Warm and cozy with the fireplace, inside the gorgeous Baglioni Hotel
Had one of those amazing flights, again, which will hopefully prove to deliver another a long-lasting friendship. This gorgeous black man from the club lounge, who was secretly wanting to bring me cheese and crackers and then let me cut in line with him to board the flight, happened to be my seat mate. Our supposed 7-hour flight was oddly short and we were unprepared given the titillating conversation and lack of any rest. The Pisces and the Scorpio. Say no more. Both with amazing careers that could, or more accurately, should potentially benefit one another. This man delivered me the best three lines I might have ever heard, the first one being, “You seem like a woman I might have a use for”. The second hilarious one we both already forgot, and the last, after they shut down the main cabin lights: “Can you see me right now? I’m black.”. C’est la vie, pour moi. We could not stop laughing… so hilarious!!! Our champagne and chardonnay journey ended with a freaking train ride into Paddington. How have I let this gorgeous black man lead me to a train and taxi instead of car service? I am finally solo having champagne breakfast at The Baglioni Hotel, overlooking Hyde Park in Kensington, next to a crackling cozy fireplace and watching the snow fall while I wait for my park view room to be readied. Yay… it’s snowing in London!!!
This week has been an odd one, though massively productive. My sleep patterns are not quite normal after last month’s world tour, but there’s no sense in rectifying now, and you’ll soon understand why. I had a fabulous end to the week, no real loose ends which is rare. Today, I apparently watch snow and drink champagne. Yesterday I had lunch with a friend and got a well-needed lesson in packing. (thank you, for my $20 Arm & Hammer travel-sized toothpaste!). I was sent off with my super sweet Polish driver and had a relatively stress-free day!
I have to share what I woke up to this morning. I received an invitation to participate in something, not quite sure what, but industry-related. The dates so conveniently fall between my London trip, my pitch meeting with the event-heavy salon where I get my hair done, and the next trip to San Fran. I registered, it asked for passport information, and was immediately confirmed for this “whatever-it-is” trip to Dubai! Huh!? Alrighty then. I had to get up and packing for London so not a lot of time to digest. A lovely industry friend, was former sales director of an amazing property I stayed at in Phuket, Thailand has just moved back to Dubai and accepted a job with Emirates, the UAE airline. She has done me and my clients right and knows me well enough from fun nights out in Phuket and Vegas. We hadn’t caught up in a while… so now was as good a time as any and maybe she’ll be able to give me a sneak peek of what I’ve just gotten myself into. Turns out it is a business class flight on Emirates, and three (or could be two) nights hotel, and I’m unclear of the obligations while in Dubai. Hello Dubai! Wow! Yes Gram, I am headed to a Muslim middle eastern country and I will be FINE! You cannot worry yourself sick, as I will be with friends, hosted, and possibly in another UAE brothers’ business venture: a Jumeirah hotel, which are usually the ‘best of the best’.
Tomorrow I am meant to have lunch with the country bumpkin I met in Argentina last year, at the pub. Whilst here in December, he met Ashlee and I out on our first night, and was hilarious. I was sick as a dog, being fed lemon ginger tea in between my gooses, and it all ended with his mum’s cold pizza in the back of his car. 🙂 This time around, the bumpkin even made a reservation at a restaurant overlooking London Tower. I love being in this time zone and bonus: America will be relaxed with their US holiday tomorrow!
Every day that I live continues to deliver the unexpected, and usually in the most fabulous ways. LMC Direct will turn four years old on March 5th. I’m rebranding, possibly renaming and am consistently proud of my work, my ethic and integrity and the unbelievable network I have been fortunate enough to grow. Happy New Year to me. Seriously.
Now the xanax I took on the short plane ride is starting to kick in. Couldn’t possibly be all the champagne! Though the Sunday Moët is sort of free flowing at the beautiful Baglioni (eat your heart out over there in your central London condo), but now I really want my room. The view is stunning, but I have early client dinner tonight and no recreational vicodin to help me just power through. And yes, I realize this is not one of my wittiest pieces of work and should therefore call it a day (or night?). My loose schedule this full London week will hopefully provide something a bit more entertaining later on.
Ah, five more minutes for my room to be ‘sorted’ out. 😉
lizgeorjon 