Come What May

The annual wine gala was on the 2nd of March and I went despite being under the weather. I just couldn't handle missing the occasion to wear the dress, the shoes, the updo, etc. and leave A on his own for a raucous night of drinking. I SHOULD have, because I'm still hacking and coughing and suffering the slow pain of bronchitis and walking pneumonia. That'll teach me. I spent most of the night with my head down on the table feeling angry with A for drinking himself into a stupor. 

ANYWAY, as most events tend to produce, I have a slew of classy, happy looking photos which misrepresent the evening ENTIRELY. 

The day of the big decision was the day after and, facing swelling tonsils and a hungover boyfriend, (surprisingly) I decided the marriage was a go. (It took a lot of convincing though, that day and the next, trying to drown out the image of him singing and yelling on the bus home at 5am while I suffered in a little germy ball against the window.) 

So we're getting married. We're going to set the date in May. Alban has told his parents and I've told mine, which for both of us was sort of the officiating move. Tomorrow I'm catching a train to Paris to pick up some documents I'll need at the American embassy. 

I went with a girlfriend to city hall to pick up the dossier  several days ago and we were mistaken for a couple trying to have a gay wedding. A cheery, American couple trying to have a gay wedding. The woman at the desk told me very seriously it might be complicated and my friend and I both looked confused until we figured out what was going on. Never underestimate the danger of doing anything oficial in your second language. 

hew! 

Still Standing

I'm really a criminal for not updating the blog on the gala after so much build-up to the main event. But, if any of you know me at all, you'll know that unless somethings gone wrong, I'm apt to keep my mouth shut. Also, I'm making the great global traverse tomorrow morning, first across the Atlantic and then across the Pacific, so I've had my hands full mentally and physically preparing. Japanese noodles: check. Supply of tea bags: check.

The gala went perfectly, in spite of all of my premature despairing. Earlier in the day, admittedly, I got my heart rate up when, in the hair salon chair and with the clock ticking, the stylist couldn't manage to do the updo that I'd brought her a photo of. I got a little choked up as I came to think that I wasn't going to look and feel the way I wanted to on the big night. Thankfully, however, after mentioning that I was wearing an Audrey Hepburn inspired pearl necklace, the stylist decided last minute to give me a "Holly Golightly" look. It wasn't.. terrible, but I felt a bit like I was wearing a rat's nest on my head- a fastidious, fashionable rat, but a rat's nest all the same.

TMI raised my spirits when I walked through the door by telling me he loved it, and continued to do so with every outfit item that I added to the ensemble as we hurried to leave. From the moment we left to the hour we returned, (6am, I might add,) I was showered with compliments. ..And that's all a girl really wants, right? There was a lot of eating, drinking, some long wine lectures, and then hours of dancing. At the end a guy friend approached TMI to say that I was "la femme la plus belle a la soiree," which naturally won the night for me.

Now back to packing. 6 am wake up call tomorrow, TMI and I both expect tears on the train station platform.

All Night Armor level 45

Welp, tomorrow's the big night: just like prisoners on death row or sailors trapped in sinking boats, (so I've heard) the fear has melted into mild acceptance and curiosity for what lies in the aftermath. TMI tried his tux on for me last night; he looks like a million bucks and no one is going to be able to say otherwise. Despite my best efforts to dress up my little party dress, I still look underdressed next to him. He also gave me a hard time about not liking my shoes, shrug, or coat, which didn't make me feel any better about it.

Here's the final wardrobe, aka, my armor until 4 am tomorrow night:

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Lets hope the Keira updo gives me the final push from formal to very formal. May the force be with me.

Save the Receipt

So I finally got my dress back from the seamstress; it seems to fit well enough. And now the really big question: do all the items I bought separately and mostly for more than I can afford go well together? The necklace is breathtaking and I LOVE IT.. but I'm unconvinced it goes perfectly with the dress. And the shoes.. well, ahem. uh, the shoes...

Lets just be glad I got them on sale. Soft leather, platform black ankle boots, totally gorgeous, but totally wrong with the dress. ..Sexually inspirational, however. I modeled them for TMI while scantily clad which, naturally, lead to love making in a dangerous standing position which in turn lead to, ... .. well, some stains on the shoes that despite my best efforts I don't think would get them accepted at the returns counter. It's so very ironic I think I laughed and cried at the same time.

In other news I triumphantly went to the prefecture today for what I thought would be the last time to get a temporary carte de sejour while they process my renewal. I waited around the office all morning, as is customary, drowning in multi-ethnic screaming children. I got the receipt and started home.. only to discover that my mother's last name was spelt wrong. I rushed back only to find I was too late to take another number.

Looks like that adventure still has some nuts and bolts to sort out.

The moral of the story: save the receipt and the sex until after you've tried on the whole outfit. Oh, and double check all spelling of important names.

Pearlin' It

So yes, I'm still hunting accessories for the wine gala like a maniac and I'm as viciously indecisive as ever. What do you guys think of this Audrey Hepburn inspired Necklace from Lovett & Co?

Since I'll be a little underdressed in my Free People number, I want to make up for it wherever I can, so I'm going with bold statement jewelry. What's the word?

Out With a Bang

I don't think I ever gave an update on the Free People dress I splurged on... while it did make it in time for the Christmas party,the size 2 I'd been dieting for all month slipped right off of me and pooled in pile of too-expensive-shame at my feet. ..So I went in an old skirt and a tube top and all were too drunk with merriment to notice anyway.

The good news: Due to my efforts at the prefecture, I've extended by visa by three weeks: just long enough to be here for the annual gala for the masters students in wine studies. (I told the prefecture I needed to stay for language exams and embassy meetings, but really I was just trying to push it for this event.) TMI will be in a tux, the ladies in gowns, and my free people dress has one more chance to pack a punch.

So yesterday I found a seamstress who's at present sizing it down while I'm trying to dress it up. The dress is more cocktail than formal, so I'm looking for advice.

What do you think? Black shoes, or white shoes? The rhintestone bib? Messy up-do? I know this is all very vain but I'll be damned if I don't leave France with a bang.