So, cross-country business trip + hotel that doesn't have Lifetime = super late "Project Runway" blog. Sorry, y'all. Anyway, here's my take on the latest episode, the first of the always-dramatic team challenges.

Before the challenge, the boys heckled Jesus for being the Bottom 2 two weeks in a row. His response: he needs to design clothes his way. Isn't that what's gotten him in trouble thus far? He's never complained that he was compromising his vision in either challenge; quite the contrary, in fact. He always shoots out something form-fitting and tacky that he seems over the moon about. Meanwhile, someone brought up Ping, which sent several of the guys into a tizzy. The general consensus: Ping should have gone home last week for sending her model down the runway essentially bare-assed. I can't disagree with that. I'd only add that also, her clothes are hideous.

On the runway, Heidi told the designers that Tim would be taking them on a field trip where they would meet some of the most important designers in fashion. That ended up being a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (my favorite place in the whole world), where Tim showed off 10 iconic looks from the curatorial department of the Costume Institute, dresses are from couturiers like Dior, Balenciaga, etc. The challenge: work in teams of two to create a high-end signature look that could fit in with the elaborate gowns they saw at the Met. The designers got two days AND $500, the highest budget ever for a regular-season challenge.

Since Jay won the last challenge he was automatically a team leader. The others selected at random were Jesus, Anthony, Janeane, Mila, Ping, and Emilio. They each got to pick a partner, which worked out like this: Jay chose Maya, Jesus got Amy, Anthony got Seth Aaron, Janeane selected Ben, Mila picked Jonathan, Ping chose Jesse (much to his chagrin), and Emilio got ...whoever that last girl is. Seriously, I don't even know her. Anna Marie, I guess.

Back in the workroom, Ping's idea was to combine her baggy aesthetic with Jesse's super-tailored work, and Jonathan immediately started to bristle at Mila's bossiness. Meanwhile, Maya pushed for control over her team, since Jay was immune from winning the last challenge. Her rationale was that should the dress bomb, she would be the one on the chopping block automatically. I'm not a big fan of coups in general, but I could see her point. And then Ping started running around like an idiot at Mood, even losing her sketchbook, which she deemed "not important." Say what? How is the sketchbook, with your design on it, not important? Even Tim chuckled at her total cluelessness.

Ping and Jesse did not get along. Jesse couldn't deal with the fact that she was constantly changing ideas, and in his words, he just tried to "reign in the crazy." Yeah, he was totally screwed. Jonathan resented Mila's meticulousness, although Mila seemed to think everything was going fine. Anthony described his and Seth Aaron's yellow, red, and black gown as being designed for "the vice-president of McDonald's" based on the color palette. Not as funny as you think you are!

Then Tim came in and delivered the curveball: in addition to their high-end gown, the designers had to create a look for less for $50, AND that look had to be based off one of the other teams' high-end gowns. He stressed that this element of the challenge was about derivation, not about creating a knock-off. Ping chose to use Emilio's dress as inspiration. Janeane selected Mila's. Maya picked Janeane's. Mila chose Anthony's. Anthony picked Jesus's. And Jesus went with Ping's. That last match up in particular sounds hellish. One member from each team was sent back to Mood, and Jesse freaked out a little bit that Ping would be doing all the shopping for his team. And rightfully so: she came back with a super-shiny something he referred to as "hooker-ish." Nice!

Meanwhile, Jay admitted that he was being a total slackass on this challenge, because there was zero risk of him going home. That makes me like him a whole lot less. Maya, to her credit, picked up on this, and bemoaned the fact that she was working with him. Jonathan bitched some more that Mila was spending forever crafting her jacket, while he was sewing two other looks himself. Seth Aaron and Anthony got shirty, with Seth Aaron arguing that Anthony wasn't doing stuff right, and Anthony saying that Seath Aaron was always trying to change stuff. Meanwhile, Ping and Jesse were not getting along AT ALL, with Ping complaining that Jesse wasn't listening to her, and everyone else complaining that Ping wouldn't shut the hell up. In a moment that further annoyed the shit out of me, Anthony paid a compliment to Ping about her dress, and then actually asked her to give him a compliment back. HELLO!

Tim's take: Maya and Jay were really far behind, in early construction on their main piece and not having even started on the second look. Regarding the fabric for Ping's second look, Tim referred to it as "cheap and cheerful wrapping paper." Ha! Tim really liked what Anthony and Seth Aaron were doing with the second look, even though the two of them got into a little cutesy skirmish. Tim was also complimentary of Mila's jacket.

Back in the workroom, Emilio thought the Anthony/Seth Aaron dress had a great concept but "hideous execution," arguing that Anthony spent way too much time decorating it than figuring out construction. I would agree. Ping complained that Jesse was worried too much about his self preservation and not enough about the teamwork aspect of the challenge. Honey, the kid had the wherewithal to realize that he was running headlong into a shitstorm without an umbrella. I can't blame him for trying to find shelter wherever he could.

The runway: In addition to Heidi, Michael, and Nina we had Brit designer Matthew Williamson as the guest judge. Anthony/Seth Aaron's gown was huge, but kind of unremarkable. The black skirt was crazy full and the yellow top looked dirty with the balck netting over it. Interestingly the red elements were taken completely out. Jesus/Amy had an interesting, fitted dress with appliqués over it and a cool ruffled shrug. Mila/Jonathan's look featured Jonathan-made separates that didn't do much for me, but Mila's gigantic, kimono-like black and white coat was a real breath taker. Janeane/Ben's cocktail dress was unremarkable. It blended navy and black, which looked good, but...eh. Emilio/Anna Marie's was similarly boring. Well fit, pretty fabrics, but nothing interesting about it. Jay/Maya's was awesome. It looked futuristic, with this wavy ruffled shoulder bit that cascaded down the side. Ping/Jesse's signature look had a lingerie top sewn to a mess of fabric without any form whatsoever - typical Ping bullshit.

The looks for less: Jesus/Amy's Ping look featured really drapey harem pants and a top with a bit of netting. Anthony/Seth Aaron's use of Jesus's was cute, but didn't respond to the original. Mila/Jonathan's was cute, but I could have done without the black ruffle on top. Janeane/Ben's take of Mila's was cool, with a  downplayed version of Mila's jacket. Emilio/Anna Marie's take on Maya's had NOTHING to do with the original. Cute, but not at all connected. Jesse/Ping's second look was boring, blah, and poorly constructed.

Judging: Anthony and Seth Aaron and Ping and Jesse got the lowest scores. That left Mila and Jonathan and Maya and Jay as the high scorers. Jay lied when Heidi asked him if he slacked due to his immunity. I would hope that the judges figured out the deal when Maya did most of the talking (that we saw) when the judges asked about the main gown. Interestingly, when they brought out the look for less, I thought it looked better than the other team's main gown that inspired it. It looked much more polished. Kors told them that their $46 dress blew the $500 one out of the water. Mila explained that their signature look was supposed to create an evening ensemble that was fun yet elegant. Heidi loved it, and the guest judge loved the sportswear-inspired evening look. The judges did not like the look for less, specifically the babydoll dress aspect of it. So basically, they hated Jonathan's contributions and loved Mila's. Eat it, Jonathan.

In the craphouse: Nina FINALLY called out that Ping's design was essentially a bunch of fabric wrapped around a model. That's exactly what she did the first challenge too, and you guys rewarded her for it. As for their look for less, Michael said that neither of them designed anything - it was beyond basic, and poorly sewn. Jesse threw Ping right under the bus, explaining that he had to basically give Ping sewing lessons throughout the challenge. The model didn't help her case, saying that Ping never even looked at her in the second gown. Yikes. Anthony explained the they were inspired by the classic Dior silhouette, but Kors called it "the cotillion party in the South from hell." He said that the model looked like she was in "Gone With the Wind." When Anthony asked Michael how he would make it more modern, the guest judge pointed out that it isn't their job to tell the contestants their vision. Nina said that both of their dresses were ugly, and was surprised that Seth in particular didn't right the ship. To his credit, Seth didn't screw over Anthony, he said he stood behind the looks. Good on him, I guess.

The results: Mila won! Yay! I really like her; she's one of my favorites for Bryant Park. That meant that Maya (another favorite), Jonathan, and Jay (lukewarm on him) were also safe. Seth Aaron and Jesse were both spared, leaving my two least-favorite contestants left. Ultimately, Anthony was allowed to crack wise another episode, and Ping was finally cut.

Regarding Ping, I consider myself a fairly good read on reality-show contestants, and how the public will respond to them, but I was totally surprised by the way viewers embraced her. She's clearly a very joyful woman with a ton of spirit - I can see how her kookiness would be charming in small doses. But she was, in my mind, a total joke contestant. The fact that she was in the top three in the first challenge bewildered me, and the fact that she survived to Episode 3 left me confused. I've seen people compare her to Season 4's Elisa, who was also offbeat. But at least Elisa could sew. At least Elisa could design. Ping just wrapped models in gobs of fabric. I guess that's "vision," but in that case, I'm a genius every morning I wake up tangled in the bed covers. She seems sweet, she made for some memorable TV, but I am thankful she's gone.