Walking around..

After a couple of weeks of on and off rain we had a decent Saturday so I decided to go for a walk. Now, walking doesn’t mean not shopping, so there were a few stops.

First was Santa Maria Novella on Melrose Place, where I picked up some of their famous pot pourri. I love the smell of this and have been using it for years. When it loses it’s “charge” I use it in the car. Fresh out of the package in an enclosed space like an auto that is subject to heat means that the smell, while lovely, can be overpowering. The leftover stuff is perfect for that. I put it in a clean white sock and put it under the seat because I have little pens and change in the ashtray. I didn’t dawdle because, walking. I stopped into the Malle store but neither of the SA’s I knew were there and the girl who was where was busy with a customer (but did say “hello” when I came through the door- this is called foreshadowing, I guess.) and I could see nothing new, so onward.

Angelyne’s famous pink Corvette

I walked over to the Beverly Connection, which is not to be confused with the Beverly Center. The latter has it’s own issues, what with it not being the “cool mall” that is was in the 80’s. But then I don’t think I am as cool as I was in the 80’s either. The Beverly Connection came about through combining various parcels including a existing drug store (famous for Angelyne sightings back in the day.) It had at various times, a multiplex movie theater (some with almost comically small screens), a Ralph’s grocery store, and a very reliable Old Navy. Now it seems to be a discount version of those discount malls people make a day trip to. Saks Fifth Off, Marshalls, J Crew Factory, and Nordstrom Rack have been joined by a new Bloomingdales Outlet to make it the central location of stuff you didn’t want the fust time but may like better since it’s marked down. Saks has declared bankruptcy, so I am not sure if my Saks Card will be joining Barneys in my credit card graveyard. Saks won’t hurt as much as Barneys personally if it goes under, but still, Saks? I hope they restructure and survive.

The Beverly Connection today, from the Beverly Center

So on to le labo. I thought I would check out what’s up with the new Violette “in situ” as it were.

Which leads me to my first rant. I walk in and there are three SA’s and one shopper. SA #1 is staring at their phone. SA #2 is staring into space while SA #3 is attending to the customer. None of them look up, or over, when I walk in.

Le Labo. And Cupcakes.

Now I have not worked in retail for a very long time, but when I was managing the store I worked at in Beverly Hills there was one hard and fast rule. The customer is ALWAYS greeted. Even if it’s a smile and a nod if you are on the phone or with a customer. In any case I was able to pry the attention of one of them from watching the dust motes in the air long enough for him to let me know that Violette 30 will be out in stores in February. To his credit he was quite pleasant when his attention was actually, finally, turned towards me.

To my credit I did not walk into Magnolia Bakery and just inhale.

The Farmer’s Market. You can buy groceries here without a blood test.

So I walked down 3rd until I hit Fairfax. By this time I was over the walking end decided to take the bus back to the apartment. My Transit App told me I had some time to kill so I thought I would hit the Whole Foods and pay using my Amazon Visa at the self checkout. First it asked for my left handprint. Then my right. Then my phone number. I left before it asked for a stool sample.

I caught my bus back and stopped at the grocery store around the corner. They sold me food without asking for or a written essay as to why I wanted guacamole for dinner.

All I wanted was some guacamole..

One of the things I did this week was finally changing the battery in my bathroom scale. Stepping on it I find that I have lost about 50lbs over the past year. Which is good news for me. And may be why I am so snippy. No GLP for me (can’t afford it) and I have apparently dieted myself out of the point that insurance would say that I needed it anyway. Of course, these days in Los Angeles they are practically selling Trizepatide at Freeway offramps, like flowers on Mother’s Day or flags on July fourth. But so far I haven’t gone for it.

So far.

Several friends are using it (and I am not going to go and say they didn’t need it- oops, I just did. Oh, well. Snippy!) and I am not saying I wouldn’t. But if I can keep convincing myself that ice cream is poison and kale smoothies are really gourmet-level delicious perhaps I won’t need it. I am not passing judgement on those who do take it. Whatever journey you need to take to health, good for you.

Sugar? Or something worse?

Personally I think that Gloria Swanson was right and it’s all sugar addiction. I’d bet that 90% of alcoholics are actually addicted to sugar, which is why so many of them turn to sweets in recovery. Now this is just my crack-pot theory and I don’t even play a doctor on TV. but that’s what I am seeing for me. I’ve been a sugar junkie on and off since I was a kid and would stay up all night watching old movies on Channel 27 in Boston and drinking coke and eating Oreos. At least I don’t do that anymore..

Sometimes the time between recognition and action is a while. I would like to drop at least another 50 and I will be at the weigh I should be. (before you chime in telling me that is too much, it’s not. Despite having big shoulders and a deep chest I have no hips and teensy wrists. I am built like a martini glass, just at this point one with a flotation device around it’s stem.

So what did you do for the weekend? I hope you didn’t get smacked by the snow- one of my friends in Wisconsin was promised it would hit south of them but awoke to four inches of powder in Shorewood and below freezing temps. I love Wisconsin, but oh that weather..

I purchased my pot pourri at the store, I think it was $35 for the packet.

Images: My iPhone, Pexels, Google Maps, and Wikimedia Commons