It's New Year's. Resolve!

The thing about New Year's Eve is that for a lot of people, it's the day before they start on some big endeavor that they think will change their life. Tonight, as I type this, many people are getting ready for dinners and parties and saying things such as, "Tonight is my last night of smoking!" or "As of tomorrow I am on one huge diet. See ya later, carbs!" It goes on and on. People vow to date more or to find a new job, to read one non-school book a week or to finally take up scrapbooking.

It's all over the television as well. The Style network has a keen talent for practicing upon other people's insecurities. All this week was an Extreme Makeover marathon on channel 118 in New York City. If there was ever a time to get that nose job, 2007 is it! Between re-runs of "How Do I Look?" and "Clean House" there are ads for eHarmony.com and Jenny Craig, NutriSystem and Special K (what is "Protein Water," anyway?). Leave it to the Style Network to remind you that you are a lonely, overweight slob with no fashion sense. Never fear, though, because with a few hundred dollars you can fix all that.

The one thing I'm loathing about the new year is that my gym is going to become overrun with people who have resolved to lose weight. I first discovered this phenomenon back in 2000, when I lived in the Upper East Side. Back then I enjoyed a hip hop funk class on a regular basis with about 5 other girls. The class was an insane workout and my dance skills actually got better as the weeks wore on. Then Y2K came and went and everyone who was happy that the civilized world didn't come to a screeching halt decided to come to the New York Sports Club on 91st Street. Suddenly my cozy dance class was full of lumpy housewives in stretch pants with two left feet. It took a good month before the madness cleared up and the class was back to normal.

As for me, I don't have a lot of resultions this year. In 2005 I resolved to become a better tap dancer, and I did just that. Then Broadway Dance closed, and now I have six months of classes at Ripley-Grier studios to look forward to. Ripley-Grier is a nice enough studio, but it's practically right next to Madison Square Garden. That's a long haul from my abode in Gramercy.

In 2007 I'm aiming small. I would like to improve my knowledge of fine wines, particurally Bordeauxs and other French varieties. I want to sing more, and I don't just mean karaoke. Perhaps I should focus on finding a good deal on a guitar. I really need to stop gnawing on my cuticles, too. My running is going great, so maybe I should do a 10K before my 27th birthday in June?

Here's a piece in today's New York Times that tells people to go easy on the resolutions.

If you must insist on losing weight this year. 1) Stay out of my gym, because I grunt loudly and on purpose when someone gets on the treadmill next to me. And 2.) Sign up for this weight-loss challenge on iVillage.

Spent a little more than planned on ungrateful relative this Christmas? Tips on how to stave off some of that debt.

My work here is done. Hope everyone has a great holiday!

The Dead Zone

I've always thought of this time between Christmas and New Year's as a bit of a dead zone: no one really goes to work and if you do you're pretty much slacking off anyway. Retail is busy, naturally, but for a few days all there really is to do is hang around the house, hit the gym and go see movies, as I have been doing.

I'm not one for year-end lists, mostly because I'm not into looking back, only forward. That, and I think year-end lists are kind if silly. I do, however, believe in recommending good films.

That said, you might as well go see Blood Diamond this week, since it's probably going to win a lot of Oscars anyway. I warn you that it is violent and kind of scary sometimes, but a fabulous film none the less.

Then, and you knew this was coming, buy Tom Zoellner's book, The Heartless Stone, which is about the diamond industry and what happens after the rocks leave Africa and go around the world for cutting and polishing, etc.

Also, if you want a good laugh at the expense of a delusional feminist, please read Peggy Orenstein ridiculous essay about her beefs with princess products aimed at little girls. I'm all for supporting the sisterhood, but denouncing little girls' toys because they promote beauty and kindness is a form of krazy that I'm not prepared to deal with. And don't even got me started about her remark about how she doesn't want her daughter to fall in love with Aryan features. For someone who likes to wave her flag of equality for women, she does a good job spreading the Haterade around. This is why I didn't major in women's studies.

A Very Merry Christmas Was Had!

Christmas came and went and with it came good food, lots of family and lots o' gifts. I didn't take as many photos as I wanted, but here are the highlights.

The catnip toys Le Doug's mom sent over we so strong that The Boys tried to chew right through the wrapping. That's some serious 'nip.


I made sure the stockings were hung by the chimmney with care.


I took no photos of myself on Christmas morning, except for this one with my new Baccarat necklace, courtesy of Le Doug. Gotta dig a guy who knows good jewelry.


Le Doug looks forward to a year of trout with his new trout calender. Apparently these sorts of fly fishing items are hot back in Colorado, where he's from. Go cut throats!


Who needs a Jack-in-the-Box when you can have a Mozart-in-the-box?


Soon it was time to head over to Frank and Sue's for more family fun. Here is her tree that housed some of the many gifts that would surface on Monday.


Peeps arrive.


As well as this weird, life-like toy horse that actually moves and makes noises.


La Madre et Moi. My hair was doing strange things (a case of over-moussing, perhaps?) so I kept photos to a minimum. If only I had had such sense in middle school.


Negotiating dessert.


There were a lot of presents...and a lot of leftover wrapping paper.


Hope everyone had a great holiday!

Are You Still At Work?

No one in their right mind should be in Manhattan right now, not if they have someplace else that they could be over the holiday. Against my desire to sleep in, I roused myself at 7:15 AM, hosed down and made it up to Grand Central in time for the 9:10 AM to Old Greenwich. Yes, I was carrying four bags of very heavy presents, and yes I had to walk those presents the half mile from the Old Greenwich train station to Le Doug's house, but I am happy to report that I am now in my sweats, in his house and cooking up some mac and cheese. That's high livin'.

I never thought I would say it, but I am offcially shopped out. I started the shopping early this year, actually the day before Thanksgiving, so I got it all done. Now I'm not even interested in anything. Yesterday I had to force myself into Express to try on some slacks for Christmas Day dinner. On my way home from a seminar last night I stopped into Pottery Barn to buy these things to hang the stockings off of, and I don't even know how much they cost. At this point I am just signing receipts blindly.

I am, however, excited about after-Christmas sales. For as long as I've understood the almighty dollar, I have appreciated after-Christmas sales. Laptops and iPods are high on my list.

Now get home, everyone! Grand Central is going to be a zoo this afternoon!

Broadway Dance is Moving?!?!

Was I the last one to find out that Broadway Dance is closed until the new year and that when it does re-open, it will have moved? I had heard rumblings over the past year that the studio was moving, but I thought that was Balderdash, considering the issue of where would one move a five-floor, sprawling dance studio that smells like a hockey locker room most of the time?

Anyway, the joint is closed which bums me out because I usually like to spend the slow days between Christmas and New Year's at dance class.

Tonight I am going to Steps on Broadway in order to support my tap dancing habit. It's on the Upper West Side, which is a bit of a commute. Grrr...please come back, Broadway Dance!

Tom Z. Throws a Party!

Tom Z. is a good guy to know. He knows a lot about diamonds. He cleans up well for weddings. And he throws some of the best parties around. He also lives at the infamous 126 Rivington, the building on the Lower East Side that was almost a reality show.

Plenty of festive folk came out last night. Here are the highlights.

Sometimes I think I'm tall. Then I stand next to Tom, who is 6'5. Not so much.


Early evening crowd shot.


This guy, Billy, had very cool hair. And mucho knowledge about music production. Aces.


Someone brought along Tito's Handmade vodka. Don't mess with Tito.


It's just not a party, though, until Bartles and James show up.


Lemon to the lime and the lime to the lemon.


Nichelle and Heidi


Opa! Constantine represents for the Greeks.


End of the night, me and Pina Colada B&J. Heidi called me a cautionary tale. Go 'Cuse!

Diamonds and Peeps That I Know

Remember my friend Tom? Of course you do. He was mentioned in the New York Times yesterday in the article about diamonds in the Thursday Styles section.

Or you can buy his awesome book here.

I mention this because it's been a slow few days here on Planet Pauline. I still don't have a laptop (waiting for Santa...) and there are no parties until tonight. Expect many photos after this weekend. I know you all love the photos.

Buy My Stuff on eBay!

The Gramercy bunker is a great place, but sometimes it gets a little cluttered. That said, I'm unloading some treasures, just in time for the holidays.

Here's an interesting bit about eBay: I tried to list a fake Chanel jacket that I own, clearly noting that it is a knock-off and not the real thing. Guess what? eBay will not sell a replica or designer fake! So if anyone wants a faux, pink Chanel jacket (size large) let me know. Either you get it or Goodwill does.

Here are the eBay goods:

Children of the 80s Unite: With Punk Brewster Season 3! Never been opened!

Ladies, look sharp at all your holiday parties with these metallic brown slinky sandals, since 9 and a half. Muy Caliente!

Stay dry in rainy weather with this black and green ladies' raincoat.

For the Borat fan in all of us: Some genuine Borat movie promotional bumper stickers that read "I Heart Kazakhstan." Very nice.

More goods to come as I clear up stuff to give to charity (for tax purposes) and more to sell on eBay. It may be Christmas, but I'll never lose that capitalist spirit!

Let's Decorate the Tree!

Out in Connecticut, I got to get my Martha Stewart on by decorating the tree!

First off, Doug and I drove down the street to the First Congregational Chruch to pick out a tree. I wanted to cut it down ourselves, at a tree farm but in the interest of saving time, we just gave the nice church lady $50 for one of the pre-cut trees. Next years, kids. Next year.

Doug is an expert at stringing lights. You really should call him if you ever find yourself in a spot involving lights.


Given that The Boys came from a shelter, they have prob never dealt with a Christmas tree before. Here is Maestro showing the tree who's the real sheriff of the living room.


Mozart pretty much just watched the whole time. He's a lover, not an ornament-fighter.


Speaking of ornaments, this is my favorite one of Doug's.


Me and Some Glass Icicles


A Blue Ball


Doug Decorates a Tree With Precision


Mozart et Moi


Me and the Tree


Still, Maestro Needed to Show the Ornaments Who's Boss. I think he's going to be a problem, given that those balls are glass.


Hope everyone's having a great holiday! I'm sure I'll see you at the parties!

Technical Difficulties

My Laptop, which was exactly 10 years old and ran Windows 98, died last night. Actually, it was a partial death. It's more like brain dead now. The screen blew out. It still starts up fine and if I shake it the right way I can get a faint picture. I'm conducting most of my business at a nice internet cafe down in the East Village. That said, it's time to upgrade. I'm thinking about getting a MacBook.

The moral question now is whether to buy one myself or wait for Santa. You make the call.

In the meantime, please call me.

Exercising Patience

Yes, this photo is from Saturday's Old Money Holiday Affaire, the party that made it cool to leave an iron out on the kitchen table.

I've been on this kick today to try to exercise more patience. It started this morning when I was at Walgreens, trying to buy a bottle of water before yoga. Normally this transaction would take all of three minutes, but this is Walgreens we're talking about. The woman ahead of me was buying a cart full of groceries (?!?!) with a check. Who, in this day and age, writes checks anymore? Besides for rent. I think the last time I wrote a check at a drugstore Clinton was in office. Even unemployment and welfare give you debit cards.

Anyway, I got my water, made it to class and realized that the 8:00 AM yoga class was the Old Lady class. True, it went out for an hour and change, but the most challenging move we did was Warrior II. No camel, no bow and defintely no bridge, which is my favorite.

Nevertheless, getting exercise out of the way early was a good idea, since I still have a massage to look forward to later today as well as a fancy dinner with Le Doug. Tomorrow: Boot Camp class! I have no idea what to expect.

The Olde Money Holiday Affaire!

Everyone has those friends who, through sheer amazing real estate karma, land amazing places to live in New York. For me, that friend is Derick. He's a fellow writer and a man of wisdom who found not only a spacious two bedroom in Cobble Hill, but one with a proper parlour. That said, it only seemed natural to start throwing annual Olde Money Holiday Affaires in this grandiose apartment. Because it's better to have no money than to be new money.

The whole set can be found here.

Although it was only December 2nd, Derick and Kyle already had their tree up.



...complete with gorgeous glass ornaments.


This is Rootbeer, their very social Corgi. He wore a tuxedo collar for the occasion.


Erin and I and the Linda Ronstat portrait.


Me in one of their awesome velvet chairs. I felt so posh.


A couple of dandies on the couch.


There was no shortage of giggle water at this affaire.


Mistletoe did not inspire this smooch.


Everyone always ends up in the kitchen.


Feelin' the groove...in top hat and tails.


The host with the most...moves!


Erin capped off the night with a cigar. Naturally.