Paloma Contreras: Hey Caroline. How are I'm well, how are you?

Caroline Gidiere: Hey Paloma, how are you? Doing well, doing well.

Paloma Contreras: Good. I see your beautiful geraniums behind you.

Caroline Gidiere: They're coming along. They're coming along. It's good. I'm trying to think of who posted today some pictures of geraniums. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, so pretty. And I noticed so many were in the windows. Steven has told me that mine aren't gonna make it for very long in the window, and that I need to rotate them, which is fine. I'm happy to do that.

Paloma Contreras: Leah O'Connell. Yes, I saw it too. Beautiful. Mm-hmm. interesting. 'Cause I feel like oftentimes you see them in windows and I'm even thinking back to all the beautiful yeah, all the geraniums that we saw on our trip and they were either in or near a window most of the time. It's different light, granted, but

Caroline Gidiere: Had the same conversation. Right. Also, they all had beautiful gardens, greenhouses, and they had styled up their house for these tours, you know, of the interiors. That's so Stephen was like, No, the if you've got a greenhouse, you can rotate it in and out. But he was like, it was like, Yeah, I mean you can do whatever you want to, but if you want to really flourish, they need to be outside at least half the time. So he was like, every two or three weeks, bring some home and take some back. But

Paloma Contreras: Mm. This is true. This is true. This is true. Ha ha ha. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: I figure I should get to enjoy them during the day. It's nice to have them in the window. And I get it's about to storm here. It may really be crazy here in a minute, but I get really great sunlight only late in the evening. And so I think they should flourish like plenty of natural light, but then strong sun for like an hour or two in the late in the day. I don't know, we'll see.

Paloma Contreras: Mm. Yeah. Well, as I mentioned to you separately, my geraniums are not doing nearly as well. They're not flourishing like yours. Yours are so beautiful. Now, granted, we're gonna get there. Yeah, yeah. No, Caroline was nice enough to send me a fertilizer recommendation because I saw these the other day. We didn't record about it, but I s I nearly fell out of my chair.

Caroline Gidiere: I know we're gonna get you took took care of, as they say, yes.

Paloma Contreras: Those are the geraniums that you ordered in May. They look stunning. Whereas mine are like this pitiful little thing. We have not done as much as you have. We haven't even potted all of them. Like we're way behind. So this weekend that's my goal is to get these these geraniums on their way to thriving. But for anybody with a preschooler or a little kid at home, I immediately thought this episode of Peppa Pig, where Peppa really wants to learn.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: How to whistle and she can't, no matter what she does. And Peppa, I can't whistle either at my ripe old age. just can't do it. But she called like this is my whistle. Shh, it's not very good. so she calls her best friend. You can't do it. She calls her best friend Susie Sheep on the phone and says, Susie, do you know how to whistle? And she's No, Peppa, what's that? And Peppa explains to her how to do it, and then immediately Susie does it. So Peppa just goes,

Caroline Gidiere: Shop. Now now that I have the lip flip I can't whistle either, but I can usually it used to could.

Paloma Contreras: click then like hangs up on her 'cause it's pure jealousy. I was telling Caroline jokingly, like I was green with envy over her gorgeous geraniums, but she and her her husband Steven both have green thumbs and it sounds like you've done everything right. So I know with with you on my side, I'm gonna get my geraniums there too.

Caroline Gidiere: Ha ha ha. yeah, we we're getting you hooked up, girl. We're getting you hooked up. The other thing that I've been using, which was Steven's idea, he's been at this. Let me let me just say our relationship started really with a garden. And I'd I gardened I I was having a tough go of it in law school as far as like I was on the edge of depression, which I've never had depression be in my life, except for this moment. and

Paloma Contreras: yeah. Mm-hmm. So Hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: You know, sh like I've said many times, that should have been a heads up. Maybe you're doing something that doesn't yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Well, I mean you were yeah, and high hindsight's twenty twenty. You know, you weren't you're pursuing a path that wasn't your true calling. I know you were successful at it and you worked hard and did well, but yeah, I mean, isn't that crazy?

Caroline Gidiere: That's right. Yeah. Yeah. I never stopped to consider why am I depressed or anything. I just kind of persevered. But in any event, Steven showed up at my apartment one day and I was in a duplex and it had a little side yard. And he walked in the house with a big, huge bag of potting soil over his shoulder. And he was like, Hey, let's let's make a garden. I was like,

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: Okay. Okay. Let's make a garden. And he did vegetables. He was all into the vegetables and I was all into flowers. And it was overly tended, but it was a lot of fun. And so we did a lot of gardening until I was like, I can't take this on my hands, like get

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Aww Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: rubbing my hands in all this dirt and everything and having these little black rings, I I just can't do it. I'd rather cook and you do the garden. And so I but I started with geraniums. That was my because they're so easy. And that was my mother's recommendation. You had to get some pods of geraniums going, which I did. So I'm back to it. So I do have a I do have some history with it. But I think

Paloma Contreras: Uh-huh. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: Putting that fertilizer on these when they first came really like was what they needed. That was Steven's advice. But as they've started to grow, the other thing, I don't know if you can see, but these have bamboo stakes to kind of cause they kind of flop over and I haven't tied them up to it or anything, but these are just the bamboo sticks that you get in the grocery store for kebabs. And that was his I

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And then just help train the plan.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, it's just something to prop it up on, you know, if it's like this and it's flopping down, you just kind of lay it, you know, stake it in a way. they're way too tender to like tie anything around it. But it's a lot there I've been enjoying them and they have such pretty blooms. yeah, kind of lyrical. okay, what's what's your high and low this week?

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah, they're so beautiful, such a pretty colour. Mm-hmm. Well my highest today is Fabian and my anniversary, our wedding anniversary. So that's always, you know, something nice to celebrate. he sent me some really pretty flowers today and we're gonna have dinner. We both it just sort of snuck up on both of us. summertime I feel like is busy and especially with fourth of July coming up. today's the first. We'll celebrate this weekend. We'll go to a nice dinner, just the two of us.

Caroline Gidiere: Tell me describe your wedding dress to me.

Paloma Contreras: it was remacra. This was two thousand and five. So it was like sort of an off not quite off white silk satin. I wouldn't say it wasn't ivory, it was more like a like a soft warm white silk satin, sort of cinched in the bodice, ball gown, and then it had these like three quarter sheer embroidered sleeves. it was really pretty, very of its moment. I feel like

Caroline Gidiere: yeah? Yeah. Mm gorgeous.

Paloma Contreras: With different styling it would work today. I feel like I didn't love my hair. and there were things that I would change, but all in all, I the dress was really pretty. I did dress, yeah. Yeah, so that's my high. It's our wedding anniversary. My low is I have a bone to pick with Chanel because they have recently discontinued my powder foundation that I use and

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Gorgeous. Cool. Mm.

Paloma Contreras: I found out just two days ago also my favorite lip gloss. So I knew about the powder because that happened probably in April. And I remember on my flight back from London, even though I was deathly ill, I still made it a point to stop in the duty free and check the Chanel stand to see if they had my makeup in stock, because it was sold out online and everywhere else. And they did not. But when we were in Mexico and Cabo last month. I stopped in their duty free at the Chanel counter and they did. So I bought out their stock. So I have backups of that. but then they discontinued my lip gloss and introduced some new stuff and it's not that like I can't find a replacement, it's the trouble of finding a replacement and trying different brands. Like when the powder was sold out, I ordered a Gucci Westman or Westman Atelier one. a Charlotte Tilbury one, a bunch of other ones. Like you end up spending all this money and you don't find anything that you like as much. Cause I rarely go in the store. Like I'm just buying it online and guessing, which is probably not the best way to buy makeup.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. What what kind of powder is it? I mean, is it pressed powder or loose powder? Okay.

Paloma Contreras: It's a pr it's a pressed powder. and I I use I also have like loose setting powders, but I don't like them as much. I have genetic dark under-eye circles. I've had them my whole life. and so I have to wear under-eye concealer and I need something to set it with. And sometimes those translucent powders just aren't quite enough.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: but I was able to find some. Eventually I'm gonna have to resolve that problem because they're not gonna make it anymore. But now they've also discontinued the lip gloss. I feel like anytime I like something it ends up getting discontinued, which is such a bummer.

Caroline Gidiere: I am going to turn you on to a couple of TikTok accounts, okay? For your under eyes. The first one is a guy named Abby. A B-H-I-E. He is an Indian cutie who does makeup.

Paloma Contreras: Okay. Got it. Mm-hmm. Okay. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: And you know, I think it's something that I wasn't aware of, but I think particularly like Indian skin is prone to having dark circles under their we all have our you know white cracks and wrinkles early. They have an issue with dark circles under their eyes. So he's particularly sensitive to this issue. He does, you know, his own makeup and he has a lot of collaborations. He's totally delightful. You will love him. I think it's like at Abby. Anyway.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: He also likes to do his mom's makeup a lot. And so he, you know, runs the gamut from young people up to like 60, 70, 80-year-old women. So he's got a lot of advice for different skin, different skin tones. You know, it's really anyway, he can really give you a hookup on how to do your under eyes that is with a loose powder instead of a pressed powder. a technique that I start because I'm I'm starting to have.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: I hadn't had problems before, but I'm starting to have those issues. So his technique works really well. Then the other thing that

Paloma Contreras: Okay. Yeah, I'll check that out. I mean I do swirl it. I will say I swirl it on with a brush. I don't like press it on with a sponge, but yes, I will look up

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, he's got he's got different like, you know, I won't bore us with those details. you can do a deep dive on that. But then the other person is Mary Phillips. Do you know her? Okay. Okay. Well, you know, always something to learn out there. I once you get started, it's hard to

Paloma Contreras: I don't. I'm not really deep in the makeup world. That's right.

Caroline Gidiere: stop with these tick-tock and you'll get in the algorithm. But Mary Phillips is the person who does Kendall Jenner's makeup and Haley Bieber's so often. Also there's a I can't think of the other chick. I'll think of her in a minute. I mean what is the problem with my brain? Can't ever remember anybody's name. anyway, Mary Phillips does

Paloma Contreras: Okay.

Caroline Gidiere: Haley and Kendall's makeup whenever they've got an event or they're on a cover of a magazine or anything. She has a little palette and she d has a technique for a BB concealer

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: It's a color corrector. That's what it is. CC, not BB, CC, color correcting. And then the lighter color and how you do it. And you put those two together, Abby and Mary Phillips, and you got a really good. Then you can really kind of go with any kind of loose powder, I think. I think you if if you get stuck and you're out of luck with your Chanel and you think, now what am I gonna do? These are two options for you.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Nice. Great, I will definitely look them up, thank you. What about you? How's your week been?

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. My week is going really well. you know, busy. we're we have a holiday coming up, and so my office will be closed on Friday. And so I'm trying to figure out how we're getting five days of work. How I'm getting five days w at work out out of four days here. and maybe my bad week is these earphones, guys, they're not.

Paloma Contreras: Great. Right.

Caroline Gidiere: for the faint of heart. They're not easy to keep in our ears. Palma seems to always be able to do it with grace and I'm always fidgeting with mine 'cause they pop out. I

Paloma Contreras: Well, that's b I mean, I'm glad you take it as Grace. I just never figured out how to put them in the right way. So I you wear yours the right way, I wear mine backwards, so the string hangs down the front versus in the back hidden the way it's supposed to be, but they just won't sit in my ear that way. So that's the only way I can keep them in.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, I think I have yeah, I think my ear hole openings are smaller than the average bear or something. yours and mine both must be the same. But yeah, so my good week is my son will be home this weekend. He's flying in tomorrow night for the holiday, so that'll be good. And I I really don't

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah. good.

Caroline Gidiere: Have anything going on this weekend, which is nice. And it's it's hard because when you get in the habit of going and doing and traveling as much as I've been traveling for the past 18, nay, 24 months, it feels like there's something wrong, you know, when I'm not in this.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: anxiety panic of I need to get packed and get on the like what is wrong? Why do I have nothing going on this weekend? and so I'm having to work my myself. So sort of the good and the bad week, I do have a lot of travel coming up in the next several weeks, but those are all child related. I'm tak we're taking Lou to camp. The next weekend we're going to

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: visit my son out in Colorado. So, you know, got a lot of travel coming up, but this weekend he's coming home. We have nothing going on. We're just gonna go to the pool, go to the movie. We're probably gonna go to a baseball game, which I really love with the fireworks on the fourth of July, which is just so America, which I would just really love. I grew up watching baseball. I don't know if you did, used to be on TBS, but I used to keep stats

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Uh-huh.

Caroline Gidiere: Little known fact, used to keep stats for my high school baseball team and I traveled with the team. And so I'm like way into baseball. Haven't really been since I was a you know in high school, but I do love to watch it w when it's on TV. And the Braves are doing great this year. And so yeah, yeah. Always well, growing up in the deep south.

Paloma Contreras: wow. wow. I didn't know that about you. Is that your team? Yum.

Caroline Gidiere: There was always TBS, Turner, you know, Ted Turner who just recently passed. Yeah. TBS. And in the summer, TBS, all of our programming, like the Munsters and the Brady Bunch and all the kind of stuff that was on TV, it was always interrupted in the summer whenever the Braves had a day game. And this is a day when there wasn't anything else on TV. So if you didn't want to be outside and in the heat of the summer, in the middle of the day, you didn't want to.

Paloma Contreras: Mm yeah, we have T V S, yeah. Yeah. my gosh, yes.

Caroline Gidiere: everybody just lazed around and watched baseball all summer, not because you wanted to, just because anything else might be a televangelist. it's like I'd rather watch baseball. so anyway, I'm looking forward to that. And my bad week is I've kind of got the blues and thinking that.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Right.

Caroline Gidiere: Also this trip to New York with Lou, I don't have a like a trip that I'm looking forward to. Like

Paloma Contreras: Well, you just took a couple, so give

Caroline Gidiere: That's what I'm saying. I'm trying to like stop this incessant, feeling that I've gotta constantly be having something. I need to just kind of like sit in the discomfort of I don't have a fun trip planned and that's okay. You know what I'm saying? Like I'm trying to relax into that. So.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. I do love always planning something. So like even if I don't have anything immediately on the horizon, I'll start like I'm already thinking about what I want to do next summer as a family and have researching some of that when I have a minute. so I get it. Like I I I think it's nice to have something to look forward to, but maybe in some way it's just like your nervous system it's I guess it's been rewired in a sense after like all of the travel for your book tour.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: And then you and your family have done, you know, some nice travel since spring break. You were in Switzerland and then we had the our England trip and then you guys went to Paris and Rome. So

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. I feel like it must be like some kind of dopamine hit or some kind or adrenaline something that I've gotten addicted to that I feel like I have this sense of urgency. Like I've got to get something on the calendar. And I'm just trying to quiet those thoughts in my head. Like it's okay. I know we will go somewhere over Christmas, but I'm just not even gonna think about it right now because I feel like.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: I need to detox from all that.

Paloma Contreras: Right. It's hard. I mean, I would love to understand that more. I I feel like we hear so much about cortisol and cortisol and like stress response and all these things all the time. I don't have a deep enough understanding of it to like really know how to fix it in me. And you know travel is one thing, but like the last I don't know, six weeks have been nonstop for me and in a combination of like

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: Good and bad. So we went on our trip to Cabo. We came back. Two days later we got a brand new puppy. Three days later he was in the car. Two days after that I had Margot's birthday party. So like all the stress of doing that. then I went out of town for an install.

Caroline Gidiere: Right.

Paloma Contreras: The day after I got back from being away all week for an install, I had family come into town to see my mom and staying with me. And now we're here. So and then I leave next week to go see a client in New York. And then after that, like it's just there it's there's always something, and I feel like I never have a moment to just sort of like get back to baseline to the point that like I don't really know what my baseline is if it isn't.

Caroline Gidiere: Two Ha ha. Non stop.

Paloma Contreras: this sort of like frenzy of stress, this sort of like I don't even know what to call it. I feel like it's sort of this electric feeling, you know, like you're always kind of wired. but I know that it's not healthy and it doesn't feel healthy. So

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. I think you and I both are doing that a lot. And so I'm just trying to let go of that and ask myself why I wanna stay moving my go to in my brain is I need to be planning a trip. I need to be, you know, that that's the solve. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, always thinking about what's next. Yeah. I think I know the answer I ha for how to fix all this. I think you and I need to take a trip. We need to go on a fabulous retreat, somewhere amazing, like nothing but spa treatments and quiet time. Yes, where we like really get down to that inner voice and figure out the whys and the hows and all of that. Like, why are we doing this? Where do we need to go?

Caroline Gidiere: Yes. yeah, and like sound baths and stuff like that. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Where are we being directed? And reset that cortisol the the cortisol levels and everything else. Yeah. Mm-hmm. There you go, there's your trip. Now you have something to look forward to. I mean, truly there are a few things I like more than like planning a frivolous trip. I like just tell me where you want to go and I will plan it. I'm always like the planner.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, let's do it. See, there's that hit of dopamine I've been looking for. Problem solved. Hmm. Yeah. I mean, not Paloma planning something. I took I took a look at a couple of your spreadsheets today and it was like, go girl, get you some spreadsheets using all those pages. I mean, I I could not be more impressed.

Paloma Contreras: I just enjoy it. But anyway, always think about somewhere go. well, that's right. thank you. Well I don't ask me to do like any fancy functions 'cause I can't do that. I can just input the text. We have a fun serve or swerve game again with some current summer trends that we can talk about. And I'm excited to hear your thoughts on some of these. balloon pants.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Paloma, these are everywhere and I would rather die than ever be seen. I don't e I wouldn't even walk out of a dressing room in a pair.

Paloma Contreras: I know. I agree. I mean, I feel like we've talked about the current popular silhouette and like Gen Z and how it's usually like fitted on top and really baggy on the bottom. And I just I yeah, it just now it's a balloon pan. I know I can't I can't do it. I can't do it. I don't have the the figure for that. No thank you.

Caroline Gidiere: Just when you thought it was bad, it keeps it's like, Are y'all kidding? Are you kidding with the balloon pants? No, I can't do a balloon pant. I feel like these should only be coupled with shoes with toes that curl up, you know, like a satin silk satin toe curled shoe. And I mean, I think you have to be Lisa Bonet to carry them off. And yet, top to bottom, everywhere I lear look, z from Zara all the way up to like Callmire and

Paloma Contreras: Like a court gesture. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: You know, the roe is not doing them, but you know, like all the way up the line, everybody's got a balloon pan in a silky, thin s silk sat silk or satin. And I'm just like, what is going on here? What are we what are we doing, guys?

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah. Every yeah, that's the other thing. I feel like that's a a different trend we don't have on our list, but I was on the Reformation site, I was fed an ad for Reformation, and they had these really cute, like strappy red silk sandals and it was satin sandals. And I was like, those are so cute. And then I was sort of scrolling and looking at what else they have. Clearly I'm not the target demographic for Reformation. But everything was lacy or silky or satin.

Caroline Gidiere: I told you.

Paloma Contreras: All of those well, I know the tops, yes, but all like there were some cute pants and I was like, those look really cute on the model. But I can't I'm not gonna go out in public in a drawstring silky pant in like chartreuse. Like that's just not gonna work in real life. Put it on a real woman, a real body, and see how cute that looks. I mean it looks great on the young thin model, but I just I I don't think I'll pull it off 'cause there's n it's not forgiving.

Caroline Gidiere: Now listen, let me let me tell you what. I got a pair of satin, I told you about my Nellie Elson pantaloons that I've been wearing. And I have deluded myself into thinking that they're actually cute. I wear them with little white t shirt and some little wedge thongs, little and they have lace on the bottom. Are other people laughing at me? Maybe.

Paloma Contreras: Yes.

Caroline Gidiere: Maybe they are. But I feel like they look cute and I got them from the information. So you saying that, I'm like my worst fears are being re realized right now. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Well you No, you you take more risks than I do, I think. Like, even though you're a very classic dresser, I think in terms of a silhouette, I'm super boring. Like I know what works for my body and I kind of stick to that and I'm not willing to like take a risk on a Bermuda short. would it work? Maybe. Like there are girls on my team that wear Bermuda pants or Bermuda shorts and look super cute. I mean they're really cute on them and they look very chic, but I just don't know.

Caroline Gidiere: Well, my legs are okay from the knees down, you know, and everybody has to make that. We all have parts of our body that we don't feel comfortable uncovered. You know what I'm saying? And I've become comfortable with my beefy arms. I've I've come to to terms with that they're never gonna be these thin little light things that I would like. So I I

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah. We do not have beef yarns.

Caroline Gidiere: And I'd rather have it's something about having clothing, the restriction at the top, but I really don't want to show anything from halfway up my kneecap up. So a big Bermuda, the fact that this is a big trend is just such a gift for me. Because I don't because otherwise I'm wearing a Bermuda short and looking like an old lady because up until this year, nobody was wearing.

Paloma Contreras: Right. Right.

Caroline Gidiere: or last summer, nobody was wearing a Bermuda short. Let's get something clear. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: No, they're everywhere and you make them look good. You make them look good. Okay, moving on. Oversize button downs.

Caroline Gidiere: This is like those oversized jeans. And nobody in the world needs an oversized button down and an oversized jean unless you are in college, you know, and you are just got a chip clip in your hair, you're wearing some flip-flops, and you're going to get a mocha before you head to class. I mean, that's fine. But the rest of us out here in the real world with real jobs should never wear this. I like an oversized button down, but I think you have to put something underneath it that is very pared down, whether it's

Paloma Contreras: Not together. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: open and you've got a tank top underneath and a sh see I can't wear a short short or a short skirt but I think you if you had the body you could do that the big and the tiny and the small but it's hard to do an oversized button down plus anything normal size without just looking like you don't care.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I like an oversized button-down. I mean not super oversized, but like a boyfriend kind of fit, you know, like a little roomier, a little bit less body con. Like a jean, I sh I'm sure you've seen me in one. A a s straight fit, like slimmer fit jean, or like a cigarette pant. Like something that's slim.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Well what do you wear it with like a jean? Like a tight gene or Never I've seen you in button downs that are, let's just say, have a longer line. I've never seen you in these oversized button downs.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah, I mean I I know what you're talking about. I think the trend is like very oversized and long and kind of baggy. I like I said, I mean like an Ann Mashburn boyfriend shirt, something like that, I could that's that's my speed. That's more my speed.

Caroline Gidiere: Huge. Yeah, yeah. yours are more tailored and maybe they have a longer line, which is much more flattering. You know, la button downs when they're not tucked in, you have to be real careful where they hit, because they can create a line at the widest part of your body and you don't want to do that. So no, I get it, but so many of these

Paloma Contreras: Wasn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah, and like cropped and oversized, forget about it.

Caroline Gidiere: Ugh no, you have to be a rail and completely flat chested to ever and to ever make a cropped oversized button down work.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Right. And I still don't think it would look good. okay, neutral nails.

Caroline Gidiere: Okay, so this na neutral slash natural nail. I mean, I like it. It's how I spent my life until like eight years ago. but my nails don't they just don't look clean and refined when I guess I'm not gonna care for them enough. It's easier for me to have an appointment to have somebody

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: Do something. I mean my nails are neutral ish, but they're long because they're the the hybrid gel, you know, the like gel that they squish on top of it and they sand it off with the Dremel instead of putting the chemicals on it. I think it looks pretty. I love it. I would do it and just like a nice little thing, but but I just I can't make it work with my life. How about you?

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah. I have worn red I've had red nails exclusively probably for at least the last fifteen years. And before that in my life as a school teacher, I always had neutral nails. I wore OPI bubble bath most of the time. so really light and neutral. And I feel like during the pandemic and then

Caroline Gidiere: Red. Yeah, yeah.

Paloma Contreras: again maybe like a year ago, two years ago, I did more neutral just for maintenance. and I feel without my red nails. So I like always doing the same. I feel like it's classic. It goes with everything. I don't have to make a decision. You know, I walk in and they're like go pick out your color and I'm like, nope, they know. Like every time it's the same. so that's just that's me. I I like a red nail.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm. Yeah. Signature. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: My mom had always had red nails when I was growing up, so I think somehow it imprinted itself on me.

Caroline Gidiere: Ma Always, always a red nail, or in the summer she would switch to like fuchsia, you know, like a hot pink. but she would never in a million years ever go with a with a

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. U neutral, yeah. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: Pale peachy pink. No, not for her. but yeah, they always look good. And I think in our business, your nails have to look good because we have to use our hands for stuff like we're showing people things. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. I mean we're constantly showing people things, samples and fabrics and you know.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. And and people take a lot from that. I mean, it's a subtle thing of the details matter. It says the details matter.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. a hundred percent. I mean, I can't tell you, like I am very careful about commenting on like a appearance or anything on an employee. But if somebody has a chip nail, we have to talk about it. Like, you can't come to work. It's one thing if it just chipped, but

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Mm.

Paloma Contreras: If your nails have been chipped for days and it's unnoticable, like that's an issue because as you said, we're showing people things and it's a small sort of signal to the level of care and the attention to detail that we pay.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm, for sure. Honey, don't come in here with those chip nails and and a pair of platform clod hoppers. It ain't gonna work. I'm not gonna have it.

Paloma Contreras: Mm mm mm mm nope nope not here. okay woven or basket bags.

Caroline Gidiere: I I mean, of course, right? Like I don't know which kind we're talking about, but yeah, I'm always down for a basket or what I mean, I don't like a hard basket. I feel like it can feel like cosplay, like you're, you know, ha pretending like you, you know, go to the market or something like that. I I have one of those like Jane Birkin had and I I've carried it all at once because I felt like

Paloma Contreras: Yeah, I and especially in the summer. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: you know, I had my berries in my basket and it just didn't feel like a real purse. but I have a ton of woven bags, with like little leather straps, all sorts of different ones from over the years and I love it. I think it's great, particularly with like white in the summer or with anything. I have one today, you know, with my sun sundress. I think I think if you put it with a neutral sandal, I mean, you can pair it with anything in the summer.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. It's a classic. tomato red and this is more in terms of clothing.

Caroline Gidiere: I love tomato red. It's one of the few colors that

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: Well, in dresses. I I I don't wear I don't wear colors in my other clothes, but in dresses I I'm I'm always drawn to a tomato red. I think it it you have to play it to your color palette and did have you gotten your colors done yet?

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, no.

Caroline Gidiere: Do you wear tomato wret? You wore it you wore it the last podcast and it looked great. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: I need to. I wore red the other day. Yeah, I I don't wear a lot of red. but I do like it and I feel like when I wear it, I feel good in it. I just yeah, I feel like it's a color that kind of commands attention in a way, and so I don't have a lot of it like wearing that shirt the other day, I was like, gosh, like is it too bold? But I love it as a color and I feel like it's everywhere right now.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm. Yeah. If there's a lot around, I think it's because of the row has made tomato red a staple in that there's at least a piece or two each collection that shows up that's this bright red. and so other people have kind of taken off on that. And then a couple of years ago we had the like tomato summer, tomato girl summer. yeah. But

Paloma Contreras: Mm. Yes, Tomato Girl Summer. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: I mean it's a classic. It's like never goes out. I I I like I love a red dress. I I die for a red dress.

Paloma Contreras: I do too. I do too. I'm trying to think there's a quote I'm looking it up really quickly. I can't remember who said it. How do you feel about a red shoe?

Caroline Gidiere: An actual red shoe I'm not gonna wear, and I can tell you this for sure. I have a I have a line in my and the reason I have so many shoes by the way, I've already adopted a defensive posture on this, is because I've been collecting shoes for a really long time and I buy a nice shoe and I take good care of it and then I don't give it away. The crappy ones don't last long and they go away. But so I have pink all on one shelf and then have a darker red shelf.

Paloma Contreras: Uh-huh. Love it.

Caroline Gidiere: These are all wine, okay?

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Well wine's different than red. I'm talking about a true red.

Caroline Gidiere: That's right. I have one true red shoe. Okay. I've never worn it.

Paloma Contreras: Mm. Well, I can't I just Googled it really quickly. Yeah. I I can't see I can't couldn't find who who said this and maybe you've heard this or maybe somebody listening has. But some someone, I feel like it was a woman of an older generation, said that red shoes should only be worn by children or tarts. The fact that she said tarts tells me it was somebody from a while back, but

Caroline Gidiere: It is it sits there and I can't find a way to mm. Mm-hmm. I agree. Older. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Like my grandmother's age.

Paloma Contreras: I yeah, I'm like I I don't know that I disagree. I did like those red sandals I saw the other day and they were very like super strappy, like really minimal. Yeah, and then yeah, we're not wearing a red pump.

Caroline Gidiere: Sandals something different, yeah, because it's venable and and I do have the red bottom row flip flops. They've got a black thong and it's red rubber, but that's super casual and it's like just the sole of it. But the red shoe, the the winter pointy toe kitten heel red shoe that I have ha it has been on my shell. I thought it was a good idea.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yep.

Caroline Gidiere: And they sat there long enough, I couldn't send it back. It's really it's been like three years and they are still there's they've never been worn and I asked myself if I ever will. I mean, just I don't even know why I bought I don't know.

Paloma Contreras: Put on the real reel. Sell Get rid of Yeah. I mean, it it's been long enough, you're not gonna wear them. what a okay, mid midi skirts.

Caroline Gidiere: That's a good idea. Yeah. Hey, here's an idea. Truth. What are we calling MIDI? What what's your

Paloma Contreras: like it hits at the calf or the ankle, I guess. The calf?

Caroline Gidiere: Okay, this all depends on the shape of the skirt. Now pencil flowy, flowy, midi, yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Like flowy, a flowy one. You know, like the flowy and the bubble hems, like the ones that are trendy right now, not like an A line corporate lawyer skirt.

Caroline Gidiere: I mean, let me just say that there is no man's land. Okay. There's what we used to call in high school dumb length. Okay. And when a skirt hits straight across the middle of your calf, this is dumb length because everybody looks dumb. Everybody looks dumb.

Paloma Contreras: That's funny.

Caroline Gidiere: With their skirt right there. Unless you've got some fabulous body and it's like skin tight or whatever, you don't you want it to either come where your cap like starts to narrow, okay, in that little part, or you want it to go below the bulge. But when you cut a skirt straight across the bulge of your thigh, it just makes you look like you've got thick legs all the way up and it just looks dumb. Okay. So, and that was my best friend in high school, Leslie always used to call it dumb length. Anyway, so

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: I can do a MIDI, but it's gotta hit below dumb length, okay, or above it. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Below the calf. Yeah. I agree. I'm wearing one today and I I'm into it. flip flops.

Caroline Gidiere: Honey, I'm into them. I've been wearing them. Like I said, I've been wearing them. Okay, hear me out. Okay. When I traveled, you know, we were talking about all of that, and I was kind of ashamed about my sweatsuit idea. Okay. And I had a sweatsuit for the for the airport. I did wear a sweatsuit when I was traveling. To Switzerland to go skiing back and forth because I needed something really warm and cozy. Okay. But then when I've been traveling since then, I've been ashamed to do the sweatsuit. so I have a comfortable pair of black pants that I have worn with a black flip flop, okay, through the airport. Doesn't seem like, but it looks very kind of the the row coated with a black blazer. it's just a

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. What kind of flip flop? Like what material?

Caroline Gidiere: well I have several, but I have a leather, it's a leather flip-flop. I'm wearing it with a black slack, a blazer, and a white t-shirt with a sweater tied at my collar. So then I can take the blazer off, just wear the sweater. I also have my compression stockings socks that I always slip on whenever I'm flying. And with the flip-flop, that makes it easy. I can also

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Uh-huh. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: squish back into the flip-flop to go to the bathroom without having to take the socks off and everything. So I'm kind of if I don't have to do a ton of walking, I'm down for a flip-flop. And I have some Havanayas and I have a pair by the rows. I said, I like a flip-flop. I also think you can take like I have a satin skirt and when I pair it that's knee length. When I pair it with a flip-flop,

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: and like a tank top. It it's a nice little high low combo.

Paloma Contreras: I think you wore that in England one day with like a windbreaker. And I remember that it looked chic. And I I think it's a chic look. It's just when I try I just I don't know. It's one of those things like I like it conceptually and I like a f I like will wear a flip-flop to the beach or at the pool. but I just I don't know. Sometimes I'll I'll try it and I'm like I just can't like I don't know that I'm gonna go into the office with a flip-flop on.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. A flip flop. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: It's just a mental hang up I have. But I think it looks great on other poop.

Caroline Gidiere: Now it is a slippery slope. I've wondered about it as I head in, but I'm whenever I'm wearing a flip flop, I want something nice. Let's just put it that way. I mean, I'm not gonna wear, I'm not trudging around. Like if I was wearing something like I don't know that I would wear like plain jeans and a t shirt and a flip flop to the office. You know what I'm saying? Like

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Right.

Caroline Gidiere: I will I wear it with a silk satin skirt and a t-shirt at like something that's very obviously high low to create that tension between the casual and the fancy. And I think that's a that's a way you can wear it to the office. If it's very clear that you're all styled up, you can throw in a flip-flop with like a nice dress, if the color is right and your toes are done and it's all a vibe.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Mm hmm. Right.

Caroline Gidiere: I think you can do it.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah, okay. what about polka dots?

Caroline Gidiere: I love to see people in polka dots. I could do a fancy dress in a polka dot, like a ball gown, day in and day out. Am I going to ever wear the polka dot thing in my closet? Never.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I agree with you actually the way you say that, and describe it. I feel like yes, in a formal gown, yes. I think it's chic on other people. I can't think of anything I have in my closet that's like a polka dot for day to day. You know, blouse. Mm-mm. Definitely not a pant, no.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, am I gonna wear a polka dot pant? Not on your life. Definitely not a polka dot shirt either. I'm just not gonna do it. I'm I don't even think I would wear a polka dot like casual dress, but I do yeah, I love seeing people in polka dots, but it just doesn't feel like me. There's something too precious about it in a everyday

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Maybe I just like them in theory, because I feel like I don't even buy polka dots per market. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yes.

Caroline Gidiere: article that I can't do. I my personality is not that effervescent, let's just say.

Paloma Contreras: Right. Yeah. So only in an Oscar or Carolina gown will we wear a polka dot. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, yeah, 100% love it. Put a yellow bow on it even, like a sash or something, and I'm I absolutely down. And I never think other people look too saccharin or anything when I see it.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. I I get that. I get that a hundred percent. I feel like that's exactly how I feel about a lot of the trends we talked about is sometimes they look great on other people. I just I can't do it for myself. And that's not to say I don't think that other people look great. Yeah. Okay. so you have a hot take for us.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I do. And here's my question. At what point should men just have their natural hair color and not dye it? Now with women, honey, you color that hair as long as you want to. But with men, I saw Mick Jagger. He was at the Louis Vuitton show or maybe it was Dior, I'm not sure which one of He showed up and he's got this beautiful.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: big head of mousy brown hair and I'm like this is this just looks like you've got on some gigantic wig and it looks bad. And

Paloma Contreras: Poppy hair. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well that's where Keith Richards has it right, 'cause he's been, you know, gray or white for

Caroline Gidiere: And Paul McCartney too. I'm like, guys, it's it like there's no, there's no in no world in no world is this your natural hair color. Now I know with ladies and certainly people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones because I would probably be completely gray. But I'm just saying I've got a whole vibe over here that I'm marking from head to toe. You can't just do the hair and have you know, like

Paloma Contreras: The jig is up. The jig is up. Mm. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: The and the face don't matter, you know, like you gotta do the whole thing.

Paloma Contreras: I agree. So I mean, I feel like my hot take would be men shouldn't dye their hair at all. Like I think that salt and pepper hair looks so dignified and men have it easy in that way that as they get older they tend to get better looking and like having the salt and pepper hair and then eventually having it gray, it actually looks great. I think it's elegant, I think it it can be sexy, like

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Me too. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: Don't fight it, you know, it's I think it's like you said, different for women, different standards. it it's a really big decision for a woman to embrace, you know, being grey or having her hair go white. That's I feel like a different topic. But on men I just feel like it's so obvious when their hair is dyed and you're not fooling anybody 'cause to your point, like you're like, I have this is not just about the hair, like we've got a whole thing going on here.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: to keep this youthful look. So if you're just dying your hair and the face is untouched, you're not fooling anybody that you're younger. So I feel like just embrace it and go gray if you're a man.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. And also in that video, Mick Jagger looked like he needed a cane but was too proud to carry it. You know what I'm saying? Like

Paloma Contreras: God bless him. He's still out there doing his thing. I mean he's in his he's well into his eighties and he's still performing. He's still recording music. Still playing instruments. Like that's incredible.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah. It reminded me of when Fleetwood Mac was touring the last time. Stevie Nicks, who I die for. I mean, love. Okay, always. And she's always been Bohemian and twirled and done all that. But she is in her 80s. And she had a platform shoe. I'm not gonna kid you. Like the front platform was like.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. I love her. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: a whole novel, like a book, you might imagine, like a paperback novel on the for the front pad. And then a a very chunky heel, but it was like her black boot. But like the the face of it was like a moon pie. I mean like the bottom of it was huge. And so she had these like a kind of I mean just like stabilizer boots. And then she was kind of teetering around. I was like, girl

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Mm. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: You need to mm mm-mm. No, maybe just sway. Let's don't twirl around. I'm afraid for you to lose your balance out here in the middle, in the middle of the show. And, you know, I kind of imagine it would be hard. So it was kind of heartbreaking seeing it's like, okay, I guess this moment is over. If I saw Mick Jagger not able to move like Jagger, you know, on the stage, it's one thing to see him walking around. Maybe he had hip surgery last week or something like that.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: But if he's up on the stage moving like that and ain't nobody got a time for that all s

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. You gotta leave them wanting more, you know. I I think the that ship sailed a while ago in terms of like, you know, going out on your at your prime, but I do respect and you don't know the reasons. I mean, I feel like surely they have plenty of money, but you you don't know. I mean, who knows what their is. And as you spoke about dopamine and traveling, like just imagine how hooked you get on the adoration of the audience.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's also Sure. It's also not lost on me that Elton John is sitting in a chair on the stage all the time. Every time we see him, like, can he actually even walk right now? Because he doesn't even get up to like say, Thanks, guys. He's just like in his chair. Yeah. I wonder. Who knows? but like he was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hey, there's something we should do. I I well on my bucket list.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah, yes. Hm. He's wheeled in and wheeled out. Who knows?

Caroline Gidiere: On my list of things in life that I really want to do, I want to go to the induction ceremony of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame one year. Because it doesn't make any difference what year it is. It's always incredible because they're iconic, who whoever it is. And you know all the words to all the songs. So I'm desperate to do that. And they're always celebrities all over the audience, and it looks like such a fun con, like great concert because

Paloma Contreras: let's do it. I I love music. Mm-hmm. For sure. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: Everybody who performs the songs of the people. That was the last time I saw Elton John. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: I love that idea. Great. Well, let's go into some listener questions before we run out of time. we received two this week from Cindy Taylor. She writes, I need an interior designer, but I love design and the hunt for art and antiques. So I'm assuming what she means is

Caroline Gidiere: Okay. All right.

Paloma Contreras: She knows that she needs additional help, but she loves those parts of the design process and maybe doesn't want to give them up or maybe wonders if a designer would be willing to work with her if she also likes the hunt for art and antiques. How do you feel about that? What would you advise her to do?

Caroline Gidiere: Well, this is complicated. there's not a there's not a bright line answer to this one. I think she may just have to give it a shot with someone and see what happens and explain her situation her position and see see who's game for it. Some people will be and some people won't. I have

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Right.

Caroline Gidiere: Some clients who have very one in particular who is who really loves art and antiques. We're doing a huge project. She is never going to buy something and bring it in and present it, but she's like sending me ideas and these help me triangulate, like, she really loves this type of mirror. So

Paloma Contreras: Right.

Caroline Gidiere: Let me find a really good one that's like that and find a place in her house. You know what I'm saying? Like where we're gonna put it. And that I I'm happy to do. Like she and that's what she wants me to like. I I just love these. Where do we, where do we put something like this? Like a alabaster dish light. You know, it's like, okay, great. Why don't we put one of those over here? And she sent me one and it was like, I love these. What do we do with it? I think that.

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Caroline Gidiere: You can have a great companion because I love working with this client. She's got beautiful taste. She doesn't great ideas and we can take it and run with it. but I have had clients who want to know what the dimensions are and all that kind of stuff. They want to go and buy things, and then you get this tension in between like, what are we doing here? Like, who's who's in charge?

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Right. I think, yeah. The right way is as you described, where it becomes a collaboration of sorts. It's a more collaborative collaborative relationship. And that's not to say that you're like c dually designing the house, but it's a client who is very aware of her likes and dislikes and

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: has concrete ideas and shares those with you and you can then take those, interpret them as you will, prov you know, source things that tick that box, or perhaps like take it a step further. and I I think that those are some of the best projects. You want a client with opinions, you want a client that they like, and if they're passionate about art and antiques, all the better because

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: then there's less education that needs to happen in many cases where they understand the value of c of certain things provenance and I think it's so fun when clients are into art and have good taste and we can work on things together in that sense, but there has to be a level of respect where like it's understood that you as their designer are gonna be the one sourcing things and we're not all just gonna like buy things separately and then see how it all works together.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Think for some people there's fun, they're interested, they want to be part. And if you're paying your designer by the hour, and you know, you can come up with these like limited exposures where because things can get very overwhelming for people and they can be very inefficient. And I think that's sometimes designers' concerns with taking their clients. Like if you took somebody to ADAC.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. Sure.

Caroline Gidiere: It would just be overwhelming. They could you could it

Paloma Contreras: Absolutely.

Caroline Gidiere: it takes a lot of walking through all of that to get your bearings straight, right? So you can waste a lot of time.

Paloma Contreras: Well, yeah, and it exactly. And it's not I always say to potential clients, you know, I am going to show you what I think is the best option and the best version of a room, a space, a chair, whatever. I'm not going to take you shopping and just have you be like, I like this or ask you what you like, or show you ten different options, or dump swatches on your table and say, What speaking to you? 'Cause then

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: You're a personal shopper and you're not doing your job as a designer, which is to curate a vision and come up with a plan. So I think that she can find a successful way to work with a designer. It's just as you mentioned, communicating this love and passion up front and interviewing a few different people to ensure that she finds the right fit for somebody who welcomes that collaboration.

Caroline Gidiere: Yeah and Mm-hmm. And you know, I have gone with a client to Battersea and then also to the Nashville Antique Show. And both of them are great clients, and both of them are clients for whom I purchased a ton of antiques. Do we purchase anything on either one of these trips? No, because it's too awkward and uncomfortable between. It's like, do you like it? I don't know. What's the prize? Where's it going? You know, it's like it's, it's, it's just, it's

Paloma Contreras: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Caroline Gidiere: You have to as a designer get in your flow and it's hard to do that when you're also trying to people please in the moment and you know, it's hard to be in your head and out of your head at the same time.

Paloma Contreras: Mm-hmm. That's a very good point. Our next question comes from a Smithy124Q. Can you talk about the best way to use a consult consultation service like the expert? I am on the expert and I will say my favorite ways of utilizing it are sort of twofold. If you are someone who is looking for help with their house and you have a very specific short list of

Caroline Gidiere: Hmm.

Paloma Contreras: pro like not projects but problems that you want to solve in a short amount of time because the sessions are 55 minutes or 25 minutes, that's great because then we know, okay, we've got to answer 10 questions and solve these problems. And I can give you tangible ideas that you can execute. My very favorite way to utilize it actually is talking to other designers who maybe are just starting out and they have questions about how to run

Caroline Gidiere: Whew. Yeah.

Paloma Contreras: the backside of their office, like how are we procurement and operations and billing and just the way that they structure things. and I think maybe that's just the former teacher in me. I enjoy helping and teaching and imparting what I've learned and sort of paying that forward. so that's one of my favorite ways ways to utilize it. But I feel like when it's most successful is when the

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: end user, the client comes prepared with questions and images because we have a very short period of time and I'm not preparing for them in advance.

Caroline Gidiere: I was gonna say, do they send you is there a way for them to send the questions in advance?

Paloma Contreras: They send a questionnaire, the expert does, and they fill it out, and then they can also upload a document if they ha you know sometimes they they'll prepare some of them are very organized and they'll do like a PDF or a PowerPoint with pictures of the room and pictures of things that they like and all of that. So they do a little bit of the legwork up front, but I don't spend a lot of time reviewing them up front because I don't always have the time and I'm not really paid for that. I'm paid for the session itself.

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: So Heidi Collier, who's a friend of the pod and has been on, does a ton of business on the expert. She does, I don't know how she finds a time, but she does a lot of sessions on it. And she was like, Don't spend any time in advance because that's not what it is. It's supposed to be like an in person short session and you make it as, you know, fruitful as you can. And I know she's had a lot of repeat business, even where like

Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Paloma Contreras: somebody will kind of hire her as a consultant and they do standing meetings through the expert on projects, which is interesting. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So there's lots of different ways. do we have time for one more or do we need to wrap it up?

Caroline Gidiere: Hm. wow. Well that's a good way to do it. Yeah. we should probably wrap it up.

Paloma Contreras: Okay, so we'll save our next question for next time. You guys can tune in.

Caroline Gidiere: Yes. Okay. Well I always love being with you. Have a great weekend, Paloma, and I'll look forward to seeing you next week. Okay. All right. Bye bye.

Paloma Contreras: Me too. Thank you, you too. Sounds good. See you later. Bye.