First, a caveat. When I left for Southern California this past weekend, I was carrying so many shoes, evening bags, outfits and makeup, I couldn’t lug along my camera to capture all the excitement and glamor of the Heifer “Beyond Hunger” fundraiser (9/21) and the CLASSY Awards (9/22). So I had to depend on my i-phone. And then, because I was so vain I wanted to BE in all the photos so I could show you my cute clothes, I had to depend on my husband’s steady photography hand. So … yeah.

BUT .. we did have a fabulous time!

My new best makeup friend.

On Friday, I went to the groovy Classy Symposium at the New Children’s Museum in San Diego where I listened to some great talks, then skedaddled up to Beverly Hills where I got my makeup done at Blushington‘s by a terrifyingly beautiful Norwegian makeup artist … then managed to find a walk-in hair appointment at 5:30 pm (the event was at 6:30) with an amazing Japanese stylist.

The before picture … obviously.

Then, all dolled up and ready to go, we set off to the elegant Hotel Montage and mingled with the rich and famous on behalf of Heifer.  It was a gorgeous event — and even though I missed a few of the celebrities I was hoping to meet (people obviously are a lot more eager to lend their names and donations to events then to actually show up), it was beautiful to see Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, and especially Jon Heder among the crowd. I loved my shoes and I loved that I felt fancy after a year of  … not so much.

The after-major-primping shot.

But the reality is, there will always be women 10 times more beautiful than you, 10 times thinner than you, wearing 10 times more amazing clothes than yours — and it really doesn’t matter one bit. I was happy to be dressed up and getting invited to both these amazing events- but have probably been 10 times happier to be in the villages with Heifer this year, meeting the kids and being behind the camera.

Back where I belong…

The next day we got up and drove back to San Diego (I’m so not a fan of the 405) and on the way had a great lunch with some Oglethorpe alums at the Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff by the Sea, which is ridiculously beautiful.

But then, because we were late getting back to San Diego I didn’t have time to get my hair or my makeup done … which is probably why I didn’t win. (ha!) In fact, I  almost didn’t care that my new blog, Heifer 12 x12, didn’t win me the national award for Volunteer of the Year at the CLASSYs that night, and was almost content with being the Southern Regional Winner (yay!).

Me & Larry at the Classy Awards

I had really wanted to bring it home for Heifer, but … not to be. Luckily, everybody who did win was gracious and deserving — and my Heifer pal & EVP of Marketing, Cindy Jones-Nyland, was so great to show up for me!

So, now I’m back home in Atlanta .. safely ensconced on the third floor of my house, writing, and worrying about my darling brother-in-law Pete who (I just learned this morning) is in the hospital with a critical auto-immune disease — which kind of puts everything else in perspective.

Please say a little prayer for him … and let’s all remember what’s important in life. (And it’s not shoes or elections.)

xoxoxox, B