It's About The Experience ...

This is exactly what it looked like when I walked into Assouline Publishing's new shop in South Coast Plaza yesterday. The boutique atmosphere harkened back to the bookstore days of yore. The kind I remember visiting as a kid that you just don't see anymore. Allow me to digress for a moment ... I heard author Jonathan Franzen say something on Oprah about there being so much noise in today's culture. He continued to say something along the lines of "if you can cancel out about 99% of it, you can start to see things one at a time." That's exactly how I felt walking into the Assouline boutique compared to say, walking into a giant chain bookstore. Don't get me wrong, I do partake in the convenience of the bigger chains, but it's the "experience" of spaces like this one, with walls lined in such pronounced style and design, that I put a greater value on.

This particular Assouline shop is one of four in the world. So do yourself a favor if you're in the area and pay a visit to Teri, the manager, who was gracious enough to let me peruse the latest release from Cecil Beaton and shared some Slim Aarons prints that had just arrived from The Met. It made my morning. That and the $20k Goyard for Assouline trunk that greeted me as I walked in. Luxury at its best!