Pearls of Wisdom

It's fashion week in New York City.  Glamor and tall skinny models abound.  Because of my friend Katy at Sugarlaws, I've been able to attend a few events.  I've gotten dolled up and put on my high heels (ouch blisters) and had cocktails with the fashion elite.  And it's been fabulous.

But I'm not posting photos from Fashion Week or Fashion Night Out.  I've taken a few photos for Katy's blog, but mostly have just been soaking it in sans camera.  However, as I was going through old pictures to decide what to post tonight, I saw these.  Strands of pearls from China.  Strands upon strands of pearls.  How glamorous, right?  Reminded me of the fashion festivities going on right now...

When I was in China, one thing I quickly learned how to do was pick out cheap but nice pearls.  Each booth in the markets would have hundreds of strands, just waiting to be picked through to find a decent set to be made into a necklace.  I would weed through them, and, after much haggling over price, I would buy one and (in what was my favorite part) the saleswoman would quickly knot up the pearl strand into a beautiful pearl necklace.  It was amazing how quickly these strands became beautiful necklaces to wear or share.  And I bought plenty, both to wear and to share.

(China, photographed April 2008)