Monday, February 4, 2008

New Discoveries

Do you remember my blog entry about China (not the country)? I mused about the role and necessity (or lack thereof) of China in our modern lives. I wasn't sure if I should register for China. I wondered if just inheriting a set from my grandmother would be sufficient.

Well... in the intervening months, I really discovered China (not the country.) We've collected 5 dinner plates in the J.L. Coquet Khazard Platinum pattern. They are not cheap... so we have to collect them sort of one at a time. AND THEN... I have 12 gold painted glass dinner plates from Crate and Barrel. AND THEN... I have 8 blue sapphire glass dinner plates also from Crate and Barrel. AND THEN we filled out our every day green stoneware dishes from Jars. AND THEN... we got an entire set of 12 dinner plates, 12 salad plates, and 12 chargers in a clear glass pattern from Crate and Barrel that we use everyday as well as to mix in with the fancier plates. And of course my parents brought the Mikasa pattern that belonged to my grandmother. And as if that is not enough... we got a gift certificate to Bloomingdales just the other day and I went and bought 4 Villroy and Bach Golden Garden Magnolia Buffet plates. I just couldn't resist. I really should have bought one more of the Khazard pattern plates instead, to bring our collection up to 6 plates. But I fell in love with the Golden Garden Magnolia, too!

All this from someone who barely even had a dining table in her house until she moved in with her fiancé. I am shocked at my sudden interest and transformation. Every time I get off the BART at the Powell Street stop I walk through the home department at Bloomingdales to look at the china. It is such a fabulous design medium that I had never before explored.

My great challenge now is to find a way to convince everyone I know to come over for dinner with the china!

For brides-to-be: visit Crate and Barrel before registering for really expensive china at a department store. Their metallic glass plates (in gold, sapphire blue, and other great colors) are $15 a plate. And in many ways they are just as gorgeous as the china or porcelain that costs $132 per plate. I was so excited that I could collect a whole set of 12 for the cost of just 2 of our real "china" plates. They do have to be hand washed, but it's worth it. We used the gold ones at our holiday dinner this year, and they looked great.