My friend Tom and
I were waiting just inside the main entrance of The Nomad Hotel for Liza and
Derek to return from the powder room. A
little boy, about 4 or 5, smartly dressed in a private school style uniform, a suit coat with shorts
and a schoolboy cap, looked up at me as he walked by with his mother. Immediately after they passed the boy turned
to take a second look, the kind you do to make sure your eyes saw what they saw. I turned back to
conversation but happened to glance at the door just as the mother and son
reached it. Before exiting the little
boy turned again for a third look. Tom and
I had a chuckle that my appearance warranted three looks.
After a couple
minutes, enough time to hail a cab and be many blocks away, I glanced out the
door. The same little boy was now pressed
with his face against the door, hands on the sides of his face to block the
glare of the light, peering in at me… priceless. A fourth look, before his mother’s hand came
into the scene and whisked the boy off into Manhattan.
The little angel,
a writer’s dream of a moment.
I was heartbroken to lose Bushia a couple months ago. But with her sparkly clutch in hand, and the glittering earrings I gave to her for her 90th on, she was with me. I stepped out of the hotel onto Broadway toward Lincoln Center for a ballet performance of Sylvia, a mythological love story, at The Metropolitan Opera House. Followed by drinks, nibbly bits, and some chocolate covered strawberries at the Mandarin Oriental, thirty-five stories up overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park South It was a very Manhattan experience...and playful way to welcome 40……
Who was I wearing
you wonder? Badgley Mischka. A lady in
red. What is my name you
ask?...
Derek and I parted
ways with Liza outside the Time Warner building and walked to the subway. We waited on the platform near the bottom of
the stairs. It was quiet, but as time
went on more people trickled in. Just as we voiced the same thought about
how long it was since any train had
come through Columbus Circle, she
came down the stairs. A petite, young,
hip, fashionably foxy young woman styled in textures and patterns of black and
white, with an afro of hair to bow to, was coming right at me, with the sound
of trains in the distant. Her face lit
up before she reached the platform with a smile that projected excitement.
“I love your red
dress!” she exclaimed with an exuberant sparkle in her eye.
I
was tickled that someone, who in my opinion absolutely nailed her outfit, was
so thrilled.
“Thank
you! I replied.
Derek
and I complimented how amazing we both thought she looked. It made her so happy.
“May
I take a picture with you?” she asked.
“Yes
of course!”
It made me happy.
“Ok
quick,” Derek replied as he grabbed her camera.
“The trains are coming.” The ladies began to pose. “Do you want one with your camera?”
“Oh
yes!” I replied while opening my clutch to grab my phone.
“Ok,
1, 2, 3…smile,” Derek said before snapping a picture. He switched phones. “One more time…smile.”
Double
snap.
The
trains came to a halt.
“Thank
you so much,” she said.
“Thank
you!
I replied. “What is your name?”
We
moved in closer to one another, bowing with our hands extended.
“Dolly
Mariah,” she said. “Like Hello Dolly.”
“Pleasure
to meet you Dolly, I’m Julie Ann.”
“Pleasure
to meet you, Julie Ann. Enjoy the rest of
your night.”
“You’ve
been a magical part of it,” I replied as she dashed for her train. I hiked up my gown and scurried into our
train behind Derek just as the doors closed, both sparkly slippers still on.
End
Scene.
Why Julie
Ann? The name has been mentioned in my
family for decades. The name my mother
had picked out for a little girl before she was married. A name she heard working in the maternity
ward while watching over the newborns.
Four boys and two grandsons later the name has gone on mentioned playfully
that who ever produced the first granddaughter and named her Julie Ann would be
set, for she would be treated as a princess by my mother. Princess Julie Ann. But the name has gone on unused but still as an entity floating around and part of the family. Since my eggs are dried up, I decided to
become Princess Julie Ann for a night. Perhaps
for a family wedding as well, if a bridesmaid is needed;)
Oh so special thanks to my talented friend Addam for doing hair and Mia for painting my face at Pembley Salon. Mia brought her experience from Hollywood working on stars in Beverly Hills. You are both artists. Thank you to Mila, Tom, Alysa, and Eric for meeting for drinks. Liza you were the most elegant lady helping me in preparation, making sure I ate, and taking pictures. Thank you so much:) And many thanks to Derek for escorting me.
Currently working
on a blog series detailing this night and much more before it from America to Africa and
back.J
#BadgleyMischka #Lincolncenter #NYC #TheMet #TheNomadHotel #40fun #MandarinOriental #Pembleysalon #RenttheRunway
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Julie Ann
