Luxury is Back in Style

Only a few months back, I considered a post on coupon clipping, which the Wall Street Journal declared was the newest extreme sport.  But I'm here to tell you that luxury is back, with a vengeance.

It's not just that Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps debuted two years nearly to the day of Lehmann's collapse, or that on the real world Wall Street Citigroup (which is still part-owned by the Treasury) just hired a banker for $30 million.  It's more grass-roots. 

For example, my parents-in-law showed up for dinner last weekend in a brand new, sky blue Subaru.  A cousin has bought new wheels, too, and its not just my family members who are in on this.  The Washington Post reports that consumer spending is up, largely driven by new car sales.

Personally, I'm not convinced that we can yet say with perfect conviction that the economy has turned around.  But oh my, is there pent up demand.

Let's face it, coupon clipping may be a sound financial strategy, and yield some great bargains, but it simply ain't sexy is it?  (Which is why, dear reader, you escaped a longer post on that subject). But luxury, with its silk sheets, expensive shops, fabulous wines and gorgeous locations, decidedly is.

After two years of gloomy news, bank failures and tanking portfolios, it appears that Americans are in the mood to treat themselves again.  And I say, huzzah to that!

My own personal indulgence this fall combines two great pleasures, walking and wine.  In early November, as part of the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival, we will be going Hiking with Stemware.  What could be more fine than crunching through some leaves, wine glass in hand towards a delicious lunch at a winery?

Wishing you a luxurious October.  Bottoms up!