Monthly Archives: December 2023

……………….PHASE FIVE……which for the girls, may be the most exciting part of the day!!!!! That’s when we went up to my studio on the third floor, and went though all of the samples from Linea, and even some vintage pieces from Anne Klein for Angela and Chantal to have….my present to them!!!! When ever they visit we have gone through samples that I have stored for the 20 years I was at QVC. I have also given them many of Jac’s personal clothes which they very much appreciate…. Many of the pieces are vintage Anne Klein like the black double breasted jacket that Chantal has on in the bottom picture second in from the left. These are original samples that were all fit on Jac, so they fit Chantal perfectly…..It makes me feel good to know these clothes are going to someone Jac and I love…….Whatever they don’t want has gone to various charities…..I think it will take one more, maybe two more trips to finally have gone through everything!…..It’s great fun watching them try everything on the clothes, deciding who should get which pieces…….while we are drinking WINE!!!!!……Tons of fun….tons of laughs…..tons of memories!………It’s fun being SANTA CLAUSE!!!!!!

………………..PHASE THREE…..the day continues…..Chantal and Angela , on the way to my house, passed these two stores near me, and asked if we could stop in. The first store was a lighting fixture/gift and lots more store. I never leave that store without buying something!! We stopped to look at this unique white massive chandelier…It was made out of all kinds of white shells, and different shapes and sizes of drop and flower crystals……We all agreed this one of a kind chandelier, in the right environment, would be spectacular!……Next door is a huge antique emporium that houses many many vendors…..Many decorators come from NYC to shop in this store, and the group of antique stores in the area. It was fun to walk up and down the isles looking in each individual vendors room at the incredible antiques on display, and all of the display cases with incredible things to ogle over…….Then back to my house for PHASE FOUR……..getting the MAC & CHEESE into the new CROCK POT Angela and Chantal gave me for Christmas!! When that was going we were ready for PHASE FIVE!!!!!!!!

………………We started off the new day on Saturday with breakfast!…..We went to a wonderful diner in Darien CT. As we were sitting in our window booth, I noticed tables set up in two rows to accommodate about 30 people….a breakfast party! A large bus pulled up in front of the dinner…..I guessed it was some sort of school team coming to eat….Angela, and Chantal made other guesses who was inside the bus….Then all of these young college age girls piled out, came into the diner, and start to sit at the tables that were set up. I found out they were from Long Island University, and were here to compete in a hockey game with a CT school later in the day……We ate our various egg dishes….omelets and such, and off we went food shopping for our dinner…..PHASE TWO…..Let those two loose in Whole Foods and all hell breaks loose! Angela had to confer with Chantal about which cauliflower she should get for her cauliflower au gratin dish…..then we were off for phase THREE…..BTW, Chantal is wearing a vintage hand knit Anne Klein sweater I did over 35 years ago that belonged to Jac.

…………………..When Chantal and Angela arrive for their visit, they were laden with presents and goodies to eat. They were dressed in all of their splendor….just for me!!!…Chantal brought a lasagna made from a receipt she learned in Tuscany this past summer, for the night’s dinner, and it was delicious!…..I made sure the house was at its’ splendid best. The house was fully decorated, my Rigaud candles were burning in every room, and there was soft Christmas music by Danny Wright playing in the background, “Just Wright for Christmas”…..They walked through the house to enter the “gathering room” where the fireplace was burning bright, The Christmas tree, and the wreath and garland lights were all on……On the coffee table I had lots of munchies for us to eat…..We all sat and relaxed, sipping Prosecco, listening to music, nibbling and started the story telling….The visit officially began!…..We were just happy to be together again!