Queen of Cashmere Daybook

It’s another monster snow day here in Chicago.  The forecasters have said this is going to be an “extended duration event”. 

Once again,  I’m dreaming of a snowy escape.  It’s not the snow coming down on the salty street in front of my apartment which I can see through winter-grime laden windowpanes. Unfortunately, Daniel, the window washer who boldly hangs on hooks outside the building,  wont be back on call until April.

I’m dreaming of heavy pristine snow.  Colorado snow in the kind of setting that makes one sigh and think that they really are a winter person after all.  In the kind of place that makes one wish for dinners for two (or twelve) before a roaring fire.

While I was in Beaver Creek two weeks ago, I picked up the Real Estate Update a big, luxe glossy aimed at making you covetous of the good life.  Instead of reading the newspaper at breakfast, we perused the real estate listings. 

Of course, Conrad the man/boy picked out the houses in the $12-13 million price range.  Like this one with the Gothic, red foyer whose interior architecture literally screamed my name.

 I don’t think that Conrad realizes homes like that need a staff including a major domo.  My son is a lot like my father, a man of impeccable taste who always had the nicest house on the street, the newest luxury car and the biggest boat at the dock.  Ernie lived large and Conrad is a lot like him.  Let’s hope he finds a way to fulfill his grandest desires and take care of his loving parents in their old age!  

On the other hand, I am a bit more realistic even in the fantasy arena.  However, I’d still need to win the lottery to make my downscaled dream come true.  Now I do know of  several people who have actually won a lottery jackpot.  One couple held the single winning ticket for a $40 million landfall that netted them $18million.  Nice, huh? 

Tonight the Illinois Mega Millions jackpot is $32 Mil.  That would be sufficient, thank you very much.  As I write this, Rom has been sent to the store for some snow day provisions and a winning lottery ticket.

I always say that the fantasy of spending the winnings is well worth the dollar price tag of a ticket.  This is my dream for this week.  How perfect is this charming chalet?  And I might add it’s a comparable deal for a mere $2,850,000.

The interiors would need a little tarting up though.  Inside it was all so brown making every room look like the furniture aisle at Costco.  Obviously, the owners didn’t spend much time drooling over the design blogs or paging through the shelter magazines.  The things I could do.  Oh, another cool million would cover it.

If you came into a $32 million jackpot, where would you go?  This is an exercise in fantasy so cut loose.  Have fun. 

It’s only a buck to dream big.