(CNS) Posted Monday January 2, 2012– 12:00pm

"The Bachelor" begins its 16th season tonight with Sonoma winemaker Ben Flajnik having two Los Angeles women and one from San Gabriel among the 25 bachelorettes to chose from in the episode airing from 8- 10:01 p.m. on ABC.

Samantha Levey is a 26-year-old advertising account manager from Los Angeles who considers herself "hopelessly romantic" and still believes in Prince Charming.

Dianna Martinez is a 30-year-old director of a nonprofit organization from San Gabriel who describes herself as "the worst cook ever," claiming to have started five kitchen fires by accident.

Shira Astrof is an actress from Los Angeles whose age was not released.

Flajnik, 29, had his proposal rejected by Ashley Hebert during the finale of the summer 2011 season of "The Bachelorette."

Flajnik said during a recent conference call with reporters that he was "happy with my decision" to appear on "The Bachelor," calling it "another good experience, another cathartic therapeutic adventure for me."

Flajnik described himself as "pretty honest and open and, at times, maybe a bit too open."

The field of bachelorettes will be reduced to 18 by the end of the episode.

No "Bachelor" has married the woman to whom he presented the final rose, although Jason Mesnick, the "Bachelor" in the 2009 season, married runner-up Molly Malaney.

Copyright © 2012 City News Service

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