Eva Mendes and her daughters Esmerelda, seven and Amada, six, are temporarily living in England with Ryan Gosling while he films his latest project. It’s nice that they can relocate as a family and work around everyone’s schedules. Including Eva’s, who made a quick trip to New York to film a segment with Hoda Kotb on TODAY to promote Eva’s new antimicrobial sponge. They ended up not talking too much about the sponge, which you can read about here, because they had a lot of other fun things to talk about instead. One of the things they discussed was about Eva’s connection to a clean house and I could almost relate to all of it. For the first half of her answer, I was with Eva 100%. Then she said she found dishwashing meditative, and I was like, hold up – what? But when she said she kicked Ryan out of the kitchen for doing the dishes because it was her thing, I had to tear up the Hecate’s BFF 4Eva t-shirts I’d made because what?!
Hoda Kotb: I love that one of the things that you’re obsessed with in your home is cleaning.
Eva Mendes: So I don’t love cleaning as much, I do love a clean house and equate it to my mental well-being. If my house is clean, I’m doing well. For me the kitchen is my domain and my sink, if my sink or when my sink is clean, I can sleep better, once my dishes are done. I find doing the dishes meditative.
Hoda: Oh, you do? Does Ryan love to do the dishes?
Eva: Ryan likes to get in there, but I think it’s unfair of him because he knows it’s my thing. I’ll walk into the kitchen and he’s doing the dishes and I’m like, ‘what are you doing?’ ‘I’m doing the dishes.’ I’m like, ‘Why, that’s my thing! You’re doing it right in front of me. So disrespectful. Get out.’
Like Eva, I don’t like cleaning my house, but I am affected when my house is not orderly. I happen to be a lousy housekeeper, but I am constantly putting everything back in its place because, as Eva described, the visual chaos agitates me. But that’s where Eva and I part ways. I clock out after dinner. Everyone is responsible for putting their dinner dishes in the dishwasher but everything else waits until I clock back in at 5AM the next morning. And I loathe doing the dishes. Just thinking about the act as I write this has me furrowing my brow. If Ryan Gosling stepped in my kitchen and washed so much as a juice glass, I’d build an altar to him next to the coffee maker. I get what Eva is saying, though. My meditative thing was walking the dog, but the dog could always go out for a walk so even if someone else took him out, I could take him again. If Eva finds peace in doing the dishes and looks forward to those moments of mindfulness, I understand her objection. I have to believe Ryan is doing it to be helpful, though. Like, maybe he’s just doing his dishes because he doesn’t want to leave a dirty kitchen. What I wouldn’t give to find dishwashing enjoyable… or to find anyone at my sink cleaning my dishes.
The interview ended with Hoda asking Eva who she wanted to wish a Happy Mother’s Day. Eva said her mother, also named Eva. So Hoda wished Mamma Eva Suarez and very Happy Mother’s Day. Eva emotionally thanked Hoda, saying, “She’s not doing too well right now, so, it means a lot to me. She’s a survivor in every way, thank you.” She didn’t elaborate but Hoda saw that Eva was quite affected and quietly asked if she was okay. Then Hoda popped up and gave Eva a big hug as the interview ended. It was a lovely moment. Here’s sending much love and well-wishes to both Evas.
Photo credit: Instagram and Getty Images
I don’t like doing dishes, or loading the dishwasher, but I do find the peace of a clean and orderly home refreshing. Right now, I know going home that everything is clean and straight and put away, and the only chore I have waiting on me is cooking a side for dinner while my husband grills, and moving a load of wash that I put on delay start to the dryer. That’s soothing with a long-ish commute.
I also think Eva is beautiful and I love that she just said, OK, I’m going to make babies with Ryan Gosling and stay low-key and just… did it.
It was a lovely interview!!!
Wait, what? Am I being asked to believe that these people don’t have a dishwasher? Or is this maybe about a handful of pieces of delicate china that aren’t dishwasher safe? If it’s the former, bullshit. If it’s the latter, then I see her point, especially if the pieces are things she picked out or that were given to her by family members.
I have friends that have dishwashers, but they still wash their dishes by hand because they think it’s easy/it takes so long to fill a load. I’m definitely not one of those people, but I know they exist!
I don’t understand it either, but I know several people that don’t use it. weirdos.
I have a dishwasher and don’t use it. That doesn’t make me weird. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. I don’t know. We always washed dishes by hand growing up and I still do to this day. What is wrong with that?
A lot of high-end pots and pans that home chefs use aren’t dishwasher safe. I had to do a lot of searching to find pans my 80-year-old mother who still cooks likes to use but are dishwasher safe.
We have a dishwasher but we only put dishes in there, so each night there are several pots & pans to handwash. And I also handwash our kids’ plastic plates and their thermoses for school… and my work oxo glass dish… and my yeti…. etc etc
Does everyone have a dishwasher at the US?
Maybe it is cultural as someone pointed out; at least in latin america having a dishwasher is veeeeery uncommon.
I know 0 people who own one, even among my wealthy friendo.
Culturally asian might have a dishwasher and will use it for storage, but in our family we pit everything in there to wash. If it can’t be washed in a dishwasher, it cannot be bought. My dream would be to have 2 so Id never have to unload it. Let’s just pass it through from one to the other. And when we’d have people coming, we’d still not have to wash dishes. Ugh
@Trimdownmnchyboring
You are my kind of person! If it can’t go in the dishwasher, I’m not getting. I hate unloading the dishwasher only slightly less than putting away laundry and I, uh, don’t really do that either. It goes into the correct room but doesn’t really ever make it out of the basket until it’s on my body.
Our dishwasher was broken for awhile, we got a new energy efficient one right before lockdown, thankfully. Our water bill went down, it takes more water to hand wash.
I have a dishwasher, but wooden spoons, knives, plastic, etc. gets hand washed.
My boyfriend would rather hand wash dishes than use a dishwasher. I think that’s crazy but he says the dishwasher doesn’t clean clean dishes as well as hand washing. Whatever! He does 90% of the dish washing so he can do it how he wants
I say “doing the dishes” to mean the pots, pans, and implements that were used to make the meal; actual plates/bowls (and glasses, flatware, etc.) go in the dishwasher. Or I say I have to clean the kitchen to mean the same thing (along with cleaning off the stove, counters, etc.) I don’t know if she means *actual* plates, or if she just means “the things that were used to make the meal.” Side note, modern dishwashers are generally FAR more water-efficient than hand-washing, even with a partial load, so it’s more water-conscious to use the machine.
I also am not able to relax if the house is a mess, so I keep it pretty tidy and will take 15 minutes or so to clear surfaces and put things away before relaxing for the evening. I also can’t relax if I know the kitchen is a mess, so I just get the dishes done right after we eat.
That first pic of her is a wowzer. All that color and the silver heels make me very happy. Ryan Gosling can do dishes for me anytime (I have a dishwasher, but whatever).
I get it —- except I find folding laundry to be the end of the day time for reflection. I also enjoy putting it away!
I like folding laundry when it’s still warm from dryer. I also just got a new large retractable outdoor clothesline so I can hang clothes outside to dry when it’s sunny. The clothes smell so fresh when dried in the sun. It’s also a good form of arm exercise.
I should get one of those as some months of the year, it would be ideal. Unfortunately the humidity here is abhorrent so the summer months would be useless.
As for Ryan doing the dishes, I can’t connect with that. We always had a rule, the one who cooked was free from dish duty. That way we had an equal task. But back then we didn’t have a d/w so it was extremely taxing. But I also mostly cooked out of our crock pot too, so the dishes weren’t too bad.
Folding towels is my jam.
Towels would be good for me, but I hate folding sheets!! No matter how hard I try, the fitted sheet always comes out wonky…and I have been doing laundry for 45 years.
People can be so weird. I love a clean apartment but WHO likes cleaning? I know some people do but … no. And doing dishes is the worst. It’s right up there with laundry. I would kill for a dishwasher but my kitchen is too small. She can come over ANY time and do my dishes.
My younger sister loves to clean. Me, not so much. I like a clean house, but not what it takes to get it that way.
Ryan Gosling is welcome to come wash my dishes anytime
Same, if he wants to swing by he’s welcome!
For some reason she always gave me pick-me vibes…. Maybe it’s just me.
But I still remember that she used to look different…..
I have a dishwasher and I normally run it by the end of the week (I live alone), but I bought a new soap and sponge gadget and found myself just washing my dishes and found the sink empty and feeling pretty good about it. But I also think about my water usage so I don’t do it daily.
These are 2 issues that have always driven my husband crazy. I can’t sleep with dishes in the sink and when I would pay bills, they were stacked by due date, I would stay up and balance the checkbook afterwards. It drives him mad, crazy mad!!
Though, I do love having my things in their place at the end of each day.
If only we could clone Ryan.
As for antimicrobial sponge, it’s pointless if you’re going to use soap with it. Save your pennies!
Soap, by it’s very nature, is antimicrobial and antibacterial.
It’s made up of water attracting molecules AND oil attracting molecules. So it literally rips apart any nasties, effectively killing them. Even more so when you rub or lather the soap to really tear things up. And even better when you rinse the dead nasties off with water.
Soap and water is way more effective than hand sanitiser, wipes or any pointless ‘antimicrobial’ gimmick.
And for the love of god, no-one needs special antibacterial soap… all soap it antibacterial!
*Steps off (checks notes)… soapbox*
Absolutely true!! It’s just a gimmick to sell more products. I also don’t understand the need as I just wash my face with soap and dry it off. Easy peezy!!
Haha–this is just like my father-in-law. My mother-in-law has said she tried to “train” him to use the dishwasher, but the man loves to wash dishes himself. They have a perfectly good dishwasher, but after a meal, you’ll still find him at the sink with a sponge.
Honestly, I sort of relate! I *hate* when my bf does the dishes, cause he doesn’t know how to hand wash! We have a dishwasher and I’m cool with him loading it, but any pots, pans, or prep items, I will try not to let him get near. I don’t love doing it myself, but at least I know they’re clean! Since COVID, I’ve worked really hard to keep to sink zero at the end of the day and resetting the kitchen at night feels really nice. My biggest envy of rich people is that they can hire cleaners, I’d love for my house to be clean all the time!
Anyone else find sponges to be a weird celebrity-endorsed product?
Yes, very strange. I know we should let women be whoever they wish to be, it’s just I am going to side-eye a non-biodegradable sponge as a celebrity endorsed product. Seems…vacuous and banal. I use a coconut, natural and biodegradable sponge and it works well and so long as I let it dry, it will do the job with minimal microbial issue. As a quick tip: zapping your sponge in the microwave for a few seconds kills bacteria if you’re in between sponges. Again, it feels idiotic to be talking about dish sponges unless we’re talking about environmental impact. Reminds me of the time my former brother in law got his wife a Scrub Daddy as her Christmas/Holiday gift. That made my blood boil.
Started tossing sponges in the clothes wash and dryer after watching women at church do it. You can also scrub sink with Clorox / Comet or other bleach based cleaner.
I too zap my sponges in the microwave for a couple of minutes once a week. For the plastic scrubbers with handles, I just soak the working end in household strength vinegar for about half an hour. I make a weak solution of bleach and water to scrub down the sink and kitchen counters. I cook and Mr. Jaded cleans up but I confess to sneaking into the kitchen after dinner to do some touch-up work.
I’m one of those persons who, even though cleaning is a bore, agrees there’s nothing better than a really clean, nice-smelling house so I am at it pretty frequently. Today was power-dusting day where EVERYTHING got a good buffing.
I hate cleaning. HATE it. Four boys including the hubs. What they can do to a bathroom is criminal.
The secret is to clean as you go. That way all you have to do afterward is rinse the table settings and load in the dishwasher. Saves looking at dirty dishes which would totally gross me out!
“I do love a clean house and equate it to my mental well-being. If my house is clean, I’m doing well.”
This is so true for me. I have depression brought on by a head injury, and I fight to keep my house clean, although I have always loved a clean home. I push myself to do it, even though mopping my floor feels like I’m running a marathon while having my teeth pulled by a screaming baby. Music helps. Ryan Gosling would help even more.
Love her striped shirtdress! So fresh for spring. And it has pockets!
Can I just tell you, hopefully this doesn’t count as thread-jacking but Ryan and Eva are the nicest celebrities I ever waited on. I used to work at a spot near their LA home and Ryan came in constantly, Eva less so but often enough… they’re just nice people! and they tip like rich celebrities should imho, very generously!!
I earned that tip though! walking or talking while also looking at them, whew it’s tricky!! they are both so gorgeous that as a bi-women, it was almost too much for me lol
anyway, I am glad she got that hug from Hoda, and I hope her mom pulls through.
Yes she is gorgeous! I say I’m straight but I might switch teams for her so maybe I’m not that straight lol!