Diary #1

MAYS (HOLIDAY) WORK TRIP
CAPE TOWN

Every time I had seven buckets of water poured over me in the month of January, there was one thing that kept me going. January 29, 10:10 AM, this lady would be turning her cute little butt in an economy comfort seat of KLM, heading to Cape Town. And the sun. And delicious chardonnays. Because I had planned it so that my dry, well almost dry January would end that day.

For months, ‘Coty trip’ was prominently marked in my agenda; the annual beauty trip that cosmetic company Coty (of OPI, Marc Jacobs, the Miu Miu perfume, Philosophy, Chloé, Rimmel, and Lancaster) organizes for the Dutch press. And if you are welcome on that trip, you can only spin and hum.

First of all, the destination is always to a sunny place. Those Lancaster products need to be thoroughly tested after all. Secondly, the trip takes place in winter. Because we need time to experience everything and to get it into the magazines in time for when our readers also want to enjoy the sun. Then there’s the company with always the long-standing beauty journalists and editors-in-chief. In my case, my dear Karen van Ede (Vogue) and my former colleagues Claudia Straatmans (Marie Claire, Beau Monde, and Happy in Shape) and Hilmar Mulder (Libelle). And oh yes, also Harper’s Maroesja de Ruijter who used to be ‘my’ beauty editor at Marie Claire. So a wonderfully cozy ‘we know each other’ atmosphere. Moreover, the hostesses Jenny and Daphne are seasoned professionals and know exactly what we somewhat spoiled types need. A good hotel, a nice bed, a delicious coffee, an occasional outing, and okay, a cold glass of white wine.

Meanwhile, I am sitting on my balcony at The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town. Indeed, with a view of Table Mountain which we are about to climb. Yesterday we had lunch in the garden of Warwick Estate, a winery in Stellenbosch, and today we spent the whole day swimming laps and reading books. Of course, applying everything from Lancaster. You know what’s funny about such a day of idleness? That you suddenly have to hurry. Just like I do now. Off to Table Mountain, a dinner on the beach, and new adventures that I will tell you about tomorrow.