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| Girls' lunch at Bergdorf Goodman |
Walking into Bergdorf Goodman after so many years was a girl’s fantasy come true. The beautifully appointed store was like an art gallery of all things fashion and beauty. In every department, the attention to detail in the displays, the merchandising, the svelte, perfectly groomed sales staff, spoke of quality and luxury.
In addition to the restaurant, the store’s top floor houses a children's department, housewares, antiques and estate jewelry. The elegant hostess invited us to have a drink of champagne at the bar or have a look around, as our table was not quite ready. We waltzed over to the estate jewelry. A handsome older customer pointed out a pair of vintage opalescent and rose-gold earrings priced at the equivalent of a new Mercedes and asked me, “Are these not the sweetest, most darling little earrings you’ve ever seen? Are you buying them?”
I merely laughed and responded “Yes” and “No.” She complimented me on my silver and mock-diamond bow necklace, adding “that’s a vintage Van Cleef piece.” Again I laughed and thanked her. If only she knew. It was a knockoff I had purchased at the downtown jewelry mart in Miami and I recall getting change back from a twenty dollar bill! As we browsed the fine china and the silver housewares, I felt a pang of nostalgia. I had left behind my exquisite tableware collection that I used for dinner parties and holiday occasions—in a storage container in Canada.
Lunch was divine: coffee served in fine bone china, salads so well executed and plated they looked like paintings, service with finesse and sophistication, girl talk for hours. The delicious finale was individual pumpkin cheesecake and a glass of champagne—in a crystal flute, no less! The perfect New York afternoon for two women who love fashion, fragrance, fun and friendship. We walked across the street to my hotel and lingered for hours in a little food shop on the hotel’s lower level, nursing more cappuccino. How stimulating to connect with someone interested in politics, knowledgeable about music and the arts, travel and higher education. This is what I’ve been craving, I thought to myself.
That night, I purchased an apple, a pink lady, and cut it up as a bedtime snack.
The next day, I attended an “Entrepreneurs in Transition” luncheon” at the invitation of another dear friend, a New York businessman extraordinaire. The boardroom on the 40th floor was almost full when I arrived. My friend greeted me warmly and complimented me on how professional I looked in my perfectly tailored Massimo Dutti black watch suit. I chose a seat next to a gentleman drinking coffee and munching a cookie who appeared to be in his mid-sixties. Then it hit me. I was the only woman at a think tank with two dozen men, all entrepreneurs, all successful, all looking for their next opportunity, all captains of industry, all veterans in their fields. Was I nonplussed? Au contraire! I was filled with excitement. I listened with fascination to the three gentlemen who spoke about their last companies and their plans for new ventures.
I merely laughed and responded “Yes” and “No.” She complimented me on my silver and mock-diamond bow necklace, adding “that’s a vintage Van Cleef piece.” Again I laughed and thanked her. If only she knew. It was a knockoff I had purchased at the downtown jewelry mart in Miami and I recall getting change back from a twenty dollar bill! As we browsed the fine china and the silver housewares, I felt a pang of nostalgia. I had left behind my exquisite tableware collection that I used for dinner parties and holiday occasions—in a storage container in Canada.
Lunch was divine: coffee served in fine bone china, salads so well executed and plated they looked like paintings, service with finesse and sophistication, girl talk for hours. The delicious finale was individual pumpkin cheesecake and a glass of champagne—in a crystal flute, no less! The perfect New York afternoon for two women who love fashion, fragrance, fun and friendship. We walked across the street to my hotel and lingered for hours in a little food shop on the hotel’s lower level, nursing more cappuccino. How stimulating to connect with someone interested in politics, knowledgeable about music and the arts, travel and higher education. This is what I’ve been craving, I thought to myself.
That night, I purchased an apple, a pink lady, and cut it up as a bedtime snack.
The next day, I attended an “Entrepreneurs in Transition” luncheon” at the invitation of another dear friend, a New York businessman extraordinaire. The boardroom on the 40th floor was almost full when I arrived. My friend greeted me warmly and complimented me on how professional I looked in my perfectly tailored Massimo Dutti black watch suit. I chose a seat next to a gentleman drinking coffee and munching a cookie who appeared to be in his mid-sixties. Then it hit me. I was the only woman at a think tank with two dozen men, all entrepreneurs, all successful, all looking for their next opportunity, all captains of industry, all veterans in their fields. Was I nonplussed? Au contraire! I was filled with excitement. I listened with fascination to the three gentlemen who spoke about their last companies and their plans for new ventures.
Then my friend announced that he’d like to interject a personal story into the discussion. Curious, I thought, but what do I know? He’s the “networking king” so he must have a good reason to share a personal anecdote with the group. It was only when he said, “Do you see that pretty woman at the end of the table?” while gesturing toward me that I realized he intended to share a personal story about me, my career path and our friendship. After showering me with more praise than I deserved, he asked me to address the room. I didn’t have time to formulate a single coherent thought; I simply began speaking. I shared my business plan for a new venture in Maui and my forecast for the hospitality industry in Hawaii, in general. It was the first time in ages that I felt truly empowered, in my element.
The next hour or so passed with more discussion, introductions, business plans, forecasts, questions, answers—and intellectual stimulation to the max! The final half hour was set aside for mingling and networking. As I was about to leave, several of the attendees approached me, all wanting to discuss their businesses and my potential new venture, exchange ideas, business cards, meet for coffee or a drink. This was the boost I needed. This was where I felt comfortable, happy, where I got my adrenalin rush, where I could feel my self-esteem being renewed and restored!
As I bid everyone goodbye, a wait staff wrapping up the buffet lunch motioned me over. “Would you like to take an apple with you, madam?” I did. It was my third apple of the trip and I wondered if there was a lesson here. Was I more of an apple or a papaya? What felt most likely, most right, was a combination of the two: the soft sweetness of the papaya mixed with the firm boldness of the apple. This trip was a reminder of who and what I am. Now, it’s what I do with this knowledge that counts!
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