As promised in my first post, I had lunch this past weekend in Dublin with my newfound stranger waiting to be my friend, Gina London.
First off, let me talk about the stunning location she chose, The Shelbourne Autograph Collection. An absolute gem, oozing with class and elegance. What a spot! Totally my kind of princess feel-a-like.
I had made a reservation under Gina’s name. The staff treated me like royalty. Well, Gina was a known guest. It felt like I was anticipating a special date. It’s incredible how connections are formed and how the thought of meeting someone can create a flutter of excitement in your heart. Speaking of which, I had set up my phone to capture her entrance, capturing the raw emotion of the moment. After all, preserving memories through photography is a way to relive those special times that can’t be rehearsed in our minds.
Gina texted me that she was on her way to the hotel, and the second we met was truly magical. We had an unforgettable lunch, spending a delightful few hours indulging in great food and decadent desserts, but most of all, stimulating conversation and lots of laughter.
I loved how she told me about her answer to Julia, her assistant, who said she liked me: ”I think this woman is absolutely insane.“ It’s always incredible when you connect with someone on a deep level and allow them to share their inner thoughts about you in the most authentic way. I got her a symbolic tiny necklace with words I love: gratitude, passion, and embracing life, a candle of Caroline, and signed my book. She gave me the printed article she wrote about me. We clicked pictures and loved every moment.
But I needed to get back to my ship, which docked 25 minutes away. So do you hear this? She offered to take me on a ride. We had such a blast, and I promise to make an effort to help Gina have a good reason to meet in places like Manhattan in September (which I will be) to reaffirm the power of genuine connections, embracing life with passion and deep gratitude.
This morning, I received a heartwarming picture from Gina with the book on a flight to Riyadh, saying, “You are flying with me!”