Rotten Banana Waitress

by: Christi Stevens Somera



As Staci's sisters I decided to guest write this week’s blog. I wanted to share my eclectic (at times hazardous) experience's with beauty products. Simply said, I am a disastrous mix of vanity and laziness, so I need to find ways to achieve my end result without spending a lot of money or taking longer than 10 mins. As you might of guessed I am very passionate about short cuts.

I have a nasty little tendency to try out any beauty product that will fake a genuine result. For example the other day I rolled into a Walgreens with no particular need. This is THE worst situation for me to be in because I had all the time in the world to scour the isles.

Near the "Lee Press-on Nails" vicinity I noticed Sally Hansen Spray on Panty Hose. You can only guesstimate the level of simultaneous excitement and fear. Hmmm.... light or medium tint? Disclaimer: for those of you that have never had the pleasure of laying eyes on my alabaster legs they are rear end white. I cautiously choose the medium.

Check. My tan legs are taken care of, now if I can just figure out a way to mask my brown head band of roots. I take a sharp right down the next isle and there is an array of hair products. I don’t want to permanently alter my hair color just temporarily give me a boost in between hair appointments. Like a moth to the flame I find a spray bottle of hair color with a picture of a happy bleach blond 14 year old. Perfect.

Naturally I choose the lightest of the blond and away I went. At the check out the very nice cashier with the bright orange acrylics asked me to get back to her with my results. Like any other Beauty Warrior, I'll take it for the team to save others pain.

My husband wasn't home when I got back so I quickly dumped my bag of goodies all over the bed. First things first: change into your oldest & saddest workout shorts and tee. Then I knowingly sauntered into the bathroom and liberally sprayed the panty hose all over my legs.

Nice...... they appear perfectly even and glowing (out of all fairness I should note that that I have 3 out of 5 lights working in my bathroom vanity).

Next mission is to remedy those &*%$# roots. The directions asked me to spray 11-12 inches from head. Ummmm.... I don’t want to get this toxic stuff all over my body, counter and floors (the top of my head is just fine). I decided to be more focused in my efforts, 3 inches should work just fine.

Wow roots magically disappear! Oh, who is ready to party? I look good! Ok time for my huz to get home. I know he is going to be so impressed with the new me. The one minor is that I do smell pretty bad, somewhere between aqua net and old fruit. Well, there's only so much I can do in 10 mins. Proudly I walk into the bedroom to admire myself in the full length mirror.

What? Who? When? Where? Embarrassingly I found a heinous Hooters waitress who looked like a rotten banana. Oh my heavens - is that me??? It never occurred to me that bad indoor lighting can really be so deceiving.

It only took 5-10 business days for all of the flaky hair spray color and moldy spray tan to fade away. Will this experience slow me down? NO. I've been to Walgreens 5 times since. However, I have also been initiating a balance between product and fashion fixes. For every blond bombshell hair shortcut there is an equally valuable fashion shortcut.

As of present I've been waking up to days that will certainly consist of 90 degree weather. Almost as certain as the temperature is my tendency to snooze 6 times before allowing myself only 10 minutes to get ready. This means I do not have time to lotion and love my legs. Something like this is Nothing for a shortcut vixen like myself. I pull on my Veronica M Maxi Dress. I stay cool all day & look pretty damn cool too. Essentially any Maxi dress will do the trick, and in case you have not been paying attention the Maxi dress is THE silhouette of the summer.

Perhaps you are dying to wear your jeans with gladiator sandals but never got around to getting them altered. No worries. This summer most denim brands are offering flip flop length or petite length jeans. You can't wear these with your stilettos- but you can certainly pair with your summer sexy gladiators. While in Leavenworth last I picked up the Citizens Dita Petite & love how buttery soft they are.

Although I have to bear 90 degree weather mid day it always cools down to a pleasant temperature. Once the weather chills a bit I'm certain to need a light weight wrap or pull over. Last weekend I went to a bbq and paired my cargo pants with this versatile stevie wrap.

Admit it- we all have days when we're feeling a little.... dark. Maybe even "gothic". That's not to say you're obsessed with vampires (except for the Twilight kind). You just like to feel a little urban and spiky sometimes. Offset the goth with this chic gold clutch.

Best for Last. All time summer favorite frock. Drum roll please.... I am living (yes living) in my Veronica M double V Dress. It's beyond comfortable (not form fitting at all) and super sexy. It blends grecian and kimono aesthetics. I love.

Sincerly, Fellow Beauty Warrior

Confession.....

Earlier this week I got together with some friends for a reality TV marathon (I'm voting Ed all the way- he is total cutie'). While driving home I realized I have been keeping a secret from my blog readers.

(?Do I have "blog readers"? For the sake of conversation let's change that to read "blog browsers" because I know you don't really READ what I write- it's more of a selective speed read and quick glance at my pics.)

At no point in my 2 + years of blog'ing have I mentioned my participation in an organized fraternal group. Why have I never revealed my 4 collegian years in a sorority and 8 years of advising for my sorority?

I think my hesitation to mention my sorority started just after graduation when I was a design assistant for a large department store. I won't name names- but it rhymes with Nordstrom. The design team would sit in fit sessions and ask the same questions while reviewing a garment:

-is the armhole placement correct

-are the shoulder points at least 15.5 apart

-does the neck drop call for a cami

At some point someone would inevitably ask "Would the DG buy it". In our fit sessions DG was intended to mean two things 1. "Dumb Girl" 2. An organized fraternal group that I won't mention.

I think from that moment forward I was selective who I mentioned my sorority involvement to. Similar to religion or politics I learned to keep a poker face until it was time to reveal my cards.

So, in an effort to wash away my previous sins and come clean I am confessing my involvement (given my volunteer work it should actually read "over involvement") in an organized fraternal group. I would like to further my confession to read "I love it". I am terribly proud to be an alumni member and to have the opportunity to volunteer for my sorority.

I look forward to catching up with my sorority sisters when I'm in Portland and savoring O'fest with them in October and celebrating weddings and new family additions together.

This weekend I am looking forward to & greatly anticipating the visit of 4 amazing sorority sisters that I have the privilege of advising with for the UW chapter. The 5 of us will paint L'worth an electric shade of black and gold and I can't wait!!!!

Short... but not so Sweet

I’m going to keep this week’s blog entry short because I know you’re ready for the holiday weekend and just sitting in front of your computer “pretend” working. I know how it goes- I worked in corporate America for over 6 years….. you’re itching for the weekend and just “trying” to look busy until the bell rings and you’re outta there.

So- this last Saturday I was working in the store navigating my way through a typical day of customers. At the end of the day there was one group of customers that really stood out to me. I was helping the mother decide which purse best suited her lifestyle and needs. It was clear from the multiple prodigies toting behind her she needed a carry all that could help her multi task and keep up with her stylish appearance. While she was at the cash wrap we realized her 2 year old daughter (the youngest of 5) was standing near the front of the store facing us- with her pants and undergarments down to her knees. Without a single flinch the mother quickly asked “what are you doing- why are your pants down”.

The little girl responded by turning around to leave her bare buns facing us. Well- I should actually retract that statement because it wasn’t just her bare buns facing us. I guess part of the learning curve of potty training involves a few “hiccups” along the way. Well- this little girl had a bad case of the hiccups- all across her bare buns.

Short story shorter- I have been working in retail for over a decade but I have never (NEVER) had anyone “hiccup” in my store. For those of you that have not caught on yet- “hiccup” is code word for something a little less pleasant.

My 2.5 Minutes of Fame

A quick "speed read" through the LeavenworthEcho.com's Sheriff's Report may lead you to believe there isn't much going on around L'worth.

Disclaimer: That's not to say that the below report's aren't of interest to many local residents.

-A caller on Wilson St. advised they'd been trying to sell a bicycle on Craig's List and had been contacted by someone with all the criteria of a fraud situation.
-A case number for driving with a suspended license was requested at Marson and Marson at 12:24 a.m.

-A 911 hang-up call was received from Alpine Dr.

-A loud party was reported at a vacation rental home on Memory Ln.

-A rockslide was reported on Chumstick Hwy.

-A bicycle was found at Ganz Klasse on Front St.

In addition to the above "newsworth" reports Leavenworth also had her 15mins of fame a few weeks ago- and I was fortunate enough to be an "extra" during her moment in the spot light. It all started mid May. I was working in the store and a member of the Chamber came into the store to ask what our feedback was from the previous weekend's Accordion Festival (yes- you read that correctly & yes it's exactly what you would envision).

Upon completion of our conversation she asked me if I would consider helping the Chamber out this summer. I excitedly responded "yes yes yes - I'm happy to fill in as needed while Jenelle is on maternity leave". She said they didn't really need me on any committees- rather she wanted me to help with marketing media campaigns this summer as a model. I was a little caught off guard but stammered out "Mapel will support the chamber any way possible".

Once she started asking specifics about my dirndl (color, pattern, year, embroidery detail, etc. etc.) I realize I might be in over my head. I quickly (almost embarrassed actually) explained that I don't have a dirndl... well not yet that is.... I've been meaning to order one... but you know how long it takes for them to come in the mail... and well.... you know... it's on my list.

She asked what my size was, jotted something down and was on her way.

Less than 5 days later she called me and asked if I could sit in as an extra for a commercial shoot that same day. Since I would be sitting in as an extra I didn't fuss much over what I was wearing or looking like (and it was like 90 degrees so who cares what I tried to do.... it would all melt anyhow).

So I closed up shop and headed to the Gazebo in the center of town to sit in as an extra for a commercial. Below are pics from L'worth's 15mins of fame and what will quite likely be my only 2.5 mins of fame (since I was an extra I divided by 6).

Yes.... that's half of me.... in the right corner...

Yes... it's that fun listening to fake music with people I've never met before

If only i had a dirndl.....

This round.... it's on me guys.... no really- I insist....

In case you are wonder- I DID take Drama in high school...

The Substitute

By: Elsa Wagner

Staci has asked me to be her substitute for today. Luckily for her, I have much to say. My name is Elsa and I am a sales associate at Mapel. Today, I would like to tell you all a little about what Mapel has meant to me.

I grew up in Leavenworth, which as you all know is an itty bitty small town with lots of charm. From a young age, I have always been enthralled with fashion. To this day, my mom still doesn't understand how I caught the fashion bug-see any family photo and you will note that my attire sticks out compared to the rest of my family. Unfortunately, growing up in Leavenworth meant that I did not have much of an avenue to express my fashionista tendencies. One day, on a trip home from college (WWU), I discovered Mapel in a small shop on the other end of town. It was love at first sight. As small town girl with big city boutique-style shopping dreams, Mapel was a perfect fit. I decided to apply for a job in hopes that my dreams of learning more about the fashion industry would be realized.

Since that day, I have had the pleasure of working for Staci & Jenelle, who are THE best "bosses" ever, by the way! Staci has taught me more than I ever thought I would know about clothing and merchandising, and I love to learn more. Jenelle has taught me about the business aspect of things here at Mapel. Not only that, but I have gotten the opportunity to purchase some amazing finds from the store. Today I am wearing our Citizens of Humanity Elson jeans, which are to die for! And in my spare time, I dream about our latest Ben Sherman jacket, "Augustine"-perfect for that western Washington climate.

http://www.shopmapel.com/products.html?productId=4004

http://www.shopmapel.com/products.html?productId=5115

In short, as sappy as this all sounds, Mapel is both home and shopping heaven to me!

Saving Grace

I've been torn about what to call this week's blog. I finally settled on "Saving Grace" but possibly that's not the right title. Saving Grace is defined as:

–noun
a quality that makes up for other generally negative characteristics; redeeming feature.

I want to share the "Saving Grace" my friends have lent during my summer stint in L'worth without making my "stint" seem "stinky"- cause it's not. Actually, summer's in Leavenworth are amazing- however there's something to be said for having someone to savor that amazing with.

Well- that's exactly the "saving grace" my friends have given me. They swooped in from Portland & Seattle to offer me some social interaction accompanied by adult beverages. Well- I can't help it- I'm a social bug and need to mingle.



Stefanie and Becky hit the road for Memorial weekend and did the 6 hour trek from Portland to L'worth. I don't want to reveal all of our moments from that weekend- however I will touch on a few unforgettable memories.



-CONGRATS Becky. You managed to supervise and have a "smashing" time yourself. There was another reason to extent "Congrats"..... what was that?




-Wenatchee is famous for their Chinese Fire Drills. I guess the days of "Applets and Cottlets" are gone because now Wenatchee boasts their Chinese Fire Drills. You don't believe me? Look it up.




-I spent the better part of an afternoon showing Becky the ways of my 'yetta & how to position knee to dash board for optimal driving experience given ALL of the stuff I cart around from Seattle to L'worth.



-Oddly enough we spent a fair bit of time discussion unicorns that weekend. Not sure why the topic of unicorns kept coming up. Ask Stefanie.






-I vaguely remember Becky's polite request to get her picture on the wall and Stefanie singing Chatahoochee by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band @ the Post Office.




-Yet another highlight was driving to at least 4 different restaurants Sunday night only to find out that each of them was closed. Who would of thought?




Thanks Ladies for the memorable weekend via disposable camera pics!!!


I was ecstatic to find out that Cleary wanted to make a surprise visit the following weekend. She asked if we could go to dinner and catch up. It took less than .05 seconds for me to excitedly respond "Yes Please".




After a DQ Blizzard and a relaxing drive O'Farrell arrived with her two favorite arm candies. Camera and Zinfandel.



Upon her arrival she "captured" every in store moment while I closed up shop. We decidedly headed to South for dinner and drinks.

Yes- Cleary positioned me, the chair, the drink, the background for this colorful summer picture. Facebook Profile Pic? I think Yes.



Decisions- Decisions- Decisions. Luckily our Mapel model from last summer (AKA South Super Waitress) was helping us so she rec'd the Stuffed Pepper for Cleary.



Loved It!!!!


Unfortunately we stopped taking pics after dinner (which in hindsight was probably a good thing). I will assure you that we had a fabulously memorable night- with our without pics. After dinner we headed to a local saloon for live music, drinks and popcorn. That's right- this spot serves microwave popcorn to their patrons after 10pm. Only in L'worth would that seem so appropriate.





Thanks to my "Saving Grace" Lobsties!!!!

L'worth Fav'sies

I have already spent 3 weeks in Leavenworth covering Jenelle's maternity leave, and I'm surprisingly pleased how much I wuvles Leavenworth. How often do you walk out of Safeway and find yourself surrounded by picturesque mountain? Usually when I come to Leavenworth I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off the whole time- in between meetings, merchandising, marketing- then I'm off to Seattle. Now, after just a few weeks living in Leavenworth in a full time capacity I've gained an understanding of what makes L'worth so truly amazing and original. It goes far beyond the "Bavarian" theme and extends to the people and culture of Leavenworth.

During this summer I have the opportunity to take in the essence and true character of Leavenworth- and so far..... Me Likey!!! So- I wanted to share some of my L'worth Fav'sies

If you come to L'worth- you must wine taste. Why wouldn't you? Leavenworth has a handful of amazing and local winery tasting rooms sprinkled along front street. Favorite include- but are not limited to:

D'vinery (conveniently located 5 steps from Mapel). The wine is amazing and just as impressive is the family that owns and operates D'vinery.

Icicle Ridge Winery. You can either visit their tasting room on Front Street or take a short ride to their Beautiful Log Home Winery.

For those of you more interested in being "active" as opposed to "tipsy" I would recommend checking out Leavenworth Mountain Sports. They are walking distance from the center of Front Street and offer tubing, rafting, skiing, climbing, etc. etc. Great family run business that is totally invested in the outdoors and offers the ultimate Leavenworth experience.

All time favorite L'worth restaurant that I frequent at least once a week- South. You can not go wrong with Anything on their menu, great staff (ask to sit at Keri's table) and killer drinks.

If you know Mapel you know we are obsessed with chocolate. It's no surprise we immediately fell in love with Schocolat. They are the fine designers of Mapel's signature truffles. Everything is made locally and so savory it's impossible to leave their shop empty handed.

Where to stay while in Leavenworth? Check out Destination Leavenworth for an impressive assortment of lodgining options that offer the true essence of Leavenworth.

If you want to stay closer to front Street I would highly recommend the authentically Bavarian Pension Anna.

I naturally saved the best for last- shopping!!! In my humble opinion Mapel is the best'est Fav'sies shop in L'worth. Savor a signature chocolate truffle while shopping for a new pair of cropped dojo's or ultra soft tank or summer sandles or (OK- I'll stop here).

Come visit L'worth to discover your own Fav'sies.