Working Girl
Musicians, athletes, actors and actresses, I’m not the best with knowing what they sing, what sport they play or what movie they were featured in.
In fact growing up, I wasn’t really into this sort of thing…
HOWEVER, there was one movie that touched my heart, along with millions of other girls my age.
Let’s see if you can recall which movie it is…
Name that movie:
Vivian Ward: What do you want it to be?
Vivian Ward: You’re forgiven.
Vivian Ward: Well you’re lucky. Most of ’em shock the hell out of me.
If you haven’t guessed already…
Pretty Woman!!!
I’m not sure many women my age, that weren’t totally captivated and dare I say, in love with this fairy tale Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, portrayed 27 years ago. (hard to believe it’s been that long)
I’d have to agree with “Edward”, in that most of the time people don’t shock me.
HOWEVER, in my summer in California this all changed.
I was chasing a dream of mine that eventually fell on it’s face, but that’s not the point.
I found myself getting stir crazy working from the apartment I called home for a month, right off Wilshire and Rodeo Drive.
So what did I do?
Of course, I strolled down a couple of blocks to the hotel where Vivian and Edward began their love story, The Beverly Wilshire.
I was star struck to say the least, picturing the many scenes that were engrained in my brain, that took place in the very spot I was now standing.
I recognized the bartender, so I decided to grab a martini and chat for a bit.
At first I was literally the only patron in the bar, but soon a group of seemingly happy and outgoing men who sat at the table directly behind me.
So, as a true southern woman would naturally do, I turned around to start a conversation.
After some small talk that I felt went well, I asked what all these men did for a living.
I was informed they were NBA players.
So what did I do?
I replied “Oh my goodness, really?!?!” then…
Proceeded to google them, sitting right in front of them….
In the words of Vivian, “Big Mistake. Big. Huge.”
I was just excited, like a little kid, that I was meeting famous athletes, and for no other reason than that did I google them to see what their entire team looked like…as I clearly didn’t have a clue.
The entire group of athletes’ energy changed on a dime and one of the men said, “oh look boys, what do we have here…a WORKING GIRL, trying to see how much we are worth so she knows what to charge.”
They were SERIOUS…
And I honestly wanted to cry.
I’m a social person, friendly to strangers and eager to meet as many people in my life as possible…
Never in my wildest dreams, even in the hotel where Julia played a prostitute, did I think anyone would look at me and think I was a call girl.
Needless to say, the guys refused to talk with me beyond that interaction and I honestly just wanted to run out of the hotel bar.
I gathered my emotions, finished my drink and went back to the apartment.
Days later, daring to go out again by myself, this time during the day, I wasn’t called a prostitute but…
I realized quickly that much of L.A. can be worse than high school clicks.
My solo lunch outing wasn’t as emotional or exciting as my “pretty woman incident” but I was turned off by my experience in the 90210 up to this point.
At the most unassuming event a glimmer of hope I found in this “plastic” city.
White on White
My friends realizing how stir crazy I was, working so much, asked me to join them at a member’s only White Party.
I was clearly reluctant because of my social interactions with the locals thus far, yet I craved to have a good time away from the apartment and work.
I yearned for a deep conversations and wasn’t sure that a White Party would be the place where I would find that…boy was I wrong.
So I got all dolled up and headed out to the schwanky modern
W Hollywood Hotel, to the French Tuesday’s White Party shin dig.
Hesitant, yet filled with anticipation, my friends and I walked into this premier party.
The venue was nothing short of dead sexy, the music was dynamic and the entertainment was unique and super fun.
I met several people who I shared conversations with that were as deep as I could have hoped for…
I learned about cool philanthropic projects and even chatted for hours with a very spiritually grounded herbalist. I learned a lot and finally felt I met conscious people who care more about humanity than their Prada bags.
I still stay in touch with several people I met to this day, and so thrilled that even after several less than optimal experiences in L.A. that I was finally having a good time with people who brought me in the fold (and didn’t think I was a call girl just because I wanted to converse).
L.A. is a fascinating place without a doubt.
I was thankful that after two weeks of working like a dog, having several not so fun outings, that the White Party gave me hope that sprinkled in L.A. are educated, fun, spiritually rich people who are decent to strangers.
My adventures in California didn’t stop here and only got better…well, maybe not at first.
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