Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what and who my greatest influences are. And in doing so I have realized that many people and ideas have molded me into who I am at 29 years of age. But one family in particular stands out in my mind.
They were wealthy....crazy wealthy. A mansion-sitting-on-a-cliff-over-looking-the-pacific-ocean wealthy. Both parents were surgeons {if I recall} and there were 3 daughters; Elisabeth, Alexandra, and Christina. I studied violin from the same teacher as their children and I spent several summers attending an arts academy with their oldest daughter, Elisabeth.
I remember going to their home and being amazed by Elisabeth's bedroom...which should probably be called a suite due to it's gorgeous attached bathroom and beautiful built-in bookcases. But the most fascinating thing of all {to my then-13-year old mind} was her laundry chute. Ahh....that was the life. Just send the clothes down the trap door for the hired help to take care of {yes, there was hired help}.
The children all went to private school, took chess lessons, studied violin with a world-class teacher, travelled abroad and were trilingual. Yes, that's right, trilingual. Their father was from America, their mother from France, and they learned Spanish from their live-in nanny.
Everything about their high class life-style fascinated me. I can remember one occasion specifically when Elisabeth and I were at a music recital and she asked the hostess where the powder room was. 'The powder room'.....such sophistication!
As I became an adult I lost touch with Elisabeth's family, but I never forgot them. I remember them as I raise my own Alexandra and Elisabeth {sorry Lorelai, but your name came from a TV show}. And because of the influence of one family, I teach my children to say words like powder room and parlor, I have them studying the fine arts, and Alexandra is fast on her way to becoming bilingual {you should hear her speak Spanish!}. I don't have a mansion over-looking the pacific ocean....but that's not something I'm too concerned about {lol}. After all, influence should only go so far....
