Audrey Would Do It

Sky and I had a rough weekend. We registered for, and were given, some pieces of Hermes china for our wedding. We had to buy a couple of extra cups to complete a set we'd registered for. Such haaaaard times!

That's the pattern. Balcon du Guadalquivir. Named after the balconies in Guadalquivir, Spain. OMG it's so gorgeous I could die. I realize it's perhaps the most popular of the Hermes designs but I care not. I am blissfully disproportinately happy to have a few of these for my very own home.

In debating which size cup would be most perfect to drink out of when eating macarons and profiteroles off these perfect plates(I said dainty teacups, Sky wanted the bigger breakfast cups; we've agreed we'll slowly amass 4 of each), we made our way to the Hermes boutique on Rodeo Drive to view our options up close and personal, and suddenly I was thrown off course.

I have a new passion and it is Hermes ashtrays.

I think I have to collect them. I, the compulsive declutterer (except when it comes to pitchers and vases and tea tins and linens and anything made by Heath....) have fallen slave to the beauty of objects that technically have no use in my home. Who smokes anymore? And certainly they don't in my house.

However, if I were to just hold a cigarette, I would certainly want to look like this

and if not out of a gold case, then they come out of a box as groovy as this

Fake smoking habit aside, I find these ashtrays sublime. You should have seen the four rows of them lined up on the wall of Hermes. I'll use them for other things. Sadly they are about $260 retail for new ones and they average around $500 for vintage ones on ebay.

But I am not giving up.