Bachelor 22 - Arie Luyendyk Jr - All Blogs - NO Discussion - *Sleuthing - Spoilers*

Luvstruck wrote:https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/chris-harrison-blogs-bachelor-season-22-premiere-030450708.html

Chris Harrison blog on Arie's first episode.

The Bachelor: Arie Luyendyk Jr. Defends Krystal After She 'Rubbed the Girls the Wrong Way

Arie Luyendyk Jr. vied for Emily Maynard‘s heart on season 8 of  The Bachelorette. Now, he’s on his own journey to find love on the latest season of  The Bachelor — and he’s blogging about it exclusively for PEOPLE! Follow Arie on Twitter at @ariejr.

​As surreal as it was to be announced as The Bachelor, watching it all back on TV is a whole other experience. It’s been five years since I last did this, and I totally forgot what it felt like. Is that really how my voice sounds? Did I really just say that excitement excites me? Being able to watch the first episode with you guys was so fun, and I loved reading the comments and tweets — I really appreciate all the support.

​As much as I loved the craziness of meeting all the women, I couldn’t wait to get started with the dates. This is why I was here: to really get to know the women. Waking up after that first night, I was equal parts hopeful and overwhelmed. I realized I was now suddenly dating so many beautiful, intelligent and creative women at the same time, but just because I was The Bachelor doesn’t mean that dating 21 people would be easy. Trust me, dating so many amazing people is very, very exciting, but it’s also humbling and kind of scary. Would one of them be my person? Will I fall in love? Will they fall in love? On The Bachelorette, I had a singular purpose: to figure out if Emily was right for me. Now, I had to split my focus between so many people, and try to leave my heart open to them all.

Like I said last week, now that I was in the driver seat (yes, that’s another driver pun), I’d be doing things differently. That started with the dates. Big fans of the show probably know that we usually kick things off with big group dates, but I really wanted to start my journey with a one-on-one.

From the moment I met Becca K., I knew she was really sincere about being on this journey. Just because I was now Bachelor doesn’t mean I didn’t have insecurities too, and that first night, she made me feel so comfortable. On a night where everyone’s nerves, especially mine, were out of control, she stood out as someone I could be myself around. To me, that’s so important in a relationship. It didn’t hurt that she is also stunningly beautiful.

For our first date, I really wanted to spoil Becca K. She seemed so humble and gracious and kind and that made me want to treat her like she’s never been treated before. By bringing in designer Rachel Zoe, I was trying to create an experience that she’d never forget. Becca was breathtaking in all those dresses — each one was more gorgeous than the last. It really felt like we were in a movie. (The part of the movie that they didn’t show was me sitting downstairs by myself eating snacks while Becca changed.)

That evening, I still remember the mesmerizing glitter of the dress Becca wore. I love that she was able to take home a piece of the date. I may have given her some dresses and some Louboutins, but I’ll always feel like what she gave me was so much more valuable. I remember being in her shoes on my first date with Emily. There’s so much you want to say, but you’re not sure how much you want to reveal. It’s such a different way of dating. It’s exciting and scary to open up so much so early, and I’m so glad she felt like she talk to me not just about her past relationship but also about her dad. I’m really close with my father, so it’s hard for me to imagine going through what she went through. She’s such a strong person. It takes a special woman to still have such a positive attitude about something so difficult, and I’m so grateful we learned so much about each other on a first date. It’s moments like those that remind me that this experience can lead to something real and lasting.

​Now, I know, I know bringing someone home to Scottsdale for a first date is a pretty big deal. Trust me, bringing someone to meet my parents isn’t normally something I’d do on a first date. Hi, I’m Arie, I drive for a living, oh and here is my dad! But, being on The Bachelor is about pushing limits and building relationship more quickly than you would normally. This journey isn’t just about the women getting out of their comfort zones, it was about me doing it as well. And, as important as it is for the women to open up to me, it’s important that I do the same.

​From our first interaction, I knew that Krystal was beautiful and had a calming, centering energy. I wanted to know so much more about her and also knew that she’d handle meeting my family with poise and grace. I loved our day together. Yeah, showing home movies is embarrassing, but it’s one thing for Krystal to see Arie: The Bachelor, and a whole other for her to see a 6-year-old without front teeth dancing to Michael Jackson in pajamas. It made me feel good to see how interested Krystal was in that part of my life.

One thing you didn’t see is that Krystal and I brought my dog, Bastian, back with us. It was his first time on a plane — I hope he doesn’t get too used to flying private. As he fell asleep on Krystal’s lap, she told me about her dogs, Chuckie and Wayne. Bastian is usually a pretty good judge of character, so that was a good sign.

​When we arrived at dinner, we both took a second to admire the architectural marvel that is The Bradbury Building, where they shot one of the most famous scenes from Bladerunner. As we sat under an immense marble ceiling, I couldn’t wait to learn more about Krystal. I knew that Krystal was impressive, but during dinner, I learned how she became the beautiful, strong woman who sat before me. I was touched by her vulnerability and how, despite her difficult upbringing, she was able to build an enviable life with a positive outlook. I knew that there were many layers to this woman and that there was still so much more to discover. As we walked to the LA Theater and saw our names on the marquee (which was so cool), I couldn’t help but wish that with all she had given me that day her name was at the top of the marquee instead of mine. Also, can we talk about Connor Duermit for a minute? THAT GUY CAN SING. Every time I listen to his song, it brings me back to that amazing first date with Krystal.

​After my one-on-ones, I was ready for my first big group date: The Demolition Derby. Going on a date with 15 women is intense, especially when they’re ramming cars into one another. As an IndyCar driver, I have spent my entire career trying not to crash my car, so it was awesome to finally get to bang one up.

Watching the women decorate their cars with everything from fangs to polka dots to roses was a total trip. The cars that said “Thanks Emily” and “Back That A– Up” made me laugh out loud. I know the date was technically a competition, but it was never about who was the best driver. For me, a date like this is about seeing the women have a good time and learning about their personalities.

I know Annaliese’s bumper-car fear may be weird to a lot of people, but I know that we all have weird, triggering fears from childhood. Sometimes I take for granted that some people have fears with cars. It bummed me out, because I just wanted all the women to have a fun, exciting day, so I did my best to comfort her. When we started the derby, I put my car between hers and the other girls, but very quickly I saw her ramming her car into others full-force. It was amazing to see her overcome her fear.

Watching this episode, I finally got to see my good friend Robby Gordon’s commentary with Chris. All their banter was so funny. But, Chris, I did hear your jab about me not winning any races. Why don’t you put down your golf clubs someday and meet me on a track?!

That night, I was excited to spend quality time with everyone off of the track and out of the mud. Like the first night we met, Chelsea pulled me first at the afterparty. Reading a lot of your tweets, I know that Chelsea got flack for pulling me twice, but from my perspective I didn’t really see any of the drama unfolding. All I saw was a beautiful woman eager to spend time with me – and I liked that. Learning about her son, Sammy, was so humbling. She left behind so much to meet me, and her aggressiveness just further proves how seriously she’s taking getting to know me.

​I had so many great conversations that night. My chemistry with Bekah M. was off the charts. I was apparently able to make up for the “excitement makes me excited” line. I can’t say I’ve ever dated anyone like Bekah. She’s so smart, charming, and charismatic, and as far as our kiss … well, I feel like the kiss says it all.

I was absolutely floored by Seinne. That such a worldly, cool, gorgeous, Ivy League-educated woman would spend this time with me put the whole experience into perspective. I found myself wondering if she was totally out of my league. I didn’t want our conversation to end. That’s why I knew she was right choice for the rose.

​Going into the cocktail party, I found myself worried about how little I knew about so many of the women. How could I possibly know who to send home? Watching it all back, that’s why I totally understand Bibiana’s frustrations. Being on the other side, I know that you desperately want to see if you have a connection with the person you’re dating. You’ve sacrificed so much to be here, and you just want your fair shot at love. I also understand Krystal wanting to get more time. As much as it may have rubbed the girls the wrong way, we had just had an amazing date. and it’s difficult to not be able to spend time with one another. I really wish I had known how much Bibiana was struggling that week, though. She’s so vibrant and interesting and I wish I would’ve known she needed a little extra support.

​The rest of that night was a fantastic blur. Some things you didn’t see were Marikh teaching me how to smize (smile with your eyes), Jacqueline feeding me different aphrodisiacs, and Lauren B. reading me a really beautiful letter she wrote. Even though my time with the women is sometimes so short, we can still have fun and make meaningful connections.

​The second rose ceremony was harder than the first. Once again, I really had to go with my instincts and ask myself, Can I see myself potentially marrying this person? Do I think what we currently have could eventually turn into love? It was shocking when Jenny tried to leave without saying goodbye. I have to be honest, after watching everything and seeing things I hadn’t seen that night, I know I made right choice. She’s a really great woman who has a lot to offer, but when she said she was upset about saying goodbye to her new friends and not me, I knew my instincts were correct. I feel so grateful to be The Bachelor, but my fear is some of the women are here for the friends or the experience and not because of me. In moments like that, I feared that this whole thing may not work and that I put my life on pause for nothing.

​And those fears don’t go away. I came here for one reason: to find my future wife. I kept asking myself: Is she here? How do I know? I always knew this whole thing would be difficult, but I didn’t realize just how hard it would be. And it kicks into high gear fast. As I start falling for some women, other women start falling apart. I hoped that the flare-ups this week were just a blip, but this was just the beginning. Next week, a surprising guest from Bachelorette history makes an epic return, and there will be an unexpected goodbye. Just a couple weeks in and there’s already way more romance, drama, and tears than I had ever expected. You won’t want to miss it.

See you next week!

Best, Arie

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' week 2

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! We’re only one week in and sparks are already flying, and I don’t just mean at the demolition derby! In recent years, The Bachelor and Bachelorette have started off with two smaller group dates and one solo date in the first week, but this year we decided to switch things up and let Arie have two solo dates and one large group date. As you can imagine, there are advantages and disadvantages to both ways of doing things. If you have two smaller group dates, you get more time with every single person, but if you have two one-on-one dates, you get to know people more intimately faster, and can make decisions with more information. The two smaller group dates also make the cocktail party at the end of the week more relaxed, as everyone has had more time throughout the week. As you can tell, all of this is really complicated and just like everything in love, there’s no “right way.” You can only do your best and try to find the person you’ve been looking for your whole life.

And that’s exactly what Arie is looking for: The person he’s been waiting for his whole life. Arie is a race car driver, but really he’s also a huge fan of anything with a motor, so when we started the season he asked us to put him behind the wheel of as many vehicles as possible, so obviously a motorcycle date was perfect for him to get his journey to love started. Becca K. got the first date and as you can see they had a tremendous amount to talk about. Obviously, Becca K. got some great gifts that day, from earrings to shoes (and she got to keep them!) but the date didn’t really start until the two of them got to sit down and just talk to each other. Becca shared a lot about her life and so did Arie. By the end of the night I think Arie, maybe for the first time, was really hopeful that this kind of dating would work for him again. The last time he found love was with Emily, so it only feels right that the next time he finds love (and hopefully the last) will be with us as well.

The second one-on-one date went to Krystal and it was a really ambitious day, even for The Bachelor. Taking a quick day trip to Scottsdale and back, and making it home in time for a romantic dinner and a concert makes for a very long day and night, but it was absolutely worth it. It was really important to Arie to involve his day-to-day life in all of this. Introducing his family, his home, and his life to the women was really important. Krystal may have a complicated relationship with her family, but she is open and looking to build her own family. After her first date with Arie, it’s honestly looking like that may be on its way to happening.

The group date was a doozy. I don’t think we have ever put together a more complex group date than this one. Arie is a driver and this date was a perfect way for him to show off some of his skills. The women, other than Annaliese, were all unbelievably excited to get in their cars and start bashing things. And even Annaliese, once she got behind the wheel, treated the car like a bulldozer, plowing into as many other cars as possible. Every single safety precaution you can imagine was taken, but there were still quite a few bumps and bruises the next day, but everyone was just so excited to have had the chance to participate. Seinne really came out of nowhere and took the trophy for the day. But it wasn’t her driving, it was her personality that got her the rose at night. I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of Seinne over the coming weeks.

At the cocktail party, things started to take a turn. Obviously, because of the size of the group date, many women didn’t have enough time with Arie, so tensions were running high. The jealousy doesn’t really get started until people begin developing feelings, and after the first week, the feelings are starting to grow quickly. Next week, things are going to be even crazier than ever and the bubbling tension beneath the surface is finally going to boil over. Do not miss it!

jashfan wrote:https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/rachel-lindsay-blogs-the-bachelor-i-literally-screamed-at-the-tv/

Rachels blog about last nights Bachelor episode..not sure if this is the right place to post this..

Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Explains Why He Didn't Kiss Annaliese: 'I Couldn't Lead Her On'

ARIE LUYENDYK JR. January 16, 2018 01:22 PM

Arie Luyendyk Jr. vied for Emily Maynard‘s heart on season 8 of  The Bachelorette. Now, he’s on his own journey to find love on the latest season of The Bachelor — and he’s blogging about it exclusively for PEOPLE! Follow Arie on Twitter at @ariejr.

My first week of dates left me eager and excited. It all felt like a crazy dream. Did we really just meet Rachel Zoe? Did I actually introduce someone to my parents? Did 15 beautiful women that I am currently dating really crash cars into me? The dates were mind-blowing in terms of grandeur but, more importantly, they were where I started making strong connections. Going into the next week, I couldn’t wait to see which relationships grew, as I was feeling more confident than ever that one of these women could be my future wife.

As I got to know some of the women faster than others, I realized just how different being the Bachelor was from being one of the guys on The Bachelorette. Trust me, being on The Bachelorette wasn’t easy (it was very hard going so long without seeing Emily), but back then I only had to focus on one relationship. Here, with so many amazing women, I had to compartmentalize my feelings and go into each date with an open mind and open heart. I promised myself at the beginning of this journey to give relationships a chance to develop at different speeds.

The GLOB (Gorgeous Ladies of Bachelor) date was such an epic way to kick off the week. I don’t know anything about wrestling, so thankfully we had two of the original GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) wrestlers to show us the ropes. Ursula Hayden, also known as the Farmer’s Daughter, and Angelina Altishin, known as Little Egypt, were amazing teachers. Watching it all back, it was tough to see how much their intimidation effected Tia and Bibiana. I understand their fears and frustrations. Like Bekah M. said, it was all supposed to be part of the fun and theatrics of wrestling, but trying a new sport in front of a live audience is already really scary. On top of that, wrestling is hard. You only saw one of my failed somersaults on the show, but trust me, there were so many more. Seeing the amount of hard work that goes into learning just a couple moves makes me respect the women of GLOW that much more.

Watching the women get their costumes was one of the early highlights of being on The Bachelor. The costumes and props ranged from sexy to downright hilarious. I know some of the women weren’t initially thrilled with their outfits, but watching them embrace their alter egos was such a fun part of the day. Maquel’s Lunch Lady costume may not have been the most glamorous, but she really owned that character! Watching her slam Bekah M. with her lunch tray made the entire audience scream with laughter. That’s what these crazy group dates are all about — having fun with the weird, extreme activities we do. At the end of the day, I obviously don’t care if my future wife can wrestle. I do care, though, that she can embrace life and have fun in all situations.

Being the Bachelor means that I also need to embrace the craziness, though in this situation I wish that didn’t mean wrestling a professional. I mean, have you seen Kenny “Pretty Boy Pit Bull” King‘s muscles?  Watching him on Rachel [Lindsay]‘s season of The Bachelorette, I always had a lot of respect for the guy, but now I know just how much goes into this career. After he lifted me over his head the first time, I was pretty sure I was going to die in the ring. That would truly make this the most dramatic season yet. Race car driving is intense and I live for the adrenaline, but this is a whole different beast. Plus, my alter ego, the Kissing Bandit, is more of a lover than a fighter. Thankfully, Kenny was an amazing wrestler and made sure that I didn’t die. I think he also probably let me win? Perhaps one day I can do the same for you on the racetrack, Kenny!

Watching the women get their costumes was one of the early highlights of being on The Bachelor. The costumes and props ranged from sexy to downright hilarious. I know some of the women weren’t initially thrilled with their outfits, but watching them embrace their alter egos was such a fun part of the day. Maquel’s Lunch Lady costume may not have been the most glamorous, but she really owned that character! Watching her slam Bekah M. with her lunch tray made the entire audience scream with laughter. That’s what these crazy group dates are all about — having fun with the weird, extreme activities we do. At the end of the day, I obviously don’t care if my future wife can wrestle. I do care, though, that she can embrace life and have fun in all situations.

Being the Bachelor means that I also need to embrace the craziness, though in this situation I wish that didn’t mean wrestling a professional. I mean, have you seen Kenny “Pretty Boy Pit Bull” King‘s muscles?  Watching him on Rachel [Lindsay]‘s season of The Bachelorette, I always had a lot of respect for the guy, but now I know just how much goes into this career. After he lifted me over his head the first time, I was pretty sure I was going to die in the ring. That would truly make this the most dramatic season yet. Race car driving is intense and I live for the adrenaline, but this is a whole different beast. Plus, my alter ego, the Kissing Bandit, is more of a lover than a fighter. Thankfully, Kenny was an amazing wrestler and made sure that I didn’t die. I think he also probably let me win? Perhaps one day I can do the same for you on the racetrack, Kenny!

The women’s wrestling matches were everything from weird, to hilarious, to — dare I say it? — arousing. Marikh and Lauren B.’s wrestling looked more like a sexy slow dance than a fight, but I wasn’t complaining. All the women really hammed it up for the crowd and after all the drama earlier, I was so happy to see Bibiana and Tia really embrace the day. But before we move on, I have to point out one more thing you missed… Chris Harrison breaking a chair over Kenny’s head, GLOW style! Sad you guys missed it, but the story shall now live on in infamy.

The after party that night was at the Caravan Outpost in Ojai. I LOVED this place. Seeing it on screen really doesn’t do it justice. I was floored by how beautiful and rustic it was, and I’ve already cleared my calendar to bring friends back sometime this summer.

Emotionally, this evening was really wonderful — I remember this being the first night that I really built on the relationships I was starting. The first week of dates, especially the group dates, was mostly about introductions and learning the basics. Now that we had that out of the way, I was getting to know the women on a deeper level and was starting to see if our relationships could last. I was feeling comfortable now, and was so excited to see where the next few weeks were going to take me.

One of the wildest parts of watching the episodes with you guys is seeing what’s going on between the women. I remember at this point sensing some tension amongst them, but being unsure of who or what was the cause. Watching it back, it’s obvious that Krystal was rubbing the women the wrong way. From my perspective, I was flattered by her aggressive approach. It felt like she truly put our relationship first. Also — and I know this from Emily’s season — it’s really hard to go from an early one-on-one date to a group date. After having so much alone time, it’s difficult watching the person you’re falling for spend so much time dating other people. Yes, you know that’s just part of being on the show, but actually experiencing it is way harder than anyone realizes. On the other hand, I totally get why the women were a little annoyed. They’re all trying to get time with me, and I think maybe her approach could have been more finessed.

I love that Bibiana felt like she could come to me with her frustrations about Krystal and the other women — I just also wish that we had been able to use our time to get to know each other better. Group dates can be really intense, but my hope was always that the girls would be able to ignore the weirdness of all dating me at the same time and focus on OUR relationship. Tia did a really amazing job of putting that all aside and really opening up to me about her feelings about us.

With each and every date, Bekah M. continued to impress me. She’s able to be vulnerable and open and sexy. Our chemistry was truly off the charts and, on top of that, our conversation was phenomenal. Every time we talked, I learned so much about her, about our potential as partners and about myself. This is why I gave her the group date rose.

My first really hard goodbye came on my only one-on-one of the week. After the intensity of the wrestling, I was so excited a relaxing, intimate date. This date was so much more my speed. I’ve only wrestled once, but I drink wine often, and really appreciate a good cabernet. Besides racing and real estate, wine is probably the thing I know the most about.

Going into the date, I didn’t really know Lauren S. very well, but I knew she was attractive, mature, and kind. Taking her to Hall Wines felt like the perfect date because we’d be alone in a beautiful location, and would have plenty of time to really get to know one another. Lauren S. is a great woman with so much to offer, but as the day went on, I realized that the connection and chemistry were missing. I really felt like she just didn’t let me in. Even though I knew saying goodbye was for the best, this one felt very personal. I really wanted it to work, but I knew even with time, I could feel she wasn’t the one for me and that being decisive was best for us both. After Lauren left, I listened, alone, to a beautiful orchestra, reflecting on how many hard goodbyes laid ahead.

This really was a week of showing the women things that I love. First it was wine, and now it was Bastian! After Krystal and I brought Bastian back from Scottsdale, I knew we had to incorporate him into at least one date. He’s such a big part of my life and such a good judge of character. Not only was he great with the women, but he was also amazing in the dog show. I know we didn’t see him perform in the episode, but he was the only dog that nailed all his tricks. I always knew Bastian could be a show dog!

It was a bummer that Annaliese had a difficult time with dogs, just like she had with bumper cars. I was hoping she’d finally get to enjoy herself on a date. I get it, though — some people have fears surrounding animals. I was just happy to see she could embrace her crappy role (of the pooper scooper) and enjoy the day without getting too scared.

Here’s a fun easter egg from the dog show: You can see Brittany in the background playing various props in the scenes, like her excellent work in the role of lamp. Also, can we talk about how cool it was to have Fred Willard from Best in Show to commentate on our little dog show? He was so funny and kind, and once again I was totally starstruck.  

As much and I loved hanging with Bastian, I was really excited to get to the Reserve to spend more quality time with the women.  Someone who you haven’t seen much of thus far is Jenna, but just know that she is fantastic. Have you ever met someone who could always make you laugh? She’s so funny, light-hearted, charismatic, quirky and sexy. I’ve never met anyone like Jenna before.

It was nice to see Becca K. again after our one-on-one. Like I said earlier, I know it can be hard to be on a group date after a one-on-one, but that evening proved we hadn’t lost our spark and were continuing to build on our already amazing foundation. And Chelsea was really amazing during the day portion of the date — her mama bear side really shined through with the dogs. That night, she really opened up to me and I started to see more of her than Chelsea, the super aggressive woman who pulls me aside first, or Chelsea, the mom. That night she reminded me why I find her so confident, kind and sexy.

I entered the cocktail party knowing by the end of the night I’d have to say a couple hard goodbyes. It was important to me to pull Seinne aside first because she didn’t have a date that week. Sometimes I don’t put women on dates because I already have so much confidence in them and I need to give other relationships a chance to grow. After last week, I knew how much I liked Seinne. She’s so beautiful, fun, smart and worldly. I missed her during the week and spending time with her was a great way to start the night. One thing you didn’t see was that she used part of that time to teach me some yoga. After a long week, I did my best to not just stay in child’s pose.

Ah, this was also the night of the infamous daybed. Bibiana, if you’re reading this, I’m so sorry about the mixup! You truly created an amazing setup and picked the best spot in the house. That’s why all the girls and I wanted to use it! It’s such a bummer watching back and realizing you put so much thought and energy into creating it, only to not be able to use it first.

One of the most memorable conversations of the night was with Bekah M. At the cocktail party (on the infamous daybed) she really cut to my core. I was astonished how someone could know me so well so fast — and would be bold enough to call me out. As I said in the moment, she’s really… kinda nailin’ the… nailin’ the… nailed it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?! All I can say is that when you push past my lack of verbal expression is that Bekah M. clearly blows me away.

There were lots of amazing moments that night. This was the first time sparks really started to fly with Lauren B. I had been interested in her since the first night, but hadn’t had much time to grow that relationship. I also really enjoyed my time with Tia. What better way to show her I was thinking about her than to bring the south to Southern California? I still prefer red wine to moonshine, but I loved getting to hang on the hay bales and talk about our feelings.

One of the more difficult parts of watching this episode back is seeing Annaliese feeling so neglected and so hurt. Annaliese is amazing, and I really felt a connection with her the first night. I thought we had really great potential. But, by this time, I really didn’t feel the chemistry. I know that the women left a lot behind to come meet me, and I really promised myself that I wouldn’t lead any of them on. As soon as I was 100 percent sure someone wouldn’t be a long-term partner, I knew I had to say goodbye. That’s why I couldn’t kiss Annaliese, and why I ultimately had to say goodbye. As much as being rejected can hurt, I couldn’t lead her on.

As up and down as the weeks can be, the most difficult evenings are always the rose ceremonies. It’s something you never really get used to. After a couple weeks of dates, saying goodbye is only getting harder. I’ve really started to get to know these women and, even if they’re not for me, they’re amazing and I don’t want to hurt them. Bibiana is so beautiful, strong, sassy and hilarious. I knew that she wasn’t my future wife, but that didn’t make it easy to see her go. I really wish her the best in finding the love that she deserves.

With every difficult decision, I knew I was getting closer to the happily-ever-after I came into this journey looking for. Be sure to tune in next week, because as I get closer to finding love things get more dramatic than ever. I thought that as we settled in, the drama and tears would stop, but I was very wrong. Next Monday, we head north to Lake Tahoe for one of the craziest weeks yet. One woman’s shocking revelation has me questioning our future, and there’s a devastating exit that leaves another woman going home to her family. Over the next few weeks, watch as fights unfold, romance heats up and I start to fall for multiple women. Though we’ve made it a few weeks in, the journey is far from over. Thanks for reading.

Best, Arie

The Bachelor airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' Week 3

Chris Harrison
TV Host
Yahoo TV January 16, 2018

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation. Now, with Arie’s season in full swing, we hope you can see what we love about him. He’s down to earth, successful, and obviously ready to find his other half and start a family. With the desire to find a partner comes the responsibility to say goodbye to relationships that are not part of that journey. This was a big week for unexpected departures, with both Annaliese and Lauren S. going home sooner than anyone thought. Every Bachelor is different and handles these things in his own way. Is this a sign of things to come for Arie, or will his decisiveness wane as the decisions become more difficult? Only one way to find out.

The week started with a date that really had the potential to bring out a lot of personalities while simultaneously checking something off of everyone’s bucket list. I think so many people grew up on the fun of wrestling and had fantasies of getting into the ring, and having some of the ladies of GLOW help us out was a dream day. On top of that, there was no way we could do a wrestling date without inviting Kenny Layne from last season. He was a fan favorite for a lot of reasons, and it was great to have him back and spend a little bit of time with him. As much fun as we were having, things started to go south for some of the women as they were having less fun than they expected. I don’t think any of us were exactly certain how intense the women would be, but it became clear quickly that there was no messing around allowed! Wrestling is a tough sport, and not everyone has the personality type to transform themselves into a smack-talking professional.

Tia won the day by overcoming her setbacks and taking control of the situation, but Bekah M. took home the rose at night. There is an electricity between her and Arie that everyone could feel, but I think people were also starting to wonder if the age disparity would be problematic for either of them. Many people have been wondering how old Bekah is exactly, and next week they will find out. Age is such a tough thing, though. People really do mature and grow at different rates, and while age is definitely a good indicator of maturity, it’s certainly not the only one. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time this conversation comes up, though.

The second date of the week was the only one-on-one date. Group dates are wonderful and illuminating, but the one-on-one dates are the time when Arie is hoping to really take large leaps forward in his relationships. Unfortunately, unlike last week, things really did not go as planned for Lauren S. If I had to guess, I think more than anything it was just the pressure that got to her and caused her energy to be off. There was nothing wrong with Lauren S., obviously, but there was a disconnect in the way that her and Arie were speaking. Somehow they just didn’t seem to be able to get on the same page. She was in her head, and then he got in his head, and then that made her get even further into her head. It was a bit of a downward spiral, and though I know there is definitely no bad blood between these two, I think the night ended up being a disappointment for both of them. Both of them were open and honest and put their hearts on the line, and at the end of the night they both went home empty-handed.

The third date. Well, what is there to say about the third date? It was a total mess. Arie is a big dog lover, and a dog-dad to Bastian, so what could go wrong with a dog date? Well, as it turns out, just about everything. I don’t know if was the nerves or the venue or the crowd, but things just couldn’t seem to go right for the ladies and the dogs they were trying to corral. Even with all the commotion, it was pretty incredible that everyone had a pretty good time. I think the biggest treat of the day was having Fred Willard with us to host. Let me tell you, he was twice as funny as you can even imagine. We had a great time, the women had a “interesting” experience, and, most important, no dogs were harmed in the filming of this date.

Chelsea continued to cement herself as a frontrunner by getting the group date rose, making this two out of three early roses. So far, she’s had to stand in a rose ceremony without a rose only once. That takes a lot of the pressure off. And pressure is exactly what Bibiana and Annaliese were feeling over the course of that third cocktail party. I feel bad for Bibiana. She just couldn’t catch a break. Sometimes you just end up with bad luck, and your relationship never even has a chance to get off the ground. The good news is Bibiana is strong, and I have a feeling you’ll be seeing more of her soon. The same goes for Annaliese, who seemed to also suffer the curse of bad luck and bad timing. I respect her for knowing what she wanted and for going after it, just as I respect Arie for being honest with her when it would have been much easier to just let her go home at the rose ceremony.

The dates in Los Angeles are over, and it’s time to hit the road. We are going to some of the most beautiful and romantic places on earth this season, and we’ll start next week in Lake Tahoe. You’re definitely not going to want to miss it! See you next Monday!

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' Episode 4

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! Our exciting trip around the world with Arie has just begun, and there’s no better place than South Lake Tahoe to get back into the wilderness. As you can see, this week is really when things started to become more serious, and more dramatic. At this point, everyone has spent some quality time with Arie, and as a result, the competition for his time, energy, and attention is becoming more fierce.

The first date of the week went to Seinne. She’s kind of been a frontrunner so far, with a group date rose in the second week, and Arie has really talked her up in several of their conversations, noting in particular how smart and together she seems. In some ways, I think Seinne brings up some of Arie’s insecurities. Going into this whole thing after five years, Arie had some legitimate concerns that the women he liked might not like him back. He’s actually quite humble, and his humility is one of the things I think people find surprising about him. It was only fitting that at dinner, Seinne brought up some of her own fears and insecurities, and Arie was able to help put some of those to rest. Seinne was a little more skeptical than some of the other women and honestly, I really think that made Arie feel more comfortable. Being the Bachelor is difficult, and feeling like someone else is going through all the tough parts with you is something that can really bring people together. At this point, Seinne has really cemented her place at the front of the pack.

The group date this week was hilarious. First and foremost, the pee gag (pun intended) was one of the funniest things I’ve seen on this show. I have to give major props to Jacqueline and Jenna for being willing to go the extra mile for Arie. First of all, the location for this date was really deep in the woods, maybe two hours away from the Hard Rock, where Arie was staying. On top of that, the forecast for the day was partly sunny with a low in the 50s, but as soon as Arie, our wilderness experts, and the women got off into the woods, it started snowing. To say that no one was really prepared to spend the entire day wet and in the snow would be an understatement. Feet were frozen and noses went numb. Thankfully, this is The Bachelor, so there was a giant hot tub as the light at the end of the tunnel — and that is exactly where you could really see that as the ladies were defrosting, their claws were coming out.

For the last few weeks, tension has been bubbling mainly between Krystal and the other women. I think they really all have very different perspectives on what is going on. Krystal feels like the other women don’t treat her fairly, and the other women seem to feel that Krystal is not being real with them. Oftentimes, this is where things start going downhill. It’s a bit of a nonstarter when the majority of women feel like someone isn’t being real. That woman will often become even more closed off, and then the cycle just perpetuates. At the end of the day, some people just won’t ever get along, and to be honest, when people are all competing for the same person, it’s OK for everyone to not end up as friends. But I can tell you this, things are going to get worse before they get better.

Since the first night, Arie has had pretty strong chemistry with Bekah. M, but from the moment she got out of her vintage car, they had both obviously been avoiding the issue of her age. And once you don’t address something immediately, it gets harder and harder to talk about it — especially if that thing could negatively affect your relationship. Arie is 14 years older than Bekah, and there was some concern he felt about how ready a 22-year-old woman can be for the kind of commitment he wants. Age definitely doesn’t always dictate maturity levels or what one wants out of life, but it’s not exactly useless information either. Anyway, Arie was, I think, avoiding the topic, but once it came out, there was just no way to avoid it anymore. You can tell by how conflicted he was that this is something that is really going to weigh heavily on him as he makes his decisions moving forward. Needless to say, I don’t think Bekah is in danger of going home anytime soon.

After a rough and very long week, Arie knew what decisions he wanted to make, and while this is often really difficult for the women, in the end, most people are happier to know when things are over in the mind of the other person as soon as possible. Obviously Krystal had some things she needed to address, and I commend her for following her instincts, but of course she also had to know this would only increase tensions between her and the other women. And next week, all of this is really going to come to a head, in a big way. We will see you on Monday!

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The Bachelor: Arie Luyendyk Jr. Learns Bekah M.’s Age
Arie Luyendyk Jr. January 23, 2018 03:52 PM

Arie Luyendyk Jr. vied for Emily Maynard‘s heart on season 8 of  The Bachelorette. Now, he’s on his own journey to find love on the latest season of  The Bachelor — and he’s blogging about it exclusively for PEOPLE! Follow Arie on Twitter at @ariejr.

Hey guys, we’re back, and this week we’re talking about South Lake Tahoe! I’d never been to Tahoe before, but it was a place I’d always wanted to visit. The beautiful crisp water, mountains of trees and endless outdoor activities available at your fingertips. Having this be the first week outside of Los Angeles was exactly what I needed, and I was excited to share this new experience with the women.

I hopped into my open red Chevy Blazer truck for the week and made my way through the winding mountain roads to the women’s house. I chose Seinne for this one-on-one because, leading up to this point, she was one of the most intriguing women. I was impressed with her travels, a little intimidated by her ivy league education, and totally mesmerized by her beauty. Seinne’s date card read, “let our love soar” and I was hoping to make a good impression.

Not going to the lake on my first day in Tahoe would be a crime, so that was a must. Not only was I excited to take Seinne with me, but I’ve never parasailed before. For those of you who haven’t been, I highly recommend it – it is wild! I’m pretty active in my personal life; other than racing, I love to cliff-jump, off-road, and rarely say no to an adventure. Having Seinne by my side made this first experience parasailing really special. And can I share a secret with you guys: I was slightly terrified (our secret, don’t tell anyone, okay? Thanks), but Seinne was fearless; she was present in the moment, which helped me let go. Seinne and I were floating hundreds of feet high above Lake Tahoe and we could see for miles. We were so small in this huge landscape, but my feelings for her felt like they were starting to match the moment.


Once our boat reeled us back in, we hopped out onto a remote beach for a picnic. Conversation is always easy with Seinne. I’ve found that in this world, that isn’t always the case … sometimes we can put too much pressure on ourselves or maybe nerves take over. The last one-on-one I went on was with Lauren S., and I ended up saying goodbye that evening. I had a small fear that could happen again, but it was clear from the start of our date that it wouldn’t be the case with Seinne.

Going into dinner that night I wanted to know more about her past and what she wanted for her future. When she told me about growing up not seeing happy endings with women like herself, it broke my heart a little. Seinne is a woman who has seen a lot of heartbreak and disappointment, but she is a person who deserves an amazing love story, the kind you see in big colorful Disney movies where the local wildlife help you with your dress. In that moment sitting together, I knew the future was uncertain – but I felt really strongly that we were building a foundation to lead us to that happy ending, maybe I’d be that prince holding the glass slipper at the end of this. Ending the night dancing to the band Lanco was so awesome. We fed off the energy of the crowd as we danced together – but none of that matched the excitement I had for Seinne.

Something that really broke my heart was having to say goodbye to Maquel under the terrible circumstances of the passing of her grandfather. Something you didn’t see in the episode was a talk we had before she left. She came to me privately to tell me about what had happened. We talked for a while about how much he had meant to her, and I shared my own experience of losing my grandfather, who had been so influential in my life. I’m grateful that Maquel shared what she shared with me in that private moment. It was brave. She was brave. I told Maquel that if she wanted to give us a shot, she could come back into this journey whenever she wanted, if and when she was ready.

What good is spending a week in the woods if you don’t get your hands dirty! The group date I planned was one of my favorites: a survival date! Not surprisingly, some of the girls were more excited by this date than others. Look, I love a good fancy date with white table clothes, high heels and tuxedos, but sometimes you’ve just got to get in the mud and see what you’re made of.

I invited Mykel Hawke and his wife Ruth on this date to help us navigate not only the wilderness but also how to do it with your partner. If this couple could stay strong in the elements for 13 years, I was sure the women and I could make it through the day. Something that wasn’t lost on this survivalist was humor: Mykel helped me pull a little prank on the women with the pee-drinking thing. When I noticed Jacqueline lifting her canteen to her mouth, I had to abort the prank. I couldn’t make her actually drink her own pee! But I was impressed, it takes a lot of guts (and an exceptionally strong stomach) to even consider doing that. That’s when I knew for sure that I was not the toughest person on this date.

Speaking of tough, how about Kendall! I feel like she was built for this kind of thing. Without flinching she was eating bugs and worms, totally owning this experience. Kendall is the kind of woman you want to be stuck with in a zombie movie with: sweet, charming and a low-key badass. When it started snowing, she grabbed me and took me into the woods to steal a kiss. That’s my move! Like I said, low-key badass. The wilderness trek to our oasis is so funny to watch back. In the moment it was cold, rugged, and we were all a little lost no matter how hard we studied the map. But eventually we made it to our champagne and hot tub, which made it all worth it.

Heading into the afterparty that night, I was excited to spend time with everyone in a setting a little more traditional. I felt like my conversation with Lauren was one of the best of the evening because while she said she was still taking time to get comfortable in this setting, I felt like with me she was already there. And while we still had so much to learn about one another, the spark was undeniable. My time spent with Tia that night was also really special. Over the weeks I felt like we had been building something really great, and even though we come from such different worlds, I felt like we understand one another on a level that I’m looking for in a partner. Giving Tia the rose was an easy decision, and I was excited to see where our relationship was going to go.


Now, lets take a second and talk about Krystal. It’s already unusual to date multiple women at once, so it’s not totally crazy to think there will be disagreements and have certain women just not get along. I knew since our one-on-one it was hard for Krystal to be back on group dates. I could sense tension between her and Caroline and Tia but really didn’t feel like it would be appropriate for me to involve myself in. Watching it back, I see so much more than I did in person, and it’s hard to say now if I’d have done anything differently. It isn’t easy seeing these amazing women struggle with one another, but knowing what I know now – I’m happy that I was patient to make sure I was making the right choices. Things don’t always play out the way you expect, and I think next week you’ll understand a little more.

Watching this back, I could see that Bekah M.’s age was becoming the topic of conversation in the house. I have to admit, I knew she was probably one of the younger women, but you wouldn’t think so by speaking with her. At this point in this journey, some of my most interesting, challenging and thoughtful conversations had been had with her.  As I stood at the horse stables waiting to see Bekah for the last date of the week, I knew I needed this one-on-one to figure out if we had a future … or really if she felt ready for the future I was envisioning for myself.

I’m not much of an equestrian guy, so I have to give a big shout-out to my horse General for making me look good for my date. As we road through the trails and arrived to our sexy hot tub in the woods, I just wanted to live in the moment with her. Bekah has way of making our time together feel easy and effortless, but in the back of my mind I knew that by the end of our date I’d need answers to some of my questions. Heading into that evening, I was ready to go deeper with Bekah and see if our lives match up for what we are looking for. After finding out that Bekah was 22 years old, I have to say it was shocking. I appreciate what she said about not wanting me to see her through the lens of her age — and up to this point I truly hadn’t. So far everything about Bekah that I had gotten to know led me to believe she was wise beyond her years. I felt like it would have been wrong and I’d regret it if I didn’t give her the rose only based on age. Bekah is an incredible woman and I could see myself one day falling in love with her. I was afraid and I was hesitant but went for it because I knew she was worth the risk.


I decided to cancel the cocktail party that week in Tahoe because by that evening, I felt strongly in who I was ready to say goodbye to. I didn’t want to waste Caroline and Brittany’s time when I knew that I didn’t see a future with them.  They are two incredible women who both deserve so much happiness and love, but I knew in my heart it wouldn’t be with me. This week must have really rattled Krystal’s confidence for her to pull me before the rose ceremony. I wish I could say that we find our rhythm again next week, but our rocky pattern continues in a pretty shocking way. Next week reveals new truths, tensions and love … I can’t wait to share it with you guys. Thanks for reading!

Best, Arie

The Bachelor: Chris Harrison blogs week 5

CHRIS HARRISON January 29, 2018 AT 10:01 PM EST

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! We are right in the middle of the season and as you can see we are taking big steps forward, both in terms of romance and in terms of drama. It feels like Arie is on a rollercoaster and has just reached the top. He’s about to go straight down and feel the thrill, but I’m pretty confident there are quite a few loops and twists before he even gets to hometowns in a few weeks. Let’s dive right in and talk about what happened in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Finally, after many weeks of waiting, Chelsea finally got her one-on-one date. She got the first impression rose and immediately got a bit of a target on her back. In addition, Chelsea has a really dry sense of humor and I think she may have started off on the wrong foot with some of the women. However, over the last few weeks, it seems like the other women started to be able to sense when Chelsea was joking and, perhaps as a result of the group focusing their energy on Krystal, Chelsea was no longer the divisive figure she was in the house at first. That doesn’t mean that the women were rooting for her to get a rose, not by a long shot, but after Chelsea finally got the opportunity to really relax, open up about her life, and be herself, and she got the rose easily.

As we know, Arie has a very soft spot for single moms. Chelsea, in my opinion, has a really good heart and is a devoted and loving mother, and Arie is 36 and has been anxious for a long time now to get going on a family. He would be ready to take on that responsibility, and I think Chelsea knows that. It was a great date to start out the week and it ended with a beautiful concert by Tenille Arts. As far as things in Fort Lauderdale go, this really was the calm before the storm.

Ah, yes, the group date. What started off as a fun day at the bowling alley quickly descended into total chaos. There’s always one date that just goes completely off the rails, but I don’t think any of us expected it to be the bowling date. And I don’t think anyone expected it to happen the way it happened. This feels like one of the most dramatic turns I can remember. Without simply recapping it, let’s talk about what may have caused all of this. Krystal has been a polarizing force in the house since her second week disagreement with Bibiana. Last week things started to boil over with Caroline and Tia, but with Caroline gone and Tia on a one-on-one date, I think everyone thought this would all just blow over.

Something about Arie’s inability to give Krystal the affirmation she felt she deserved really threw her over the edge. I can’t say I fully blame her. When you get an early one-on-one and have to wait around it can be very emotionally taxing. Becca K admittedly was having a hard week as well, but the ways that she and Krystal handled it were basically polar opposites. Krystal seemed to feel like Arie didn’t care about her, but perhaps the most perplexing thing about the whole week was that she chose to not spend more time with Arie because she didn’t feel like she wasn’t going to have enough time with Arie? I’m confused. And so was Arie.

From Arie’s perspective, it was a mixed night. On the one hand, he had a great deal of important conversations with many of the women. At the same time, the nagging doubts left by his interactions with Krystal weren’t just making him question Krystal — he was left to question his own judgment. After all, Krystal was one of the women that he felt the most confident about in the early weeks and now he’s not even sure she’s going to get a hometown date. What other decisions has he made along the way that maybe weren’t the best? These questions will continue to haunt him. Meanwhile, Krystal will live to see another day and next week there will be a reckoning and a decision to be made by both of them, one way or the other.

The final date of the week was one I think we’ve all been waiting to see: his date with Tia. Tia has been a fan favorite since the beginning and every week her relationship with Arie has been growing, but we haven’t yet gotten to see how these two people will connect when they have a long period of comfortable and uninterrupted time. I think we were all as surprised as Arie was to hear Tia tell Arie she was falling in love with him, but for some reason, it just felt right. Tia is honest and authentic and I think you could see in Arie’s face how he lit up when she said those words to him. After the disaster that was the group date, Arie really needed to reinvigorate his hope in romance, and this date did exactly that.

Things are going well, but as the group dwindles, the decisions that Arie makes are going to get harder and harder. And no decision so far has been as hard as the decision Arie will have to make next week on what may well be one of the most dramatic two-on-one dates in Bachelor history. I promise you: You will not want to miss this one! See you Monday!

The Bachelor: Why Arie Luyendyk Jr. Gave Krystal a Rose Despite Her 'Irrational Blow-Up'

ARIE LUYENDYK JR. January 30, 2018 05:31 PM

Arie Luyendyk Jr. vied for Emily Maynard‘s heart on season 8 of  The Bachelorette. Now, he’s on his own journey to find love on the latest season of  The Bachelor — and he’s blogging about it exclusively for PEOPLE! Follow Arie on Twitter at @ariejr.

Welcome back, everyone!  After a crazy week in Tahoe, it was time to pack our bags and head to Fort Lauderdale. Though the surprise snow on the survival date was surreally romantic, I think the women and I were happy to spend a week somewhere known for picturesque beaches and beautiful weather.

​As I rode around town in my black convertible, I reflected upon how far we’ve already come and how, in just a short while, I was able to build such strong relationships. More than ever, I was hopeful that I would find my wife among the remaining women. I popped over to the women’s suite to announce the first date of the week. Usually announcing the dates is Chris’ duty, but I missed the women after a full day of travel. Sorry, Chris, I’m not trying to steal your job.

​Fort Lauderdale is known as the “yachting capital of the world,” so it would be wrong not to spend a date on one of these extravagant boats. I chose Chelsea for this one-on-one for so many reasons. From the first moment I met her, I knew Chelsea was sexy and mysterious. Even though I now knew she was a mom, Chelsea was still an enigmatic force. I still needed to get to know her as her, not just the mother of Sammy. I’ve always had such respect for single mothers, and I’ve dated a few in the past. That was something I loved about Emily when I was on The Bachelorette. With this date, I really wanted to give Chelsea a much-deserved day of luxury and see if we connected on a deeper level than just our mutual love for kids.

​Man, that yacht was cool. It felt like we were in a music video. The beautiful, clear skies and crisp ocean water made for a perfect day. It also didn’t hurt that the yacht had everything from Jacuzzis to jet skis. The fun toys and amenities were nice, but the real fun of the day was getting to see another side of Chelsea. This day she wasn’t just the mother of Sammy or the woman who aggressively pulled me on group dates — she was the woman who would reenact scenes from Titanic and the woman who would get adventurous on jet skis.

By the way, both of us jumping on the one jet ski was really sexy and so fun. At the time, though, I had no idea that the other women could see me and Chelsea making out. When I became the Bachelor, I promised myself that I’d never flaunt any relationship in front of the other women. I know from Emily’s season just how hard it is to all be dating the same person. The relationships naturally develop at different speeds, and at this point in the journey many people are beginning to have real feelings. As difficult as it is for me to compartmentalize all my different relationships, it’s just as hard for the women to focus on their one relationship with me and remain unfazed by my relationship with their friends. As much fun as it was, I wish it hadn’t made the others feel bad.

Going into that night, there was still so much I needed to know about Chelsea. To give Chelsea a rose, I always needed to be 100 percent sure that I felt we could have a future together. Every woman made a sacrifice to come meet me, but, with Chelsea, each week with me was a week away from Sammy. During dinner, Chelsea opened up so much about her relationship with her ex and how that shaped her life. It broke my heart to hear her story of heartache and loss, but it made my appreciation for the strong, beautiful woman who sat before me grow even more. Her story and perspective on life and material things was inspiring, and it was heartening to know we share so many similar values. Chelsea is a woman who asks for so little and deserves so much. Ending the night dancing to Tenille Arts was the perfect end to an incredible date. Just like the day, our final moment was all about us and our relationship, not about all the fancy stuff surrounding it.

​Not all dates can be on luxury yachts, though, so that’s why I was really excited to take the women on a group date that was more grounded. Trust me, I love wrestling and demo derbies and dog shows as much as the next guy, but sometimes it’s nice to do an activity without all the frills. Plus, I got to do my badass reenactment of The Big Lebowski and get some fantastically hilarious advice for the local women’s bowling team. I didn’t expect them to have so many questions about the fantasy suites. One of them even promised to set me up with her granddaughter if things didn’t work out of the show. Thanks, ladies!

​I was truly shocked that the bowling date caused so much drama. I thought the idea of a friendly competition for time at the cocktail party was fun, but after reflecting I decided that it would be nice to invite all of the women. At the end of the day, finding love and finding my future wife is one of the most important decisions of my entire life and maybe a bowling competition shouldn’t dictate who I spend time with. It was an honest change of heart!  There are a lot of qualities I want in my future wife, and believe it or not, winning at bowling is not at the top of that list. That all said, huge shout-out to Jenna for being so good at bowling. She’s hilarious and fun and always full of surprises. Another missed part of the bowling date was Jacqueline pulling me aside and sneaking a kiss. I know you haven’t seen much of her on the show, but Jacqueline is so beautiful, intelligent and interesting.

​The fallout after the bowling date was one of the most disappointing and stressful parts of my time as the Bachelor. Krystal’s actions were confusing and misguided. There are two sides to every coin, though. For all the obvious disappointment I felt about Krystal, I felt equal parts pride and connection to the women who came to my defense. Bekah and Kendall really put themselves out there to defend me and my actions, and it says so much about their character that they were willing to speak out on behalf of me. That was also the night where Lauren B. and I really deepened our relationship. We finally got past some of the basics and started connecting on a deeper level.

I know after all that happened this week many people will question keeping Krystal. The thing about love is it’s not always easy. It’s not all exotic dates and romantic one-on-ones and sunsets. She told me she was stressed and made a mistake and got angry. I’ve made mistakes and been upset about things I shouldn’t have been upset about. We all do that, it’s human. Was it a red flag for me personally? Yes, totally. I still, to this day, see the events very differently from her. The choice to not join the cocktail party was pretty immature and irrational. But the connection Krystal and I had that first week in Scottsdale was real and I wasn’t ready to throw it away just because she was having a hard week. That didn’t seem fair because we’ve all had irrational blow-ups before.

​After such a stressful day, I was so excited to get to spend a full date with Tia. She always, no matter what, made me feel happy and comfortable. From the moment I met her, Tia kept me on my heels. Our very first interaction was her being hilarious and brash. I’m not sure if you remember me missing her “I hope you don’t already have a small wiener” joke on the first night, but I sure do. We already had so many fun memories together, and I couldn’t wait to make more. One moment that wasn’t in the show: one night at the mansion Tia set up champagne glasses for us to shoot like a carnival game. And that’s who Tia is: the type of person to shoot Nerf guns in a cocktail dress. Sitting next to Tia on the airboat, swampland as far as the eye could see, I couldn’t help but keep laughing. The everglades are beautiful and bug-filled and absolutely spectacular.

Meeting Gerald and seeing his house was really a trip. He built the entire house in the middle of the everglades himself! As a guy who builds things and fixes cars and is also in real estate, I really appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship it took to build such a home. If you ever find yourself in the middle of the glades, you have to try his fried gator and corn. I never knew corn could taste so good.

It’s easy to laud Tia for her foul-mouthed hilariousness and her ability to call me out (and I do love that about her), but that night at dinner really showed Tia’s other side. She’s smart and accomplished and has the ability to be vulnerable. I know she’s dated some jerks in the past, but she’s so much better than that. When she told me she was falling in love with me, I was humbled and my heart was totally full. This beautiful, fantastic woman sitting in front of me was falling in love and I was falling for her too. In this moment I had so much hope for the journey working, and knew now, more than even, that I could find my fiancé and future wife.

My strong connection with Tia helped put so much into focus heading into the cocktail party. It was wild watching all the women confront Krystal. I am attracted to people who are strong and can stand up for themselves, and though I had no idea these confrontations were happening, I am proud of everyone for speaking their mind. For me, this night was very different. I had tough decisions to make and needed to focus on the relationships that I felt could end in love and an engagement. Jacqueline and I really connected this night, with great conversation and her showcasing her psychology skills by making me a chocolate Rorschach test. Becca K. and I also ate chocolate (Nutella, my favorite) together and discussed her continued difficulty on group dates after having the early one-on-one.

I was so thankful that Maquel was able to return this week after spending time with her family, but our conversations this week left me realizing that the connection just wasn’t there. She has so much to offer, but our relationship was just too far behind and our chemistry too lacking to give her a rose. At the end of the night, I knew I also had to say goodbye to Marihk and Ashley. They’re both great, beautiful women, but in my heart of hearts I knew they weren’t my wife. These goodbyes are difficult, but if my gut tells me we aren’t meant to be together, that’s sometimes all I need to know.

​This week was really stressful — I wish I could say that the hard part of this ended now.  The two-on-one is next week, which I knew would be difficult but is even more insane and dramatic than I anticipated. Also, we finally go international. So come back and watch all the drama and the tears as the feelings of love kick into high gear.

Thanks for reading!

Best, Arie

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.