Things I like about America - Home shopping.

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There are 3 major home shopping networks here in the US, all three of them are wonderful. There is just something magical about shopping via the telly or the Internet. One can plonk one's arse on the couch and it's just like being out doing actual shopping all day, minus the stinky sweaty hordes, rude sales people and having to carry those heavy bags. Not to mention the sheer amount of choice that one just does not find going from store to store.

Thanks to the joys of home shopping I feel like a small child in a candy store, only it's so much better than that, more like a kid let loose in Willy Wonker's Chocolate Factory, minus those scary ooompa loompa's. Actually going to the mall one can see plenty of those, less fashionably dressed though. Home shopping means I don't have to go out and see the rabble in their t-shirt, shorts and thong finery. Another reason I like it so much.

I have to do all my coveting and shopping surreptitiously. The Colonel will chastise me if I shop too much. Still, like a juggernaut, I can't be stopped, I find myself watching the programs more and more or getting online and perusing the catalogue, to 'window shop'.
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On the weekend, one of the networks had a 5 value pay day. Anything purchased on that day came with the option of paying for it in 5 smaller payments over 5 months, interest free. Unbelievable. I bought a cheesecake, my first ever food purchase online. I am having a guest over for dinner this week, that's my excuse, really I just was salivating at the sight of the sumptuous desert. Made by Junior's bakery in Brooklyn, it has chocolate mousse on top, cheesecake on the bottom and is coated in a chocolate ganache, it looks so deliciously decadent.

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I love Jewelery, always have, always will. Like a magpie I am drawn to bright, sparkly objects and I love to line my nest with glittering baubles. Brummagem or real it's no difference to me as long as it shines.

On Sunday a new collection debuted on HSN. While the Colonel was outside working on his truck I was indulging in a fabulous jewelery show. Rarities by Carol Bodie, it was one sumptuous piece after another. A very popular show, the pieces were disappearing before a full presentation could be done on them. Some stunning gemstone earrings were shown briefly as an item that would be featured later on, but that never happened as they sold out immediately. It was like a shark attack, a veritable feeding frenzy. The pace blew me away. My head was spinning as each glorious piece was aired, only to see them disappear in rapid succession.

Ms Brodie spent many years working at Harry Winston. She told some colourful stories of working with all kinds of creative people, such as a jeweler to the Maharaja's of India. How very exotic. I was less interested in the stories about all the celebrities and their red carpet jewels and her work for films. True, the baubles are stunning, but I am so over the whole celebrity circus. What moron goes out and has to have a certain stone or look just because some whiney, mostly untalented celeb, has it? Sorry if I offended anyone but quite frankly, I am sure no one like that reads my blog.

Brodie told the story of how Jennifer Lopez's pink diamond engagement ring was made, how she scoured the world for the perfect stone. Pink diamond's are interesting but I really don't get excited that it was for some mediocre celebrity. What really piqued my interest was the story about the most delicious rings in the program. Brodie relayed the tale of a visit to a high end Jeweler in Capri she visited while on honeymoon. A gorgeous citrine ring was purchased there and she has copied the original for her collection. That's what I find enticing, the gorgeousness of Capri, knowing the ring was originally inspired by the idyllic Italian coast, not by some celebrity slags and their 'bling-bling'. Cringe. The ring I craved is the massive citrine and onyx featured in the picture. There is something about yellow stones and gold that I find enthralling. It sold out so fast, I was still in a mesmerised trance at it's loveliness when I saw the 'sold out' sign appear. Disappointment indeed. I was quite distraught at missing out, but worse than that alone, I could picture all the frumpy house fraus of America who had beaten me to it, wearing that darling 5th Ave ring around, complete with the tawdry or just plain matronly ensembles most people seem to attire themselves in over here.

I did take some consolation in doing a bit of an Internet search for Carol Brodie and seeing that posts had been made about her highly anticipated collection on blogs, thus ensuring a viewing audience of connoisseurs, not just connoi-bleuhs Apparently she is quite a celebrity herself and her Rarities collection has been awaited with some degree of excitement.

America may not have Vegemite or Red Rooster, but it does have some really great Home Shopping, and that makes Chichi a happy little Vegemite.