Modern Furniture That’s Not Hideous

From French furniture company Roche Bobois. Possibly not something I would do in MY home, but…

A typical suburban real estate agent inspects a minimum of 10 houses per week, often it’s twice that number. That simple fact is the reason the job category “real estate agent” still exists. All that time and effort spent studying, analyzing, discussing with fellow brokers, and watching individual properties go through the sales process from start to finish, makes an agent a valuable person.

If you were foolish enough to ask a denizen of Manhattan “where’s the best fishing spot between Tod’s Point and Indian Harbor”, the Manhattanite wouldn’t have a clue. Similarly, people who merely watch real estate from the comfort of their office swivel chair can certainly have opinions about what a house is worth, but they are not useful opinions.

But where was I? Oh yes, modern furniture! So, with all that house-looking, we brokers encounter an awful lot of hideous glass and steel tables, steel chairs and bookcases (with no books), white shaggy couches, and of course, faux zebra throw rugs. Gets tiresome.

One sees more and more of THIS…

and less and less of THIS… (maybe that’s a good thing?)

It is therefore amazing that I have stumbled upon contemporary furniture that even I must admit ain’t bad looking. See if you agree: RocheBobois

(It’s a French furniture company, looks like the nearest showroom is on Manhattan’s upper west side, at 2040 Broadway)

 

A Review Of The Jaguar XJ, Year Six

The 2012 Jaguar XJL, with supercharged V-8. It now has 41K miles, still completely reliable.

All you paid-up members of the Gid Fountain Fan Club* know that October 15th marked the 6th anniversary of the day I picked up the new Jaguar. Six years later, I’m still driving it, which is unusual for a Greenwich resident. We tend to swap out cars after two, maximum three years (houses, six to ten years, spouses, ten to twenty), yet here I am with the same ol’ clunker, go figure.

The thing is, it still looks new, smells new, acts new! It has been completely trouble-free all these years, so there is no incentive to trade it away. Do I see possible benefits for a Realtor to own the new Tesla that does zero to sixty in 1.9 seconds? Yes, I do see a possible need for such a clearly practical, real estate show-car. But dammit, the Jaguar is just plain better looking than the Tesla, so that’s that.

Anyway, here’s my brief review of this phenomenal car…

The best parts:

The sheer, over-whelming, airplane-like power. Getting on the highway couldn’t be easier. Those specs in your rear-view mirror? Those are the cars you got on with.

The “feel” of this car is very good. Maybe it’s the seats, perhaps it’s the steering wheel, or  the smoothness of the ride, not sure how to pin it down, but no other car ever felt like this.

The fit and finish are superb. Again, never experienced this high a level before.

The parts that took, er, getting used to:

This is an XJ “L”, the L stands for long-wheelbase., which added about 6 inches of rear leg-room for passengers (real estate show car, remember?). The problem with a long car is getting used to the idea that the back needs to catch up with you. I complete my turn, thinking I’m ready to proceed, but the passenger-side rear wheel bumping the curb reminds me there’s still some car length left out there.

Low-profile tires: Jaguars, Porsches, BMWs, Ferraris, all powerful sports cars come with “low-profile tires”, which means very little sidewall, which means very little protection for your magnificently expensive alloy wheels. I have learned to spot and avoid potholes on pitch-black, rainy nights, at 75 MPH.  New York state, which taxes its residents more than anyone else, has the worst roads of any state I drive in. I see that the new Tesla also comes with %#@&-ing low-profile tires, that’s swell.

Low-profile tires look really cool, but until roads improve (or wheels get tougher), I’d advise against them. But if you insist, then keep your eyes peeled for pot-holes!

The interior: six years later, still a thrill.

Am I glad I bought it? Yes. Would I buy another? Yes. (nearest dealership is Darien)

End of review.

 

 

 

 

 

*Gift rates apply, through December 24th!