Who else has tableware lust?

[jgm]

I swear, if I had space, I'd probably have at least two dozen sets of dishes. I cannot go into a department store, Williams-Sonoma, or even Target, without doing a mental checkbook calculation to see if I could afford the latest set of dishes to catch my eye. (I can't. Not a whole set, anyway.) Ditto serving bowls, pitchers, trays... and everything else. I want it all! And of course, I would have to have wonderful tablecloths and matching napkins to go with all that stuff. And more so I could have variations and not use the same thing all the time.

I'm also currently lusting after some tapas plates at the Sur la Table website; available in glass or wood, they neatly fit atop wine glasses. Do I have parties? . Do I serve tapas? Have I ever even eaten something someone calls tapas? Do I "need" these plates? No, no, no, and yes.

Who else has the same lust of tableware, etc. that they have for the food they serve it on? How much do you indulge yourself? Are you fighting with your siblings over Grandma's china????

Some women go shoe shopping when they're down. I can be found at Dillard's, Williams-Sonoma, or maybe on the couch with a stack of catalogs. And one size fits all!

[Curlz]

There's a whole thread about this very topic, 'tho I can't find it at the moment. But know that you are NOT alone, jgm!

Edit:

Link found. Here you go!

Edited January 12, 2006 by Curlz (log)

[Carrot Top]

Tableware Lust falls into the same category of Linens Lust.

It is an excellent obsession, and should be looked at this way:

It is much less expensive to buy a set of new (dishes, silverware, glasses and all that goes with it) ( or in the linens category towels, sheets, pillowcases, quilts, curtains) than it is to buy furniture or alternately to go on a vacation.

To have a change in the colors, textures, shapes - and following along with that the ideas that go along with the design - is not only pleasant but NECCESARY.

Why? Because boredom leads to being dullardly. And we can't have that, can we?

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It is cheaper than therapy, too - and you actually have something to put in the pipedream of a Yard Sale that will happen sometime that will of course set you up financially secure for the rest of your days.

Vivre le Tableware Lust!!!

(Pier One, too, should be added to the list of where the car heads while in the throes of desire. . . )

[Gifted Gourmet]

a thread on tableware here What color of dishware works best?

another discussion here Dinner Plates, You show me yours..

and, no, you are not alone in this ... many of us are very interested in tableware as well .. both men and women actually!

Just found another excellent thread: this looks like it has a number of ideas of value China, silver, crystal, and the table . . ., The importance of presentation at home

[Poffertjes]

When we moved my grandparents out of their three story farm house into their much smaller, much more managable, one floor house, my grandpa couldn't convince my grandma she needed to get rid of some of her 15 sets of dishes. He asked my mom for help, she said to him "wish I could help you, but I have 8 sets".

In the process of registering for our upcoming wedding my fiance is valiently trying to convince me that two sets of "good" china is enough, we are recieving one from each family. And that we only need to register for every day.

Its an on going battle.

[Katie Nell]

Is it just a chick thing?

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Actually, I think my boyfriend has tableware lust more than I do! (And he's a fairly macho guy, which is even funnier!) "No, we should not spend $80 on a sushi plate set when we don't even eat sushi at home!"

[moosnsqrl]

No, you're the ONLY ONE...you must be spending a lot to keep all of those places in business single-handedly.

I am AWFUL. I'm not allowed in certain places without an escort. Between tablewares, linens, kitchen gadgets and baskets (a related addiction, since they are functional pieces, at least at our house) I am not to be trusted. Space constraints are my only salvation and I really think if I get some of those cabinet optimizers at organized living I can fit a few more sets in. I have found myself especially drawn to non-round pieces (squares and triangles) lately, and think how many more of those you can fit in the same space as the round/oval ones!

Whatever you do, don't stop at hobbs in Lawrence on your way to KC, jgm - they have collections of dishes from old restos, country clubs, railroads - ou name it. It's sheer torture.

[racheld]

I've said it before, but guess I need to attend another meeting:

My name is Rachel, and I'm a Dish Junkie.

[Katie Nell]

Whatever you do, don't stop at hobbs in Lawrence on your way to KC, jgm - they have collections of dishes from old restos, country clubs, railroads - ou name it.  It's sheer torture.

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Very cool store... a little pricey at times, but still cool!

And there's always Prydes!

[jsolomon]

My name is Jared, and I'm still searching desperately for the perfect coffee cup.

[Chufi]

I have it too. And since I started photographing my food, I have a new excuse: "that serving dish has already been in a picture 5 times.. I need to give the folks at EGullet something new to look at "

Seriously. I always want to buy, but moneyproblems are my only salvation. Sigh...

[Kim Shook]

Pass the coffee and light my cigarette. I, too, am here for the TA (tablewareaholic anonymous) meeting. I have filled my kitchen cabinets, china cabinet, TWO sideboards, hall coat closet and part of one attic with tableware, appliances, linens, etc. When I went to NYC this summer, my friend took me to one of those stores that sells old china from train, hotels, clubs, etc. and I nearly lost my mind. The only thing that held me back was that I was traveling back to VA on the train. I have talked of nothing else since then but going back with the station wagon to make a haul (Mr. Kim is terrified). If we ever win the lottery, my home o' dreams will come with the biggest, coolest butler's pantry anyone has ever seen AND it will be have to hold TWICE as much as I currently have because I don't see any end in sight for my acquisitiveness !

[OnigiriFB]

Hi, My name is Onigiri and I am not allowed to walk into places like william sonoma and pottery barn without a friend to drag me out....

[Megan Blocker]

Does anyone NOT have tableware lust? Is such a thing possible? What's WRONG with those people?

I just bought some gorgeous bright grass green toile napkins at Pottery Barn. They look lovely with my cream Emma plates on my antique farmhouse table.

Does anyone else love the latte bowls from Anthropologie? I have more than I can count...they're so cheap, they lend themselves to collecting.

Edited January 12, 2006 by Megan Blocker (log)

[McAuliflower]

I had a brief professional career making ceramics... looking at tableware and then deciding you can make it easier (and cheaper) than buying it is dangerous!

So uh, yeah, add me to the list.

favorite self made ware that I could never find (hence why I had to make it)...

spikey cups

"dog collar" cups

There is a Portland OR area potter who makes pirate themed plates and such- its sucha hoot!

[Pontormo]

My name is Jared, and I'm still searching desperately for the perfect coffee cup.

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Cups? Not sure.

Perefect mug?

It is made by Waechtersbach in Germany and is held by the title character of the television series, "House." The most beautiful shade of red I know, brilliant glaze, light but with substance, simple stocky lines and available at Sur La Table for a reasonable price.

[mizducky]

Heh. I think I have a related addiction--I like to just *look* at tableware and kitchenware. My family's skinflint training has got me pretty well inoculated against buying, but I have a real bad habit of wandering through housewares stores as if they were museums, looking at every little thing and going "oooooh." And then not buying anything. I'm sure shopkeepers all hate me.

Although ... I'm going to be moving at the end of the month, and will actually have a freer reign WRT kitchen-stuff in my new apartment share. So--wow! An officially sanctioned excuse to actually buy stuff that even my frugal parents wouldn't have scoffed at! Be afraid, be very very afraid!

[jsolomon]

Perefect mug?

It is made by Waechtersbach in Germany and is held by the title character of the television series, "House."  The most beautiful shade of red I know, brilliant glaze, light but with substance, simple stocky lines

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The best two I have right now have individual flaws that make them imperfect.

I have a cobalt blue glass one that I got several years ago. The handle is not quite comfortable, and it doesn't quite hold the amount of coffee I would like. ~11 oz.

The other one is a stainless Migo brand carabiner mug that the carabiner broke on several years ago, so I have soldered on my own carabiner. The stainless transmits too much heat to my lip when I have appropriately hot coffee in it, but it does turn heads.

[srhcb]

We use china that GF got as a gift from her brother. It's a few pieces short, but we rarely have many guests.

When I eat alone I like to use the little blue plastic plate and bowl we have for her 2-yr old grandson.

If it were up to me, I'd collect a complete service of old brown Buffalo restaurant ware.

SB (or ... railroad china)

[Curlz]

Perefect mug?

It is made by Waechtersbach in Germany and is held by the title character of the television series, "House."  The most beautiful shade of red I know, brilliant glaze, light but with substance, simple stocky lines and available at Sur La Table for a reasonable price.

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UM, LINK, PLEASE!!!

[mikeycook]

My name is John and I have a Laure Japy fetish.

[shrek]

My tableware addiction is a little different, in that I cannot travel anywhere without purchasing a dish of some sort to bring home to remind me of my trip. I have become ever bolder with each vacation and the size of the prized item increases with each trip home. I used to be afraid that a large piece would break, but so far I have manged to get several large bowls from Italy, platters from Portugal and a large fish platter from Alaska home in one piece. Next stop Ireland.

[Pontormo]

Curlz:

Here's the link because they are indeed available through the catalog.

At least with my browser, I have to say the image hardly does them justice.

I was heartbroken when I dropped a bulbous hand-made mug that friends brought back from a road trip to Bennington, VT. Had used it every morning for more than a decade. The glaze was layered in blues and greens. Thought I would never recover.

Edited January 12, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[Megan Blocker]

Whatever you do, don't stop at hobbs in Lawrence on your way to KC, jgm - they have collections of dishes from old restos, country clubs, railroads - ou name it.  It's sheer torture.

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If you like that, you might like Fish's Eddy. They have all sorts of vintage and antique dishware, including airline china!!!

[HerndonJake]

Does anyone else love the latte bowls from Anthropologie?  I have more than I can count...they're so cheap, they lend themselves to collecting.

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I just happen to be looking at those during my brief walk to the mall on my lunch hour, those along with the sale items at Pottery Barn, Willams Sonoma and Sur La Table. I must confess I showed great restraint and only bought a Latte from Starbucks.

I have the addiction, or is it affliction?...please help.