Wedding Wish List

This is a boring post about presents so I don't expect anyone to read it. FYI

During the past month or so, we've had lots of enthralling chat (sarcasm intended) about registry and the whole logistical aspect of getting wedding gifts down to BA both before and after the wedding. It's been rather frustrating having to think about the whole stupid customs factor, given that you can't just bring in a suitcase full of Wedgwood and high-quality knives like it's nothing. If only it were that easy. Now I am on the hunt to find providers in Buenos Aires where we can get some of the most essential things on our wish list (I call it that because we really don't need much. I prefer the prospect of receiving fun and creative gifts rather than a salad fork or a spatula.) without breaking the bank (a lot of the nicer goods here can be up to 3x the price you'd pay in the US).

So far, I'm still drooling over:

1. Anything and everything Le Creuset which is kind of a given. Lots of fun recipes I've stumbled upon require a Dutch oven of some sort and I have always dreamed of starting a collection of the French cookware. Sadly, they have discontinued the grey color I saw and loved a few weeks back. I do love the matte black color, however, and I have found a place in BA that sells it! If I remember correctly, the prices (in pesos) were basically equivalent to those in the US, but at another home/kitchen store, the Dutch oven cost AR$ 1,780. Yep. More than $400 dollars for something that costs less than $200 in the US. Death.

2. Simple, elegant and practical Wedgwood that I saw while browsing the Bloomingdale's website the other day. I love the Greek key design, and I think it's just perfection! I also loved this pattern from Michael C. Fina (thanks Frances for the tip) - it's definitely more appropriate for a beach house in my eyes, but I still think it's so beautiful. I wonder why I am starting to get so excited about these silly things - I don't even think they're that ridiculous, but who would have ever thought that I could actually be enthusiastic about china?

3. A badass knife set like this one from Williams-Sonoma aka my little heaven on earth. It's where I can dream of culinary greatness and pretend that I am a maven in the kitchen.

4. Too soft for words bedding - I really love the sheets that I had from Target, and I love that they don't break the bank but are still durable and insanely comfortable to sleep on. Our bed is a California King (aka enormous), and good sheets are hard to find here, not to mention extremely expensive.

But let's skip from practical to "in my ideal world where people don't need to rely on a registry (I know, I know, it's much more... PRACTICAL and makes it easier to ensure that you don't buy a couple the exact same gift as someone else) and think of unique and memorable gifts"

I loved what my cousin Jenny (who is a renaissance woman - her family raises chickens, does beekeeping, pottery, and so many other activities from the good old days) gave Brooke and Mike for their wedding. She made them these adorable little pots/mugs and included some vintage salt&pepper shakers and other little goodies. It was so thoughtful and different! I loved it.

It's no secret that I love antique store and flea market finds like the old seltzer bottles and crystal glasses. I think it would be so fun to amass a hodgepodge collection of neat old trinkets and gems that already have so much history to them. How fun would it be to gaze around your home and smile when you think of all the fun and diverse things from your friends and loved ones?

This was a terribly self indulgent post, and I feel kind of like an idiot for having the chutzpah to actually make it known via the bloglet. These things have just been swimming around in my head and it feels good to get them down on (internet) paper and more or less be done with it.

Now let's just think of creative ideas for getting all of these goodies to travel 5,217 miles to Buenos Aires without any customs snafus ... That could be the greatest gift of all!