‘The Baker and The Beauty’ 1×02: “Ruin Me”

First, I will apologize that in last weeks review, I didn’t look and apparently spelled Noa’s name wrong. I should have known – being a celebrity – that her name would be spelled differently and all eccentric.

But I didn’t pay attention. So stop calling me out for it.

This week’s episode of The Baker and The Beauty picks up right where last week’s episode left off and though I kinda like that, I kinda don’t. But here – I see why it was necessary.

We needed to see why Noa was there. We needed to see how Daniel would feel. We needed to see how this would move forward.

BUT – that all being said, my heart became more invested in The Baker and The Beauty‘s characters. I smiled over the Garcias, cried with Noa, wanted to slap sense into Vanessa, and at the end of it all – I just wanted to believe in love and that people see people for what they are.

People.

ONE MORE WISH

As we know at the end of the pilot episode, Noah showed up at the bakery to talk to Daniel.

Let me tell you this – I think we need to get used to abrupt endings on this show. Do I like them? No. But do I get the point of them? Sure.

It’s like a soap opera, we always want more.

We don’t know how Daniel and Noa got from his house to the beach, but here we are – all up in a romantical walk on the beach where they are talking. Daniel, in my opinion, is too naive. I think we’re seeing by his choices in women and the way that he acts in relationships, he’s yet to figure out who he is.

Or what he wants.

I feel like Daniel knows that he wants a love like his parents, but what that means, he’s unsure of. Because of one factor – the man doesn’t know who he is.

But he does rely an awful lot on his charms. As Noa and him are walking, he’s not showing any sign of anger. And sure, they barely know each other – it was one night – so does he have a right to be mad?

YES HE DOES!

Because your status in life does not diminish who you are. Just because he’s a baker doesn’t mean that Lewis had the right to diminish who he is. But Noa quickly admits that Lewis was right.

She does bring people along for the ride. She’s done this before. But how the hell do we know if this a different thing? She claims that it is and to be very honest, I want to believe her.

I feel like Noa is in the same boat as Daniel. She knows what is expected of her, what her name means, what her family name means, but doesn’t know who she is and what that means. She’s forced to always put on this face of bravery (look, I have been around enough celebrities to know how that is), no matter what is happening in her world.

But I am not sure about her just yet.

These two don’t know how to do anything but flirt, and I don’t mind that. It’s part of their charm. They are quick and easy to forgive each other.

But I can understand why they do. For each one of them – living in a world that they aren’t accustomed to is an escape from their issues. But I think that it’s going to be a great thing to watch unfold and see how the difference in their worlds cause issues.

And that may happen soon – as Noa invites Daniel to her birthday party.

VANESSA NEEDS TO EXIT THE BUILDING

The Garcia family is my favorite. When you see Daniel’s parents – you see the love that you want. The kind that is always flirty, caring, and sees every single moment as a way to lift each other up.

Sure, I am sure that there are fights and shit that will happen, but what I am loving is that at every turn they know how to lift each other up, make each other realize their strengths, and they have a passion that just makes you smile.

The bakery is doing better than ever. The family has had a record night. They have every reason to celebrate.

But then out of nowhere – Vanessa shows up. Lord, that woman is like a leech that you can’t break off your skin. I don’t like her. I don’t like her at all.

But it’s not the proposal that made me not like her – it’s her entitled attitude. Sure, I know that the girl is going through heartbreak and she feels as though she needs to be this person in power. But the way that she treats her roommate, the way that everyone cowers in her presence, well – that only makes me think that I have her pegged correctly.

She’s annoying.

Daniel and Vanessa go for a walk and I will just say it. I don’t think that she wants Daniel. I think that it’s her wanting to win over a celebrity. She was rejected and she can’t see why.

She says that she’s going to make reservations at their favorite restaurant and if he shows up – she’ll be happy. If not, she’ll know that she needs to move on.

Famous last words.

For Vanessa it’s about the chase. The game. The way that Daniel has always empowered her resolve to be on top of her game, grow her business, and put her needs first.

So she does what we all do. She plays the game. She wants the outfit that makes her look perfect. She wants Daniel to look at her and wish that he could have her, but keep her distance to remind him that he can’t.

For her it’s not just the dress. It’s also what is underneath.

So she goes shopping for lingerie. At the same time Natalie is shopping for a swimsuit. (They aren’t there together – they don’t even know they are there at first).

Lingerie and swimsuits are torture devices. You’ll never convince me otherwise.

In one of the most traumatizing scenes – after Vanessa and Natalie realize that they are both there – and run back into their dressing rooms – Natalie tries to sneak back out to buy her suit.

And Vanessa stops her and asks if she thinks that her brother would like the lingerie that she is wearing.

I vomited in my mouth. Who the fuck would ever want to know what their brother likes? And if you do know, you need to seek assistance. The fact that Vanessa thinks it’s even somewhat normal is gross.

But Natalie handles it like a champ and makes her way out of there. I woulda been like, “Bitch move the fuck on, my brother doesn’t want your ass.”

But some people have better restraint and take better meds, I guess.

NOT EVERYONE LOVES BIRTHDAYS

I have never like birthdays for as long as I can remember.

So, I do understand why it is that Noa doesn’t like her birthday. Even before Noa tells us the reasons why.

She lied to Daniel and told him that Lewis throws her a thing every year, but we quickly find out that it is really Noa that puts together this “thing” every year. She doesn’t want to celebrate her birthday, we find out, so she uses it as a way to make people think she is celebrating, all the time using it as a work event.

They get more work done at this event than they do during fashion week.

I may not like Lewis, but I can see why Noa does. Her Dad is nowhere to be found and Lewis is the man that wants to look out for her. He’s the man that wants to make sure that she has her career, but even more than that he’s the man that wants to make sure that the real Noa is protected.

And I can’t hate – well overly hate – on a man that wants to be like that.

Daniel shows up at the party and he brings Noa a gift. A gift that says the kind of man that he is. One that I personally think is touching.

A rolling pin.

He automatically makes apologies for it. It not being as expensive as the other gifts that she receives. But there is something sweet and enduring about it.

And I think that is part of what makes her fall for Daniel.

But the truth is – I don’t like the way he acts at the party or the way that Noa acts at the party. I get it – she’s working. But why invite Daniel if you’re going to treat him like he’s invisible? Because seeing his face brings you some sort of comfort? Ya, hard pass.

Also, I have been to my share of Hollywood parties and everyone is always trying to figure out who everyone is. So I don’t know why no one is talking to Daniel.

I also don’t know why he set an alarm to leave and go meet Vanessa. Has he been dropped on his head?

But he does listen to the alarm.

He heads outside and tries to get the truck.

MAGNIFICOS

Mama Garcia is a queen. She’s legitimately one of those people that believes in everyone and everything, and I feel like her enthusiasm right now is what holds her family together.

But I also think that sometimes she is very blind to the shit going on around her and I need someone to slap some sense into her, please. Not like physically slap, cause we don’t condone violence at all. She doesn’t see her daughter. She doesn’t see what her sons are really going through.

She’s so excited with how well the family is doing that she is just go, go, go. She takes an order for Pastelitos magníficos (and I am not sure I got that right and if I didn’t I am an asshole, I admit it) – which are apparently really hard to make.

I have no idea what the hell they are, but I know that I have never wanted one so bad in my life. Like they look like pretty roses and all crispy, and look delicious. I don’t know what they are, but I wanted one.

And if someone can tell me where to order them – I am on it.

Papa Garcia (sorry, I know his name is Rafael, but I can’t help but want to call him Papa Garcia) is freaking out, but like the good woman that Mama Garcia is – she knows how to manipulate his feelings and get his ass in line.

You can think I am sexist if you want, but I do think that manipulating feelings is a tactic for a lot of people. And you feed a man’s ego, you can get him to do a lot of shit that one normally wouldn’t do. You can judge me – but that and sex have been able to make a lot of things happen. And sometimes, you just gotta play the game and do whatever you have to do.

But I digress.

Of course as he makes these the over breaks. Daniel is the one that always fixes the oven and he calls Daniel to walk him through it. But Daniel doesn’t have a signal for long.

I am gonna be an asshole again when I say that if you are in Miami and you can’t get a signal, then you need to talk to your carrier or find a new one. Cause that’s bullshit.

Mateo says that he can fix it. I love that he stepped forward and said that he could do it. I think that someone needed to give him a chance.

Papa Garcia heads upstairs to cook some in the stove at their place. He’s scared about how things could end. But she keeps reminding him that it’s not the end.

Mateo fixes the stove, but it only lasts for a second. And what made me love this family even more was that they laughed about it. They smiled and said he did fix it.

Even if it was just that moment in this show that hit me – I would be thankful for it. What I love about this family is that their pride in their children, their work, and in each other is just what you hope for your family.

Even if the Mom – well all of them – are completely blind to Natalie’s feelings. When she returns from getting a swimsuit and she’s smiling – they automatically assume that it’s a boy. And that bothers me. I feel like they aren inadvertently making her uncomfortable in her own skin. And for me – watching her struggle to find words, but also have a look of fear on her face about it saddens me.

No family is perfect. None. But what this family needs to work on is seeing outside of what they expect/want for each other and see each one of them for who they are.

With that being said, I think that the growth of this family is what I am looking forward to the most.

Sometimes it takes being pushed outside of your comfort zone to realize who you really are.

The Pastelitos were for a food critic. When he comes to pick them up and Papa Garcia explains what happens – my heart stopped, hoping that nothing would happen to this family. But when the food critic takes a bite and tells him that he’ll want to have his ovens fixed by Tuesday – I stood up and screamed YES!

Noa Instagramming about this family – sure that got lines out the door. And I admit that was their big break – which everyone needs. But what I smiled about was that they got to see that their talent is there. The family is amazing. And it deserves to be recognized.

And I think everyone needs a moment where they know they are amazing.

BIRTHDAYS ARE REDEEMABLE

Daniel is trying to leave – after the douche bag valet takes like FOREVER to get the truck – Piper runs in front of it and stops him.

Here’s why I like Piper – she’s willing to go above and beyond for her BFF. Like I love mine, I do. But running in front of a moving vehicle? Like I am not sure I would do that.

However, ensure her happiness? Yes. Because that’s what a good BFF does. A good BFF looks out for you, even when you aren’t looking out for yourself. A good BFF makes sure that they can see the things that you would want, even when you can’t see that you want it.

During this Noa is on the phone with her Mom. Her Mom remembers her birthday and is making sure that she is having a party. Noa says yes and tells her that her favorite gift was a picture of her Mom that she had never seen before.

We realize that her Mom doesn’t realize that she’s grown. She asks her if she would like a tea set and if she wants to go to tea at the Plaza, like Eloise.

As the tears stream down Noa’s face you want to hug her and protect her.

When Daniel goes back in and sees Noa, you can tell she feels at ease. When they sit and talk, she tells him that her Mom – the first episode that she remembered was when she was 8. It used to be fun and felt like make believe. But at 10, her Mom had a really bad episode during her birthday and ever since then, Noa hasn’t liked birthdays.

Daniel wants to make it better for her. He’s a people pleaser after all. He tells her to change to something fun. Her idea of fun and his are something different.

But thats okay.

They go to the beach and just talk. He wants to know her. He wants to know the big and the little and the things that just make her – well – her. And she loves that comfort and vulnerability.

They kiss and to me – it was a little too early. I don’t feel like they know enough about each other yet and I was thinking that Daniel would be one of those people that would want to wait until she wasn’t in a vulnerable moment. I am not saying he took advantage – he didn’t. It was natural and a moment.

But I wanted something else. I didn’t want Daniel to fall for the celebrity, but yet again maybe he didn’t.

I think I am still figuring it out.

He is too.

OTHER THOUGHTS

• What the fuck is up with Vanessa and her freezer full of Strawberry Gelato?
• Does anyone else think that Chloe is like single white female?
• Mateo’s song playing at Noa’s party – that shit made me smile. I am thankful that Piper took it upon herself to do that, once Daniel mentioned that his brother wanted him to do it.
• Noa and Daniel finding their way will be interesting.
• Noa inviting Daniel to Puerto Rico? I don’t want him to go – but I know he needs to. Their worlds need to collide.

THINGS WE WANNA SEE

• I feel like there would have been paps outside of Noa’s birthday party and I feel like that was a missed opportunity.
• Social media plays such a big part of any celebrity and honestly, I really wish that we saw more of everyones. Like when Noa posted a pic with Daniel, we know that people tracked him down. Did he get an influx of followers? How is it affecting him and everyone around? Cause I feel like that would piss Vanessa off, and I would live for that.
• I hope we get to see more of the relationship with Noa and her Mom, but also her Dad, because I would have expected some reaction for her defacing the picture on his hotel.
• I wanna see more of the relationship between Piper and Noa because I feel like she is part of what keeps Noa grounded. But reasons why? I need to know. Those friendships are important.

The Baker and The Beauty airs Mondays on ABC.