Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Designer Delights

When I look back on my childhood...I realize that I had a fairly sheltered one.

Firstly..it's not entirely my fault. I lived in the middle of nowhere.

I didn't listen to a lot of the 'popular' music. Where I lived..there were two radio stations. It was either country music or the CBC. Quirks and Quarks anyone? Anyone? Can I get a HECK YA! from ANYONE in the crowd?

On top of that...we had 3.5 tv stations..if the weather was okay. It could be anywhere from 0-3.5 depending on which way the rabbit ears were facing and whether or not a storm was brewing. Half of the 90's tv references that people talk about...I'm completely, absolutely, without a doubt...in the dark about. Talk to me about Saved By The Bell..and I can deal. But when a group of 20 something girls start talking about Friday night TV specials..my schema goes DIRECTLY to (and I'm not even joking.) ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FARCE?!

Finally...I didn't even (and yes, I can hear your audible WHAT *GASP* OH NO YOU DID'N comments from the vast majority of all five (?) of my blog readers ALL THE WAY FROM HERE..AKA - THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.) know what jimmy choo's or louis vuitton or gucci or whatever other designer names were out there until I was...oh..probably...in University. Yes, I was that naive. Actually..I take that back..I knew prada and gucci (we were not completely devoid of movies in the middle of nowhere.) but a lot of those other things...I yeah, had absolutely idea about...or really...any use to know. Wearing high heels on the farm? That's just silly.

Infact, I still kind of have no use for them. Sure, some designer things are cute...but I don't base what I find cute on them.

I was actually in a Louis Vuitton store in Zurich earlier this year..

Ha - look how fancy pants *I* am. Be jealous of me. Look far I've come since my naive blank-stare-I-have-no-idea-who-these-people-are-or-why-their-crap-is-so-expensive look days. If you only knew that the only reason I ever entered designer stores was when I was running errands FOR MY BOSS. And it was SO obvious that 'one of these things was not like the other' and that one thing...was ALWAYS me.

ANYWAY. While I was waiting for someone to help me...I *of course* was browsing at things that fell into the category of 'THINGS THAT ERIN WILL NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS BE ABLE TO AFFORD' So while I was browsing....I glanced at the key chains. Did you know that Louis Vuitton sells key chains? For a mere 306 Francs (FYI - the franc is about equivilant to the CND or USD) you could get the small keychain. If you wanted the larger one..it would set you back 506 Francs. Want to know what the keychain was? How it could possibly justify costing what I paid for RENT throughout my university years? Was it gold? Diamonds? Sapphires? Rubys? Well obviously..it was a glass ball. You know, with the letters 'LV' (granted - the LV DID have sparkles on it!) on the same keychain ring. I'm not even exagerating. That's what it was..for real.

To me, this just seemed...well...to be honest...a little bit..insane.

I guess I've just never really GOT that whole thing. So I'll wear a tank top that I bought for five dollars if I think it's cute...does that make my person anything less? Of course not. My boss and her kids LOVED designer things..they THRIVED on them. Little did they know...that they gave me compliments on shirts that I'd found on clearance from WAL-MART. Ha. Suckers. They didn't know where it was from..so that cute shirt..was still cute. Even though they would never be caught dead buying clothes from wal-mart...I'm SURE. This is not to say that I don't have some issues I could battle out with walmart too..but for now...I'd rather give one conglomeration ten bucks, rather then one grand to another....but that's just me. I dunno about you..but I can just think of a lot better things to do with my other 990 dollars.

I'm tangenting as per usual.

Point is, I've never really been that big into blowing huge amounts of money on things that (in my humble opinion) don't NEED to cost that much. I don't see how I personally can justify a coach bag when there are starving children in the world, when I could put a downpayment on a house to live on...when I could think of a million other things to do with that cash...rather then buy a new bag that other people can ooh and ahh over. I guess a lot of the time..it's just not that important to me. And I don't see why these things are SO SPECIAL or SO MUCH BETTER then their counterparts. I've always just sort of avoided that scene..and never really partook in it. I'm not trying to get all up in your face if you are...but it's just..not me, and my head just never got it...and still doesn't REALLY..erm...GET it.

Generally..I've grown up with things being pretty average and there not being a lot of those extra things that are super expensive simply because they have a certain tag on them in my life.

That is, until...I moved to Switzerland. Land of designer purses, private helicopters to go skiing instead of taking the skilift..and THE BEST CHOCOLATE IN THE WORLD.

I came home..actually with a stronger dislike for designer purses. Try following two thirteen year olds - from the allowed, but still within visible glaring distance, six feet minimum - who were oh so full of themselves while they flitted around the Flughafen (airport) with their designer purses that are worth more than you make in a month (not bitter. not bitter. not bitter.) while you, the dutiful nanny tried to maneouver more luggage that could EVER be used in a single weekend out of the country for two teenagers. Then tell me that you don't hate designer purses for making you, with your multiple degrees, hard work ethic, morals and values less superior because you're not the one carrying the designer bag.

I also wondered why it was so necessary to spend fifty grand in a day for someone to fly you to the top of the mountain which you could barely navigate down alive.

But, after living in the beautiful Schweiz for a year...I have realized the value of...chocolate.

The value of designer purses and clothes are lost on me. I'm rather blaise about it all. I could live without reality tv and all of the extra frivolous things that our lives are surrounded with these days..I could give up all of the fancy things that for generations before us...all of our ancestors lived without.

But my Swiss chocolate?

No.

I cannot.

I refuse.

That is simply non-neogotiable.

Absolutely, one HUNDRED percent...without a doubt...not happening.

And now..you all can think that you understand..you've had Lindt..you've had Swiss chocolate..but the chocolate there? It's not the same. Even the Lindt. It's just, simply, without a doubt..better there. And getting chocolate directly from the Sprungli stores..there is nothing that I've ever experienced in North America that even STARTS to come close to that. Belgium chocolate is good..but it isn't Swiss.

There is a little bit of Switzerland that will always live with me...and it lives directly in my hips. And I'm totally okay with that..because it is THAT GOOD. If you think that I'm exagerating..I double dog dare you to get on a plane RIGHT now and go try it for yourself. And while you're at it..bring me back some too.

I've been going through withdrawal in the last 3.5 months being home...my chocolate supply..ran out. Sad. Sad. SAD. It's kind of pathetic..because I brought home AN ENTIRE BACKPACK full of chocolate. I actually got stopped at security and they searched my bag because there was NO WAY that someone was bringing THAT MUCH CHOCOLATE with them.

I've given up eating most of the chocolate here..because it just doesn't satisfy my love for chocolate. It's just not the same. I, hate to admit it...but I have a become, a 'designer' chocolate SNOB.

Except for these ones that I bought tonight. They are the closest thing to the 'real thing'. The chocolate that has the qualities that will allow me to call them chocolate. Rich, but not too rich. Creamy, but not too creamy. Good flavour..not waxy..and just..melt in your mouth drool worthy stop-me-if-you-can good.

I have been sheltered from many things in my childhood...I missed a lot of those 'omg, lyke, totaaaaally' things that were MUST HAVES..and that's okay. I actually prefere it that way.

I dipped my toes into the world of the rich and fabulous and the lifestyle that goes with it. But to me..the only thing that was REALLY worth keeping out of ALL of that? The thing that I want, that's worth it, that makes life better?

Darn right it's the chocolate.

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