OH MAN! Yesterday I drove an hour to the Le Creuset Signature Store in Chino Hills.... good googly moogly aside from the Christian Louboutin store in NYC, Royal/T Cafe that is hosting Hello Kitty's 35th birthday & Jumbo's Clown Room this is thee HAPPIEST place on earth. Yeah I know you're thinking Jumbo's?!?!? But C'MON how brilliant is a spot where strippers come to die?!?!? That has it's own scent, a combination of dreams gone awry mixed with the smell of over the hill glamrock stars from the 80's tears, cigarettes & failure. A place where 1/4 of the population is praying the valtrex won't wear off & you could swear you heard the raucous, raunchy laughter of Bukowski sitting in the corner with Tom Waits downing well whiskey. I love, love, LOVE that place. Anywho... while I was waiting for my Lilac Mist sexpot word on the streets is that Sur La Table is replacing the Dijon line to showcase a purple one.Aww... The Color Purple one of my favourite movies (yes I spelled favorite like they do in England & Oz... that's how much I LOVE it) "you told Harpo to beat me?!?!?" "That razor look dull ta me, Miss Celie!" "all mah life i haid ta fight..." Man, Oprah KILLED it as Miss Sophia! Someone posted that the signature store (which there are only SIX flippin' stores in the entire Country) carries a color called Fig.... here starts the obsession.
Here is the glamorous line they are touting as Fig here in the US, it's actually called Cassis & it's exclusive to a store in the UK called Fenwick
I called the store a couple of days ago & spoke to this really awesome salesperson named Chris... ok I didn't just call... I damn near accosted him several times that day.. & the next & the next so 3 days later, yesterday, he told me to come in for their 20% off event & if I came in yesterday I could get an additional 40% off a second item or I can come in on the 2nd & get 30% off of everything.... DUDE what's a girl to do? 20% off 1 & 40% off another or just take the damn 30% for the one thing I frickin' needed... a braiser in Fig!!!! Ugh this is why I haven't had a credit card in over 12 years I would be SO screwed!!!! He was only working until 3:30 & he wasn't working again until next week. I figured he deserved the commission since I bothered the crap out of him.After a couple more phone calls to the store (I'm sick I tell ya but I'm also a realist) I started calling all of my friends & posting on Facebook for someone to accompany me so I won't go nuts, nobody could so I decided to be a big girl, armed with my headphones & head there myself. I chanted the entire hour there to prepare myself. I always wanted a piece from the Caribbean line to call Harry Belafonte but I was quickly realizing that naming my sexpots were starting to overshadow my focus on things I actually NEED-ed. I parked my car & put an hour in the meter... because I knew I would be battling myself the ENTIRE time & I walked into this...
SWEET CHEEZUS!!! I SWEAR from what I saw then heard that must be what the gates of heaven must sound like
The deliciously sexy Caribbean line, reminded me of my Breakfast at Tiffany's homage
New Pearl & Onyx cocottes... so SASSY!
I couldn't WAIT to get my braiser home & set up the table!!! Ladies & Germs in honor of both the radiant Miss Sophia Loren AND Oprah's stunning performance from The Color Purple please welcome my new baby Sophia.
When I was in college & when I first moved to LA I had my shoe guys that gave me the sickest discounts... now I'm in my thirties & have shifted my priorities, Chris has replaced in my heart those shoe guys *swoon*. As I contemplated what to do & REALLY wanted to make the drive out there worth it I couldn't bring myself to buy another piece... no matter how BADLY I wanted to make my Harry Belafonte sexpot dream come true. I also came to the realization after over a year of aggressively searching to amass this awesome collection that I was 1 pot away from being done. I'm done, what else will I do with my free time?!?!?It was so scary to realize that but I am also super proud of what I accomplished. I got some pretty cool & super rare pieces in such a short amount of time. Trust me for that extra 40% I REALLY tried to find something else & Chris saw how badly I wanted to get something else. So I just bought the mini cocotte recipe book & I asked Chris if it were possible to give me 30% he surprised me & said no I'll give you 40!!!! I bursted out into tears, hugged him & professed my love. His Mom is also a huge collector & I told him to tell her I love her too... hahaha we had this running joke the entire time of how she must be SO proud of him that he works there. Some peeps want their kids to be Doctors or lawyers but her son working there blows those tightwads out of the water!!!! Damn I should date him... *snort* HA! FORTY frickin' PERCENT!!!! The list price was $270, they sell it for $200 & I walked out with that puppy for $120+ tax
So not to be one to pass on a dream I have decided to switch the name of my turquoise blue paella pan from Luke to Harry Belafonte. It's smooth & the color reminds me of the Islands & they're mine so SUE me for deciding to change a name!!! Now only to find that elusive pink 5 qt Loewy Coquelle I have my heart set on to name Princess Grace my 30+ LC collection is officially done, WELL unless I may want to name one Julia Child, somebody SLAP me. This was an awesome experience. Oh Le Creuset how I adore thee xoxo. OH FYI the Chef that did the demonstrations there quit so I offered to come in over the Holidays & hold demonstrations myself, fingers crossed that I get the gig... MAN to cook in an LC store, Lord HELP ME!!!
The cute berry mini cocottes
OBSESSED to try my new babies I ran to the store & bought short ribs to braise in my braiser
Mascarpone & Garlic Mashed Potato Bake
Our signed bottle of Sangiovese we busted out to celebrate!
My dames... Elizabeth Taylor & Sophia
