After 23 years of marriage, we finally broke down and bought new dishes this weekend. It seems the Mikasa everydays took a beating, and while we still had a decent place-setting for 4, it was embarrassing to have to use chipped dishes if we had more than a couple of friends over. I have this thing about paper plates---I won't use them at home. I have no problem using them anywhere else, but at home....it's the nice dishes. And one of things that pushed us over the edge of buying new dinnerware is the requirement that we have service for 12.
Is it me or do I sound like Martha Stewart here?? Sheesh.
It's sad, but I would rather go shopping at Crate and Barrel than go buy clothes for myself--everything fits at the Crate and Barrel. I stand there touching vases and bowls like they were diamonds. I oohed and ahhed over glasses and candle holders. I think I even said out loud "If I had cabinet space, I'd be dangerous". To which Joe just nodded and the saleswoman just stared.
What is it about my life that getting new towels or new dishes completes me? At what point in our marriage did all of these serving pieces excite me or just knowing that I have service for 12 moves me to invite people over? Is this normal?
And the only other person more excited than me about the new dishes is Joe. Not kidding. Every single time he grabbed a dish to use, he would go on and on about how nice these new bowls are. Or how big the new plates are. He's downright giddy about the matching mugs.
Sigh. It is official--we are losers.
Or just an old married couple.
27 comments:
I LOVE Crate and Barrel. Don't have anything from there but I LOVE it. Always wanted the Ravinia table even though I can't sit on the ground anymore.
I don't use paper plates either-strictly foam...oops.
I missed the hospitality gift on spiritual gifts so if I have anyone over its a fend for yourself kind of deal. One time a friend stopped by and was standing there in the kitchen with wet hands before I thought to hunt down a new roll of paper towels.
Nice place setting.
Winners, that's what you are. Couples for whom new dinnerware brings completion and happiness are blessed indeed.
Gah, my comment went by the waste side :/
I love the place setting as it does not conform to the most used round bowls and plates. I don't even know if we have a Crate and Barrel around these parts. I've never been that big on shopping. A couple of my plates have a chip in them but since I don't entertain that's not a big issues for me lol
I also don't like paper plates and have never even bought any because that's what the dishes are for and the dishwasher to clean them :)
You is fancy old married folk compared to us...we still use the Corel we got for a weddin' gift. Although I done gone up and broke one recently. Thoughta going to da Goodwill to replace it. You downright fancy with you Crate & Barrel!
A couple of years ago I decided to splurge and replace my Targhay dinnerware. I went BOLD! Fiestaware! I love it. Retro, and still cool. I started out with service for 4 and have been building it as I get gift cards and see sales.
And yes...I can be quite dangerous in Crate and Barrel, and for that matter...Bed Bath & Beyond. That's why I try to never go to either.
I love square dishes - George and I had a set that we painted ourselves in one of those pottery painting places unfortunately they only lasted a few years. We now have Crate & Barrel open stock white round dishes - Can't wait for an excuse to replace them with something square...(Is it "square" to like square dishes?).
I drool over every Crate&Barrel catalogue I get - home decor porn :)
I love the shape but you know me...they are white. I don't do white or beige. I adore the napkin. THAT is a color I can get behind.
You saw mine, I suppose. They are a bit more than white. heh
Did you sew the napkins? I LOVE dragonflies.
I am still using my mother's Currier & Ives dishes that we bought piece by piece at the old A & P grocery in the '50's.
I have also been able to replace some of the pieces thru EBAY.
Some things you just can't part with.
Anita's Mom
Whereas I have not yet felt the excitement of buying new dishes, I increasingly feel like an adult when I go to the store. Why, just the other day I bought some convenient, reasonably priced storage containers at Wal-Mart, and I was thrilled. That was a few days after I bought my first broom and dustbin, after much deliberation. My trip to the store yesterday consisted of me buying fiber-rich yogurt, two kinds of dental floss, and jello. Someone mentioned buying a dishwasher, and I was excited for the day in the not-to-distant-future that I have to make that exciting purchase. I can't wait to buy dishes.
Love,
Old Man Taylor
I love Crate and Barrel. I would love to get new dishes. A lot of mine are chipped too, but I can't bring myself to buy new ones (my kids are little enough that they still chip things). Your new place setting is gorgeous!
I love your new dishes! Honestly, it's a reason to buy new matching dish towels, and silverware, and perhaps some new kitchen cupboards and new flooring.... ;)
Very lovely! I'm sure everything you make will even taste better. Haha!
xo Catherine
It's hip to be square! I love the dishes and the white goes with everything :)
I like the new dishes. The best part about them I think is that you could fill them up with cookies and cakes and you would still be eating a square meal :)
Your new dishes are lovely! I love Crate and Barrel too and go through their catalogs and website thoroughly all the time. The closest store is way up in Portland which is probably a good thing or else I'd be there too often. Hope Grace and Hobbes have fancy dishes too!
Hey soul sister - I recently purchased Crate and Barrel square white plates too. May I commend you on your impeccable taste?
ps do NOT let my boy Hobbes out Wednesday :-) But you may have good pictures to post.
I love Crate and Barrel, so I totally understand this. However, now I usually only buy 8 place settings. It's kinda so I don't have to invite company over. lol
It's official- we are some kind of soul sisters. I HATE paper plates. I like dishes, I like square dishes, and you can use the white with ANY table decor! Love 'em
No don't beat yourself up here. I just bought Mike a set of pristine new creamy white porcelain dishes (service of 10) for Christmas, and that was what he'd asked for! They were the bridal registry ones from bed, bath, and beyond. And he's a boy, well maybe a nerd, but we both can't stop admiring them. I think it's normal to love this...well, if you're a cool person anyway:) Enjoy them!
You are not losers! I adore getting anything new for the house...towels, new bed sheets ....heck even new dish cloths are great! I think after 23 years, you and Joe were overdue for some new dishes. And if it makes you happy...who cares?!
Helene--Hahaha! I like Crate and Barrel because they have cool stuff that is not expensive. And it just makes entertaining more fun. I think you need to go there and get some towels, Helene. :)
Vanilla--Well, we are easily satisfied, anyway.
Blueyes--Oh, you will have to visit Crate and Barrel online. You will get hooked, I think. They have no paper plates. :)
Diana--The good thing with the white is that I can mix and match and it wall always look like a set. Everyone will think we is fancy when we's not. ;)
Lola--Does Fiestaware chip? I was afraid of stoneware because of chipping and I wondered if it did. Isn't it fun to get new dishes? Sigh. Funny how something so simple brings such joy.
Grace--I think you can mix and match the round with square. Well, that is what I would do anyway. I think that is why everything is white these days. Home decor porn---Hahaha! I like that!
Pricilla--I didn't like the white either, but EVERYTHING is white now. I figure I can spice it up with colored chargers or placemats and such. I do like it though--the food looks much more appetizing on white.
Anita's Mom--I did sew those! JoAnn Fabrics--they probably still have it in stock--they never change their fabrics. Ugh. I tried to replace my dishes too, but it was going to be really expensive. It was cheaper to buy all new, believe it or not.
Taylor--Hahaha! What is with the fiber-rich yogurt???! Isn't it strange to be buying these things for yourself now? Wait until you get an apartment and you get to pick out your own furniture! Let me know and I'll go shopping with you! Miss ya, Taylor Terry!
Anne--Anne--I bought porcelain, so I think they will be hardy. You have to stay away from stoneware because I think that chips easy--especially with kids. That said--new dishes can bring new respect for the dinnerware and that is a good lesson for kids.
Catherine--I need a new kitchen soooo bad! We have NO room for all my serving pieces and dishes now. :( Martha Stewart has full pantries just for all of her various dinnerware collections. Sigh. I am jealous.
Merry--It does go with everything and it makes you food look really good. We chose the square just to mix it up a bit from the boring white round dishes everyone had.
Ann--Hahaha! I will remember that when I'm eating ice cream out of that bowl!
Beaded Tail--Uh, they do ship. :) They have the BEST catalogs, don't they? Grace says it's Home Decor porn.
DG--High five me, Pally! And YOU have impeccable taste as well. :)
Helene--Oh, I'm not even thinking about the snow that is coming. UGH.
Violet--I love Crate and Barrel because you can get great things relatively inexpensive there. AND they ship!
Sharky--The white takes some getting used to, but I can see having fun with placemats and napkins now. That is funny that you don't like paper plates either! High five, Sharky!
Nancy--Maybe it's the new "cool"! Joe is digging the dishes too, isn't that weird. Funny how your priorities shift with time.
Hot Rocks--I never go without new sheets or towels. There are actual Christmases where I have asked for new towels! I think we should have wedding showers every 5 years of marriage to replace all those things that wear out. :)
You are far from being losers! I think new plates are exciting. It's not like you were excited about getting feminine hygiene products. They're plates! Very pretty plates too!
Lin, They are very lovely plates and we do the same as you; look at our chipped one and declare we are going to replace them and then do nothing! sometimes old is satisfying, don't you think?
thanks for the suggestion on the poem; I can't wait to read it and I'll let you know!
I buy cheap plates because I love to toss them in the giveway bin and buy new ones. Your new Mikasa plates are so gorgeous they might make me change my mind.
I visited a Roosevelt house in Virginia and the house had a room for her collections of china. She had a fabulous collection and huge amounts of servings. That's sheer luxury. How would I like to set the table this time?
Marilynne--The new plates are by Crate and Barrel so they are nice, but not too expensive. Should I tire of them, I can always add color or ditch them altogether. Martha Stewart has pantries for all of her different dinnerware as well. Sigh. It's a dream of mine.
Sandra--It's funny, but when we first got married, I didn't appreciate all the serving pieces and such, but NOW I do! We do so much more entertaining now, so I need a bridal shower NOW! :)
Tracy--We put up with the chips for a long time because I still liked the old Mikasa pattern. I tried to replace the broken dishes, but it was cheaper to just buy a whole new set. :( I hope you like that poem.
Oh I despise shopping for clothes, shoes, makeup - anything girly girls love to do. But get me in Crate & Barrel or Bed, Bath & Beyond and I go haywire. I could go there every day and come home with something cool. Andy cringes when he sees my car pointed in that direction.
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