HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
THE BEST TRIP - THAT WENT BY IN A FLASH!
Some cities just wear gloom prettier than others.
My friend, Marissa, is in Brussels this week with her husband, and sent me a text last night, “it’s beautiful, yet gloomy.” I responded. “Thankfully the gloom outfit is worn best by any European city” – and it’s true! Paris, especially! She is beautiful, and best known for when she's dreary, wet, cold, moody, and gloomy. But I am happy to report that when I snuck back into the city on Friday morning, she wasn’t gloomy, she was glowing with that yummy sunshine – a winter look that she doesn't often reveal – she was stunning! I knew better than to not take advantage of this day. As history usually repeats itself, I knew that winter hibernation in France was around the corner. Advantage was mandatory to be taken! I walked 10 miles to get my fill before her gloomy long winter’s nap. (That sadly has already come and looks like it’s settling in to stay.)
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
These last twenty one days, since I published En Route, were bliss – and ones that I wanted to savor before tucking in each night. Lengthen them just by another hour or so by stroking Goldie Hawn’s head and ears, journaling, or watching a Xmas movie with my parents. I hated to leave on the 26th but feel I will be returning soon, so I packed lite, and I didn’t shed but one (ok! It was a crocodile size one) tear when I left.
The funniest part about this trip is that I haven’t heard zip about my visa process. When I checked in for my flight in fact, the U.S. gate agent almost didn’t let me through due to my passport showing that I’d overstayed my last visit. But when I showed her the formal French documentation (that was mandatory for me to have when I traveled, and yet didn’t need at ALL when I got back into France!) and explained the situation, she pretended to understand and then without much hesitation at all, she printed my boarding pass with a smile, trusting that I was telling her the truth. Wild! There was no official red tape. Being on high alert when I landed in France - that this would happen again and need explanation - was useless. Because ummmm not ONE person asked to see anything from me. No official documents, no approvals, no nothing! Welcome to France, I thought! I’m back. In a country where things are made to feel super strict and scary for foreigners, yet backed with no real intention to seek out those who aren’t abiding by the law. C’est la vie. Easier for me, anyway! I’m back in.
While in ATL, I got a text from Sarah, whom I hadn’t gotten to see this trip. Turns out, we were BOTH at the airport! With time to spare for my flight, I rushed from Terminal F to Terminal B for a quick hug, a decaf latte that she snagged for me from the Delta Lounge, and to see her fresh tan from her Saint Martin getaway. As we were catching up, our old neighbor, Steven, appeared! No joke! The three of us all lived next door to each other in Charleston. Small world! [Side note: Steven bought my favorite chair when I sold all of my furniture before heading abroad. He says it gets the most compliments (naturally) swoon and yet, oh no! That means it will be a tough barter when I want to buy it back from him one day for my pied à terre stateside. Love that he’s loving it in the meantime.]
CONWAY CHRISTMAS REWIND
Family weekend was here! And after my umpteenth Tylenol and stellar negotiation tactic in convincing my mother’s doctor to call her (me) in a z-pak (verses a 10 day long antibiotic that I had no time for!) I got dressed and waited downstairs for Miller and her gang to enter Conway. And for Belle Miller’s always excited upgrade of a welcome home to me by run-jumping into my arms at full speed ahead. (Favorite part ALWAYS of seeing the boodles!)
It was the Friday of the big Family Conway Weekend and we were all set to meet at Brookgreen Gardens for the Night of a Thousand Candles. Elemagorgeous is the made-up-word my late grandmother would have called this place! So elegant, so beautiful, so gorgeous! Lights were everywhere you looked. Hanging from trees, thrown about in the lawn, on the animal statues, in hallways, over cranberry ponds, and even around people’s necks. It was incroyable! Especially with my entire family together witnessing the same. From TX, NC, SC, GA, and moi, de Paris.
The next day was the Conway Christmas Parade, which is another tradition in my family. We all pile over to my mother’s house early in the morning, drink coffee and eat pastries, then walk the 100 yards up to Main Street, where we watch floats pass for 2 straight hours while the children go ballistic with the candy overload. I was lucky enough to hold the newest member of our family, Miss Smith Lovell Jenkins, a full and plump 6th month old. I had written in my “to-dos” for my trip home to “hold Smith for as long as her mama would let me.” Proud to say, her mama, Sarah, let me strap her to my chest for the entire morning! I was in HEAVEN!
We then returned to the house, where my mother and Joe hosted everyone for the full afternoon overlooking the river in their beautiful home. On the menu? True American fare: hotdogs, baked beans, and potato chips with beers. Rachel, one of Miller and my best friends from Conway, came too with her two little girls. Such a happy day! And, cherry on top – A new special Christmas carnival popped up in Conway this year. The kids lost their minds and so did Miller and I, who practically squished them on the Scrambler ride. My brother in law yelled out just before the Carny pulled the lever to start the ride: “Miller! Be sure not to throw up this time!” An eruption of laughter followed by terrifying looks from our fellow riders. They didn’t know he was kidding. Miller held it together – I, on the other hand, kept hands over my face and screamed in poor Boggsy’s ear the whole ride long!
After a game of family White Elephant, my mother handed out her ‘favorite gift to give’ this year to Miller and me. Christmas tree pillows made from our handprint painted childhood sweatshirts. She stitched each tree and hand sewed sequins atop each painted ornament. So special! We figured out my handprints were from age 7 and Miller’s from age 11. Precious!
Also… boat rides with Goldie, parents, and beers! Life does NOT get much better.
GOD (mother) HEADS TO RICHMOND
Sunday was Smith’s baptism and I felt so lucky to have been in town for it. I stayed just long enough to see her get sprinkled with the holy water and her parents beame with pride. I ducked out early, went back to mama and Joe’s to change clothes and kiss Goldie Hawn one more time before I was Richmond bound. I had another bébé to get to! Jimmy!
As I pulled out onto Main Street, this massive (we are in the south, after all) white pickup truck pulled up beside me. The two people inside were waving in exacerbation at me. I didn’t recognize them at first – but the second time they pulled up to my window, I spotted… Kelly Best!! My “Best Bethea Friend” (what we called ourselves when we were growing up). We motioned to pull over at the nearest gas station and when she got out to hug me, she started to cry with excitement. She and I haven’t seen one another in 15ish years – so this reunion was one of the “Best” highlights of my week!
The next highlight you may guess? Oh, yes! That Jimmy Vick Gill waiting in Richmond to slobber and smooch and giggle with his God (mother).
Some 6ish hours later I pulled into Richmond where Jimmy’s mouth was smearing the dining room window in anticipation for my arrival. Swapping my luggage for a boodle – I took him into my arms immediately. He was learning how to say Ma Ma and Da Da this trip – so every time he practiced, Jane (Ma Ma) would point to me and say “God Mother.” Jimmy would look a bit confused and excited for the attention and challenge. We did this so much, that by the end of the trip he was calling me Ga, short, we’re pretty sure, for God. He’ll get the mother part soon enough. Until then, I’m happy to answer to the name of the Big Man.
CHRISTMAS WEEK
And then there was Greenville! Miller invited our Pops to go up a few days before Christmas Eve. So when I learned of this plan, I obviously invited myself to tag along. We flew up on the most beautiful morning I’ve ever seen in Myrtle Beach. We had a 50 mile visibility and cruised at around 6000 feet. My dad has been flying since before I came out of the womb, so I inherited his love of the air and continue to be impressed by his aptitude behind the wheel… or shall I say… behind the wings. It was so much fun!
When we landed, Miller, Boggs, Boggs jr, Belle Miller, and her friend Charlotte, came to pick us up. We then all piled in and went to watch BM play basketball – where she hogged the ball (I loved it!) and took 75 shots at the basket. She made, sigh, exactly zero. I’m so proud of her effort though. My chants of enthusiasm, I later learned, very much embarrassed my sweet girl. But what was a sideline-aunt to do?! I couldn’t help myself! I beam of pride when she or Boggs are playing anything!
That afternoon was one of my favorites. After lunch all together at a local pub, Miller and I cued up White Christmas and fell fast asleep on the couch. Within minutes of cranking on her new heated blanket (this is everything!), I felt the weight of her head hit my back. Sister spooning and snoozing to our favorite film. J’adore!
We made an outside fire almost daily while I was in Greenville, and exchanged presents for hours with Pops and then again with Rarrie (my mama), when she and Yoyo (Joe) arrived days later. We attended a candlelight service where I ran into College friends, Carmen and Will. We visited with Boggs’s parent’s Cindy and Billy several times – they even got gifted some of the butters that I brought back for the surprise tasting on Christmas Eve night. Big hit! We made homemade pasta together, played the Howard's game of how many people will I know at the mall (I won by the way, if you can believe it! haha!). We made fried chicken on one of the morning fires to be served with homemade waffles, and on Christmas morning, before we all sat around the table to eat my family’s traditional meal of homemade Orange Coffee Cakes, local sausage and grits with Bloody Marys, I got to witness the babies lose their minds with the gifts that Santa brought them – a lit vanity for BM and an Xbox for B boy.
Children ran in and out of the house all the livelong day and two of Miller and Boggs’s friends stopped over for beers and to share a hilarious story that had us in stitches for an hour, Brandy and Ryan. Such a joyful day!
And the day after Christmas, before I left, Boggsy made orange peeled chocolate chip pancakes all by himself. What a boodle!! Filled my heart tank and my tummy. Then, I packed, kissed Joe and Goldie Hawn goodbye for the 100th time, loaded all of my things into my mother’s car, snuggled Boggs, BM and Miller for as long as they would let me, and then was off. Well, first to We Took to The Woods to see my dear friends Bob and Denise. Bob and I worked together for years at Ralph Lauren (and he’s responsible for recruiting me down to Charleston to work with him on another menswear brand years ago.) In fact, I am wearing the sweater that my mother gifted me from his beautiful shop right now as I type this En Route. It was the sweetest catch up – full of laughs and stories about all the things (new grandbabies, potential trips over to Paris in January, and his vintage-loving friend who has houses all over the world (including in Place des Vosges. My dream!).
Then it was the end.
My mother drove me to Atlanta where we had a long sweet drive to the airport, a greasy Varsity (notorious in ATL) cheeseburger as my final USA meal (we thought it was only appropriate), and took as long as possible to retrieve my bags from her car so to prolong my time with her. Then we kissed goodbye. If you’re wondering, this is when the crocodile tear came!
I thought about so much over this trip home. Where I want to be, what brings me happiness, who I want to make memories with etc. and felt so blessed to have been surrounded by the people who love me the most in life for one solid month. It was one of the best trips ever!
I’m off to London tomorrow for my friend’s birthday and NYE fête – where I will be until several days into the new year. What a joy! I love love love London! And he (I think London’s a he. Like I think Paris is a she.) love love loves me!
But before I skipped town, I stopped over to see Fanny and Patrick last night at La Bonbonnette, their brand spankin new wine bar. It. Is. GORGEOUS! I’ll meet anyone there, anytime! It is everything! It’s beautiful, the people are so friendly (I’m biased of course, they all came from Charleston!), the food is lip smacking good (I had the pickled white anchovy and sashimi sardines), and the ambience is warm and cozy. GO, NOW, if you’re here à Paris.
May you all have the happiest start to this brand new year of ours! My hope it that it’s the best one yet for each of us! I feel it will be!!!
Until next week… xxo ac
Ps: Don’t you fret! I’ll of course wave to the King for us all (as I lurk outside of Buckingham Palace hoping to become besties with Princess Kate).