Bungalow Scout Bags-Four Boys Bag!

Bungalow Scout Bags
The Four Boys Bag!


This IS the bag of Summer.
As I always say, "perfect for Beach, Boat, and Barn.
And let's not forget college girls!
I sell them. Contact me for price and shipping :)

Behind the scenes at the Saddle River Designer Show House

Saddle River, NJ Designer Show House-

I was a vendor there for three weeks and had a great time...

Would I do it again?

Not sure.

Thoughts-
I now realize that most people who attend these things are- 

gay men, 

women w/friends, 

or women w/reluctant husbands. 

NOT good for me, as gay men and women w/husbands (especially reluctant) do NOT buy from me.

I still would do again as I made some great connections and found a lot of new ideas from house and people I met there.

One great idea? Have a double closet in your front hall that is just a catch-all for stuff? Consider turning it into a wet bar. Take the doors off, mirror the upper portion, install a cabinet below and Voila! 
You have a counter ( sink is unnecessary) to serve drinks off of, taking pressure off main entertainment area. 

There was a great feeling of community among the vendors at Show house boutique.

Although there were awkward moments. Such as, when two vendors came to buy from me and asked/demanded 10% discount. Wouldn't have been a big deal, but I had bought from one of them at the beginning of the week and no discount was offered AND I am not one to ASK for a discount. Pondered bringing that up... and I did. The one vendor was shocked and denied that that could have happened. Really? I have the receipt WITH tax included. 

I would predict more awkwardness if I bring that in. So, I won't.

The designers were awesome and available to anyone on the tour...most days.

Brad Boles, Jill Zarin's designer/gay husband ( She often jokes on the show, Real Housewives of New York City, that Brad is her gay husband,) designed a jewel box of a powder room off the kitchen. He is truly talented, although VERY flamboyant and full of himself. Let's just say, he needs A LOT of attention. I had three weeks to observe and although he wasn't there everyday like most of the other designers, we knew when he was!

The two women who ran the showcase, Judy and Kathy, were amazing. They kept their cool under some tense situations. Such as the morning the famous author showed up at 10am to give a lecture and do a book signing. She wasn't supposed to be there until 1pm and Judy had to be the one to deal with the author, her publicist, and assistant. Thanks to Judy, the author was pacified and all was well.

 Kathy kept the vendors happy, although even she couldn't create customers out of thin air. That was the main problem, there just wasn't a good showing of customers for the tour OR us.

Maybe next year?

Nice address, Old Salem Farm

Yes, this was my home last week,
not bad.
I shared it with Annie and Emily of Combined Closets. We were great roommates. They sold Lily, Milly, and other high end/preppy clothing. I provided the jewelry and accessories with a huge dose of Scout bags and a dab of home accessories.

I chose "beach house" as my theme. I brought beach cover-ups, flip flop buckets, travel jewelry, and tons of beach totes all in BRIGHT colors.
A truly happy looking booth!
N'est-ce pas?

As for the other vendors/traveling gypsies...

Let me see, we have the folks from Der-Dau, Pucci Manuli, and Herringbone Interiors
playing blackjack in the sponser's tent. Not a shabby group!

And here's my friend from the last 3 horse shows. She is hysterical. her boss, Charlie Ancona plays techno/house music in their tent and she is all about hip hop. She survived.

Anyway, that might be it for me. I've been invited to one other show in Ct. next month but it might be too pricey for me to vend at- plus Lacrosse starts in June!

Dubarry Galway boots, the next HOT (expensive) boot!

So, at first I thought that these boots were ugly. My booth was next to this poor fellow, Stephen, for the first week of the Horse Show. Most of the day he stood in a tub of water to show that the boots were waterproof. he explained to me that they weren't just for barn and country life. That they were great apres de ski boots, winter boots, rainy day boots, or boots to wear to your kids games. ( think muddy, wet fields.)

He was a very good salesman. As the week went on they started to look good to me. So many people at the show had them or were buying them. Including him:

 Here is what they are about :

"The original Dubarry knee length waterproof breathable leather wellington boot

Constructed with water resistant crushed leathers and lined with GORE-TEX.

This Dubarry leather absorbes 60% less moisture and requires 70% less time to dry than other types of leather, ensuring that your Dubarry boots will always stay soft and comfortable.

The secret of Dubarry boots is the GORE-TEX inner lining. GORE-TEX makes the boots 100% waterproof but wicks away perspiration keeping your feet dry.

The Galway boot is also surprisingly light in weight - much lighter than a rubber boot, and most other leather boots of a similar height and build."

And here are my choices:

or

Thoughts?

TOMS, Spring/Summer Shoe choice

I had read about TOMS
and
I had seen my niece out in Utah wearing them. Then My niece in Germany wearing them.
I thought they were cute, but not sure how comfortable they were.
I bought some for my daughter for Easter.
But, I still wasn't sold on a pair for me.
Until the Horse Show.
I saw a ton of moms wearing them with jeans and tanks or tunics
and
they looked great. Kind of a modern espadrille.
So here are my choices:

Are they still together? This answers your ?'s!

big Fat Liar.

I really am.
So, here it is.
I have been a vendor at The Old Salem Horse Show for the last two weeks.  A beautiful farm that I hear used to be owned by Paul Newman.

All week I watched the very talented Jessica Springsteen ride and qualify. Although I don't know a lot about the equestrian world it isn't hard to see that Jessica has an amazing seat and that she is quite talented. It doesn't hurt that her horse is probably the best that money can buy...

By all accounts on the horse show circuit, she and her famous parents are very well liked. She is a highly respected equestrian that may qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

OK, so I knew that her Dad comes to most of her "big" stuff and I expected to catch a glimpse of "the boss."

But, I became so busy that I kinda forgot about any sightings. I was working with a customer when I noticed that everyone outside by booth was turning and staring as someone walked by and I realized that it was BRUCE! He was walking how celebrities do- fast and not making eye contact. Everyone noticed him and they all left him alone. Very cool. I figured he was on his way to the warm-up ring to see his daughter.
But no, he was checking out the shopping!  All of sudden, mid sentence with my customer I noticed that he was in my booth! He picked up a hat and looked at some leather bracelets and then...
He moved on.
Normally, if anyone comes in my booth and touches anything I engage them in conversation. BUT, I didn't want to be rude to my customer  AND I didn't want to be "uncool" and bother "the boss."

I may see him again this weekend. I am determined to sell him something because...
I am not so cool :)

I've left you hanging!

I know! I know!
BAD BLOGGER!
I swear tonight I will fill you in on my Jill Zarin's gay husband/Brad experience and BRUUUUCCCE!
Stay tuned.

Where have I been?

Yes, I have been busy.
But aren't we all?
My busy-ness/ business included selling at:
 Old Salem Horse Show ( not good, )
 a lax tournament in South jersey ( VERY good, )
 and a designer show house in Saddle River New Jersey for the last three weeks ( sometimes good/sometimes bad.)

As usual, the success of my endeavors can't be measured by the dollars earned,
It's the intangibles...
Like, how many new people I met, connections I've made, info about future gigs, and things I've seen.

I will post tomorrow about some funny details of last three weeks.
Here are two hints-
Jill Zarin's gay husband
Springsteen

everything old is new again...

I believe this painting was about 400 years old. All that's missing is a pedicure!

Why reinvent the wheel!

 And a daughter rolling her eyes at her mother?

Never grows old. Unless you're the mother.

louvre lullaby

Yes, the Louvre.
In 3 hours.
That's all we had!
So we did a speed tour.
The main focus was finding the Mona Lisa.
But we were tired, so we sat whenever we saw an empty bench.

And I mean whenever we saw an empty bench!

Did I mention we were tired?

But patient. We knew the Mona Lisa was near by...

SCORE!!!

Lacrosse gift time!

Lacrosse gifts for your lacrosse coach or how about the senior lacrosse players?
my web site, www.preppyplayer.com has gifts, gift wrap, and cards perfect for coaches or players.

Because I sell at all the major girl's tournaments I feel as though I have a hand on the pulse of what most players, coaches or fans of lacrosse like.
Check out my site!

Tales from Europe...

I know I have been missing in action.
Working at a designer show house in Saddle River, NJ AND a horse show out in Sussex, all good.
In fact, I actually have tons to write about and am very backed up.

So I thought I would spend the week telling little tales of our European adventures. As you know we were stranded in Europe for six extra days. luckily we were at my sister's house.
However, my son ended up missing an entire week of school.
But not quite.
that's because he went to school in Germany- for a day.
He loved it.
Here is the pictorial

Eating breakfast the morning of his first day of school. He was a bit nervous. It may have been because i kept asking him how much German he knew...

Lucky for him he had his cousin/German sister to show him around school and introduce him to all the kids/um alle Kinder

They rode their bikes to school, a new experience for him. His cousin uses mass transit to get everywhere.

They looked so cute AND European!

 He enjoyed his day at school ending with a visit with The Bremen Town Musicians. I think this experience had many levels of learning.
1. he was able to see how it felt to be "the new kid," something he has never experienced.
2. A volcano teaches us who really is in charge.
3.He learned to make the best of a difficult situation.
4. And most of all, he learned that kids are similar where ever you go. He noticed the same teen drama that occurs at his school :)

Pure talent

My daughter has wonderful friends. They all have talents and characteristics that make them special. However there is one girl who really impresses me and has since she was very young. The young lady in the middle of this photo, standing with my girl and another friend, has been an artist all her (not so long) life!  I love that a sixteen year-old can paint a self portrait so fearlessly and honestly with out a hint of ego. 

Isn't her self portrait amazing?

S

Traveling companions

Here we were in Paris, my travel buddies and I.
We really traveled well together. It seemed like we all were hungry at the same time, tired at the same time, we had the same humor and perspective on what we saw and most of all- we were interested in the same sites to see.

My niece was easygoing, interested, enthusiastic, and flexible. Love that girl.

My sister, the Frau, was also flexible and easy going, although as you can see here...
She went a little... "native."

As did he.

Onward Ho!

Say some prayers and wish us luck.
We are due to FINALLY leave for home at 7am ( German time.)
As long as there isn't another eruption in Iceland or any other type catastrophic event ... ( Rhonda, let's just forget about that other volcano, shall we?)
We should be home Saturday evening.

We will miss my sister, my brother-in-law and niece. We really and truly had a wonderful time. They were the perfect hosts and I can't wait until they come to NJ so that I can show them the same awesome hospitality they showed us!
Love them.
Remember, we need your prayers!

iphone disappointment...

It is hard to believe that I have put those two words together.
Why?
Because up to a week ago, I was singing the iphone's praises. I said things like,
"It's changed my life!"
"I can actually leave the states for ten days AND run my business without lugging around a laptop!"

And then when word came about the volcano I was SO thankful because I knew I could communicate with my husband, check airline info, and let my son play games if we were to become stuck at the airport.

But what happens?
The 7 week old battery is unable to be re-charged.
What? Are you kidding me?
Apparently this is a common problem with the iphone 3G.
Once again, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
We're talking Apple here folks, how hasn't this been corrected?
And thank God we are at my sister's house where we had access to computers, phones, and entertainment.
What if I was stuck at Frankfurt airport for days on end... Can you imagine how crazed I would be if I had my NEW, non-working iphone and I was unable to use the very features I bought it for?
The volcanic eruption would be nothing compared to my tantrum about this.

Thanks for letting me vent :)

Happy Earth day!

And Mother Earth?

I think you have let off enough Icelandic steam for now. Simmer down now.
We have a plane to catch.

The latest...

I have spent the last few days with a phone glued to my ear.
You see, even though Frankfurt airport is "kind of" open, as in German carriers have clearance to fly...
Delta's flights have been canceled.
Hmmm. So I call and although most folks I've spoken to these last few days have been kind, patient, understanding and sympathetic...
I was lucky enough to connect with a real... witch.
When I mentioned that I was nervous because I had to take a 5 hour train ride to Frankfurt and that it would be awful to find out that even though Frankfurt airport was open, that Delta flights might not be flying.
 I asked her if by Friday...IF FRANKFURT WAS OPENED...WOULD DELTA BE FLYING!!!!!!?????

Is that a bad question? She said," M'am I don't have a crystal ball, Delta is all about safety and just because the other carriers are flying doesn't mean that I can guarentee we will."

OK, that's great except... aren't you partners with KLM?
"Yes," she said.
WELL, THEY ARE FLYING!!!!!!

Without making this story longer, cuz it could be, we are now flying from Bremen thru Amsterdam, onto Boston, into JFK- on KLM, on SUNDAY!!!!!

Ok, the Delta lady may have been cranky cuz I hear they have been working 12 to 14 hour days.
I don't think I will mention to her that I can't seem to get in touch with Air France (another partner of Delta),
You see Air France's customer service is only open 10 to 4pm. They canceled my flight back to Paris and I haven't heard anything from them since AND I can't get thru.

Did I mention that my iphone battery refuses to charge and needs to be sent back to Apple?
Went to the Apple store in Germany and they couldn't fix it, said it needs to be sent to Apple and offered to do it. probaby send it on a Luftansa flight and it would most likely get home before I do.

Still Stranded

Here's an update.

Still lucky enough to be at my sister's in Bremen, Germany rather than on a cot at Charles De Gaulle or Frankfurt airport.

Hope to leave on Thursday, if the new LARGE eruption of the Icelandic volcano doesn't send ANOTHER ash cloud this way. (looks like the UK may see it though)

The saboteur went to The Bremen International School with his cousin today.

I am hanging with Frau, drinking coffee, surfing the internet, and blogging-still in pjs!

I miss my husband and children.
I am stressing about all my biz events that begin this...SATURDAY!!!!
I also realize that my situation could be much worse and that I am very lucky.
I am also wondering, Should I learn some German?

Paris is now a question?

Yup.
Now you can say it. You know someone affected by a volcano.
In Iceland.
As of now, Bremen and Charles De Gaulle airports are closed.
Tomorrow we are supposed to fly from Bremen back to Paris and leave from Paris Monday night...
Hopefully this will happen.
I am nervous that we will get to Paris and be grounded again- in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
I also am picturing the throngs of people trying to get out of Paris.
Will our tickets be honored? Will the folks that have been stranded for days have priority?
We are actually very, VERY lucky that we are at my sister's in Germany and NOT laying on a bench at the airport.
I am not sure my sister and her family are so lucky...
They may have guests for a few more days.

*We may have to figure out a new way to get home. Does steerage still exist?

Danke!

I am loving Germany. Beautiful house and gardens. My sister lives in the outskirts of Bremen, the country really.
Because she lives out in the country there isn't a lot of people who speak english or admit to...
So, it has been a challenge and adventure to engage people and figure out signs, menus, or advertisements.

What I have noticed?
That a smile, a wave, simple greeting-such as Allo!, or just a thank you-Danke!...
goes a long way.

France first. Now Germany.

Bonjour from Europe!
What I learned in France, ( otherwise known as "random thoughts")

1. I remember A LOT more French than I thought I would.
2. Giverney is pronounced- sh-he-ver-neigh, who knew?
3. Paris is STILL my favorite city.
4. My sister and niece are good roommates and travel companions.
5. Lots of Boob and Butts at the Louvre. You notice this when you travel with a thirteen year-old boy.
6. Even cheap French food is REALLY good.
7. Good, comfortable shoes are worth their weight in gold or euros.
8. I wish the NY subway system was as clean and as easy to use as the Paris metro.
9. I wish I sold scarves in Paris, I would be a wealthy woman.
10. Longchamp is less expensive in the duty free shop!

Some people do not like the French...

But I do.

In fact whenever I hear my father complain about the French I remind him that we are part French.

He says the only part of him that is French is the part he sits on...

A lot of people really don't like Parisians, a lot of French people don't even like Parisians!

But I do.

Let me tell you why.

I love the culture, food, style, fashion, attitude, art, and language of France, but especially of Paris.

But mostly I love and appreciate how one Parisian shop owner made me feel after the horrific terrorist act in New York City on September 11, 2001.

Those of us who live very near NYC were so affected that day and for long after.  We felt so much grief, shock, and fear. I wondered if the world hated us. So when I received the letter below I burst into tears. 

It made me feel so good and it restored my faith in people.

 I still tear up whenever I read it.

I plan on stopping by the shop on Rue de Rivoli  this weekend and thanking the man that sent it.

I am concerned...

As many of you know I am about to rendezvous with my sister ( the Frau ) and her daughter on Friday.
We are meeting in Paris and then traveling to Germany so that my son (the saboteur ) and I can see where she has been the last two years.

However, I am concerned that her time in Europe has changed her, that some type of metamorphosis has taken place...
Why, you ask?
Here is a photo I was able to get hold of...
Things seem different and I can't quite pinpoint it.

To all my peeps,

Happy Easter!