Tag Archives: dancing

Southern Ladies and Their Lipstick

24 Aug

Stereotypes would have us believe that women raised below the Mason Dixon Line and women raised above it are polar opposites.  Perhaps in the days of Scarlet and her beloved Tara – Belles and Yankees didn’t often see life in the same way – but in today’s world (sans plantations and bonnets) when comparing my mother and her southern friends to my mother-in-law Donna and her north of  the line friends – the main difference is as small as lipstick.  I am not suggesting in any way that Donna or her friends are not big fans of lipstick.  It is simply a difference in the number of applications per day. For example – our sweet southern friend Gay Haverstock (who does happen to own a clothing store with a full Estée Lauder counter) is a real stickler.  When playing doubles tennis – she will call out the ladies who need to reapply theirs “lips”.  In my 100% honest opinion…this is her way of saying, “I care about you, and I want you to be (look) your best.”  Now – after playing golf with Donna, as well as several of her close (and wonderful) friends, I can assure you that they are not reminding each other to reapply.  Which might lead one to believe that they are a more competitive group – perhaps more focused on the game.  Well…I believe that the dance off at the “Circus of Love” proves a very equal amount of competitive nature between the two groups of ladies (who I might add…also became fast friends)!

The pictures set the stage better than my words possibly can.  But for a short and sweet clarification – the final round for the southern ladies included a “how low can you go” move all the while perfectly applying their lovely lip-sticked lips!  Full disclosure – Donna and her friends took the top award.  Coincidently – it involved lips as well…big “carnie” wax lips.

My mother starting to lead the pack of Murray women in the lipstick challenge. Love that this group includes both of my 80-year-old grandmothers!

Going as low as we can go while perfectly applying our ruby reds! The tallest blonde to the right is Gay...the instigator of our lipstick talent show.

Back up and doing a celebration shimmy! I love how Ruth (2nd from left) is raising her tube of lipstick like she is toasting with a glass of champagne!

The Columbus Crew with their answer to the lipstick dance...big wax lips and a lollipop routine!

The Columbus Crew with their answer to the lipstick dance...big wax lips and a lollipop routine!

And then came the wax mustaches...

I absolutely love all these ladies and I sincerely want to thank them for stepping up the game on the dance floor!  It was tough for the younger crowd to keep up!  Obviously – I give them 5 blondes out of 5.

Teaching the craft to the beautiful Fiona York!

Schafer Welcome Song and Magic Show Up Next….

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The Circus Comes to Cairo…Tents, Belly Dancers & a Lion!

11 Oct

Birthday Dinner by The Great Pyramids! FASHION: Off White Linen One Shoulder Jumpsuit with Detachable Gold Lame and Metallic Green Brocade Skirt. Tailored Made in China.

Our last day in Cairo fell on my actual birthday (which I had clearly been celebrating for over a week already…typical only child, right?). Spoiled by a fantastic boyfriend – I woke up to the sound of room service wheeling in a table with fresh pancakes and cold champagne. While the waiter popped the cork, Brett surprised me with another birthday treat – stunning diamond hoops.  The day was off to a spectacular start! Although I must say that I would have been happy with a bowl of Rice Krispies and a Hallmark Card – so long as Brett was there beside me.  That said – what girl doesn’t like champagne and diamonds!

The plan for the day was pretty simple:  room service, a bit of sightseeing and lunch, some pool time, and dinner in a tent overlooking the pyramids.  In my opinion, it was the equation to the PERFECT 30th birthday!  A good friend of mine recommended a lunch spot in Al-Azhar Park that overlooks the Citidel and offers lovely views of the entire city.  The weather was actually very pleasant that day with a nice breeze, and because it was Friday (the Muslim equivalent to Sunday for Christians) the park was hopping!  Honestly, I was a little concerned when we first got in line to buy our tickets to the park.  I couldn’t believe it – the ticket counters were divided by gender!   Brett and I had to stand in separate lines.  Although the funniest thing about it was that my line moved faster, and I was still able to buy 2 tickets.   So – it really didn’t make all that much sense….

Lunch in Al Azhar Park. FASHION: Silk Chiffon Animal Print Jumpsuit with Metallic Gold Empire Waste Detail. Tailored Made in China.

Inside the gates, the park was filled with people.  It was wonderful to see all the families scattered about sharing picnics and playing games.  We strolled for a bit and weaved our way to the restaurant, located at the highest point of the park to provide the most optimal views of Cairo.  While the park appeared to be full of locals, the restaurant had more of an eclectic crowd of tourists from all over the world.  The menu offered some familiar options (sandwiches, salads, etc.) as well as some popular Egyptian dishes.  After stuffing our bellies and taking in the views, we heading back to the hotel to relax by the pool.

SIDE NOTE: I want to be sure that I am clear about something for anyone visiting Cairo….even though I have not mentioned it – we did NOT skip the Egyptian Museum.  It is a must see!  How can you leave this city without seeing the mummies and the treasures from King Tut’s tomb?  The answer is that you cannot!  Tip: you have to check your camera at a little security building outside of the museum by the ticket office.  We learned this the hard way and waited in line to get inside the museum twice.  Also, we went without a tour guide, but I think you might find a guide helpful.  The museum is in the process of moving to a new location, and it is not all that easy to navigate.

Now….back to the birthday! After the perfect amount of Vitamin D, we headed up to the room to shower and get ready for dinner.  Our fabulous concierge, Noha, organized a tent dinner for us overlooking the pyramids.  She timed the reservation perfectly for sunset.  We feasted over lamb and chicken kofta (kabobs), delicious hummus, and other Egyptian cuisine.  Not to mention…I smoked a hookah pipe for the first time in my life.  The most popular flavor of tobacco used is apple.  Truthfully, this

Smoking a Hookah Pipe

sounded terrible to me (let’s just say there may have been an incident in college involving an apple martini) but it was actually sort of fun and the apple taste wasn’t very strong.

At the end of dinner, Noha came to escort us to a “different” table for dessert.  Little did we know that she (with help of course) had prepared an entire surprise birthday party complete with balloons, confetti, belly dancers, traditional Egyptian performers, and cake!  What a treat! We even got to learn a little belly dancing ourselves….

Surprise Party!

While Brett and I rested from the belly dancing lessons (harder than you might think) in the tent, I noticed a man in the distance holding what appeared to be a rather large dog. Brett agreed that something looked a bit off, and slowly we both realized that not even Cujo had paws that size.  It was not a dog at all – it was a lion.  I knew that it was probably some sort of money making scheme – but I really didn’t care. How many opportunities do you get to hold a baby lion?  Plus – it saved me the expense of a microdermabrasion treatment. Their tongues are no joke.

At the end of this perfect night, I found myself feeling sincerely guilty.  It had been the best day. Thank you, Noha and everyone at the Four Seasons 1st Residence!  To Brett – there are no words…. You seriously outdid yourself!

Next up:  Luxor

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“Toto – I Have a Feeling We’re Not at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Anymore!”

13 May

Model Wearing Dress from Wardina Summer 2010 Collection

While I am in love with all things fashion, I am undoubtedly NOT a  fashionista or a frugalista. In fact, just the sound of those very overused words makes me throw up a little in my mouth.  They represent a diva mentality to me, which in my opinion, cheapens the beauty and the art of the fashion industry.  I mention this because while those words now seem stale and uninspiring, a fashion show that I attended a few weeks ago here in Beijing was anything but.

After I decided to move to Beijing in December, I knew that I would not be able to attend any shows during New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in February.  So, when I learned of the Wardina Launch Party for their Summer 2010 Collection, I was thrilled!  To be totally honest, I had not heard of the brand before I received an email about the event.  After a bit of research, I discovered that Wardina is a line of Middle Eastern Couture.  I.E. – super long dresses.  For those of you reading this that know me personally, you might be aware that  I am not afraid to go short.  And yes, sometimes perhaps I have gone too short.  But the thing is, even my very tasteful great-grandmother, Birdie Bass, told us to wear short skirts before the hail damage sets in.  My days are numbered so I am living it up!

I did suspect that the show might have a slightly different feel than previous shows I have attended; however, nothing prepared me (and certainly not Brett) for the mayhem that came down the runway.

Artist Performance by YETING

It all began with an artist performance by YETING.  The room was dark with only one spotlight on the artist and her giant canvas (which appeared to be a massive piece of newsprint). She began with a pencil, quickly switched to an oversize paint brush with basic black paint, and finished with black spray paint creating shading like a graffiti artist.  The entire performance did not last more than 3-4 minutes.  It was fascinating, and yet it was just the appetizer of the show.

Belly Dancer

The lights flashed, the artist disappeared, and the first group of dresses sashayed down the catwalk.  All long.  All very Middle Eastern in style. All completely not my scene – but very beautiful in their own right.  Lights flashed again.  A belly dancer gyrated up and down the runway to the DJ’s crazy beat.  Lights flashed yet again and revealed another group of dresses.  This pattern continued to include a Hip Hop ballet recital, more Wardina Summer 2010 Collection pieces, and an African dance performed by The Africa Queen Dance Troup.  Wth it’s circus nature, I felt disappointed that the models were not bearded ladies juggling bowling pins.

A night of sensory overload it was indeed.  It’s true that the actual fashion collection played second fiddle to the entertainers, but Brett and I had an absolute blast. We hope to experience many more thrilling nights like this one.

Moya Li and Me (Morgan Harbin)

A special thank you to my beautiful friend, Moya Li, who invited us to this extraordinary event! She certainly knows how to entertain!

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