, nor was there a mention about the bedroom nor previous plans for it. Even if this is a temporary move for Nati, this seems a little odd. I know there is lockdown and travel can’t take place, but she often gave a mention to Michael in previous vlogs . It’s my thought that LOTL is rather impetuous .... her excitement takes over any rational planning - f’rinstance, we haven’t heard anything further of the MP/SJ Chateau Vlog Channel (as if that suggestion never took place) Do we all feel there is a discreet distancing of MP taking place, or am I alone in this thinking ? Would love to know your thoughts ....

 

[C’est la vie]

Just watched last nights vlog with my morning cuppa.
How many aprons?! Steph could insulate the roof with them. I hope all the ‘gems’ from the peacock brooch remained in place otherwise someone will get a Lalalande surprise on Christmas Day when they bite into their Christmas cake.
Sadly yet more expensive crockery.....although Steph always has to justify why she bought it to all and sundry so there is an element of shame in the wasteful spending.

@frenchessence Yes I noticed the reappropriation of MPs bedroom! We should be thankful she didn’t say Ps new room

 

[Hemerocallis]

@frenchessence Yes I noticed the reappropriation of MPs bedroom! We should be thankful she didn’t say Ps new room

Please no P-room in the château, only loos !

 

[Calvignac]

Bonjour all ! Can anyone clarify from last nights vlog .... I noticed SJ said Nati is moving her desk to the upstairs bedroom that ‘Nic used to stay in’ ... I watched this when I was half asleep so I hope I’m correct here . Isn’t that the bedroom near to SJ’s that was supposedly ‘MP’s room’ when he stays & the bedroom they were going to grandly revamp for him and has anyone noticed there has been no reference to MP for ages ... even when she spoke about the Advert Calender she didn’t reference him - just said she’d be doing it with Philip, nor was there a mention about the bedroom nor previous plans for it. Even if this is a temporary move for Nati, this seems a little odd. I know there is lockdown and travel can’t take place, but she often gave a mention to Michael in previous vlogs . It’s my thought that LOTL is rather impetuous .... her excitement takes over any rational planning - f’rinstance, we haven’t heard anything further of the MP/SJ Chateau Vlog Channel (as if that suggestion never took place) Do we all feel there is a discreet distancing of MP taking place, or am I alone in this thinking ? Would love to know your thoughts ....

My feeling is that Stephanie J. is a child.
She needs Mummy to get the chateau ready for the BnB season while she's on holidays somewhere around the world.
She plays with people (preferably young - the older ones never stay for long at the chateau), then forgets about them.
She gets excited for nothing and knows what to do to get it.
My opinion is that people need to be very strong and stable in their mind (if you can say this in english ?) to "survive" around her. Marie (Nick's Marie), Natti and Selmar belong to this category of people.
Not sure for the others (even Cat who's very young).
I enjoyed her first videos when everything was light, spontaneous, fun with "normal" people - I mean people of more or less her age, less influenced by her flamboyance.
This story with Brenda...not sure Stephanie has the good role in this TBH. It seems that she's good at sending her cannon fodders to the front line while keeping safe in her chateau.
I don't know how this will end up. But certainly not as it has started more than one year ago now. A shame.

 

[C’est la vie]

@Calvignac Yes it’s all changed in the last year and I blame the superfans! As soon as gifts started to appear and the adoration flowed SJ character changed and not for the better. The videos now are geared towards keeping the superfans and high paying patreons onside.
I wonder how long it will be before she gets sent the full range of last nights porcelain, discontinued or not? Fans around the world will be trawling websites, charity shops, cellars, kitchen cupboards, family airlooms......

Has this superfan not watched any of the other vlogs?

 

[La Brocanteuse]

@Calvignac Yes it’s all changed in the last year and I blame the superfans! As soon as gifts started to appear and the adoration flowed SJ character changed and not for the better. The videos now are geared towards keeping the superfans and high paying patreons onside.
I wonder how long it will be before she gets sent the full range of last nights porcelain, discontinued or not? Fans around the world will be trawling websites, charity shops, cellars, kitchen cupboards, family airlooms......

Has this superfan not watched any of the other vlogs?

There’s already a link to this set on the Replacements website helpfully provided by a superfan should anyone wish to buy it as a Christmas gift...

 

[Calvignac]

There’s already a link to this set on the Replacements website helpfully provided by a superfan should anyone wish to buy it as a Christmas gift...

And don't let me start with this story of brown sugar.
Just because Stephanie said half laughing that there's not SOFT brown sugar in France, all the American superfans believe that France doesn't know brown sugar and give their own recipe to make proper brown sugar!
Some comments try to say that brown sugar (granulated not soft) exists in France but it's lost for most of these superfans.
Sometimes I really wonder about Stephanie.

 

[C’est la vie]

Was there a hint in SJs cake recipe........she mentioned there were no nuts so it was ok for Nic to eat() but no mention of all the citrus in the mixed fruit mix so either P won’t be around at Christmas or she’s not bothered about catering to his allergy()

 

[Mand]

And don't let me start with this story of brown sugar.
Just because Stephanie said half laughing that there's not SOFT brown sugar in France, all the American superfans believe that France doesn't know brown sugar and give their own recipe to make proper brown sugar!
Some comments try to say that brown sugar (granulated not soft) exists in France but it's lost for most of these superfans.
Sometimes I really wonder about Stephanie.

I know! I couldn't believe it when she said you couldn't get soft brown sugar in France! You can get not one, but two types of soft brown sugar: "sucre vergeoise", brune like muscovado, or blonde, more like a caramelly soft light brown sugar.

 

[C’est la vie]

@Calvignac and @Mand I think you are being very unfair to comment on the brown sugar issue. There is probably NO brown sugar in the small Brit food section of her local supermarket.

By the way, I’ve just noticed in my previous rambling I spelt heirloom wrong- it was auto correct, not me

 

[frenchessence]

Just watched last nights vlog with my morning cuppa.
How many aprons?! Steph could insulate the roof with them. I hope all the ‘gems’ from the peacock brooch remained in place otherwise someone will get a Lalalande surprise on Christmas Day when they bite into their Christmas cake.
Sadly yet more expensive crockery.....although Steph always has to justify why she bought it to all and sundry so there is an element of shame in the wasteful spending.

@frenchessence Yes I noticed the reappropriation of MPs bedroom! We should be thankful she didn’t say Ps new room

Quite ! If we noticed it then so did Michael ....if she’d called it P’s new room it would really haves been a slap in the pork chops for MP

And don't let me start with this story of brown sugar.
Just because Stephanie said half laughing that there's not SOFT brown sugar in France, all the American superfans believe that France doesn't know brown sugar and give their own recipe to make proper brown sugar!
Some comments try to say that brown sugar (granulated not soft) exists in France but it's lost for most of these superfans.
Sometimes I really wonder about Stephanie.

I agree with you entirely. I live in France and regularly buy both soft and granulated brown sugar . Anyone living here would support the fact that the food/grocery shops in France are amongst the finest in the world . Brown sugar is a basic. Certainly if you’re in Paris as I am, or other french cities /towns you can get anything at all - including English foods such as Marmite - and even some American products, for instance, in Le Grande Epicure which is part of Bon Marché. I too looked at Ms Jarvis & thought ‘Really ?’ I wonder where she shops

 

[Viva La Loca]

He is maybe a bit too nice, too well behaved, too polite. Never good if you want to appear manly or if you have so many allergies. People don't take you seriously if most of the day you have to ask: can I eat this? Is this with nuts? Nobody wants to talk about food, just eat it.

Calories or Allergies, That is the question, Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer.

Better to ask than to end up dead or at least very ill (depending on the severity of the allergic reaction).
I find SJ's mindset towards calories pathetic.
What is manly?
Haven't the French elevated food to the level of a fine art? ... Meilleur Ouvrier de France
Great qualities to have as a person to be nice, well behaved and polite (especially when you are a visitor)

Just watched last nights vlog with my morning cuppa.
How many aprons?! Steph could insulate the roof with them.

 

[NotAChatelaine]

My feeling is that Stephanie J. is a child.
She needs Mummy to get the chateau ready for the BnB season while she's on holidays somewhere around the world.
She plays with people (preferably young - the older ones never stay for long at the chateau), then forgets about them.
She gets excited for nothing and knows what to do to get it.
My opinion is that people need to be very strong and stable in their mind (if you can say this in english ?) to "survive" around her. Marie (Nick's Marie), Natti and Selmar belong to this category of people.
Not sure for the others (even Cat who's very young).
I enjoyed her first videos when everything was light, spontaneous, fun with "normal" people - I mean people of more or less her age, less influenced by her flamboyance.
This story with Brenda...not sure Stephanie has the good role in this TBH. It seems that she's good at sending her cannon fodders to the front line while keeping safe in her chateau.
I don't know how this will end up. But certainly not as it has started more than one year ago now. A shame.

@Calvignac absolutely, 100% spot on with your remark about early videos being spontaneous. A quite different "feel" then and an almost infectious sense of impromptu exuberance. Progressively, the CD vlogs seem to have become contrived set pieces.

 

[frenchessence]

And don't let me start with this story of brown sugar.
Just because Stephanie said half laughing that there's not SOFT brown sugar in France, all the American superfans believe that France doesn't know brown sugar and give their own recipe to make proper brown sugar!
Some comments try to say that brown sugar (granulated not soft) exists in France but it's lost for most of these superfans.
Sometimes I really wonder about Stephanie.

I agree with you entirely. I live in France and regularly buy both soft and granulated brown sugar . Anyone living here would support the fact that the food/grocery shops in France are amongst the finest in the world . Brown sugar is a basic. Certainly if you’re in Paris as I am, or other french cities /towns you can get anything at all - including English foods such as Marmite - and even some American products, for instance, in Le Grande Epicure which is part of Bon Marché. I too looked at Ms Jarvis & thought ‘Really ?’ I wonder where she shops Look out for dozens of packets of soft brown sugar from the USA (and tons of Spode gold Fleurs de Lys china in up & coming Cadeaux at the Chateau )

 

[peony89]

Yeah definitely time for the fans to start sending Spode Fleur de Lys items...I think Mummy has been sent about three full sets of the green Coalport Revelry china after one broken cup was shown on camera...