Shit Rich Businesswomen Are Doing: 'Pedicure Powwows'

If you’re anything like me, the idea of being the kind of fancy person who goes to “power lunches” to make business deals is a pretty foreign concept. However just in case you (also like me) are planning to Count of Monte Cristo yourself and eventually live among the rich as your eccentric and wealthy alter ego, there’s an important trend that you need to pay attention to: “Pedicure powwows” are replacing power lunches. I repeat, “PEDICURE POWWOWS” ARE REPLACING POWER LUNCHES.

“Hold ya horses there, lady!” you say, voice probably sounding very poor (i.e. like a Newsie). “What’s this here ‘pedicure powwow’ you keep yammerin’ on about?”

Good question, peasant! The “pedicure powwow” is how the New York Post is labeling a new trend in which business women meet to discuss work and make deals over midday pedicures. Cool, right? RIGHT. Now back to the toils our lowly births have doomed us to!

The power pedicure as a concept isn’t actually all that offensive. Dudes have been making business deals over stupid games of golf for ages, so if anything, the fact that hitting the nail salon to do business has become a thing suggests a feminization of the business world, which I think is something a lot of us can get down with.

Despite all that, the power pedicure does feel weirdly easy to make fun of. Mostly because of these quotes from the New York Post:

Forget salmon sandwiches in the boardroom, artichoke salads at Cipriani or afternoon tea at The Plaza: Correale, the president of Elegant Affairs, which has offices in Midtown and Long Cove, Long Island, is conducting a key business meeting over the foot basins at Tenoverten, a luxury nail salon inside Le Parker Meridien hotel.

Or:

“Women are experts at multi-tasking so there’s no reason we can’t do business while we’re being pampered,” says Correale, who conducts her toe-centric meetings around twice a month. “Everyone leads such busy lives these days and it’s a great way to get work done and have a beauty service at the same time.”

And:

“It’s much less formal than a regular meeting and you get to bond with each other because it’s so fun.”

Also:

“I mean, how many lunches can you eat? They get boring after a while. But what woman doesn’t like a pedicure?”

Doyyyyyyyy. Power pedicures are the worst so are the people who get them (apparently).

THEN AGAIN:

Is this really more frivolous than any other practice performed primarily by wealthy business people? Sure, there’s a class element to the pedicure that’s way more obvious than there is at a power lunch, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a class element to that, too. Just because a meal at a restaurant or a game of golf doesn’t involve a person who literally cleans your feet while you ignore them, doesn’t mean that there isn’t someone doing a similar job. Yeah, I’ve seen the Legend of Bagger Vance (I haven’t) and I know what a caddy is (I don’t). I was also a waitress for many years and have been ignored by many rich business folks as I serve them lunch.

In conclusion: Rich people are ridiculous. “Pedicure powwows” do not make them more ridiculous.