Setting The Luxury Stage

Kieran 0:03

Welcome to the lifestyles of the Richesin and Famous. From design, fashion, and travel to pop culture and all the fabulous details in between. This is where luxury isn't just a look, it's a lifestyle.

Paris Shopping And Vintage Hunts

Melissa 0:24

Oh, you look so nice.

Todd 0:25

Thank you.

Melissa 0:26

I love this sweater. Is this the one you were talking about?

Todd 0:29

It is.

Melissa 0:30

I love it. And you got it in Paris?

Todd 0:33

We did. Yeah.

Melissa 0:34

Where's the best places to shop in Paris?

Todd 0:37

I mean, everywhere is a great place to shop in Paris.

Melissa 0:40

Everywhere. See, I need to go.

Todd 0:42

It depends on how much time you have. So, like, if you've got a very limited amount of time, then I would go to like Samaritan and Gallery Lafayette where you can shop all the little designer boutiques.

Melissa 0:56

Yeah.

Todd 0:56

Uh, or La Beaumarchais. It's a beautiful department store, has great boutiques.

Melissa 1:01

I want to go and go to like the consignment, but like so you can get like an old like I want to see all the like vintage finds.

Todd 1:10

And there's a great place on uh Falborg Saint Henri where like all the beautiful designer shops are uh that sells vintage. There's a couple of places there that sell vintage, and then there's places in uh Saint Juan in the Marshall Pousse the flea market that do amazing vintage.

Melissa 1:26

Okay, I'm adding it to the list. Um, do you watch reality TV? Do you watch like Real Housewives?

Todd 1:32

Some, yes.

Melissa 1:33

You know Rachel Zoe?

Todd 1:34

Yes, I love her.

Melissa 1:35

Okay, I used to love her, and then I kind of just didn't she's great on I haven't seen it, but I just saw she was on it. I didn't even know she was on it.

Todd 1:45

She's great on it, she's really great on it. I love her attitude, her ease. Yeah, it's awesome, and she's very like genuine and real, I think. Like that's who she is. Like she is glamorous day and night, and she can't help it.

Melissa 2:00

And so it's just like, yeah, who she is as a human.

Todd 2:03

Yes, exactly.

Melissa 2:04

Well, I I watched her when she had her show forever ago, but then I just saw on social that she was on Real Housewives, and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna have to show she's really good on there. I see, I haven't watched it for a couple of seasons. Yeah, because I just I don't know, I lost interest.

Todd 2:19

Well, me too, sorta. But now that she's on, I think I'm gonna Yeah, it's the one that we're still watching.

Reality TV And Consignment Finds

Melissa 2:25

That the Beverly Hills, yeah.

Todd 2:27

That's the only one that we watch anymore.

Melissa 2:29

Well, the ad I saw, or like the the thing that popped up on my Instagram, was her shopping in Beverly Hills. And a vintage store. And I went to that store recently. Yes.

Todd 2:40

Yeah, that was a huge reel reel.

Melissa 2:42

That's I sent you bags from there, pictures of bags when I was there. Yeah, I should have bought that canal.

Todd 2:48

Bigger than the one in New York.

Melissa 2:50

The one in Beverly Hills. I bet they can like source just like amazing, like they get a lot of great things. Yeah, it was it was awesome. So anyway, I'm gonna go.

Todd 2:58

But you know, it's all online. Well every boutique stuff is online.

Melissa 3:03

I one of the the sales people who were like kind of showing me things, um, they gave me their card and they were like, you can message me, you can text me, and I can like find you something.

Todd 3:14

Yeah. And my husband was like, No, absolutely not.

Melissa 3:25

Yeah. Not really. I won't do that.

Todd 3:29

But the splurge, those purchases are splurges.

Melissa 3:31

Well, it's an investment.

Todd 3:32

Special, special event.

Melissa 3:35

Yeah. So speaking of travel, again, I I'm seeing kind I I don't I don't like a cruise. Do you cruise?

Todd 3:42

I do like a cruise, actually. Really? Yeah. And you know what I like about Europe? Yeah, we used to do the Caribbean thing, but we haven't done that in a long time because you know, white sand sort of all looks the same to me.

Melissa 3:54

Yeah.

Cruises, Europe, And Convenience

Todd 3:54

Uh, and all the ports sort of look the same to me. But um we have done them in Europe. We did one last year in Europe. And um the thing that I like about it is if you get a nice enough boat, right? Um then it's then it's good. And uh then on top of that, we'd usually try to be in like the nicer part of the boat, or you know, the club floor or something like that. So it's limited even more. Uh, and then you get the special restaurant where not everybody goes. So you can sit down anytime you want to eat and it's good. But the thing that I like about it is I don't have to think about it, you know?

Melissa 4:36

I guess that's true. Because you sit on, you can eat, yeah, and then it takes you to this port, and you do yeah, maybe I would do one again in like Europe, but I've done them kind of like the Caribbean and whatever, and I just don't I don't know.

Todd 4:51

I mean, there's there's so many people on board. The we the last one we did was um it was actually a bigger ship, but we were in that kind of exclusive area, and we had our own entrance. Like that's nice. They saw us getting out of the car at the port, and two porters immediately came. That like they had evidently looked up our pictures or something. They they we got out of the car and they were immediately there. Greeted you, yes, grabbed the things. No line for you. And I we didn't we didn't even check in, like we went straight to our room.

Melissa 5:28

Where was this?

Todd 5:30

In in uh Barcelona. We got on the boat in Barcelona.

Melissa 5:33

Dang, it was awesome.

Todd 5:34

And and our luggage was there within like five minutes.

Melissa 5:37

I need to travel with you, clearly. That is not that is not the trip I was on. I was on like a prison.

Todd 5:44

If there is a convenience that makes it easier to get in and out of anything, you're doing it. I'm doing it.

Melissa 5:50

So, like luxury lifestyle.

Todd 5:52

Yes, that is what luxury is, actually.

Melissa 5:54

Okay, what do you mean?

Todd 5:56

I mean, luxury is not waiting in a line. Luxury is being the first to get on or the first to get off. Those are that's what luxury is to me.

Melissa 6:12

So, what's the difference between like luxury and being pretentious?

Defining Luxury Vs Pretension

Todd 6:17

I mean, that's a good point. I think pretentious comes across as you're pretentious is you're trying to impress somebody with something that you do or something that you have or something that you say, right? Yeah, and people who are interested in real luxury could care less about what anybody else thinks.

Melissa 6:41

So do you think it's more like I hate to say this term, but like new money? A little bit new. New money is a little more pretentious.

Todd 6:50

I do think that.

Melissa 6:50

Because it's like now you want people to know that you have this trip or this.

Todd 6:56

Did I tell you about the people we saw in Paris that were uh did we talk about that? The people that we saw at Ralph Lauren?

Melissa 7:02

No.

Todd 7:03

We didn't talk about that?

Melissa 7:04

I don't think so.

Todd 7:05

Okay, we were in Paris at Ralph Lauren, beautiful restaurant, and oh did we talk about it?

Melissa 7:11

Yes, we did.

Todd 7:12

And people came in, took up a reservation spot, took pictures with the menu.

Melissa 7:18

Just uh, yeah, that's terrible.

Todd 7:20

Terrible.

Melissa 7:20

That's pretentious. That's pretentious. Well, it's it's implied because they're not even really actually there.

Todd 7:27

Or taking your private jet photo through the uh handle of a Clorox bottle. Have you seen that where they hold up a Clorox bottle and it looks like it's a window on a private jet? Right.

Melissa 7:42

That's hilarious. Actually, I should have you do that. And we can post it. We can say real or fake. Real or fake. And then when you're on an actual PJ, we can post it.

Todd 7:52

We can post the real one, yeah.

Melissa 7:53

But I do think sometimes people do things, obviously, just for social or just to like if they're on a private plane, versus like if you always travel this way, right? You don't feel the need to put it on your story or to let it.

Todd 8:07

And that's what's luxurious, is you you you don't have to share everything.

Melissa 8:12

Everything, like this is just life, right?

Todd 8:14

Yeah.

Melissa 8:14

Speaking of luxurious, that's a Rolex.

Todd 8:17

It is.

Melissa 8:18

That's gorgeous. Thank you.

Todd 8:21

Is that new? Uh it's somewhat new. I got it in October.

Melissa 8:27

It's gorgeous.

Todd 8:28

Thank you.

Melissa 8:29

I love it.

Todd 8:29

I like this one.

Melissa 8:30

So, what pieces do you think like like a time piece? I think every person should have a very nice time piece. If you think that's something you invest in, as you can't afford it.

Todd 8:39

Exactly.

Melissa 8:40

You know, are older and make money, whatever.

Todd 8:42

This is not enough to get you to the front of the line at Hermes.

Melissa 8:46

No.

Watches, Status, And Gatekeeping

Todd 8:47

No, I read something the other day, like, um they actually like look you up on your social media to see if really you are like living the right life. Well, so you should be able to go soon, they view Rolex as like a um pretentious. No, they're they're uh Rolex is an instantly miss uh um suspicious watch.

Melissa 9:14

Like you're trying to present like you are.

Todd 9:16

So you need a paddock Philippe to be considered serious at uh Like that you actually have money.

Melissa 9:24

Yeah, that you can afford to shop here. Yeah if you have one of those.

Todd 9:27

I do not have probably not because they're so expensive.

Melissa 9:32

Um I mean how much are they? Like ballpark.

Todd 9:35

90 to 100.

Melissa 9:38

So a very nice car.

Todd 9:40

Yeah, it's a nice car. Or you can spend three million dollars on one.

Melissa 9:43

Jeez. On a watch. That's a lot.

Todd 9:46

I know. So I just wouldn't do that.

Melissa 9:48

Okay, so when you walk in, then they know like this person can actually afford to buy something or not, but you can't even really just like go in and you know, I know, right? Well, I mean, we watched that video about so funny, so funny, because that's the truth. Like, and if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Todd 10:08

I actually have an amazing sales associate in New York at Hermez. I really like him. He's been great to me.

Melissa 10:14

Do you like text him?

Todd 10:15

I'll text him and he will send me pictures immediately, and um, he's been great. And he's actually I I have been offered a uh burk.

Melissa 10:27

Nice. Yeah from there.

Todd 10:29

Yes, but I wasn't able at the time. You have to collect it in person, and I couldn't even send like somebody to collect it for me, so I couldn't get it. But it'll happen again.

Melissa 10:39

You have several.

Todd 10:40

I do, but um This is like a special one. Well, yeah, yeah, it was one that I kind of wanted, but I could I just couldn't I couldn't get there to get it, you know.

Melissa 10:48

And then do you have to wait to get so like talk to me about like how you get a Birken, like actually.

Todd 10:53

Well, I mean I don't really know because this is the first one that I've ever been offered from a res direct, right? Because we have bought the ones that we have um like from uh The Real Real or Covet by Christos, that's another amazing he he Oh yes, he's fantastic. Yes, he's fantastic, and um so that's where ours have come from so far. But um I just happened to mention to him, hey, I'm looking for this. Do you have it? And he said, No, but I have three of these that I can get you that I could I could sell you, and they were great. There was there was one that I really liked, but I just couldn't get there to get it.

Melissa 11:34

You should have just gone on your PJ, yeah.

Todd 11:36

If I had one.

Melissa 11:38

I could be the next luxury if I like this. Yeah. Well, I have um like my Gucci girl in Florida who will and she'll just like check in with me and be like, oh, I made this Christmas perfect for you. Yeah, and they actually sent me a lovely little like Christmas package.

Sales Associates And VIP Service

Todd 11:55

Yes, and it was like this cute little journal, and that makes you feel like you've been spending way too much on clothes. Um, I always get I do have a great Louis Vuitton uh sales associate in Las Vegas, he's awesome.

Melissa 12:07

And we'll like do that.

Todd 12:08

Yeah, yeah.

Melissa 12:08

I get a birthday, like it's so nice, it's good hospitality, yeah. Which I think now oh what?

Todd 12:17

And Daniel will always like who's Daniel? He's our Louis Vuitton person in Vegas, Vegas. Okay, and he will um he he does a like a private shopping thing for us, so you can send him uh pictures of things that you've liked. If you like, and he will make sure that they have it in the store in your size when you get there.

Melissa 12:42

Oh, amazing. And then that's luxury.

Todd 12:45

That is luxury, and then he is at the Bellagio, so he will arrange the appointment out on the balcony of their store overlooking the lake where the Bellagio fountains are, so you can have like this up close and personal. I'm drinking champagne at Louis Vuitton watching these watching the fountains and whatever.

Melissa 13:08

Yeah, that's it's incredible. That's a very dreamy, and then you don't mind spending the money because it's the experience, loosen you up a little bit, right?

Todd 13:14

And the champagne does too.

Melissa 13:16

Yeah, that's the way they do it, honestly. So, speaking of, so these pants, the shoes, give me the whole the rundown of the okay.

Todd 13:24

Well, this uh we just got this in Paris. Uh I love it. Louis Vuitton. We'd never seen this design, and I hadn't seen it since. It wasn't online, it wasn't here in the States.

Melissa 13:33

Um, and this is why you have to go into the stores because that's where the right, yeah.

Todd 13:38

And a lot of the stuff, like um is stuff that I've had for a long time. Like these boots are Louis Vuitton, but they're probably 10 years old.

Melissa 13:46

And they look brand new, right?

Todd 13:49

And uh my pants are Tom Ford, and I'm wearing a denim shirt from Ralph Lauren and a Louis Vuitton hat.

Melissa 13:56

I love it.

Todd 13:56

Thank you.

Melissa 13:57

And the jewels. Yeah, always talk to me about the pinky ring.

Todd 14:01

Oh, I love it.

Melissa 14:02

It's very Italian of you.

Todd 14:03

I love this. Um, it is a tourmaline, it's a dark green tourmaline, and it's old, it's from the 1920s, and uh it has little diamonds on the side, but I just I they the I like it, I like an east-west ring on my hand, you know, that goes side to side. I love that. It looks better on my hand than a north sow.

Collecting Timeless Pieces

Melissa 14:22

I mean, it looks nice. Thank you. Like I said, it's very Italian.

Todd 14:25

It's pretty color. I think the color's really pretty. It's just the ring. Yeah.

Melissa 14:30

I love it.

Todd 14:31

But now I feel pretentious.

Melissa 14:33

Why?

Todd 14:34

Because we've talked about like how luxury shouldn't be pretentious, and then we're talking about the armwear and the Vuitton.

Melissa 14:41

I feel like it would be okay. So I feel like it'd be different because I'm asking. I'm like, oh, I noticed this. And also, like, that's part of what we're doing, right? So that's different than you taking a selfie, you know what I'm saying? Let me tell you this with your ring, yeah.

Todd 14:58

Snowstorm about 10 years ago. This girl that we know, she was always like showing off jewelry and stuff. And she put her hand down after a hail storm. Next to like next to next to like where the hail was coming down.

Melissa 15:16

Yes.

Todd 15:16

So that people could compare the size of the hail that was on the ground to her ring.

Melissa 15:21

Yes.

Todd 15:21

Or and we all called it a chip after that.

Melissa 15:25

That's funny. But see, that to me is pretentious. Yes. Or like if someone this people do this, they'll like put their ring like on their car so that you can see like they're driving a Mercedes or a BW or whatever.

Todd 15:39

I would never post about my car.

Melissa 15:40

Well, that's what I'm saying. So that's not pretentious.

Todd 15:42

Never.

Melissa 15:43

That's just like your lifestyle.

Todd 15:44

Yeah.

Melissa 15:45

But like I'm just inquiring.

Todd 15:47

I'm honestly more inquiring about like the fashion, you know, and like the style versus like Well, and for me, this stuff is about um collecting nice pieces. Yes, collecting nice pieces. Because like we were talking about that earlier. Like, I have stuff that I mean, my boots are 10 years old. I've I've got stuff that I've had for 25 years that I still wear.

Melissa 16:08

Yeah. I mean, same. The bag I carried today. I that was like one of my first very nice pieces. Right. And it looks amazing. It still looks amazing.

Todd 16:18

Yes. A friend of mine uh he wears a lot of Ralph Lauren. And he he the stuff he buys this year, he will not wear this year. He'll save it.

Melissa 16:30

Save it? Oh, that's funny.

Todd 16:31

For a year or two, and then when he wears it, everybody thinks it's like it's like it's it's super rare because they haven't seen it in the store.

Melissa 16:41

That's smart. Or is that pretentious?

Todd 16:43

I mean, he's totally not pretentious.

Melissa 16:45

He's not doing it for that. He's just that's like his that's his thing.

Todd 16:48

Yeah, yeah. He's not he he's he's doing it because I mean, he has honestly so many clothes, I don't know how he even wears them all.

Melissa 16:56

Well, you have like a huge dressing room, like a closet, but yeah, huge at two locations. Yes, but it's collected pieces, it is collected pieces, yeah. But there's also like Zara in there and HM. I know you say that, but I swear there's two pieces, baby.

Todd 17:12

Dr.

Melissa 17:13

I think this my shirt might be Zara, but my skirt is nicer, and then my shoes are nice.

Todd 17:18

Yeah, it doesn't matter. It's all about how you present yourself and how you look.

Melissa 17:21

Yeah, well, and it's like finding your personal style, I think, and like what looks good on you.

Todd 17:25

Right.

Melissa 17:26

But I do love a Zara moment. Although some of the things that are for sale right now, I sent you those one, it's the jeans.

Todd 17:35

Oh my gosh, I don't know who you even can wear that.

Melissa 17:37

The jean panties.

Todd 17:39

I mean, they're like they look like a hooker, but it's so bad.

Melissa 17:43

The Zara stuff, yeah. I mean, they're honestly, I I think it's funny because people will make fun of how they like the models look there.

Todd 17:51

Yes.

Melissa 17:51

But I mean, they're printing money, so good for them, right?

Todd 17:56

Yeah, and it rips after the second time you wear it, so the people gotta rebuy it.

Melissa 18:01

Gotta be yeah, fast fashion. What is this?

Todd 18:04

Oh, um, I I I've I sort of pre-opened this because I didn't know how special it was gonna be, but uh, we have been invited to a wedding. A friend of ours uh son is getting married, and I wanted to share this with you because this represents to me something that makes me want to go somewhere. Okay, right? So, first of all, it's all you know printed nicely with our name, return address on the back.

Melissa 18:31

The details.

Todd 18:32

The details. Look at that envelope.

Melissa 18:34

That's so cute.

Todd 18:35

With the oranges, it's so cute. You open it up, and then there's it's it's got the ribbon on it, and then this little orange slice says that you can reply online, which people do not know how to do that. That's one of the reasons why I hate to entertain anymore, is because people cannot RSVP. That or just I mean, if you've got the flu and you can't come last minute, I totally understand. Yeah. But if you all of a sudden, oh hey, I got busy, sorry, not gonna be able to make it. I mean rude. Rude. Right.

Melissa 19:10

So rude, especially when you are buying like the caviar, the champagne for the amount of people that are coming. So anyway, anyway, details.

Todd 19:21

Details. So like this looks like if the invitation looks like this, think about what the wedding's gonna look like. Yeah, like it's gonna be special, right? Yeah.

Melissa 19:30

So um, you opened it up, and they've invested in like having newspaper, nice.

Todd 19:36

And it's yeah, uh engraved. It's not and then the little That's so cute. Like that tells you about the the opening weekend party, and then the the invitation is just gorgeous with the oranges.

Melissa 19:51

This is so cute.

Todd 19:51

I thought it was beautifully done, and so this would even make me want to go like out of town.

Melissa 19:58

I was gonna say, at first I was like, is it a destination wedding?

Todd 20:01

No, it's not, but I mean, that's so special, like it that would make you want to go somewhere out of town. So, well, go ahead. Well, I mean, if you just call somebody up and say, hey, I'm having a birthday party wherever, and it's like a destination, and you don't know what's gonna make that so special. Right.

Melissa 20:24

That you should like actually go. Right.

Todd 20:26

I want to know that Tanya Tucker's gonna be there giving me a private concert.

Melissa 20:30

You know, you think she will be?

Todd 20:32

No, not there. But um, I we've we've had that before.

Melissa 20:35

Like, you know, uh well, I think in growing up, entertaining was always very big to my family. You know, when you invited people in, you want to have very the nicest wine, beautiful food. I mean, everything's gonna be a good thing.

Todd 20:49

Yeah, and you've cleaned your house and set the table. Yes, yeah.

Hosting Etiquette And Gifts

Melissa 20:52

What do you think about like if someone has a party and just like a house party, not a wedding, because obviously wedding, you're gonna buy a wedding gift, but which that's a whole other thing that we can chat about because it's almost wedding season. But if someone's having like a house party, should you bring a gift?

Todd 21:08

You know, um, I think that's a really nice gesture, and but I do not think that that's it's like necessary necessary. And quite frankly, for me, I don't want it. Like, we have we drink fouf coco, and that's it. So if you don't bring you a bottle of wine, right? Because I I mean I'm probably not gonna drink it because it's not that I don't like it or appreciate it, but it's just not what what we would use. And then I don't know enough about it to be able to pour it at something that we would be having where we would be serving one.

Melissa 21:47

Sure, yeah, right?

Todd 21:49

So um I think the thing that goes overlooked the most is a note after the event. Yes. I would much more appreciate somebody saying. Sending me a handwritten note or even just an email or a text.

Melissa 22:05

I was like, that was amazing.

Todd 22:06

That was amazing. Thank you. I had a great time. But few and far between are those things that happen.

Melissa 22:12

I wrote a handwritten note at the event and sent a text.

Todd 22:16

Yeah.

Melissa 22:17

So thank God I did the right thing there. Handwritten notes, I think, are the most like um antiquated, but oh, it's so nice. But it's so nice.

Todd 22:28

We have a friend who does it. She runs an amazing company. She's incredibly busy. And so for her to take the time to write us a note, and then she always kisses it. So her lipsticks on it. It's amazing.

Melissa 22:44

Growing up, my mom always like in our stockings every Christmas, we would all get note cards because it was so important. Right. Then, like we had to write a handwritten note after a gift, or like, you know, just anything to do that. I try to do that with my kids.

Todd 22:58

So that's that's what I try to do. If if we're going somewhere and I know that I've seen something that the person would like, or like if I know that they like a specific Sartre on candle or a specific kind of wine, and I would take that. Um, but I will always write a note after.

Melissa 23:21

And like thank them. Yeah. Okay, so for weddings, do you think, like speaking of this, do you think um like the gift should represent something in particular, such as either like roughly how much per ticket you probably thought that that was? Like you you have a dollar amount of the gift that you should do.

Todd 23:43

I do not, I I mean, how how do you even know how much somebody's gonna spend on something? I I mean depending, yeah. Yeah.

Melissa 23:51

Emily post, I think I think I'm gonna have to look this up, but I think they say like it's supposed to be the proper, I'll look it up, but like the proper thing is like roughly like dollars a person or something. It would be right, like if it's like a seated thing or if it's this, but uh now that I'm questioning myself.

Todd 24:10

If I'm putting myself in the position of hosting an event like that, I would want people to come to that, not for the gift. Oh, I would want for people to come to that because they want to celebrate because they want to celebrate with me. Yeah, and so I wouldn't care if they even gave me a gift. So the gift to me should be like a bonus. Like, hey, I'm doing this for you because I like it and I wanted to do this for you. And I saw it and I thought it was actually something on your registry was actually pretty. So I was gonna buy it for you.

Melissa 24:41

Do you always shop off the registry or do you go rogue?

Todd 24:45

Um, it depends on how well I know the person, uh, whether or not I would go rogue. Yeah.

Melissa 24:52

Yeah. I have mixed feelings about that. Because sometimes I'm like, just get them the thing they want, but then I'm also like, but I want to give you something that you're gonna remember came from me.

Todd 25:02

Right.

Melissa 25:02

Or like feels like so.

Todd 25:04

That's the thing that I would remember the person being at the event more than what they gave you.

Melissa 25:08

And what they gave you.

Todd 25:09

Unless it was that special thing.

Melissa 25:11

That was like, you know, something whatever. But no, I agree. I think um, especially like a a wedding.

Todd 25:18

It would always be something small that I would give because I would not give some. I I see this in clients' houses. Oh, my sister gave that to me when I got married. We've got to hang it. And it, you know, it's this giant painting that's this big and it's horrible.

Melissa 25:34

Right, yeah.

Todd 25:35

And nobody likes it.

Melissa 25:36

And nobody likes it, but they have to keep it.

Todd 25:37

They have to keep it. I'm like, that's torture that you're putting on somebody.

Melissa 25:41

Yeah. Well, and that's why sometimes I'm like, you just buy something that's off the registry because you know they want it. Yes, but you know, and then you're not giving them something that's like, this doesn't even match my aesthetics. Exactly.

Todd 25:53

But I mean, you know, and my decorator's gonna hate this every time he comes over for the next 20 years. Get rid of it.

Melissa 25:58

Yeah, yeah, that's true. Um Derek, were you saying 25 minutes? Okay. No, that's good. Cut, pause.

Todd 26:10

You can just let it roll. Okay.

Melissa 26:13

Um I mean, yeah, do whatever you want to do. Yeah. Oh my gosh, it's so crazy. We talked about Zara and the wedding invite. So we only really have one more thing to talk about anyway. Um, okay. So just keep going. Like yeah, you're out for five minutes ago. So when you're pla oh like so when you're planning an event, how much emphasis do you put on the food?

Planning Menus And Atmosphere

Todd 26:40

Oh, a lot.

Melissa 26:42

Like it's everything.

Todd 26:43

It's everything.

Melissa 26:43

That's why we get along. Yeah, always about those.

Todd 26:46

It's gotta be about have you ever had bad food at my house?

Melissa 26:49

Never.

Todd 26:49

Never.

Melissa 26:50

Never. Because that's kinda if you especially if you're doing a dinner party, I mean, that is that's the thing.

Todd 26:55

That's the thing, right? Right.

Melissa 26:57

So then do you plan the menu or do you what do you do?

Todd 27:01

Well, it depends. Like, oftentimes Bobby and I'll have ideas about what it should be, you know, like maybe it should be inspired by our trip to France. Or um last year last winter for my mom's birthday, we hosted all of her friends for lunch, and I wanted something that felt, it was in February, but I wanted something that felt very springy and light. And so that's I gave the caterer that direction, you know, and she's like, oh, well, let's do this, this, this, and this. And I'll always ask for the menu up front, and then we will look at it, think about it, tweak it, and that's that's what we do.

Melissa 27:47

That's it. I mean, I think that's like, I mean, you know, I'm Italian food is like I mean, I wake up and I'm planning the thing for the whole day.

Todd 27:55

But yeah, I think that's and it's like a sign of like love, I think, or like that you care that you're like, I want you to have this really beautiful food and like this amazing time, and oh, and somebody said I remember when we were uh sharing on social media about getting ready for one of our dinner parties and how I talked about, you know, I start thinking about this like three weeks before. I'm I'm actually considering what we're gonna do. That's ridiculous. Why does anybody ha have time to plan it three weeks before? Why would you work so hard on uh doing this? But that's what I want to do so that my guests feel special.

Melissa 28:34

Right. And it's it's the level of detail that they're like putting into it, just like the wedding vacation.

Todd 28:38

Like if I'm gonna have you over for pizza, I'm probably not gonna think about it for three weeks before, right?

Melissa 28:45

Would you have someone over for pizza?

Todd 28:46

Yeah, absolutely.

Melissa 28:47

Oh, okay. Would you use paper plates or real plates?

Todd 28:51

Uh I probably couldn't do paper plates. But um I would um I would I would definitely have somebody for pizza.

Melissa 29:02

Nice plates.

Todd 29:03

Yeah.

Melissa 29:03

Yeah.

Todd 29:04

And then a good wine. Yeah.

Restaurant Choices And Simple Food

Melissa 29:07

Exactly. When you are traveling or even around here, because now we've got some Michelin-rated things here. Do you seek out those places when you're finding a place to go to eat, or what do you look for in like a restaurant?

Todd 29:20

I mean, what we look for in a restaurant, I think, is consistency of food quality. You know, you uh we like an atmosphere that feels good, really tasty food. I I like simple food. I I do not like pretentious food. And and I think oftentimes restaurants are trying too hard. Yeah, it's not approaching. They're call I mean, yeah, if you are a chef who's been to years of culinary school, you probably know what all of these things are called, but just explain it to me a little bit. Don't call it an ex whatever sauce. Tell tell me what it is, right?

Melissa 30:06

Yeah.

Todd 30:07

Um, so that I can understand it.

Melissa 30:09

What's your favorite thing to order when you go out?

Todd 30:12

Gosh, I don't even know.

Melissa 30:14

Like, is it a pasta?

Todd 30:16

I mean, I love a pasta. I steak's probably not my favorite thing. I order a lot of chicken because I really like I really like chicken. I love a roasted chicken. And I all roasted chicken in the world is compared to the roasted chicken at JC Holway, which is my favorite. So good. It's so good, yeah.

Melissa 30:35

Yeah, it's amazing, honestly.

Todd 30:38

Yeah.

Melissa 30:39

Well, I'll have to make you a roasted chicken.

Todd 30:41

Well, I'll be comparing it to Joseph's.

Melissa 30:43

Well, then maybe I won't do that. Okay. And maybe I'll make you a pasta or a pizza. I can't do a pizza. Right. Well, then that's what we can do maybe for one of these. You can come over. That would be great. No, I'll come to your house and we'll cook it.

Todd 30:57

That's great. Okay. My oven does work.

Melissa 30:59

You still use it. You're like Sarah Jessica Parker and Sex in the City. Yeah. She used it for like storage.

Cooking At Home And Closing

Todd 31:05

Did you know? Our it was one of the very first events that Bobby and I ever hosted together in our our condo that was in the old city. And um, it was a birthday party for my mom. And we had a caterer come and do this. And there was a lot of people coming. I think there were like maybe 30 people we were having there for dinner. And she turned the oven on. Oh no. What was in there? It was like plastic Tupperware stuff and all sorts of stuff that we were storing in there. It was awful, and it smelled the whole place up. It was so bad.

Melissa 31:43

So you don't cook?

Todd 31:45

Well, we we do, we can, but I mean, we both work really hard and long days. And so five o'clock comes, and I don't feel like going to the grocery store and then going home and cooking it and then clean it and then cleaning it up.

Melissa 32:02

Cleaning it is the worst.

Todd 32:04

I don't mind the cleanup because I kind of clean up as I go.

Melissa 32:07

Well, oh, I do that, but I after I've cooked, like I'm like, somebody else can clean it. So I'll cook, you clean it.

Todd 32:14

I can do that. No problem.

Melissa 32:17

Although I would be petrified to cook in your kitchen this way. I would like ruin something.

Todd 32:21

No, it's very user friendly.

Melissa 32:23

Okay, I'm gonna do it. We'll do it.

Todd 32:25

Yeah.

Melissa 32:26

That'll be good.

Todd 32:26

I think that'd be fun.

Melissa 32:28

Well, thank you for having me.

Todd 32:29

Well, thanks for coming.