This is how special we are:  Neiman Marcus called us twice in the last three days to let us know about its upcoming “Accessories Event”.  For those of you who might not have gotten these important calls, or, even worse, were only called once, we’re sorry for mentioning it.  We’re sure you’re a very nice person and all, but let’s face it:  This kind of retail-store love isn’t offered to just anyone.

We think must have caught Neiman’s corporate eye a couple of weeks ago when we stumbled onto their Beauty Event.  (We were actually just cutting through to go to Starbucks, honest, but were lured over to the cosmetics counter by people waving around pretty lipsticks.) We were thrilled to discover that, by combining various Beauty Event promotions, we were able to parlay a $120 Bobbi Brown purchase--things we needed anyway, we swear-- into enough free gift-with-purchase schwag to keep us glossed, fragranced, and un-wrinkled well into the next decade. 
We had a revelation:  We loved Neiman Marcus Events!

So when the Neiman’s people called us personally, not one, but--did we mention?-- two times, to tell us about the Event this Thursday, we couldn’t wait to hear more.  What was the free Accessory gift?  Maybe a dainty Hermes handkerchief or a snazzy little keychain? Or, (we’re not pigs after all), how about just a teensy discount on anything we bought that day? 
Ummm, no.  Apparently this is not that kind of Event.  There are no gifts or markdowns.  Just, we were told, the opportunity to come to the store between 10AM and 6PM and be one of the first people to view the latest accessories collections. 

Huh?  But, haven’t we, like, always had “the opportunity” to view full-priced, doesn’t-come-with-a-gift merchandise?
Well, yes, but this will be the newly arrived stuff and we’ll have first crack at it.  Before everything’s all, you know, picked over.  Presumably because, as soon as they’re brought out, the $1700 handbags and $600 shoes are going to be snapped up like Tickle Me Elmos .  Who knows?  Maybe we’ll have the Neiman Marcus version of a scuffle:  Someone will brandish a tasteful pearl-handled revolver during an argument over the last Burberry tote, and Tyler from Cosmetics will have to rush out from behind the Lancome counter to escort them out.  We certainly wouldn’t want to miss that. 
Especially since we know that once we do miss an Event or two, the calls will dwindle down to only one or two a week, and maybe even stop altogether. 
Sigh. 
Retail love can be so fickle.