Cupcakes! Make-up! Vodka drinkies! Positive reinforcement!

In that order!

Who wouldn’t love it?!

Last night, I toddled over to my friend Naima’s house for a luvverly event she hosted for her blog The Adventurista.

We started out with cupcakes made by a lovely architect, Jana, who happens to dabble in making these delightful miniature treats. They were absolutely scrumptious.

Interesting story behind Jana’s business. Recently laid off and a closet baker, she made a batch of cupcakes for her friend to take to a business meeting, which happened to be at an architecture firm.  The head honchos at the meeting loved her cupcakes so much that they offered her a job.

I wondered: could I adopt a similar strategy?  Slap together some home movies of how quickly I can change a diaper while simultaneously ordering a week’s worth of groceries from FreshDirect and holding in my stomach? I could give copies to my working friends to promote my skills as a top notch multi-tasker.

But I’m not actually looking for a job right now. I’m concentrating on a book proposal. A project that is giving me severe heartburn. But that’s another story for another time.

We were then treated to a makeup lesson from a real, live Bobbi Brown makeup artist. Witness her wares below:

Now, usually my makeup routine is this: nada enchilada. Who has time to primp when I’m running late to drop the boychild off at school as it is? And really, though I’m very sad about my enlarged pores, I figure that the natural flush from rushing around and slaving over a hot stove all day gives me a natural glow that Bobbi might herself bottle, if she knows what’s good for her, and market as “Sweaty Mother.”

However. There are times I will get it on. Makeup, that is. Before I got married, I treated myself to a rather amazing makeup lesson from someone over at Bumble and Bumble. To this day, I use her techniques. And makeup. In fact, I still use the original Chanel eye shadow I bought for my wedding. Who said I wasn’t sentimental?

So I admit, I was a bit skeptical of being taught new tricks I’d probably never use. But this lady really knew her shit. Like, wearing the right kind of concealer under the eye really does cover up those dark circles, so you look like you’ve had eight hours of sleep a night rather than four.

In fact the best part of the whole evening was having the fab makeup lady work her magic on moi. As I sat having my make up done, I looked up at all these adorable women who were also there, none of whom I know very well, smiling encouragingly and then going “Wow!” when the makeup lady was done.  I basked in the glow of positive reinforcement.  I’d forgotten what that feels like. Truly.

OK, so then onto yummy vodka drinkies from a company called VOLI  – though you will be shocked to learn that I actually abstained from drinking. An experiment, if you will.  Drying myself out a bit.

And then bed! Thanks, Naima, for a most lovely evening!