The Reinvention of Me: What Comes Next

This past Saturday, Luke’s Wings held their 4th annual Fashion Takes Flight.  This year, the best of some of the most talented local designers were featured in a place that has never seen an outside fashion show: Nationals Stadium.   Walking to the beat of Deejay Neekola‘s masterful mixes, the models graced the runway in the SS12 collections of Nam Nguyen and Walish Gooshe (Greg Taylor),  F/W11 men’s collections by Streets of Georgetown and Donovan England, and the always amazing finds of Ella Rue.

Photos can be found here (check back for additional photos in the coming days):

TDLphoto.com

Vithaya Phongsavan

John Yang

Revamp

Guest of a Guest

Early press (check back for additional press in the coming days):

Hollywood on the Potomac

Guest of a Guest

A Thousand Things to Do – owned by a member of the military and Fashion Takes Flight uber-organizer Kristen Murdock!

Washington Life

Shout outs go to: KRISTEN MURDOCK (for whom this show would more or less not happen), my mom and stepdad, Ashley Pennington, Marissa Borst, Donna Donella, Erica McCants, Constance Christakos, Wendy Gordon, Sophie Pyle, Charlie Martel, Kate Michael, Elizabeth Kreft, Paige Mueller, Luke Radlinski, Mark Radlinski, Jason Morris, Jesse McCarley, Brittny McKinney, Lauri Tamney, Tim Lundin, Vithaya Phongsavan, Cheryl Romero, Mackenzie Miles, Katherine Kennedy, Ken Suarez, Brendan Kownacki, Kimberly Glenn, Tanya Good,

Last year, for the first time, I participated in Luke’s Wings Fashion Takes Flight – a fundraising fashion show that included real members of the military, modeling the latest collections from Saks Fifth Avenue (Tysons Galleria), Aram, Ella Rue and more.   (Video below and recap can be found here.)

I also wrote about why this organization matters so much to not just me, but the soldiers and their families as well.

This year, we have even more reason to celebrate, as Luke’s Wings has hit some major milestones, not just making this an annual must-attend event, but also a celebration.  In the last year, Luke’s Wings has had some major accomplishments, including (but not limited to):

• Raising $32,000 at the 3rd annual Fashion Takes Flight
• Receiving a $300,000 grant
• Partnering with the Rumsfeld Organization
• Receiving a donation from Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Receiving countless donations and accolades from generous donors and sponsors for their tireless work
• Having brought hundreds of families and soldiers together

This is no longer just a local charity – it has gone national.  It has gained the interest of politicians, other military organizations, military leaders, government leaders and many many troops across the world.  While you may hear of some of the glitzier things, what you don’t see is the hard work the supporters of Luke’s Wings put in behind the scenes, including many trips to military hospitals, fundraising meetings, meet and greets, attending countless networking events, as well as making sure some of these soldiers are reconnected to their loved ones.

You see, it’s no longer about the “who’s who” in the DC social scene supporting a local charity -  it’s the “who’s who” in the national military, government and political scenes that are gaining traction – and fast.  Luke’s Wings is a fantastic “connector” that allows these two worlds to collide for a common goal: to make sure that those that are protecting our freedom are taken care of, giving us all an opportunity to thank them for allowing us to continue to live in a country where freedom is what we stand for.

As such, a veteran volunteer to the organization, Kristen Murdock (USNA), will be walking the runway her final time, before she heads back to Afghanistan for a year.  If for any reason to attend Fashion Takes Flight this year, give her a proper send off – thank her for her hard work, both in protecting us, as well as giving back to soldiers that are less fortunate.  Details below:

This Year’s Fashion Takes Flight (Official Press Release)

Luke’s Wings is pleased to announce its 4th annual runway fundraiser, Fashion Takes Flight, on February 4th, 2012 at Nationals Park! Join us for cocktails, and an exhibition of some of the District’s finest threads modeled by our servicemen and women as part of our fourth anniversary celebration and 2012 kick-off campaign.

With sweeping panoramic views of the stadium on one side and two story windows overlooking the river and monuments on the other, in the Stars and Stripes VIP Lounge, Luke’s Wings supporters will enjoy Peroni beer, specialty cocktails by Van Gogh Imports crafted specifically for Fashion Takes Flight and gourmet hors d’oeuvres. Come mix and mingle among DC’s most fashionable, in one of the most unique venues in our nation’s capital- Nationals Park! A private tour of the dugout and batting cages will also be available to all attendees.

Over the years, the popularity of Fashion Takes Flight has grown, as attendees watch models and military service men and women ‘take flight’ in a swank, high energy runway exhibition highlighting cutting edge fashion by some of the District’s freshest new talent. Philanthropists and fashionistas alike come together to support an organization that aims to assist the families of those who serve.

Special guests include Deejay Neekola and our fabulous MC Natasha Barrett! Amazing styling by PR@Partners, Megan Riddle Make-Up, Blend, and the runway collections of some of the best local runway talent DC has to offer, including Nam Nguyen and Walish Gooshe!

After an amazing evening of supporting our wounded warriors overlooking the baseball field from the Stars and Stripes VIP Lounge, you are invited to join us at Lincoln for an Americana After Party.

Event Hosted by: Charlotte Jarrett, Kristen Murdock, Nichole Devolites, Mackenzie Miles, Lindsay Kin and Fletcher Gill.

Event Details:
February 4, 2012
VIP Reception (includes reserved seating) 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Open Reception – 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Fashion Takes Flight – 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
After Party at Lincoln – 11:00 pm – 2:00 am

Step Right Up, and get your tickets HERE

TICKETS:
VIP: $135
Includes:
·         VIP cocktail reception with event hosts, models, honored guests, government leadership, sponsors
·         Exclusive access to the VIP Lounge. Lounge includes private, heated balconies overlooking the baseball stadium
·         Reserved Seat for runway show
·         Gourmet fare
·         Passed Champagne
·         VIP gift bag
·         Free Parking
·         Invitation to our exclusive after-party at Lincoln

General Admission: $85
Includes:
·         Open bars
·         Gourmet fare
·         Access to fashion show
·         Free Parking
·         Invitation to our exclusive after-party at Lincoln

MEDIA NOTE: All media attendees who are interested in covering the event must register by Thursday, February 2, 2012.  Please register by emailing our Public Relations Director, Mackenzie Miles at publicrelations@lukeswings.org with your name, title, and publication.

Every year, I go back and forth on whether or not I want to create a set of resolutions I may or may not follow.  In the past, I’ve called them “wishes” or “goals”  as “resolving” to do something sounds too committal and too serious.  However, my boyfriend has inspired me to think about actual resolutions and after hearing some of his, I’ve decided to create some of my own.  BUT, sticking with them is a whole other story, which is why I waited a few weeks before posting them, to give me time to make sure these were attainable.  The good news: I’m on my way to accomplishing a few already!

1. Focus on me more: Sign up for a dance class or two, try Bikram yoga, create a sustainable workout routine and be more conscious about healthy eating decisions. 

I signed up for a full five week Intermediate Hip Hop dance class.  Few know that I used to perform and miss it a lot.  It’s one of the things in my life that work every single part of my being and I leave incredibly happy, excited for the next class.   I also signed up for a Bikram Yoga class next week (see post in Rants or Raves – who wants to take a bet on which one it will end up being?).  If all goes well, I’ll be signing up for a class package.  If not, I’m going to continue the hunt for a yoga studio in Vienna.  I’ve also added into my schedule a different type  of workout everyday – the days I’m not taking a class, I might be doing free weights or resistance bands.  Bottom line: There’s no excuse to take an hour out of my day for me.

1A. Downtime is a MUST – it’s OKAY to veg on the couch on weekends

 My boyfriend is a wise man and for his own reasons, he makes sure to relax when he comes home and on weekends as well.  It’s something that was foreign to me for a long time and now, I’ve learned to enjoy it.  Case in point: New Year’s weekend was spent on the couch, napping and watching football.  No, not every evening and EVERY weekend will be spent this way – it’s just important to allow it to happen. I’m definitely embracing it

2. Schedule everything that needs to be done and make sure that schedule is in ONE PLACE!

All too often I will over-commit or will push aside the aforementioned “me time”, which is important, in order to maintain a sense of balance.  If I can’t fit it in, it’s okay to say “no”.  Thus, my schedule is now a rainbow of colors and it’s all in ONE CALENDAR – my work one.  If there’s an appt. on there I don’t feel work needs to be a part of, it’s locked and marked “private” but it at least allows everyone to see when I’m busy in the evenings, thus giving me control over my schedule and my life.  So far, success!

3. Accomplish one major thing this year that I have been putting off.

This list includes four websites, a book outline/writing the first book in the series, start a professional blog on marketing and innovation, and resurrecting Conversa Group to fit my current bandwidth.

4. Continuing my education in my field(s).

Nope, I’m not going back to school (see all aforementioned resolutions).  Instead, read a book a month in marketing and/or innovation.

5. Giving back more to those charities of my choice

In Washington, DC, there are a TON of charities to choose from and at times, people feel they are spread a little thin, in contributing to everyone’s interests.  Thus, I’ve decided to take a look at those interests that mean the most to me: military, dogs (pets), Celiac Disease and (by association) brain injuries.  While every charity deserves attention (and I will be happy to support my friends’ endeavors when I can), these are my focuses, starting with Luke’s Wings Fashion Takes Flight on February 4th.

6. Making sure those closest to me know they are appreciated

2011 brought too many changes, too many headaches and a lot of chaos.  Thus, I missed out on a lot of birthdays, engagements, baby showers and the like.  My friends mean the world to me and they will all hopefully know it

What are some of your resolutions this year?

Last week I wrote a post about why it was I made a choice to be a part of the Executive Committee for this year’s Fashion Takes Flight.  This week, I am proud to say I can prove why.

Just under one month ago, the Executive Committee of Rachael Glaws, Kristen Murdock, Lindsay Kin, Mackenzie Miles, Fletcher Gill and myself got together to discuss the show. Just under one month later, it became a reality.  Here are the highlights:

The event was held in the grand ballroom of Adams Morgan Mansion, which is now Stroga Yoga.  The VIP guests were treated to champagne (many thanks to the Fly Lounge girls for serving), hors d’ oeuvres (thanks to Peacock Cafe and Purple Onion Catering) and violin music from the very talented Raea Leinster.  At promptly 9:00pm, the upstairs was open for people to mingle at two more bars, while listening to the sounds of Seyhan and watching moving military videos on two 60″ flat screen TVs.  Natasha Barrett, the emcee for the evening, welcomed everyone to the show and the National Anthem was sung by Samantha Dredge.  When the lights went down, the runway lit up and the sounds of aircrafts filled the air.  All eyes were glued to the flat screens that now illuminated the entire room.  Lights flashed, the helicopter sounds came closer and the fog machine gave us an instant feeling of being on an aircraft carrier.  Things went dark and the spot lights came on, with the men starting out the show in custom-made Don Patron shirts.  This was followed by Ella Rue, Saks Fifth Avenue Galleria for men and Aram for women. The finale was giving our military models one final walk down the runway in their uniforms.

To close the show, Fletcher gave some wonderful remarks, followed by a moving video of some of the families that have benefitted from Luke’s Wings.  MSA then presented Luke’s Wings with a check.  This check, amongst many other donations (including ticket sales, silent auction items and other forms of donations) raised about $20,000 (so far).

There are so many thank you’s to be given for such a successful event.  Please forgive me if not everyone is listed: Fletcher Gill, Lindsay Kin, Rachael Glaws, Kristen Murdock, Mackenzie Miles, Alfredo Flores, Daniel Swartz, Nakeva Corothers, Seyhan Duru, all of the models, all of the volunteers and all of the attendees!!!! Also, a special THANK YOU to my sister Cassie Devolites for flying from Colorado Springs to represent Air Force!!!

While I was Director of Marketing for a luxury mall in the D.C. area, I had many requests to provide clothes and/or sponsor local fashion shows.  Given the type of clientele we were targeting, many of these were ruled out.  This included a request from Luke’s Wings for last year’s very successful “Fashion Takes Flight”.  When I was pitched the idea of men and women in uniform, walking the runway, I was excited about the concept, as I have a sister in the Air Force and I know how much it means to them to be able to do something fun that represents who this organization serves.

This year, I was given the opportunity to support it.  I am incredibly grateful and thankful for those who have supported my endeavors in this, including two wonderful retailers-turned-friends.  It’s because of them that this show will be better than last year’s, promising the attendees a really amazing experience with luxury fashion (and an awesome surprise twist, thanks to Don Patron).

Why I’ve decided to support it: Each and every non-profit, and those that run it, are put under the microscope with every event they do and every solicitation they make.  Even with everything I did for this mall, I was met with a high level of scrutiny, as opposed to seeing what the rest of the world saw, which was a great experience for the betterment of others.  This organization, at the core, has done some great things for some soldiers who have been to places and held experiences most of the rest of us would never even think of doing.  With my dad’s dad having been a retired Colonel in the Army, my mom’s dad retired Air Force, my sister an active officer in the Air Force, and a whole slew of friends that have been to the Middle East no less than five times a piece, it’s not just another show for me.  Instead, it’s a way to give those in service a fun celebration.

We’ve had an incredible group of people step up to put this on: Rachael Glaws, Lindsay Kin, Kristen Murdock, Mackenzie Miles – all professionals in their field who share the same passion for this show that I do.  Our meetings are incredibly high energy with a ton of excitement for what this year’s show will hold.  I hope that each of you decide to go – it will be a ton of fun with a really great program.  If anything, come see my sister walk the runway and meet some of my friends that have incredible experiences serving overseas.

Details are below:

Friday, Janaury 28th

The Adams Morgan Mansion
VIP Reception – 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Open Reception & Silent Auction – 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Fashion Show – 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm

TICKETS::

VIP………………………………………….. $125
Includes VIP cocktail reception with event hosts, honored guests, government leadership, sponsors
Reserved Seat for Runway Show
Passed Champagne
Three Premium Open Bars
Gourmet Passed Hors D’œuvre
VIP Gift Bag
Access to Fashion Takes Flight After Party

General Admission……………………… $75
Three Premium Open Bars
Access to Fashion Takes Flight After Party

Tickets can be purchased at: http://fashiontakesflight2011-auto.eventbrite.com/

Check out the video from last years Fashion Takes Flight:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBX70emJLng

Slowly but surely, I’ve been creeping out of my “cave” to join the rest of my friends in social world I’ve missed so much.  I admit, the downtime was great (and much-needed) but it’s a new year – one, in which I make my own rules, both professionally and personally, and I could not be happier.  I’ve found the freedom to support more events, possibly host a few but more importantly, to be able to set my own schedule in the process, resulting in a MUCH BETTER work/life balance than I’ve had in years.

Event Number 1: Caps Game

To kick things off right, my mom had given me her and her husband’s two front row tickets to the Caps’ game against the Lightning on January 4th.  I decided to bring my girlfriend Samantha, whom I had not seen in a very long time.  She had never sat that close to the action and was uber-excited.  No sooner did we sit than the cameraman for Comcast Sportsnet asked us if we wanted to open the second period on TV with about 10 seconds of cheering. Who could actually say no to that?   So, as stated on Facebook – I don’t want to know how we looked but I’m pretty sure if it was viewed in HD it was bad – fluorescent lighting and all (ok, I’m speaking for myself) still, it was fun.  After this, we went on to watch 2 periods of hockey with a few minutes into overtime – Caps lost 0-1. Our added bonuses of this evening – running into Tiffany Carter, as well as Andre and Bethany Carter with their son Quincy.

Up This Week

Wed. – Planning meeting for Luke’s Wings Fashion Takes Flight – we have a fierce team of women behind this, this year and I couldn’t be more excited!  Look for the official invite soon!

Thurs. – YELP event at the Crime and Punishment Museum with the lovely Kate Michael

Sat. – Chili Cookoff at Union Pub

Courtesy of Vithaya Phongsavan

On Friday, May 28th, Luke’s Wings held their first annual Casino Royale event at L2.  My friend Vithaya Phongsavan, one of the photographers of the evening, had the best write-up about the organization and the event:

Wings…Luke’s Wings. You’ve likely heard of James Bond, the character that has been used in the longest running English-language film franchise to date. With 22 films under it’s belt, it’s also the most successful film franchise. We’d like to tell you about Luke’s Wings and show you scenes from its first annual Casino Royale Night. The cavernous but sleek and modern L2 venue in Georgetown DC held this special event. Attendees enjoyed specialty cocktails, gourmet hors d’eourves from Leopold’s Café, and a night of playful casino gambling complete with tables, games, and dealers. There was also a luxury raffle table and prizes included items from Neiman Marcus, Miller’s Furs, Mona Taner, Queen Bee Designs, and Adeler Jewelers. We wanted this night to be a success for a great cause because all proceeds go towards Luke’s Wings to purchase airplane tickets for hospitalized wounded warriors and their families.

The venue was a fitting place that provided an adventuresome atmosphere. Ladies and gentleman were dressed to the nines, with some in Black Tie apparel and others in Bond Girl attire. Everyone appeared to be dressed well, including the bar and wait staff that provided drinks to guests throughout the night. The music added to the vibe of the evening and socializing seemed just as much for revealing identities as it was for public discourse. The theme of the night was well played out as guests enjoyed all the casino had to offer. Thanks to the military personnel and veterans who attended, and thank you for your service.

The host committee was comprised of: Fletcher Gill, Sarah Wingfield, Charles Paret, Kelly Homan, Rachael Glaws, Mackenzie Miles, Wendy Adeler Hall, Stephanie Rackley-Abraham, Jason Sickels, Allison Priebe Brooks, Angela Desrochers, Todd Landen, Casey Olson, Michael Gerrior, Mitchell Weintraub, Brittny Corene McKinney, Lawrence O’neal, and Bob Morgan. Many thanks to the Corporate Sponsors of this event: Berico Technologies, The Abraham Group LLC, Cordia Partners, Morgan Franklin and Rent-A-Center.

Courtesy of Walter Grio

My boyfriend and I love costume parties (a very popular thing in San Diego) and therefore, we went all out – he went as “Mr. Black” (complete with a mustache painted on with my black eyeshadow), and I went as a made-up Bond Girl (a bit more sinister though, I imagine).  Much to our chagrin, getting out of our apartment complex, into the cab and trying to sneak into the back entrance of Cady’s Alley proved to be much less of a stealth operation than we had hoped, as I found myself explaining to almost anyone who caught my line of sight that “We normally don’t go out like this”.

Once inside L2 Lounge and with our friend Natalie Cartner (Dogography), we found ourselves being the only three that really went all out.  Although feeling just a tad bit self-conscious at first, we soon realized that when in costume, we were having a way better time.  Some of this might have been due to the fact that the three of us love posing in front of the camera (no shocker there), especially when there are empty pieces of furniture nearby (see Ball on the Mall for how that started).

Soon after, the drinks were flowing, the food was being passed and the clanking of chips was all around us.  I gave my boyfriend my $10,000 in faux money to play with, as I know that his gift for doing well at Blackjack could only help the efforts on winning one of the fabulous prizes set out on the prize table.  About 30 minutes in, he was up $120,000 and asked if it was enough.  Since my eye was on the Gucci bag, I let him know he’d have to get to $650,000 – he didn’t look thrilled but continued on playing.  An hour later, he handed me a slip – $680,000 won – and I raced over to the prize table and snatched up the bag.  Any woman within sight of what just happened was squealing with excitement… the bag officially had a home.

Shortly after, my wonderful friend Fletcher Gill (co-founder, Luke’s Wings) paused the festivities to thank everyone for attending, introduced a few military men that this cause has helped and had an opera singer sing the National Anthem (which was AMAZING). It’s so great to remember why we were all there: helping so many soldiers be reunited with their loved ones, while they are recovering/rehabilitating.  (Each one Fletcher has had at the event has been so impressive to talk to and they all have such heartwarming stories.)

Although many friends started to come in, Natalie, my boyfriend and I decided we needed to eat.  We went over  to Kafe Leopold for a quick bite, giving everyone in the restaurant quite an amusing site: He in all white with a faux mustache, Natalie in a stunning sequined gown (with a long train) and me with a short dress with a garter and gun strapped to my leg.  It was like a scene out of a murder mystery with three people plotting their next move.

By the time we got back to L2, the Bond Girl contest was getting ready to start and the prize: a mink stole was up for grabs.  Ok… so I

Courtesy of Vithaya Phongsavan

might have been feeling a bit greedy but I DID go all out with the costume and although Natalie won the new laptop, she also went all out so we put ourselves up there with three other women.  We didn’t win.  Although slightly disappointed, we did walk away with some fabulous items. Side note: the girl on the far right in the picture won the prize.

When the tables were being packed up around midnight and we said goodbye to the last of our friends, we agreed that life isn’t just better spent in ball gowns, it was also spent better in costume too.

Shout outs go to the following people for hanging out with us: Fletcher Gill, Natalie Cartner, Donna Donella, Lawrence O’Neal, Mark Vlasic, Jeffrey Cohen, Katy Johnson Nelson, Stefanie Ball, Vithaya Phongsavan, Moshe Zusman, Walter Grio, Ray Regan (for 2 minutes), Erin Smith, Rachel DeMita, Ivy Jiang, Mehraz Naini, Jason Mandel, Allison Priebe Brooks

Rain doesn’t stop the few thousand that attended the 72nd running of the International Gold Cup Races, myself included.  My boyfriend and I woke up to Seattle-like weather (VERY wet and 40 degrees) and decided to go full-steam ahead with our plans to attend.  Having been invited to both Luke’s Wings’ tent, as well as the Brown Forman tent, we knew there was a high probability we could stay at least dry most of the time.  What did pose a challenge was my attire.  What posed an even BIGGER challenge was the speed at which I had to shop – I was prepared to attend Gold Cup in a gorgeous chocolate brown Calvin Klein dress but, given the likelihood I would be uncomfortable, I chose to pack my boyfriend into the car and head to Pentagon City Mall in search of a new outfit.  At this point, most men reading this would automatically deduct that I would be the one to hold up the process and we’d be hours behind.  Not so.

When we got to the mall, I bolted out of the car and beelined for Macy’s – a logical pick when you’re in a hurry.  I grabbed a bunch of sweater dresses, grabbed the boyfriend (for approval/disapproval) and dove into the dressing room for Superman-like clothing changes.  When one was agreed upon (a cute, black turtleneck one that I would actually wear again), I was ready to head to DSW for some wellies (rain boots).  There is no better way to describe what happened next.  My boyfriend wants to take a “lap” around the men’s section in Macy’s before we leave.  I love my boyfriend to death - he’s an amazing man.  And, god bless him, he owns more clothes than ME.  I literally gasped, as we were running late and he wanted to search for something he didn’t already own.  For once, I’m the one in a hurry.  When he confirmed Macy’s couldn’t satisfy this curiosity, he was sure Kenneth Cole could.  Now, under any other circumstance, I would have been happy to shop with him, as I have a secret love of dressing men.  But, we were in a hurry and I knew he sensed it so we left and headed towards a woman’s show “mecca” – DSW.  So, as we’re driving toward DSW for the real reason I needed to shop in the first place (a hilarious yet sloshy lesson learned on mud and wet grass from Polo Cup in May), the news I immediately got could have passed for my dog dying.  My boyfriend announces that DSW was no longer there – after getting his hair cut in Aveda the month before, he tried to walk in there and it was closed.  Now, I’ve been wrong about MANY things but definitely NOT about this.  I hit the denial and anger phases all at once.  I refused to believe it, made him park the car and again, bolted out of it and into the store.  Now, anyone who has shopped at this particular DSW knows you have to go UP the escalator to get there.  The last thing I wanted was to confirm this horrid news.  Thank goodness (and in a rare event), I was right.  As I rode the escalator up, the heavens opened, the sun came out and angels were singing Mary Poppin’s birds were helping fly me to the back of the store to find what I needed to keep my feet dry and mud-free.  To my dismay, there were very few styles and I wasn’t interested in spending a ton of money – especially for something that would all but get totally muddy by the end of the day. I picked a sensible but cute pair of black and white ones and am 3/4 of the way to the register when my boyfriend looks in horror at them and flat out says they’re ugly.  He marches me back to the rain boots section, winces at the limited selection and decides that the Coach ones, lined with fur, are the best choice available and pulls my size.  I tried to explain I wasn’t interested in spending a ton of money on this - all the way to the register – when he put his credit card down and let me know that these are my flowers I was nagging he never gives me.  I tried to conceal my glee but it was definitely difficult.  Had I had time to find the matching umbrella, I might have done my rendition of  “Singing in the Rain”. 

So, just 35 minutes later, we’re home, changed, out the door and on our way to The Plains, Virginia. I can’t help but admire my new gift and make sure that all of the women in my family know of this (I’m quite an advocate of giving credit, where it’s due and ensuring my family knows that the man in my life was responsible for my instant (and continual long-term) happiness – ok, and maybe I wanted them to feel a slight bit jealous).  When we arrive at the racing grounds, I skip out of the car, ready to jump puddles.  We get to Member’s Hill and while looking for our friends, I get compliments and looks of admiration.  By the time we got to the Washington Life tent, I was known as the “girl with the boots” and they even got their own picture, taken by the photographer of Washington Life Magazine (will be confirmed when pictures are posted to their site).  Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t mind the attention but to be able to proudly say that my boyfriend was responsible for all of the attention was something that made me even prouder.  What can I say – the man has style!

So, as the rain is coming down and the wind is picking up, there are 50 of us packed in this small tent.  It was a wonderful group of people – the type of people who like us, don’t mind a little weather.  Everyone was in good spirits, huddled together, drinking cocktails, smoking cigars and getting to know one another, while laughing and commending each other on braving this ugly weather.  The photographer snapped several photographs of some of us before moving on but, I was the only one with a picture dedicated to my fashionable feet.  It made my day. 

A few hours later, my boyfriend and I said our goodbyes and headed toward the Brown Forman tent on the North Rail.  As we’re heading in that direction, I was getting compliments from passers by on my footwear, continually prompting me to express my appreciation and gratitude for my boyfriend and his taste.  We said our hellos and goodbyes to Jackie, our wonderful hostess and friend who invited us, and headed back to Arlington to relax before heading off to our next event of the evening – The Bi-Annual Lobstah Dinner with our good friends Eric and Diane (see  ‘Bi-Annual Maine Lobstah Dinner’ post). 

Reflecting back on this rather wet and wild adventure, I’d like to pitch to Coach the following statement that should be stamped on the side of all of their rain boots’ boxes: “This purchase causes excitment, conversation, attention, looks, compliments, admiration and dry and happy feet.”  Stay tuned for more “happy” purchases.