Mr. Right Now

Hello, my name is Kate and I'm a commitment phobic. Or, at least I was. My attitude toward relationships has changed and I no longer fear the idea of committing to one person. Relationships are a fickle thing though. Of all the dating categories, I must say that my best friend's category tops the list. A serial monogamist with a commitment phobia. How scandalous is that?



My friend *Chloe has never had a one night stand, never gone on 3 first dates in a week, and never had a fling. She remains in long term relationships, but can't help wondering what else is out there. What if she misses a great opportunity with Mr. Right because she's in a relationship with Mr. Right Now? I guess that's the chance you take when you commit to someone - or pretend to commit.



The best relationship I personally ever had was with New York. New York never made me feel lonely, was available 24/7, constantly showered me with gifts of entertainment, discounts, culture and drinks. I gave that big, beautiful city my whole heart. The same heart that broke when we parted ways. No man could ever live up to the expectations that New York set....I suppose I'll have to learn to love again....in a different way.



When all is said and done, I don't think there really is a Mr. Right. Everyone is a Mr. Right Now, and he can become whoever we want him to be...a New York, a fling, a forever. It's not a change in person, it's a change in heart.

Downfall of an Icon (?)

It's safe to assume that I am one of Britney's most loyal fans. I have always maintained the notion that her career will bounce back and place her on top of the totem pole once again - and there I would be, standing in line with her fresh album burning hot in my hands. I don't believe that she has the range and tone of mastermind singer Christina Aguilera; or that she possesses the cult attraction and following of Madonna, who has been a constant in the musical world for 24 solid years and a personal favorite of mine. But Brit has something else that I love. Each album she released contained lyrics that, word for word, described the position in life I was in....how I felt, what I was doing...testing the waters of life. On each album I could find a few songs that matched me perfectly. For this reason, I will always be interested in what she will produce next.

I'm just not sure now if she will actually be able to produce anything that truly relates to me. While Brit has fallen so far downhill, I've continued my climb up. I'm not compromised by wanna-be rappers in baggy jeans, I'm not reproducing like a rabbit, and I'm certainly not lackadaisical in hygiene. She's fallen so severely far down, that I'm not quite sure she'll be able to bring herself back up. Her disastrous photo shoot and interview with OK! Magazine has exposed her mental state to the world - the only conclusion is that she needs 1. therapy, 2. medication and 3. a dog trainer. [http://www.tmz.com/2007/07/23/britneys-disastrous-photo-shoot/]

Maybe calling Brit an Icon is going a little too far. However, she will certainly go down in the books as the Pop Princess and for her record breaking influence is the industry. Whether you like her music or not, she once reigned supreme over the pop world, second only to Madonna.

So for now, until she "does it again" - RIP Britney Spears - your toxic music and dancing will be missed.

Sun kissed

I arrived back from Florida this morning - and will need about three days to recover. M & B were the perfect hosts and showed off the fantastic Ft. Lauderdale area. The beach, as it always is way south of the border, was heaven. Yes, the sand was scorching from the sun, but the water is crystal clear and rather warm...like the baby pool at the local swim club, minus the babies and their liquid. There's nothing I love more than splashing around in the clear water absolutely carefree - not worrying about what sea creature might be lurking like in the north Atlantic. A few hours of water play and I realized that the Sun God himself had kissed me....drenched me with color so graciously that I'm actually looking a bit red. Ah well, I think it was worth it.

M & B took me to the Hard Rock Casino, which even my 15 year old sister is familiar with thanks to Anna Nicole Smith's rather public death there last winter. Here's a secret: I've never gambled. Not once. So, M took me to a slot machine while B and his friend hit up the tables. I only put a dollar in the slot, and sadly lost it. I'm really not a fan of putting out money if I'm not guaranteed it back...that dollar could have been better spent towards a martini. I guess me & gambling were never meant to be.

The rest of the weekend was full of drinks, pool, sun and fun. I'm now trying to rid my body of the high volume of alcohol still gurgling around in my stomach and catch up on some beauty rest. End result: they live in a fabulous area, where planes fly at fabulous rates; I don't see why I won't be back again soon.

Leaving On a Jet Plane

This morning I crawled out of bed somewhere around 6 am. Marking the earliest time I've risen since moving into my new pad, I was desperate to hit snooze a few more times. Alas, I could not do so as I had neglected to pack my bags for my south Florida trip earlier in the week as originally planned. I can't help that my social calendar fills up quickly....ah, or gets added to at the last minute.

Tonight I fly to Miami to spend a few days with M, who has been living down there for almost two years; who I have regretfully not managed to visit yet. As we don't get to see each other often thanks to the annoying length of the east coast, I'm ecstatic to spend the weekend beach bumming, shopping and sipping martinis with her. Possibly a little dancing.....but that would require a high amount of intoxication for M.

Today is not only the start of my mini-vaca, but also a day of firsts. It's the first time I've done an online check-in. After a few complications with work printers, I have successfully checked-in, printed my boarding pass, and will be heading to the airport courtesy of the big blue Super Shuttle van in a few short hours. The pure joy of not having to wait in the long line of crabby, gum cracking travelers upon arriving at the airport is giving me the necessary energy to get through the morning. Now, the line for security is another story.....

Bon voyage....I wish I could be singing "don't know when I'll be back again...." but my return ticket says otherwise.

American History 101

Today, despite the horrendous humidity, I trudged around downtown in look for something 'cultural' to do. While the day was perfect to lay pool side, cocktail in hand, I'm beginning to miss the quiet, pleasurable afternoons I used to spend at museums and galleries in NY. I decided that the Smithsonian would be a smart place to start, as the National Portrait Gallery currently has what I think is the best crash course in American history I've ever seen. Wandering through the rooms, you will see portraits of men and women who helped pave the way for what is now modern day America. From European explorers, to Native Americans and the first Puritan settlers', through the Revolutionary and Civil War...the portraits cover years of history, giving a more enjoyable lesson than the old social studies books from high school ever did.

Allow a few hours to really enjoy the museum and pack a snack to avoid the over priced cafe. One negative...it was a bit noisy. I somehow managed to show up on "Nationals Day" - members from the relatively new major league team were on hand to sign autographs for the kiddies. I won't lie...I contemplated jumping in line behind a group of eight year old boys in hopes of catching the eye of a fetching baller [secretly hoping they'd be in full uniform so I'd be able to view their amazing buttocks through those brilliantly tight pants....]

Quickly retracting from what would have been a captivating day dream, I opted to forgo the long line of fans and enjoy my simple afternoon.

The Classic Ten

Everyone knows....or at least should know...about The Classic Ten. The top ten articles of fashion that every woman should include in her wardrobe. If you're not familiar, the pieces include:
1. the little black dress
2. the white shirt
3. the cashmere sweater
4. blue jeans
5. the suit
6. high heels
7. pearls
8. lipstick
9. sneakers
10. the trench coat

The book, The Classic Ten is written by Nancy MacDonell Smith and explores the origins, meaning, and remarkable staying power of these staples of fashion. Really, it's a bookshelf must-have for any female with a stylish soul.


I bring up The Classic Ten, because over the years I've put together my own list of Classic Ten...The Classic Ten Beauty Necessities. These items have proven their staying power to my own beauty emergencies time after time. Here they are:

1. bronzer
2. Smiths Rosebud lip balm
3. Preparation H Cooling Gel [works wonders on puffy black eyes]
4. face mask [preference to all-natural ones, like Anakiri]
5. SPF lotion - >15 protects us from those nasty premature wrinkles
6. vaseline [variety of uses: if you think your eyeshadow is just about done, mix the remains in vaseline to create a new lip gloss. Also great for rejuvenating dry skin - slab some on feet after a shower and put on socks. After 20 min you're ready to go, smoothed and moisturized]
7. mineral liquid foundation [minimal use for maximum coverage]
8. a great eyeliner
9. nude lip liner accompanied by lip balm [I suggest Naked Lip from Cat Cosmetics - gives lips a fuller, natural pout]
10. tweezers [ enough said. best light for getting stray hairs is in the car]

Of course, my beauty box also contains random eye shadow, concealers, lid and face primer, hydra spray, a variety of mismatched cosmeceutical products, etc. The important thing is that I keep all products in one, medium sized box. If it doesn't fit in the box when I buy it, then something has to go. This allows me to keep only the items I love, and the junk stays away. Choose wisely.