We have “entertained” each other every week discussing Real Housewife show recaps, hot new makeup / skincare, how GameStop pulled the biggest stock market coup, to suggestions for the best vibrators on the market. And that is just a sampling of what we have discussed. We have celebrated personal triumphs, the release of a fictional novel (Reality in Chaos by Monique Kelley), published articles in the LA Times, Washington Post and Huffington Post on raising kids as a parent with ADHD and how apps that support local neighborhoods can also show racism (by Ralinda Harvey-Smith) as we all saw it unfold on TV in 2020 while under “stay at home” order.
Other than missing our annual Palm Springs Huzzies getaway, it was clear in November our annual holiday party would also be remote. We ALL look forward to this yearly invitation to escape from the kids, significant others, dress up, be ready to battle for the best white elephant gift, enjoy an obscene amount of
libations from a bartender for 10 plus of us and late night dancing at The Dime. But this would not happen this year. Well not as we usually do it. Late November I started to feel the pressure to exceed the impossible and plan it.
A signature cocktail is a must and this year I thought two great cocktail options were needed. I reached out to my girl Roxann, our secret huzzies mixologist who has a collection of bitters coveted by many to spark some ideas. Years ago, I nicknamed her
home, Casa Mosley because you never want to leave. She introduced me to the Old-Fashioned cocktail and now late September through December is my Bulleit Bourbon season. How could we share these great recipes with our huzzies all over the US which would involve shipping? So, once we confirmed on our cocktail choices, I suggested a photo shoot check, art direction for drink menu check, Staples’s printing service to print out on a nice card stock check. I discovered a candy cane shot glass ($1 a piece from Jack’s Candy in DTLA) that inspired me to enjoy our holiday shot recipe. I discovered a gold fortune cookie Christmas tree decoration from CB2 inspiring new year, new energy that we could all remember in the years to come. I added an ALL-RED dress attire most attendees participated with. And in place of the competitive White Elephant, we had a cross-country Secret
Santa. My son chose names out of a hat and I emailed Secret Santa assignments along with their “wish lists.” It was a success. The thought these women put into their gifts some of which for women they got to know just over the last year, showed that we have connected on a different level via zoom during a global pandemic. This became clear with our love of makeup since Sephora gift cards made up the majority of this year’s loot. I loved that everyone received something tangible in the mail that we all enjoyed together like family.