So Oprah got dissed in Switzerland by some clerk who didn't want to open up a display case to show her a $38,000 hand bag that she knew she wasn't going to buy. Been there. Done that.
Now I never had Oprah in the store but I have plenty of people who I know are not going to buy something but insist at looking at it. Now these items don't cost anything but it is all relative. For example we bought these two stupid pairs of ear rings that go for about $300 retail. Don't get me wrong. They are beautiful. But most of the people who ask to see them are never going to buy them. But you take them out of the showcase anyway in the vague hope that you are wrong. But you never are.
I don't think the clerk was racist. Just lazy. She didn't want to take out something she knew wasn't going to sell. But Oprah has to make a big deal out of it. Everything's fucking racial these days.
See I have a simple solution that diffuses the situation. I tell all my black customers "Don't worry I follow everybody. Even the white people."
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We just got back from 3 days in Reno for Hot August Nites. Had a great time, except the cruise got rained out on Thursday and there were flash floods, so we had to go back into the casino to our room and console ourselves with drinks and some diabetic coma creme puffs and coffee mouse in chocolate cups......but....
As to the shopping. We like to go antique shopping. One of my pet peeves (one of many!!!) is that they have the jewelry and other items, but mostly jewelry, displayed with the price tag down, so you HAVE to ask the clerk to open the case so you can see the item. Pain in the ASS. Just show the price and THEN I'll decide if I want to touch the item.
You often DO have to touch the item to decide. For instance I saw a really pretty copper bracelet that looked like art deco leaves. The price was alright, less than $75.00 and I asked to see it. Upon actually touching it I could feel that it was cheaply made, didn't have any makers mark and was actually painted pot metal. Ummm... Thanks for showing it to me..... but no thanks.
The moral of the story is that you just sometimes have to touch the items, feel the fabric, heft the bag, examine the jewelry to decide if it is something that you would like.
I know. I can be a PITA for the shop owner...but...HEY....I'm giving you my money, I want to feel the goods.....so to speak.
:-)
BTW: We have now named RENO: the city where you can't get anywhere from here. Town and streets, designed by a pack of drunken monkeys.
If you have to ask, you can't afford it.
I encourage potential customers to pick up my work - tactility and weight are very important considerations when making a purchase.
Also, I think it's good to get the product into the customer's hands - make them think about how nice it would be to own such and object.
Since we're talking objets d'art, when I had me some money I collected raku pottery. Really satisfying stuff to look at. All gone now.
Did you know that there have been not thousands, not tens of thousands, not hundreds of thousands but millions of lynchings. So sayeth the Oprah and who am I to deny.
Lastly: on a previous post headed up by a picture of the young Althouse...well, when young she was a dead ringer for Tuesday Weld, my favorite wild child. Which proves nothing, but the resemblance was uncanny. Uncanny is a great word.
DBQ, Did you get to Lake Tahoe? WE just flew into Reno and loved Lake Tahoe.
I saw Oprah being interviewed. She was implying the snub was race. However, my read was she was more pissed the clerk didn't know she was Queen Oprah. "Hey there Swissy, I'm not some corner Negro, I AM FUCKING OPRAH WINFREY MOTHERFUCKER AND I CAN BUY THIS STORE AND THIS FUCKING TOWN!"
Peter Schiff had a good post on fb today calling Oprah out for being a racist. It wasn't with this incident, but her equating Travonn with Emmett Till.
@ Nick
We were focused on the Hot August Nites: hot rods, classic cars, nostalgia music and all of that scene. It is an annual trek, although we missed last year. This year we took our 67 Chevy Stepside pickup. Totally out classed by all the other really DONE vehicles. Next year we may take my classic which is a 72 K5 CRT Blazer. Maybe.
Tahoe is very lovely. Been there many times.
:-)
The Tahoe area is very nice. The Lake sucks, since it is ice-cold being at 6,000 feet (or whatever, its high) and filled with melted snow.
Its best in the Winter, IMO. During the summer, I want to take my pants off and swim in some warm water.
Nice hang gliding at Tahoe. It's beautiful from the ground, so imagine it with a birds-eye view.
Oprah's an ass, and a big one. I'm pretty sure it was more about her not being appreciated for being a big shot, but that's ugly to admit, so call someone a racist instead, which is of course much uglier.
Blutiger Amerikaner. Immer dasselbe.
DBQ, Most of my neighborhood friends growing up were gearhead/greasers. Hot August Nites sounds like their fantasy. Some folks must drive thousands of miles!
The only time I was in Tahoe was October. It was 70's during the day and 30's @ night. For me, that is perfect.
@ Nick
Yep. People come from all over the place. Texas, Tennessee even saw a Canadian plate. We go early in the week when the crowds are less and the general age of the crowd is "Middle". By Fri and Saturday it is a a real zoo. Lots of young people interested in the classic cars and hot rods, but you also get the element of hard core party wild types. Been there done that....so we leave on Friday morning having seen about as many classics and hot rods as we can. The Reno Police are not afraid to make the bad elements "respect their authoratah!!!" Do NOT mess with the Reno Police. They do not have a sense of humor.
The cruise is great. You can stand outside on the street in the warm August night, with your 'to go' cup of beer or cocktail of choice. There are vendors all up and down the streets and of course you can go into any Casino and get a drink. There are plenty of other car enthusiasts to chat with and critique the cars as they go rumbling by all lit up and sparkly from the neon lights. There are always live bands playing the nostalgia music.
Fun...a carnival and street event for aging gear heads and young upcoming gear heads.
Later for the well heeled are several auctions. Even a Barrett Jackson event!
Biggest Little City in the World. I always liked Reno. Used to love spending time in Harrah's car collection.
I went to HON a couple of years ago. Love those tail-finnned Caddies!
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