Fun & Famous

6 LUXURY THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY VERY CHEAP

(and that you should just do from time to time)

It’s Tuesday and it’s raining. What am I saying; it’s hailing and snowing. But there’s also good news, because your salary has probably been deposited. I’m going to present you with seven things that feel like the height of luxury and they are, but you can totally afford them. And if you do one of these things, this dull Tuesday suddenly has the allure of a Saturday spent on the rooftop terrace of Soho House.

1. Open a bottle of champagne

Did you know that we Dutch people drink an average of less than one bottle per year? Liesbeth dove into the numbers and told us that we drink less than half a glass per year. We do a lot to raise that average. That’s quite a shame. Of course, champagne is a luxury drink, but you can get a bottle of Moët for €30 and that’s just as expensive as six glasses of wine in a café. So you buy a bottle and drink it at home and you feel as rich as Richard Branson and glamorous as Paris Hilton. Do you really think it’s too much money? Then there are also champagne-like options available for a negligible €15 from Napa California. You’ve immediately added a touch of LA to your day.

2. Crushed ice

So you’re cooking tonight. We’re going for luxury, so I thought of a seafood platter. Presentation is half the fun, so you want to lay it all out beautifully and elegantly. How nice would it be if you could garnish your platter with crushed ice? For €7.50 you get 12 kilos of ultra-chic crushed ice flakes. And they get delivered too. Just check out ijsblokjes.nl.

3. Oysters

If you’ve had that crushed ice delivered, I would immediately get some oysters as well. And cut lemons in half that you wrap in a white cotton napkin that you tie at the top with a string. I did say we were going for luxury, didn’t I? And how much does an oyster actually cost?

” I did say we were going for luxury, didn’t I? And how much does an oyster actually cost?”

4. Cocktails

Look. You have the champagne and the ice cubes. Get some oversized glasses and stylish straws from Xenos and you’re almost there. Here are some cocktail recipes. When your loved one comes home, you’ve set up an Ibiza Chill, the heating is at 22, and the first thing you do is hand over a cocktail. Then suddenly it’s not autumn anymore but spring.

5. A chauffeur

You’re going out for dinner right after work tonight, but you really don’t feel like biking in this weather. Besides, you want to rock that alcohol percentage a bit but taking a taxi isn’t convenient because then you’ll be without a car again tomorrow. Hire a chauffeur from Rent A Bob. It costs a bit more than a taxi, but when you consider what two taxis would cost (one tonight and one tomorrow morning to get back to your car), it’s actually a bargain.

6. Valet parking

“There’s nowhere to park, if I were you, I’d ride a bike,” my loved one squeaked recently while he had been driving around the canals of Amsterdam for an hour looking for a parking spot. I had to be on the same canal as him. But I had an appointment at the Pulitzer Hotel and a bit of a hotel has valet parking. The first two hours cost a few euros more, but after that, it’s five euros per hour. And that’s quite normal for Amsterdam standards. And how wonderful is it when you can step out right in front and casually hand your key to a gentleman in a tailcoat and hat?

Everything I’ve mentioned costs less than a hundred euros and you feel like a million-dollar movie star. If you’re suffering from a little Tuesday depression, I recommend you start right away today. #doktersrecept