Barbara Palumbo has a very busy life, between her job, her blog adormentality and her family. How does she do it all?

Why has jewelry become one of your life’s biggest passion?

You know, I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be in this industry. I mean, I had an uncle who was a jeweler but never once did I think it was something I wanted to do. I stumbled upon it – literally. I needed a job so I answered an ad in the paper for a runner on Jeweler’s Row in Philadelphia for ten bucks an hour. Once I entered the world of jewelry, though, I knew I had found my calling. It wasn’t just the gemstones or metals that pulled me in, though. It was people that did and kept me here. This industry is my family. It has provided me with a couple of crazy aunts, a step-brother that I kind of have a crush on, a responsible big sister, a creative gay uncle, and several cousins I go out and get drunk with. My “family” and I just happen to also like to sit around and gawk at pretty things at the holidays. It’s a win/win. I’m never leaving.

Where do you get your awesome sense of humor from?

Well, first, thanks for saying that. I guess it likely stems from having grown up in a really rough environment. I know it will sound cliché but I actually was raised in the projects of inner-city Philadelphia. Whitman Homes in South Philly, which was what they called “low-income housing.” I had some interesting neighbors. Funny neighbors, too, and they taught me a lot of things. Mostly, though, the experience taught me that I wouldn’t want my own kids raised in that type of situation. The humor is what kept me smiling through gunshots, street fights, and drug deals. It kept me sane, and it kept me bright. Tina Fey, who is also from Philly, once said something that I found incredibly true: “You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at.” And I write my blog for smart people to laugh at.

Tell us about your engagement ring and your proposal.

Can I tell you how we met first? Because that part is ever better. So, before we knew one another, my now husband and I were selected to be contestants on an NBC game show called “The Weakest Link.” They selected me from the Philly contestant search and him from the Atlanta search and flew us out to Burbank to tape the show in 2001. We wound up on the same show, and actually went head-to-head against one another at the end. I won. He eventually got the consolation prize (me.) In 2003, after a year or so of dating long distance, I moved to Atlanta. On February 13^th, 2004, a limo picked me up at my office across town. Perplexed, I did as I was told, got in the car, and was dropped off at my condo near midtown, Atlanta. Todd was waiting inside, dressed up, and said “how long will it take you to change?” So I jumped in the shower thinking that he was going to be taking me to some fancy pre-Valentine’s Day dinner. When I exited my bedroom, hair and makeup ready, there was a young, attractive man in my kitchen whom I recognized as being a well-known Atlanta chef. He had a cart of pans and ingredients and there was a spread of appetizers on my marble countertops. Todd said to me, “I thought it would be nice to have dinner in tonight.” I was blown away. He had hired this chef to m

ake a four-course meal (complete with printed menus) in my home, in front of our antique fireplace, where we both felt the most comfortable. When dessert was over, and all of the dishes were put away, our resident chef left, and that’s when Todd put down his wine, got on one knee, and asked me to marry him. It was perfect. Beyond perfect. And the ring was identical to what I had mentioned in passing I’d like if the day were ever to come: a 2+ carat near flawless Asscher cut in a platinum mounting flanked by a .70 carat Asscher cut on each side. I proudly wear it every day. I’ve never changed a thing about it.

Our ladies in waiting want to know. You always look gorgeous, are traveling quite a lot for your job, have a successful marriage and 2 young kids. What’s your secret?

Liquor. Lots of hard, brown Liquor. No, I’m kidding. I probably have to thank genetics for the looks part. My father’s side of the family was in good shape and his mother was absolutely stunning. I naturally watch some of what I eat and I try to work out when I can but I’m sure I fall short on keeping totally healthy. As far as time goes, I happen to be employed by one of the greatest all-female companies in existence – GUMUCHIAN – and my boss, Myriam, is also a mom. She understands when I have to put something on hold because of a sick child or if I can’t travel on a certain day because I have to be at my son’s Boy Scout ceremony. I never had this before. It’s a breath of fresh air. I also don’t really ever watch television. I mean, I TiVo a handful of satirical shows but I don’t watch a ton of what is DVR’d. I spend any free time I have to myself writing, or reading, or social media-ing, or worrying about the future. I worry too much. That’s a habit I’d like to break. It’s making me gray. Or, grayer, rather.

What’s your favorite way to spend a date night with your husband?

Every Wednesday that I’m not travelling is “date night” in my house. And when I am travelling we pick a day when I get home to have the postponed “date night.” It’s a vow we made years ago and we’ve kept it going no matter what the circumstance. But date night doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the house. It sometimes means we eat dinner separately from our children, and after they go to bed, we either watch a movie, or play a game, or just sit and talk about what we never get the opportunity to talk about during the other days of the week. An ideal date night, however, would be firstly getting a sitter. Then, it would be grabbing a pre-concert meal and scotch at YEAH Burger or the Righteous Room, then, it would be finding a killer parking spot near the Masquerade before seeing Queens of the Stone Age rock my face off from the front row. That would be ideal. Yep. That would be dreamy.

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