Chic Happens

Wearing my little black dress, accessorized with Chanel and my silver Manolo Blahniks, I walked into the Boston Park Plaza Hotel’s Ballroom with my fabulous friend Christine. She looked amazing in a little black dress draped in all the right places, killer shoes and a vintage clutch.

We were greeted by two impeccably dressed servers who held trays with glasses of champagne.

Couldn’t think of a better way to start the night.

The room was full. Everyone was here to see Boston designer Michael De Paulo’s Fall 2011 collection. The event is tres chic….literally. It’s also a fundraiser for Ovations for the Cure of ovarian cancer called CHIC: Cure Her in Couture. Tres bien, non? Mais oui!

We found our seats and waited for the show to start.

And what a show it was! Michael De Paulo is known for his attention to detail when creating his fabulous dresses.

He used bold colors such as red, purple and royal blue.

This dress was one of my favorites. It’s architecture chic. The combination of colors is breathtaking.

All of his dresses have movement whether the beautiful fabric is draped or pleated. The models, don’t just walk down the runway….they float.

I love this time of year! Award show after award show, capped off by the best one of all…the Oscars!

Ok, so I really just love the red carpet and seeing what and whothe celebs are wearing….and how they’re wearing it.

And this year’s Oscar red carpet had the good, the bad and the what was she thinking?!

The Good
Jennifer Hudson in a tangerine/orange Versace gown was AMAZING! Everything was perfect. The hair, the makeup and accessories only accentuated the beautiful gown. She took my breath away!

Mila Kunis in a flowing, lavender Elie Saab with ruffles and lace. A refreshing feminine look in a color not usually seen on the red carpet. Loved it!

Michelle Williams in a short-sleeved, white, beaded Chanel Haute Couture gown. With her pixie hair cut and perfect makeup she carried herself with an understated glamour that only a few celebs can pull off. She did it beautifully in Chanel.

14 year old Hailee Steinfeld. Um, are we sure she’s only 14?! She looked like a princess in her beaded, custom made Marchesa nude, crystal gown. The fitted bodice and the full skirt which stopped just above her ankles was not only age appropriate…it was gorgeous! Thank you for looking your age and not trying too hard.

Halle Berry in a nude, crystal encrusted Marchesa gown with flowing tulle at the bottom. BREATH TAKING!

A glowing Natalie Portman in a plum colored, off the shoulder Rodarte gown. Fabulous! But of course, her best accessory was her baby bump.

Reese Witherspoon. Seriously, she can do no wrong. I did have a conversation about her hair with a fashionable friend and we were split. I thought it looked retro and different. She thought it looked like they added a too much hair to her head to make the high ponytail. But the Armani gown? THAT we agreed was a highlight on the red carpet. Simple elegance. She does it best.

The Bad
Oh Gwyneth….what were you thinking?! You are an Academy Award winning actress with a grace and class that only a few women in Hollywood possess The Calvin Klein straight gown with the straight hair was boring, boring, boring. I actually thought of that line in the Cee Lo song you sang on Glee when you whine, “Whyyyy, whyyyy?!”

And I definitely expected more from Cate Blanchett who wore a pink, pleated silk Givenchy Couture gown that looked like some sort of strange table cloth. Definitely left me confused…

Sandra Bullock. Oh boy. Her red, Vera Wang gown just looked like it didn’t fit. Maybe if the top of the dress was pulled higher up? And she definitely did NOT need that bow on the back of the dress. The dress screamed for a necklace or maybe some drop earrings. Something to make it look Oscar ready. And maybe another fitting…

What Was She Thinking?!
Nicole, Nicole, Nicole. Oh Nicole Kidman, I adore Dior, but I did not adore your Dior. The awkwardly placed material on her hips looked like small wings. What woman wants anything extra on her hips? Odd. And her orange shoes. Um…what? I just didn’t get it.

All in all I suppose the red carpet had something for everyone. It was nice to see a lot of color on the carpet. What I didn’t see was a lot of bling. No huge diamonds or rubies. Very little jewelry. Maybe the celebs were toning it down this year.

Or maybe I just expect more. It is the Oscars after all.

So! Thank you to those who put their best foot, and gown, forward to take my breath away and make me say WOW!

But wait….if anyone sees Gwyneth could you ask her to pump it up a little more next year? Just a little more dress, maybe an updo…but all is not lost! I am glad you’re going to be on Glee next week…

Want more? Check out The Faboulous Fashionista Files fan page on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Fabulous-Fashionista-Files/140944165939514

I never make New Year’s resolutions. What’s the point? I never keep them! So when I opened up the January issue of Vogue and read that Anna Wintour feels the same way, I had to laugh. Of course she doesn’t make New Year’s resolutions! But she does want to look forward…forward to a fashionable new year. That’s why the title of her editor’s letter is “Ten For Eleven”.

Brilliant!

Ten things she’s looking forward to in the new year.

Love it!

So I’ve decided to be Fashion Forward too. Ten things I’M looking forward to in 2011.

1. BOSTON’S MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
The museum has two fabulous fashion exhibits currently on view: “Avedon Fashion” and “Scaasi: American Couturier”. I can’t decide which one I’m more excited to see!

2. MEETING AND INTRODUCING YOU TO BOSTON DESIGNERS
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Boston fashion designer Samuel Vartan, who has become a wonderful friend. I can’t wait to meet more of Boston’s best designers…..bring you their stories and of course their fashions!

3. NEW FASHION STARS
I’m also looking forward to reading and seeing what the new, up and coming designers have for us in the new year. I’m loving Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu.

4. FASHION WEEK
I always look forward to Fashion Week, but it’s not just New York, Milan, London and Paris. One of the best fashion weeks takes place right here in Boston in September. Can’t wait!

5. CHANEL FASHION SHOWS AT NEIMAN MARCUS
Each season I am incredibly lucky to be one of the select few who is invited to the Chanel spring/summer and Chanel fall/winter fashion shows at Neiman Marcus in Natick, Massachusetts. As you’ve probably guessed, Neiman Marcus is my favorite store and I LOVE Chanel! So the two together is a definite treat to look forward to this year.

6. SPEAKING OF CHANEL…..
Chanel has a new handbag I can’t stop dreaming about. I keep seeing it in all the magazines and every time I go to the store I HAVE to visit it. But, which size, which color? Decisions I’m most definitely going to make! I’ll post photos once I finally decide!

7. GETTING IT RIGHT ON “PROJECT RUNWAY”
I’m not sure what happened on season 8 of my favorite fashion show, “Project Runway”. I was NOT happy with the winner. I actually yelled at my television when Gretchen’s name was announced! So this year, I’m looking forward to the judges getting it right and picking a winning fashion designer…one who will make a splash on the runway…not one who makes me want to change the channel. (clearly the winner should’ve been Mondo)

8. FASHION’S NIGHT OUT SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
This event gives fashionistas a reason to shop. The goal is to get back into the stores and spend some cash…supporting and boosting the economy. Something we can all look forward to!

9. MFA FASHON COUNCIL
I adore being a member of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts Fashion Council. Last season I got to meet and interview Mario Testino and Neil Lane. What’s up next? You’ll have to look forward to new posts here on The Fabulous Fashionista Files!

10. LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST…..
I’m definitely looking forward to telling you about my latest fashion adventures! Not just on this blog, but also on facebook. You can find The Fabulous Fashionista Files Fan Page at:http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Fabulous-Fashionista-Files/140944165939514

So bring on the new year! We have a lot to look forward to!

But there is nothing nondescript about the clothes in the Boston-based designer’s spring/summer 2010 collection.

A long white dress with a circle of bright ocean blue around the waist. A flowing shirt that was inspired by the sand meeting the water.

“The collection is nicknamed the Mediterranean,” Samuel says.

Since Vartan does two collections a year…what is the fall/winter collection called?

“Dark City.” he responds. “I have influences from the cities I’ve been to such as Berlin, Prague and London”.

I moved through the studio to the fall/winter collection and was immediately drawn to a black and white tweed dress that had a slight glimmer sewn into it. But then I was distracted by a light grey wool dress that had a short, swing skirt.

So much to see! And so much to talk about.

I was there for over two hours chatting with Vartan about fashion.

He started making clothes for members his rock band back home in Montreal. Then his bandmates’ girlfriends wanted clothes too. At first it was just a way to make money, but it slowly turned into a career.

He doesn’t have a formal design education. He learned by doing. When he read that his fashion icon, Giorgio Armani, also didn’t have a degree from a fashion school he felt an even bigger connection to the fashion giant.

Even though Vartan is a part of the fashion world, he told me that at times, “the industry can be silly.”

That sentiment is why Vartan doesn’t create over the top clothes.

“Anyone can wear my clothes.”

His designs run the gamut of fabrics and ideas.

Vartan works with everything from velvet to boucle to tweed and suede in his fall/winter collection.

Definitely something for everyone.

His clients are mostly European and Canadian (a large amount come from Montreal). He does have a few boutiques that carry his clothes here in the States. Stores in New York, Miami and Los Angeles.

Although anyone can wear his clothes, his design aesthetic speaks to a style-minded, sophisticated woman in a big city.

Vartan’s designs reflect that sophistication, but with a simplicity that makes his collection ready to wear.

I was definitely ready to wear some of the pieces I pulled off of the racks.

A black and white tweed sheath dress with a thin belt, tights and a pair of tall boots…that long brocade jacket with a short dress to have the juxtaposition with the fabrics and the length of each piece.

Vartan likes that his clients express themselves through their clothes. And there are plenty of ways to do that with Vartan’s designs.

But he knows that fashion is fleeting.

“Fashion is here today gone tomorrow, but style lasts.”

And Vartan is a fashion designer who is definitely here to stay.

Although he did get an offer a lot of designers would have loved to receive.

But he turned it down.

A chance to compete on “Project Runway”.

He said thanks, but no thanks because he didn’t want to be involved in the pettiness and backstabbing with other designers.

He was happy with the way his fashion career was heading.

Vartan is a Boston-based designer with a world of knowledge.

As for that regret that he didn’t go to school for fashion?

I think he’s doing ok without it. And I think his many clients would agree.

Find more about Samuel at his website:http://www.samuelvartan.com/

I glided up the escalator at Neiman Marcus in Natick and as usual, glanced up to see the hundreds of crystal butterflies dangling from the sealing, just out of reach.

I was at the store today for the invitation only Chanel luncheon and fashion show.

This time I was here for the autumn/winter 2010 collection.

I got to the second floor, greeted the familiar faces and anticipated an amazing show.

I watched Chanel’s fall/winter 2010 show online, but as I was about to learn, seeing it in person is a completely different animal.

The Chanel show was at the Grand Palais in Paris as usual.

And in grand Karl Lagerfeld fashion there was more to the show than just the beautiful clothes and accessories.

In the middle of the runway was a 28 foot iceberg.

It was the autumn/winter collection after all. What a better way to emphasize dressing for the chilly weather.

No iceberg in the middle of Neiman Marcus thank goodness.

But there was plenty of Chanel.

And each piece was better than the last.

Tall boots covered in faux “fantasy” fur with icicle heels.

Tweed dresses embellished with small crystals to give them just a little bit of shine.

Butter soft leather jackets with faux fur trim and faux fur peeking out from the sleeves and trimming the bottom.

Black leather leggings with Coco Chanel’s favorite flower, the camellia, etched into the fabric.

At the show in the Grand Palais the models walked among the grand iceberg.

At the Neiman’s show the models walked among our tables so we could really see the details up close.

Amazing.

Seeing the “fantasy” fur so close. It was incredibly luxurious.

(Chanel calls its faux fur collection “fantasy” fur)

So different from when I saw it all online.

So much better in person!

I could have definitely cuddled up in some of that fantasy fur.

Even the handbag had faux fur trim.

And no, I didn’t buy one.

Thought about it though….

“Oh I see you have the Chanel Timeless Clutch from the Spring collection”.

I looked over to see the Chanel representative from New York. She was gesturing toward my clutch which was sitting on the table.

“Oh yes,” I said. “I didn’t think there was going to be one left after the Spring show! So many customers fell in love with it, me included!”

“Good thing you did get it,” she said. “It sold out and isn’t available anymore. There was a limited number created. Our clients in New York were so upset to see it go so quickly.”

I smiled. So glad I made the purchase.

“I bring it everywhere,” I told her, “and it always gets such a reaction! I love it!”

The Chanel rep smiled back.

“A fabulous purchase”

“Yes.” I agreed. “One of the best ones I’ve ever made.”

I didn’t buy anything that day.

I really didn’t see anything that caught my eye.

Well, one thing did.

But I was already carrying it.

Safe in the knowledge that I was one of the only Chanel customers who could say that.

Such a fabulous feeling!

Even better than all that fantasy fur…..

The models floated along the floor, each outfit even more beautiful than the last.

But what else would you expect from the Chanel s/s 2010 fashion show at Neiman Marcus?

I was one of the 20 women lucky enough to be invited to the show which started with an incredibly yummy lunch.

We were sitting outside of the Chanel boutique on the second floor. Tall, tasteful barriers were set up to give us privacy to enjoy the show.

The only difference between this show and the original show at the Grand Palais in Paris was…there was no hay.

That’s right.

Hay.

And lots of it.

In Paris it surrounded the Chanel barn the models walked in and out of. It was Karl Lagerfeld’s ode to a place in the countryside Coco Chanel loved to visit.

Although something tells me there wasn’t as much hay on the original premises.

But Lagerfeld being Lagerfeld, had the stuff all over the place.

Even into the seats.

When I saw it online my first thought was ‘How does one dress for a farm show, even if it is Chanel?’

Next thought was ‘How did Anna Wintour react to the farm fashion scene?!’

So no hay at Neiman’s, but plenty of classic Coco style for the Neiman Marcus Chanel fashion show.

Then through the dresses, the shoes, the jewelry I saw it.

It was a beautiful strawberry color, quilted leather clutch with the CC clasp on top.

One of the most amazing Chanel clutches I have ever seen.

And I had to have it.

The model was showing the clutch to the guests at the other table.

When was she going to get to our table?

Would someone else request the bag and I’d be out of luck?

Not if I could help it.

My favorite (and the best in my opinion) Neiman’s sales associates (I’ll call her E for anonymity) caught my eye and with a nod, she was gone.

Oh no!

What if E didn’t know what I was looking at?

By this time another model was showing off another handbag.
I wanted to get up and see where E went, but I was stuck.

Surrounded by Chanel.

Normally not a bad place to be.

Except when the object of your desire may be out of reach.

The model got to our table and I finally got to hold the clutch.

It was the Chanel Timeless clutch.

I knew it well. I have it in black and had been looking for a color that would ‘pop’ with an outfit.

The strawberry colored clutch was it.

I opened it and gasped at the silky interior lining. Much more luxurious than the black one I’ve used dozens of times.

The quilted leather was perfectly constructed, not a stitch out of place.

Oh the places we will go!

If there is one left for me.

The other women were eyeing it too.

Oh boy.

Then I turned around and saw E.

My fabulous fashion friend. She was back. She looked at me, then the clutch and winked.

I had to laugh. How could I ever doubt her?

After the plates were cleared, the Chanel dresses, jackets and the other amazing pieces were on display…I took the escalator downstairs.

There it was sitting pretty in the black Chanel box surrounded by Chanel tissue.

My brand new Chanel Timeless Clutch in a bright, strawberry color.

Love at first sight.

“I knew this was the one that you’d want”, E told me with a smile.

Ahhh,,,she knows me so well!

She had it all wrapped up for me within minutes.

Success!

I’ve used it at least a half dozen times since I bought it. I just love it!

It gets more attention than my shoes. Which in some cases is hard to do…but it does.

So…

The stress of wondering whether or not I would be able to have it….worth it.

The surprise reactions from people when they see it…love it.

Owning a Chanel clutch that I never get sick of looking at or tired of carrying…..

Oh you know the answer to that….fabulous.

The side door to the auditorium opened…

and she walked in.

About 1000 people stopped talking and there was a hushed silence.

It was Her.

I’ve read about her, seen her in a documentary…and always wondered….was she REALLY that way?

We were about to find out.

Me and the 999 other people who were seated inside Harvard’s Burden Auditorium for the public forum Health Matters: Weight and Wellness in the World of Fashion.

The Harris Center for Education and Advocacy in Eating Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital was sponsoring the program. And they invited some very well known fashion experts to sit on the panel.

Michael Kors, Fashion Designer and judge on Project Runway.

Natalia Vodianova, a model who now talks openly about having and beating anorexia.

And…

Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue.

I’ve never been in a room where ONE person can just walk in and have such a presence.

It was amazing. Breathtaking. It was Anna Wintour.

She spoke openly and candidly about the fashion world and how there has been a “dramatic downward shift” in the size of models over the last ten years. She talked about how Vogue was trying to help those models who are “frighteningly thin”.

I hung on her every word.

How could you not?

She dictates what’s in and what’s out.

She is VOGUE.

But it was Michael Kors who brought tears to my eyes.

He told us about a model who was in his show years ago. She had bruises on her back because she was so thin her backbone was bruising her from the inside out.

Kors made a pledge to never hire models under the age of 16, to only book models who have a natural beauty and a healthy body.

Natalia Vodianova spoke softly, but walked in very tall stilettos.

She was told to “lose a few pounds” so many times she became anorexic. Trying to please editors, designers, photographers….it was a vicious circle. She wanted to be healthy, but she wanted to work. If she gained weight, she said, she wouldn’t get hired.

She’s one of the lucky ones. She recognized her problem and got help. Now she’s happily married and a proud mother of three. She talked about the issue that even Anna Wintour and Michael Kors admit, was a “secret”.

Models who starve themselves to be thin.

It’s out in the open now and everyone is talking about it. Maybe, hopefully it will help.

What the panelists said spoke volumes about the World of Fashion. About the responsibility they have as editor, designer and model.

Michael Kors had my favorite line of the night:

“Clothes are made to make yourself the very best version of you”.

When he said that, everyone clapped and cheered.

Well, not Anna.

She sat stoically at the table, sipping bottled water.

She was all business. She said what she had to say and that seemed to be it.

But ok…I admit…when I open up my new issue ofVogue I will grin with complete satisfaction because I got to see Anna Wintour speak.

Even from five rows back she made an impression on me.

She’s just that good.

Afterall…she is Anna Wintour.

I was mesmerized.

He spoke in a soothing, calming voice.

The entire room was just transfixed.

You mean WE COULD FIT INTO SKINNY JEANS?!

Some shook their heads in disbelief.

Murmurs started in the room.

Questions were raised.

ME? Really?!

According to the Jean Therapist, yes we could.

He would make sure of it.

James Coleman from Saks Fifth Avenue Boston: Jean Therapist.

He was a speaker at “Fit Into Your Skinny Jeans” at Maxime Color Salon. (where I get my hair done).

I wasn’t sure about this part of the night’s program before I got there. I always think “hungry” or “starving” when I think about fitting into skinny jeans.

But I was wrong.

It’s all about the fit, the style and the designer says the Jean Therapist.

He had regular girls in skinny jeans to prove his point.

After that, I was a believer. How could you not be? After listening to James I can’t wait to visit him at Saks and fit into my skinny jeans.

I picture walking into a dressing room and throwing myself onto a chaise lounge and telling James all my denim dilemmas. Or all of my problems. Seriously, this guy needs to open up a therapy room.

Couldn’t we all use a little Jean Therapy?

What are the two things we hate to try on?

Jeans and bathing suits, right?

So why not have someone tell you the absolute truth about your jeans.

One brave soul did get up in front of the room to show off her jeans. She called them “comfortable”, like a “boyfriend jean”.

The Jean Therapist cringed. Why would you want to wear your boyfriend’s jeans? You’re a woman!

He called those jeans “The Bad Boyfriend” jean. You know they’re not right for you, but you keep going back. And you only have yourself to blame.

So off I’ll go to Saks and see the Jean Therapist. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’m sure it will be the perfect fit.

Remember when you were a kid and someone would ask “How old are you?!”

They would be excited to hear your answer and you just couldn’t wait to yell it out?

Sometimes you would even hold up the correct number of fingers, just to make sure they knew EXACTLY how old you were.

Then you have your big birthdays: Sweet 16, 21….even dare I say….30?

Then you stop counting.

I have a friend who hates celebrating her birthday so much, that she never told anyone when it was.

I happened to learn about it by mistake. But she drilled it into my head that she HATED celebrating her birthday. And eventually I really did forget the day! (she’s better about it now…I think)

So what happens? Why do we stop celebrating? Is it the passage of Time that upsets us?
People always tell me I don’t look my age. They’re surprised when I tell them what it is.

And no.

I’m not telling you! A lady never reveals her real age….or her dress size.

But I can tell you that this year, for my birthday….I’m celebrating the passage of Time!

How?

By giving into my obsession with the Premiere Watch Collection by none other than my favorite fashion house….

CHANEL

Sorry. Did you think I would have some earth shattering reason? A change of fate? A change of heart? You could say I would like to change it up. I never wear a watch. I just look at the time on my cell phone.

And ok, I admit it. I really don’t like celebrating my birthday anymore. Maybe because It’s just not as fun as it used to be. Now instead of being excited about getting older, I dread it. So maybe it’s about time I stop thinking like that.

Maybe I should stop thinking about those watches too! I see them in every fashion magazine, whether it’s an advertisement or mentioned in an article.

I’ve been on Chanel.com about one hundred times looking at the selection.

So finally, I made a selection of my own.

It has a black band with diamonds all around the face which is also black. There are four diamonds on the face. One at 12, 3, 6 and 9.

And right below the diamond at 12 is one word: CHANEL.

The perfect way to mark Time.

When Neiman Marcus sent me the watch (thank you Sharyon!) the box was wrapped in creamy paper with a big satin bow. LOVED IT!

When I saw my new purchase….

It took my breath away…

I felt time stand still.

What a beautiful way to look at time.

Maybe now when I’m running out of time, I’m late or I feel as if time is passing too quickly…I’ll look at this amazing watch…this fabulous piece of jewelry on my arm…and just slow down.

I didn’t celebrate a milestone birthday or feel any huge reason to buy the watch. Just the beauty of it combined with my love of all things Chanel.

And I think it’s about time I stop dreading my birthday.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going to tell you how old I am…..

I’m sure tourists who walk on the uneven brick sidewalks around Boston Common think it’s quaint.

But me in a pair of 3 inch red Manolos?

Not so much.
(also wearing a grey shift dress, nipped at the waist with a patent leather belt, short, 3/4 sleeve black jacket and of course…my black Chanel Timeless Clutch. Jewelry: thick black bangle and a fab long necklace with black, white and crystal beads.)

Don’t trip, I keep telling myself. Don’t trip.

As I casually (ok, really just tried hard not to trip) walked along the outskirts of Boston Common I had to laugh.

I haven’t been to Boston in awhile and even though I took the wrong exit off the highway I still found my way to the Back Bay part of the city. I swear my car knows how to get there even without a GPS lady yelling at me.

No time to be lost now, I have a fabulous event to get to. In one piece.

I was about to come thisclose to history.

A fashion event in honor of the first female Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who just wrote a book called “Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewelry Box”.

I know, I know. You probably don’t associate fashion with a government official…but throughout her career as the US Ambassador to the United Nations and then on to her post as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made quite the fashion statement.

To let those around her know what she was thinking, what kind of mood she was in or what was going on in the world….she wore a pin. When she spoke to the Iraqi delegation she wore a snake pin (Saddam Hussein had a poem commissioned to run in the Iraq newspaper and in it she was called a “serpent”). So she let everyone know she could take it. And give it right back…in the form of a small fashion statement with BIG meaning.

I got to the store, St John’s Boutitque on Boylston Street, with five minutes to spare.

I saw my friend Kristen right when I walked in. The PR company she works for was responsible for this once in a lifetime event.

Big hugs, compliments all around and then two amazing surprises. A copy of Madame Secretary’s book and inside a generous gift card to the store.

The boutique was filled to capacity, everyone waiting to hear Madame Secretary tell us about her fashion statements, her pins.

And she didn’t disappoint.

Who knew she was so funny? She had us laughing right away telling us about people we only see on the news. Heads of State who acted more like children than grown men. I loved every minute.

After answering questions Madame Secretary was kind enough to stay and sign books.

For all of us.

It was a long line.

A testament to her popularity.

For me, the line meant I could network. I had my business cards (thank you Annabel!) and as I talked I gave them out.

The reporter in me is automatically drawn to meet new people, the freelance writer in me is excited about my blog and wants to tell everyone about it…urge them to read it. (Ok…and then there’s the fashionista in me who is dying to try on the ah-mazing clothes surrouding me. Fabulous colors: rich blues, hot pinks and perfect plums. )

Kristen was fabulous and introduced me to those I didn’t meet myself.

I spoke to the manager of St. John’s who suggested I come by the store for lunch. Such a gracious offer!

I met a woman who’s handbag I couldn’t stop staring at. Is it a Ferragamo? A Nancy Gonzalez?

None of the above. She bought it at a leather store in Beacon Hill years ago. And it turns out, she loved my handbag too! Funny how that happens. You’re trying to be secretive and look at the bags others are carrying and they’re doing the same thing.

After leaving the store, I walked through the Boston Public Garden. (Much better on the Manolos. No bricks).

This has always been one of my favorite parts of the city. So peaceful, so calm.

Massive change when I get back in the car and make my way out of the city of course. Honking horns, irritated drivers, lots and lots of brake lights in front of me.

So I took a different way and I played tourist in my own city.

I drove down Newbury Street checking out Chanel and Valentino. Looking at the new stores that have taken up shop on the famed street.

When I finally turned around to leave I was sitting in traffic.

I looked up at a storefront on Tremont Street and saw a sign.

“Psychic”

I smiled.

Maybe a few months ago I would have needed some direction.

A helping hand to give me an idea of where I should go. Who I should be.

But now?

I knew my way.

I didn’t feel lost anymore.

I was back.

And it felt fabulous.