Her Sweet Sixteen

Now, I must admit at my age, I am a big fan of Vh1's My Sweet Sixteen, a show in which, gazillionaires lavish $1M birthday parties on their spoiled, brat kids. I watched the show this week and I loved the episode about LA Reid's kid, Aaron, having an extravagant birthday party. Although I don't know him, Mr. Reid, seems like a very classy guy. The party was lavish but executed in good taste. Aaron is definetly spoiled by his father's wealth but he seems like a very good kid. Although he didn't get a car for his birthday, he recognized that he got star appearances instead. And that, was priceless. The episode was tastefully done with appearance by P. Diddy, Kanye West and Jermaine Dupri. And it was extraordinary that this trio didn't seem as vulgar as they usually do. What was also exciting was that my neighbor's kid was shown in the episode.

But, I got invited to a sweet sixteen this week too. Not of course in The Reid style. This party has no party planner, just the girl's mother. The invitation is not a deluxe kit but an email correspondence. There is no IPOD containing the voice of the host but a picture of the young lady in a tiara. The party is not set at Jay Z's club 40/40 but in New York City's Washington Square Park. This party is not for a divo but for a bitch, named Vanilla. She is not really sixteen but a two year old Chi-Chi (Chihuahua) and the invitation mentions her latest accomplishment, winning the Glamour Wear Contest at the Barkin 2006 pageant.

Oh boy! I have been writing about pet trends for a year and this really takes the birthday cake. I have had parties for my dogs in the past. Hell, the NYT came to Burberry's last party but I find it too much that someone is throwing a sweet sixteen party for their dog and that we are to celebrate the dog's accomplishments. If she were to finish therapy training and visit patients like Westminster publicist, David Frei's two Brittanys; or she would sniff out cancer like the Brittish research dogs that were written about in the NY Times a few months ago; or she helped find bodies like the Captain Shield's Golden Retriver, Bear, and the other search and rescue dogs at The World Trade Center...then maybe, I would really have something to celebrate but a clothed, beauty pageant for dogs. What would Miss Fido Manners (www.MissFidoManners.com) say...."Bad taste!"