Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Beat the blizzard

by about three minutes. thank goodness for private planes and our pilot, Cam. the customs man was tolerable, and i was back at East 67th Street in no time at all. Renovations have been complete, so far, but i was so exhausted by the flight i went straight to my room to begin picking out what to where this week. i dare not look about now as my housekeeper, Lily 1 (not to be confused with my cook, Lily 3-don't even ask about Lily 2!) and Stevens, the butler, hate people walking around the house after 10 o'clock at night, waking them up.
oh well, the shows start at 9, though i must say i am not familiar with, nor can i pronounce the names of, most of the designers until Nicole Miller's show Saturday evening (when i will be at dinner). there is still a lot to do, however, so i need to go to sleep.
night, night, ducky's.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Postcard from Hyeres

Well, ducky's, it seems as though i can no longer keep up with my letter writing, and have decided to reserve my lovely dove gray Smythson of Bond Street monogrammed stationary for special occasions and dictate this blog. Ugh. Blog. What an ugly sounding word. It brings to mind the image of an under dressed Ari climbing aboard the Christina when we would be anchored off Capri....but you don't want to hear about that.
Anyhoo, a few weeks ago at a dinner party over in Cap Ferrat, Bill Gates first told me about this blogging business (i am so out of touch with technology!), and suggested it would be a better way for my friends to keep up with me than taking pen to literally thousands of notes and letters a year. I like the idea.
My darling husband Gerard is asking me to tell everyone hello. Hello from Gerard.
I always love this time of year, when the holidays are over, rushing around is behind us, and we can really enjoy the villa. We have been here three weeks and i'm just now feeling itchy to leave. I've only dashed up to Paris twice since we arrived! And only for three days at a time! i really wish Laduree would open an outpost in Hyeres, because the people here really are only a generation from peasants. i don't think they would know a macaroon if they bit one!
Last week we had the Rothschilds and the Leedses. The week before the Guinesses and some lesser Baronet and his wife (they were, it turned out, quite charming. But i cannot remember their names). This week i am trying to avoid our guests, as they are all relatives of my adorable husband, and enjoy playing cards, eating cheese, and going to mass. Don't get me wrong. They would all be part of the Royal Family, if France still had one, but i can only play canasta, or whatever they play, for so long! I almost invited that boorish Lily Safra just to keep me from being bored (just a little joke, ducky's, i would never invite her! who knew you could be a parvenu at 72!).
well, i guess i'll be off. i think i heard Drummond with the cocktail shaker a moment ago, and need to go check on him. He always uses far too much vermouth! Then i need to call ahead to East 67th Street and see if the plumbing issues have been rectified before i arrive for Fashion Week. The shows start Thursday, and i am giving a party for Carolina on Friday. I guess my quiet time at the villa is over.