Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - Erin Lichy | All the NYC Housewives Updates + Inside Her New Book “She’s a Host”!

Episode Date: November 4, 2025

#890. You asked: What’s really going on with RHONY? Erin Lichy spills it all — the drama, the casting, the friendships, and the fallout from the RHONY reboot.She opens up about welcoming her fourth baby, navigating marriage challenges on screen, and processing the loss of her dad.Plus, get an inside look at her highly anticipated cookbook, She’s a Host: An Unbuttoned Cookbook for Elegant Entertaining, packed with effortless entertaining tips and favorite recipes.Whether you’re a die-hard RHONY fan, a fellow parent, or just love a peek behind the scenes of NYC reality life, this episode is full of stories, laughs, and updates you won’t want to miss.If you’re LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE!Thank you to our Sponsors! Check out these deals!Booking.com: Head over to booking.com and start your listing today! Get Seen. Get Booked on Booking.com!Bombas: Head over to Bombas.com/vine and use code vine for 20% off your first purchase.Figs: Right now, if you go to wearFIGS.com and use the code FIGSRX, you can get 15% off your first order.Boll & Branch: Shop now at BollAndBranch.com/vine25 with code vine25 for 25% off sitewide.Boulevard: And for a limited time, Boulevard is offering new customers 20% off your first year subscription. That’s JOINBLVD.com to learn more!Real Real: Get $25 off your first purchase when you go to TheRealReal.com/vine.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (6:49) – How Erin Landed the RHONY Reboot: The inside story of joining a completely new era of Real Housewives of NYC.(20:30) – RHONY Rumors Exposed: Erin weighs in on the latest casting chatter and whether she’ll return for another season.(31:10) – Heartbreaking Family Moments: Erin opens up about filming her last moments with her dad and processing his loss.(41:24) – Sneak Peek Into Her Cookbook: Erin shares tips, recipes, and secrets from She’s a Host: An Unbuttoned Cookbook for Elegant Entertaining.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of Off The Vine is brought to you by Booking.com. Since 2010, they have helped over one billion vacation rental guests find places to say. That's billion with a B. Head on over to booking.com and get started on your listing today. Get seen. Get booked on booking.com. Bombas, head over to bombus.com slash vine and use code vine for 20% off your first purchase. Figs right now, if you go to WhereFigs.com and use the code FigsRX, you can get 15% off your first order. Boland Branch, shop now at bollandbranch.com slash vine 25 with code vine 25 for 25% off sitewide.

Boulevard, and for a limited time, Boulevard is offering new customers 20% off your first year's subscription. That's J-O-I-N-B-L-V-D.com to learn more and Real, get $25 off your first purchase when you go to the real-reel.com slash vine. You're listening to Off the Vine. with Caitlin Bristow. Hey, Vino's, real quick, if you are listening right now, which obviously you are, you wouldn't be hearing this, can you hit the subscribe or follow button on whatever platform you're on? Please, that one simple thing helps more than you even realize it allows me to keep growing

on this podcast and making these episodes the best they can possibly be, obviously for you. That's the only favorite I'm going to ever ask, okay? It truly means the world to me. Thank you. Now let's get into it. Hey, everybody. Welcome to Off the Vine. I'm your host, Caitlin Bristow. And today we have one of the breakout stars of the reboot of the Real Housewives of New York. You quickly stood out, I feel like, to a lot of people with your honesty, your sharp humor, devotion to your family, everything we've

kind of talked about on today's podcast. And I just feel like your ability to effortlessly entertain is a real skill set that you have. Yes, which you effortlessly did that today on this podcast. So thank you so much. And obviously, be honest. everything that you're doing you're a mama for designer entrepreneur it's just you really do it all and of course we talked to real housewives we sure did yes so welcome to the podcast how do you you say erin something leachy dana my middle name oh oh okay i try to keep some semblance of my primary name i like that but i took my husband's name honestly took me five years to change like the paperwork oh took it's a long time it's a big job but then like once i started going on planes and they're like

who's the mother yeah all right let me just get my kids name fair enough fair enough yeah well welcome to the podcast thank you wait so writing a book obviously i've heard i've never done it myself but i've heard so many stories about that it takes just like two years to even just write and then the book tour and you're like a mama four and we've got tequila and recording everything and i meant to bring you i forgot everything oh that's okay that's the other thing wait i'm going to get it messenger and a book messenger do you have to do you like mescal i love mesk i just so i'm one of those people that like i feel like it's an acquired taste like it was what you either like it or you don't, but I feel like if you want to like it, you'll get there

and now I love it. Okay. Like, I didn't like it when I first had it. So ours is kind of like the entry point in Mascale because it's not very smoky. Yeah. That's like a whole thing. See, and I would love that. It's a little smoky, but like very light on the smoke and it's just very, very smooth.

And really it's supposed to replace your tequila because, you know, tequila is really kind of crappy. Is it? Yeah, because by Mexican law, it only has to be 51% pure agave. So it has a lot of additives. There are all these lawsuits now that are coming out. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, because they're like, you said it was additive free, and it's not. Mescal, by Mexican law, must be 100% pure agave. What is your mescalam?

It's called mescaloom. Like, Touloum in a bottle. Oh, because it's inspired by Toulin, right? That's where we came up with it. Oh, I love that. You're going to like it. I'm saying, I'm getting a messenger to you. No, everybody's like, mescalum.

That's a really cool name. So you went, did you go to Tulum and you were like, oh, yeah, we've been going to Toulom for like 15 years. Really? Yeah, but now it's like a different thing, but we still go. Like we're, we bring our kids. You were Tulumors before Tulumian was a thing. I mean, it was like starting, but yeah, it was like really bohemian. You've been, right?

Yeah, yeah. I just love how the beach is flanked by, like, the jungle. Yes. You can be in the jungle and then you can be at the most beautiful beach. It's so gorgeous. And it's like, I don't know, I find it spiritual. Very. Yeah.

So what happened was I, we had like a very spirited night. Yeah. You know, we were like drinking. Yep. And actually our house manager came with like this local Miskal. And I'm like, this is amazing. Like, why don't people, I feel like people don't really drink this. This was the whole joke on Roney because I basically was like, oh, bringing Ms. Gall to America. And it was like a big

joke that everyone was making fun of me for. They're like, she didn't bring it to America. I'm like, okay, okay, I didn't mean it like that. Everyone takes everything so literally. But basically, I felt like it really, people weren't really drinking Ms. Call like a few years ago. And we had this concept to to like make one and make it a popular thing. And also the branding is the big difference. Because my skull is usually branded as like smoky and masculine and like tribal and very intense but ours is very beachy and clean and it's like less barrier to entry and approachable exactly when did you get into that oh but what I was thinking of when you said it's spiritual is that I woke up the next day and I didn't really have a hangover so I went and did a yoga class and I'm like how

was this possible and then I realized the and then I learned about the additives and all that but yeah how did I get into the the business itself yeah because it's a tough yeah it's like it's kind of random But my husband is an attorney, and he was working with some of the biggest attorneys in Mexico to bring Mexican liquor to the states. Like, he was doing the deals with them. So he was already plugged in. So when we were like, we had always wanted to start a Ms. Galbra. We're entrepreneurs like hard. But we weren't going to do it.

And then when the idea came up, we were like, hold on, we actually can do this. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's really cool. And what year was this? This was. We started the company, too. years ago. We officially launched sales in February of, I think it was 2024. Yeah, because everyone's looking

for clean drinks right now. So I feel like that's, what is like an approachable way to make a cocktail with your tequila? I mean, there are so many cocktails that it goes really well. It's a great espresso martini cocktail. See, I love espresso martini with tequila. Exactly. Yeah. You would love it with the mescal. The mescal is not very overwhelming. Right. You'll see it when you try it. It's really good to Paloma, Miskolita, but I actually like it on ice with like any squeezed fresh fruit that I have. Yeah, I like pineapple, like orange, grapes have been my new thing, which is so random because they're very sweet.

So like you just need three or four. Yeah. It's just, it's really, you'll see. It's really good. I am such a freak about my dogs that I won't even let grapes into my house because I'm like, what if one drops and my dog dies? You have? Two golden retrievers.

They're the light of my life. I cried on my way here because. I'm like it's like to a point where I'm like I need to calm down like a little bit because I'm so emotional over them but Pino one of my dogs Pino he went into the vet and he literally just lays in my arms and he's a 65 pound golden and he'll just lay there and let them do whatever as long as he's in my arms and they he's the sweetest and he cracked his back tooth right in half because of chewing on a bone and so they were like well we'll have to do an EKG to make sure he's okay to go under and they found out that his heart is a little too big. And I was like, of course it is. Um, but they're like that really could just see Pino, but he's going to have to see a cardiologist to see if he is like an underlying heart disease. And I found this out on an airplane and I was just like, the flight attendant was like, he just kept handing me like tissues being like, are you okay? And I was like, no. Like you, you would have thought something bad actually having. They're like, don't freak out yet.

I'm like, I'm freaking out. Okay. Obviously, we have to talk about real housewise. Okay. Let's do it. Because that's where the world really fell in love with you. and you were a part of this like completely new era which is crazy so I have a lot of questions about that how did that even happen how did this reset come about like for me particularly well like in general why do you think they wanted to do a new cast overall I think it was just like time the yes and I think the other cast just wasn't representative of what New York was anymore that's fair in a way yeah it was like you know the upper it was really just the Upper East Side moms right yeah yeah I kind of saw something on your social media about that did you yeah it's there's something about I was just

watching on the way here I don't really know what it was but you're talking about oh with it asked me anything yeah yeah yeah it's I don't I don't know what I have to the time I'm just like talking like normally yeah like shit what did I say yeah but yeah it's just it was it was like a different vibe are you from here yeah born and race okay what do you think the difference is between the old cast I mean like for example where one of us was from living in Brooklyn one was living in Tribeca the one was up to like it was just like that in that sense it was diverse but also multicultural and just like different life experiences as opposed to like a bunch of rich moms got uptown you know what yeah yeah a little more real we all actually really work yeah very hard you know it's just like a

different vibe hmm do you think they should do that for all the housewives I think it depends yeah like I think it's good to have some of the just the rich wives totally I think maybe we could use a couple of though like yeah yeah so I think it depends it depends on where and how did you get cast to be on the new season funny story so originally lizzie i don't know if you remember that there was a girl named lizzie who was part of the cast okay and she called me because she was living in dallas and she said i'm moving to new york city i need help finding an apartment i was doing real estate at the time and i'm like okay sure like why are you moving here i thought you guys were like all set in dallas and she was like oh actually they're rebooting

roney and i'm going to be on it and she was like wait a minute they're looking for more people you should do it. Oh my gosh. And this was like in June. And had you'd watched all of it and you knew? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I had no idea that they were rebooted. Right. I never would have thought my wildest dreams that they would do such a thing. So, but by July 1st on my actual 35th birthday, I got the call and I got the offer, which was crazy. Did you see yourself? Like, did you see yourself doing something like this in life? Or were you like, well, this is out of the blue? It's not like it's not surprising. You know, like anyone who knows me is like, oh, yeah, like this makes sense. That's what I always say, but when I went on The Bachelor, nobody in my life was shocked.

They were like, of course, this is your next step in life. It just sometimes makes sense of you. It does, yeah. So how did you adapt to the cameras? Were you like, this is where I'm meant to be? Or were you like, this is weird? I was fine. Yeah.

Like, oddly. I like that. You know what I mean? Because you probably were the same. I was. It was like fine. And also, I would forget about them. Which is kind of problematic.

That's probably like, like, what was the audition process like? Why did Bravo pick you? because there was obviously something that they saw in you that they wanted to be part of the show. Well, they do, like the casting process is interesting. They do basically like a confessional. Oh. So you kind of have to like do your own confessional and you get glam done and you talk. Yep.

And I think they look for, you know, funny and honest and like those types of things. But I had no idea what they were looking for. I was just, I had a martini and I was just myself. That's exactly what I would have done. But also I feel like New York, that's exactly what you're going to get is honest, straightforward, funny. just like say it how it is kind of thing especially after a martini especially gin or vodka vodka oh can't do it i know vodka is by the way the worst is it though vodka makes me die oh same that's why i need to go i need i should switch over to gin if i drink a vodka martini i will punch

you in the face i know i'm such a bitch i'm also like really hung over the next day yeah same but i just love the taste but i should do gin i love gin i know like monkey 47 is great gin oh Thank you for telling me that because I am so creature of habit. I'm like, what? There's any other gin besides Hendricks? What do you get? Hendricks is good, but Monkey, for example, is really good. Really? Yeah, I got to get, I got to get back into gin martini. I think I kept pretending a while back it was cozy season, but it is officially cozy, cozy season, okay? The temps are dropping, the PSLs are flowing. And you already know that your girl has swapped out her summer sandals for Bombas. I actually I'm not kidding. If you've never slid your little footsies into Bombas socks or slippers, you are

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they'll just make it right. No drama. Head on over to bambas.com slash vine and use code vine for 20% off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S dot com slash vine code vine at checkout. Okay, so I went to indie, my skin place, and by skin place, I mean Botox place. And all the girls are just on their feet all day, they're running around, they're back-to-back patients, and somehow they always look adorable. And I know that I've told you guys this secret before, so it's not really a secret anymore, but it's figs, scrubs. I can't get over them. I remember the first time I saw Cat in a new set. It was just like tailored and sleek, and I was like, wait, those are scrubs? They're not like those stiff, boxy scrubs from the past. They're lightweight, breathable, stretchy, anti-microbial,

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If you're in health care, thank you. Or if you're just shopping for somebody that is, you can get 15% off your first order at wherefigs.com with code figs rx. That's wherefigs.com code figs rx. You did real estate. I did. I can help you. Where do you think the best area?

I think the west side is impartial. I like the west side more because I like the Hudson River, especially if you have a dog and you want to walk on the water. it's like beautiful it's really beautiful it's really special you get the sunsets like it's just really nice okay sold anywhere between like tribeca and like chelsea up even further up if you wanted to go further up i love chelsea i really love chelsea's great yeah it's really cute i was just walking around this morning just being like god new york's just so special it really is yeah it's like a love hate relationship that's what everybody says it is do you ever watch subway takes no subway takes is really

funny actually can you get me on subway takes people get her on subway takes it's this guy that interviews people on the train oh it's just smart but and it's like your take on life or whatever your take on a subject and i just saw one where this guy oh i have seen this you've seen it okay and they talk into like this metro card and this guy was like my take is you have to hate new york to love new york and i was like that's it perfectly said like that is it that's funny do you take the subway i do wow i get not always I'm, that's where I need to get a little more tough. Well, it's just like, it's so much, like, it's so much more convenient.

Sometimes, like, I got in a car the other day and the guy was like, okay, we'll be home an hour and 15. I'm like, excuse me? I was like, pissed. I'm like, pull over. Yeah. Yeah. It took me 20 minutes on the train.

Yeah, that's crazy. It's crazy. I'm so scared. I'm one of those doomsday people that think bad things are going to happen. Nothing happens. I mean, like, things have happened on the train, but things happen on the street and they happen everywhere. Exactly. Not at home if I'm with my two golden retrievers and my. in my bedroom. Probably not in Nashville. Probably less things have in a Nashville. She goes out in Nashville.

Does it? Yes, my neighbor's car just got broken into by her Uber Eats driver. What? Yeah. And we live in a very nice safe neighborhood and I got so scared because I'm like, and that same night, I fell asleep with my sliding doors open for the second time. Like, I'm like, oh, it's that safe though that you're falling asleep like that. Yeah. It's nice. I know, but that's probably a creepy Uber Eats driver. Well, or like a skunk could have just walked in and, And there's like weird animals in my backyard all the time. Could you imagine if you woke up to a skunk? No, I would.

I'm traumatized because my dogs got sprayed once and like that smell did not leave my house for about six months. It was on my clothes. It was like on them for a year. I swear. And I'm like traumatized by it. Okay. Caitlin, get back to the subject.

I always do this. Did you get intimidated on the take that like every former cast member was kind of being replaced? Like that's never happened. Did you feel intimidated or were you like, this is what the franchise needs? I mean, a little because people were just so up at arms. Like, oh, my God. Of course.

Yes. I mean, there's such a cult following of that world. Which I get because they were great. Yeah. Like they were icons, you know? And I actually genuinely like most of them. Yeah. Yeah.

So did they have beef with any of you coming in? I'm sure they were annoyed. Yeah. I think less so with us. Like, I feel like they understood that we didn't do anything wrong. Right. It's not your fault. Yeah.

Yeah. Because that would feel like a lot of pressure to, live up to that kind of legacy like that's like that they are the icons yeah yeah do you feel like your season did a good job i think we did a good job i think we were met with many challenges yeah like unexpected ones i mean our last season was like a lot for you too personally yeah yeah it was a lot i feel like there's no way to really mentally prepare for something that you've never done or know anything about and i feel like especially with real housewives they really throw some shit at you, but then you had real life throw some shit at you too on top of everything.

So was there anything you did mentally or physically to prepare for television? No. Yeah. You're just like, throw me in. Which like I'm now learning at this age and in this point of my life that self-care is a thing. Yeah. And it is important. Well, if you have an entrepreneur mindset and then you're filming nonstop and there's like,

there's got to be some drama. There's got to be some stuff. Like you need to take care of your mental health. What do you do for that? Lately, I've been journaling, which is ridiculous. I was just on Jeff Lewis's and he was like, stop it. Like, do not journal Aaron or don't tell anyone. I was cracking up because it's like so not me.

But I started. And I like it. And, you know, like meditation, which I also wasn't like, I don't have time. Well, it's become also such a buzzy thing where people are like, oh, I meditate and I journal. But it's like, I'm sorry, that really does help clear. It actually does. Yeah. It shifts something in you when you get.

Because people need to get out something. Like I, after a really good cry, I feel so much better. After I journal, I get things out. Like, it's something that you're moving through emotions in some way and writing and meditating calms you and then the writing gets it out of you. And it really does get it out. Do they have a show therapist? Yes.

They do. Okay. Do you use them? No. What? I would be all over that shit. Yeah, I know. Probably should.

I'd be like, when is she available? Every day. Like, I need at least two hours to unpack everything. Did you guys have one? Yeah. You have to surrender to also making good TV while staying true to yourself. Right. How do you find that balance? I'm just like, yeah, mescal. I'm just really like I'm someone that cannot filter. I can't. Yeah. If I try to lie, you'll know. Yeah. Like it's just not in my nature. I'm the same. I'm very direct. Yeah. And so it's just like, it's just kind of, I can't help myself. You can't help it. I can't help it. You literally just have to be yourself. Yeah. Otherwise, go on a scripted TV show. Totally. Yeah.

Yeah, which I would love to do. Right. I was like, that would be wanted to play some calls. Yeah, call me. I know you said about how like this reboot was like representing a new era of New York. Were you ever told like explicitly like what the network wanted this era to be? I think they just want they wanted like more of a representation of New York as it stood like as it stands now. Yeah.

And I think they wanted it to be less. I don't want to say sad. But like there was a lot of like bad shit. happening on the on legacy for a while yeah and it was just very intense and like hard to navigate and I think they just wanted it to like be refreshed yeah and lighter which is probably why our last season ending the way it ended was not their vibe right yeah that's what I was going to ask because the point of like the second season wrapped in February 2025 and then by May there was already rumors again about casting changes happening again because of that ending I mean and for those who

know what happened oh man it's like reliving a bad dream i'm sorry no it's okay there was a big fight between brin and uva and it ended up being said that uba knew about a sexually a sexually violent act that brin had gone through and that's why she was using certain phrases against her oh wow which is like quite the accusation yeah that is quite the accusation yeah wow and does that worked through now um i mean if i worked through no one is speaking to her like yeah so what can you tell us anything about like the rumors of new casting happening again i honestly they don't tell me anything that's what i've heard there they don't tell they don't tell me anything i know nothing so when would they start filming again i don't know i don't

even know all i know is i'm booked to go to bravocon okay that's all i know which is when that is next month oh fun it's actually coming up it's like literally a month have you been to bravo con before like it oh that's cool i went to like the main big bravo con in Vegas that they did and then actually we were announced at the first bravo con in new york then we did Vegas and then i actually went to they had like a mini bravo con in miami last year yeah which i did and now we're going again how do you feel about the fans i've gone every year actually i love the fans really make i mean bravo fans are amazing yeah they will ride or die for you yes and they will give you shit but they also like if something is really crappy like they really have your back

and I don't know seeing them in person is just like you realize that you're sharing these things in your life and they're connecting to either to me or to sigh or to like whoever it is in such a deep way because it it gives them kind of solace because they're not alone which honestly if I were a younger I mean when I was a young girl and I would watch things on TV that I related to I enjoyed it as well like I felt less alone in certain things so it is kind of a cool that's like the beauty of reality TV. I agree. I feel like I realize that when, you know, doing a live podcast or when you actually get to meet the people that are watching you and listening to you and like believing in you and supporting your businesses, you're like, oh my gosh. It's cool.

What I'm doing. It matters what I'm doing. Totally. And it's, yeah, and people really open up to you, I'm sure, and share stories that like of things that you've gone through that they've gone through. And you give them like a lot of hope and feelings of like to be brave, I guess. Yeah, it's a good feeling. It really is. I bet. Okay, let's take a little break and talk holiday sales for a second. We all love a good deal. Asher do. But I don't just splurge on anything. I want things that actually make a difference in my life. And that feel luxurious every single day. And that is why I love Bowling Branch. So not too long ago, I actually got their new king duvet cover and insert. And honestly, I will never go back to anything else. It's just high quality. It keeps me warm all night. And the best part is I can easily take off the duvet and just wash it any. time so it's practical and cozy. Everything from their signature sheets to blankets, throws, pillows, and duvets is made with the highest quality, 100% organic cotton. The sheets get softer with every wash. They're breathable and honestly just getting into those bad boys. Those sheets are just the best part of my day. I noticed a real difference from the first night and then it just really

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Because you're very loved. Oh, thank you. I mean, I don't know if it's even, I just would be like, why? Yeah. Like, what the hell? Yeah, give you a reason. And the worst part is they won't. Right, right.

I mean, I kind of feel like I'm very much someone who, when I start something, I like to finish it. So I kind of want to see this show through. Yeah, absolutely. I want to see where it goes. What do you think the biggest shock for you was with filming that you wouldn't have expected? I say this all the time because it's so true. I did not know how difficult logistics would be. Oh, tell me more.

Like just my life was so busy before, like with work and the kids and just my life. And all of a sudden you throw, oh, you're busy for four hours. You have a block. And I'm like, oh. but then I can't do like that or I can't do so you really have to reorient your life well plus then you have to like do you get glam done for yeah and that's another two hours which is another two hours glam and hair and then to get out of that and like taking off my makeup at night when I'm not fully glammed is such a job I know so it's a whole it just you just have to reorganize your life so you never had a moment of like

I might have made a mistake by joining the show you feel you're like happy about it the only time I felt that way was when something happened between me and Abe and I had like a moment of like how is this going to play out for my kids but then I was happy with how it played out but that was the only time where I was like I would never want to do something where I would be hurting them indirectly that's my biggest fear and concern you know of course as a parent I can imagine I feel like yeah do you think it helped or hurt your relationship because it might have brought you closer together after that or it actually did help yeah and also like it's neither here nor there it's just like

we kind of treat it like it's like just like its own thing it doesn't really it's not like it doesn't really care yeah he's not like that guy that's trying to be on the show all the time like he's there he's there to support me but it is nice it's not like it's not really his thing yeah doesn't really care that much I love that yeah I do too yeah I think it would be hard the other way it would be very hard the other way yeah and How long have you two been together? Oh my God. So long at this point, which is crazy.

I think like 15 years. Wow. Which is nuts. That is nuts. And we were not the two people you would ever think that we're going to get together early. Like, or not because of me and him, but just young. We wouldn't. Right.

Like I was very happy being single. He was very happy being single. Yeah. You had some wild 20s, didn't you? I was so crazy in high school and in my 20s that like, honestly, I was fine with it. Yeah. And we also, we met and it was like two best. friends that were like continuing to party and do everything together so it wasn't like oh let's settle down

yeah that never happened you just joined you just became best friends yeah we just kept going the craziness yeah that's kind of fun um i know we touch on this a little bit with the you know finale being rocking a lot of tension but where do you stand with everybody today like have you is there anyone you have not spoken to since the finale honestly i haven't spoken to brin like a little in the very beginning and that was totally it yeah but everyone else i speak to really and who do you consider like genuinely a friend because i know there's like friends on tv that you have but honestly i'm very i'm very close with jena like we are we've been very close from the beginning we still are very close i consider si a very good friend i consider uba a very good friend and jessel and i have become much closer

so really every i mean and raquel too yeah that's amazing yeah that's great yeah so if you could choose your dream cast moving forward who stays who goes oh i can't i plead the fifth on that one When I drink this. Too bad I didn't have some tequila there for you. I totally understand. By the way, it's on its way. It is? It's on its way.

I'm having a messenger. So. Oh, bless your little cotton socks. Thank you for that. Was there anything that was important about your life or relationship that you wish was in there that wasn't? Abe had a lot of things that he was like, why did they cut that out? Right. You know, I think more fun, like more of those moments where, because we are goofy and like my house is kind of goofy.

and that like a lot of times they keep the serious stuff in and I kind of wish like the fun stuff was in more yeah because you had a lot of serious things well I just had a step year you had a it's like the saying when it rains at pores is no joke at all like I think one of the most powerful parts of your season obviously I don't think it was the drama I think it was your real life happening while you're on camera like your mom undergoing breast cancer no same time as my dad No one knew about my dad. Oh, and no knew? So, like, he was sick and no one knew.

And I was, like, in such a way and on such thin ice because no one knew that that was going on at the same time. And you're so close with your family. I mean, my dad was also, like, my person. Yeah. You know how, like, you have a person, thank you. Yeah. Yeah, I do. My dad is also my person.

And I always try and put myself in those people's shoes because my best friend lost her dad, too. And same thing. And I was like, my dad's waiting for me in Nashville. when I land when I get home and I'm like it's such a special relationship to have that bond with your dad and I'm so sorry you had to lose that I'm I'm I know I'm like like he was the person that I'd be like I'm going to uh we did this before that summer where he passed but I'm like I'm going to L.A and he's like oh I'll come with you and he would just fly with me just to like just to be with me yeah you're lucky you know you can look back and I am you know that that special

relationship with the dad is you know it's I always I always don't I really want to, like, somehow hug every person out there who doesn't have that relationship with their dad. We call it Dead Dad Club. Dead Dad Club. Oh, you're saying that doesn't have a close relationship. Yeah, I agree. But also the Dead Dad Club I've heard about.

Yeah, have you. Because a lot of my friends are in that club, too, unfortunately. And I'm like, it is so sad to bond over something like that. Yeah. But at least, like, we have each other. I know. It's a whole thing. I know.

And how is your mom doing now? Great. Really. Yeah, she's great. Okay, I love that. Because, I mean, yeah, you had to film. Do you like that you have that on? film some of your last moments with your dad like that it's not know it was going to be my last

moments i guess so i had no idea he was going to pass it was it happened really out of nowhere he got pneumonia on a flight yeah and it just progressed everything oh that's that's just how dian keaton passed oh my gosh you know what it's no joke yeah get a flu like a pneumonia whatever i think he probably had the flu first yeah and it turns into pneumonia my gosh how old was he 70 so young and healthy and vibrant. I mean, God, what do you wish people knew about grief that maybe some people don't understand until you go through it? What I wish I knew. Yeah. And what I'm sure people need to know is that you've got to let yourself feel it. Yeah. And I didn't for a year. You tried to bottle it up or ignore it. I mean, I was pregnant. Yeah. Oh. So there was like a whole other layer where I think

subconsciously I was like, I went, I buried my dad. I came home and I was like, okay. Like we're so grateful had the best dad and like I just kind of put it away and you cannot because it really screwed me up this summer. Yeah. It all just came flooding through and I will every time. I couldn't ignore it anymore. My body like had a reaction and it was like hello. Like that's in there and you need to get it out which it's like it's kind of a crazy thing because you forget when you're like when life life's you know you kind of forget how connected the mind and the body is. Because life doesn't pause for you to grieve. Right. So it's then. trapped in your body unless you work through it but yeah it really is crazy I mean and that's why

people like around anniversaries of certain passings like my friend's been gone longer than I had her in my life and I my body still goes into a dark place around the time she died and I won't even realize it it's like you know how as a woman you're like at this point in my life how do I not know my periods coming and how do I not realize that this is PMS it's like I won't realize it and I'm like it's September 6th how wild Yeah. So it's like give yourself some grace around those times too. Yes. And allow yourself to feel it. And like speaking of people coming up to you and relating to things and like sharing stories and how you've helped them, you had an abortion conversation. Crazy. Right. Which is really incredibly powerful and I think helped so many women, you know, come forward with their own stories. But why was that important for you to share and thank you for sharing? Thanks for saying that. I feel like at the time I was becoming really concerned. about, I mean, I still am, about women in America and being able to, like, go get an abortion if they needed to, like, easily and safely.

And it just felt like if I don't talk about this, who, like, who am I? And I had never had the conversation with my dad, ever. So I told him on camera, and I can't tell you the outpouring of love. And then the beautiful thing was that I happened to just tell Jenna on the show, just like opening up over drinks. And she then told me that she had one. So it was like the spiral effect. And then all these women started writing to me and saying, I just told my parents.

I had never told them. You know, you made me feel less alone, like young girls that were going through it. So that was one of the best, honestly, I feel like scenes for me because of how many people it touched. Well, and you probably are, you have so much fear around saying it because it's meant to feel so taboo. I did for years. And then it's probably another one of those trapped things where you just got it off your chest and you've said it and to see I always say that vulnerability always creates connections so to see other people come forward and like share their stories yeah yeah that's powerful that's yeah I feel like it would

just not a lot of people I think would be like well does it reopen wounds but I don't think it would I mean or maybe very healing yeah healing I'm sure it's not easy to talk about it was really hard to talk about yeah but I know Sam Barry at glamour yeah so it felt like a safe space totally and it just felt really good to like just it's out like people now know yeah and then you you went and had your fourth baby yeah in March yes little Jack I love that name I love that name that's amazing so how are you functioning well he's sick right now so I feel so bad for him I know but you know what it's kind of a weird thing that it's like I already had three yeah now I have a fourth and it's really just like not that big of a deal it's almost like that's they even say that about the second

And so I can't imagine what it's like on the fourth. I think one to two is very hard. You do? Yeah, because all of a sudden you go from like a cute little thing that you bring around to like, oh, there's like a, once you, once you have two, you could just keep going. Yeah. That's how I feel about dogs. Yeah.

I'm like, I can have five. I could easily have five dogs. I love that. What do you think is totally overrated in the mom world? Overrated in the mom talking about your kids all the time? Like overrated. My friend, Kristen Cavaleri, said something once she was like, nobody loves your kids like you do nobody thinks your kids are as cute as you do just stop talking about your kids just stop yeah that's what she's

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Yeah, okay. Absolutely. Because we said once you have one. No. Keep going. But you got to share with your dad that you were pregnant with your fourth, right? Yes. Yeah.

That's special. It was. Okay. So going backwards a little bit and then we're going to talk about your book, which I'm excited about. You were just talking about how you had to live out some rough stuff with your marriage on camera. So how did you guys work through that? So I have to say, well, we are good at communication, I think, and especially at this point. but also one thing that he did that I really respected was we were going through it in real

time like that was a real thing happening and I snapped at him in a scene and he was like you know no one's going to know why you're snapping at me and you look just mean and I was like well I'm pissed at you like you just did this and I'm mad and he was like well do you want to share it do you want me to open because I don't mind and I was like wow and it almost was like not only to protect me being mean in that moment, but also it was like kind of his way of saying sorry because he's like, let's just like I did something wrong and I will take ownership. And I think that changed it for me. Like the fact that he wasn't afraid to like look good on. No kidding. You know what I mean? Yes. That's. And he was like whatever. Let's just do it. That is like the definition of not gaslighting

you. Right. Right. Filming that and and having that open conversation, I feel like to me, that's just like, thank you for sharing something real in a relationship. I mean, it's literally what had happened, you know, so. Yeah, there was no. Yeah. I know a lot of housewife stuff can be curated, drama. So that was a real moment. Yeah.

But do people have a misconception of your marriage or was that just the one thing? I think people think that we're pretty solid. Yeah. You know, and we are. Yeah. We are pretty solid. I mean, we have our things. Like, we had gotten to a fight last night.

Like, we have our things. Of course. But do you get over them quick? Lately, yes. Yeah. Like, we've learned. We don't have time to marinate in it. We used to be like, oh, like it was a whole thing.

I mean, we're both stubborn, strong people. So it's not, you know, it's not the easiest. There's not one person that's like, okay. Like, no, we're both like, no, we believe in what we're saying. Right. But we've definitely gotten better about just having a conversation and moving on. Speak about being real. This is so unfortunate for the man in the room, but I totally just got my period.

Oh, my God. So maybe I gave it to you because I have it. Yes. I might have. on my jacket. Some realness. Okay. Let's talk about your cookbook. Okay. So she's a host, an unbuttoned, an unbuttoned cookbook for elegant entertainment.

Yes. Entertaining. Entertaining. Entertaining. Coming out. Not just a cookbook. I love this because it's a family, like, legacy, culture, design, storytelling. Because I love, I actually love cookbooks.

Me too. And I love finding new recipes and I like experimenting in the kitchen. And I think it's so fun. And I love, there's this one. I was vegan, like, years and years ago for like two minutes. So hard. Oh, I couldn't do it. And I read this book called Eat Like You Give a F***, and it would swear at me during it. And it was so funny that I like, yeah. And so I like, I like that it's more than recipes in your book. You know, it's storytelling, culture, all of those things. What does it mean that this cookbook is not performative hostess culture? It's not buttoned up. Like literally, that's the best word. That's why we called it unbuttoned because it's just very casual. It's like I have a lot of elegant dinners. I have formal dinners, like people dress up, but it still has that feel. of you can come and go you can be easy it's not so serious and also hosting should be fun yes you know

like you should be enjoying it if you're not enjoying it don't host because back of the day i feel like grandmas and moms would be like you didn't even see them because they were just working so hard in the kitchen so hard and it's like so much more than that now you know it's so much more than that and also like people can help you yeah in my book i also say like if if you're pressed for time have everybody bring a dish there's nothing wrong with that like tell people what you need because they don't know yeah they'll just bring you alcohol which is fine too but like, which is always great, but like, you know, just tell them what you need. Yeah, that's my girlfriend who also loves cooking.

We've been doing family dinners on Monday night and I'll bring something or the next person will bring something. And it is. It's so fun. It's so fun. It always brings people together like eating and all that stuff. Food is is a connector. It really is.

We need that in this digital world. Like we need to be together more and that's why I encourage people to host more and has lots of tips and tricks that are easy that are simple, but also make a very, very big difference. Yeah, I feel like you've got a lot of like low stress, high impact hosting hacks that whatever of you can share with us. I mean, I have a whole chapter, make it happens on like how to do it. Like one that I'll say for if you want to have an everlasting brunch, which is what I call it, I love a long brunch. I'm so into like having everybody over drinking mimosa, whatever you want. I actually love to set up a cocktail bar. This is one of my tips where people can make their own

bloody marries and like they get to be, it's like an experiential thing. They get to be part of of it. But beyond that, always have like little nashy food out. If you want people to stay for a long time, have it out all day long. Switch it up. Like bring out little bowls of nuts and different things like that. The other thing is you should always have like little convening, you know, like little areas where people can sit together and congregate. So like by the bar, you have like a flower, like a little votive of flowers and you have like a music moment and a candle moment. And then so people know that that's like an area. So people can go into different little spots. lots. So many things. I purposely got in my house a circle table instead of a long table because I feel

like I also love hosting. That's why I'm really excited to get your book because I love hosting so much. And I'm always looking for like tips and tricks and especially like you said with the low stress, high impact. I love that. What is something that's like shockingly easy but so performs so well like with the holidays coming up? My turkey. Yeah. Which is literally the most I'm not even just saying I learned it for my grandmother. It is the most delicious turkey you will ever have, and it's not that hard to make. That's it. I just feel like turkey can be so overrated sometimes.

I know. People just feel like they need to have it as a staple. But like, if you got that recipe from your grandma, I'm believing you already that it's delicious. It literally falls off the bone. Yeah. There's like you cook it in rice. It is, it's called to beat. It's an Iraqi Middle Eastern dish.

Yum. Oh, I've had it. Yes. You have? Yes. Oh, my ex's family was, yeah. Yeah. What?

Yes. Oh my gosh. God. That's very rare that anyone ever says that to me. That's so, isn't it to live? People make it with chicken most of the time. Yes. But you can make it with turkey. I think I had it with chicken. Yeah. That's, that makes sense. Yeah. But my grandma used to do that with the turkey and then became turkey to beat. It's so good. What is your, like, grandparents' background? Like, where did your family come home? So I'm Israeli. Like my dad was born in Israel, but his parents, my mom's parents are from Iraq and my dad's parents are from Yemen. Do you have any hosting pet peeves? Yes. Like things people shouldn't do. Yeah. I don't like when people are like overly formal. And also I don't know how I feel about like the mixing up the table. What do you mean? Like if I'm going to a new dinner, you know how sometimes people mix? They like separate you from your partner and you're like, I don't know if I want to do. You're like, you're new. They try and like force a conversation with other. Like what if I don't want to sit next to that person? Like sometimes I don't like that. I just don't like overly stiff situations. Yeah. Mainly. I'm the same. You know? I'm like I'm always wondering how do you make it less stiff. when you're hosting more drinks last thing is what is the biggest mistake people make when hosting in their home I guess it's kind of the same thing as pet peeves the biggest mistake um is that they don't do it yeah because they're scared too yeah also not like I don't know I don't know well I think pet peeves is kind of similar as like the mistakes probably the same just let people sit where they want to sit

right just like chill lighting knows everything oh lighting that's a good one and also mistake no music oh gotta have music when people don't have music on I'm like what is wrong with you yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't get it. And that happened sometimes. Host the same for dummies. It's like, hello. Put the music on.

And also, it should be good. So there's that too. What is your favorite part of the cookbook? Like, what are you excited for people to see? I have a lot of storytelling in there that's really meaningful. And, you know, like real experiences that I went through. I really spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my maternal grandmother. She, I always told the story because it's so funny when she was, she died at 95.

And when she was like 90, she couldn't go up and down the stairs anymore. So there was like a small room that led out to the backyard in her house, but it was right off the kitchen and she just lived there. So she literally lived in the kitchen. And all she would do is go cook and then go back. Like that's, that was her whole life. So there's a lot of that. I'm also excited for people to try this food because it's, I mean, my husband's half Cuban and he's Turkish and Greek. So I have Greek. I have Turkish. I have Cuban. I have Middle Eastern. I have like it's just such a medley, but it all works together. I make a lot of those dishes on like a Shabbat dinner. So they all work together. And I'm excited for people to try, like, this delicious food. Yeah, because I feel like that's becoming a new thing. I went to, oh my gosh, what's that restaurant I went to last night? Shuket. Ooh. Yeah, I know Shuket.

It was amazing. Unbelievable. Oh, wow. I love the only certain food. Like so worth the, like, 4 a.m. garlic burps that were happening. I was like, that was about food. What did you order? Everything.

Everyone love that. Wham. Steak, chicken. Amazing. Hummus, this bread that they have that people travel all over the world from. it was like this coffee oh my god i don't even know what i would have to look at it i had this squash dish oh it was everything was and i had it with orange wine oh my gosh i like orange wine i like i want to go again yeah that sounds really good i want to go again okay so obviously you housewives

motherhood how do you say mescal because i say it different than you mescal mescal you're saying it right um cookbook loss love legacy like you have lived 10 lives crazy and say what is the next era for erin so i know you won dancing with the stars yes congrats thank you How cool. Thank you. That's a dream of mine because my dad was, I don't even watch it, but my dad literally was obsessed. Was he?

He's like this big six five like macho man, but he loved dancing. Oh, I'm obsessed. Okay, we got to get you on. I know. I want to do it. I mean, I like don't know that I would win, but I'm very competitive, so I will try. And also, I just feel like it's such a cool challenge. Like, what a different experience.

Honestly, even if you spent one week in that ballroom, it would change your life. Really? Wow. Yeah. Yeah. It's so cool that you won. I'm so I get, it's my. Can we just talk about that?

I'd talk about it every day. It's so freaking cool. It's in my bio and Instagram. I'll never change it because I will find a way to tell anybody in life that I won a ball. I think it's, I'm like very impressed. It was the hardest, hardest work. Was it?

Most rewarding. I danced growing up ballet. So I was like, I felt like it's where my like heart is the happiest is when I'm dancing. And I'm so excited because I get to go back and dance on November 11th for the 20th anniversary. And I'm like. I'm going to watch. I bawled my eyes out when they asked me because I was like, I would do it. anything i'll pay you to come back to the ballroom i just it's a special show is a really special show

yeah okay like no one can prepare you for how hard it is and the hours scary but let's do that i'm that's my new mission in life i love that for your next chapter thank you so much for coming on and tell everybody where they can find you in the cookbook oh my cookbook you can get on amazon at barns and oval anywhere please come on my book tour yes tell where they can find the book tour it's actually on my instagram arra vina leachie but amanda hers you know not skinny, but not back. She's interviewing me at the Strand. Cool.

Talk about the book. And then we have a big cocktail party after. Fine. And I'm going to like have some winners get some tickets to that because that'll be fun. Yeah. That's awesome. Everything's basically on your Instagram. Did you say that already?

Everything's on my Instagram. I pinned it. I pinned it. I pinned the whole, I'm going to Jersey. It's at Aaron Dana Leachie. Okay. I think the CT ones already sold out. We have something on unsubscribed already sold.

Tickets are selling out. So get on it. Get on it. Amazing. Thank you so much. I'm also giving away tickets to BravoCon. oh yeah how on your instagram i'm not in new york yes send an email to julia at arundane alici and i'm giving i'm just going to do like a raffle oh great i did it last time and it was

great idea it was nice for people like i just want to give them away yeah people love that stuff amazing well thank you again it's so nice for having you you're so lovely a movie collections from paranormal activity, the ring. You will die in seven days. Scream. And from dusk till dawn. This is my kind of place. And don't miss the man-made nightmares in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or the world ending chaos in 28 days later. There's something in the blood. All the scares. All for free. Pluto TV. Stream now,

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