Tag: Pink Champagne

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 7

I practically jump out of my skin at the sound of the fire snap and crackle in the Champagne Bar’s fireplace.

Just as you could imagine, the Plaza Hotel is beautifully decorated for the holidays. Plaid ribboned garlands, pine-scented wreaths, and vibrant red poinsettias adorn the gleaming entryways. It feels like a tuxedo-clad Cary Grant with Audrey Hepburn on his arm might appear at any minute, carrying a glass of champagne to toast the holidays.  

If I wasn’t so on edge about meeting Jasper, I’d stop and snap photos of the decorations. But all day long, I’ve had self-doubt and worry as my companions as I cross off the steps of my plan. Looking at radiant shades of red poinsettias, I feel my heartbeat grow stronger. To think that it took seeing another woman in my husband’s arms to realize that what I want for Christmas is just what I have. I love my life, my children, and our home. Yes, I love my husband. 

I can’t forget Jasper for what he did earlier today. But I am prepared to forgive him. Jasper stood by me in the darkest moments of my pregnancy. He had lifted me up, believed in me, and supported me when I doubted myself. My gestational diabetes created a storm inside of me. My erratic blood sugar levels wore me down. I felt like I was at war with my body. Rescuing my children and delivering them to safety consumed my life. So I closed my heart to Jasper, trying to protect the little lives inside me.

I’ve got to trust that Jasper can do that again if I let him back into my life.  

The dining room feels like a cozy den in a Charleston mansion with high gloss hardwood floors, crisp linen, and heirloom silver vases and tableware. Everything is just like I remember when Jasper and I were last here. How long has it been? Nine years? Eight years? Taking care of two babies in diapers can certainly derail the romance in your married life. 

I look across the candle-lit room and spot Jasper. He’s dressed in a beautiful navy blue Italian wool suit, pale pink dress shirt, and striped tie. My husband is a sight for sore eyes. Jasper looks magnificent. Not only does he fit into the lush surroundings, but Jasper looks like he owns the place! I see other diners stealing glances at him with the same envy and admiration we had when we gazed across the dining room at others all those years ago. I catch my breath again. Finally, it dawns on me that Jasper and I have achieved the life we dreamed of all those years ago. Actually, our lives are so much better than we could ever have imagined. 

As I cross the room, I can tell my husband approves of my choice of outfits from the look in his eyes. The blood, sweat, tears, and tears it took to put myself tonight seem to pay off. My husband locks his gaze on me, drinks me in, and smiles. My chestnut hair is curled in soft waves, and my makeup looks effortlessly alluring. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek next and then sits back down. Jasper’s eyes rest on my strand of pearls. 

Jasper jumps up to pull my chair out of me before sitting down. There’s a beautifully wrapped present next to my place setting. I have a pit in my stomach. Doubt begins to rear its ugly head as I question my decision to not bring a gift for Jasper. Is my plan going to work? Will this Christmas Eve lead us to more beautiful memories of Christmas, or will I forever be looking back at last Christmas wishing with regret? 

TO BE CONTINUED …

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 1

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 2

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 3

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 4

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 5

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 6

It sounds like I’m not the only person thinking and writing Christmas break-up songs this year. Kelly Clarkson has unleashed the beast this holiday season with a new Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around, featuring not one, not two, but at three Christmas break-up songs, not counting her rendition of Wham’s Last Christmas. Her Merry Christmas Baby is the ultimate tinsel-laced blow-off holiday tune. You go, girl!

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Divabetic Pink Champagne Holiday Gift Guide 2021, #5

Whether you’re focused on losing weight or want to add a little extra sparkle into your daily diabetes self-care, we’ve got you covered with this year’s  Divabetic Holiday Gift Guide 2021. We believe in thoughtful gifts that bring a little happiness and good health into your life.

Our friend, Rachel Zinman is an internationally renowned yoga teacher and writer. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2008. She started her Yoga For Diabetes blog to share with the diabetes online community how yoga has helped her manage diabetes.

Rachel’s gift suggestion is a Manduka yoga mat.

“As far as Yoga Mats go you can’t go past a Manduka mat, Rachel says.

Durable, eco-friendly, and ultra-dense cushioning for superior stability and joint protection. Manduka has a range of mats that are specific to a personal practice. If you need more grip, something eco-friendly, or a mat with a line down the center to guide you with alignment – they’ve got it! 

New to yoga? Manduka offers two Foundation mats that provide an ideal combination of cushioning, durability, and performance at excellent value.

According to research, yoga therapy increases the number of insulin receptors and increases the proportion of receptor binding in patients with type 2 diabetes.  It improves insulin kinetics by reducing fasting insulin levels, shifting the peak insulin level to the left, and by normalizing the insulin-to-glucose ratio. Read More

“I’ve been teaching and sharing on Manduka mats for years and it’s the preferred mat in many yoga studios so they have a proven track record too,” Rachel adds.

 Retail: $55- 90. Visit Manduka

Rachel Zinman is absolutely passionate about Yoga, its true meaning, and its message. She first came across Yoga at the age of 17 and has never looked back! In her book, Yoga for Diabetes, Rachel shares her personal journey and her hard-won wisdom gained from her own experience of yoga and diabetes.

“If you are at all open or curious to learn about an ancient holistic way of healing and supporting the body, this book is for you. Zinman is clearly an expert and looks so glowingly healthy at 50 years old, one may wonder just how much benefit we too can get from incorporating some yoga into our lives.”—Diabetes Daily

Retail: $22.43  Amazon

For information on Rachel Zinman’s yoga classes, workshops, retreats, and training are designed to lead you step by step to the total understanding of Your Self visit: Rachel Zinman Yoga.

Our friend, Yoga For Diabetes Author Rachel Zinman shares a guided mediation on Divabetic’s popular podcast. Check out Diabetes Late Inspired by Aaliyah with  Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Pendulum Therapeutics CEO, and Co-Founder Colleen Cutcliffe, Ph. D., (the maker of Pendulum Glucose Control), Virginia Valentine, APRN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, Dr. Darren Wayne from MealBetix and featuring music from Aaliyah’s Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number album courtesy of SONY Music.

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story, Part 6

“Last chance,” says the Christie’s auctioneer before banging her gavel. I’ve been unsure of myself since the moment I arrived. Why did I even come here? Two hours of intense bidding wars have done nothing to calm my nerves. My stomach is in knots. Every time I’m about to make a bid, someone else lifts their paddle or one of the staff members on the phone with overseas bidders makes a bid. By the time I look around to see who is bidding, the piece has already been sold. 

I can’t believe the astronomical amount of money people are spending. Nothing has sold under five million dollars. No one seems to bat an eye about raising the bid by a half-million dollars either.  I must be crazy. What on earth was I thinking? A dull headache takes hold of my medulla. I try to take a deep breath to stop the scene in the restaurant from playing over and over and over again in my mind. Unfortunately for the last three hours, it’s been on repeat just like ‘The Christmas Story’ on TBS on Christmas Day. My kids love that movie. With each pound of the gavel, I see the flash of the photographer’s camera capture my husband kiss that woman in a lovely embrace. 

The auctioneer’s voice shocks me back into reality. Suddenly, I’m done letting my reactions – the fear, the hurt, and the panic – control me. If I deserve love and passion, then indeed I have the strength to fight for it. I quickly throw my paddle up and make the final bid. I briefly remember Rudolfo pointing it out in the catalog and telling me that my husband will love it. “Sold. Thank you all for your bids,” says the auctioneer with a wink to me. I just bought my first major piece of artwork. My heart leaps at the sound of his words. I can imagine Jasper feeling the same way I do right now. The sense of conquest. The way everyone in the room turns to acknowledge you. The envy in their eyes slowly fades as they silently nod their head to you in approval. The victory is all mine. It’s exhilarating!

After I collect myself, Rudolfo escorts me downstairs to pay for and pick up my item near the main lobby. Before I leave, I make a small request. “Can you gift wrap it for me?” A wide grin spreads across Rudolfo’s face in silent acknowledgment as he informs his staff to carry out my request. No one asks me who my purchase is for – they know I brought it for my husband.  A few moments later, I walk out the gleaming doors with a masterpiece wrapped Christmas paper under my arm, and jump in an Uber. 

In less than two hours I’m meeting my husband, Jasper. I’m taking a huge chance at what I’m about to do. There’s no guarantee Jasper will have a change of heart. But if I don’t make a bold move on Christmas Eve, then my marriage won’t survive. Can a glass of pink champagne save us?

TO BE CONTINUED …

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 1

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 2

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 3

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 4

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 5

I’m in Nashville, TN for work this weekend so I’ve been listening to more than my fair share of Country Music. In fact, I just got back to my hotel room after visiting the Country Hall Of Fame Museum. It was amazing! American singer and songwriter Thomas Rhett has released five studio albums but his Christmas song caught my ear. Enjoy!

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story, Part 5

I make a beeline for Jasper’s Christie’s catalog as soon as the kids and I get home from the city. I got the idea to buy something for Jasper in the car as the twins were talking about what they wanted from Santa. I knew instantly that something from the Cox Collection auction was at the top of Jasper’s list. According to Jasper, it’s one of the most significant American collections ever appearing on the market. Masterpieces by Cézanne and Van Gogh will be on sale. This isn’t the area of my expertise, but I know what I need to do. I grab the catalog, tell my mother I have to run an errand and dash out the door before anyone can stop me. 

I let myself wallow in the backseat of an Uber as I listen to Luther Vandross’s Every Year, Every Christmas song on the radio. Something in the lyrics makes me realize it takes two people to ruin a relationship. My eyes start painting pictures with the snow falling outside. I open my window to catch one before it hits the ground. If I can save just one, then maybe I can save my relationship as well. 

When the cab abruptly stops, the weight is back, pressing on my chest. The scene at the restaurant keeps playing over and over again in my mind. I can’t seem to erase it. A few deep breaths later, I convince myself I’m doing the right thing. I don’t want a bigger family. The one I have is perfect. I figured that much out in the cab. 

My urgency propels me through the Art Deco-style gleaming front doors of the Christie’s Auction House in Rockefeller Center in New York City. To say I’m a bit intimidated would be an understatement. This establishment sells roughly $7 billion worth of art, jewelry, and luxury goods a year. But, thankfully, the atmosphere I find is much more casual than I expected. 

After dodging a few staff members’ prying questions about my husband and his whereabouts, I tell them that I am attending today’s auction in his place. Whether or not the staff buys my made-up story doesn’t matter. My husband’s black American Express card’s ridiculous high credit limit certainly makes up for any lingering doubts. 

A senior sales consultant named Rudolfo takes me under his wing and points me in the direction of the auction floor. From the back of the room, I count about 40 bidders, although several more filtered in late. Most attendees wear jeans, sneakers, hoodies, and UGG boots and sit in the rows of chairs in the center of the room, but I take a seat against the back wall. Rudolfo doesn’t waste any time showing me how the auction works and what he thinks my husband is looking for. First, I circle a few items that I think he might like. Then, Rudolfo urges me to keep looking at more. The dollar signs in his eyes motivate him to stay close by my side. 

On either side of the room are about 25 Christie’s staff members taking bids from clients in Singapore, Germany, and Florida over the phone. There’s tension in the air. It’s both nerve-wracking and exciting. I can see why my husband is so obsessed with collecting now. One man wearing a backward baseball cap bids $88,000 for a ruby and diamond jewels set that ends up selling to another bidder for $112,500. People raise their paddles so quickly and subtly that I often don’t even spot them.

TO BE CONTINUED …

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 1

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 2

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 3

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 4

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story, Part 4

Although they always say the holidays are always full of surprises, nothing prepares me for what I see across the room after our waiter takes our order. 

The sound of a man’s laugh is so familiar it catches my attention. I glance around, trying to locate the laughter as waiters glide by with trays filled with mouthwatering delectables. Then, a shock hits my heart and explodes. I can’t stop myself from staring. Across the room, the man laughing is my husband, Jasper. And he is not alone. His arm is casually draped around the back of a curvaceous woman. She turns and kisses him on the lips a mere twenty feet away from our family. As if on cue, a strolling photographer stops at their table to capture their embrace. I watch as they inch closer together and smile brightly for the camera. The flashbulb goes off, and the image uploads in my mind, possibly forever. A wave of nausea sweeps over me. 

At first glance, the woman isn’t his type. For one thing, she wears her hair natural. Her clothes are loud and funky, not muted or sophisticated. Even her hot pink nails are too long and too bright a hue to appeal to Jasper’s taste. Or so I would think. Of course, this woman looks lovely to everyone else in the restaurant. But no one else has lived under the scrutiny of Jasper’s eye for the past decade except for me. 

 I wonder if she is Jasper’s new Eliza Doolittle? He made me over, maybe he’s thinking about doing the same with her?

My mother’s first impression of Jasper wasn’t kind. She raised me to be a strong independent woman. She could tell that Jasper’s strong will would one day undermine mine if I let him. Deep down, my mother didn’t want my life to be like hers. My father made the rules for the rest of the household to follow. She wanted my life to be different.

My mother’s warnings about Jasper angered me. I didn’t listen to her because she didn’t make sense to me. When Jasper and I first started dating, I was very opinionated and vocal about it. I didn’t waiver or step down when he challenged me. He said he had never met a woman like me before. Jasper told me more than once that he actually admired my strong will and opinions. But my pregnancy changed me. For whatever reason, I let my gestational diabetes make me feel like a failure as a woman, wife, and mother! 

Looking across at this woman with my husband, I see why I am sitting here. All my insecurities that came from mismanaging my blood sugars undermined my overall confidence. It’s just dawning on me what I allowed to happen. I grab hold of the edge of the table in an attempt to settle myself. But I can’t stop myself from staring. 

It’s easy to blame the lingering doubts about my gestational diabetes for what’s happening in front of me. However, Jasper’s laser beam focus on his career is also a factor. The same drive and determination that initially attracted me to him now make my blood run cold. Memories of my own father’s absence in my childhood are repeated. I don’t want my children to experience my childhood. Their father needs to be a presence in their life. He needs to be a loving source of encouragement, not just a breadwinner. 

Maybe that’s why I hate his art collection. Every time Jasper buys a painting or collectible, the art is stunning but what it represents is so ugly. Every masterpiece on the walls of our home represents more time spent with clients and less time spent with his family. It breaks off another piece of my heart. The twins are growing by leaps and bounds. I hate what his art collection represents so much that I push him away. So why did it take until this moment for me to realize this? 

The crushing realization that my marriage may be over hits me. What have I done? I love my life. Why did it take this woman kissing my husband to see it?

My son, Darren, slams his spoon down and declares the hot chocolate the best in the world. The sound snaps me back to reality. I look at my two children dressed in their Sunday best and burst out laughing. It takes me a good thirty seconds before I can stop myself. Thankfully the restaurant is too busy with waiters and customers for anyone to notice. The twins look at me and smile. I quickly grab some whipped cream off my son’s hot cocoa and dab it on my nose. Suddenly being refined, elegant, and soft-spoken are the last things I want to be. Both kids are laughing. It feels good. 

Looking at their two sweet faces with whipped cream mustaches, I see what’s at stake. Suddenly I know what I have to do. And I have until precisely 8 PM to do it. I quickly ask for our check and scramble to get the kids home. The kids don’t notice their father, and Jasper didn’t see us either, which means I still have a chance.

TO BE CONTINUED …

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 1

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 2

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 3

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story, Part 3

If my plans make me sound like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, I can’t help it. A lot is riding on our Christmas’ date night’ to get my Christmas wish. Because the only gift from Jasper I want for Christmas is a bigger family. 

Jasper’s constant complaints about the costs of having too many mouths to feed can’t dissuade me either. But, to be honest, the price of a bigger family isn’t the only thing he’s worried about. He’s also concerned about my health. I had gestational diabetes during my pregnancy with the twins. I can’t lie – It was brutal. There were times during my pregnancies when it was challenging to manage for me. My insulin resistance worsened around 32 – 36 weeks when I thought I had everything under control. I was literally waking and eating the same breakfast every day for weeks when suddenly I experienced crazy blood sugar levels. I kept thinking, “What the heck is going on, and what did you do wrong???” I was so frustrated, upset, and, yes, very emotional. I felt helpless. 

During my lowest points, Jasper was my rock. First, he dealt with the brunt of my anger and frustration with so much compassion. Then he even paid out of pocket for a therapist, who wasn’t covered by insurance, to help me process what I was feeling. To say I felt like a failure is an understatement. Every high reading on my blood glucose monitor chipped away at my confidence until I was a bundle of nerves. I didn’t trust myself or my body. Thankfully, Jasper found a specialist who helped me when I hit my lowest point. After that, it was a huge relief to learn that my progesterone hormone levels caused by insulin resistance crank up to another gear instead of negligence. Little by little, day after day, I got my blood sugar levels back on track with insulin therapy. Looking back, my initial hesitations to inject myself with insulin seem ridiculous. My insulin dosage even lowered after the release of my hormones slowed down, and my insulin resistance improved. And all that self-monitoring paid off, too, because today, we have two healthy, beautiful children. I can’t imagine my life without them. This is why I am so determined to have more children. Jasper feels the opposite; he isn’t budging either. If I make a sigh when we see a baby on TV, he recites the opinions of every specialist who has advised me against it. I’m more than likely to have gestational diabetes again, according to statistics. But these specialists don’t understand that I am not a statistic either. I have a better understanding of what’s involved and know my risks this time. I know I can do it. 

However, tonight seems like it’s months, not hours away. Nothing has gone according to my plans since we left the house this morning. I’m sure Tom Cruise could rectify the situation quickly without breaking a sweat. Then again, he’s not wearing three-inch heels or wading through the crowded streets of New York City holding hands with two five-year-old children anxious to see Santa Claus. The traffic was bumper to bumper coming into the city. Every store has been jam-packed with people. After waiting for over two hours for Santa Claus, the kids are tired and hungry. My feet are killing me too. All three of us are cranky but teetering towards Grizzly bears grouchy the longer we go without food. I’m in such a rush to feed them and get home that I drag them through the doors of the Windows of the World, New York’s sky-high restaurant. The restaurant’s close proximity to the parking garage was the deciding factor. Usually, I wouldn’t dare take the twins to such an expensive and stuffy restaurant, but their growling stomachs can’t wait. Our twenty-floor glass elevator ride to the top floor is an unexpected thrill for the kids. Thousands of lights twinkle at us when the elevator doors open to a cozy holiday atmosphere where every corner seems decorated in gorgeous evergreen garlands, ribbons, and pinecones. And surrounding windows provide a jaw-dropping three-sixty view of Manhattan. We sit down and order what I can only assume is the city’s most expensive hot chocolates with extra whipped cream and two grilled cheese sandwiches. I’m trying to hold off on food until I go out with Jasper later tonight.

Click HERE to read Pink Champagne Christmas Story PART 1 

Click HERE to read Pink Champagne Christmas Story PART 2

On 22 April 1974, this performance by Love Unlimited (also known for singing backing vocals for Barry White) was broadcast by AVRO television as part of TopPop, the Dutch version of Top of the Pops. Glodean James, the singer in the middle, was married to Barry White at that time.

 

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story, Part 2

The way Jasper thinks he knows better than me about the finer things in life hasn’t helped our relationship in the romance department at all.  I’ll be the first to admit that classical music, decorative arts, and art collections are not my forte. It wasn’t Jasper’s forte either when we first met. Now, he’s one of New York’s most respected “collectors”, and  I’m scratching my head trying to remember the last time we were intimate. Go figure. 

No one in my family brought art or real estate strictly for investment. I was brought up in a modest working-class family in the suburbs of New Jersey. My family didn’t have four-poster beds with Egyptian cotton sheets, leather wallpaper, a Lalique crystal dining room table, a Picasso hanging in the foyer, or a built-in pool. But I still managed to be happy. I loved my simple childhood. 

I used to think it was cute when he schooled me about the names of artists, architects, and operas that are popular with the partners in his law firm. Back then, he’d even consult with me before he’d actually set foot in an auction house. Sometimes, he’d blow my phone up a million times during the day with details about an upcoming auction. But over the past decade, my husband’s love of art has become oppressive. It hurts deep in my heart when he lets an auction take precedence over our family’s needs. Missing a soccer game or two or a recital is understandable, not an entire year’s worth. He’s missing out on the twins’ childhoods and they’re missing out on their father.  If you ask me, deep down, I think Jasper is addicted to the adrenaline rush from ‘winning.’ It doesn’t matter what it is – if it’s considered the best of the best, he has to have it. As a result, we have amassed a top-notch African-American art collection worth several million dollars. At the same time, I attend family gatherings or social functions alone. 

He certainly hasn’t paid half as much attention to me as the Christie’s catalog for the Cox Collection that he’s been carrying around. I could shave my head tomorrow and I doubt he’d blink an eye. He’s too busy memorizing the province of each piece of art from one of the most significant American collections ever to even notice. When I remind him we don’t have any more wall space available for another so-called ‘masterpiece’, Jasper just laughs and keeps flipping the glossy pages of his dogeared catalog. I miss the days when he used to make me feel like the only woman in the room. 

Is there anything wrong with a wife wishing her husband would spend more time looking at her than some silly art auction catalog? If so, I am guilty because I have gone to a lot of trouble to make our dinner at the Plaza Hotel romantic.

First off, I managed to get my stylist, Joe Murray, to squeeze me in for a last-minute appointment at his Hale Organic Salon. Jasper loves it when I wear my hair up, and Joe is the master of the updo. 

Secondly, I found the perfect black dress online at Nordstrom. It’s off the shoulder, silky smooth, and the boning inside makes my waist look like it did before I had twins. My stationary bike workouts while our nanny, Carla, watches the kids have paid off. My legs look great in a shorter hemline. Thank you, Peloton! And Jasper’s Christmas gift from last year, a strand of pearls long enough to make Coco Chanel jealous, adds a touch of stated elegance that Jasper appreciates. 

Finally, there isn’t a setting that’s more romantic than the Champagne Bar at the Plaza Hotel. The intimacy of only ten tables overlooking Fifth Avenue is only enhanced by the world’s finest champagne, caviar, and wines available upon request. Thankfully Jasper has already agreed to turn off his phone, so there will be nothing to interrupt us. Tonight will be just the two of us like when we first met. Two people in love celebrate the best time of the year. Plus, the Champagne Bar is conveniently part of a hotel. So if things go according to my plans and the magic of the holidays cooperates, Jasper and I may get a room. I already called ahead to confirm they have a few vacancies for tonight, which is why I took the extra step to ask my mom to stay overnight and watch the kids.

Click HERE to read Pink Champagne Christmas Story PART 1 

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Divabetic Pink Champagne Holiday Gift Guide 2021, #1

This year’s Divabetic Gift Guide theme: Pink Champagne, is inspired by song lyrics that I wrote after binge-watching a dozen Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. I picked up a pen and wrote these lyrics:

Oh baby! pour me a glass 

of pink champagne

after a few sips, I’d love to explain

why I decided on Christmas Day

to give my gift for you away 

The rest of the song lyrics for Pink Champagne quickly followed and I liked my lyrics so much that I called my Luther Vandross musical family friends, producer Ivan Hampden Jr., and vocalist Paulette McWilliams. This dynamic duo agreed to record the song. I look forward to sharing the recorded song but until then please take a minute to enjoy this year’s Gift Guide inspired by a burst of creativity!

I’m sure more than a few readers are scratching your heads over the fact that our gift guide’s theme of an alcoholic cocktail, Pink Champagne. Sure, it’s a great song title but is it right for a healthy holiday gift guide designed to inspire you to live your best diabetes life?

Since we know many people with diabetes enjoy an alcoholic beverage during the holidays, we think it is!

A long time ago, I presented diabetes outreach at an Open Clinic in Sleepy Hollow. I met with the diabetes educator ahead of time to discuss our presentation. She did not want to address alcohol consumption during our presentation even though Cinco De Mayo was quickly approaching. Instead, she felt strongly that abstinence from alcohol was the best option for people with diabetes. Therefore, in her opinion, there was no need to address the topic during our presentation.

Let’s just say we didn’t see eye to eye on the matter.

I felt, and still believe that abstinence from alcohol works for some people with diabetes but not everyone. At one point during our presentation, I asked the crowd to raise their hands if they were planning to have a cocktail or two to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. Every hand flew up. When I asked if anyone knew how alcohol affects their blood sugar levels there was confusion.

Needless to say, we addressed the topic in-depth during the presentation. We held a highly interactive and meaningful discussion. Afterward, the educator expressed her gratitude to me for addressing the topic. There is no doubt that we will be featuring information about alcohol’s impact on blood sugar levels in our upcoming Pink Champagne Christmas Gift Guide-related posts.

Whether you’re focused on losing weight or want to add a little extra sparkle into your daily diabetes self-care, we’ve got you covered with this year’s Divabetic  Holiday Gift Guide 2021. We believe in thoughtful gifts that bring a little happiness and good health into your life.

This colorful portion control container system allows you to maintain better portion control for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, making it perfect when you’re trying to lose weight or better manage diet and exercise. Each pre-measured container is based on the amount of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, proteins, and carbs you need each day. Simply match your color to your food plan for ideal portion control sizes. Price: $16.95 on Amazon. 

BUY NOW

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Pink Champagne Christmas Story, Part 1

Christmas song. I sat down, and the lyrics to a song I’m calling Pink Champagne poured out. I liked it so much that I called my Luther Vandross musical family friends, producer Ivan Hampden Jr., and vocalist Paulette McWilliams. They agreed to record the song.

Here are the first lines of Pink Champagne:

Oh, Baby! pour me a glass 

of Pink Champagne

after a few sips, I’d love to explain

why I decided on Christmas Day

to give my gift for you away!

Rather than post the rest of the song lyrics, I decided to share the short story that I wrote inspired by the song on this blog throughout December. Enjoy!

The bright streams of sunshine are as bitter as the taste of flat champagne this morning coming through the window of my bedroom. Once again, my husband, Jasper, left early. I’m alone. He’s made it a habit to leave for work before anyone else in the house wakes up. But, for the past three months, Jasper’s been coming home late too. Like my father with my mother, he can’t stop himself from reminding me that someone has to work to put food on the table.

It’s true. Someone in the household has to pay for our family’s life necessities. But lately, Jasper uses his role as ‘breadwinner’ as an excuse to stay away. Our family’s lifestyle gives him plenty of excuses, too, because we live in the Hamptons. Jasper is proud to tell anyone who asks that we live in a ten thousand square feet residence with 6 bedrooms and 8 baths. It features a clubhouse, high-end fitness center, and outdoor pool located just a short walk to the Village of East Hampton and a little over a mile from pristine beaches. Just the upkeep alone for our home isn’t cheap either. But, according to our account, Jasper’s cousin, Aramis Fishbourne, we don’t have a choice. If we let the value of our home slide due to negligence, it would be even more costly to our finances. 

But today is Christmas Eve! Weeks ago, Jasper promised to spend the whole day with the twins and me. No phones, no interruptions, just family time. Now, his side of the bed is cold, and the kids aren’t even up yet. If he stayed home for breakfast or dinner, he’d know that our children have been counting down the days until our annual trip to the city to see Santa Claus. So why does his boss expect him to work? More importantly, why does my husband agree to go?

I turn to look at his pillow and find a note, “See you at 8”. Jasper didn’t bother to sign it. I guess I should be happy that he remembered that we are going on a date tonight without me having to remind him. Still, my mind can’t help but fixate on his initial lack of enthusiasm. He was actually upset that I distracted him from reading his Art Auction catalog. Still, I didn’t let that deter me. I gently took his catalog away as I explained to him how we used to go out on Christmas Eve when we were dating. We’d dress up, sip champagne and enjoy an elegant dinner at the Plaza Hotel. We’d spend half of the evening looking around and fantasizing about being as rich as Rockefeller. But, somewhere between getting engaged, married, buying a home, and supporting a family, our little romantic tradition was lost.

Lately, we act like co-workers instead of man and wife. My job is to raise our family, his job is to support our family, and our bedroom is the water cooler where we catch up with each other. All that to say, I haven’t felt any chemistry between us in a long, long time. So hopefully, ‘date night’ on Christmas Eve will jumpstart an office romance.

TO BE CONTINUED … 

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 1

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 2

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 3

Pink Champagne lyrics are a slight nod to Nancy Wilson’s iconic “Guess Who I Saw Today” and Marlena Shaw’s delicious “Go Away Little Boy”. Both of these songs have brought me tremendous joy over the years. If you have never heard these immortal songs – enjoy them! 

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