Night At The Chateau
So…was at the Chateau (Chateau Marmont) last night. I was with a very nice cute smart group. We had all been at quite a posh party at elegant interior designer Alison Blumenfeld’s lovely house earlier in the evening.
I must say, I was not overdressed but I didn’t think I was looking shabby at all as I had on a cute micro mini skirt (with leggings…don’t worry), a flirty sheer top, some wonderfully tall strappy 4 inch heels and bright hot pink toes (this departure from my normal Bordeaux color may have been what threw me off…). I excused myself for a moment from the table to go get the rest of our party “in” (Chateau Marmont is so ridiculous that way…it is just a normal hotel with a lounge area and restaurant but some nights it would probably be easier getting into Buckingham Palace than Chateau Marmont)…the rest of our group had been turned away once that night already and I was rushing to alert the people at the front to let them in.
My Tumble in Pink 4 Inch Heels
Rushing, pink toes, 4 inch heels all combined meant another Coco comedy moment was on the way…it was a moment that seemed like an hour…
So I jumped up and turned towards the stairs, not knowing there was a stair right next to my seat. When I lunged forward to get to the stairs that I thought I was aiming for my 4 inch heels and pink toes were stuck behind me…caught on the darned stair I didn’t know was there. With my body at a 45-degree angle and my feet behind me, that is when the stumble of my life began. You have to imagine where I was…in the very chic sunken living room at the Chateau Marmont, where the people who think they know everything in Hollywood are all clustered into small groups of seating areas all talking in low voices but mostly probably just trying to look good. So that is where my pratfall happened.
It was a long stumble…the kind that happens in a movie but is done on purpose for a laugh…not quite a fall…definitely a trip…I felt like one of those one-year-olds just starting to walk…I just couldn’t get my legs under me. At one point I reached out trying to avoid the fall and grabbed a large plant…I heard the leaves rip in my hands and realized this wasn’t a good choice as something that could prevent the fall. Then I grabbed onto a wall, well-manicured nails scratching for a grip, all the while my feet were still not together and completely on the stairs. I then heard the room of all the Hollywood types gasp as they saw me stumbling up the stairs, ripping at plants, they were waiting for the huge fall. But I must say, I was waiting for it too. I heard AG who was with me say, “Oh my!”. I think I glanced back at him for a nanosecond with a woeful look in my eyes…like the end is near. The 5-second trip, stumble, and bumble ended with me finally finding my footing but losing all my dignity with the chic crowd. So there I stood on the stairs with the crowd looking at me aghast at my clumsiness and all I did was shrug my shoulders, smile and laugh.
I think there is something here…a life lesson maybe? When you have a bad fall in life…pick yourself up, stand tall, find some humor in it and keep on moving forward (and the smart ones figure out exactly how the fall happened so it doesn’t happen again!).
My life…as usual…
Have you ever had a nasty fall (actual or metaphorical) you had to pick yourself up from? Anything you learned that you might share?
Anyhooo…here is a lovely living room with an even lovelier garden view!
Hope you are having a happy weekend!
Happy Sunday dear readers!
xo
Coco
Photo: Cottage Living
Oh goodness, Coco! So glad you weren’t hurt!
Oh you poor duck!
You wrote that so well I was with you on every stumble.
Still – you shrugged, smiled and laughed – perfect ending (-:
Yikes! If there’s any consolation, I fell down stairs on my wedding day… (St. Patricks in S.F.) As we left the church to stroll to our reception @ MOMA I took the first step down the narrow stairs and tripped over my dress! Luckily my husband caught me before I rolled down to Mission St.
Oh you poor thing, hilarious description but good on you for smiling and laughing! Exactly what the stuffy crowd needed
Nicolex
Yes, deifnitely the right response to the trip! THe ONLY thing you can do is laugh in those moments – it shows everyone that you (a) are ok, (b) are a real person, and (c) are confident enough to recognize you’ve tripped in front of a room and you can still laugh about it! Good on you. PS – L-O-V-E that picture that started your post. still drooling.
I had a bad fall on the dance floor at a wedding and everyone saw my red hanky pankys
It could have been worse!
I think humor is the best recovery! I was in Laguna Beach crossing a major intersection. Traffic backed up for miles and everyone operating at a crawl. There was a sign in the middle of the street and the legs holding it were sticking out. I tripped and went flying forward landing on my hands. My friend gasped like are you ok? I could see all the dropped jaws around me. I was so embarrassed all I could do is laugh! My laughter broke the ice and everyone started laughing. I took a bow towards traffic and kept laughing. Loved your story. I can just see it unfolding at Chateau Marmount!
I think humor is the best recovery! I was in Laguna Beach crossing a major intersection. Traffic backed up for miles and everyone operating at a crawl. There was a sign in the middle of the street and the legs holding it were sticking out. I tripped and went flying forward landing on my hands. My friend gasped like are you ok? I could see all the dropped jaws around me. I was so embarrassed all I could do is laugh! My laughter broke the ice and everyone started laughing. I took a bow towards traffic and kept laughing. Loved your story. I can just see it unfolding at Chateau Marmount!
Well done – you have to hold your head high! I fell down the stairs at a party – and my dress went up – had to just laugh! also love the indoor-out feel of the living room! gorgeous!
xo Allison
Spicer + Bank
http://www.spicerandbank.blogspot.com
Charming story despite the wobbly beginning! Glad you weren’t hurt and recovered with a little humor.
And gorge pic above as well! Keep the posts coming!
I fell down in the driveway right in front of my daughter’s school when I was about 7 months pregnant with my son. So not only did a teacher see me, but another parent as well. It was a slow motion sort of thing. Scared me due to the pregnancy. I learned not to do quite so fast with another person ‘on board’.
Your writing is hilarious and wonderful! I actually had to laugh out loud!
Glad you weren’t hurt!
Yikes! I hope it didn’t ruin your entire night….
You are awesome. Seriously… Not only is your ability to laugh at yourself refreshing, but so is the accurate description of the Chateau and it’s visitors. That is exactly the kind of place I would take a tumble. And I’ve had plenty of embarrassing moments, where I too, just laugh at myself now.
I was once in a busy chain clothing store on a Saturday afternoon in Chicago and as I walked through the store with a pile of clothes in my arms and my head sort of down, I kind of ran into someone and we did the back and forth dance excuse me excuse me oh sorry excuse me, you know where you try to get around the person but you are both going the same way? well turns out the person was actually a mirror and it was my reflection i was talking and giggling with… right in front of the line into the dressing room! I dropped my clothes and left. What I learned? If you see a crazy lady talking to herself maybe she’s just looking at her own reflection an doesn’t know it??? way to shake off your stumble ;0)
Glad to hear you were not hurt and spectacular blow by blow, btw.
At the tender age of 16 I fell right on my rear in front of the members of U2 who looked on shocked. Luckily for me a young man came to aid me from my embarrassment by making an umpire safe gesture and yelling “Live From New York” (at which point I chimed in) “It’s Saturday Night!”. This elicited a roar of laughter from everyone. Face saved. I think.