Life's Little Luxuries

[NaokoSmith]

Noticing that writers using objets de luxe to depict background and character often get these wrong, I'm starting a series of blogposts to provide some advice on how to live the good life. (As an added bonus, when you've written your blockbuster you'll know where to go for a snack befitting your newly privileged lifestyle and which Romanée-Conti wine to order to go with it.)

http://feministeroticawriters.blogsp...ries.html#more

Would anyone else care to write one? Fast cars à la James Bond anyone? Best restaurants in Chicago? Discerning comparison of deep fried mars bars in batter from Glaswegian chip shops? (Oh yes, they do!)

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by NaokoSmith

Noticing that writers using objets de luxe to depict background and character often get these wrong, I'm starting a series of blogposts to provide some advice on how to live the good life. (As an added bonus, when you've written your blockbuster you'll know where to go for a snack befitting your newly privileged lifestyle and which Romanée-Conti wine to order to go with it.)

http://feministeroticawriters.blogsp...ries.html#more

Would anyone else care to write one? Fast cars à la James Bond anyone? Best restaurants in Chicago? Discerning comparison of deep fried mars bars in batter from Glaswegian chip shops? (Oh yes, they do!)

Uderzo made an error with Cleo; the Sphinx was older by a couple of thousand years, but who cares> It's a very funny story (and now translated into Latin, I believe).

It's the temperature of the batter that makes all the difference to a deep-fried Mars Bar.

[NaokoSmith]

Originally Posted by Handley_Page

Uderzo made an error with Cleo; the Sphinx was older by a couple of thousand years, but who cares> It's a very funny story (and now translated into Latin, I believe).

It's the temperature of the batter that makes all the difference to a deep-fried Mars Bar.

Fab! See anyone can make a mistake.

Is that an offer to write the blogpost on deep fried mars bars?

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Lets see, Tampa Bay has more bowling alleys and 4th rate museums than any place in America. Our idea of a good time is lunch at Sonnys Barbecue, a trip to the local modern art masterpiece museum (to laugh at the collection), followed by some beers and lapdances after we drop momma and sis off at the house. If we make our living as a security guard the naked girls at the club are prolly pregnant and missing part of one ear.

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by NaokoSmith

Fab! See, anyone can make a mistake.

Is that an offer to write the blogpost on deep fried mars bars?

Would that I could. I'm nowhere near Glasgow.
I'll investigate my local chippy and let you know

[oggbashan]

Originally Posted by Handley_Page

Uderzo made an error with Cleo; the Sphinx was older by a couple of thousand years, but who cares> It's a very funny story (and now translated into Latin, I believe).

...

Uderzo was referencing the film Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor.

[oggbashan]

In the link in the OP:

Unfortunately my enjoyment of an interesting story has all too often been spoilt by my falling about laughing when these details aren't quite done correctly.

Shortly before that she had referred to Dorothy L Sayers' Lord Peter Whimsy.

No. He was Lord Peter Wimsey.

[NaokoSmith]

Originally Posted by oggbashan

In the link in the OP:

Unfortunately my enjoyment of an interesting story has all too often been spoilt by my falling about laughing when these details aren't quite done correctly.

Shortly before that she had referred to Dorothy L Sayers' Lord Peter Whimsy.

No. He was Lord Peter Wimsey.

Oh dear I did! I'm normally very careful about these things but I am struggling against the beginnings of a heavy cold.
And it just goes to prove, as I also said, anyone can make a mistake! I will humbly go back and correct immédiatement.
xxxxxx

[lovecraft68]

When life is truly good, one must add a slice of ham to their grilled cheese sandwiches.

Also you can really live high and add an extra half a slice of cheese to the sandwich, but note not a full second piece as that is just living in excess and flaunting your wealth.

This gourmet sandwich, in my palatial estate anyway, will be washed down with a bottle(not a can, that is beneath one such as I) of Yoo-hoo.

Yeah, that's how I roll.

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

When life is truly good, one must add a slice of ham to their grilled cheese sandwiches.

Also you can really live high and add an extra half a slice of cheese to the sandwich, but note not a full second piece as that is just living in excess and flaunting your wealth.

This gourmet sandwich, in my palatial estate anyway, will be washed down with a bottle(not a can, that is beneath one such as I) of Yoo-hoo.

Yeah, that's how I roll.

Well, lets face it a can is so passe, nicht war ?

[Stella_Omega]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

When life is truly good, one must add a slice of ham to their grilled cheese sandwiches.

Also you can really live high and add an extra half a slice of cheese to the sandwich, but note not a full second piece as that is just living in excess and flaunting your wealth.

This gourmet sandwich, in my palatial estate anyway, will be washed down with a bottle(not a can, that is beneath one such as I) of Yoo-hoo.

Yeah, that's how I roll.

...my grateful thanks for these invaluable tips.

*nods*

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by Stella_Omega

...my grateful thanks for these invaluable tips.

*nods*

I do what I can.

Stick around, because next up I'll talk about spam and its original use, before it became associated with junk e-mails.

[NaokoSmith]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Yeah, that's how I roll.

Will the spam also be in a roll?

My daughter's friend won a tin of Spam Lite in the raffle at the local hospital fundraiser recently. The fundraisers split their sides laughing when I told them she's the daughter of very strict vegetarians!

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by NaokoSmith

Will the spam also be in a roll?

My daughter's friend won a tin of Spam Lite in the raffle at the local hospital fundraiser recently. The fundraisers split their sides laughing when I told them she's the daughter of very strict vegetarians!

Nah, not a roll, but I fry it up with some eggs.

I remember back when I was a kid and there wasn't much money for food.

My foster mother would make macaroni, throw in some jar sauce and if it was a good week fry up some spam, cut it up and put it in there and call it "Amercian Chop Suey"

MY daughter has a friend from college from Delhi India who usually has nowhere to go on the Holidays so she comes over our house.

We were trying to tell her about Spam and first she didn;t believe it existed so my wife bought a can. Then she asked exactly what it was and...

None of us really had an answer.

[NaokoSmith]

All you need to know about spam!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8huXkSaL7o

[oggbashan]

In 1940s Britain, Spam WAS a luxury that most families couldn't afford because it took a large part of their meat ration.

A gift of a tin of Spam was very generous.

My local Fish and Chip shop doesn't usually do deep-fried Mars Bars in batter, nor slices of Spam, but if you bring the Mars Bar or the sliced Spam, they will do it to special order.

My luxury would be Bertie Wooster's Cucumber Sandwiches in thinly sliced white bread with the crust edges cut off.

My luxury drink - Gonzalez Byass sherry from their private barrels stored in their cellars at Jerez. I visited the cellars once in the mid 1950s as a guest of the family. The sherries there at that time were worth a King's ransom. I assume they have all been bottled and sold by now. If you think sherry is sickly sweet, the range of sherries available in limited bottlings could change your mind.

I think caviar is overrated, as are truffles. I would rather feature specialist cheeses. There is a Master Fromager in Boulogne, France who is well worth visiting. An indication of his popularity is the queue of local French people waiting to get into the shop. The French don't usually queue, but they will for his cheeses. The visiting English can cause irritation by buying many kilos of his cheeses, depleting his stock, and holding up the other customers...

[lovecraft68]

My guilty indulgence because they're bad for you and I try to take care of myself is four New York System Hot Wienies all the way with extra celery salt.

When I was a kid I never realized that not too many people outside of New York and Rhode Island know what those are.

They also go by the attractive nickname of "gaggers"

[PennLady]

Going back to the OP, my problem is that most of this goes over my head. I can recognize certain names as being expensive, but I am unimpressed by them. Whenever I read a story with a woman who -- in first or third person -- goes on about her Jimmy Choos, I sigh. Every rich guy, whether he is the hero or villain, wears Armani. Yawn. Names in antiques, especially furniture, I don't even recognize, except for something like Chippendale.

I guess the thing is that so many times, this just seems like a short-cut with namedropping. Like the author is saying, "Look how cool I am. I know the names of these expensive designers and furniture pieces." I see how it establishes the background of the character, but overall this is something in stories that just bugs me.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

Going back to the OP, my problem is that most of this goes over my head. I can recognize certain names as being expensive, but I am unimpressed by them. Whenever I read a story with a woman who -- in first or third person -- goes on about her Jimmy Choos, I sigh. Every rich guy, whether he is the hero or villain, wears Armani. Yawn. Names in antiques, especially furniture, I don't even recognize, except for something like Chippendale.

I guess the thing is that so many times, this just seems like a short-cut with namedropping. Like the author is saying, "Look how cool I am. I know the names of these expensive designers and furniture pieces." I see how it establishes the background of the character, but overall this is something in stories that just bugs me.

I had my last male character wear Wings by Giorgio. I let someone proof read it and he was like "That's stuffs kind of cheap, who the hell would wear it?"

I'm like, uh...I do."

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

I had my last male character wear Wings by Giorgio. I let someone proof read it and he was like "That's stuffs kind of cheap, who the hell would wear it?"

I'm like, uh...I do."

And the reference would have gone unnoticed by me. I don't recognize either name.

[glynndah]

Luxury seems to me to be very individualistic. What's a luxury to some would be humdrum to others, unless it's so universally recognized as "luxury" to verge on the cliche.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

And the reference would have gone unnoticed by me. I don't recognize either name.

Most likely, the point was I was trying not to use the "staples" and just keep repeating known names. Like the wealthy women wearing "coco channel"

[Stella_Omega]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

I had my last male character wear Wings by Giorgio. I let someone proof read it and he was like "That's stuffs kind of cheap, who the hell would wear it?"

I'm like, uh...I do."

I had a bit of dialogue; "What is that perfume?" (because he's practically shoving his tongue in her ear) The girl answered "Seshido, I got it in Japan" because she was trying like hell to impress the people in the room. But five years later, who would remember that there was a perfume called Seshido? I pulled out the name of the perfume, and now it reads; "Oh, thank you, I paid way too much for it in Japan."


Measuring dicks and bra sizes-- same thing.

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Most likely, the point was I was trying not to use the "staples" and just keep repeating known names. Like the wealthy women wearing "coco channel"

Which I wouldn't state, either.

See, that's the thing. As someone said, it is individual. But to this particular individual, names just don't matter. In your example, unless and until it was explained, I would have assumed that was an expensive make of shoe that the character wore. I might have guessed that you made it up, but I don't think I would have guessed it was a less-expensive brand. I suppose my reasoning would be that you wouldn't have mentioned it unless you meant the reader to take it as a mark of expense.

Glynndah has it too. The fact that certain names, like Armani or Dior or Jimmy Choo are so well-known makes them cliche.

[TE999]

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

W. Shakespeare.

Product names are a manifestation of pure snob appeal, nothing more. Product quality can vary widely I'll grant you, but how much actual difference is there between a $40.00 pair of shoes and ones costing $400.00?

When my daughter was in high school, the 'in' clothing included Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, Izod alligator (actually a crocodile) and Lauren Polo shirts and sweaters, Nike running shoes and other paraphernalia. If you weren't wearing it, you were 'out'. They didn't wear any better than similar items from Sears or Penney's, but they had the labels and thus the necessary cachet.

Connoisseurs of so-called 'luxury' items are naught but poseurs.