An Ordinary Day...

Wednesday, April 12th started off as an ordinary day. The alarm sounded off at 6:00 a.m. like it always did. Reggie did his work day morning ritual, showering, grooming, selecting a suit and accessorizing with the perfect accents for Read more

Why are some people mean?

Why are some people mean? I'm not talking about a little mean, but bazaar, go out of their way to be mean. Recently I've encountered a few mean people, I remind myself that these situations will make me a stronger Read more

Maldives

Our last trip of 2016 was to the Maldives. Last year was one full of excursions, We traveled to Cameroon, Paris, Bali, Hawaii, New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Lake Tahoe, Atlanta, Napa, San Francisco, Dubai, and I must say Read more

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It's okay to venture out of your comfort zone... Lately I've been doing it quite often. This weekend is going to be one of renewal, my personal Super Bowl. What are your plans? I will be working today and tomorrow. Happy Read more

Do you enjoy yourself?

Both of my kids are in New York, my son is in school in the Hudson Valley and my daughter is living in Brooklyn and working. So we are officially empty nesters, and have been so for a while Read more

friendship

Formation Ladies…

Posted on by Gigi in friendship 2 Comments

I did not pledge a sorority when I was in college. Most of my friends were in one, and although I was not we still all socialized  together. I have always had a large community of girlfriends, going all the way back to my childhood. I was not the most popular girl by any means, but I made friends easily.

Currently I have quite a few women friends in my life. I belong to a book club, I have a group of girlie girls  that I ski with, I have a movie, wine tasting group of girls, girls of summer group, Jack and Jill moms, my travel girls, and a few that are not in any of the above mentioned group that I socialize with as well.

Gigi’s Book Club

I love hanging with my ladies. the best thing about my women friends is that you can talk about every and any thing, beauty, fashion, hair, sex, politics, your fears, business, men, aging parents, marriage, lashes, brows, aging, hormones, illness, you name it…

Gigi girls of summer-

Granted some relationships are complicated with our female friends, but the older I get the more understanding and tolerant I am of differences. You understand that you may only see one friend every 6 months, and another friend you may chat with 2x a day and that is okay, as long as both friends are on the same page.

Ski girlies

 

Ski Patrol

It is comforting to know that you have women in your life that if you called one in the middle of the night you know she would answer, and be there for you. It is nice to share with a friend, that you know you are not going to be judged by, no matter what craziness you have gotten yourself involved in…

Beauty box at the Hollywood Bowl

Girls just want to have fun…

Do you have a girl posse? Or do you have more co-ed friends? Or do you have 1 or 2 BFF’s that are your ride or die type of girls? One last question to think about…Do you think it is harder to make new friends as you get older?

XOXO,

Gigi


Big Girl Slumber Parties

Posted on by Gigi in friendship 2 Comments

I had a slumber party for my 12th birthday, I don’t recall all the details, but I remember how much fun it was. Staying up late, laughing, acting silly and those special bonding moments that took place after 24 hours of non-stop play. Those long nights were something I looked forward to, that special time with a small group of girls sharing stories and confiding little secrets with each other.

Now that I’m grown, my childhood slumber parties have now evolved to “girls weekends” and they are just as fabulous. We are all so busy, barely finding time to have coffee with a friend, so to spend a few days with girlfriends, sharing our lives, current situations, concerns and sometimes tears is truly special. Taking time away from your normal routine is an escape we all need occasionally.

I started going on my annual girls ski weekend 13 years ago. That first trip that started the traditional was to Whistler, we had a blast and have been going every year since. We have gone to Vail, Aspen, Sun Valley, Mammoth, Park City, Steamboat, Breckenridge, Snow Mass and a spa resort for good balance, this year we will be going to Heavenly Valley, Lake Tahoe.

#team girlie girl

#team girlie girl

The group of friends slightly changes year to year- as we all know how life can interrupt our fun, but the core is my friend Greta and I that start the ball rolling each year. Doing all the research finding the perfect house, condo, or resort, so the rest of the girls can just pack their bags and jump on the plane and land to “big fun” USA.

Gigi & Greta

Gigi & Greta

Ladies do you have any girl weekends that you go on? Guys? Any fishing trips, or super bowl weekend trips with the guys? Or any couple group trips?

spa weekend in Cali

spa weekend in Cali

Tips on planning a “girls weekend”.

  1. It is nice to have a focus or activity to come together for, ours is skiing- everyone does not ski, but we all come together to experience a bit of winter wonderland.
  2. Figure out who you want to extend the invite to. It is nice to have new and old friends attend, makes for interesting conversation and discovery.
  3. Plan in advance- booking lodging, airfare, restaurant reservations etc.. Most of us need time to juggle our real lives in order to escape reality so get your date set early.
  4. Have a loose schedule so there is space for time away from the group as well.
  5. Have Fun and make memories!
    Girls

    Girls

    of course the matching t-shirts

    of course the matching t-shirts

    strolling

    strolling

    Greta & Gigi

    Greta & Gigi

What are some of your favorite group trips?

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo,

Gigi


Makeup? or Cover Up?

Posted on by Gigi in friendship 2 Comments
monique

monique

In my photography business I use a professional makeup artist on almost all my shoots. I tend to form strong relationships with the artists I work with, hence professional relationships often creep over to friendships. Monique Woolley was one of those, she was a delightful young woman that could easily have been my daughter. She came into my  business at a time when my other makeup artist had a medical emergency, and was going to need time off to heal. The first time she worked for me she came in with her platinum blond curls, and her stylist diva mom Amour, the 2 of them waved their magic wand and transformed my sister Romanna, not only physically but mentally.

Monique

Monique

I got to know her family, and she got to know mine. She loved her little adorable 7 year-old boy Noah, we would adjust our schedule so she could always tend to her mommy duties. She always updated us on the current Noah story, while drinking my signature tea latte that I would make for her. She talked about her family a lot, her brothers, her sister and her mom and dad.

Monique & Noah

Monique & Noah

 

Over the year and a few months that I got to know her, we shared lots of laughs and stories about being a celebrity makeup artist in Hollywood, and interesting tidbits about how some clients you had to talk to their assistants while doing their makeup, because “they” did not want to speak to a “lowly” makeup artist directly. She was a perfectionist, always going beyond to please our clients, everyone who she touched loved her. She had a way of putting everyone at ease who sat in her chair, even the ones who were unsure about the “makeup” process and what the outcome would be. She could please the young ones, and my diva clients who were set in their ways and not open to new trends. I’m now learning moment by moment that behind that beautiful smile was a sad woman, a woman who was battling depression. Just like the makeup she so skillfully applied hiding blemishes and imperfections on my clients she was a master in concealing her pain.

Monique

Monique

I started thinking about how most of us are hiding our blemishes daily, with our own “makeup”, including moi. It becomes so routine, like the concealer, I never go out without, tapping a little bit on to camouflage those little annoying dark spots that never go away completely.

I can’t help but to wonder is there something I could have done. How could I have missed her sadness, and then I think about myself and how I am a master of hiding my emotions, while I’m an open book for the most part we all have the little shit that stays in the crevices.

I questioned why is it difficult for me to emote and I came to the conclusion that I’m a good listener and everyone can “dump” on me because I’m so “together”…Really?  Not at all…I conceal a lot of what is going on in my life. I’m stressed about my business, I’m stressed about results from medical tests, I’m stressed about my kids, the list goes on and on. I don’t talk about it much, mostly I listen to others, most who are clueless to my struggles.

What to I do about it? I meditate, practice yoga and make sure I do “me” on a regular basis. Going forward though, I am going to share my feelings, listen to others closely, because at the end of the day we all want to know that someone genuinely cares about us and our well being. If you are feeling pain…reach out to someone you trust, don’t hold it in…we do care.

RIP Monique you will be missed by so many…

The last day I saw Monique

The last day I saw Monique…

 

 


“How to be a good friend”

Posted on by Gigi in friendship 1 Comment
Bad Feminist

Bad Feminist

Bad Feminist, by Roxane Gay is the selection we read in my book club. It is a collection of essays covering politics, pop culture and feminism. These essays were the basis of a lot of interesting discussion at our meeting. Of all the essays the  following one got the most dialogue. Women are complex in their relationships with one another, this essay could be the “rules” for women friendships. Let me know your thoughts.  I especially love #1, 1B, 5 , 5A, 11 & 12.

How To Be Friends With Another Woman

by Roxane Gay

1. Abandon the cultural myth that all female friendships must be bitchy, toxic, or competitive. This myth is like heels and purses — pretty but designed to SLOW women down.

1A. This is not to say women aren’t bitches or toxic or competitive sometimes but rather to say that these are not defining characteristics of female friendship, especially as you get older.

1B. If you find that you are feeling bitchy, toxic, or competitive toward the women who are supposed to be your closest friends, look at why and figure out how to fix it and/or find someone who can help you fix it.

2. A lot of ink is given over to mythologizing female friendships as curious, fragile relationships that are always intensely fraught. Stop reading writing that encourages this mythology.

3. If you are the kind of woman who says, “I’m mostly friends with guys,” and act like you’re proud of that, like that makes you closer to being a man or something and less of a woman as if being a woman is a bad thing, see Item 1B. It’s okay if most of your friends are guys, but if you champion this as a commentary on the nature of female friendships, well, soul-search a little.

3A. If you feel like it’s hard to be friends with women, consider that maybe women aren’t the problem. Maybe it’s just you.

3B. I used to be this kind of woman. I’m sorry to judge.

4. Sometimes, your friends will date people you cannot stand. You can either be honest about your feelings or you can lie. There are good reasons for both. Sometimes you will be the person dating someone your friends cannot stand. If your man or woman is a scrub, just own it so you and your friends can talk about more interesting things. My go-to explanation is “I am dating an asshole because I’m lazy.” You are welcome to borrow it.

5. Want nothing but the best for your friends because when your friends are happy and successful, it’s probably going to be easier for you to be happy.

5A. If you’re having a rough go of it and a friend is having the best year ever and you need to think some dark thoughts about that, do it alone, with your therapist, or in your diary so that when you actually see your friend, you can avoid the myth discussed in Item 1.

5B. If you and your friend(s) are in the same field and you can collaborate or help each other, do this without shame. It’s not your fault your friends are awesome. Men invented nepotism and practically live by it. It’s okay for women to do it too.

5C. Don’t tear other women down, because even if they’re not your friends, they are women and this is just as important. This is not to say you cannot criticize other women, but understand the difference between criticizing constructively and tearing down cruelly.

5D. Everybody gossips, so if you are going to gossip about your friends, at least make it fun and interesting. As a corollary, never say “I never lie” or “I never gossip” because you are lying.

5E. Love your friends’ kids even if you don’t want or like children. Just do it.

6. Tell your friends the hard truths they need to hear. They might get pissed about it, but it’s probably for their own good. Once, my best friend told me to get my love life together and demanded an action plan, and it was irritating but also useful.

6A. Don’t be totally rude about truth telling, and consider how much truth is actually needed to get the job done. Finesse goes a long way.

6B. These conversations are more fun when preceded by an emphatic “GIRL.”

7. Surround yourself with women you can get sloppy drunk with who won’t draw stupid things on your face if you pass out, and who will help you puke if you over celebrate, and who will also tell you if you get sloppy drunk too much or behave badly when you are sloppy drunk.

8. Don’t flirt, have sex, or engage in emotional affairs with your friends’ significant others. This shouldn’t need to be said, but it needs to be said. That significant other is an asshole, and you don’t want to be involved with an asshole who’s used goods. If you want to be with an asshole, get a fresh asshole of your very own. They are abundant.

9. Don’t let your friends buy ugly outfits or accessories you don’t want to look at when you hang out. This is just common sense.

10. When something is wrong and you need to talk to your friends and they ask you how you are, don’t say “Fine.” They know you’re lying and it irritates them and a lot of time is wasted with the back-and-forth of “Are you sure?” and “Yes?” and “Really?” and “I AM FINE.” Tell your lady friends the truth so you can talk it out and either sulk companionably or move on to other topics.

11. If four people are dining, split the check evenly four ways. We are adults now. We don’t need to add up what each person had anymore. If you’re high rolling, just treat everyone and rotate who treats. If you’re still in the broke stage, do what you have to do.

12. If a friend sends a crazy e-mail needing reassurance about love, life, family, or work, respond accordingly and in a timely manner even if it is just to say, “GIRL, I hear you.” If a friend sends you like thirty crazy e-mails needing reassurance about the same damn shit, be patient because one day that’s going to be you tearing up Gmail with your drama.

13. My mother’s favorite saying is “Qui se ressemble s’assemble.” Whenever she didn’t approve of who I was spending time with, she’d say this ominously. It means, essentially, you are whom you surround yourself with.

Excerpted from “Bad Feminist: Essays,” by Roxane Gay. With permission from HarperCollinsPublishers.

Happy Tuesday,

XOXO,

Gigi

my straight hair sans the clip ons

my straight hair sans the clip ons


Life Lesson

Posted on by Gigi in friendship 2 Comments
Friends

Friends

Relationships change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for worse. Last week a long term friendship came to an abrupt end. Initially I felt bad and hurt, so I started wondering what had I done, or what could I have done differently. After exhaling and soul searching, I thought to myself  “she might not have meant to hurt me, in which case I’m not going to be offended.”.

When you lose a friend unless you tell someone, no one even knows, if both of you are part of a larger community of women it can be awkward. Long term friendships shape the the person you are today, which is why it is so difficult when they end, it feels as if a part of you is lost. The moments cannot be duplicated and have a rare and powerful affect in a way that nothing else will. For me the most painful element is the realization of how important I really wasn’t to someone who meant the world to me.

Friendships enrich our lives, yes there is something special about those friends who have been in your life for decades, that  get every reference to your crazy past, and know all your secrets, but there is also something special about nurturing a new friendship as well and the discovery of commonalities.

I’m at an age where I’m witnessing unwelcome life changes, over the weekend a friend of ours lost her battle with cancer. As many of us are going through life changes, girlfriends have a way of making everything better. I’m always working on being a better friend, making time to “see” friends in person or just being there to listen. We are all flawed and if only I could go back and do somethings differently of course I would.

So 2015 is here, I will go forward embracing life each day to its fullest. Have you experienced the end to an epic friendship? If so, how did you cope? I’d love to hear…

Happy King day and I hope you are enjoying the end of your long weekend.

Xoxo,

Gigi

“Somewhere in my sadness I know I won’t fall apart completely”  Sade

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Surround Yourself with Goddesses…

Posted on by Gigi in friendship Comments Off on Surround Yourself with Goddesses…
Quote

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Saturday I had a gathering of Goddesses, there was no rhyme or reason, a loose guest list of friends, some I’ve know forever, and a few I just met. We had no agenda, just coming together just because. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing community of goddesses giving advice and reaching out to receive advice.

Goddesses

Goddesses

I made a few of my fav’s, raw vegan chili, carrot ginger soup, watermelon-tomato salad, and my raw vegan peach cobbler & vanilla pecan ice cream. All the goddesses were fabulous and all brought something different to the table, literally and figuratively. We all came with our experiences based on our own individual life journeys sharing with one another, especially with the little goddess cubs that were present.

Goddess spread

Goddess spread

We also had a little commerce as well, my friend Dee Dee who is a lularoe distributor, set up a pop up boutique for us–I absolutely love her yoga skirts and always have one in my gym bag, of course I had to add a couple of things to my collection as well. Everything is so reasonable and cute give her a call if you would like to see the line or have your own “pop up boutique”  Dee Dee 323 702-3702.

Luluro

Lularoe

I’ve always had a strong circle of women in my life. The support and interaction I have with my women friends is so important to me, it balances my life and I have learned so much from my sister-friends. There was a study done at UCLA in 2000 about women and their friendships; “having a circle of friends actually provides an alternative to the traditional fight-or-flight response to stress. The researchers called this response “tend-and-befriend” (and with children), they release more oxytocin, the mother-love hormone associated with breast- feeding, which has a marked calming effect.” It also stated that “friends may also add to the quality of those extra years by helping us maintain brain function.” Yes I know all of this is true…

Goddesses

Goddesses

Goddesses You Need In Your Life…

1. “The Confidant” -AKA “Therapist” she is the one who you tell anything and everything to, no judgement, the one you can spill your heart out to, the one who hears your silent tears over the phone without you saying anything. She is your “rock” you can call her anytime of day or night and you know she will answer.

2. “The Wikipedia”– She knows everything about anything…She is the strategist, financial expert, human resource person, educator, advisor, left-brain,  trouble shooter, your go to for figuring things out, the ultimate problem solver–she is bright, smart as a whip and can help you navigate a situation like no other.

3. “The Prophet”– She is the truth dealer, your spritual advisor, the one who will tell you “right’ from wrong” your conscience and the one who prays for you and with you.

4. “The Fashionista”– the one who will tell you when it is time to retire the mini, or when to bump it up ie. you are falling into “old lady” lane. The one who will tell you that it is time to change the hair do or color the greys. Your honest stylist who wants you to look your best.

5. “The Cheerleader”– not to be confused with a “groupie”.  She will encourage you, support you in your goals, help you to be the best “you” that you can be…She will be happy for your successes and keep you motivated to constantly do better.

6. “The Leader”– She keeps everything together, organizing things, ie. bookclubs, spa retreats, girl get togethers, ski trips etc. she keeps you in the loop and makes sure you get out and do things.

7. “The Trainer”– The one that will keep you and your butt on point. Your workout bud, the one when you are sitting around being lazy who will call you and do a workout with you, or the one who is a role model who inspires you by their dedication.

8. “The Comedienne”– The one who just makes you laugh and makes you smile.

9. “The Young Cub”- The one you nurture and take under your wing and she keeps you “hip” and up to date on social media etc..

10. “The Historian”-The one who has known you the longest. She knows your past, you don’t have to bring her up to speed, she knows all the dysfunction of your family, ex-boyfriends, the weird jobs, etc.. she understands you and your history.

You may have a couple of goddesses that are in your life that have all these qualities or maybe you have a village. What kind of goddess friend are you? I have bits and pieces of all these.

Your goddess circle will change throughout your life some will be in your life for a season and some will come into your life and stay forever, just be open to receive and willing to give–

I’ve always loved this Sade song, which is about losing a friend, I’ve lost a couple and the words to this song sum it up…

Goddess Gigi

Goddess Gigi

Happy Monday,

XOXO,

GIGI

 

 


I HAVE OVER 1,000 Friends…

Posted on by Gigi in friendship 2 Comments
GIGI FB

GIGI FB

I have over 1.000 friends…Really? Wow? No Shit?

On the eve of my 25th wedding anniversary, I thought about how fortunate I am to wake up with my best friend. We celebrated a 27 year friendship, we dated 2 years before getting married. 27 years is a true test of friendship, you know the good the bad and the UGLY…it has all come out at some point.

In this age of social media it is easy to confuse what real friendships are…we are able to connect with “friends” all over the world, People from grade school, college, old boyfriends, distant relatives etc.. We can peek into their lives, and start to feel as if we really know them.

I’m a people person, I love interacting with others, chatting and finding out commonalities. Bringing people together is something I love to do, whether it is for book club, a ski trip, spa weekend  hike, or just because, I enjoy connecting people. At the end of the day though, you have to ask yourself the question if you were in a bind who could you really call on? Since I’ve hit my 50’s I feel as though I am going through an enlightenment period, I crave relationships that are not “work”, that flow and uplift- it is difficult to be a mindreader, I need transparent relationships. In my 30’s and 40’s I was tolerant and a really good chameleon, I thought I had a lot of friends, but in actuality I did not, I was just good at being whatever I thought a particular “friend” wanted me to be…

So I came up with this list of questions to determine some of the basic criteria of a friendship.

1. Do you know where your friend lives? Sounds crazy but, I once had a “friend” and to this day I don’t know where they live.

2. Have you been to their house? Inside?

3. Could you tell your friend “anything” or do you have to sensor?

4. Can you make a mistake and be forgiven?

5, Can you be yourself without judgement? Or do you have to “fake the funk”?

6. Can you share you deepest darkest secrets?

7. Can you call this friend anytime?

8. Do they have your “back”?

9. Are they “loyal”?

10. Will they tell you the truth?

If you answered “No” to most of these questions these peeps more than likely are not friends. If you were having your last meal on the planet and you could have a dinner party with 4 guests, who would your select? And why? Something to think about…oh and none of the 4 can be family members…

Most of us have loads of acquaintances, workout buds, club members, co-workers, church members, neighbors etc. that we interact with on a regular basis, and then there are our social media friends…which I love btw, my social media friends are a virtual village, a status update about anything will get a response or some information or a referral or perhaps a simple prayer for whatever your current situation.

As I get older (I’m about to break the speed limit) I realize the importance of genuine friendships. You are fortunate if you have a couple of “real” friends, and just because you have know someone 20 plus years, it does not necessarily mean that person is a close friend. As I break the speed limit “55” I will continue work on self, being who I am, addressing my flaws and being the best friend I can be…

Happy Thursday

XOXO,

Gigi

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NOTES on FRIENDSHIPS and OTHER SITUATIONS

Posted on by Gigi in friendship, Thoughts, Uncategorized 1 Comment
Friends

Friends

I used to think commonality was the key to a lasting friendship. I believed that some how “like” interests were a sort of permabond adhesive that nothing could dissolve. Granted many times similar interests are what attract us to another person but being able to reveal your true self with no judgement is really important for longevity. Relationships are so complex and those that stand the test of time don’t happen magically.

sadness

In my many years on the planet I have had my ration of break ups, and they are never easy, especially if you are the break-up-ee as opposed to the break-up-or. All breakups are difficult whether it is a lover, husband, friend, or sometimes even a family member. No one likes to feel rejected, and most of the time regardless of the reason someone walks away feeling this way.

Zapatos

shoe friends…

I will soon celebrate 24 years of marriage on July 23, I have been married long enough to witness many divorces, engagements, marriages, long term dating situations, 2nd, 3rd, 4th marriages, a few “love at first sight”, online dating unions, some successful blind dates, and some awful breakups. For me time was always the best healer of a broken heart, moving forward and remembering the good experiences that brought you together, instead of focusing on the negative factors and trying to figure out the “why”.  My marriage is constantly shifting, every 5 or so years our family dynamic changes, a child goes away to school, a child comes back home, career change, financial problems, extended family situations, health challenges, menopause, man-o-pause, any given period some challenge presents itself and we have to work together to find a solution.

GIGI FEED BODY & SOUL

GIGI FEED BODY & SOUL

I read this piece “Break Ups” on Cindy Fernandez’s blog. In the piece there is a passage by Oriah Mountain Dreamer that really spoke to me. The author says:

“I want to know if you have touched the center of your sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it. “

Read the entire piece here.

I have so much admiration for Cindy, whom I met a couple of years ago, she changed my yoga “relationship”,  transformed it from an occasional workout to a lifestyle. I was enlightnened, humbled, inspired and most of all challenged, all at the same time. I always left her class in a state of pure bliss, “open to infinite possibilities”. I miss her so much.  My yoga journey is still in its infancy stage, I enjoy my  tiny breakthroughs here and there.

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She has since relocated to San Francisco, spreading her yoga love all over the bay area, check out her schedule here.

What’s your take on friendships? Breakups?

Xoxo,

Gigi

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Where Does the Mind Go, When it Decides to Leave?

Posted on by Gigi in Aging, friendship 2 Comments

I have been incredibly busy these past weeks. Between traveling and shotty internet, my blog has suffered-but I’m back. I’ve missed coming to this “place” sharing my thoughts.

You don’t need to be a neurologist to recognize when someone’s “brightness” is slipping away. What I find interesting is the moment it happens cannot be identified. Was it Christmas 2012? Was it the first time keys were misplaced? Was that the beginning? hmmmmm… I’m in trouble!

I’m a girlie girl who loves being pampered, and the older I get the more pampering I need to keep this body running smoothly. My “beauty services” are necessary indulgences, that help maintain my sanity. For the past 18 or so years I have been trekking across town to the Westside once a week to partake in various appointments. Once I find a person I like I am a lifer, a dream client that  will be there “rain or shine”.

I remember the first time I went to Jessica Nail Clinic, a friend of mine treated be to a manicure for my birthday. I loved my nails and was happy to find a shop that  was into healthy nails and did not do acrylic nails, which were all the rage back then. Leni, my manicurist  and I hit it off and I quickly snagged a “standing” appointment and have been going ever since. I developed a unique friendship with Leni, so much more than a client/service provider relationship. We watched our children grow up, shared our proud moments, our daughters graduations, medical school, marriage, grandchildren and our mutual love for Michelle watches. You would be amazed of how well you get to know someone spending an hour a week together year after year. As soon as I sat down she knew if something was wrong with me. We had a secret “eye” language that we would use when snotty rude clients walked in the shop.  Leni shared my tears when I lost my brother, went through a pregnancy with me, and my significant birthdays, there were a few sprinkled in during that period. We became each others confidants, even though our worlds outside of the shop did not intersect.

Endure

 

I can’t pinpoint the moment I noticed something different, but slowly I observed this sharp proud Romanian lady slowly start to slip away to some strange space. At first it was little things like “do you want coffee?” I stopped drinking coffee years ago, but every week she would ask. Picking out a color became an ordeal, changing an appointment was almost impossible, thankfully someone would  always come to the rescue. The ladies at the shop are like family, most of them came to this country from Romania. I had to pay attention to my manicure and help her keep on task with the various steps. Sometimes I felt as if I could feel her embarrasment for asking me questions over and over. I thought about leaving, and going somewhere else, but I couldn’t, deep inside I knew it was only a matter of time. My manicures suffered, but I could not abandon her at this point, even though I noticed some of her regulars disappeared.

So last week I cruised up to Sunset Plaza, stepped inside and did not see Leni. I was told that she got the “flu” and retired and would not be back. I was overcome with sadness, that quickly deteriated to a waterfall of tears. Leni was only in her early 60’s and just like that gone. Of course I pressed for an explanation and I got it. I was told that her last day at the shop she got so disoriented that she could not find her car, and they had to call her husband. She had been at the shop for over 20 years, all I could think about was no good bye, no farewell celebration, just gone.

My favorite Jessica color is “endure”.  I will always remember Leni when I wear this color…

Do you have a special relationship with your hair stylist? Manicurist? Massage therapist?

Xoxo,

Gigi

Manicure

Nails

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