Eloise Says Hi

19 Mar Eloise Says Hi

On Saturday, my mom created a New York milestone for me: an afternoon Eloise-themed belated birthday tea at The Plaza. 

I had no idea how majestic The Plaza was when I would read Eloise books as a child. I just knew that it was a magical place brought to life by Kay Thompson’s six-year-old with penchant for mischief.

Prior to Saturday, I had only been inside New York’s first landmark hotel two times. Once, when Sexy Hair revealed that Marilyn Monroe would be the face of the hair company and then again, when Caudalie introduced their beauty elixir in a limited-edition bottle designed by L’Wren Scott (r.i.p., so so sad), who scolded me for taking a picture of her as she spoke. She reminded me that I should be present in the moment, not forever trying to capture it.

Sitting in The Plaza’s Palm Court for Afternoon Tea with my favorite girls in the world was a moment I reveled in. In true New York fashion, I finished getting dressed in the cab over. I piled on my baubles, swiped on a Yves Saint Laurent glossy lip stain, and tried to get a mascara stain out of my Topshop midi skirt–all while making conversation with a cabbie who was intent on guessing where my mother and I were from.

On either side of our table, there were little girls celebrating their birthdays, but somehow, at our table, we seemed to be taking in The Plaza in all of its 1920s glamour. I imagined that we could see F. Scott and Ella Fitzgerald’s reflection in the mirror to the left of us as they had way too much gin while jazz musicians and their instruments hummed softly in the background.

Among the actual clatter of teacups, it was nice to actually sit and talk with everyone (#ScreenlessSaturday, FTW). And for my mom to get a better sense of how I spend my time here in the city. You know, since I barely update the blog, anymore.

Macarons, my girls, and Eloise. Why, that’s my cup of tea.

While we’re on the subject of bringing childhood literary friends into adulthood, who’s up for a trip to American Girl Place?! What was your favorite book to read as a child?