June 11, 2019
When I was a newbie traveler 30+ years ago, I never went inside bags stores. The souvenir shops mostly owned by Jewish, Turkish, Indians, were more my favorite shopping places. I spent a good hour each time, scouring their shelves for some tiny cutie item I could bring home. In Paris, along Avenue de Kleber, there was a small boutique with a glass shelf protruding on the sidewalk. I still remember spending many minutes staring at the tiny glass figurines on display every single time I passed by.
Until now, I still am fascinated with small items like tiny teacup sets, solar-powered plastic toy that moves, Limoges pillboxes, or just about anything that I find cute. Note that I used the word fascinated, I didn’t say I still buy. I now seldom buy miniature things because they disappear fast from my display cabinets and since I am now more forgetful, it takes months or years till I am able to notice that something is missing. Nakakahinayang lang. Or if the item is still there, it’s broken. Merong kumalikot.
I’ve been to some people’s houses and their travel souvenirs are prominently displayed. Okay naman yun, it’s a good reminder of the places they’ve visited. Pero ang problema, sobrang dami, hindi na magandang tingnan, mukha ng makalat at maalikabok yung bahay nila.
I exercise a lot of control when I am shopping because I don’t want to fill our house with kalat. I don’t want my house to look like an antique shop or one huge curio cabinet. Pero ang dami ko pa ring gamit, nasa boxes pa. I still allow myself to indulge. Can you imagine if I don’t exercise control? Mas grabe pa. Eh mahirap naman you are traveling and not buying anything or any souvenir at all. Kill joy yan.
There’s an Anthropologie store in Carmel.
Anthropologie has very nice items big and small. Their store in Walnut Creek is a favorite place of mine. I first discovered this brand in SOHO when Oyen was still in college. I bought a set of blue plates with matching soup bowls from Portugal. I had them shipped to my sister’s house in California then I shipped them to Manila. If you visit our residence in Quezon City, those blue plates are displayed in our kitchen, never been used, pinapa-alikabukan lang. How long have we been living in that house…. 12 years I think. Ibig sabihin 12 years na yun naka-display dun. I haven’t changed it even if I have many other plates. I tried to put another set pero parang hindi na bagay, or I already got used to seeing those particular blue plates there. Permanente na sila siguro duon.
I bought this from the Carmel store.
It’s a small plate dish, for putting your jewelry, or candies, or cookie. I thought of buying a dozen. I am thinking it would look unbelievably cute if I use this to serve a dessert, a tiny cookie, a small cupcake, or chocolate. But the hands and legs look so fragile. Baka mabakli lang. I just bought one piece.
Waahh made in China!!!
