I woke up bright and early on Mon to begin my shopping day! I had planned out my shopping route the night b4, circling the streets and subway station I have to go to. Passed by the Bastille on the way there ... Also passed by the La Madeleine Here she is :D One last look at the Eiffel Tower while shopping. This is my first Miu Miu ... I am so BANNED from buying anymore bags for a LONG LONG time!
I had to fully utilize the time I had and my plan was to make it back to my motel and leave for the airport at 7pm. My flight was at 11.15pm but I wanted to give myself ample time to take the train to the airport, deal with the tax refund and check in.
I checked out of my room but then left my luggage there. They had a locked room so I felt safe leaving my stuff there.
The first stop was Miu Miu where I was going to help my friend Jacq get a bag she wanted. They did not have the bag displayed so I asked them and they were able to bring it out for me. I was real excited when they were able to bring out the exact bad she wanted.
I first sms her as the price was higher than the one she gave me and she also mentioned that she wanted a medium one, however, I was told by the SA that there is only one size. After confirming everything, I checked the bags only to discover that on the clasp of it was a "V" scratch that was about 1cm long!
ARGH!
I asked the SA if she could bring out another one as this had a scratch and do u know what she told me?
"This is a new bag, its as good as u can get .... its ONLY a bag"
Oh my FUCKING god, u did not know how pissed I was! This is not some cheap pasar malam bag, I'm paying good money for it, its NOT "ONLY a bag"
I quickly sms Jacq to tell her about it and she was real nice about it. She said if I can accept the scratch then get it, if not, get the other color. I looked at the other color for 2 secs b4 rejecting that too. I turned my attention back on the original bag but because the scratch was so near the logo, I could not help but see it every time I look at the bag. There was no way I could get it for Jacq.
I then told the SA that I could not accept it and since she could not bring out another piece I wasn't going to get it. Do u know what she said now?
"This is the only piece, do u think I would waste my time with u if I had another piece?"
WTF? That was not what she said in the beginning! Whatever, I was happy to walk out of the store!
Oh well ... on to my next destination.
I headed to my Chloe boutique to search for my Paddington :)
The SAs there were real nice (unlike that bitch at Miu Miu) and after looking at all the color choices that were brought out, I make my "safe" choice. I did not want to spend a lot of time worrying about my bag, esp if I am spending alot of money on it.
If they had one in red, I might have seriously considered it. But I really love this chocolate brown. I have been dreaming of this bag for the longest time and I absolutely love it.
After Chloe, I headed back to the one departmental store I was at on Sat, went to the Miu Miu there but they did not have the bag I wanted. I then stopped by Balenciaga to enquire about their bag but it was a little too exp for me. I wanted to get another bag but I wanted to get a relatively cheaper bag. I also stopped by Longchamps to check out bags for my sis and mom.
After which, I headed to the Champs-Elysees area. I wanted to see if I would be able to find my Baby Spy :) I took the subway down and found the really huge boutique there. Unfortunately they had only one color and it wasn't something I love :( So sadly I said no to the SA.
Walked around more b4 heading back to the departmental stores again .... This time I went to the one a street away from the earlier one, they had a Miu Miu there too!
I went in store and asked about the bag and they said they have it!! OMG, I was real excited about it ... BUT ... they only had it in a Rose Beige color :( Jacq wanted it in a Silver. And so the text messaging went back and forth again. All this time I was modelling the bag, and loving it more and more. Finally she said I should make the decision, if I think she will like it, get it.
GROAN!!
I hate making decisions like this! Moreover, we have not really been friends for that long, I wasn't sure what her tastes would be. It was then that I decided to get it, if she did not like it, I will keep it ... hahahaha, after spending so much time with the bag, I have fallen in love with it too!
As I was getting ready to pay, I apologize for taking up so much of the SA's time, explaining I was getting it for a friend and because she wanted it in silver, that was why it was taking even longer for me to reach a decision.
It was then the SA's looked at me and said "Silver? I think I do have it in silver"
OMG, is she serious? She went back to the store room and sure enough took out a silver bag. And then the text messaging started and that was when Jacq started to psycho me to get the other color too! I was so tempted but I had not come to Paris with a Miu Miu bag in mind and I did not want to make a rash decision. It was one thing to keep it if she did not like it but to actually buy it.
I spend way too much time there contemplating but I finally told her to put it aside for me, that I would shop around and if I did not find something else, I would be back for it. I paid for Jacq's bag and went to Longchamps to get bags for my sis and mom.
Unfortunately I have not taken pics of their bags ... haha. Well, suck it up ... would u rather I wait to post this AFTER I have taken pics of their bag? I don't think so :P
So now I have a total of 4 bags, plus my handbag on me ... I have been walking around all day and my arms and feet were killing me. But I had to move on, there is still shopping to be done!
I went back to Balenciaga as I was thinking, if I am going to get a second bag, I should first exhaust my original options, and they were Fendi and Balenciaga. The first Balenciaga store had the bag I wanted but not in the color I prefer. I did not want to go for a safe color and was really hoping to get something in red. So I headed to the other nearby Balenciaga and this time they had the color I wanted but not really the style I wanted.
CRAP!
The design was lovely but the shape was somewhat like my Paddy that I just got. So I decided that I wanted another bag that is of a different shape. Next was Fendi ... nope, no Baby Spy other than the color that was shown to me at the other store too :(
By this time, it was after 6pm ... remember that I was planning to be on my way to the airport by 7pm? I was running behind schedule ....
I rushed back to Miu Miu and unfortunately the SA that was helping me earlier wasn't there, so they took some time find the bag that I reserved.
When it was finally found, they rung me up and then I rushed down to the basement of the departmental store to get my tax refund forms done up. I grabbed all the paperwork, rushed to the nearby metro station and caught the train back to my motel.
I was a sight to behold, with so many paper bags, trying to squeeze on the train during rush hour.
I made it back to the motel just past 7pm, got my bags and then found a corner to pack my stuff!
It took me about 15mins to safely pack the bags away before headed back to the train station to catch a train to the airport.
My luggage was so heavy and I was struggling with it but I did my best to walk non stop to the station as I was afraid that if I would to stop, I would get mugged .... if something would to happen to the bags .... oh my, just kill me :P
Luckily it was a short distance to the station and after a slight struggle to get on the train, I was on my way ...
But wait, the chaos doesn't stop there ... while on the train, I got out my tax refund forms and read the instructions. I almost fainted when I saw the "Pls show your receipts ...." I knew I had them somewhere but I did not remember coming across the receipts to my last (and biggest) purchase at the departmental store. If I did not have that, that would mean hundreds gone!
I frantically searched my bags but because I was still on the train, I could not really do an extensive search. So the moment I reached the airport, I found a quiet corner and then opened all my luggage .... searched, searched, searched .... nothing :'( I could have cried! I was trying to trace my tracks and wondering if I was given the receipts back when I was doing my tax refund.
But it was too late .... nothing could be done, I just hope that they did not ask for it. I dragged my luggage to the tax refund counter and handed in the forms. My heart was pounding at this time .....
"Do u have the items with u?"
Yes, I told him, pointing to my luggage. He then proceed to stamp my forms and that was it! No asking about receipts. U do not know how relieved I was! I grabbed my forms, mailed it and then proceeded to check in with plenty of time to spare ......
What a long day ..... I better get some rest on the plane as I had to go back to work the day after I got back .... vacation is over, back to reality :(
Some more stuff I bought recently :)
14 years ago
