Last Wednesday I was at home. I started off my day with a red velvet cake donut piled high with a mound of frosting and rainbow sprinkles, I laid out in the sunshine on my porch all day with my Moe and my best friend Meg, then had Chipotle for dinner and went VIP to a Radiohead concert.
Yesterday, I was in England. I started my day off with a banana, went into the office and worked all day. Oh what a difference a week makes...
I arrived at 8am yesterday in an attempt to make up for the hours I lost by sleeping Tuesday morning. I am in the middle of working on a the new $17million townhouse of a celebrity who must rename nameless, so I figured I could use the un-interrupted work hours to concentrate. And to sing and dance.
Whenever I am in the office alone after hours, I cannot resist the urge to take a break, blast the music, and use various office supplies as microphones while dancing around for a bit. There's something very appealing to me about doing something in an area where that sort of behavior is not typically acceptable. Singing and dancing is not nearly as fun in my bedroom, for example, as it is in my office. I once found myself alone on a 1 Train subway car traveling uptown in NYC and used the opportunity to re-in-act the musical number "Santa Fe" from Rent.
I lost track of time, and so as I was belting the chorus of my new favorite Maroon 5 song "Payphone," my coworker walked in. After working with me everyday for the past 7 months, she is well aware that I am a bit outside of what most people consider to be normal, and so she has to come to expect these sort of things. She says she realized it after Valentine's Day when she saw the heart-shaped bullet points on my to-do list.
Thankfully, she likes Maroon 5 too and joined in for the reprise. Had she found me listening to Lotus Flower and dancing like Thom Yorke, I fear the damage done to her opinion on my sanity would have been irreparable.
Last night, I spent two hours at the barre.
Yes, I am doing another unlimited month of Barrecore because I can't resist. And because the countdown to Greece has officially begun, and all I plan on doing in Greece is eating Feta cheese, so I have to slim down in advance.
My Barrefriends were really excited to see me, and it hurt so good to be back! I got to try the new cardio class they added and then I stayed for regular barre class afterwards because I was on an endorphin high.
As a result I found myself nearly immobile this morning, but the best way to fight fatigue is to keep working out. So at 7am I was heading up King's Rd - singing aloud again to Payphone because the streets were relatively empty.
I love my morning walks up King's Rd because it is usually just me and the road.
The shops aren't open yet, and because it's 7am most people are still asleep in bed recovering from their night at the pub.
But there is always the occasional early-morning commuter...
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| horseback beats the subway |
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Quite a sight for first thing in the morning.
While I was gapping at this and taking photos, the other people on the street were just going about their business, like it was not unusual to see a fully dressed English dandy trotting down King's Road on horseback.
I had to check the century on The Evening Standard when I got to class. I wanted to make sure I wasn't a victim of a slip in the time continuum.
I assume this gentleman was preparing for the Royal Ascot coming up - but I'm not quite sure.
Royal Ascot is Britain's most popular horse race. Apparently it's the place to see and be seen for high society. It's all about fancy horses and fancy hats, and like all things in England, it is steeped in tradition, heritage and pageantry. The event dates back 300 years and is actually attended by the Royal Family, including - Her Majesty the Queen.
Therefore, dress code is of utmost importance.
Below is the dress code for those seated in the Royal Enclosure, taken straight from the Royal Ascot website.
Ladies
Ladies are kindly reminded that formal day wear is a requirement in the Royal Enclosure, defined as follows:
- Dresses and skirts should be of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer
- Dresses and tops should have straps of one inch or greater
- Jackets and pashminas may be worn but dresses and tops underneath should still comply with the Royal Enclosure dress code
- Trouser suits are welcome. They should be of full length and of matching material and colour
- Hats should be worn; a headpiece which has a base of 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat.
Ladies are kindly asked to note the following:
- Strapless, off the shoulder, halter neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a strap of less than one inch (2.5cm) are not permitted
- Midriffs must be covered
- Fascinators are no longer permitted in the Royal Enclosure; neither are headpieces which do not have a base covering a sufficient area of the head (4 inches / 10cm).
Gentlemen
Gentlemen are kindly reminded that it is a requirement to wear either black or grey morning dress which must include:
- A waistcoat and tie (no cravats)
- A black or grey top hat
- Black shoes
A gentleman may remove his top hat within a restaurant, a private box, a private club or that facility’s terrace, balcony or garden. Hats may also be removed within any enclosed external seating area within the Royal Enclosure Garden.
The customisation of top hats (with, for example, coloured ribbons or bands) is not permitted in the Royal Enclosure.
This year, a style guide of photos can also be found on the website, which "brings to life some examples of the kind of outfits that are expected at Royal Ascot."
You almost have to love England for how completely absurd it is that there are still occasions in 2012 where gentlemen are required to wear top hats and waistcoats.
I can't wait to see what Kate Middleton turns up in. I'm happy to say that I think her style is slowly getting better. Her first couple months of style as a princess were not impressive in my opinion, but she pulled out some fabulous McQueen frocks for the Jubilee festivities. I do so wish she'd vary her shoes up a bit more though. I think we're all getting bored of those nude LK Bennett pumps.
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| LEFT: Alexander McQueen dress, Sylvia Fletcher for James Lock and Co. hat, and McQueen clutch, Strathearn tartan scarf, a pin gifted from the Royal Navy and L.K. Bennett "Sledge" pumps. RIGHT: Long-sleeved nude lace McQueen sheath. Jane Taylor fascinator, matching clutch and L.K. Bennett heels. |
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| Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen |
I understand she is somewhat restricted in her fashion choices. I can only imagine what the Royal Dress Code for the future Queen is, given how tight the rules are for the Royal Ascot. But that does not excuse this....
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| Pink is my favorite color, and this dress is a disgrace to the color |
Josh was in the wedding, hence his waistcoat with tails, vest, and pink silk scarf. I was the only woman there who was both not wearing a hat or fascinator - and was the color of a latte as a result of coming from 2 weeks in Greece. We both look back on our appearance at that wedding in shame....
Josh's hair in this photo was actually my fault. I insisted he grow it out and I take full responsibility.
So my debut into English society was a complete fail. But now that I know the Royal dress code, I will make sure I am properly dressed for my next English social event - whatever that may be. And if I can arrive to it on horseback, all the better.
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