Picking a new show is not something that is easy for me. I feel as though everything is going to let me down.
But the thing about The Baker and The Beauty is there are many reasons that I wanted to watch this show. We’ve followed Dean Georgaris shows forever and he’s one show-runner that even if we disagree with him – he’s respectful of opinions. Nathalie Kelley we loved on Dynasty, and you know, The Vampire Diaries will be a favorite forever. And then there is Victor Rasuk who was in Fifty Shades and well… we’re one of those people that loved that series.
But then there is the reason that, like so many people – I have always dreamed of someone seeing me when I felt invisible. I’ve been around a million celebrities and sometimes they just look straight through you, sometimes they notice you, but it’s very rare that they NOTICE YOU.
And so who doesn’t like to dream of the fairy tale?
And who doesn’t dream of seeing a family that is so close that they would do anything for each other? The Garcia family just drew me in – that close family that lived together, worked together, and would do anything for each other.
Did I know what to expect with The Baker & The Beauty? No. I thought I’d get cheesy shit with some laughter in between. But what I got was a smile that made me forget the craziness of the world around me and gave me an hour to believe in fairy tales… one more time.
THE GARCIA FAMILY
Little Havana is one of my favorite places in Miami. It’s got such a great atmosphere. It’s got amazing culture. And it’s got amazing food.
The Garcia family owns a bakery in Little Havana. It’s quiet, but it’s got amazing food.
The Garcia family is close. The parents are close to their kids. The oldest, Daniel, is the good kid who seems like he wants nothing more than to be the perfect son for his parents.
Mateo is the kid with the big dreams. He wants to be in music. He wants to be a DJ. The kid has big dreams. And sure his family laughs at them, but they also support him.
Natalie is their only girl. She’s the smart one. She’s the one that her parents want to go off to Princeton, to make a bigger life for herself. She wants to help her Mom, but she’s also looking for acceptance from her mother.
It’s the big night. Daniel and his girlfriend Vanessa have been together for four years and she’s like – well – she’s the highest of high maintenance chicks. They have been together for so long, and everyone keeps trying to remind him that she’s gonna want an engagement.
But Daniel, he says that’s not gonna happen. Maybe one day, but tonight is just the night where he takes her to an expensive dinner he can’t afford and the celebrate four years together.
Oh Daniel, you naive, naive soul.
But from the beginning that’s part of what makes Daniel so charming. He doesn’t know that he’s as big of a catch as he is. He doesn’t understand that he’s not just some dude who lives with his parents and works at a bakery.
He’s a man with charm, filled with love for life and dreams.
But he’s going to learn in one night.
VANESSA NEEDS TO EXIT THE BUILDING
Expensive restaurants do not always have the best food. Sometimes it’s more about the allure of where you are. Sometimes it’s about the Instagramable moment.
For Vanessa it seems like things that cost more money equal status. She wants to be someone who everyone knows the name. But the thing is her thinking that everything has to go on her time table versus the time table of the world around her.
She has found a home for Daniel and her to buy. She says that it has room for a nursery. He freaks and goes to the bathroom, where he runs into Noah Hamilton. She’s a model/fashion icon/billionaire’s daughter. She’s famous and is going through one of the biggest breakups in the news.
Daniel is trying to talk himself into being able to marry Vanessa, and Noah tells him that if you have to talk yourself into something, it’s probably not the thing. And you see this spark between the two of them. You see this moment between the two of them where he sees her and she sees him.
Daniel goes back out, where Vanessa asks him if he likes that she always knows what she wants and goes for it. And he agrees, not knowing what is in store.
Vanessa, however, goes too far. She stands up in front of the restaurant and starts singing to him, where she then proceeds to ask him to marry her. But, like girl bought herself a ring.
Daniel tries to stop her, but she presses it and then he tells her no.
Vanessa, I admire your balls. I feel like we all should be so direct. But when you make a man treat you to a certain standard, without giving him the same respect, love, and treating him with the same standards – sorry – you need a rude awakening. Love and respect is a two way street.
ONE WILD NIGHT
Vanessa flips out when Daniel says no. She embarrasses herself even more, by going off in front of the restaurant.
And then dumps a bowl of soup on him.
Daniel leaves and calls his brother to come and get him. But Mateo is living out his biggest dreams – he’s DJing. I mean granted, it’s a high school dance, but we all have to start somewhere.
So Daniel is left on his own to walk home, when Noah and he crew pull up beside him. She offers him a ride and he accepts.
The thing is – one can’t blame him. Who wouldn’t want to get into a car with the person of their dreams? But these are two people from two different worlds.
Noah knows that Daniel has had a bad night, and she’s giving him three wishes. Skies the limit. Whatever he wants.
And what he wants is a new shirt.
So Noah asks her manager, Lewis for his shirt. It’s kinda charming when you’re in a car with a billionaire and they want to give you anything, and you still want the simple things. Says something to Daniel’s values.
And I think that means something to others. Why? Because when you know that a person is going to be able to handle their own shit – that there isn’t something that they are using you for – you feel safe.
Noah’s willing to give him a second wish, but she wants something first. And what that is?
Well, who wouldn’t want to hang off the side of a building and help a famous person deface a poster on her fathers hotel? I mean happens every single night right?
But for this story – it fits. It fits because Daniel is this guy who seems to have lived this life that is run by routine. And something outside of the routine is something that can push him to be better. To see that he can be anything.
Vanessa calls Daniels house and gets his Mom. She asks where he is, and then makes up a lie. But Moms know. Moms know that there is something going on with their kids.
And so she calls Mateo – who tells her that Vanessa asked Daniel to marry him, and he said no.
Parents worry.
Daniel tells Mateo the truth, but he doesn’t buy it. But then he realizes that it may be the truth. So he tracks Natalie down at the dance, to see if she knows if Noah is in town.
And well, Natalie is smart and sarcastic and doesn’t want to acknowledge him – cause he’s embarassing as fuck.
Long story short – Mateo is able to validate Daniel’s story and he’s all sorts of happy. His brother is with one of the most famous people in the world.
ONE PRICK WITH A POWER PROBLEM
As a manager, I get it. You have to check and make sure that the people that are around your client aren’t selling stories or compromising your clients integrity. But there is a way to treat people.
And Noah likes Daniel.
They go to eat and when are done eating, Noah asks the chef if Daniel can make desert. The chef says that it is fine, but I mean I admit I was a little shocked he said yes.
So Noah and Daniel go and cook in the kitchen and I loved it. I loved that it was an innocent moment where it felt as thought they were just two people. Not a famous person and a guy that she picked up off the street.
Lewis had told Noah that when she was ready, he would get rid of Daniel. But I don’t think that she wants to get rid of him. I think that she wants for someone to not know everything about her. She wants to be a face that is just normal.
Lewis is doing his job, but he’s a dick.
WISH #2 AND SAY GOODBYE TO YOU
Next stop on an eventful night is a club. Daniel seems so out of place, but he wants to be there. He’s intrigued by Noah. He wants to be around her.
And you see this connection when he goes to hang with her and instinctively doesn’t interrupt her, just starts dancing and she comes to dance with him.
They move together in unison. They laugh and smile and they just feel like they are having the best time.
Natalie comes home and her parents are a little dismissive towards her. She’s going through a lot, and I think struggling with her sexuality. At the dance you see her looking through a teenage lesbian chat room, but her Mom talking to her about boys all the time. You can’t help but feel for her because this little girl just wants to be seen.
Mateo has, in the mean time, made it home and is telling his family what has happened. They don’t believe him until Natalie verifies it on Instagram. So when they family leaves her room, she texts Daniel.
Natalie shows up and Mateo has to get rid of her. He’s a charmer. This whole family is charmers.
But back to Daniel…
And that’s when wish #2 comes into play. Daniel, again, who could have anything, asks for Noah to call his sister. Natalie is such a big fan and she’s super excited. She can’t believe that she’s talking to Noah and then when her brother gets back on the phone – she tells him not to talk to her, to talk to Noah.
Noah and his have a vulnerable moment – where she talks about the life that she has, but you can see her intrigued by the life that he has. She sees him being vulnerable and wanting this big unwavering love and she’s into it.
I feel like the thing about Daniel and Noah – the reason that these two get along is that they both are a little lost – but in completely different ways. There is nothing wrong with being lost, we all have to be there at some point. The moment that we find ourselves – even the littlest big of themselves – even if it’s in someone else, is a freeing moment.
When they go back inside, her ex shows up and Lewis takes the moment to tell him that this is his chance to bow out gracefully. He makes Daniel feel so insecure that he leaves, even going as far as to give Lewis back his shirt and walk home in the middle of the night.
Daniel is a man full of pride and doesn’t want to be the joke.
He just wants to be seen for who he is and who wants to feel dismissed and unappreciated. No one. I don’t blame Daniel for leaving. I only hope he was wearing a fitbit to track all those steps.
ONE LAST WISH
When he makes it home, there is a line around the block to get in. He asks what happened and Noah had hashtagged the bakery on her Instagram.
His parents tell him to take a nap and they’ll take care of everything.
Vanessa in the meantime has found out that Daniel was out with Noah and goes to confront him. She’s pissed as fuck. Now if we’re being real, I’d be mad AF too. Like we just broke up and you’re out with a super model?
But I get it. These two are at different points in life – Daniel and Vanessa. Daniel is figuring out what he wants. Vanessa’s told him what he wants.
But all he wants is someone to make him better, not someone to keep him in his place.
His Mama comes and wakes him up and for a second you think that it’s Vanessa waiting for him.
After all, she does owe him a third wish.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
I am all for a good drama that keeps you on your toes. I think that right now, where we are in the world, we need something fun and something romantic. We need to believe in love.
The Baker & The Beauty has just started, but I have to say this… I am along for the ride. It’s just what I needed to remind me there is hope in every moment and the possibility of love around every corner.
