Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Dearest girls,

Can you believe that Christmas is around the corner?  Where does time go?  Rose, I am sorry to hear the grinches are out in London but if I know you (and I know you well!) you are spreading holiday cheer all over that town!  Flora, send news!  Where are you spending the holidays?  I am heading back to New York next week but taking in all the Parisian holiday fun before I leave.

Last week, a designer I work with had a huge holiday soirée.  It was absolutely beautiful!  Inspired by one of his (and my!) favorite movies, White Christmas, he turned his beautiful Place de Vosges apartment into a Winter Wonderland.  It felt like Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney would magically appear!  At first my darling Nate told me he wouldn't be able to make it but at the very last minute he moved a meeting and made his flight. I am SO glad he did!  He was a huge hit at the party-- charming and handsome as can be.  It is always a wonderful feeling when you realize that your friends, family and colleagues like your guy (almost) as much as you do!  

Sending you lots of holiday love!

Bisous xx

PS.  Dear Santa, please bring me my two beloved Eternal Interns for Christmas. That is all I ask!  I miss them so!  xx

A New York Ball with Prince Charming

It's funny, no matter how old we get our parents still reserve the right to boss us around.  Three weeks ago, Nate got a call from his mother insisting that he go to New York to support his "favorite" (read: youngest and most annoying) cousin in her latest venture:  charity ball committee member, the "career" of choice for bored New York women with excessively large engagement rings.  I can just hear the conversation:  "Nathaniel, you WILL go to New York, you WILL wear a tuxedo and you WILL be nice to Stella."!  I was thrilled (but not surprised) when his next call was to yours truly asking for help/company.  I was horrified however when I realized that I know Cousin Stella from back in my Junior League days.  She is a real piece of work.

Somehow Nate and I managed to pull together a whirlwind trip to NYC so as not to upset Mrs. Pinkett. We arrived early Saturday from our respective cities and hit the ground running:  a new tuxedo for monsieur and a dress for mademoiselle, his & her's hair cuts, an early dinner with my parents (!!!) and then we danced the night away at the Ball... jet lag and all!  It was all very Cinderella (minus the rags, fairy godmother, mice, etc!)!  By the stroke of 8PM the next night we were back on a plane en route to Paris and a train heading south to DC respectively.  But it really was wonderful, a night out of a Disney movie!  We managed to avoid Stella all night and Prince Charming could not have looked more handsome in his tuxedo.  I'm still swooning over the photos!

After all the frogs I've kissed, I think I deserve a Prince!

Bisous xx

With Friends Like These

Dearest girls,

Flora's last letter got me thinking about just how quickly time flies.  Her trip down memory lane was a happy reminder of just how lucky I am to have friends as wonderful as you!  

It was a year ago that this Eternal Intern found herself on a collision course that almost ended in tragedy.  And as always, my dear friends were there to pick me up, dust me off and put me back on the right path!  Through the incredible highs (Paris 2011 and that "infamous night!") to the terrible lows (The breakups, oh the breakups!) we've had one hell of a time, les filles!

In other news, I'm off to dinner with that Irish journalist I was dating at the beginning of the year.  He says he has something important to tell me.  Don't ask why he can't just email this late-breaking news! Why I agree to these things is beyond me, I'm too nice.  Don't tell Nate, I'm sure he'll assume the worst and it is so NOT like that AT ALL!   Oh and speaking of Nate, I'll write again this weekend to update you on that!  Lots to report!


Bisous xx

A Maine Murder Mystery

Hi girls,

I'm writing from Maine to tell you the craziest, and I mean craziest story!  I arrived at my sweet little rented house on Saturday evening and regretted the trip almost immediately.  The house and surrounding area are wonderful but 1.  I'm way too social to sit in a house by myself for seven days and 2.  I'm scared!  It's dark and I'm in the middle of nowhere with no friends/neighbors in sight!  Every time the wind blows I am certain it's a serial killer waiting to cut me in half.  I swear, this has the makings of an episode of Criminal Minds!  So you can imagine how terrified I was when there was a knock on my door at 10pm last night.  I was certain it was the creepy gas station attendant who gave me directions coming to finish the job (Lesson 1:  Don't tell local creeps that you're traveling alone and can't find your isolated little house in the woods!).  I pictured the house swarming with police, judging me for the three newly purchased LL Bean Boat and Totes (You can never have too many!) and stack of unread Town & Country magazines.  The victim was just another city girl in search of Happily Ever After with a handsome, wholesome nature-loving boy!  What a shame!

So anyway, I pressed my ear to the door, my heart literally beating out of my chest, cursing Maine for its dodgy cell service. And then, he spoke! "Hey O, it's me!" (Murderers never identify themselves by name!).  It took me a second to place the voice and then I remembered, "they're manufactured to fly many times higher than necessary to avoid material failure."  It was Newspaper NATE!  Can you believe it?!  Don't worry, I still asked a few questions to verify his identity (things only he would know, if you catch my drift! haha) before opening the door.  He said he could tell that I was very apprehensive about the trip (and too proud to admit it!) so he decided to surprise me!  Isn't that the most darling thing you've ever heard?  What I feared would be a lonely week is now going to be génial!  

Ok les filles, must run!  The handsome, wholesome nature-loving boy just woke up and I believe hiking (yes, Rose, a hike!) is on the agenda today!  At this rate, I may never come home!

Bisous xx

Very Friendly Skies

Hi my loves,

Greetings from New York!  I arrived on Wednesday morning, leaving for Maine tomorrow afternoon.  I cannot tell you how excited I am!  I am flying to Portland and then driving to the sweet little house I rented near Bar Harbor!  I'm so excited!  But I'm also excited about something crazy that happened on the plane en route to JFK.  Side bar: I think I was still drunk after my late night Kevin meltdown.  I was waiting in the lounge at CDG when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a very handsome man reading a newspaper (en anglais!).  Anyway, when I got to my seat I was pleasantly surprised to see that Mr. Newspaper was sitting next to me.  I'm no amateur when it comes to flirting, I played it super cool (quick glance at his left hand: no ring, but as we know wedding bands are removable!), offering only a "bonjour" and a "merci" as he stood up to let me get to my seat.

Cut to 35,000 feet.  I wanted to stay lucid and, well, conscious -- so I decided against taking an Ambien (yes, I am still terrified of flying and prefer to be out cold!).  I couldn't possible expect to show handsome Mr. Newspaper how charming and datable I am if I'm passed out.  Bad idea, we hit some nasty turbulence about 45 minutes into the flight and yours truly was a complete basket case!  It turns out that my seat-mate was not only unsettlingly handsome, he is also the nicest guy!  He could see I was clearly having a breakdown, so after a too-cute-for-words "Parlay vew ang-lays?" he proceeded to explain what turbulence is and how safe flying is.  Swoon!  Once convinced we weren't going to plummet to our death, Mr. Newspaper and I were actually able to have an amazing conversation. His name is Nathaniel (Nate) Pinkett.  He was in Paris for a week on a business trip and was en route home to DC but spending a few days in New York.  On our final approach into JFK, Nate asked for my phone number to take me to dinner before Maine.  The flight was almost like a first date:  there was a meal, there was a movie (neither of us watched) and plenty of conversation.  He even kissed me in the taxi line!  How's that for speed dating!

We've seen each other every day this week, playing tourists in New York City even though we have both lived here!  Anyway, we're going to lunch and then to the Cloisters (he's never been!) so I must run!

I'll update you from Maine!

Bisous xx

PS.  Take that Not-Hot Kevin!

Confession

I'm wearing Kevin's Yale sweatshirt while drinking a bottle of wine!  I hate him I hate him I hate him but I miss him.  How did I not see this coming?  I'll never recover, never!  I just want to drink and forget.  I hate Australia.  I hate Kevin. Fuck, it is almost 4am!  I have to be at the airport in a few hours.  Encore du vin!

Love you girls, hate Kevin.  Bisous xx O

New Dog, Same Old Tricks

Dearest Flora and Rose,

You would think a girl would know by now to never neglect her girlfriends for a boy.  She is almost certain to be left sans boy begging her friends to forgive her.  I am de nouveau single and asking, no begging, you to forgive me for disappearing.  It turns out Hot Kevin hasn't changed, he is still the selfish asshole he was when we were young.  I was blissfully ignorant for months thinking a new dog can learn new tricks.  Turns out, a dog is a dog.  Last week, Kevin came to Paris to visit and dropped the bomb of all bombs: he's moving to Australia!  He claims it is related to his job but we both know it is because his ex-girlfriend is there and clearly they are hoping to make a go of it down under!  He invited me to accompany him on the big move this month (not move with him but help him lug his shit halfway around the world!) but I graciously declined the empty invitation.  Ophelia of the past would have booked herself a one-way, first class ticket and said "anything for you, darling!" just to see the horror on his face.  But alas, I am older and wiser and will not badger a man into dating me.  To the left, to the left!  

That is not to say I don't miss him terribly.  And I'm embarrassed that I blah blah blah'd about someone we knew to be a big dumb brute back in the day.  Just because he wears expensive shoes and can mimic normal behavior does not a gentleman make.  I was a fool.  And now, I'm a sad little fool.  To make matters worse, Paris is now depressing the hell out of me and I just want to get away!  Anyone up for a trip to Australia?  Kidding!   But I really do need to get away, so I booked my very first solo trip!  I'm off to Maine for a week, leaving on Saturday!  I've never gone anywhere by myself so I thought I'd start small (not all of us can run off to the Outback like Flora!)!  I once read this book about a girl who loses her job and moves to Maine to date a handsome, wholesome nature-loving boy and lives happily ever after.  Maybe that'll happen to me!  All I know is that I need to sit in my sweet little rented house (not far from Acadia) with no distractions and clear my head.

I'm off to pack... leaving room for some LL Bean loot, of course!

Bisous xx

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Hello my darlings,

Long time no speak!  Flora, it was so lovely seeing so much of you in New York.  Now that I am back in Paris, don't let the 6-hour time difference make you a stranger!  Rose, what's new?  Things are swell back in Paris.  I was sad to leave New York but it is nice to be back. That said, I miss Hot Kevin terribly!  A month and a half without him?  I can't bear the thought of it!  I've turned into one of those girls Rose hates.  I can't even look at another dude, no one is as handsome, funny, smart, perfect as my Hot Kevin.  I know they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder but this is torture!

I'm totally smitten!  

Bisous xx 

Out With The Old and In With The New!

Hello my darlings,

I have to start by saying I miss you tremendously!  I arrived in NYC last night, I am here for the next month (!!) working on the launch of a new project (very hush hush at the moment!).  Flora, maybe I'll finally get to see you!  Rose, any chance you can come to New York in the next few weeks?

I've got some news on the boy front:  I stopped seeing that Irish journalist a few weeks ago.  At first I found him funny and interesting but after a few weeks I saw him for what he really is:  annoying!  You know when someone just gets under your skin and everything they say or do makes your blood boil?  That's him!  He had the most appalling table manners (and we know how I feel about good manners!) and conversations with him were terribly one-sided (another No-No in my book!) so I was glad to see him go. 

And I couldn't be rid of him sooner... Out with the old and in with the new, as they say!  I'm all about "Hot Kevin" these days.  We went out when I was last in New York and had the BEST time.  He took me for drinks at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle!  I mentioned in passing that I had always wanted to go and the darling remembered!  And Flora, you'll love this,  he opens doors and pulls out chairs.  He even stood up when I got up to use the ladies' room!  A true gentleman!

Les filles, Spring is in the air (sort of!) and I'm thinking maybe, just maybe, something could blossom between me and Hot Kevin!  Rose, please tell me you don't have history with HK!  I can't take another angry email from you!

All my love!

Bisous xx

New Year, New Love?

Where oh where are my friends?  Rose, are you still mad at me?  Flora, I am back in NYC in two weeks and would sure love to see you!

Lots to report on my end.  Hawaii for Thanksgiving was absolute amazing!  Just what I needed to recharge after the breakup. The parents rented a beach house (they stayed a month!) and were just thrilled to have their little O "home" for the holiday!

Christmas in Paris was completely uneventful but New Year's Eve was killer.  My dear old ami Rohan threw a huge bash at his loft!  All of our friends came from all over the world (Brazil, China, Canada!) so it turned into a huge reunion.  Do you girls remember "Hot Kevin" from back in the day?  He was there... and looking hotter than ever!  He is now living in New York and we have a date when I get back!  I think it could actually turn into something!  And imagine, after all these years!

I'm currently seeing an Irish journalist here in Paris.  He's an absolute doll and we are having an amazing time together (when I'm in Paris, anyway!) but there is one problem:  he likes me an awful lot and I like... his accent!

Happy New Year, les filles!  2013 is going to be a great year!

Bisous xx

Intern on a Collision Course

Dearest girls,

It has been a crazy few weeks!   Rose, how is it that this has happened again!?  Remind me of his name?  There must have been a reason I ran out! Does this mean if you marry him I'm banned from the wedding?

If it makes you feel any better, I definitely got my comeuppance last month.  I was dating this horror of a man out in the Hamptons... an all-around loser of a guy.  Why was I with him, you ask?  Love makes a girl do crazy things!  Anyway, last month we were invited to an amazing party -- dancing, drinking, good friends... an End of Season send off.  Well, we got into a minor argument (nothing like the rows I used to get into in school with good ol' Whatshisname!) and HE stormed off, leaving me alone at the party.

An  hour later I found him sitting in the car with the engine running.  I was barely in the car when the lunatic peeled out of the parking lot.  He was screaming and yelling and at some point he lost control of the car sending us straight into a pole!  He TOTALED the car... and don't even get me started on the bumps and bruises that I endured as a result of the accident. Needless to say the police came, he was arrested and is now in a whole lot of trouble.  It also goes without saying that I will never see him again (so no spare me the lecture, Rose!).  I booked it out of town on the first Jitney back to the City!

I'm heading back to Hawaii on Thursday then back to Paris for a few weeks.  After all those years of bullshit jobs and internships, can you believe I finally have a job that allows me to split my time between NYC and Paris?!

Flora, what's new?  We're in the same city and I still have a hard time pinning you down.  Come back to us!  Who's going to break us up when Rose and I get into one of our epic fights?!

Bisous xx

PS.  So there are two morals of the story:  don't date losers and don't date losers who drink and drive.

The New Girl in Town

Rose honey, so sorry you were ill!  Any chance you can parlay some of that down time into a visit to NYC?!  I'm having an absolute blast (remind me why I don't live here?!) and it has been great reconnecting with Flora (we had coffee on Friday!).  I have been spending weekends in the Hamptons which has been so fabulous!  Flora refuses to come out with me (something about a "penny saved is a penny earned"!) but hopefully I can change her mind in time for Labor Day weekend (hint hint nudge nudge).

That said, it isn't all play no work for your dear friend.  I am working for an amazing woman I met in Paris in the spring at her boutique PR company.  I am having such a great time (and she likes me so much) that I am staying on through fashion week!!  What do I have to rush back to Paris for anyway?  After that we'll both head to London, Milan and Paris where we'll sadly part ways.  I am hoping I can turn this into a permanent gig... maybe even start a Paris office!  On verra!

Ok chickadees, must run, beach time!

Bisous xx

Are You Kidding Me?!

Rose, you sneaky little thing.  That girl sounds like a total bitch.  Get that job, girl!  And speaking of bitchy things to do, I really feel like I should clear the air, especially since I am leaving for New York on Monday.  Flora, you know I love you, but we have been friends since we were ten and I think it is pretty shitty to disappear in the fucking Outback for two months without sending word to your best friends.  I was worried sick by the unanswered emails, texts and calls and even more so when your family said you were off on a "expedition of self-exploration"!  Would it have killed you to at least let us know?  I know we're supposed to hang out in New York this month but frankly I am livid.  How could you?   Well, we'll have plenty of time to hash this out starting next week.  I am sure you have your reasons but god, could you be more selfish?!  


In other news, I scored myself a freelance gig in New York so I won't just be loafing around (Rose, I am sure you're thrilled to hear that I'm actually working and not just galavanting.  Isn't that the word you always use to describe my travels?)  Yours truly will be in the city Monday through Thursday and in the Hamptons on the weekend.  August is going to be amazing!  Flora darling, I sure hope we're friends again soon.  Wouldn't want you to miss out on all the Hamptons fun! 


Bisous xx 

Paris-New York

Bonjour girls,

I am sitting at my favorite café having my morning crème and tartine and thinking about how much fun I had in London with you, dearest Rose. 

Flora, since you have fallen off the face of the earth and I am blissfully unemployed (and frankly a little bored!), I have decided to come looking for you! Sure, some might say I should look for a job instead, but since when do I listen to the unsolicited opinions of others?! 

SO... I am booking a ticket this afternoon and I've decided to spend August in New York! I need a little break from Paris (too many run-ins with exes and too many tourists!) so why not get away from it all?


Get ready Flora, I'm coming for you!

Bisous xx

A Change is in the Air

Hi girls,
I'm sorry for not writing sooner!  Rose, running away to Bali sounds so appealing at the moment!  Flora, how is unemployment treating you?  I also have some news on the employment front.  Last week, I marched into my boss' office and told him I couldn't work in this crazy environment and that things needed to change.  After a civilized chat (our first in ages) he agreed to let me work from home two days a week!  So starting in May I will be working from rue Monsieur le Prince (or Relais Odeon!) on Thursdays and Fridays!  I believe this will also alleviate some of the stress in my personal life as I work with the mystery man!  Yes, another office romance! Oh la la, why must I complicate everything?

And speaking of uncomfortable work situations, last night I had dinner with my dear friend S and her lovely boyfriend R and she told me about her first encounter with her new art dealer boss.  S is working at a very famous London gallery and on her first day she noticed the owner sitting at a table reading the newspaper.  She decided to go over and introduce herself (normal on one's first day!).  Well, her very polite "Hello Mr. X, I am the new assistant, it is a pleasure to meet you." was met with "I don't care who you are"!  He didn't even look up from his newspaper!  Can you believe it?  And what's worse, all her new coworkers overheard!  Poor thing, what was supposed to be a fabulous opportunity is already sounding like a bit of a nightmare!

So, les filles, I guess the three of us aren't alone.  Our contemporaries are experiencing the same soul- crushing, "why me?"-inducing frustrations we face in NYC, LA/London and Paris!  haha!

Missing you both to pieces!

Bisous xx

A Case of the Mean Reds

Flora, you sneaky little devil!  I cannot believe you resigned!  I bet your bosses were as shocked as Rose and I are!  I did not see this coming!  And then scramming to Asia!  Tell us alllllll about it!  Please, I need something to lift my spirits!

I am in an absolutely wretched mood today.  The mystery man is being an absolute asshole and I don't like it one bit.  He is capable of pretty bad behavior (Alas, the perfect man is actually not perfect!) but this is unbearable!  Thinking about it makes me mad!  Like really mad! I'm supposed to see him for dinner tomorrow but I now have no intention of showing up.  I'm livid!  He is ruining everything!  Grrrrrr!!

In other news, work has been ghastly these days!  I should pull a Flora and just eff right off!  I'm starting to think I also need a change!  Maybe I'll run away to New York and Flora and I can be single and jobless together!  Or... maybe I'll just visit!!  Rose, if you haven't already run off with your movie star you should come too!

I'm sorry to be such a downer on this Sunday evening but I am oh so blah today!   A case of the "mean reds"!

Bisous xx

Head Over Heels

Girls!  You both had me laughing out loud reading your latest tales!  Flora, I can just see your face when your boss discovered what you were up to!  And Rose, I feel for you but that is bloody hilarious!  Who does that?!  Yuck!

Lots to report in my little life...  I am still dating the mystery man (I still don't want to say who it is because I like him too much!) and it is going so so well.  We are keeping our relationship very secret because there are outside parties who would not be thrilled to hear we're together and I absolutely love that no one knows!  There is no pressure!  We had the most amazing time in Positano over the holidays and next weekend we're going to the South of France on a little getaway.  I am utterly thrilled to have met someone I get along with so well!  He's perfect!  I mean, really perfect!  Swoon!

When I first met him I really didn't think we would have much in common and I completely wrote him off, but once I got past my initial skepticism I realized just how darling he is!  I suppose what they say is true, never judge a book by its cover!  Oh girls, I've lost it!  Can we please live in the same city so you can stop me from falling head over heels in love with devilishly handsome men?  Haha! 

We see each other every night and spend the weekends strolling along the Canal Saint Martin, catching films at La Pagode and dining at amazing restaurants!  J'adore!  I promise to unveil his identity just as soon as I know those "outside parties" won't be a threat!

Oh la la, girls... I've got it bad!

Bisous xx Ophelia

Face to Face with the Devil!

Hello darling girls,

What's new?  I am so epuisée!  Totally exhausted!  My birthday came and went and sadly it was totally uneventful!  Why?  Because I was stuck at the office for 14 hours without setting foot outside!  Our new PR consultant arrived from New York and man oh man is she tough!  She didn't even care that it was my birthday!  How can I explain Elisabetta Schneider?  Let's put it this way, she makes Cruella Deville look like Mother Theresa.  I can now say I have looked evil in the eye... and I survived!  haha!

Within the first 10 minutes of arriving in our office, she had offended me, my boss, Damien and pretty much everyone else on staff.  She dismissed me from a meeting by waving me away and telling me to "go handle secretarial things"!  She told Damien he has a "pretty face put a hallow head" and she called my boss ugly to his face!  You'd think today would have been absolutely unbearable but her out-of-left insults kept us all on our toes, I haven't laughed so hard at work in months!  I don't know how her assistant deals with her!  The woman is INSANE!

Unfortunately, the NYC-Paris time difference did not work out in our favor.  Elisabetta and her assistant Lara arrived around 11 am claiming jet lag and at 11 pm we were still in the office!  And next week will probably be more of the same shenanigans!  Lucky the bride of Satan goes back to NYC on Friday and I will only have to deal with her via email. I'm sure she'll be just as pleasant digitally as she is in the flesh!  I'm in for another crazy week!

I miss you both tremendously!

Bisous xx Ophelia

Ophelia the Drama Queen

Happy New Year, darling girls!

I hope 2012 is treating you well so far!  As you know I was home for two days over the holidays to quickly see the family and then I spent a week (and New Years Eve) in Positano on the Amalfi coast of Italy with a mystery man (more on that later!).  It was incredible!   And now I am back in Paris and pondering my next steps in life.

Frankly, things are getting a little stale!  My boss and his fiancée eloped over the holidays.  You would think that now that he is married things would be less dramatique, but no!  It is almost like he is having second thoughts and regretting going through with it.  He keeps alluding to our past travels together and how "free" he feels when he's with me.  It is nauseating to say the least, especially when he says these things in front of Damien, who is green with envy now that the boss is back in my corner.

So voilà, now you see why the office intrigue is wearing me down!  I did not sign up for this dramatic soap opera (although I suppose I am slightly to blame) and yet I'm always right in the middle of all the drama!  I am however interested to see where things unfold with the mystery man! Girls, I am completely smitten and can't bring myself to jinx it by saying his name.  Plus, I know Rose will lecture me because getting involved with him will only make things more compliqué!

Maybe I should just run away and live a stress-free life with Kurt on the Ile de Ré!


Bisous xx Ophelia 

Intern Indiscretions

My darling girls,
I am so sorry for not writing sooner but I have been so so so swamped at work!  I got back from the most amazing trip to LA with the lovely Rose and I haven't stopped since!  Back to back to back meetings and endlessly long hours!  I have so much to catch you up on!  Remember how I said I would be working a weekend with Damien?  Well I did, and guess what... it was a disaster!  I will admit, Saturday started off well enough.  We got a lot done and then decided to reward ourselves by grabbing some dinner and wine at Cafe Ruc.  Well, wine turned into more wine and eventually Damien confessed to sleeping with one of the interns!  Yuck!  Is that even legal?! ha!

On Sunday, slightly hungover, we were back at it trying to finish up the presentation.  I guess Damien was a little embarrassed that he drunkenly confessed because he was back to being his usual jackass self!   He actually tried to blackmail me into not speaking about his little intern indiscretion!  He said if I mention it to again he would tell everyone about my relationship with the boss!  That was the last straw!  How dare he try even try that crap with me!  Not that there is anything to tell, but I really don't need him dragging my name through the mud... especially since my boss and his fiancée have finally set a wedding date!  Oh la la!  My life is getting awfully compliqué!

And so, the battle against Damien continues.  I really don't like him.  Grrrr!

But I love you girls!

Bisous xx Ophelia