Woman in the maroon dress

Last night, I “worked the door” at the bar I work at downtown Nashville. That just means I checked IDs (GUH! 1990 = 21. I feel so OLD.) and attempted to beckon people in the door.

Knowing I would be the first face they’d see at the bar, I decided to take a little extra care in how I dressed versus my typical bartender outfit of tank top, jeans and comfy shoes. I wanted to present the bar well (and actually DID bring a few people in based on my appearance because, “you make this look like a respectable place!”) and beyond that my allergies have still been going nuts, and dressing nicer makes ME feel better and gives me drive to keep going.

Now, working the door isn’t my favorite job at the bar. I don’t mind it, but I’m not the best at yelling out to random people, “No cover! Live band! Come check us out!” I’m too much of a people watcher. I can easily sit for hours on end, just watching the people pass. And within that, I’ve gotten pretty good at predicting ahead of time which bar a person is going to want to enter based on their dress, attitude, etc.

And boy! Let me tell you… dress, attitude, etc. is all over the board sometimes. I love the diversity! TV can never give the entertainment or variety of just sitting back and watching others interact with each other and their surroundings.

It just so happened, a large group had just come out of the bar I was at, and they’d come to a stop in the middle of the alley. I looked down at my phone to check the time, when a maroon purse and gold-ish (not gaudy gold, but gold toned) heels caught my peripheral vision. I could tell a woman was trying to get around the group.

My head snapped up to look as this woman walked away. And I’ll be honest. I was mesmerized.

Walking away was an elegant, sophisticated and confident black woman. Without missing a beat, she slung her purse over her shoulder, and she walked with a stride that never faultered. Her maroon dress hugged her curves just right, showing off a perfect hourglass figure without a single piece of skin needlessly being revealed. Her tall heels complimented her toned legs. Her hair a perfect round halo around her head, which was held high.

It was a little like something you’d only see in a commercial.

I couldn’t stop staring in admiration. I knew nothing of this woman. I hadn’t even made eye contact with her. And yet everything about her screamed confidence. Nothing she wore was flashy. She had not gone out of her way to be noticed. It was just her confidence in herself that caught my attention. Her confidence in herself burned itself in my mind.

After crossing paths with hundreds of people tonight, as I left to go home it was that one woman and her confidence that continued to stick with me. It’s kind of like reading a dozen blogs in one day, but only bookmarking one. This woman has inspired me to want that kind of confidence just radiate out — in what I do and in how I present myself. Deep down, I’ve been looking for inspiration lately. I just never expected it to come to me as a woman in a maroon dress walking down an alley.

Fall: It’s all about the drinks

Fall leavesWelcome to Fall!

My favorite season… a season of leaves changing colors, cooler temperatures, pumpkins, corn mazes, football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, my birthday… I love Fall!

But you know what is one of my favorite things about Fall? The seasonal drinks.

There is a deep joy that comes from Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s like your favorite blanket. Your favorite pair of fluffy socks. Your favorite book to read over and over again. It’s like the trumpet that plays announcing the arrival of the new season.

Around the same time that the Pumpkin Spice Latte comes back to the world, the seasonal beers return to taps. The Fall seasonals are by far my favorites. Sam Adams Octoberfest has been a long-time favorite. This year, I’ve been introduced to ShockTop Pumpkin Wheat, which just might trump my love of the Octoberfest.

As temperatures cool, I find myself reaching for a late night cup of coffee or a cup of hot chocolate. Both usually with a pinch of cinnamon. And might or might not stock up on pumpkin spice coffee creamer for a quick at-home fix.

Its no wonder I gain weight in the Fall with all these awesome drinks tempting me! What are your favorite fall drinks??