The Front Row

In case your invite didn't arrive today...

Cathy Alter at Ginger

Cathy Alter, the bestselling Georgetown-based author, will be signing her book Up For Renewal at Ginger this Thursday, January 8, from 6-8. Her book, which has drawn rave reviews from People magazine, The Today Show and Allure, traces the year she spent following the advice from glossies including Cosmo, Glamour and InStyle, and serves as a primer on everything from how to wrap a sandwich to understanding Jennifer Aniston's split ends fetish. It's a year spent making goals and keeping most, so if you're about to break your first New Year's resolution (and who isn't), this event is perfectly timed to serve as inspiration.

She is also the source from which blogger Robyn Okrant culled the idea to heed Oprah's advice for a year in her blog and upcoming book, Living Oprah, which has recently been in the news.

Cathy's launch party drew a slew of boldfaced names, so be sure to peer over your signed copy to see who else is in attendance.

Cocktails and cupcakes served.

This just in(Style!)...

Amongst the Inaugural festivities, Neiman Marcus is jetting in Hal Rubenstein of InStyle mag and Ken Downing, NM's national fashion director, for a runway show and lunch on the 19th. Ali Wentworth hosts, and they're never shy about the goodie bag stuffings for events where they call in the bigwigs. It's invite only, so start calling your contacts now...

Saja Trunk Show

Saja is, in a nutshell, gorg. So if you need something pretty...

Yes, a bit of a hiatus...

..at least from blogging:


...but alas, no such thing as maternity leave...

One more thing...

...since I'm up printing the forms RIGHT NOW:

There will be giveaways for $200 gift certificates for Lucy and Ginger, as well as coupon books good for just about every shop in the row.

See you there!

Frustration in the Dressing Room

So I just got back from Day 1 of the trunk show and Hoooleeee Krap. The stuff is gorgeous. The kind you put on and think, "Ah, that's right, the nice clothes ARE better." And the prices for them are actually reasonable. Like Cusp-level pricing. But the quality is SOOO much better than your normal off-the-rack stuff.

But then I tried to zip it up. One piece after another, creeping up one size up with each try. And dammit, yes, I have a basketball in front of me and cannot wear normal people clothes. I just have to admit it and move on. I'm have maybe a week left in Pucci size 42 and then it's sweats from here on out, I think.

But you should definitely go. And get something for me.

There will also be pink cupcakes

I ordered 30, though by the time I get there, I'm thinking that about, oh, 24 will make it through the door...

Cue The Oboe

Leaving the corporate world (almost 14 months ago now!) to delve into my profession full time has been a long, drawn out series of fits and starts. Like everyone who has ever flipped to consulting ever, I landed a few big clients, thought "HA! This is easy!," only to have my salary sliced IN HALF (yes, that's a lot less Pucci in my life) while working 80 hour weeks trying to stay afloat.

And then you think you've got it all figured out, only to find yourself taking jobs that you know you shouldn't because you think you can handle it or you need the money (or you get cocky and/or greedy) and lo and behold, they're not worth the time and effort and you don't do a great job anyway because you're overwhelmed.

But little by little, it's all started to come together. Good days and bad days turned into more good months than bad, and then at some point, I don't even know if I could pinpoint when, it just happened.

This week-ish was like a symphony. I can't even begin to tell you how many events I'm juggling right now (oh wait, I can: it's THIRTEEN), plus normal retainer work and strategy for fall and wait that needs an email to go out and NO pulling an image off of a website is not high enough resolution and what? an event in seven days?? and crap that client doesn't like that ad and holy bejezus am I ever pregnant and...

...and yet. Somehow, even with having to stay up until 2 am for the past 10 days and being as big as a house, it somehow all worked out. Really well. Fingers crossed that the next 10 are just as good.

I guess it's just like the fact that your hair always looks INCREDIBLE the day before you get it cut. Because in somewhere between 30-45 days, an intern and, more importantly, a BABY, are coming into the picture, and who knows how it's all going to turn out then. Again fingers crossed.

If this came with a custom time machine, I'd be all set.

I love her stuff. And I'm all about custom ANYTHING (even my bathroom paper guest towels are custom. Yes, obsessed)...

Your heard it here first...

Fun shopping at Barneys and a killer goodie bag. RSVP now as it's going to fill up FAST...

No, Really: What Would Emily Post Do?

So while I'm sorting out the absolute melodrama that is my life at the moment (too many damn women involved in this current crisis. Just Too. Damn. Many), I'll regale you with this tale that happened while I was away from these here blogging parts:

So a few months ago, I threw an event for Emily Post's great-great granddaughter. Like my truly evil former best friend from high school that should be nowhere near a mirror lest her lack of reflection freak out the standers by, I should really be nowhere near anything related to Emily Post. I'm from Jersey. I don't really like people (except for you, of course). I think during some round of, ahem, medicating, during my college Grateful Dead years, I think I took a few too many hits of truth serum, because I have somewhat permanent foot-in-mouth disease.

And oh, my karma: not all that stellar.

...none of which occurred to me when coming up with, pitching, publicizing and implementing this event.

So the morning of the event, I was picking up the aforementioned honorary hostess at the airport. Life was a bit crazy, I was in a complete mad rush for the days leading up to the event. So at 10:54 for a flight landing at 11:05, I jumped in my car and raced down to National.

I pulled into the garage, pulled the key out of the ignition, then remembered the words of my BFF E, who uttered, eyebrows a bit raised, "You are going to clean out your car before this weekend, yes?."

I looked down at my console: crushed Cheerios from a 3-year old's temper tantrum the week (okay, the month) prior. Floor: a myriad of gingerbread caramel wrappers, press releases, and, well, dirt. Windshield: a lovely shade of grey. Construction paper art projects (and their leftover glitter) in every crevice. To say nothing of the probably case of empty water bottles littering the seats.

Crap. Literally think "What the EFF would EP do???".

So first: haul all bottles to the trunk. Next: find a napkin and some water and try to get the dirt off of, well, everything. Not too much luck.

Head to baggage claim. Meet the hostess. Who is kind and lovely and charming and warm. Phew. Though she still hasn't seen mi coche.

Head to the car. Give her somewhat fair warning.

Head out of the garage, chatting it up all the while. Get to the gate. Reach for my wallet. Which isn't in my purse. Or in the console. Or in the backseat. Or...rifling through trash now...in the trunk.

"So, um, so thank you for coming. Can I borrow four dollars?" Yes, I had to borrow four dollars from Emily Post's relative to bail us out. So. Not. Cool.

By the end of the day, I asked her if Emily Post would take off her 5" heeled boots when the event was just about over if SHE was 6 months pregnant. She said Emily would approve.

The end.

An OCD Birthday

I've got me a posse of girls. I've known them forever--most going on ten years. They are from all different stages of my life: college, post-college, neighbors, Dead travelmates, the woodworking magazine owned by the porn company... Anyway, I love putting all of these disparate groups together, as new friends are always made, and a damn good time is always had by all.

Two years ago, for a big birthday, my two bestest friends of them all threw me a kickass, wine-infused fete, complete with boas, goodie bags and fake Botox. Rock Creek Restaurant, one of my faves, wasn't the same after that night (their fault for picking up the wine tab).

Last year, same BFFs threw a fete at one of their uber-cool, retro-modern houses, and it rocked. The fall of last year was also really, really busy, so as a thanks to them and the rest, I cooked the dinner (I cooked the only thing I know how: lasagna).

This year, house addition done, and this event season even busier than last (when did I last post? An effing month ago??), I threw the party at my casa. And as I a.) throw events for a living and b.) am a weeee bit of a control freak, it all got out of control really, really fast.

It all started at Home Goods, when BFF E and I walked right into a table of dress forms like the one you see above. I knew they had to be incorporated somehow.

Then I remembered the SEVENTEEN stolen Pucci seat cushions in my attic, which immediately turned the event from a "sit around my living room eating lasagna" to "Must get Chavari chairs NOWNOWNOW and should the linens be twill or lame and does anyone have silver for 18?"

Then I called my sister, who happened to be throwing a brunch for Pucc during Art Basel, who Fedexed me an early Christmas present (Pucci dress!) along with 18 brunch invitations (which, with the click of a mouse and a flicker of spray glue, became menu cards).

Then I remembered that I had Laura Mercier Creme Brulee bath honey that would make the perfect snobby handsoap...(an hour and a roomful of bubbles later, let me offer this advice: it's a bit thick for handsoap. Add water to it. CAREFULLY).

By 3p.m., the lasagna hadn't been started yet but I was convinced I could do that AND prime over walls in the new guest bathroom (that were test painted Hermes orange to match this killer 1925 French newspaper ad I just had matted and framed). Another note of advice: Hermes orange is a wee bit bright for a teeny tiny powder room. Just a wee bit.

E and friend S came early, E with the most amazing cake EVER in tow (note to all: Just Cakes in Bethesda is amazing, and even moreso is E. If you don't already have one, go out and get yourself a BFF like her if you can, though she really is one of a kind and you can't have her), L polished the silver (borrowed and all monogrammed with B's), grandmother's prewar China was finally pulled out of storage, my dear husband, with nary a word of complaint (okay, lots of words, but he still did it, bless him), moved our ENTIRE living room into our basement for the night, and the guests started to arrive.

First, a few shots of the decor:

When I walked into the florist with these, she literally hugged me for saving her from having to make her 400th "Holiday Joy!" FTD Bouquet that day.


Three hours earlier, there was an entire living room in here. Husband = NOT amused.


Yes, I stole 17 of these cushions in full view of Olivia Chantecaille and friends. Those invites/menu cards: thick as tiles. Awesome.


Seating arrangements were, for the most part, perfect. The fact that we switched the eggplant and turkey lasagnas while serving, thus giving my vegan friend D her second bite of meat in about fifteen years? Not so much.


While the night started out as a lovely fete, it ended up, per usual, with drinking the Veuve under the table.

Next year: I'm figuring out how to squeeze in 40 girls. You're all invited.

xo

Coming up for air for TWO seconds..

...just to tell you about the sale and pahtay at Daisy Too, Zelaya and Daisy Baby tomorrow:


I swear I'll be back. Maybe after my birthday.

xo

Nothing But Net.

When we staged the first District Sample Sale in the fall of '06, we raised $10,000 for Suited for Change. In the spring, we upped the ante and raised $11,200 for SOME. So when we first met with Miriam's House, our fall 2007 charity, we told them our goal (to beat our previous year's numbers), crossed our fingers and hoped for the best.

Tonight at a reception at Nage, we were honored to present them with a check for $17,200. In addition, we came up with the idea of keeping our past charities in the fold, so we also donated $1,000 each to SFC and SOME as well.

So to those who came to the DSS, those who told people about it, those who enjoyed it, and those who didn't but came anyway, I say thankyouthankyouthankyou.

Okay, back to the pre-event chaos. See you tomorrow!

But Don't Get Me Wrong...

LOCAL PUBLICIST SEEMINGLY ABDUCTED
Replaced With Chubbier, Crankier, Narcoleptic, Sober,
Caffeine and Botox-Free Version of Former Self

...there was, of course, a snarky press release.

The Art

Here it is...


Tres cute, no? I'm not sure if Washington or Jefferson is my favorite, though you'll have to attend to see Jefferson!

A hiatus from thou...

Hi all. It seems I've been taking more breaks than not these days. I have a little news that I'm not quite ready to share yet, but also have been beeeezeee. You know how they say that if you really, truly love your job, that it doesn't seem like work at all? It's true, but when that's the case, it also makes it incredibly hard to turn your job off. Ever.

If my husband had his druthers, he would place this very laptop under the back wheels of his car and release the emergency break on our little hill. So you can see why blogging has had to take a bit of a repreive.

Overall, the past few weeks have had their ups and downs: some events wildly exceeded expectations, some not and it was truly humbling. I think the lesson overall is that the retail event market has significantly changed in the past few years. Unless you have an amazingly unique selling proposition--eg., something unique and truly special that benefits the living hell out of your attendees, you are pretty much doomed. And even if you have that, a little snafu like timing can hurt you just as badly. But if you really think it through, vet your ideas out, do a little market research, and put that all together, you can really develop something great.

So.

Here's one of the 80 things I'm working on now for which I hope you'll mark your calendars!

Wednesday, November 14: R. Nichols Event at Apres Peau. This has been YEARS in the making. Nick is a bit of a recluse--he is charming and wonderful and funny and dapper and ridiculously talented and so veryvery shy. But he's finally coming! He came up a few years ago to support me for an event I was doing, but this is the first one all about him. The last one I can remember was when Mireille Guiliano (yes, the CEO of Veuve) honored him with a fete for doing the cover of French Women Don't Get Fat.

Anyway, he has created a Washington, DC themed line exclusively for Apres Peau. And they are SO FABULOUS. You'll see one of the basic original drafts in the November issue of DC Magazine, but the finals are just incredible. And not only will he be doing notecards, but he is also creating a limited edition serious of prints (signed and numbered, series of 25) and it looks like he may even sell the originals, which he RARELY does.

If you'd like to receive an invite, email me and I'll put you on the invite list!

Event #5: Be That Mom!

My graphic skills: not so the very bestest here...

Event #4: Badgley Mischka!