Who’s ready for another glorious vacation with the fabulous cast of Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard? The Bravo spin-off of Summer House is back for its sophomore season with mostly familiar faces. Back for more fun and drama this summer are brand activation consultant Nick Arrington and attorney Preston Mitchum. While launching his own consulting firm, Arrington has been busy training to rerun all six of the major world marathon and spending time with his girlfriend, Tasia Monet Burroughs. Mitchum, on the other hand, has been busy with his own advocacy/impact strategy consulting firm and leaning on friends like Jordan Emanuel, Jasmine Ellis Cooper and the rest of his housemates in the wake of losing his father.
With their busy lives, Arrington and Mitchum were definitely ready for a vacation. When asked what they hoped for going into the share house, Mitchum stated that he “wanted to truly have a lot of fun.” “There was more arguments than fun the first time around,” Mitchum said simply. A New Yorker, Arrington was looking forward to “unplug” and “just laugh.” “Our group laughs so much to the point where our cheeks hurt,” said Arrington with a smile.
But what’s summer among friends without a little drama? The trip kicked off with Emanuel’s eventual “Tails and Tales” dinner where housemates Summer Marie Thomas revealed that she and Alex Tyree had slept together, which should have merited her an invite to his recent event in the city! “My initial thought was ‘Really, we doing this now,’” recalled Arrington. “At that point, we hadn’t even been here 12 hours.”
Both Arrington and Mitchum stopped by the Page Six studio to chat with DECIDER about the upcoming season, their wardrobe and why Old Bay is essential to any seafood boil.
DECIDER: We’re back for Season 2 of Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard! What were your hopes and expectations going back to the island for another vacation?
PRESTON MITCHUM: For me, it was all about maintaining friendships and building upon the friendships that we already had. I also wanted to truly have a lot of fun. There was more arguments than fun the first time around.
NICK ARRINGTON: I live in New York City. It’s always busy, busy, busy, busy here. I was just looking forward to unplug and honestly, just laugh. Our group laughs so much to the point where our cheeks hurt. I love those moments. Laughter is good for the soul.
I’m so glad humor is important, because Nick, I thought you were incredibly good-natured when the ladies showed you guys where you would be staying in the house this summer… in the basement.
NA: I know Alex doesn’t snore. Amir [Lancaster] snores a lot if he’s really tired. I figured if I’m just the first to sleep, I’ll be okay. Looking at the bigger picture though, how could I complain? We’re in this big house. I’m on the Vineyard. I’m here with my friends. I’m blessed. That’s why you see I don’t have an attitude. I knew we would figure it out.
As long as you’ve got the closet space.
NA: As long as my clothes are in order, I can sleep anywhere.
And Preston, the women made sure you got the hidden bedroom upstairs.
NA: This guy. Unbelievable.
How did it feel to have that space reserved for you?
PM: They were looking out for me. That’s what I know. However, I don’t know if it was a win at the end of the day. My room ended up being really hot. It was hot, but at least it was mine. That’s the one thing that I cared about. I was really happy regardless. I don’t know how Alex missed it though.
NA: Me either. He missed the whole thing.
PM: It was right next to the dining room…
NA: He didn’t even open the door.
PM: Thank you, Alex, for missing it. It was really great and it definitely maintained the relationship that I had with the girls already.
You two have incredible style. What was your packing strategy going into the trip?
PM: I don’t know if I had one, which is why my luggage was so overweight. I wanted to bring a lot of clothes because you just never know what events we’re going to end up doing. I brought a variety of short sets, pants, and big pants. I’ve been in my high wasted pants era. I was looking forward to this summer because I really upgraded my fashion.
NA: I think you look good this season.
PM: Thank you.
NA: I brought a lot of running gear, that’s for sure. I probably bought three or four pairs of running shoes, a lot of tank tops, a lot of shorts, crop tops. You know, it’s hot. Suits, blazers, jackets, loafers, sandals, drivers, cashmere, linen, cotton, silk. I mean…
And we could go on and on.
NA: And on and on. I brought a poncho, just in case it rained. They’re like, “Yo, is that a poncho?” I’m like, “It’s raining outside!” I brought a lot of clothes, but the thing is, what did I say in the first season? Not expensive, extensive. I’m true to that.
Exactly. Speaking of events, the summer kicked off with Jordan’s “Tails and Tales” party. Did you know how much Old Bay Bria Fleming was putting in those pots?
PM: I did, for sure. I’m from Ohio, but I’ve lived in the DMV for 14 years. So Old Bay is a must. I have about three cans in my apartment right now. It’s essential if you’re eating seafood. Now, I probably needed an extra dose of amlodipine afterward because there was a lot salt that went into it.
NA: Bria surprised us all last summer. Homegirl can cook, so I’m just let her rock, let her cook and not get involved in it. I knew it was going to be good.
PM: Yeah, whenever it seems like it’s too much food and too much seasoning from Bria… I promise it is just right.
Nick, you were just trying to enjoy your seafood and pasta when Summer revealed that Alex had been inside her at the dinner table. You had the face crack of the century. What was going through your mind?
NA: My initial thought was “Really, we doing this now?” At that point, we hadn’t even been here 12 hours. We’d been here six hours. I was like, “this is the road we want to go down this summer? Okay, let’s get into it.” I’m just like, “We’re friends, we’re family. If we’re going to talk about it, we might as well talk about it together.”
The other drama at the table was the tension between Jordan and Jasmine. Preston, since you’re close with both women, was it difficult to be in the middle of that conflict?
PM: You know, I didn’t see myself in the middle. At this point, I was a little bit more biased and everyone knows it. I really understood Jordan’s point. The perception from a few of us has been that there is a difference with the Jasmine we knew versus the one that we saw during last summer. For some of us, it made us distrust her a little. It was like the person that you’ve always loved was gone.
In that moment, Jordan didn’t really know how to trust Jasmine again and continue their friendship. Other people in the group had said the same thing, but Jordan was more direct and honest about it. Ultimately though, I just pray for them. They really were good friends.
NA: I think they need to hold on why they become friends in the first place. We have those friends that you don’t talk to for a number of years. I went to a historically Black college so homecoming is in my DNA. I might not speak to some people for a whole calendar or two, but when it’s homecoming, it’s like no time has passed. That’s what I want for them.
PM: Honestly, I think that’s what they want for themselves. I hope they can get back to it.
What are you most excited for fans to see in this upcoming season?
PM: Our friendship, our events, our fashions. We have so many good events like a Neon party, a Freaknik, and more. There are so many great things that people will see. I’m really looking forward to what the audience really thinks about it.
NA: Hopefully they, see our events and they’re like, “You know what? I want to do something like that.” I want us to be able to inspire others to nurture their own friendships and have fun. At the end of the day, we’re just a group of friends having a good time with each other. It’s just so happens we do it on TV with the backdrop of gorgeous Martha’s Vineyard behind us.
