Thoughts du jour

1.) A few weeks ago, I was in an airport when I literally saw the best looking man I had ever seen (husband excluded). He was actually too handsome--like I'm-so-masculine-even-whilst-tossing-my-freshly-done-highlights-and-strutting-in-my-overly-embroidered-jeans kind of good looking. Like Rande Gerber good looking. I had never seen him before, but he just looked like he HAD to be famous, esp. as he had an assistant in tow.

Anyway, I turned on HGTV the other day and there he was. Life question answered. I can now move on.

2.) Jo Malone perfume is amazing. The only thing better was her Sandalwood soap. However, her perfumes: definite shelf life. I hadn't worn any of her perfumes in a while, so I broke them out: I have her Amber & Lavender, Nutmeg & Ginger, Red Roses, and, of course, Lime, Basil & Mandarin. Gave a little squirt, thought it smelled a little off, so tried mixing them (that's one of the great things about her fragrances--they mix really well so you can create your own little signature). And it got worse. And worse. And wouldn't come off. A heinously stinky stunk. My husband walked in and exclaimed "My god--what is this, 1989?? Are you wearing Men's POLO?!". That's exactly what it smelled like. Buyer beware.

3.) Had a client photo shoot for Washingtonian yesterday--how fun. The photographer, Matthew Girard, used a 40-year old camera and 4x5 film, sharing his amazing portfolio and stories of the wonders of Copenhagen along the way. What a great morning.

4.) Another Burning Bridge lesson: On my way out of an old job (home of M'kay), I was battered, bruised, and exhausted. But aside from a snarky press release and bequeathing my office items obnoxiously, I left pretty well intact. And as of Friday, I picked them up as a client (Yes, McQ, I'm back. Although they tried to stipulate that I come into your office one day a week--a TOTAL non-negotiable. Just can't do it). I head up to NYC on Sunday for a few--my favorite place to be in the spring!

5.) Hostess-choosing is hard. You've got to find people perfect for the event that are interested in the product, that aren't high-maintenance that know the routine yet aren't everywhere and will draw a crowd. That's a pretty big list! Just sent out invites for an event where I think I nailed it, but am stuck on my next one. But then again, this is SO much better than, say, reporting to The Man.

Back to the Vapid

A few events about which I haven't yet posted:
1.) Went to my first derm/botox party a few weeks ago. If you brought a friend, you got 20% off of any service, so I was the mole. Goodie bags: HUGE (a lot of grocery-store chains, like Olay, Neutrogena, etc. are trying to go the derm route now and are giving samples GALORE). Best of them all: my black botox baseball hat. Yes: B-O-T-O-X. In rhinestones. Brilliant.

2.) The annual Easter Egg Hunt. Our great friends L&C host a SICK Easter bash every year. It's typically a sugar buffet--literally a 20-foot table with every cake, pie, jello mold and peep concoction you can ever imagine. They get the 50-ish kids in attendance COMPLETELY sugared up, throw them outside for an Easter egg hunt, then send them on their way. 'Tis hilarious. This year it was a Dr. Seuss theme--complete with green (scrambled) eggs and ham, jello-molded red fish and blue fish and extra strong coffee (oh the places you'll go) and decaf (oh the places you won't). My boy had a swell old time.

3.) Last night's Denim Divas. That Mom, Inc. stylist Joyce Neave had a denim party at her home--it's these two guys that bring hundreds of pairs of jeans, all at about 1/2 price (Joe's, Citizens of Humanity, True Religion--basically everyone). Plus wine. Found no jeans, think it was just a bad body day, but did make some friends, see some friends, and had some type of dessert that I swear was a gourmet ho-ho. Man they were amazing. Then headed over to Mate with my girls for a late night drink and sushi run (a bit late for the WL party, but fun nonetheless).

4.) Silent auction tip: if you don't want to get in a bitter bidding war with me, then it's probably not a good idea to engage me in small talk, then lean over to your friend and drunk whisper, "F that--that b**** isn't getting this!" Yeah, GAME ON. Because a.) the rule of drunk whispering is that I CAN HEAR YOU and b.) I can't even be trusted not to get hypercompetitive during baby shower games where the prize is like crappy swizzle sticks from Pottery Barn.

Such was the situation in which I found myself at a recent gala two weeks ago. On the line: a $1,400 spa package. My competitor: drunk nasty girl.

I was ready to let it go when that little gem of a comment came out. And then later, I was getting a little tired of hovering and was considering walking away when she tried to cheat (stalling, pretending her pen wasn't working, etc.).

So now I'm the proud owner of a humongous spa package. In Annapolis. Didn't really do that math that I would have to drive to Annapolis for my 7 spa treatments, but then again, it wasn't about the package--it was about the pride. And the seven martinis I had ingested. Dear lord.

5.) Next on the docket: Marimekko coming to DC! Their clothes: amazing. Cut exceptionally well--just a really well-thought out line. Cannot wait. First of three stores opens May 10 with a fat launch party. The first will be in Silver Spring, directly across from Discovery, with the next two in DC.

The Unknown

Let us not forget, as the woman in the Duke rape case gets completely skewered and those boys are sitting there, wide-eyed and arrogant and with their thousand-dollar-an-hour lawyers in tow, that one woman was so scared that she ran from the house. That on her way out, witnesses heard one of the men yelling after her, "you can thank your grandpa for my nice cotton shirt." That when questioned about previous offenses, one parent's argument for their child's complete innocence was "I mean, he doesn't look guilty." Of course he doesn't. He's a rich kid armed with a thousand-dollar-an-hour lawyer.

Perhaps she was so humiliated that she lost it and overreacted--by all accounts, she was intimidated and powerless in that situation. And that situation, before you start blaming her for her occupation, amounts to being lured by easy money--a choice made by many a white-collar criminal with just better connections and more options. Or perhaps she really is crazy. Or perhaps there's some part of the case to which we are not privy.

Only those involved will know. But whatever happened, I hope all parties remember that karma is a bitch, and that it always catches up to you in the end.

Leetle Lotus Flower

So I got a sneak peek of Lotus Lounge at 14th & K tonight.

It's like nothing in DC. Nothing.

Glass lotus chandeliers by Christian Dior, amazing veneered cabinets, a sick waterfall that cost more than your average McMansion pool, seats made from tree trunks, and bar stools with the little lip in the back that makes you sit up straight (and who doesn't look better with good posture??). Oh, and a really cool lounging Buddha. Just details that were pristinely conceived and implemented. And a great color scheme.

Pictures are on the site, but they really don't do the place justice.

Opening will either be late April or very early May. And by all accounts, it's going to be one hell of a party...

A Good, Clean Feeling, No Matter What.

...and on a completely ridiculous note, have you tried Lemon Lime Orbit? It could be the best gum ever. It's like Adult Fruit Stripe, but it doesn't taste like cardboard in seven seconds. This shit is rather amazing.

Bridge, meet Match

Generally speaking, burning bridges is a bad thing.

Here's a prime example of why: I worked with a man (we'll call him "M'kay") for a long time. We fought like cats and dogs--M'kay treated my staff pretty horribly--but for some reason, I always fought fair (I had a few opps to play dirty, and for some reason, didn't engage. Pretty unlike me.).

Then, about 2 years ago, I had an interview for a dream job. Like almost all dream jobs, this one was for about 1/2 of the salary I was making at the time, so it wasn't feasible. But the person that interviewed me introduced me to someone else, with whom I totally hit it off, and they are now a client.

Then through them, I was recently doing some work and came across M'kay. Who is now a huge VP at a HUGE company. That's looking for a firm. And wants me to do a proposal.

See? Burning bridges: bad.

But then there are times that, no matter how hard you work, what you try to accomplish, you're met with negativity and complete lack of reason. And the more effort you put into it--and, even more strangely, the more effective you are--the worse it gets. It's almost always due to lack of leadership, sometimes in concert with insecurity or lack of vision. Sometimes they're just spiteful and evil.

And then, well, hand me the gasoline. Because I gots to go, and on my way out, use words like micromanaging, infighting, poison and bile.

So goodbye, my sweet. May my blood, sweat and tears somehow pay off in the end. Because at the end of the day, that's all that really matters.