Today being Saturday, specifically the Saturday before my midterms commence, I thought I needed a bit of R & R (Rest and Rejuvenation) as I have been studying for a few days now and wanted to put myself into the optimal frame of mind going into this week. And I have a firm belief in the theory that if you study hard, take a break and let things percolate for a while, then resume studying, you retain much more than if you study continuously. And my exams are still a few days out.
I began my R & R segment of my day at one of my very favorite places. Bamboo Apothecary. It is amazing! Arianna and I discovered it last year, converted Katina into a believer, and I am working on everyone else I know as well. It doesn't take much to become a devotee, generally a look into the windows will do it, I've never seen a walk through the retail portion leave anyone not a fan, and once you have a service you are a die-hard! So back to my morning. I arrived with enough time before my service to survey the retail part, test all of the perfumes, peruse the nail polishes and begin paging through a magazine. Then my technician found me and brought me back into the service room. On the way our conversation went like this:Her: Hi Jessica, please follow me, how are you this morning?
Me: I'm wonderful, thanks for asking. And yourself?
Her: Oh I'm great. So swimmer or gymnast?
Me: Excuse me?
Her (motioning towards her left pectoral region): Swimmer or gymnast?
Me (clueless as to what she's talking about, looking down at my left pectoral region and notice I'm wearing a shirt with writing in that area, therefore conclude that she misread and thought it said swimming or diving): Oh, neither, I'm a Chi O.
Her: No, I meant do you swim or do gymnastics? Your shoulders are very wide.
Me (more than slightly horrified by the turn of events): Oh. Neither, I run.
Her: Hmm, you have the shoulders of a swimmer or gymnast, someone who's built up their shoulders. People always ask me if I'm a swimmer or a gymnast because I have similar shoulders to yours.
Me: So are you a swimmer or gymnast?
Her: Swimmer, I earned these shoulders.
Me: How nice, I was born with mine.
Immediately following said conversation, my massage commenced. In case you were wondering, it is, yes, a bit more difficult to get into the massage-zone frame of mind immediately following your massage therapist carrying on an entire conversation about the massive size of your shoulders.
Following said massage, I was looking to be a bit more in the "spa zone" so I inquired as to whether there were any nail appointments available. I was in luck! They had a manicure spot open right at that very moment. As I went to pick my polish there were a plethora of the pale pinks Essie is famous for, a black bottle, and a bright pink bottle. Having recently been very into the pale, pale pink manicure, I was about to grab the trusty "Sugar Daddy" bottle when the earlier conversation with the massage therapist involving my shoulders burst back into my mind. Suddenly, my hand whipped out and grabbed the bright pink bottle. I may have naturally "athletic" shoulders, but by golly, I could have bright pink nails if I so chose. Thirty minutes later, out I strutted with very well shaped, very bright, pink nails. Please see above picture of Essie's Summer Neon Collection for an exact image of the brightness of my nails. If anyone asks, or gives me any looks other than "Wow, those are some pretty fly nails," feel free to say I had a neon party to attend. I'm pretty sure that's E's plan of explaining them away. I kinda think they rock. I absolutely LOVED Diane Kruger's outfit to the Met Institute Costume Ball this year (please see top photo), from her hair to the dress, to the shoes. I think she's pretty fabulous all the time, but she was looking might fierce at the Met Ball. And if you look closely, I'm pretty sure she's wearing the Essie Pink neon nail polish. On her fingers. Just like me. See, neon pink nails are totally BDC.
After my Bamboo escapade I was on my way home, driving down Magazine, looking in store windows as I passed them and suddenly I saw it. No, it couldn't be. In the bread racks at La Boulangerie there was still bread! Multiple loaves of it! La Boulangerie makes the most divine bread you have ever had in your entire life. And you may wait your entire life before you ahppen upon the store at a time when they actually have some available and ready. I quickly parked Somerset and headed in. Not only did they have loaves, they had the 9-grain deliciousness that my favorite sandwich on the city, egg salad from Martin's is served on. So divine! So I purchased a 9-grain loaf and a whole wheat loaf for E and I. Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm! Fresh bread from La Boulangerie, with farm-fresh, salted butter from the farmer's market.Definitely the best study snack ever.
