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Divernan

(15,480 posts)
31. Absolutely - they avoid flash (like the braggart's Maserati)
Mon Dec 21, 2015, 12:35 PM
Dec 2015

Vance Packard's study of the habits of really old money found that they served bowls of salted peanuts at their parties (as opposed to catered selections of elaborate hors d'oeuvres), furnished their vacation "cabins" with sturdy Ethan Allen pieces, and prided themselves on getting "value for the money". The women don't get new wardrobes every season, but rather wore simple, well-made styles (albeit Chanel) which they kept and wore for years.
"That's a nice color on you, Anne." "So kind of you to say - I got this 20 years ago in Paris."

My "Value for the Money" experience.

I lucked into spending an afternoon with some titled Brits at a race meeting in Kent. I took the train down from London to go to the races on a chilly March day. As a crowd of us walked from the train station to the racetrack, I politely asked one elderly gent (in a very lovely camel's hair topcoat) if he could tell me which was the Club House entrance. (You pay more for entrance than to the regular track, but the club area is heated, with a bar and comfy seats, along with big windows overlooking the race course.) He told me. I thanked him and went my solo way - always being careful not to be a pushy American. After watching a few races at trackside, I went indoors to warm up. He came up to me and said, "I've had a spot of luck. Can I buy you an ale?" I accepted, albeit ordered something non-alcoholic.

We talked briefly. He asked me what part of America I was from and how I happened to decide to come to the Kent races. Then I went back outside to watch more races. When next I came back inside, a lovely woman who looked and sounded like Diana Rigg, and her equally elegant husband came up to me and introduced themselves to me. "You must be Nancy, from Pittsburgh." There were about 30 "regulars" in the Club House and I was the only stranger, so they'd all asked Hugh who I was. They were so gracious to me, and we talked thoroughbreds and racing. At another point, "Diana" brought a man up and was waiting to introduce us until I finished talking to someone else.

Being an attorney trained to multitask my listening skills, I heard her describe me: "She's not your typical American. She's got balls!" (this because I had made a last minute, solo trip to London - only my second trip abroad, and enjoyed racing so much I had figured out how to get to the Kent races on my own). She introduced him to me as one of the trainers.

At the end of the afternoon, there were chauffered Bentleys and the like waiting to pick up these folks. The old fellow I'd initially met (whose wife wasn't there because she was at a board meeting for the Royal Ballet) turned down a proffered ride, saying he wanted to take the train back to make sure I got off to London all right (the train only stopped at the Folkestone station on race days.) He got off several stations before mine in London, and gave me a tip for a lovely little restaurant discreetly tucked into a back alley in the Covent Garden (theatre district) area. "Tell the maitre-d that Hugh and Inga sent you. He'll take good care of you. And it's good value for the money."

And I did go to that restaurant, after I went to a matinee of Miss Saigon, and I was taken care of by the maitre'd, and it was very good value for the money. It was really a great afternoon, and a great trip. But the only winner I had at the races that day was from my hunch bet on Jemimah Puddleduck - a character from the stories I used to read to my kids.

Oh, and p.s. - not a one of them ever bragged even remotely about their wealth or status. That, my friends, is class.

I just posted on his thread. PatrickforO Dec 2015 #1
I risked one... catnhatnh Dec 2015 #5
I saw and you were pluperpolite. haha! Ed Suspicious Dec 2015 #6
I'm just a high school drop-out catnhatnh Dec 2015 #7
A day seldom passes without him bragging about how much money he has, QC Dec 2015 #2
Yes - he reminds us often 840high Dec 2015 #9
That's new money behavior. QC Dec 2015 #10
I'm guessing he's a Wall Streeter - day trader, hedge fund... Fawke Em Dec 2015 #15
A transportation consultant, he says. n/t QC Dec 2015 #16
Is that code for black market smuggler or something? /nt Dragonfli Dec 2015 #18
Government worker at that. I think some think they are a lot richer than they are. nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #19
His wife is. (nt) jeff47 Dec 2015 #33
He's glaringly nouveau riche & desperately seeking status Divernan Dec 2015 #20
The guy is insufferable dorkzilla Dec 2015 #27
She has. He "married well". jeff47 Dec 2015 #32
I just read that thread Nite Owl Dec 2015 #3
I thought he was a she too - LiberalElite Dec 2015 #42
I just posted there. Lifelong Protester Dec 2015 #4
The classiest people make anonymous donations. Divernan Dec 2015 #21
I posted too. MuseRider Dec 2015 #8
Dudes got plenty of scratch to throw at people it looks like JackInGreen Dec 2015 #11
Yay! You're back! beam me up scottie Dec 2015 #12
Thanks BMUS JackInGreen Dec 2015 #13
Just watch your back, man. beam me up scottie Dec 2015 #14
Isn't that the pompous moneybags guy that brags about fancy fundraising dinners and salons? Dragonfli Dec 2015 #17
He's definitely NOT of superior breeding stock, i.e., old wealth. Divernan Dec 2015 #22
Perfect description dorkzilla Dec 2015 #28
Absolutely - they avoid flash (like the braggart's Maserati) Divernan Dec 2015 #31
Excellent dorkzilla Dec 2015 #34
In my next life, I'll be an Art History major & work at an auction house. Divernan Dec 2015 #36
yep! i am over there! dorkzilla Dec 2015 #39
I was being facetious, I don't believe in breeding, only character, my thoughts on his character Dragonfli Dec 2015 #37
I suspect he sacrifices to donate all that money, in search of validation. Divernan Dec 2015 #40
Here's a pic of that swell person: BeanMusical Dec 2015 #23
There is only one thing I'd like to tell this guy... mak3cats Dec 2015 #24
That post was very offensive. CharlotteVale Dec 2015 #25
There's a reason why we're averaging under $30 a donation.... daleanime Dec 2015 #38
Yeahup..... daleanime Dec 2015 #26
I posted. Oops. F4lconF16 Dec 2015 #29
Beautiful! You spoke for a lot of people! Nt dorkzilla Dec 2015 #30
+1 darkangel218 Dec 2015 #35
This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Dec 2015 #41
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