Archive for March, 2014

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San Fran is bullshit. It leaves me with no other choice than to be hilarious and cynical like George: “these pretzels are making me thirsty”. I love this line because the interpretation is so subjective… if you remember the Seinfeld episode, each character had their own rendition of “these pretzels are making me thirsty”. 😄 Earnest. Angry. Jolly. Melodramatic.

I flew to San Fran (yes… I do refer to it as San Fran out of pure disrespect) just a day and a half ago. I’m not sure why I’m even here. Well… Four Seasons asked me to be. I do live, sell and stay at Four Seasons as often as possible… and apparently it’s been noticed. Plus I met a double Scorpio! And how else would my gorgeous HKG Catherine realise she’s got herself a fabulous rep! He did well. Who would have known otherwise?! (I’m sure they knew, but what-ev)

Coming to SF is like not coming to SF. What the hell does that even mean? I lived here for five years and outside of actual firm meetings… it’s like I don’t know anyone! Obviously my Kelly is exempt and truly loved. But I have never in my life experienced such aloofness as I have from the characters who pride themselves on being SFers. I have another word for you people! It begins with an F, and it’s not ‘fabulous’. I will exempt my dear Janice from the f-word as well… for nearly teaching me the difference between effect and affect, if nothing else. 😉 x

Had I not had the amazing, albeit last minute stay with my gorgeous Aussies, I’d have thrown in the towel a day ago. Thankfully chez Mill Valley had (literally) one vacancy on Tuesday! That entire family is so genuinely beautiful and quite grounding. But apparently, as my worldwide friendships expand, I’ve now got to clarify Sydney people versus Melbourne people… as they are two v different beasts. Mrs Jetsetter will have to show me firsthand! ☺️ The brilliant friend, at the heels of my business concept (several years ago), he’s struck again and unexpectedly boosted my entire focus to where it obliviously needed to be! I’ve always promulgated, as a karmic business woman of integrity, that every one of my trips proves invaluable in some form. So with Mill Valley, Kelly and Janice exempt of my SF abomination… today is a new day to enjoy margaritas in random 70 degree (or 21 to the rest of the world) weather and appreciate that yes, this trip did indeed serve a purpose or two. Despite the rest of you F’ers here in SF. Perhaps I’m a little cranky, but come on SF… let’s face it: you’re dirty, smelly, unfriendly and typically have the worst-ever weather. Let’s not try to fake beauty, cleanliness and pleasantries. Just because you have loads of organic foods and the Golden Gate does not make you beautiful.

Even though the polar vortex still lingers over my NYC, I miss it… and the water towers. I miss my lightening bus too.

I turned 40, and have had the most random client (degrading!) frustrations, suffered the second-time only illness and was only able to get 4 days of exercise banked in the last 29 days 😞 I think I’ve gone mental. Touch wood that I am officially on the mend and will be running in Central Park in no time! I’ve just read Chelsea Handler’s latest book… and though it’s a bit odd to read someone else talk randomly about vodka, lemons, men, xanax and travel, I’ve definitely concluded that I am a far better writer! With a bit less raunch…

This city leaves me with no other words than “these pretzels are making me thirsty”. But given my impending margarita lunch, I’ll go with the ‘earnest’ depiction of that classic line.

And… thank you Four Seasons. I love you! 😘

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Or in Iceland….. perhaps Dubai?  Wait… is that London calling?  Believe it or not, I was actually thankful for the snowy weekend in jammies that awaited me, on my own at last!  In my fantasy world I’d have been headed for Mexico this week (by bus- haha! get it?) But I am kind and carry far too much integrity to do so. 😇 vs 👸

After all is said and done… after all my anxiety and the juggling acts, I’d say the 40th was a massive success!  So many interesting facets contribute to that outcome.  It was a fucking fairy tale… even though there were no swans.  Lots of inanimate objects though. 😅  What an amazing vibe I created.  Or more like… what an amazing vibe Ashlee created.  I barked orders and provided comments for edit, but pretty much left Ashlee to figure it all out!  There was so much love in that room, yes we definitely had AMOUR… and my red balloons.  My aunties, uncle and momma make amazing decorators too. 😘  And they bought me diamonds!!!  It was an overwhelming week!  Not one drama.  Not one awkward exchange.  Not one scandal… aside from my niece’s alleged hijacking of l’il Eddie’s glasses.  Oh, and my graceful smack down to the ground in the middle of the private room at Chin Chin, hung over and practically still in my jammies.  I think AJ pushed those two chairs together to catch my foot on purpose!  I also think we needed the comedic relief.  Who knew I could do stunts!  So hilarious.

Everybody was so kind and there for me, it’s quite flattering 😅 I’m such a happy girl!  I feel like I always conjure up these hair-brain ideas and then have to enlist others for execution as my life is so chaotic!  It went too quick and so perfect but so fast.  Given the weeks I survived (barely) leading up to the event, it’s a bit of a shocker I even made it!  😉

My Dubai people arrived to my favourite Surrey Hotel just a few blocks from me.  It was Mrs Jetsetter’s birthday which she celebrated part-time in Milan, part-time in business class on a luxury airline, then part-time here in New York.  I had an unexpected visitor/soul mate join us which was overwhelming, sweet and even a bit shocking when he had to leave. 😢  But the show must go on!  The Aussies, American, Pom 😙 and Canadian… along with one of the crew from their earlier Milano flight, we were like rockstars.  Then… stumbling past the glamorous Stumble Inn on Second Avenue, we decided the best idea was to continue on at my flat where there was plenty of booze.  Until 6:27am.  Mrs Jetsetter’s birthday lasted right through to my mother’s birthday who would be arriving NYC later that evening.  First, I had Team One arriving for party assembly and logistics.  And champagne consumption.  But I had to hide in my room working as I heard the roars of laughter from my living room.  My California people flew all this way and I love you all so much!  We did manage to have a lovely dinner before birthday celebration número duex.  Then, before you know it party day was finally here and Team Two arrived with more champagne, JG burgers and spaz control. 😁  And the diamonds.

The party, and amazing after-party was such a perfect introduction into what I’ve been told will be my best decade yet.  It will be hard to outdo the last one.  So many amazing friends came so far, or even the closer ones who took time off work to be part… it was really fabulous.  I wished I’d had more time to spend but I was so busy being twirled by that  hot and spicy Canadian and my first boss Biff, while my nephews busted out the John Travolta moves… that it was a bit of a blur.  Until I woke up at 6:30am with two twenty-three year olds in my bed with popcorn and Ben & Jerry’s, and my nephew on the couch.  I love it.  x

Now… we have one last birthday to celebrate!  Today my company turned 5 years old!  Congratulations to me. 😉  Oh shoot… and the VP’s birthday is tomorrow.  Then no more birthdays for at least a couple weeks.  The Pisces love is flowing.  The biggest question now is how will Mrs Jetsetter and I celebrate Feb 20th-23rd next year!?  Hopefully we can get Kirk Russell involved. 😍

Thanks to everyone, it was so much fun.  Welcome to 40, feeling and looking like I’m STILL 29 😉 and back to daily exercise so I don’t make all my people crazy.  Well… there will always be a little crazy, who are we kidding?  Exercise, 19 hour work days, and maybe a little trip here or there.  x and ooo

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