COTE DE TEXAS: A Meeting of the Blogs

A Meeting of the Blogs


Well, well, well - look at this: who are these two gorgeous looking ladies? ok, ok, well maybe not gorgeous, but for their age (mumble) - they're looking pretty good, if I do say so myself!

The story behind the picture goes something like this - after months of endless emails getting to know each other, it seemed impossible to believe that someone from Canada would get together with someone all the way from Texas. Well, impossible things do happen sometimes. The main event took place this week: Patricia Gray, interior designer extraordinaire and author of the Patricia Gray Inc. blog, managed to make her way down to Texas to meet up with me, Cote de Texas. This high-powered blogger rendezvous took place on neutral ground (sort of) in Dallas, not Houston - my hometown.

Personal business at the Dallas Trade Mart drew Patricia from the frozen environs of Vancouver (even though it actually was colder in Dallas than Canada!). Many meals, long talks, laughs (and tears!), screwed up hotel plans, a talkative GPS lady, lots of Starbucks coffee, a broken tooth, crowds of Market shoppers, and confounding traffic detours later -- Patricia and I decided that we:

1. Actually like each other.
2. Get along really well!
3. Have similar temperaments.
4. Don't get on each other's nerves, AT ALL!
5. Have compatible tastes.
6. Possess about the same amount of stamina (not much!)
7. And travel very well together.

We spent a day at the Dallas Trade Mart visiting the showrooms of places that bloggers have buzzed about all year - the Shine showroom in particular! And we spent a day just clothes shopping in Highland Park Village. But I think Patricia will agree with me, that the best time we had was late last night when we discussed our blogs together over the computer. We realized how competitive we were about our stats! A word of advice to bloggers - never, never, EVER look at your readership or Technorati stats with a fellow blogger - your friendship might not survive THAT test! But despite this, it was really great fun to finally share the blogging experience in person after sharing it for months via back and forth emails. This experience is one that I highly recommend. We looked at magazine pictures and web sites of designers we both admire and just talked about blogging in general until late into the night.

So, you might be wondering, (probably not, but I'll tell you anyway), will Patricia and I ever get a chance to meet up again? As I pulled away in my car, Patricia informed me that she was going to force me to go to Paris with her. Ok, so twist my arm, I'm game! Name the date, Patricia!

Power purses on parade! Outside the Tory Burch store in Highland Park Village.


Inside the Tory Burch store.

Ikat print shorts by Tory. Needless to say, we didn't buy these!!


The velvet tented dressing room area.


Inside a wallpapered dressing room.


Patricia's beautiful and charismatic daughter who joined us in Dallas. I thought she looked adorable in Tory's pink T shirt, but apparently she didn't agree - she didn't buy it.


Major shopping purchases!!! That's Charmaine reflected in the mirror to the right.

Patricia Gray buying shirts at Anne Fontaine beneath an antique French gilded mirror.


44 comments :

  1. Good job it wasn't purses at dawn, you might have killed each other. Ha! I have been looking forward to reading about this meeting. I smiled all the way through it. Glad you had a wonderful time.
    If you go to Paris - stop by and say hey!

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  2. STEAMING mad at both of you! I was at Starbucks Thursday afternoon and Williams-Sonoma Friday afternoon in Highland Park Village. Seriously, bet you two had a ball. A broken tooth! ouch. Two of my favorite bloggers!

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  3. Oh Cote!! - Its so nice to meet you both a bit better!!

    You look different than in your side bar picture here - (Tho I still cant imagine you as a punk rocker as in your youth!!!!:-)

    How fun fun fun!!!

    Felicity :-)

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  4. Excellent shopping spree! Cote, I added links wherever possible to the actual objects, re my post about the Winter Antiques Show. Hope you can see them!

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  5. Who bit whom???? Blogland wants to know!

    Looks like you had a ballllll! I am hoping to meet up with Jackie Blue next weekend in B-more.

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  6. I'm sick with jealousy and I've decided I hate you both for having such a good time without me!

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  7. Looks like you ladies had a great time. I look forward to hearing more about the trip in future posts on both of your blogs!

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  8. get back to work..................

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  9. I loved this post, Joni. Two of THE nicest women of the blog world meet at last. Sounds like you had fun and a true blogger's bonding took place. You both look chic and terrific!

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  10. I a so happy that you enjoyed my town,sorry about the darn weather. I would have loved to have passed you at HPV,I was also there!And live around the corner. I so enjoy you both! Love the question,"who bit whom?"Yes, and do get back to work!

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  11. Great story! Two of my favorite bloggers in the same place at the same time...amazing.

    And, another picture of the chandelier that I like in the Tory Burch store!

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  12. How fun! It sounds like you two had a fabulous time.

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  13. Jesus H. Christ, Joni......could you be any CUTER?????? And oh I think I love you even more now that you were a punk rocker back in the day! You're truly a girl after my own heart!!!

    So glad that y'all had such a fantastic time (sans cracked tooth of course ;)

    Andrea

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  14. i'm so envious!!! you guys, what a hoot! i'm telling you,i still love the idea of a blogger convention.

    joni, i knew you guys would be great friends. so glad you guys made it happen.

    my advice re stats: don't check them. i quit several months ago and i feel so much lighter for it.

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  15. Joni, what a blast to see you and Patricia at Tory Burch! I love the store, although I'm having a hard time buying her after major snootiness when I called her showroom. Oh well, I'll still wear my Revas. Talk soon!

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  16. Hi Joni
    Well I finally got my post together about our visit:
    http://patriciagrayinc.blogspot.com/2008/01/la-dallas-and-meeting-joni.html
    and I did not peak at yours, as promised, until now!!! I totally agree with you on the 7 points we have in commom. I had so much fun with you and so many wonderful memories. I will think of you everytime I wear my Tory scarf and Anne Fontaine white blouse that we bought the same & the GPS lady & coffee with foam on top and your beautiful smile....well here's to meeting up in Paris friend!!

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  17. Oh how wonderful Joni!!!! What fun and you both look amazing!! Paris...I want to come!! I think there should be a blogger meet up in France!

    ps - I'm with you on the stat thing...I'm obsessed!

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  18. Thank you for sharing your meeting and posting about it! Sounds like a great time! Wonder what trouble you will get into when you meet in Paris?

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  19. First, gorgeous photos of you both! So glad you got to meet up and shop together!!! So fun!

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  20. Oh, how exciting for you both to meet! You look like you had a wonderful time Joni!! If you both decide to meet in Paris anytime between 18th July & 1st August this year I will be there and I'd love to meet you both!!!
    XXX
    Anna

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  21. Looking gorgeous you two! LOL! And a grand time was had by all! Thats a wonderful place to shop! Next time -- try the shops along Lovers Lane or hit the Design District too!

    Jan at Rosemary Cottage

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  22. Jan, you are right. I could spend 2 hours in the lamp store where the two ANCIENT matrons walk around with their hands behind their back, asking if they may SERVE you.
    They're a big help. I haven't been in there in a few years. I hope they are still there. They found a black capsule lampshade for me. Lovers Lane is a good mix of restaurants, clothing, garden and antique shops. Joni, come back.

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  23. Sounds like you had a great time. A bloggers convention in Paris is a fab idea!

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  24. How fabulous and I love your sac's.
    I'll third the blogger meet up in France!
    Looks like you had a great time!

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  25. I see a co-authored book in the works ladies. Start the outline today.

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  26. Great that you two could meet one another and have a fun adventure!!

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  27. All of us onlookers are so envious of your meetup and feeling quite left out! But it's wonderful that you both confirmed your friendship and had a great time. And I for one will 3rd or 4th the motion for a Paris blogging convention, or even New Orleans...

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  28. Looks like a wonderful time, Joni! I loved the story and photos!

    Now to Patricia's, to read her post!

    Pat

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  29. What a great post--looks like you had a fantastic time!

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  30. What a fun meet-up with you 2! Sounds like a delightful time together. It's always nice to meet a blog friend in person.

    Rhoda

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  31. awwww, look at you girls - so cute!

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  32. Joni! I am so glad you two got together. I hope you had a nice long chat about anon! AND I am VERY happy you have moved past the last post mayhem and on to happier subjects! You deserve a good ole time. Glad you got it. Wish I was there! I could do with a little shopping therapy. Fab post!

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  33. sniff. Paris is just a hop away from Marrakech.

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  34. I'm just glad Dallas survived the meeting of two of the design blogosphere's wildest women!

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  35. tonti, you have really good hair

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  36. BOTH OF YOU LOOK GORGEOUS ( you are right)Wonderful bloggers' story ..I have never heard about Tory Burch before !!! I loe it .
    And Anne Fontaine is my favorite brand for white shirts ..
    So as I wrote to Patricia ..let's plan also a trip to south of France ...to MEET ME

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  37. Wow, that's great!!! Looks like you gals had a great time and sounds like it too. Wish I could have been there...looks like the perfect blogger meeting :)

    ~Kate

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  38. Oh what a fun time!!! Even I had fun reading the post and I wasn't there! :-)

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  39. You gals are so cute! I love that you actually met up! So many of us bloggers have become friends and I can't imagine how much fun it must have been to meet in person. And shop! Glad you had fun :)

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