In the End

I’ve been trying to start this blog for two hours and keep getting distracted by food, Facebook and my husband…but it’s a crazy week ahead so let’s get this show on the road.

A final meeting at Jill’s for the charity benefit wound up being pretty tense, with Jill and Ramona facing off over what constitutes appropriate signage. Personally, I feel that when companies donate product or dollars to a charity, they are correct to expect their business to be promoted in accordance with the size of the donation. It’s advertising with the proceeds going to benefit a cause other than just pocket lining. I don’t understand why Ramona had trouble grasping that. It’s one thing for a private individual or a charitable foundation to make anonymous donations, but companies just don’t and it is silly to expect that. Given Jill’s understanding of the wish for donors to have their name publicized as was shown at the last meeting, I was very surprised that the Frangelico signage was removed from behind the bar the day of the benefit.

I was always very clear about my time limitations regarding the charity benefit. Unlike anyone else involved I was working a full-time corporate job at the time, as well as balancing two very young children and doing a renovation at Mach 2. Also, this was mid-October, when the holiday season kicks off in retail. I was truly, madly, deeply off my rocker and barely sleeping at that point. Yes, I knew I should go through my contacts and put together a list, but there was always something that took precedence, whether it was illustrating new product at work, helping Simon run interference between the department of buildings and our contractors, taking care of the boys or making sure that the cats didn’t wander out into the street with all the workers going in and out. Simon brought in a great auction donation from Willoughby’s Camera (http://www.willoughbys.com/) and I brought in a St. Barths hotel package (to be used whenever, not necessarily August!) I am not sure that I was actually the last to invite people; nevertheless, I felt badly after the meeting at Jill’s and got on the phone. I called my contacts and those I knew had been invited by others previously but were on the fence about attending. In the end, we did get people there, including some whose tickets we offered to pay for. As the event was sold out and $140,000 was raised for Creaky Joints, the evening can solidly be counted as a success. Christina and the team at People Reaching Out did a phenomenal job, as did Hudson Terrace and Andrea Correale from Elegant Affairs. Personally, I was highly amused by the slo-mo Simon and Ramona dance. One second, she was standing in front of him speaking some weird language known only to her, the next they were doing kind of a cross between a waltz and a cha-cha, complete with high kicks. Now that was worth the price of admission!

Also in this episode, Bethenny hosted a Moroccan fashion show. I had only heard of one of the designers before, and thought the workmanship was amazing. Bethenny did well that night. I could tell she was nervous but she looked great, walked with confidence and did not fall off the runway; always a plus.

And that’s pretty much the end. Wow. My favorite moments of our storyline this season were the big renovation reveal and the chaos leading up to it, playing with the boys in the Hamptons farmhouse, the birthday earrings and cupcakes with the boys, Halloween and us relaxing in our blow-up pool.

Favorite Jill moment – her taking on Mario at the Page 6 party. Bethenny – the laser focus she maintained on Kelly at the Brass Monkey Sicilian Sitdown. LuAnn – losing it on the phone with her husband when he no-showed at the Hamptons Classic for Victoria. Ramona – well, if I can completely set aside for a second the fact that I’m on the show with her and am involved, I actually find her the most entertaining of all. You literally never know what is going to come out of her mouth or what she’s going to do. To pick a fave? Her absolute refusal to leave the lobby of the tennis club. A major pain in the you-know-what when it happened, but very funny 6 months later. Kelly? Running in traffic, hands down. It was one of those “this will make great TV” ideas that once onscreen made everyone scratch their heads in disbelief.

Things I wish would have made it in: the Fulton Ferry Landing playdate with my best bud from college, his partner and their adorable kiddo. The Brooklyn Passport presentation at our housewarming party by the fabulous Marty Markowitz, Borough President of Brooklyn. Axelle Brooklyn and the night that Simon played pool better than he played tennis. The slightly cocktail-lubricated duet from Annie sung onstage by Alex McCord and Bethenny Frankel at the Help for Orphans benefit. Yes, really. For that matter, the moment when the whole cast jumped onstage at Creaky Joints to sing “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” If there’s a band and a stage, at least one of us will start singing.This is why, if you live in the NY area, you have to actually buy a ticket to one of these benefits – your money goes to a worthy cause and something crazily entertaining will always happen. And say I invited you. LOL.

Next week the reunion special will air in two parts, and I cannot WAIT to see what made the cut. We filmed the whole day and really, the editors could just run the tape as so much happened. Things occurred that none of us expected – questions were cleared up, buried tensions came out to play, season one even reared its head….and more than one male cast member showed up for the martini. In acting, the martini is the final shot of the day. In reality-land, it’s an actual martini (or champagne or gin,) downed for medicinal purposes after the cameras are shut off. Watch what happens!