I have to do a proper thank you post this morning.
You see, I have two friends who saved me this week.
I mean seriously, totally, immediately went WAY out of their way to help me
in a BIG, BIG bind.
I needed Laduree gifts for tonight’s party.
I thanked HEAVEN Laduree recently opened on Madison in Manhattan.
I called them – fingers tingling with anticipation.
I was very excited to place a MONSTER of an order.
They promptly told me, in their darling thick French accent, that "non",
they would not be able to ship anything from their store to me in Chicago.
Geesh.
So, I moved immediately to Plan B.
I will buy a ticket, and fly to NYC, taxi to Madison and 70th, UES, and fly
home after a delightful day of holiday wandering.
Then several morning news shows booked, and my schedule was full.
Inflexible. NY not happening.
And worse, my entire staff is working double, triple, quadruple time trying
to keep up with the holiday work. So no extra body double, mini me to send
in my place.
So, I moved quickly and swiftly to Plan C.
I called every single courier service I found.
Asked them – like a lunatic – if they could pick up my massive Laduree
macaron order, and Fedex it to me next day.
Sure – no problem.
I would order it in advance, pay for it in full, they would pickup and
Fedex.
So, I run back to the phone, and call Laduree.
Rings, rings, rings…no pickup.
I call again.
Ringing forever. No pickup.
Eeeek.
I call, 100+ times.
My blackberry went white screen on me.
Froze up.
It was sick of dialing on constant repeat for an entire day.
I start to panic.
Eventually, there was an answer.
It went like this.
"Thank you for calling Laduree. We are open from 9a-7p. Goodbye."
For days.
AND DAYS.
That’s all I could get.
I knew two things at that moment.
#1. It is the holidays. Retailers make half their revenue this month.
#2. I am aware of the lines out the door and down the block and into other
neighboring NY boroughs outside of Laduree.
I call the courier back, and ask if they will buy the order for me, and
charge me whatever they want for the trouble, and they can bill me credit
card.
Nope.
Can’t do that.
No way.
So…..
I now move to Plan D.
Who do I know personally in NYC that is THIS kind, compassionate, generous
and even remotely, POSSIBLY interested in squeezing in this crazy errand in
the midst of all their own personal, work related business?
Two people.
And Susan Rhodes, I could cry with happiness, you saved me.
Susan works not near Laduree.
She works at Columbia, in Morningside Heights, on the West Side – the other
side of Manhattan.
But she, being a dear, true, gracious friend, trucked right over to E 70th
and Madison to brave the battle known far and wide as the lines at Laduree.
(Elise Johnson, you deserve an honorable mention, because you wanted to
help but that darn Clinique Holiday Party got in your way – thank you for
offering and trying anyway.)
Twenty people were in line ahead of Susan.
She was worked like a professional – she cased the options upon arrival -
she photographed packaging and texted and emailed me from the back of the
line…
God love her.
She picked out the most BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, HEAVENLY gifts for tonight’s
dinner.
She handed the phone to a real, living, breathing macaron maven behind the
counter and I gleefully paid with my credit card.
REJOICE!
Of course, the order was large, and Laduree needed time to assemble.
Hours.
To assemble.
So, the second step, was how to get them from Laduree to Fedex.
Here in lies my second deep, expressive grateful thank you to Miss Danielle
Ferris.
A heroine among men.
She deftly helped me orchestrate a messenger from Laduree, to her office,
where they helped box them up and overnight them to me.
And here, at LONG LAST…after weeks of pining for the miracle birth of
Laduree boxes in Chicago, they are.
Right on my desk.
Voila!
We are fluffing and primping and attaching calligraphied names to the
beautiful custom printed Laduree ribbons on each tower.
Merci d’un million!
I will be in NY in two short weeks – and a french feast of a dinner is on
me.
