new discoveries, part deux

ok, now for something a tad more low-brow... but still a sweet find nonetheless.

ARGOS.

no, it's not some greek god that i met out in vauxhall last week ... besides, you know that i'm much more into a certain brazilian these days :) ... it's this funky little retail joint that is most definitely a blast from the past and something that i'm also now a big fan of.

well, for some of you, you may remember when you were little, you and your mom sat down at the kitchen table sometime in early august, opened a thick catalog, thumbed to the boys section (and tried to see if she noticed if you kept thumbing back to the underwear section), and picked out your new "back to school outfits."  what, you didn't do this with your mommy!?  oh, i totally loved it!! let's see, what color rugby shirt do i want this year?  a yellow and navy?  a blue and navy?  what about a GREEN and navy?!?!  write down the catalog numbers, called the 800# number and sat back and waited for the UPS guy to bring me what would we walking down the hallway at cashman elementary in the fall...anyway, i digress...

well, it's this same espirit de catalogue that you get when you enter argos... now, it's nothing fancy to look at from the outside, or inside for that matter, but i think that's part of the appeal.  you have two choices to get your stuff... 1) you can sit in the comfort of your own home and go online, pick out your stuff, and then go pick it up at the store or 2) which is my preferred option, you go to your local store, find the corner of the store where they have stacks of laminated catalogs, look up your item and then enter the item number on a little machine that looks like across between a solar calculator and a speak-and-spell.

once you've ordered, you pay and then you go to the pickup counter.  but you don't get your stuff right away, that would be too easy.  you actually need to look at the TV monitor above the desk and wait for your number to be up.  the screens actually look like those KENO screens you see at racetracks or betting parlors, and i guess it's the same concept really. once your number is called, you win!

and boy did i!  look what i bought:

1) my very first kettle.  isn't she lovely? apparently, every boy needs a kettle in this country, and i definitely "heart" mine.  i think i shall name her chrissy, after my mom.  i feel like i can tell my mom anything, and so shall the bond be between me and chrissy.

2) a toaster.  yeah, yeah, trying to minimize my carb intake and all that, but can i just tell you?  i'm REALLY excited to go buy my first pack of crumpets and pop those babies in!

 

and 3) for something truly decadent (and unnecessary), a sandwich maker.  look, after a while, i know i'm going to sick of seeing sandwiches in plastic triangle form, unrecognizable among all that mayo, and will have a panini craving sooner or later. this maker will make me very happy, i'm sure.

well that's about it... i'll leave you know so i can go log back onto argos and see what other household treasures i can find... hmm... I KNOW!  a mop!  

see ya...