Climbing out of the Doldrums - Check, and almost check

My next steps in the Big Climb?

First was a haircut. Check.

Second was shoe shopping. Almost check.

Wednesday, right after I posted, I picked The Bean up from school and took her to lunch. Because she was having such a lovely time playing with one of her little friends, we invited LittleFriend and HerMama to join us at Kafé Leopold. While the girls climbed all over the banquette, almost behaving, our VeryNiceWaiter tolerated us and the Mamas chatted. We felt positively normal. And the girls had a great time. (oh yes, and they did let us in, despite my absolutely schlumpy duds)

Note to self: go more often. It'll keep me from seriously jonesing Austria. At least for now.

After lunch, we swung by my favorite (as if you couldn't tell, since I wear their shoes almost every day) boutique, simplysoles. And while Miss Kassie wasn't there (off getting the new Richmond location ready for it's opening this weekend!), we did a quick browse, and bought two headbands - one for the bean (which she's worn proudly non-stop since), and one for Mama. I set my sights on a couple of pairs of shoes. Now. Do I take the risk and wait for DSS? Or take the sale prices now? Hmmmm...

Then we dashed off (the Bean nodding off "Mama, I love you" in her carseat) to Franz Sebastian to see Miss Jae. Scrubbed and coiffed, I felt 1001% better. Still do, in fact. We got in a bit of style gossip (have you heard about Erwin?), and The Bean got to have her bob trimmed. Such the little lady. Or Diva, as her sitter calls her. When I asked her later who do you like to do your hair (she's been to H's barber, and MIL's hairdresser, too), she answered "the girl with the team shirt." Jae was wearing a fun sports-jersey-esque top. That's my girl.

So...two more items down, a bunch more to go. Up next?

Get healthy - this will be a long road. But maybe I'll have some extra fruit today. Or even some veggies.

Buy a few pieces I love NOW. Not for the future healthy me, but for the Rubenesque, Now Me - starting that this afternoon - a stolen afternoon jaunt to Friendship Heights, to see if I can get a couple of tops or lightweight sweaters I'm happy in. Even if it's one, it's one more than I have now.

Keep going. Even when I'm distracted or have relapses into UnshoweredWorld, I will get. back. on. the. wagon.

Updated: To-Do List

See? I'm even forgetting things. Which is why I need a list.

Note to self: add...

See Erwin. Very soon. Brows are gross.
Pedicure. Now.
Manicure - optional, but at least remove old polish and cut.

Yes, these are things that should be done regularly. And I haven't done them. So sue me.

PS - no, I haven't washed my hair yet.
PPS - this post and its predecessor are designed to give you the freedom to relax. It's a public service. Yup, that's what it is.

Dreamland

Pregnancy does strange and wonderful things to your dreams. My old therapist told me once that a colleague of hers claimed she would pay extra for the therapy available during pregnancy - because your subconcious brings such delicious things to the surface that stay hidden at other times. I can absolutely attest to that.

Though I can't say that last night's episode of DC Celine's Dreams brings anything interesting to light, but it certainly was an amusing combination of my obsession with reality shows (style ones, in particular), tweeting, and probably some things H really doesn't want to hear about.

While I can't remember the "storyline," here's what I do remember, 6 hours afterwards...
A runway show for an up-and-coming Asian-faced designer. The line was somewhat reminiscent of Patrick McDonald and Roberto's line from "Launch My Line" (yes, I watch that crap - the self-destruct mechanisms on it are effin' brilliant): trashy red and black lingerie-"inspired" pieces with much see-throughness going on.

I was trying to tweet the show, but all I remember is that somehow I got "stuck" tweeting, and started texting the message on my (gasp! I'm horribly '00 about my personal technology) cell, but never managed to send a single tweet. Something about the gorgeous man sitting next to me and with whom I think I was canoodling. (Honestly, H won't care in the least about that. I'm a lucky girl.) He was tall, lithe, and muscular, with a very closely cropped (not quite shaved) head of hair - a fashioned-up version of a Marine, perhaps (there go those CIA/renegade patriot novels I keep reading. Or maybe a long-harbored memory about the 16-year-old Georg with whom I swam - raced, mind you - on my exchange year in Austria). The designer was, like I said, an Asian-faced woman (can't remember enough to even remotely attempt a guess at actual nationality), thin, raggedy bob-like 'do...hmmm...not unlike Erwin's new coif (which, btw, suits him much better, IMHO, than his previous long, shaggy cut). I think she was rather mean, but that could be something my psyche attached after I woke up.

After the "oh no, must tweet! It's my fashion responsibility as a blogger!" crisis, I don't remember much else. I think there was more to the dream, maybe a hostel with other young (hee hee, as if I still qualify for that adjective) people.

Anywho...speculate away at the state of my psyche. It's one week before the absolute definitive day of arrival for Bean #2 (long story short, it could decide to arrive on it's own before then, but...). Who knows where my brain, concious or otherwise, will be in a week. I promise a quick update post-arrival.

Breaking News: Work Gets in Way of Social Life (and Blog)

That whole federal contractor, saving the world, serving our country thing? Well, so not a fan today.

The Government decided to release an RFP we were awaiting - yesterday. Deadline end of May. Translation? MUCHO work for yours truly.

Now, I was waaaaaaaaaay behind on paper (it's all very cemented in my head, really!), and bossman and H (yup, we work together occasionally) would really like to see more progress. But I lost any chance I had of swinging my evening at the DC Scout B-day fest tonight when the Government actually did their job.

Pooey.

So I'll just have to settle for finally getting my hair cut (about 2 months overdue), getting to the doc (5 months overdue), and getting to Erwin (hmmm...probably pushing 6 months - at least).

Then I'll go home, all gussied up, with only my laptop and Big Binder o' Government Documents to keep me company.

Oh, and H. He'll be right next to me with his, though he won't be quite as pretty as I.

A little behind

on my personal grooming, I'm about 2 months overdue for a cut and, well, I can't remember the last time I saw Erwin. Literally. I know I've been since The Bean arrived, but life has gotten in the way and forced many a reschedule. I have no idea how I haven't made it onto the salon blacklist, except that I've been with both Jae and Erwin since, well, for a long time. Jae and I have known each other longer than I've known H.

My hand forced by an also overdue annual doc appointment, I'm taking the afternoon in two weeks to do Stuff I Have to Do.

We won't mention that I'll conveniently have been to the salon the afternoon of the DC Scout Bday Bash, where there might be pictures taken.

Now...off to the outfit planning. This might just call for a new one.

Amusing Style

As always, one day after I say I'm going to take a break, I find something that Just. Has. To. Be. Posted. Funny Anecdote to Follow.

We wake up this morning to lovely babbling (and "MamAAAAH!") from the crib (we made it all the way 'til 5am - victory!). Out of bed, morning abolutions for the girls, Bean and H have breakfast (Mommy doesn't eat til at work 'cause she has too much to do), and back in our room to get ready. H disappears into the bathroom for his morning abolutions.

A few minutes later, I hear the clippers going. "Ah, trimming his beard,"* I think.

After he emerges, I dash in to get something, and roll my eyes at the whiskers in the sink.

"You have to rinse this out when you're done shaving," I cry.

"I wasn't shaving," he says.

"Well what were you doing?" I ask.

"Clipping my eyebrows."

With electric clippers.

"I get these really long ones," he defends. I've been after him for years to trim those suckers. I've given up getting him to go get plucked or waxed. I'll just relish the Mediterranean goodness that he is. But CLIPPERS?

Oh dear. Erwin and Azi must be fainting dead away.


*a goatee, people, not a full-grown beard!

The Bean and the Celeb

The Bean met her first "DC celeb" today. No, not a senator. An eyebrow guru.

This has been my week to clean up - almost literally. Hair, brows, and tomorrow I'm going to tackle my closet (have to see which work clothes still fit the Beanbody). Jae was Tuesday, and Erwin cleaned up the mess that was my brows this afternoon (how he does it so quickly, I'll never know. They were a disaster, since my last visit was about a month before The Bean arrived.)

Erwin and co. cooed appropriately over the new baby. Erwin added on "I can't believe you have a baby. You just got married. It's so wierd." This from a man whose own baby, Chanel, has her puppy toenails painted.

The Bean slept through the entire i-pod soundtracked event. Tells you where we are on her priority list.

Clearly, she's headed on to bigger and better things than I.

Packing for Greece...if I ever get to it.

Let's just say that I'm thankful I've traveled a lot. Packing happens for me in about 30 seconds. 60 if it's winter and I'm trying to stuff things into a bag.

Everyone has different packing styles. Take, for example, me and my mother-in-law. My style? I just told you. List in head for a week (or not), then pack on the fly. Invariably I end up with a few too many tops, but worse things could happen. MiL? She's been packed for a month. I kid you not. MiL's a very planned and "get it done now, so I can play later" kinda gal (dinner's often cooked by the time I get up in the morning). It's served her well. So she started packing in the spare room about a month ago. She'll be packed, then think twice, pull something out, replace it, see a weather report, change it again...

So when I left this morning, already mildly stressed about trying to get further with the aforementioned thesis-type project thingy and transition my projects to coworkers for the next two weeks, I really wasn't even considering packing. It'll happen. Someday. Our plane departs tomorrow dinnertime, so I figure I'll get it done at some point. No worries. Jae and Erwin tomorrow morning are much more important (I'll feel good, even if I have nothing to wear) than getting my crap in a bag.


[12 hours after I started this post...continued...]


But I did find 10 minutes before a meeting and again after my brain conked out on work & school to make a list of the things I think I should pack. I'll spare you all of the vitamins and face products, but here's the pre-packing clothing list.


2 Old Navy tanks (one in True Blue, one in a berry color that doesn't seem to be on the website)
orange sparkly Indian-inspired Chrome Hearts tank
INC sheer blue T
4 summery, flowy tunic-y blouses lent me by a marvelous GreekGoddess friend who just gave birth to her first daughter
an iie
blue Motherhood Maternity dress
linen Old Navy halter dress (for some reason not on the website - wish it were - it's so non "M")
a standby cami
tummy sleeves (one black, one nude)
underwear (of course)
socks (in case my feet get cold at night)
trouser socks (eew, I know, but just in case it gets cold over there - it's possible)
tights (see above comment, but without the "eew")
Old Navy rollover waist khakis (Babsie D, you were right, right, right - don't knock 'em til you try 'em - and I never want to wear anything else ever again - but also can't find these online)
Citizen standby jeans
an old standby printed Ann Taylor skirt - just in case
favorite brown merino v-neck sweater
favorite black cowl neck sweater (again, just in case it's cold)
a black cotton motorcycle jacket (Gap, 300 seasons ago, but it's still one of my favorites)
red cotton raincoat
teal silk pashmina-like shawl - perfect for the plane!


Shoes are a little extensive...but here goes
Mia stars flats - like slippers - with stars! (for some reason, 3 of the last 4 pairs of shoes I've bought have been Brasilian-born - something to look into there)
my orange flats
standby black heels (just in case)
gold strappy sandals
my favorite bought-in-Miama with BlueSuitGirl ankle wrap sandals
my new Grasshoppers
slippers (oddly enough, also with stars)


And, of course, accessories...but I haven' t decided on those yet.


MiL says that the shoe shopping in Greece is to-die-for - lots of little boutiques. I promise a full report - and I'll tell you if I actually packed any of what I listed, let alone whether or not I wore it.


See you on April 11th! I'll let you know how visiting the relatives in Athens and Chania, Crete, was!

Spotted: DC Celebs at Neyla

H comes home last night, I'm almost asleep.

"Guess who I saw at dinner?"

"Do I know this person?"

"Yes. A DC celebrity. A couple."

"Do I know this person personally? Have I met them, actually shaken their hands?" (H tends to say I know people when I've been in the room with them - he's lovely, in that he gives me waaaay more credit for knowing Cool People than I deserve.)

"Yes."

We went several rounds like this. It was midnight. The Bean had been dancing for hours. Synapses weren't firing really well.

I tried the "Style DC" or "Political DC" question. "Style DC" he said.

Still at a loss.

Finally, he gives me the ultimate hint: he runs his finger over his eyebrow. In the glow of the bathroom light, I figured it out: Erwin & James.

The Washington Style Power Couple was dining last night at Neyla. H was outside, smoking a cigar, when he realized that he should Know Who They Are. He asked the manager hanging with him.

And then he saw them climb into a very pretty Big Brand New Car.

Funny thing was, I swung by his place this afternoon to make an appointment for a brow cleanup right before our trip to Greece in a few weeks. He happened to be client-free, so we had a lovely chat while Chanel napped in her little house. Just a good soul.

A Special Place in Our Hearts (or War of the Gurus?)

Sleeping in last Sunday morning a little. Was awake, but not outta bed. Bal'mer Girlfriend calls me.

"Did you see the Sunday Source this morning?" she asks.

"Uh uh." I wasn't anywhere near the paper yet. I think maybe my eyes were open, but I'm not sure.

"I opened it up, and there's a big ad from Red Door announcing the arrival of 'Eyebrow Guru Azi [can't remember her last name].' We found her!"

You see (and I think I mentioned this in a long ago post), Azi was the first one. For both of us. She was the one who helped us through our first time eyebrow shaping. She plucked, our eyes teared, and we sneezed. We tried to maintain them ourselves, and then we went back to her. Then one day, she was gone. And we couldn't find her. We were sad.

Then, Bal'mer Girlfriend found someone up north, and I found Erwin. But there's always been a special place in our hearts for Azi.

And now she's back. She'll be in Erwin's old room, I guess, at Red Door. I'm torn. Do I go see her? Is that cheating?

And what will Washington do with Two Gurus?

The Greatest Accessory Ever

...is the eyebrow grooming.

I started a long time ago...and was very afraid. I was at my regular salon for a haircut, and decided to take advantage of the "complimentary makeup touchup" after I was done. Azi took care of me - made me look like me - only better...and then asked if I'd ever plucked my eyebrows.

"Uh uh," I said. She offered to do it for me. It wasn't expensive - $20, I think, so I went for it. Best thing I ever did. Amazing what a difference it makes. It really does. Opened up my whole face. Gave my face presence (I know it sounds silly, but it's true!) and purpose.

Long story short, Azi eventually left the salon, and I was lazy and didn't track her down. So I figured I'd maintain myself...uh huh. While I certainly kept them from being super fuzzy, I knew I wasn't the talented plucker.

And then a girlfriend found Erwin. Written up somewhere as "The Eyebrow Guru," she figured she'd give him a shot. Thank goodness she did. She came back with lovely brows and orders not to touch them - if she did, he wouldn't do them ever again. Now that's my kind of stylist. Take charge. No, you're doing it wrong, and don't ever do that again.

So I made my appointment, and in I went. Erwin's a doll. Sweet, smart, and the fastest wax in the District. Five minutes is a long appointment with him. But I always want to stay longer. I want to soak up his style. Impeccably dressed and groomed. Always. And unassuming. Not to mention kind.

Then, about a year after I discovered him, he passed me his card and told me he was opening his own place. First of all, it was the coolest card ever. Translucent, slim, simple. I emailed him, found out where he was seeing clients in between The Old Place and His New Place.

And now he's just about to open up Erwin Gomez Salon and Spa. I went in just yesterday (it had been just a little too long, but somehow I kept forgetting to pick up the phone). The space isn't done yet (they're working out of the upstairs right now), but it's all a bustle with activity. I felt like I was at a friend's house before a really cool party.

I can't help be a little perturbed (though happy for him, of course) that my grooming secret is out. Daily Candy found Erwin...so now the rest of the world will, too. It's kinda like that restaurant-that-you-love-so-you-want-to-tell-everyone-about-it-but-you-don't-wanna-because-then-if-too-many-people-know-you-won't-be-able-to-get-a-table dilemma.

But the secret's out, and it really is the best thing I've done for myself, appearance-wise. Doesn't take long, doesn't take much. And it only hurts a little. So go. It's worth it.

Just don't take my appointment.

And say hello to Chanel for me. She's the real star of the salon.