The Beauty of Las Vegas
Ah, Vegas. It's such a different place when you're going for work vs. for pleasure. It was work this time around.

I stayed at the Venetian--can someone tell me why the management there thinks that pumping the scent of urinal cake throughout the facility is a good thing? It amazes me every time I enter the building.

My last day there, I walked the Strip--such a gloriously fun thing to do. More fun at night (cue Clair de Lune, Oceans Eleven), but afternoon was the only opening I had. First stop: Scoop at Caesars. Please, Scoop people, open in DC. For the love. We'll even forgive you for the whole thing with Tory Burch's husband.

I'm determined to find the perfect shoes to match my vintage babydoll dress for my upcoming event (hence Scoop). I was thinking red might be fun. Red linen tie-up platforms to be exact, although I'm open to any other suggestions!. DKNY makes a pair that look very fun; but on me, they looked like giant red ace bandages. No good.

20-ish unsuccessful pairs of shoes later, I realized a pedicure was overdue. I headed over to the Wynn and their top-notch spa (what there isn't?), where I was promptly told by the concierge that it was for registered guests only. In a slightly emboldened mood, I decided to give it a whirl anyway. I headed upstairs to the spa desk, was whisked in immediately and was given a pedicure that was simply perfection--her name was Ruth, so if you're there, seek her out.

Toes coral-hued and perfectly refreshed after a long week, I headed back, grabbed my bag and headed to the airport. The week was hell, but the pedicure was totally worth it.

Vintage Fabulousness
So my husband's amazing grandmother just moved into a nursing home. She'll be 90 in August, has lived alone for 20+ years, and has done fine until a recent fall. She's just a cool woman.

She made a point of making sure that I received a family chest that was filled with vintage clothing. I tried them on this morning. It's an incredible trove. There's a dress, I think it's from the sixties, that looks just like the Chloe babydoll lace dress, it just needs to be shortened to a mini. The chest was full of silk-lined velvet capes, hand-embroidered cap-sleeve blouses, leather gloves with pearl closures--all beautiful. Just another reminder of what a brilliant woman she is.

High and Lo
Party: Fabulous. Event planning 101: if you can score one Bush twin at your fete, you're a genius. Two and you're legendary. Both were in attendance. (I had nothing to do with the planning of this party, and was just an invitee, and barely one at that, guzzling champagne in the corner).
Outfit: Juicy tan knee-length shorts (what are they called?). CO-OP platforms. 20-year old falling apart Gucci bag. Dirty little secret: Target Mossimo blazer to top it all off (there's your "lo").

Leisurely Coffee and a Pox on Pat Wexler
I made the call yesterday--today I was going through with Plan Hooky. Work is nuts: I could sleep there for the next month and still not be entirely caught up. But my husband is away, and bringing my son to daycare and then commuting to work would have been a minimum 2-hour drive each way, so there you have it: instant hooky justification.

I started P.H. last night after I put my son to bed, threw on an Arbonne face masque (Face masque: great. "Party" I had to go to to get said product: heinous) in an attempt to rid myself of the Pat Wexler Pox, then poured myself a big ol' glass of Amancaya, a great cabernet that we tried a few months ago at Rock Creek Restaurant and have been buying ever since. Then, a little sauced and feeling a wee bit like a creative literary genius, I cranked out some overdue thank you notes for people that have donated items for the upcoming Event auction. I don't think one item has yet come in on which I don't want to bid.

So now, I'm enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee, just checked my emails, and am using this blog to create my list du jour:
*Haircut at 11:30. Rit at Twin Tresses in Bethesda is brilliant. This is my first cut after Rit did the Japanese straightening to my hair two weeks ago. Thus far, straightening was well worth the 5 hours and ridiculous price tag.
*Walk-in Botox with Dr. Adrian (just got the long-distance blessing from my husband. Actually, not quite a blessing, more like a sigh of resignation of which I'm taking full advantage).
*Running around to pick up assorted items for auction.
*Freaking out over what to wear to Plum Sykes party tonight (I mean, what DOES one wear to a party hosted by a 98-lb. Vogue editor who is a perpetual fixture on everyone's best dressed lists?).
*Maybe stop in for a surprise visit to my friend who had her second baby two weeks ago.
*Okay, so add "get present for 2-week old baby" to the list.
*Be hit with moment of genius and decide what to wear to tonight's party or where to buy it (although I'm hoping for the former. Actually, I'm hoping for either).

So back to the Pat Wexler Pox. Right when her new skincare line came out, I bought the whole line (thank goodness it was an introductory pack for about $45). I, like most, am a sucker for anything editorial (which, I guess, is one reason why I love working in p.r.), so as soon as I read "women in the know are flocking to Pat Wexler's new serum with MMPi", my tires were squealing as was I with anticipation.

Verdict: her Universal Anti-Aging Cleanser is amazing. Smells like gardenias, does a great job of cleaning without stripping. But the rest of it--I swear, I just look at it and I break out. I've tried it three times and every time, same result (I keep hoping that I'm using it wrong, it's the wrong time of the month, that it's my diet, but now I'm convinced it's Pat).

Someone at my office just got an eye job (she looks like Felicity Huffman: not Felicity now because she looks fabulous, but right back at the beginning of Desperate Housewives when she first got her eyes done). Scary as my co-worker's eye job is, especially close up, it made me realize that my eyes are a little saggy, so once again, I gravitated to Pat, this time to her eye cream. And after three days of use: seven--SEVEN--zits, beginning at my brow line and forming a line straight down either side of my face (kind of like an acne ode to an Amish beard). Not sure what "MMPi" stands for, but I'm sure the P is for Pox. No good, no good at all. Hence last night's face masque. Which, incidentally, cleared up about 80% of the pox in one fell swoop.

Okay, off to my day!

And Speaking of Plum Sykes...

I somehow got on the media list, and was sent an advance copy of The Debutante Divorcee (with a letter that began "Dear Interviewer..."). And thanks to two cups of late-night coffee at Rosa Mexicano on Saturday, I read it cover to cover. It's great. I mean, not "a life-changing literary masterpiece!" type of great, but it was "couldn't put it down until I was finished at 3:42 a.m." great.

It didn't hurt that she mentions the grassy single runway on Mustique on the first page. My husband and I went there for our 10th anniversary this fall.

I'd highly recommend the Cotton House--luxury at its finest. Would also recommend the Cotton House spa, although not the papaya body wrap (nothing that couldn't be accomplished with, say, papaya, Saran Wrap and a hot towel). Stock up on the body lotion that comes in the room--it just smells like Mustique (much like LaMer and Jo Malone Amber & Lavender smells like Palm Beach--to me, anyway), even if it doesn't do that great a job of actually moisturizing. Firefly is a good restaurant, if you can get over the rather boisterous (okay, crass, loud--he was next to us at dinner and made for a rather miserable experience) owner. And Basil's is a beachfront bar like no other. Not great food, but cold beer and where else can you hang out and have a reasonable chance that Mick Jagger might just stop by (in season, of course)?

A: A golf cart, a pool boy serving fresh fruit popsicles, and waves lapping at my freshly pedicured feet, Manuel Canovas wedges at the ready.
Q: No question, just wanted to rehash the fabulousness of tooling around a warm island on a loud golf cart after receiving PERFECT--I do mean impeccable--service from Rodney, our pool boy.

Fantasy Hooky
So I had this dream. It started yesterday when I was having a bad day at work. I was going to play hooky today.

Fantasy Hooky Schedule:
1.) Wake up, normal time (I do have a two-year old who could care less whether I'm going to work or not).
2.) Get child ready for daycare, send him off with his papa.
3.) Have a leisurely cup of coffee while checking email.
4.) Don fun new CO-OP platforms to look fashionable during day of errands.*
5.) Head over to Dr. Adrian on NM Ave for a quick round of Botox (gotta love walk-in Botox appointments).
6.) Run around, pick up items for upcoming Event auction.
7.) Head over to Intermix, pick up Michael Kors Granger Gladiators in black (gotta love the Intermix discount card).
8.) Head over to Ralph Lauren, find perfect outfit for Plum Sykes party on Thursday.
9.) Meet girlfriends for wine and relish over fabulous day.

*It is fantasy hooky after all. Although they are surprisingly comfortable, plus they make you look so tall that you don't really notice that you're in 5" heels and could sprain the crap out of your ankles at any given moment.

Okay, so the reality of the situation:
Made it through #1. Am at work, where I have about 15 overdue assignments, am down one staff person, and have to get prepared for a week-long business trip.

Maybe Thursday.

Haute Pursuit!
So here's a little info on one of my favorite charities:
Suited for Change is a DC-based charity that helps women break the crippling cycle of poverty by helping them get--and keep--good jobs. It's all about empowering women and giving children role models, two things I'm determined to do something about in my lifetime.

Why you should give your time, money, auction items, attention to SFC:
-Over 90% of every penny donated goes straight to SFC client programs (the remaining 10% covers lights, heat, rent, salaries, etc.--and it's a shoestring budget).
-They have put over 12,500 women on the path to move from welfare to work since they were founded in 1992.
-Over 1/2 of their operating income comes from their annual fundraiser--The SFC Celebration, which stages Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at the City Museum of DC.

This year's event features the Haute Pursuit Catwalk--a live exhibit featuring killer local boutiques interpreting the word "suit." Intermix, Barneys CO-OP, Pink November, Muleh, Periwinkle, moojoo ken, Bella and Alex are all participating. 'Twill be amazing.

Tickets are $98. Go.

Um...so now what?
So here I am. With my blog. Just...hanging out. This is...fun.

Actually, it's nice to focus on one thing, even if it's just for a moment. My life is a bit busy at present...
I have a two-year old.
I have a (fabulous) husband.
I have a full-time volunteering job.
I have a full-time (actual) job.
I have a night job that will hopefully someday become my (actual) job.

....which basically means I'm doing C-work at each of them. Hopefully I'll fare better here.