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Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Hidy-ho, Q neighbors!

Sitting here with David Venable in host lounge. He told me I had bad breath this morning. Impossible. I use TriOral (A9992). Mint is my preference...wouldn’t be without it. Can’t lie. I know David was joking with me (we bicker like brother and sister), but would you believe my own PARENTS once told me I had bad breath. In front of a boyfriend. I will never forget that moment. Awful. I still cringe.

Why am I wasting your time talking about bad breath? Sorry.

So, Lisa Robertson is live in Italy for our Vicenza jewelry shows right now. Love her with curly hair. Her dress, puh-leez — stunning. I actually love the scenics we keep showing. All the aging and patina-ed facades of those villas...the vines and statues of David. It's all so romantic and charming. Imagine being born there. Ugh, the luck!

Starving. Didn’t eat breakfast this morning. Last night for dinner had the tastiest piece of trout with crab topping and smashed yams. Love yams. I'm actually expecting a shipment any day now of soft shell crabs. No need to reread that if you felt like doing a double take. Yes, I still don't cook. Trust me it's safer for all concerned. But I'm doing a food show coming up soon and I'm thrilled — one of my favorite restaurant delicacies is coming to QVC. Soft shell crabs. I imagine it will be a limited-time thing much like honeybells. They are divine. The way you can chow down on the shell cuz they're...well, you know, soft! The vendor has agreed to send me a sample and I’m going to attempt to cook them. (May have to enlist the help of my good friend Rachel Pavis from Bethlehem Lights. She's a pro in the kitchen. Makes divine homemade salsa...I realize this is unrelated to soft shell crabs.)

Sitting here in cocktail dress...with ankle brace and 4 inch heels. When we do live remotes a host always has to "sit the signal" meaning we babysit the show from home base in case there are satellite problems and we have to continue selling from the home studio while they fix the problem. So far so good in Italy...sunny skies and beautiful tile roofs...

Have started to tip toe into the world of Dr. Perricone products and I'm kind of excited about it. Did a show with their guest Dana Bledsoe last week for their Today’s Special Value and a couple products I'm either loving, or wanting to try — Facial Contour Cream (A58781), Deep Wrinkle Serum (A87563), No Foundation Foundation with SPF 30 (clever name huh?!) (A200021). I also stumbled on a toner I want to try from Kate Somerville (A184674) because I normally order mine from my old esthetician in Orlando but that’s just becoming too expensive and silly now that I don’t live in Florida. And my toes! Despite regular snipping and filing and scrubbing, they are dry and scaly all the time so I really need to try that philosophy soul owner (A170537) I think it's called, for your feet.

Hate to give away a good secret and it has nothing to do with anything timely or summer related but...I stumbled on the QVC.com clearance section and YOU GUYS — there are darling plaid and doggie painted dessert plates on there from Isaac Mizrahi on mucho sale-o. I, being the O.C.D. planner type that I am, bought two sets and have them stashed in my hall closet for Christmas for my friend Laurie who is a dog lover and a horse vet. She'll love them. Her house is very French country-shabby-meets-chic, preppy-meets-posh...on a budget!

Great news — I think my Mom is having her surgery on her hip by end of summer. Such a blessing. She loves her surgeon and I think she's finally starting to wrap her head around the idea of going under the knife. I am so hopeful she stays on track. I just know without pain, her life will be so much more peaceful and full...

Had some corn on the cob the other day — delicious. Oh I love summer. I mean, I love winter (snow!) and fall is my favorite....but summer has so many high points. Tans, roadside veggie stands, corn on cob, BBQ, garage sales, the smell of grass, the smell of BBQ!, air conditioning , flip-flops, fireflies, a glass of wine on the porch with a best friend or your mom/dad, the biggest-sweetest strawberries, fireworks, coolers, and the feel of the sun beating down on your head so that it makes your hair hot. Good stuff. (Although think I may explore getting one of our Southern Patio umbrellas for when I need shade...)

Mary Beth Roe is in host lounge now. Her hair looks beautiful. She's getting ready, in a few hours, to go on after Lisa with a gold anniversary show. Not sure why I'm telling you this. Stream of consciousness kind of stuff I guess...

Going to a BBQ tonight. The host loves hockey, and Philly, where we live, is in the Stanley Cup finals so I suspect there will be lots of shouts and groans and beverages flying out of hands.

Am looking forward to a few days off over this holiday. Ya know, David said something very true during our Saturday Morning Q Show today. We all come to think of Memorial Day as a 3-day weekend where we kick off summer and head to the beach for lazy days with friends. But first and foremost, I hope we all think about why we celebrate it — the brave souls, the men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to save and protect ours. I have a very good friend whose son is serving in Afghanistan. He's a new daddy — son, Graham, was just born around Thanksgiving last year. You can imagine how hard it is for this young man to be away from his little boy. He's due to come home for a year's home leave in July...but the date keeps getting pushed back. His mom, my friend, is no doubt on pins and needles waiting for her boy to finally, safely, board a plane home. She has the coolest attitude, I think. I asked her if it made her nervous having him serve in the military. She, a devout Christian, said, "No. If God is going to take Gene, he'll do it if he's home here or serving abroad....that date and time is already determined so makes no difference where he is and what he is doing." Amen to that. I love you, Karen.

We are so blessed in this country. For all our foibles and disagreements, challenges and tough times...when I see that American flag flying in the airport in Customs when I come home from traveling abroad...I tear up. We are the greatest nation in the world.

I hope you have a blessed holiday...and a safe one. See you on the flipside. Happy unofficial start to summer. Have a bite of BBQ for me...or corn on the cob...or berries and cream on angel food cake...and something frozen and chilled and in a glass with an umbrella, or...ok, you get the point.

S