Know anyone who has Lost Touch with Reality??

[Vam]

Ha!

I guess the concept of value or getting ripped off is ingrained in my psyche. I don't think any meal is worth hundreds of pounds no matter the skill or artistry that goes into it.

Well not getting ripped off in any sphere of life is just good old fashioned common sense. If the raw ingredients cost around £20, why pay for a 500% markup - unless it's a really special occasion?

Then again people are free to do what they want with their hard earned dosh, so I cannot blame anyone for wanting to treat themselves as often as they wish.
(eta: the ''boat'' I mentioned earlier was strictly in a figure of speech sense, just to clarify.).

Have a good day AB, and all!

Bloody hell! I agree with you on something ...

[Holly]

Have a look at this

Taco ($25,000)




Hamburger ($5000)




Pizza ($12,000)




Crazy or what? The sad thing is, it all ends up as a stinking mess in the toilet bawl

https://www.oddee.com/item_99991.aspx

[Trapper John]

I don't see why him spending money that he can afford to spend means he's lost touch with reality. Just because you can't afford to match his spending doesn't mean that your life is somehow more 'real' than his.

I'm with TJ on that one, I don't think £175 per per head for dinner is realistic, unless you're a millionaire or it's a special occasion....OK, fair enough, the Brother can do what he wants with his money, but that wasn't TJs objection anyway, nor did he criticise him, he just asked if we know anyone who has lost touch with reality like he thinks his Brother might have...keeping in mind, that he knows his Brother and his circumstances.

Maybe it was a special occasion? I would imagine it's not the kind of thing most people would do regularly, because that would diminish the appeal, I guess.

I bet TJ's brother was just as happy to have lunch at a Harvester restaurant

Holly is right, obviously my brother was brought up with me, we had the same background etc., I'm sure he would have thought the same as me 10 years ago, maybe even 5 years ago.

It wasn't a special occasion, they eat out very often though not at that expense I guess, owing to the fact he mentioned the cost. He's certainly no 'food snob' or 'snob' at all, the Harvester was fine for us both and handy at the time.

They do have a circle of friends though who are not short of a few bob, I think he's been beguiled a bit by them, his wife certainly has.

[Lambert]

I don't see why him spending money that he can afford to spend means he's lost touch with reality. Just because you can't afford to match his spending doesn't mean that your life is somehow more 'real' than his.

I'm with TJ on that one, I don't think £175 per per head for dinner is realistic, unless you're a millionaire or it's a special occasion....OK, fair enough, the Brother can do what he wants with his money, but that wasn't TJs objection anyway, nor did he criticise him, he just asked if we know anyone who has lost touch with reality like he thinks his Brother might have...keeping in mind, that he knows his Brother and his circumstances.

He thinks his brother has lost touch with reality purely because he paid a lot of money for a meal in a restaurant. A) I don't see how that isn't a criticism, and B), I don't see why one follows from the other. What connection is there between paying for an expensive meal and 'losing touch with reality'?

[Vam]

I really do get that. For me, eating out is all about the company anyway - whether it's Michelin or Maccy D.

Sure, I didn't mean to come across as overly judgmental.

I've been in a reflective mood about wealth and what's truly important to me in recent times.

For several months now I've been thinking of buying a luxury watch. Either a PP or a VC. I've always loved automatic watches and said when I made it I would buy one to last a lifetime. When it came to the crunch I couldn't do it even though I can afford it. It's just an object. The things that really bring me happiness and fulfillment, without meaning to sound saccharine, are love and other people - specifically my family.

My parents were both working class and worked so incredibly hard and sacrificed so very much to allow me and my sister to come up in the world. I feel on a deep level that it would be an insult to their legacy to lose touch of where I came from and what they taught me.

Obviously, this is personal to me and I'm not saying it's the way everyone should approach life. Sometimes though I see this obsession with wealth that society is fixated upon and I just shake my head.

Not saccharine, and goes without saying, AB Money can't buy it.


(Should you ever succumb, though, you might want to check out an AP Royal Oak Minus the diamonds, obviously, cos that's just naff on a bloke)

[Avon Barksdale]

(Should you ever succumb, though, you might want to check out an AP Royal Oak Minus the diamonds, obviously, cos that's just naff on a bloke)

The Royal Oak is a lovely watch (but yeah, definitely without the diamonds.)

Bvlgari have released the Octo Finnisimo with similar styling recently which is pretty cool but I think if I do buy any brand it will probably be a JLC. Much better value for money than the Holy Trinity watch makers but still great movements.

[Lambert]

Hamburger ($5000)

The way the chips are delicately arranged there cracks me up.

Stick 'em in a paper wrapper, much better

Slightly off topic but what is it with chip shop portions? My local chippy does a regular portion which isn't quite enough, and a large portion which seems to consist of an entire sack of potatoes. I find most chip shops are like this.

[Vam]

(Should you ever succumb, though, you might want to check out an AP Royal Oak Minus the diamonds, obviously, cos that's just naff on a bloke)

The Royal Oak is a lovely watch (but yeah, definitely without the diamonds.)

Bvlgari have released the Octo Finnisimo with similar styling recently which is pretty cool but I think if I do buy any brand it will probably be a JLC. Much better value for money than the Holy Trinity watch makers but still great movements.

Last comment, before the "flash delusional cow!" posts kick in from my Guest clingons

2 things...whatever 'bling' you may decide on, it will last you a lifetime and would certainly be a very special heirloom you could pass along to someone you love.

Also, my bet is your Mam & Dad would be very satisfied with the job they did on you. And whilst they might have raised their eyebrows and said "HOW much??!" they secretly would be quite proud that you're in a position to be considering it.

[Avon Barksdale]

And whilst they might have raised their eyebrows and said "HOW much??!" they secretly would be quite proud that you're in a position to be considering it.

Lolz - that's true enough. They were very aspirational on our behalf!

Later everyone ;)

[Trapper John]

I don't see why him spending money that he can afford to spend means he's lost touch with reality. Just because you can't afford to match his spending doesn't mean that your life is somehow more 'real' than his.

I'm with TJ on that one, I don't think £175 per per head for dinner is realistic, unless you're a millionaire or it's a special occasion....OK, fair enough, the Brother can do what he wants with his money, but that wasn't TJs objection anyway, nor did he criticise him, he just asked if we know anyone who has lost touch with reality like he thinks his Brother might have...keeping in mind, that he knows his Brother and his circumstances.

He thinks his brother has lost touch with reality purely because he paid a lot of money for a meal in a restaurant. A) I don't see how that isn't a criticism, and B), I don't see why one follows from the other. What connection is there between paying for an expensive meal and 'losing touch with reality'?

If you read the rest of the post you'd see it wasn't just the meal and I wasn't critising either, he earns good money so good luck to him, can do what he likes with it. Like he said, he'd only have to work three rest shifts in a month and it would pay the entire bill with some change.

I suppose why I think he's lost touch is because not that long ago, he would have been too embarrassed to tell me.

[Guest]

I was out with my youngest brother last week and we had a lunchtime meal in a Harvester. When the bill came up he said it was on him, though I tried to give him at least my half, he wouldn't have it.

Anyway, we'd been talking about the AA as we are both members and I told him we get a 20% discount in many restaurants including Harvester which he didn't know, so he redeemed it and I thought at least I'd contributed something, if not in actual cash.

I shouldn't have worried, in the car afterwards I asked him if the saving was worthwhile and he said yes, adding "shame I didn't get one the other night when we had a meal out"

He then tells me, he and his wife and another couple had a meal at a restaurant on the 'Embankment' the previous Sunday evening, the bill came to just over £700, he added that it was all really nice but he thought it was 'a bit steep.'

Once I'd put my eyes back in my head and regained my power of speech, all that came out was an expletive. He went on that 'in hindsight' they should have ordered one of the 'set meals' at £115 per head because that included a bottle of wine with each course. I'd already guessed that the lions share of the bill would have been booze but nevertheless a £700 bill for four is not only way out of my league, I just couldn't justify it.

I think this brother of mine and his family have lost all touch with reality, on the Friday of this weekend I'm talking about, he'd already paid for a venue based 21st birthday party for one of his daughter's, bouncers extra.

Not only that, he'd taken delivery of a brand new £30,000 car a week earlier and on the Sunday of the meal, he'd driven up town and left it overnight in a suspended parking bay about 100 yards up the road from a big building site.

Am I the only one to think they've lost their marbles, his family think it's normal behaviour which everyone does too? - maybe it is in the circles they move in now

I suppose there might be a glimmer of hope for him, even what is left of the person he was still registered that a £700 meal for four was 'a bit steep'

PS. When I told my 89 year old Mum (in confidence of course) once it sunk in, the only thing she could say was "Well I think that is nothing short of obscene" ...... I have to agree.

£700+ meals?
Restaurant on the Embankment?
Eating out on a Sunday evening?

Go on, admit it TJ - your brother is Jean-Francois!

[Rolluplostinspace]

But where's the harm in enjoying money? Provided you're not spending ill-gotten gains,

But that's what ill gotten gains are for!

[McAz]

I have seen gov't officials spend more on lunch than some people get in a month. Their reality is just fine - it is yours you should be questioning.

[Rolluplostinspace]

Feeling particularly generous last week I took my wife to Mcdonalds and just before we went through the door I held her hand and said .... you can have anything on the menu tonight my love.

[Guest]

Feeling particularly generous last week I took my wife to Mcdonalds and just before we went through the door I held her hand and said .... you can have anything on the menu tonight my love.

Were you able to remove the Big Mac from your rectum?