Sunday, February 8, 2009

ARMAGEDDON A KITCHEN


It will be Sodom and Gormorrah in my neighborhood, my friend speculated, just not in those words. I saw a rare expression of sadness and terror on his usually Zen-like face. He knows of these things, he is learned in finance, he used to work deals for a major international financial institution. He looked me square in the face and said, “No, you don’t get it. It’s going to get really, really bad.”

Does that mean I shouldn’t go ahead with my dream kitchen?

If this is stage one of amegeddon, shopping high end appliances seems fundamentally wrong.

I never dreamt of weddings. I dreamt of kitchens. All the amazing houses my parents managed to get us invitations to so we could see how people with both taste and money lived. It’s not about conspicuous consumption. It’s an art form. A finely designed and appointed kitchen is an inspiring place to create. Tools of a certain caliber not only improve your end product, they enhance the process and deliver a wonderful tactile component to the experience.

I’ve always loved a good Ikea kitchen, you round the corner at Ikea, and BAM!! It’s like OZ. But they feel so temporary, and look better in certain light, like a one night stand that looked good at first, but bad after a little use. I want cabinets that I can lean on, that I know will stick around.

In these times of economic turmoil, sacrifices are imminent. Mine will be the Sub-Zero. This monolithic appliance sets the standard in refrigeration, is the height of status, but what people don’t understand is that they’re just plain wonderful. The feel of it, the quality of every square inch. But it’s got to go. It’s my nod to the times, to my recent pink slip. It wanted to keep special cheeses in it, and all the other foods served at the big American dream. But I’ll go with the German model, it simply makes more sense.

So tomorrow, I will call my contractor and start to draw money from bank accounts that I may soon need to buy gas masks, water, and canned goods. Will I look back at this moment with regret? What if the fires of doom sweep across the continent and finally do make their way outside my window. Surely it’s only moments before the doors to my condo heat up and blow open, backing me into the corner of my kitchen. The moment I will stare regret in the face. The moment I think, “I should have gone for the Sub Zero.”

1 comment:

  1. AAAhaa, does either refridgerator lock as in safe and secure? nothing ever really is...economy?... nahhhh ...never was.....this concept of which one to choose?? at such a moment in history....go for the sub zero, you'll be stimulating the economy a wee bit more....and you'll have at last as in the end...of all....the wonderfull quality of every square inch available to you....you must write a check after your purchase, to yourself and be sure to make it out to $$$CASH$$$...place the $$$CASH$$$ from your withdrawl into the sub zero freezer's CASH compartment,(where the ice trays live).....when the moment arrives...The moment you think, “I should have gone for the Sub Zero” remember... $$$CASH IS KING$$$ ..in it's RAW FORM...$$$$COLD HARD CASH$$$$....
    make sure you protect the $$$KING$$$ from freezer burn.....aaaha...another decision....reynold$ or $aran wrap????

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