Sunday, October 7, 2012

Here - Let Me Help You Spend That...

The monthly magazines are beginning to trickle in and, as always, I amused myself by looking at all of the various things the well-heeled consumer could have for the flick of a credit card and a substantial credit rating. 

Food & Wine teased me with a layout on the new stoves, wall ovens and cook tops.  The absolute peak in over-paying is La Cornue's "1908" stove for $14,500.  At least I thought so until I read that this outrageous price tag is 25% LESS than the custom-made Chateau model!  Further, unlike the Chateau which takes months to construct, the 1908 is ready to come cook at your house.  lacornue.com

There is a 22 in. wide Viking "does everything" - convection oven, steam oven and microwave all in one for $1,800.  I would remind everyone that any oven becomes a steam oven if you put a big pan of water on the oven floor.  I bought a DeLonghi toaster oven that does all of that from amazon.com for less than $200.  So hah!  And do you think I could get Richie to hand over the $1,600 I saved him?  Let's just say "Never."

If you are a techno-freak, Gaggenau makes a cook top that doesn't have any burners as we know them.  Instead, the entire no-seam, flat cook top is heated to allow the chef to put his pots and pans any old where he wants.  $5,500.  gaggenau.com

Architectural Digest has given me some startling insights on the state of the Irish economy.  Last month I discovered that a Ryan family castle (Ryan-Air) was up for grabs.  This month there is a castle in Kiltegan (ad doesn't say where this is) with a granite Victorian domecile of 25 bedrooms, 17 baths, 2 half baths contained in 46,200 sq. ft.  It was built starting in 1867.  Addditionally, your $10.1 million will get you 427 acres of woodlands, two lakes, formal gardens as well as lodges, stables and cottages.   Hmmm, cottages?  Servant cottages?  Are the servants being sold, too?  Or will they be auctioned them off separately?

Then I turned the page to find a listing for Alexandra Bay, NY, known locally as Millionaire's Row.  There are only three houses on this isalnd which is "just minutes away from the mainland by boat."  One of the three is for sale with this caveat:  In need of significant restoration.  The house - or what's left still standing, photo wasn't very clear - is still owned by the descendant's of the original owner, one Alson E. Clark, an industrialist.  It has 8 bedrooms and 3 baths (and I see a problem right away) and contains 4,700 sq. ft. in its three-storied Shingle-style building. 

Gnawing bitterly at my disappointment that it was not the entire island for sale, I misread the price and gasped out loud.  $985 MILLION.  But then my vision cleared -- my gasp had dried my eyes - and I read it right.  $985,000.  As is.

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