The Twelve Days Of Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to meeee.....devil horns! What did you think I was a saint?

*Warning: This post contains sexual references, brief nudity and strong language.*

The stroll down 5th Ave. is a fantasy beyond anything you could dream up. This is when it happened. I turned a corner and there he was right in front of me. He is the type that commands, no demands reverence. Eyes lowered I genuflected in the midst of a sea of people that I no longer knew were there. I stood face to face with St. John. No not the deity, the designer. I heard a voice yelling from inside me, "idol worshipper, blasphemer." I couldn't help myself, I was in the fits of lust.

St. John was an old love I had known passionately in my mid twenties. St. John like the devil knew what turned you on. He gave you your deepest female desire. You looked flawless as he draped seamlessly around your body. I caught my reflection in the window and saw the blush upon my cheeks. The desire over came me like a hot flash. In one quick motion I was in the store. I had bitten the forbidden fruit of lust. Forget about the "Christmas Secret" post Debra was getting lucky today.

I walked through those doors with dilated pupils straight for the black and white knit with threads of silver running through it. $1,700 I calculated as I eased the jacket from the rack. Mmmm $1,750 I saw the price as I held the jacket up. A wicked smile crossed my lips. Girl , you know your man even after all this time. As I grabbed the $1,600 skirt the sales lady asked if madam wanted to try it on? Is the pope catholic? In a flash she had taken the size 4 trinkets and exchanged them for the 2. Yes, she is right. Even if you wore a 12, in a St. John you would wear a 2. Didn't I tell you. He knows your deepest female desires and makes them come true.

In that dressing room stripped naked (who needs underwear in a St. John suit?) that jacket buttoned across my breasts like it was a second skin. The skirt, the skirt on the other hand didn't! What is this!!! What has happened I thought as I adjusted and readjusted it on my butt.

Alas my ass over the years drooped to the back of my knees. Somethings even St. John can't fix. Oh well, I am pleased with myself as I waltz over to the four way mirror. I sucked in my breath and nearly choked. For a split second I saw her. The twenty four year old Debra in one of the mirros. I wanted to call my husband to see her but I sent him off in a different direction. Who brings their husband for a rendezvous with a lover. Especially an expensive rendezvous, wink wink. You know what I mean ladies, don't be coy with me.

Parting is such sweet sorrow and time came to abandon fantasies better suited for young career women. I was happy to be revived by the cold air outside of the store. Perfect timing. My husband and I met up at the corner just as I stepped out of Bloomingdale's. "What did you buy?" he asked eyeing the new bag. I let him peek at the classic black constructed boucle' jacket I paid $150 for. Nice he mused. Nothing says St. John's like boucle' I smirked and closed the bag.

The Twelve Days Of Christmas

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to meee ...Angels in the guise of Mr. Miguel Hernandez transportation director for Park Central Hotel and the Hotel's director Mr. Denis. In the late summer I emailed Mr. Hernandez to ask the cost of being picked up from LaGuardia and hiring a car to get around during my stay. Miguel and I connected and when I explained to him it was my first trip to N.Y. and I saw how bad things happen to people in the episodes of CSI N.Y. he pledged to look out for me.

I told my husband Miguel said he would not fail to get us from the airport on time, he would come himself and would be holding a sign that read "Welcome to New York Mrs. Debra Johnson," and that he gave me his cell phone number. Rolling his eyes my husband asked did I give him our credit card number. Noooo (I rebuked his sarcasm) Miguel said whenever I needed a car he would come for me. I got one of those "Oh brother" looks for being so trustworthy.

As soon as we got to our bags there was Miguel just as he promised holding that sign. He and I hugged like old friends, husband just scratched his head in disbelief.

Miguel says he had a big surprise for me. As we were riding towards the hotel in a sleek black Escalade he hands me two envelopes. One had the keys to our room (upgraded to a suite) the other had vouchers for complimentary breakfast the entire stay.

Miguel spoke to the Park Central hotel director Mr. Denis and told him that I was a writer here for the first time and celebrating my 33rd anniversary from Texas and I got upgraded to a suite!!! When we got to the hotel Miguel says not to worry about the bags just go up to the room and relax. From my bed I could see Times Square, the people, the lights, and the ball that will be dropping in a few weeks to welcome in the New Year. From the bedroom double doors opened out unto a terrace with two chairs where I could sit on top of the world. My husband has not been the same man since. I'll admit I too was stunned. Later that day I met Mr. Denis and thanked him for such a lavish upgrade. From that point on whenever Mr. Denis saw me roaming around the lobby he would come out from his desk and make sure everything was fine.

*The moral is...there are still good honest people in this world and God is in control.....of not just the angels in heaven but the ones that are earning their wings down here.

My Christmas present to you is, if you are going toNew York call 212-707-5175 and ask for Mr. Denis. Tell him Debra Johnson from Texas recommended you and he will give you a super rate or who knows an upgrade. Email mhernandez@parkcentralny.com and mention me for a discounted limo ride from the airport or where ever else you need to go.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

The Twelve Days Of Christmas

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to meeeeee NEW YORK! She embraced me like I was a long lost sister that finally found her way home. NEW YORK loved me and I reciprocated.

From the moment I danced once around the revolving doors of the Park Central Hotel and came out on the street side and into the rhythm of thousands of bodies going about their daily lives I connected.

How could you not connect? New York after all is where the world meet. It is the sole experience of all things sensory. The convergence of sight, sounds, smells, and touch that rush into your body and jolt you awake from the ordinary complacency of a life you never knew you weren't living.

I learned that different experiences and interactions with diverse people is what enrich our lives the most. On this day I know I am such a tiny bit of matter and the world is so big but I believe that it is possible to travel and broaden your horizon if you really want to. And it should be important that you want to.

Each day from now until Christmas I will share with you something about New York and how it affected me. Blogging every day is a definite labor of love but a way of sharing my journey with you. Won't you join me? There will be shopping, celebrities, landmarks, and me in some less than flattering moments. Who knew? LOL

The Christmas Secret

Shhh ...I'm going to tell you a secret. We don't shop for Christmas. As a family we (ok I) decided to wean ourselves from the Christmas shopping ritual of adding stuff to a house running over with stuff three years ago. It was not an easy endeavor. The first year of telling our friends and family that we were not exchanging gifts was hard. Not as hard as realizing that we weren't getting anything from each other. Oh the anxiety of waking up to an empty Christmas tree was nerve wrecking. As soon as January came we ran out and bought everything we would have bought for Christmas only things were truly marked down and we could buy more of it (stuff).
The second year we decided to only purchase gifts that improve your mind, body or health. Hey not bad. Gift certificates for massages, pedicures, books, classes and reviving family board games during the holidays replaced buying stuff.
Last year we adopted a family for Christmas and sent cooked "Greenburg" turkeys to some stressed out friends. We longingly looked at the twinkling , almost bare bottom tree, sipping cider, talking about Christmases past and just enjoyed Christmas morning. It was peaceful. Perfect.
Patti LaBelle says it best. "It's not about the gifts you're giving. It's all about the life you're living. It's all about His love. Don't let the advertisements fool you, don't let the commercials over rule you. Jesus is the reason for the season."
How are you spending (literally) spending your Christmas? Do you wish Christmas could be celebrated in a more simple way without the emphasis on purchasing something? Do you feel there is only so much stuff you can buy in a lifetime until it all becomes just that...stuff?
OR do you think I am just a heartless old grinch?