Weekend in New York (sorry this is a long one)

I had a lovely weekend in this fair city.

FRIDAY
On Friday evening, I met Jojo to hear Steven Lee's lovely wife, Helen play violin. She performed in a trio with a cellist and a pianist. It was absolutely amazing. My favorite was this hauntingly beautiful Shostakovich piece. I was absolutely riveted.

After dinner, Jojo and I walked downtown to a yummy Turkish restaurant with a hard to pronounce (and remember) name. I asked Jojo to remind me this morning as we were running through Central Park. I've already forgetten again.

SATURDAY
On Saturday I spent much of my day lying on my couch and reading "The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing," an awesome and very fast read. At first I felt slightly guilty about not "doing much" with my afternoon, but then the skies opened up in these impressive thunderstorms and I was very happy to have an "excuse" to do nothing. I wasn't completely a sloth. Jason came to visit my corporate pad and we spent a couple hours catching up on my couch and in a local Starbucks. As always he made me laugh big belly laughs.

Saturday night I went to a tasty Vietnamese dinner with Jeroen at Mekong in the East Village. Mekong was fun. In addition to having very tasty food, it has a beautiful, bohemian set of locals who you could tell made the restaurant their second home. It was fun people watching and they had a very tasty lychee martini. After dinner Jeroen and I walked to meet Ekow, Marlene, Meredith and Joe at another downtown hot spot. I didn't catch the name of that bar, but they also had tasty lychee martinis. After a couple of those, I stumbled into a cab and made my way home.

SUNDAY
Sunday morning I went to church at Marble Collegiate. It was nice to reconnect to what had been my spiritual home in law school. It's such a positive space. I was happy to note that though Dr. Caliandro was not speaking, it still felt like receiving a pep talk or a hug from God. I even stayed for their 20's/30's group meeting after session. It's called "Bagels and Bibles." Normally, I eschew anything that even appears remotely to be Bible Study, but this was really a great experience. Everyone had some very deep and revealing insights about the sermon and the passages read. Though I didn't agree with everyone and everything, I was greatly enriched by the experience.

Afterwards, I walked towards the subway and found myself entering into a sample sale. I went in initially because they were advertising a designer called Liu Jo and I thought I might be able to find something for Jojo there. I soon forgot about Jojo when I spotted this absolutely amazing Calvin Klein dress. It was a flowing peach fantasy -- one of the ones that you would see on a Hollywood starlet on Oscar night. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if I HAVE seen a Hollywood starlet in this gown staring at me from the pages of Vogue magazine. The price tag said $3,360. The sample sale was selling it for $395. I went into the dressing room and tried it on. I felt like a fairy princess. The color made me look like a dream or a summer day and the flowing dress just made me melt. I put it back on the rack. What would I do with a dress like this? Also, the spaghetti straps were funny.

I picked up a couple more items and went to the register. The dress stayed on my mind. I asked the woman about the straps. She said she'd help me try it on if I wanted. I went back to get the dress and she met me in the large make-shift dressing room. I shimmied my way into the dress and realized the problems. Two of the spaghetti straps had come unhooked. She promised me a further discount. I couldn't think of any reason why, but I HAD to have it.

So, I now own a gorgeous couture Calvin Klein evening dress and am $180 poorer for it. I have to find a reason to wear this dress. My friend Jen Rose suggested that I throw on the dress and a tiara and just wear it to Starbuck's or the grocery store. At the very least, I can throw my own black tie party for it. I will find an occasion to wear this dress. I can't wait!!!

I showed off the dress (not on me, but from the shopping bag) later that night at dinner. I went to meet up with Eleonore, Luke (a fellow attorney we'd met in Argentina), and several other friends. Jojo came and also met up with us. At dinner everyone agreed that I'd had no choice but to buy this dress. I absolutely agree.