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The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 8:29 pm
by Joe Guy
The affluent down under that is....
Dad Defends $39K Birthday Party for 3-Year-Old Daughter

Rachel BertscheWriter
May 26, 2015

A father is defending his decision to throw his daughter a nearly $39,000 third birthday party after critics said the affair was unnecessarily extravagant.

Eric Lembo and Trang Nguyen, parents in Perth, Australia, threw their daughter, Lauren, a 220-person birthday party last week, according to the Perth Now Sunday Times. “The day wasn’t all about the money,” Lembo said Tuesday, answering those who called the fete “wasteful” and “vulgar.”

The Disney-themed soiree included entertainment from a former Australian Idol contestant, a balloon artist, photo booth, children’s high tea, and a menu the included tempura scallops, truffle arancini, pork belly, cognac and a Disney cake. Minnie and Mickey Mouse walked around greeting guests. The lavish event, which was held at the reception venue owned by Lembo, had a price tag of $48,195 Australian dollars, according to the paper, which is just about $39,000 USD.

The lavish party included Lauren’s name in lights, an oyster bar, tempura scallops, and entertainment from an Australian Idol contestant. (Photo: Dave and Charlotte Photography)

“The Italian and the Vietnamese cultures have a large first birthday so we decided to do it for her second and third birthday as well,” Lembo told Perth Now. “It has really become a party not just for Lauren but for all of my family and friends to get together. That’s very important to me.”

Not surprisingly, little Lauren loved her party. “She thought it was amazing,” Lembo said. “Her face lit up. ”
source

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 8:32 pm
by wesw
that was probably the cognac....

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 8:51 pm
by Lord Jim
If they've got the money it's their own damn business..

I can think of a lot worse ways (shoving it up your nose for example) to spend 39K then on giving a memorable birthday to your kid...

The buttinskis who are telling these parents that they were "vulgar" or "wasteful" need to unclench their butt cheeks and get lives...

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 9:05 pm
by wesw
...."boats and planes and toys and trains..., everything I give him doctor..., up his nose!

Doctor I don t know what to do, the other night I hear noise, I think to myself, could be burglar? yes, could be burglar. so I get my gun, you know I don t like to have gun, but in this day and age... so I look for my bullets, where are my bullets? up his nose!!!

you have to help me doctor..."

yrs,

cheech and chongato

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 9:22 pm
by Joe Guy
Lord Jim wrote:
The buttinskis who are telling these parents that they were "vulgar" or "wasteful" need to unclench their butt cheeks and get lives...
That's exactly what I was thinking.
critics said the affair was unnecessarily extravagant.
So what? Who the fug are you to criticize someone for the cost and size of their party? And how did you get that information?

Mind your own freaking business you bungholes!!

I have to wonder though....Is everybody in Australia like that??????.... :mrgreen:

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 9:26 pm
by wesw
yes, did you see the dog yard that gob got for his shep? beautiful....

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 10:19 pm
by Long Run
How much did it cost Johnny Depp to fly his pooches home?

Plus, 220-person party and the list of items/food clearly show this to be a party for adults as well as kids. Good for them for getting their noses out of mobile phone and actually interacting with other people (I know, a bit ironic making that comment on a BBS).

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 10:29 pm
by wesw
they are the same with poisonous creatures, they have to have more than anyone....

and even mice, every one else just has a few house mice. is that good enough for Australia? noooooo, they have to have plagues of them...

cane toads..., same thing.

those aussies are trippin' dude...

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 10:58 pm
by Gob
Joe Guy wrote:
I have to wonder though....Is everybody in Australia like that??????.... :mrgreen:
Like what? The sort that throw $39,000 parties for kids too young to understand, or those with taste and style and perspective who criticised it?

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:01 pm
by Lord Jim
or those busy bodies with taste and style and perspective a pole up their ass who criticised it?
FTFY

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:18 pm
by Joe Guy
Gob wrote:
Joe Guy wrote:
I have to wonder though....Is everybody in Australia like that??????.... :mrgreen:
Like what? The sort that throw $39,000 parties for kids too young to understand, or those with taste and style and perspective who criticised it?
I guess I wasn't too clear there, was I?

I meant to be critical of the critics. It has nothing to do with the critic's taste, style and perspective. Well, maybe a bit about their perspective.... It really has to do with the critics making an issue of what a family is doing with their own money for their child.

If I saw you prepare a 3 course dinner consisting of steak, crab and Marmite on biscuits for your dogs and you fed them at your kitchen table, I would say, "Good for Gob and his dogs. He may be an eccentric man infected with affluenza but his heart is in the right place."

I wouldn't say, "Gob is wasting his money on a couple of dogs that would be just as happy if he fed them Alpo in a bowl outside on the porch." I would expect someone like rubato to say that.

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:23 pm
by Gob
Joe Guy wrote:
I wouldn't say, "Gob is wasting his money on a couple of dogs that would be just as happy if he fed them Alpo in a bowl outside on the porch." I would expect someone like rubato to say that.
I would say "Hen is wasting her money on a couple of dogs that would be just as happy if she fed them Alpo in a bowl outside on the porch."

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:26 pm
by wesw
useless trivia: I have never had a dog who liked crab, and I ve tried to get them to eat it...


kitty would beg for it.....

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:27 pm
by Crackpot
Actually Gob my first concrete Memory s my 3rd Birthday party.

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:32 pm
by wesw
i have one memory from when i was three too

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:37 pm
by Crackpot
I have memories earlier than that but the birthday one is the earliest I can put a timestamp on

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 11:44 pm
by Joe Guy
Gob wrote: I would say "Hen is wasting her money on a couple of dogs that would be just as happy if she fed them Alpo in a bowl outside on the porch."
Okay then.... I guess everybody in Australia is like that.

What a pity. I had hoped Australia hadn't yet been invaded and held hostage by foreign narcissistic judgmental assholes.

The whole world is slowly becoming Americanized... :nana

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 12:35 am
by Gob
We were well ahead of you, we've always found ostentatious displays of wealth vulgar and in poor taste.....

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 12:51 am
by Joe Guy
Gob wrote:We were well ahead of you, we've always found ostentatious displays of wealth vulgar and in poor taste.....
In other words you've always believed America is full of people who are wealthy and vulgar and have bad taste.... 8-)

You Aussies should mind your own business. We Americans have much more class than you think... :D

btw, have I ever shown you a picture of my dining room? ---

Image

Re: The Defining Characteristic of the Affluent....

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 12:51 am
by Guinevere
So no one is permitted to have an opinion? All right then.