BellaSugar

Why You Don't Necessarily Need to Feel Bad About Your Neck

BellaSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:08:41 PDT

Remember Nora Ephron, the screenwriter of When Harry Met Sally...? Lately, it seems like all she wants to talk about is how she feels bad about her aging neck. "The neck is a dead giveaway," she writes. "Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn't have to do that if it had a neck."

Maybe so, but your neck doesn't have to be any less gorgeous and healthy than your face. The key to avoiding "turkey neck" in your golden years is to stop it before it starts, and fortunately, doing so is easy. Wear sunscreen every day (even on cloudy days and in winter). When you apply your moisturizer each morning, cover your entire face, then apply lotion on your neck and decolletage, too. With vigilant use, the book you write in your 60s will be I Feel Great About My Neck. As for writing hit romantic comedies, well, you're on your own with that.

The Vampire Diaries "Before Sunset": The Good, The Bad, and The Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:56:52 PDT

I didn't really expect things to get that crazy on The Vampire Diaries until next week's season finale, but wow, this week is full of intensity. There are a few big fights, a little bit of vampire torture, and though Alaric is the villain of the episode, the group is victorious in taking down another of their foes amid the chaos. Bonnie gets to use her witchy skills, but she's not the only lady who's channeling her girl power this week; Elena gets pretty tough, not just relying on a Salvatore brother to save her this time.

We're gearing up for next week's finale, and though there's some obvious setup for the next episode, there's a pretty big event that happens this week. And as usual, there's also an ample amount of great moments and funny lines. So, to get to the good, the bad, and the bloody, just keep reading.

Jessica Alba Dishes About Her Mommy Must Have and Details of Her New Book!

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:32:19 PDT

Just call her supermama. As if having a baby and launching The Honest Company weren't enough to do in one year, Jessica Alba recently announced plans to write her first book, too. The actress and mother of two - Honor, 3, and Haven, 7 months - hopes to share some of the tips and tricks she's learned about motherhood, as well as her methods for creating an eco-friendly and toxin-free environment in her home, with other modern moms who are busy trying to juggle it all.

I spoke with Jessica about her version of healthy living, why we always spot her wearing scarves, and the best trick her own mama taught her about motherhood.

On her forthcoming book about honest living:
"It's what I've learned along the way through trial and error - things that are actually attainable and applicable to me and to my life. I'm not growing organic vegetables at my house and picking them and feeding [them to] my family. I'm a working mom, so for me, it was easier to use disposable diapers. I do the best I can. I make my kids organic food, but I'm not the extreme. I think a lot of people probably fall more in the category where I fall - we want the best for our families, but sometimes we feel like it's too hard and it's too unattainable to go all the way and grow a garden and do that. So where's the happy medium? The book's going to be a very simple handbook on little things you can do that add up and make a big difference."

On sharing new mom tips:
"From room decor to making meals for the week to simple beauty recipes that my grandmother passed down to me made from things that are in your pantry . . . through trial and error, I've figured a few things out, and I'm sure other people have to. So [I'm] putting them together in a very simple, easy-to-read, colorful book. I also want it to be if you only have 10 minutes, you can walk away with something. It's like, what do you pack in your diaper bag that's easy - do you even have a diaper bag? Maybe you just carry a large purse. Maybe you use your purse instead of buying 50 different diaper bags knowing that your purse will probably go better with your outfits. So how do you pick a diaper bag that's neutral and will go with everything? And what do you really need in that diaper bag? In the beginning, I was stuffing my child's entire nursery into the diaper bag and breaking my neck and was like, 'Oh, wait, I forgot my wallet. What's going on?'"

On wearing scarves:
"I wear scarves, mostly because it's an accessory that can dress up an outfit, so you're not just wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. But it's also because if my baby has an accident - and I'm holding the baby - I can cover that accident up! So I'm not walking around with a big puke stain or poo stain on my shirt! Knowing that I don't have time to go home and change, and really, I don't have the space, time, or capacity to pick out five different changes of outfits for my car - it's enough to remember my baby's change of clothes. I have funny little stories about how I learned that lesson [in the book]."

Keep reading for Jessica's thoughts on letting Honor play with the iPad, Jessica Simpson's baby shower, and the importance of the mom community.

The Vampire Diaries "1912": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 07:37:15 PDT

The Vampire Diaries is back from its hiatus, and while we get a little fun flashback time with turn-of-the-century Damon and Stefan, this episode is a little boring for my taste (I think it's because Klaus is absent). That is, until we get to the end of the episode and get a shock that I didn't see coming at all.

We also get a sweet confession from Elena, but all the excitement is really about figuring out who the Mystic Falls serial killer is, so let's go over the good, the bad, and the bloody after the jump.

Down but Not Out: Tori Spelling Shares Her Friend's Perspective on Raising a Child With Down Syndrome

Tori Spelling — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:02:22 PST

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week, we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares a letter from her friend about her baby who was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Today, I’m sharing a guest blog by my friend Lisa, owner of Evolution Vintage. Her son was born with Down syndrome, and in honor of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, she has offered to share her story. When I read this, I had tears streaming down my face - not because I felt sorry for Lisa’s son Blake, but because she inspires me as a mom. I hope you are as touched by her story as I was:

Down But Not Out
By Lisa Graystone

Friday the 13th turned out to be the luckiest day of my life . . . in hindsight. I gave birth for the second time to my son Blake under very traumatic circumstances. He was born blue, lifeless and his first sounds resembled a watery gurgle, not a cry. His birth was fast and as a result he had lungs full of water and had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck twice. I was unable to hold him before they rushed him to the special care nursery for respiratory therapy and monitoring. We spent six days in the hospital. During this time, due to the shape of his eyes, the doctors suspected Blake had Trisomy 21; also known as Down Syndrome (DS). He fought to live and to be here, only now to be faced with a prospective hurdle he would continue to jump for the rest of his life. The postpartum hormones were swirling as I sat down the hall from my new son who was fighting for his life; quietly smelling the receiving blanket from his NICU nest and pumping my breasts alone in tears. Nine agonizing days later, the test results confirmed the doctor’s suspicions. The joy and relief that my son was alive was immediately shrouded in darkness, sadness, despair and shock. I am under 35 and was not given the option of amniocenteses (the test that can conclusively tell you if your baby has DS). The blood test that was available I opted not to do because of the high false positive rate and the fact that there were no "risk factors" - my first child was healthy and my ultrasounds were normal and we were reassured that everything was "fine." I was surrounded by fear and unknowns, questions with no answers and a baby boy to care for.

Related: Children With Swag

I have no time to be on the "why me" program being the ambitious mompreneur that I am. I had to force myself to say: "WHY NOT" and bring it on to my already full plate. There seemed to be no other alternative than to take it head on and realize that the only thing I can control is my attitude, approach and perspective. I feel very lucky to have been given this boy and with him the opportunity for personal growth, education and evolution.

I introduced Blake to my family and friends (many who live 3,000 miles away in Canada) via this letter written from his perspective:

Keep reading to see Blake's letter and for more facts about Down Syndrome.

4 Ways Pilates Makes Everything Better

Susi May — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:43:46 PDT

Pilates has a rep as a girly exercise form that attracts ladies who lunch. Private sessions can be pricey, but mat classes will work your entire body. Originally called Contrology, the practice was actually developed to rehab injured soldiers after WW I - talk about functional fitness! After teaching the method for years (and rehabbing my own chronic back injury with it), I have decided Pilates makes everything better, from life's basics like sitting to things more extreme like CrossFit. Here are four Pilates fundamentals that everyone can benefit from learning.

Breathing
The most basic human function, breathing supports life and a fit life, too. A proper inhale fuels your muscles with oxygen, and a powerful exhale helps you engage your deep abs to protect your spine and support your torso. The conscious and studied breathing in Pilates might feel tedious at first, but learning how to breathe into your lower lungs, rather than just your chest, helps makes you a more efficient cardio machine. The Pilates method of inhaling wide through the ribs and exhaling by contracting the deep abs to push the diaphragm into the lungs also means you can keep your upper body and neck relaxed as you take in air.

Learn three more benefits when you keep reading.

The Vampire Diaries "The Reckoning": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:05:17 PDT

If last week's episode of The Vampire Diaries wasn't as exciting because it was largely setup, it was worth it for this week's super-exciting and satisfying episode. Klaus, Stefan, and Rebecca terrorize the halls of Mystic Falls High, and the doppelganger/hybrid problem is pretty much resolved.

The ghost ex-girlfriends Vicki and Anna both play a big part this week, too, and one of them introduces us to the show's next big supernatural character. Stefan is still adrift in a sea of evilness, but all it does is make this episode even more interesting - especially where Damon and Elena are concerned. Ready to break down the good, the bad, and the bloody? Just

The Good

The kids are back in school (remember when they used to go to school?) celebrating senior prank night. It's where Klaus finds Elena, and Stefan finally stops playing it cool about Elena when Rebecca reveals that Klaus has gone after her. Rebecca stakes him, and he's not the only one who gets badly injured in the crossfire. Klaus gets Elena, Bonnie, Matt, and Tyler, and explains his hybrid problem. To illustrate it, Klaus grabs the werewolf in the room, Tyler, and feeds him his blood - then ruthlessly breaks his neck.
Best line of the episode goes to Rebecca: "Why is that doppelganger b*tch wearing my necklace?!"
Damon and Katherine are on their road trip, and Damon gets it out of her that she has the necklace. She also has something else: Jeremy in the trunk (and I snorted when Damon sees the unconscious body and says, "Jeremy? Really?") The unexpected cargo makes sense when Katherine talks about the person who was hunting Klaus all those years ago, someone that Pearl and Anna knew - and of course, Jeremy is the only one who can see Anna.
The other ghost girl shows up this week too, when Matt finally gets a visit from Vicki. Vicki and Matt try hard to contact each other, and she says she can help, but they're just not getting there. To move the situation along, he sinks himself to the bottom of the school pool. Bonnie pulls him out and frantically tries to revive him, but Matt's plan - to see Vicki in an unconscious state - works. Vicki has a message for Bonnie: Elena being alive is what's preventing the hybrids from surviving. Then, Matt gets his wish to see Vicki again, at the end of the episode, but this time without attempting suicide.
Tyler is, as Rebecca says, "dead . . ish." Caroline breaks the news that he's in hybrid transition, and it may come down to his death or Elena's. But surprise, surprise: Klaus finds out that the doppelganger doesn't actually need to be dead - the hybrids just need her blood. On the one hand, it feels like a cop out, because Elena having to die was emphasized so much before, but hey, at least it works out for Elena's mortality. Anyway, Klaus feeds Tyler Elena's blood, and the trial run pays off: Tyler turns into a vampire/werewolf hybrid, the first successful offspring of Klaus. Being a hybrid kind of seems like Red Bull, because Tyler's all energetic and happy. "This is going to be an amazing year," he tells Caroline. It's nice that he's so confident, but come on dude, you just jinxed yourself. Saying that in Mystic Falls basically means there's nothing but trouble heading your way.
Klaus's cruelest act is commanding Stefan to drink from Elena, and he puts a countdown on the clock. Elena tries to tell Stefan that he will be able to stop, but Stefan disagrees. He urges Elena to run, which she does, and Stefan can't help but run after her. He goes so far as to stake himself, and Klaus finally gets Stefan to "turn off" all his humanity. To test his work, Klaus tells Stefan to drink from Elena again, which he finally does.
Elena wakes up in the hospital to find that Klaus is extracting her blood for future hybrids. With Stefan out of the running to protect her, Damon returns. He confronts Klaus in the hospital parking lot, and an angry Klaus attacks him, but Damon says the one thing that gives Klaus the willies: Michael. He warns Klaus that he and Katherine have found him, so Klaus skidaddles, leaving Damon to rescue Elena from her hospital bed. He nurses her back to health with a combo of bourbon and sexy looks, and even offers to erase any memories she doesn't want to remember. Elena refuses, and faces the fact that Stefan is lost to her.
Damon tells Elena that he stole back the necklace for her, and that he will never leave her again (this has been your Damon and Elena Moment of Sweetness). But I guess there wasn't room in Klaus and Rebecca's car, because Stefan interrupts them, telling them that he's now assigned to watch over them while Klaus is gone.
Anna reveals what she knows about Michael, the vampire hunter Rebecca mentioned in last week's episode. Michael apparently has to be woken - because he's entombed. Katherine and Jeremy, one of this show's oddest combos, go to the crypt to find Michael, and yep, he looks just like what you imagine an entombed guy to look like: gross.

The Bad

Is Stefan the most cheeseball villain ever? He gets no scary points for screaming "I'm a ripper! A ripper doesn't stop!" at Elena.
Come back Klaus! You were upping the hotness of this show to unforeseen levels!

The Bloody

Stefan is quite the ripper this week, and it is a little bit shocking to see him sink his teeth into Elena so forcefully.
The most shocking violent moment is actually bloodless: when Klaus breaks Tyler's neck. I gasped, and though I was pretty sure they were going to find a way to make him survive, I wasn't 100 percent.

I think this is my favorite episode of the season so far, and now I'm finally really believing Stefan as a villain. I'm glad too, because it seems like Elena may be able to take that leap with Damon since she accepts that Stefan is no longer boyfriend material. What did you think of the episode, and what do you make of the Tyler/hybrid and Michael/vampire hunter situations?

Photo courtesy of The CW

The Vampire Diaries "The Sun Also Rises": The Good, The Bad, and The Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 06 May 2011 08:09:45 PDT

We're just one week away from the season finale of The Vampire Diaries, and this next-to-last episode has almost as much drama as I expect next week will have. Klaus's sacrifice to break his curse finally takes place - but the conclusion isn't exactly what I thought was going to happen.

There's also a major death, along with a few minor ones and several near misses. All in all, it's a pretty violent installment, and I'm ready to talk about what happened. To discuss the good, the bad, and the bloody of the episode, just

The Good

Let me just say how happy I am to see Tyler and Caroline re-igniting their bond. After Matt shoots Tyler in werewolf form, he and Caroline flee to the Lockwood house. Matt admits that he was never compelled to forget that Caroline was a vampire and has been spying on her for her mother. Tyler ends up back in his human form (naked, of course), and when Matt sees her caring for him, he observes what her life is like now, and basically tells her that his life is tough enough without a vampire girlfriend. Don't feel bad for Caroline getting dumped - she ends up cuddling in the arms of a nude Tyler by the end of the episode (OK, he's got a blanket on, but you know you were thinking about it too).
Jeremy and Bonnie resume their studying to devise a plan to ensure Elena doesn't die in the sacrifice, and John, Damon, and Alaric join them. With the help Emily Bennett and Jonathan Gilbert's diaries, they figure out a way to save Elena from vampirehood: if they can keep her soul intact, she won't transition.
At the sacrifice site, Jenna is transitioning into a vampire, and to Elena's horror, she completes the final step when Greta makes her drink her blood. Greta then delivers Jules to Klaus, and she makes three fiery rings for each person being sacrificed. But Stefan has a new plan when he learns that Klaus has taken Jenna; he wants to exchange Jenna for himself. He crashes the sacrifice, but Klaus doesn't let them trade spots, instead incapacitating Stefan.
Terrified, Jenna strikes and attacks Greta, and Klaus, sadly, makes his next sacrifice, staking Jenna. The kids who were already orphans really are orphans. Losing Jenna is really like her and Jeremy's family unit falling apart. John, the last parent in Elena's life, collapses after sacrificing himself so that Elena can live off of his life force. He leaves Elena with his ring, so she's sort of protected now, but it's not the same as having a loving guardian.
After Klaus sinks his teeth into Elena's neck, she falls to the ground, seemingly dead. As Klaus transitions, Bonnie does a spell-march into the site, weakening him as he writhes on the ground. Damon kills Greta and retrieves Elena's lifeless body, and as Elijah is poised to finish off Klaus, Klaus pulls out his trump card. Promising to lead him to the bodies of their siblings he murdered, Klaus manipulates Elijah into saving him, and Elijah can't resist. They escape together. Get ready for "a new order" to contend with.
I'm scared about Damon's werewolf bite, but I'm fairly certain that the cure Stefan vows to find will be found. And though Damon requests that Stefan keep this bit of info from Elena, I'm sure that she'll find out right away. Secrets don't really stay secret for long on this show.

The Bad

Klaus is still on the loose? Enough already! If he doesn't take a stake (or silver bullet, or whatever kills the new order of hybrid) in the season finale next week, I will stake my TV.

The Bloody

It's not enough for Klaus to pull out Jules's heart, he has to squeeze the blood out of it too? Nasty. I hope Elijah takes Klaus somewhere he can wash his hands.
I have to say, Elena's perfect bite marks from Klaus look downright dainty. Everyone else is sort of made a mess of, but pretty Elena gets the classic two-hole punch. Cute.

What did you think of this week? Will you miss Jenna? Though it's upsetting for the kids, I thought the death was kind of anticlimactic. Discuss below, and let me know how excited you are for the season finale next week!

Photo courtesy of The CW

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "Prom Queen"

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:44:16 PDT

Glee invites us to prom this week, and while it manages to stress the characters out more than excite them, the episode ends with most everyone having a good time. New Directions is asked to perform at the event, giving the glee club another chance to tune up before nationals while guest star Jonathan Groff returns and also goes to the prom.

The big reveal of the episode - who gets voted prom queen - is shocking and initially upsetting, but it fails to ruin the night for the McKinley high students. Plus, there are a load of fantastic performances this week, all of which I'm ready to chat about when you

The glee club is mostly full of anxiety over the impending prom, and not just because they're trying to figure out what to wear. Principal Figgins asks to have the glee club perform, and they accept, to Sue's displeasure. Did anyone else desperately want to hear what other songs were on her list of the worst songs the glee club has ever done besides "Run Joey Run" and the "Crazy in Love"/"Hair" mashup? When the kids hear the news, Mercedes is less than enthused, unhappy with the fact that no one has asked her to prom. Rachel, also dateless, proposes a plan: they'll both take Sam, pooling their resources since Sam can't afford much, and he accepts.
Be still my heart: Jesse St. James is back! And his timing is impeccable, showing up to crash Rachel's performance of "Rolling in the Deep" and making it a duet. I'm obsessed with this song, there's a load of tension crackling amid the lyrics, and the two powerhouse singers sound incredible. His timing is doubly good for Rachel, who now has another date to prom. It doesn't sit well with Finn, who admits being nervous about his own date with Quinn.
Kurt asks Blaine to go as his date, but it brings up a bad memory of being beaten up the last time he tried to attend a dance with a male date. Blaine ultimately agrees, and when Santana hears the news, she offers herself and Karofsky as Kurt's personal bodyguard at school. She claims it's so she'll win the sympathy vote for her campaign for prom queen, but I have a feeling she's also being protective of Kurt. Later, Karofsky walks Kurt to class, and in a surprising show of emotion, he tears up and apologizes to Kurt for the way he treated him before.
Artie is determined to win Brittany back in time for prom, but she's not having it. He stages an adorable performance of "Isn't She Lovely" during her home ec class (even if Mercedes is right about the song being about a baby). I had virtually the same "prom proposal!" reaction that Kurt does, but Brittany isn't swayed so easily; she refuses Artie's invitation to prom, saying she wants to go alone and dance with others' dates. Dejected, he accepts Puck's offer to help him spike the punch at prom.
Prom time! Sam, Puck, and Artie perform "Friday," and whatever you feel about the Rebecca Black song, I think we can all agree that it's one of the most fun TV prom scenes ever. Then, when Rachel graces the stage for a slow song, "Jar of Hearts," Finn can't take his eyes off of her. How does Quinn not notice that? Anyway, during the awesome "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You," Finn gets fed up with a little Jesse-on-Rachel necking, and he picks a fight with his sudden rival. ("Keep it PG" is his excuse to get in there? What a nerd!) The fight gets both of them kicked out of the dance to Quinn's dismay.
Time to crown the prom king and queen! Though Lauren, Quinn, and Santana are up for the honor, queen doesn't go to any of them. After Karofsky is crowned king, Figgins announces Kurt as the write-in winner. He runs from the room, devastated, and he's not the only one in tears. Quinn thinks she lost because the school would rather see Rachel with Finn, and she slaps Rachel hard across the face. Santana storms out, declaring that she wants to leave the school after nationals in New York to live in a lesbian colony . . . "or Tribeca."
Kurt turns his nomination as queen around and marches back into the room to accepts his crown. "Eat your heart out, Kate Middleton," he proclaims, to a room full of applause. On their way to the king and queen's first dance, he urges Karofsky to come out, but Karofsky whispers that he can't and takes off instead. Blaine takes his place on the floor, as everyone else joins in. Artie finally gets his dance with Brittany, and the balloons drop on the crowd as they get their last, joyful dance to "Dancing Queen."

Were you happy with the prom episode? I'm glad that Kurt was able to turn what was meant to be a homophobic prank into a positive, and something rare happened for me - I loved each and every song. Plus, I'm a sucker for TV proms and seeing everyone dressed to the nines and getting their groove on was so much fun. What did you think?

Photo courtesy of Fox

The Vampire Diaries "The House Guest": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:41:46 PST

This week Katherine crashes at the Salvatore brothers' place on The Vampire Diaries, and she's not exactly greeted with the greatest hospitality. But she actually turns out not to be the villain of the episode - that honor goes to another character whose ruthlessness I wasn't expecting.

There are also two big deaths this week, and more than one shocking turn (I watched the episode with my own constant soundtrack of gasps). I don't want to give anything away, but I'm dying (hehe) to discuss the good, the bad, and the bloody when you

The Good

Katherine surprises Elena and Stefan with her escape from the tomb, but they're not particularly impressed with her trick of dressing up just like Elena, stick-straight hair and all. She reveals some interesting info about Elijah, like that he was looking for the burial ground of a witch massacre, because there would be enough power there to defeat Klaus. She also lets Damon know that John had offered Katherine a deal; to get out of the tomb, she had to choose whether Stefan or Damon would die, and she chose to let Stefan live. Still carrying that torch, I see.
Caroline is so cute jumping on stage to dedicate a song to Matt and get him back (plus, "Eternal Flame" is an awesomely cheesy ballad), and her "rock star moment" totally works. Matt joins her on stage and plants one on her. With Tyler out of the picture, I find this adorable, but once he comes back, I don't know if I'll be as supportive.
Stefan meets with Luka and Jonas to negotiate getting their help against Klaus, and in exchange, they'll help him get his daughter back. Jonas agrees, but he's definitely not to be trusted. He and Luka perform a spell that lets Luka transport into the Salvatore house. As he attempts to pull the dagger from Elijah's corpse, Katherine tries to push it back in, and when Jonas instructs Luka to stake Katherine, he does. But it's Luka's undoing that he ultimately causes - Damon busts in with a flame-thrower and incinerates the young warlock. Luka, we hardly knew ye.
Out for revenge, Jonas goes after Stefan, but he knows that what he needs to really get even is Elena. He storms into the Mystic Grill, exploding the lights and setting the place on fire. Bonnie and Caroline are no match for him, and then he takes a human victim: Matt. True confession: while watching this scene, I had to gasp and cover my mouth to avoid disturbing my neighbors. However, he survives because Caroline feeds Matt some of her blood. Upon waking, she feels comfortable enough to tell him that she's a vampire. It's too much for Matt, as he puts together the pieces of what happened to Vicky (and the whole vampires-exist thing too) and bursts out. Understandable; I think I would have a similar reaction.
Jonas's next stop is Elena's, and finally, Katherine's disguise pays off. Thinking she's Elena, Jonas attacks, and Kat attacks back, killing him (well, not before one jump scare). Katherine has done good for once, but Elena is unmoved. I have to say, the catty Elena-Katherine showdown is pretty fun (what can I say, I love seeing Nina Dobrev argue with Nina Dobrev).
In other romance news, Bonnie asks Elena for permission to date Jeremy, and Elena joyfully gives her approval. That's not the only good news: she realizes that when Jonas grabbed her earlier, he restored her power, and mysteriously transferred a mission to her: to kill Klaus. Good luck with that, Bonnie.
Alaric and Jenna have a tender moment after the Mystic Grill maelstrom when he tells her that he loves her, but she's obviously still thinking about the mystery surrounding Isobel. That mystery, though, comes to a head when someone rings the doorbell at the Gilbert house: Isobel herself. It's a crazy way to close the episode, with Jenna coming face to face with her ex's ex, and Elena coming face to face with her mother.

The Bad

We still haven't met Klaus. I'm sighing with frustration.

The Bloody

That broken bottle induced neck wound on Matt is pretty graphic, but at least it doesn't kill him. On the same grossness level is a fried-skin Luka, who doesn't fare as well as Matt.

Were you shocked by the deaths and the near-deaths this week? I had a feeling that Jonas and Luka were expendable (thus, rife to be killed off), but I didn't think they'd both bite the dust in the same episode. And what did you think about Isobel's surprise appearance? Weigh in with your thoughts, and then make sure you join the Hooked on Vampire Diaries group in the Buzz Community to chat with other fans!

Photos courtesy of The CW