The City Bakery in NYC
I leave Friday for NYC with Mark. And of course, high priority for me is planning every meal, snack, and morsel that I will put into my mouth. Right now I know that we’re eating at Fig and Olive in the Meatpacking district Friday night. We’ll go for breakfast Saturday morning to City Bakery after wandering around at the Union Square Greenmarket. City Bakery has, bar none, my favorite cookies EVER. Killer chocolate chunk and oatmeal raisin are my favorites, and I don’t hesitate to eat them for breakfast along with my pretzel croissant and hot chocolate. The pretzel croissant is one of City Bakery’s signature items, an incredible combination of sweet, salty, and butter. Lunch on Saturday will be at Artichoke on 14th Street between 1st and 2nd. This is a hole in the wall pizza place, carry-out only with a small ledge for 3 people to stand and eat a slice. I don’t get their slice of artichoke pizza – I get the thick slice (like a deep dish) marinara with a very crunch crust. I think they bake it in a deep dish pan with an inch of olive oil in it!
This will be the third time we’re staying at The Standard in the Meatpacking district. All the rooms have floor to ceiling windows with great beds and linens – a boutique hotel with rooms on the small side and great features. There’s a fantastic restaurant called The Standard Grill attached that has become hugely popular with the hip set – NOT the typical hotel dining. It’s so fun with lots of action – both in the hotel and the neighborhood. I probably raise the age demographic by 30 years, but I don’t care. We love to see what’s going on in our favorite city.
It was difficult getting used to 4 out of 5 of our children living outside Kansas City. But we’re lucky to be able to see them often. Sometimes business takes us to NYC and we can take advantage of seeing Danielle and Brooke then, but Chicago and Columbus, where Andrew and Derek live, are strictly destination cities for us. But what is really tough is not being able to see my grand-daughter Lydia frequently.
I had no idea the joy that a grandchild would bring me. This weekend Derek and Lydia are flying in for a couple of nights. Not nearly enough time, but I’ll take it! I’m picking them up from the airport, probably going to lunch at Winstead’s for a Tiny Tot, and then driving home. Swimming is definitely on the agenda along with toy store shopping, story time at the book store, and seeing friends and family. Lydie loves dancing to Lady Gaga (she’s 2 ½) so we’ll make a video of her dancing to one of the songs. Can’t wait to get my hands on that little thing – oh, and of course, Derek!
18th and Vine District
Saturday night Mark and I went with friends to see Inception. Great special effects and music, but I didn’t love it. I think that puts me in the minority in this country! I need to step outside my comfort zone and make plans with friends that don’t always include a movie and dinner, or a movie OR dinner. I’m way too boring and predictable. This has been on my radar for a while, but I’m not moving on changing my pattern. Kansas City is known for jazz and great music, so I’m making this my goal: the next time we go out, we’re going to go to a club and listening to jazz – AFTER we visit Oklahoma Joe’s!
iPhone 4
I just received the new iPhone 4. I know I should be jumping up and down about it, because it’s new, it’s cool and hip, yadayadayada. The truth is, I’m about as far from a techie as you can get. But I AM going to go to the Apple store and have a tutorial about the phone so I can intelligently learn at least half the functions this little gem is capable of. I had my last phone for over 10 years – that gives you an idea of what a dinosaur I am.
When I start thinking about how technology has changed, I go back to memories of my very own first phone, a pink Princess. I loved it. I’d spend hours talking to friends – especially during slumber parties. And then, the Walkman, a portable cassette player came out. It was the precursor to the I Pod, and had large cassettes you could buy and snap into the body. I have to say, it did encourage me to walk and run because I loved my Temptations and Moody Blues. When I grew up, antennaes on TVs and the top of houses were common, and remote controls were non-existent. And then the computer was introduced, and changed the way we live our personal and business lives forever. They say that being techno savvy has always been inversely proportionate to age, and I’m a living breathing example of this!
Probably one of my biggest pet peeves is poor customer service. Last week I was getting a chocolate egg cream at one of my favorite places, and I asked for extra chocolate (just like I do at LatteLand for my hot chocolate). The young lady behind the counter asked if I wanted $.30 worth or $.60 worth. I said I had never been charged for extra chocolate. She proceeded to make it, and then turned back to me and asked if I had decided if I wanted the $.30 worth or $.60 worth. I told her that’s okay – I didn’t want it. She said she didn’t mean to be rude (in an insincere way) and if I hadn’t been charged before, then the employees weren’t doing their job correctly. I said thanks anyway, and walked out. In my mind, there are two scenarios which would have been 1000 times better. First, the best would have been not to charge for an extra shot of chocolate. The second would have been for the young lady to say that normally they charge for extra chocolate, but since I had never been charged before, she was happy to go ahead and give it to me for no additional charge this time. Believe me, I understand about profit and making numbers. But in the scheme of things, is it worth it to upset a customer? And upset a customer so much that she might not return? There is no question that I and others have been guilty at Tivol of delivering less than stellar customer service, even though our customer service is normally exemplary. I am grateful when a customer cares enough to point this out so we can rectify the situation. As an owner, I want to know so I can make it right. I understand that customers can spend their money with whatever business they want, and loyalty can be fragile. So the next time you’re in Tivol and you visit isn’t everything it should be, please tell me so I can make it right.
Mom and Me
Mother’s Day May 9 was a struggle for me. Although I was with family for breakfast and later for dinner, there was a black cloud that followed me around all day. I lost my mother July 29, 2008 after her fight with breast cancer for over 15 years. My husband Mark and I brought Mother back to Kansas City in June to live because of a nasty fall she suffered. I had talked to her for years after her husband died about coming back to Kansas city, and she finally said yes. After a hospital stay at Menorah Medical Center in July, she was transferred by ambulance to Hospice House, where she died 3 days later. Losing a parent is something most of us will experience, if we haven’t already. Getting through the dark days of remembering are just part of the grieving process.
Mark
After the Vegas jewelry show, Mark and I flew to Newark and then on to Paris for a family wedding. We were lucky enough to use points for an upgrade to Business class on the way there, and what a difference wider seats and more legroom makes on an international flight! (especially for Mark, who is 6’ 3) We arrived early Sunday morning and were picked up at Charles DeGaulle by our sweet nephew, Julien. He dropped us off at Pavilion de la Reine, our hotel in Place des Voges. It was lovely and small with a wonderful staff. We walked around the neighborhood for a few hours before our room became available – and had just enough time to shower and change for the 2:00 wedding.
What I loved most were the little children walking around during the wedding. There was no commotion, no crying, just kids being kids and not sitting still – and no one was the least disturbed by it. After the ceremony, there was a congratulatory receiving line to give the bride and groom and their families kisses. And that night, an incredible party in an event space attached to a hotel. The party began with 2 hours of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. There were long beautifully decorated tables with every kind of hors d’oeuvre imaginable – fried vegetable egg rolls and dumplings, lots of sushi, miniature paninis, duck foie gras, and on and on. The band started about 9:30, and everyone walked to their assigned tables. This band, about 12 pieces and 3 singers, was the best I’ve ever seen at an event. The kids and adults would barely sit down to eat the scrumptious dinner. And the band never stopped playing for four hours. Popular American, French, and Tunisian songs kept the guests on the dance floor. At 12:45, the dessert buffet opened, and I was in culinary heaven. Huge slabs of mille feuilles, ice cream with incredible chocolate and caramel sauces, bananas foster, chocolate fondue, fresh fruit, miniatures cakes and tarts – OMG. At this point, my schedule was so off that I said to myself, who cares how full of food and caffeine I get, so I indulged to my heart’s content. Finally at 2:30, we walked into our hotel room. I don’t remember the last time I was out that late. Truly, truly an unbelievable experience. Mark’s family is remarkably warm and loving, and those feelings came abundantly through that evening.
We had decided to take 3 days and travel to Cannes, so we took the 5 hour train ride and arrived at the Carleton Hotel, now owned by the Intercontinental, about 1:00. We checked into our room, explored the hotel, and walked across the street to enjoy the beach on lounge chairs provided by the hotel. I was surprised that the nicer hotels charge for their chairs ($20 each AFTER 3:00, and more before). But, it is the French Riviera, I suppose. That day, we split a $35 chicken club sandwich with avocado at our seats while the umbrellas shaded us. I have to say, it was the best chicken sandwich I had ever had. (and yes, I guess it should be for $35!). The next 3 days we spent exploring Cannes and the incredible stores and restaurants. The city is quite cosmopolitan, and Russians, Asians, Brits, Scandinavians, etc. were commonplace. I was impressed at the staffs at the fine stores. Unfailingly we were greeted with warmth and smiles and requests to help us. Everyone at the stores spoke beautiful English and made us feel completely welcome.
One night at dinner at La Cave, we struck up a conversation with 3 couples dining next to us. They were from Manchester England. We were shocked to hear that Sid said the only place he had ever been to in the US was Kansas City! We had a lovely time with them, and they invited us to join them in an excursion the next day to St. Paul de Vence, about a 45 minute drive. We mulled it over and told them the next day we would love to. So we squeezed into a car and drove to this small town with incredible old architecture, wonderful little shops, and a well-known restaurant called La Colombe d’Or. The restaurant was high on a hill, and we ate outside on a perfect day surrounded by original art and a remarkable view. Mark and I both had the seabass – we ate fish continuously in Cannes – and it was divine. We explored the city after lunch, and exchanged e-mails with our new friends before saying good-by at the hotel.
I think that as I’ve grown older, I am much more apt to be open to new experiences, including striking up conversations in restaurants with people. I don’t know if it’s confidence or maturity, but I’m happy when a situation presents itself and we go with it. Traveling has always been one of Mark’s and my greatest pleasures. Hopefully in the years to come we’ll grab on to opportunities and continue to explore different cultures and make new friends.
The Tivol team visiting Carelle
Las Vegas is a perfect place for a trade show. Every year the Tivol Team treks to Vegas for the biggest luxury jewelry show in the US the beginning of June, and we manage to combine lots of work and play.
Ryann Rinker, our Director of Merchandising, spends hours making appointments before the show with both current vendors and possible new ones. We’re bombarded with calls and e-mails in the months before the show from reps wanting Tivol to make appointments to view new jewelry lines. And of course, it’s always our hope to see and buy fresh new lines that have never been shown in Kansas City.
Our appointments begin at 9:00a.m., and go to 6:00p.m. In between, we have appointments with designers like David Yurman, Penny Preville, and Roberto Coin to see new collections, along with designers that Tivol has never carried. There are vendors set up in booths after booths of varying sizes and décor in row after row. Each designer has a window on the outside of the booth displaying his newest pieces. After a long day, there are parties and dinners that continue into the wee hours – and then the day starts over. We had wonderful dinners with friends and designers who entertained us, and heard the musical group Train one night set up outside at the pool at Wynn.
I’m definitely getting old. I used to be able to party until after midnight every night and get up the next morning and work all day. No way Jose. Now Mark and I are usually the first ones to excuse ourselves and head back to our room. But in between the end of the day and a dinner or cocktail party, I somehow made time to visit Chanel, Christian Dior, and Alexander McQueen. After all, that’s all in the name of retail research!
Lucy and Bosco
Bosco and Lucy, my Chocolate Lab and Cavalier King Charles, have a big piece of my heart. When I’m aggravated from a difficult day at work, I’ll go home and lay on the floor with my doggies, smooching and hugging on them while they lick me back – and my mood changes like magic. It never ceases to amaze me the comfort and solace I receive from our dogs.
They don’t want anything except to be walked and fed – and loved. And I’m happy to oblige. Before Bosco and Lucy, we had 3 Golden Retrievers that we adored, so our foray into a lab and a spaniel – especially Lucy, who is the ultimate lap dog, was quite different. For all of us who have dogs in our lives, we can probably agree what a warm, positive experience it is to have our pets as true members of the family.
Returning from New York City in May, I noticed some big trends. First, trench coats were everywhere, and not just the classic Burberry look. Silver lame, loose-fitting deconstructed, colorful and fun short lengths – I saw it all. It’s the first time I’ve seen the raincoat as a true fashion statement. And lots of yellow gold easy jewelry – layers of necklaces, big rings, lots of colorful stones. And shoes? I don’t know how the working girl walks around on stilettos in the city. Of course, I do see women carrying little tote bags that have either their heels or their ballet flats inside.
I saw embellished head-bands quite a bit, especially on women under 30 – flirty and cute.
