Chanel basketballs, Tom Cruise's boyfriend and a week of soup.

I haven't had time to blog all week but I have got a lot to say. First, I got the flu, the day before the Oscars of the Hair World (as they're known in my office). It's this yearly event I have to go to where hairstylists (NOT hairDRESSERS, you're not allowed to call them hairDRESSERS, don't ask my why. I guess you DRESS a turkey and STYLE hair) come from all over Canada to possibly win an award for the crazy hairstyles they create. All in one night of fashion, runway, chicken dinner and all the drinks you can drink. I, however, got to drink tomato juice in the hope it would help me not throw up.

I think I got sick because I spent a whole week before I got the flu trying to have soup for dinner. Here's why: last week the NEW soup place opened! For weeks, every day on my way home from work I would see the sign in the window, counting down the days until it opened:

9 days until Chicken Gumbo!
5 days until French Onion!

I couldn't wait!

There's a super soup place in the mall but because I don't pass the mall on my way home, anytime I want this super soup I have to walk past my home to get it and then double back, and now that it's freezing outside, who has the strength to fight the elements just to get good soup? So when I saw that this new soup place was opening I thought it would be my compromise soup guy. Only, on the day it opened, I went, and they charged me $6.95 for a small cup of soup. It was pretty good soup, but it wasn't the same experience. Because there were no ACCESSORIES. It was like wearing a little black dress without strappy heels, a cute handbag and a pretty bangle. I mean, how could this new soup place open and not offer accessories when they must KNOW that their competition is the super soup place in the mall that gives you a little bun, a choice of apple, orange or banana AND a Lindor chocolate! The perfect accessories to complete the meal.

I was so disappointed, so then the next day the Hubs and I went to the super soup place to satisfy the craving, only by the time we got there the only choices were bad. Like Sardine Bisque and Brussels Sprouts Gumbo. Boo. So we didn't get any soup and then I went home and had to have canned soup, which isn't that bad now that they have pull-tabs and you don't have to mix them with water or milk. Still...there was no little bun. No green apple. No Lindor chocolate. Anyway, I firmly believe all these attempts to have the super soup from the mall affected my immune system and my body got so confused it thought I was sick, so then I got sick.

But there was no time to be sick, not with the Hair Oscars and then... the CHANEL Sample Sale! In my entire magazine career, I have dreamed of getting an invite to the Chanel Sample Sale. This is a sale that happens only once every FOUR years, and it's just for magazine editors. The first time the sale happened, I was just a lowly editorial assistant at ELLE, so I didn't get an invite, but my bosses did, and they got sexy shoes and frilly frocks and silky scarves.... sigh.

But then, this year, I got an invite!

Maybe you're thinking, what's so special about this sale? I'll tell you. Everything (everything!) at the sale is 90 PER CENT OFF.

NINETY!!

For example, if a pair of boots is $2,000. You pay $200.
If a skirt is $1,500, you pay $150.

Now THIS is math I can do.

Sadly the sale wasn't as good as I'd hoped. I wanted a Chanel bag like the one Spenny gave Heidi last week on The Hills, which cost $3,500 US. Which, at the sale would've been a steal at $350 US, which is like FIVE DOLLARS Canadian.

Only the bag wasn't there. But you know what WAS there?

This Chanel basketball.



I just don't get it. I mean, boys like basketball and girls like Chanel. It doesn't make sense. It's so crazy that you almost want to buy it. But I didn't. Because five years ago, I got this same basketball as a gift from Chanel, when I was just a lowly editorial assistant at ELLE. So maybe what goes around comes around.

After the sale, I went to a lunch for a new nail polish line. It happens every year with the creator and you get to talk about nail colours and all things girly and then get a manicure. So you think what could get better than this? But it gets better, every year, because the LA publicist comes, and with him, he always brings the juiciest gossip. And this year... do you want to know just one of the things he happened to let slip?


That Crazy Cruise...



has a new boyfriend.


Want to know who?




Our boy Becks.


Do we believe it?


I think this kind information calls for a cup of soup.