Fabulous in the City

I decided to take the day off yesterday [whoopie!], and I was still sitting at my PC. What can I say – old habits die hard. But I digress.

As I was Stumbling about [I love StumbleUpon - it's a great site and toolbar addition], I found a website called LoveYourBody.org, and I took a closer look at it. Seeing that being pregnant changes your body so much, and you really have no control over it, I think I was really looking to see if they had any advice for me.

The site [though lacking, in my opinion, in the colors department] is pretty much a hub for the founder’s many projects. Ophira Edut created LoveYourBody.org as a way to show women around the nation that they can love what they’ve got. She’s what they call an social entrepreneur.

As I came across that word, I looked it up on Wikipedia [I love that site]. Social entrepreneurship is really starting to spread. It’s not just about making your annual donation anymore – it’s about treating social issues as a business endeavor. I must say, as a businesswoman I love the idea.

I’ll be looking further into social entrepreneurship, as I’m sure a few of my clients will find it just as interesting as I do. Some of them are looking to do mare than just the hackneyes donation check, but they simply don’t know where to start. Plus, since I’ve been working with them, they seem to have a lot more free time on their hands. I guess I must be doing something right.

As you may know, I hate the color pink.

Okay, maybe I don’t hate it so much now, but it’s not one of my favorite colors. I mean, it is the signature color of Mary Kay and Pure Romance, and I do look good in pink, but I’m not about to paint my nails or anything else pink.

Yet, after finding an article on these women, I might invest in a pink sari.

The women that I refer to are known as The Gulabi Gang. They’re a group of women in India who are apparently tired of abusive husbands and police that do nothing about it. So, these fierce women take matters into their own hands. And when words don’t work, they use violence.

These women are notorious for beating abusive husbands with lathis [traditional Indian fighting sticks]. Talk about R.E.S.P.E.C.T….

I’m no man-hater or anything, and I wouldn’t go around beating people, but I can see their side of it. After getting out of an abusive relationship myself, I’m not really all that sympathetic towards anyone that thinks it’s okay to put their hands on me.

So, if you ever see me around town wearing a pink sari, stay out of the way. It’s going to be my new way of telling the general public that I’m going to beat someone up.

If there is one car that I would absolutely love to have, it would be the Aston Martin Vanquish.

Specifically, the 2001 Aston Martin Vanquish S. Yes, that exact model. In black. Maybe with orange trim on the inside, but I won’t bore you with the details.

This car is magnificent.  And I don’t say that about a lot of cars. In fact, I don’t call anything magnificent. But I will make a huge exception for this car.

I’m writing about this car because I saw one today will driving around Houston. Just the sight alone made me realize just why I love being a personal concierge. Not only do I work with the kinds of people that drive those kinds of cars [and what great taste they have, indeed], but I’m also working towards having one myself. It may not be soon, but someday I will have an Aston Martin of my very own. And that makes fighting Houston traffic and holiday gift lines worth it.

P.S. It seems as if the Etiquette gods have smiled on me. Not one person [that I’ve seen] has gawked at me since Thursday’s post.

I’ll never understand how people can be so rude.

I’m about five and a half months pregnant now, and every time I go out in public [which is all day long], I get at least ten people who just feel the need to stare at me. Why is that? You would think that a pregnant lady is nothing new to humans these days, but it seems that every five minutes, someone’s eyes are falling out of their heads because they can’t stop looking at my stomach. And I’m not even that big yet!

It’s almost hilarious. Almost.

Maybe people were taught that once you’re pregnant, you can’t move or leave the house. Maybe they think that I just have a beer gut and I’m abnormally skinny everywhere else. I have no clue. What I do know is that it is extremely annoying and flat out inconsiderate to just stop and stare at someone. One woman almost got hit by a car while crossing the street. I mean, seriously, have you never heard of a working mother? And it’s not just adults. I get crazed looks from children all the time. Of course, they’re young and they don’t know any better, but it would be nice if their mom would at least tell them to close their mouths when they gawk at me. Honestly, I feel like a sideshow attraction every time I set foot into the Woodlands Mall.

This has got to stop.

Today’s post is a nod to the past. The past year, that is. As 2007 is drawing to a close, I’ve found myself thinking about where I’ve been and how far I’ve come over this year. And while I won’t delve into detail about the past eleven months of my life [you’d get bored really quickly], I will share with you the five things that have made this year as much of a success as it could be.

1.       Mama Bee Belly Butter. It’s the first on the list because it’s probably the most important right now. I love this stuff, and it makes my skin sooo soft. Don’t be surprised if you catch me randomly rubbing my stomach.

2.       Nars Liquid Eyeliner. I love getting made up without too much makeup, and this stuff goes on liquidy smooth.

3.       The Bally Rito Messenger. This bag is awesome. There’s a place for all my things – my wallet, my portfolio, my client packages, and even my purse on certain days. Plus, the bag itself is ultra-sleek.

4.       The Amsterdam Chair from Z Gallerie. I love this thing. You have no idea how many times I collapse in it after a long day of shopping and errand running.

5.       Whole Foods Market. Yes, this really is more of a place than a thing, but it’s been great nonetheless. The food is great, and I love going there to get new ideas [when I have a little time to spare].

I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs, The Hostess with the Mostess blog, written by Jennifer Sbranti, the HipHostess. She’s the founder and editor-in-chief there, and she finds some great things to share with all her readers. [If you get the chance, check her out.]

As I was reading, one of her posts reminded me that Christmas is on its way. As a personal concierge, Christmas looks to be one of the busiest holidays. With all the shopping, the lines, the returning, the lines, the rush for new gift ideas, and did I mention the lines? It’s hard for a busy woman [or man] to keep up with the holiday hustle and bustle. I’m pretty sure that I’ll be getting a slew of calls soon, and I’ll be a part of the Christmas shopping crowd. Thank goodness I didn’t get the call to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving, though I’m sure it would have been rather entertaining to watch the crowds.

Speaking of entertaining, I think it’s time to get on the ball in terms of preparing for the annual Christmas shindig. Since I always through a party the week before Christmas for all my close friends, I really have to start thinking about what I’m going to do to top last year’s feast. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I love entertaining – from cooking the meal to serving the dessert to mixing the drinks. Of course, you’ll rarely see me sitting at one of these events, but seeing that I’m almost five months pregnant, I’ll be doing a lot more than usual.

So, what are you going to do for Christmas this year? Tell me all about your plans for shopping ,feasting, and merry-making in the comments section.