Luxurious Lifestyle: A No-Win State of Mind

Your version of being spoiled with luxury might be nibbling on a box of pastel-colored macarons from a Parisian patisserie while your neighbor's idea of spoiling herself with "luxury" is enjoying a round tin of Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Hazelnut Pirouettes®. It's a relevant situation. Luxury also doesn't have to be expensive. It's a state of mind. 

The truth? I wouldn't turn down neither box nor tin. 

Writing about "luxury" can be a sticky theme unless you live in a castle instead of a retirement community. If you don't live in a castle and like to write about the "finer things" then you're sometimes poked fun of because you do live in a retirement neighborhood therefore you must be a poseur and what do you know about "luxury?" And if you do live in a castle and write about your grand life then you are often referred to as Marie Antoinette. "Let them eat cake!" It's a no-win topic to write about. 

However, the goal of the luxury lifestyle writer is to share ideas on how to take the time for a little self-care. Sometimes it's just the little things in life like bathing with a bar of lavender soap handmade in Provence instead of using your man's Irish Spring that isn't even from Ireland. Let's say you're feeling a bit peckish, but you left your bank cards in your other purse, and only have eight dollars of change in your coat pocket. You want to treat yourself to a little nosh. What do you buy? 

Sure, the packages of Slim Jims and potato chips at check-out are tempting, but don't you deserve better? Instead, go to the deli aisle in search of a small wedge of cheese that will fit your budget, or ask the deli to slice some cheese for you. Grab an apple from the produce section, and check out the bakery for a small baguette. Or scrap the cheese and fruit, and treat yourself to the prettiest piece of rich pastry tucked behind the glass of the bakery case instead of the ordinary candy bar.

A couple of days ago I was researching ideas. As a content creator, it's important to review other lifestyle blogs and vlogs. The importance is to check-in to see if I am missing some new trend or popular topic to add my two-cents - or even learn something new just for myself. I remembered a well-received luxury lifestyle blogger (LLB) that used to live in my area. I knew she had moved away and I wondered if she was still producing her blog? My internet sleuthing led me to her website where she is still successfully producing blogging content, podcasts, and an author of lifestyle books. 

Unfortunately, while doing the Google I also came upon a forum community whose topics consisted of cupcakes, make-up, mommy blogging, luxurious lifestyle... And basically, it was a forum of "mean girls" hiding behind their anonymous pseuds trashing women who have put themselves in the public eye sharing their love and knowledge of these topics via blogging or the camera. One of the many pages of this community was ripping apart the same LLB that I personally knew. The participants of this forum made fun of her -  from her looks, her clothes, photos of her kitchen, and even making fun of her going on picnics with her dogs. I suppose it's easy to trash someone when it is done anonymously. There were even comments of "What does she know about a French lifestyle? She's only visited France about three times..."

I also happen to know the LLB is well-read on the subject of the French lifestyle. She has a list of books written by French authors that she often refers to and encourages her readers to check-out. 

Yes, it is true that the French lifestyle has been written and vlogged about to an excess and sometimes a bit misguided, such as the other day I discovered a cute decor vlog titled with a French name who used the popular American theme of little red vintage pickups and tractors in one of her "Parisian" Christmas vignettes. Something tells me there isn't a lot of vintage American red pickups and tractors driving up the Champs-Élysées, but I digress. This can be another topic for another time...  

Now coming to the defense of the LLB, so what that she takes her dogs on picnics? Knowing of her real profession, when she isn't working on her luxury lifestyle publications - I get it. When you're around needy people all day, treating yourself to a quiet picnic in a wooded area with a basket full of gourmet goodies, linen napkins, crystal, and your dogs being the guests of honor sounds like heaven to me.

When I worked at a law firm dealing with unhappy and demanding clients and unhappy demanding potential clients all week, by the time Thursday evenings came around I needed a little "luxurious" self-care. After work, I would often buy a wedge of one of my favorite imported cheeses and enjoyed it with a few slices of Saucisson D’Alsace, a box of English water crackers, slices of Asian pear, a great bottle of wine from France or the Walla Walla Valley; tuned into some Italian opera-themed music and had myself a "luxurious" happy hour - just me and the dog. Other than bites of cheese and French sausage, the dog never asked anything of me. She accepted me as I was - - and my ideas about what a "Luxurious Lifestyle" meant for me. 

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