Avenue78

A Letter from Europe

  But it is so expensive to live there....

By: Kendra Thompson

I love living in Dublin. I think that for a small city (1.1 million) it has all the fun, fashion and festivity you could ask for. The city has great eating, great music, great shopping (ok, I still would rather shop in London) and great nightlife...all within easy walking distance of my flat. One thing all my recent visitors, and I've had quite a few of them since the beginning of May, have said is that they find the city very pricey. They notice the 4 Euro latte, the extremely high rent and the cost of taxi cabs. They gawk at prices that, if converted into Canadian or US dollars seem dramatically higher, and end most shopping trips by saying they can get this that or the other thing cheaper in Toronto. It's not that I haven't noticed all the expenses either. Hey, I goet my mother to ship me all of the drug store essentials and fly home to get my haircut, so it's not lost on me! It's just that over the years, I have come to believe that any 'hot' place to live comes at a cost. In fact I have lived in London, Sydney, Vancouver and Toronto and now Dublin and they all have expensive elements (I've also lived in Montreal which is the exception to this rule). Look at Tokyo, Hong Kong, San Francisco...the list goes on.

Here's how I see it. You can drive yourself crazy converting in your head (bad idea!) and gripe about expensive living, or you can role with it! Flirt a bit more at the bar to get a free drink, figure out how to use Skype and keep the heat off (my first heating bill in Dublin was over 90 Euros!), get yourself invited away to friends' beach houses rather than staying at hotels...simply be creative...great days in Dublin don't need to involve spending a lot of money, especially since the weather has improved (I've been praying for dry days so I can wear my favorite shoes).

Also, remember that with every downside there is an upside. So yes, I pay more to live in Dublin, but I can fly to Barcelona for the week end! I'm sure there are much cheaper places to be, even within Europe and even in Ireland (I could move to Limmerick or Edmonton), but if you want to be where the action is, you've got to pay the piper!

Guest List

Designer Alix Navarrete (featured in Style at Home) gives us a list of what to have to make guests feel welcome:

1. Fresh Flowers on the bedside table.

2. Necesities like an alarm clock, a radio, robes and slippers.

3. Books, especially ones about the area.

4. Candles for a welcoming glow in an unfamiliar setting.

5. A kettle for tea or coffee and a canister of cookies in case someone wakes up hungry in the middle of the night.

6. A flashlight for late night trips to the bathroom or to the main house (if you're lucky enough to have a guest house)

Flea Market Chic

Even fancy design editors believe in shopping at flea markets and garage sales. You can get something very valuable and useful for next to nothing!

Flea markets and garage sales are treasure troves for bargain shoppers. You never know what surprises you'll find.

Do go early - the early bird catches the bargain...no sleeping in. Get your butt out of bed and grab some coffee. When you see the selections that await you, you'll be glad you did.

Do your research before shopping - that way you'll be able to tell a genuine antique from a fake. What is good quality and what isn't. It will also give you a good idea of how much you should pay.

Do look inside and underneath furniture - for obvious reasons...you don't want to take home a sofa with rotting wood underneath.

Do ask the dealer if the piece has been changed in any way.

Don't hesitate - for she who hesitates loses at the flea market and garage sales! Every single time I've hesitated, I've regretted it. Learn from me!

Don't shy away from negotiating - dealers and those holding the garage sales expect people to bargain with them.

Don't forget to keep your money tucked away.