Our apartment is not large. Now, with our furniture in it, it can be described as "cozy." Which is fine, I don't have a problem with that.
The dining room is the smallest room, just as it was the smallest room in our previous houses. So, we deliberately have what is the smallest possible dining room table. It can seat four comfortably.
We love that room, especially now that the window is open, the air is clean, and the view spectacular. And so, it is where we have our dinner every evening.
Here in Italy, use of olive oil and balsamic vinegar is an everyday habit, too. We eat a boat load of salad because the vegetables are so fresh and locally grown. So, rather than hauling out the large bottle of olive oil and the large bottle of balsamic and taking up lots of space on the smallish table, I went hunting for a caddy. They have them in all the restaurants - a caddy to hold olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. I figured there must be a million of them.
Because it's the "formal" dining room, I went to Casa Style for something "fashionable." She had quite a few to choose from. There were some that looked a bit garish to me - wild colors. I thought they were plastic, too, but they were actually glass. She had a nice one in a white ceramic with a raised up design in beige...pretty, but how do you know which is which? She had a few that were ultra modern, not my style.
The dining room is the smallest room, just as it was the smallest room in our previous houses. So, we deliberately have what is the smallest possible dining room table. It can seat four comfortably.
We love that room, especially now that the window is open, the air is clean, and the view spectacular. And so, it is where we have our dinner every evening.
Here in Italy, use of olive oil and balsamic vinegar is an everyday habit, too. We eat a boat load of salad because the vegetables are so fresh and locally grown. So, rather than hauling out the large bottle of olive oil and the large bottle of balsamic and taking up lots of space on the smallish table, I went hunting for a caddy. They have them in all the restaurants - a caddy to hold olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. I figured there must be a million of them.
Because it's the "formal" dining room, I went to Casa Style for something "fashionable." She had quite a few to choose from. There were some that looked a bit garish to me - wild colors. I thought they were plastic, too, but they were actually glass. She had a nice one in a white ceramic with a raised up design in beige...pretty, but how do you know which is which? She had a few that were ultra modern, not my style.
Then I saw it. Somewhat traditional without being cutesy, somewhat modern in a simple, natural way. Clear glass, so you can see what's inside and a nice, solid wood base.
I go to the counter with it. Her eyes bug out. What did I do? "Signora, guardate"...Look. She was holding one of the large bottles in her hand and pointing the end toward me. Price tag. 87 euro. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've done it again. No, no, I cannot justify spending that kind of money on a condiment caddy. Crazy I am not. I asked about the white one. It was only 34 euro. Ding dang, these things cost a lot more than I ever would have guessed.
She said because I am a regular customer, she could let me have the one I liked the most for 40. My husband nodded approval. Forty euros it is.
When I got home and unwrapped it, I had to laugh. The bottle with the logo had been turned inward and I didn't even think about looking for a logo, anyway. Bugatti. Now I understand. I still would never have spent that kind of money - I would have gone to the little housewares store and gotten a utilitarian one for 10. Brand name, chi chi, upscale, "Metropolitan Home" Bugatti. I used to see ads for Bugatti products while waiting in the hair salon and skimming through architectural magazines. Ha!
Well, Mr. Caddy, say hello to your friends the one-of-a-kind guinea hen and the hand made glass vase. 
