It’s been several months since I visited New York and received a delightful gift from Lothar Hoelbling, the former archivist of the Jewish Community of Vienna. Writing in advance of my meeting with him, I said he should be prepared to answer a lot of questions about the archives. Perhaps he hoped to head me off by bribing me with clever Freud candy. I was charmed, but still asked a lot of questions.
Lothar told me he bought the pictured Fruit & Nut bar at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park, which has many wonderful features, including views of the Statue of Liberty and, apparently, a gift shop that sells Freud-o-bilia.
This is an incredibly clever product, don’t you think? It’s far more than a box for a confection; it’s also chock-full of Freud trivia, puzzles and games. I have to admit my favorite is the cigar cut out. What does that say about me?
You can buy one of your own at The Unemployed Philosophers Guild, a wonderful source of clever gifts.
Also available at the site: After Therapy Mints, pictured next to the title of this post. The description on the site reads:
These deliciously potent marvels are specially formulated to help you process everything that came out during your session. As soon as you hand the therapist the check, pop one into your mouth and wait for the epiphanies to flow. Even if they don’t come right away, you’ll be rewarded with a minty blast that freshens your breath and clears your mind. They also come in a cool, reusable tin, that can hold your Paxils, Welbutrins, Xanaxes, and Prozacs with room left over for the next day’s pills too.
I couldn’t resist reading the product reviews, which are overwhelmingly positive except for one, which claims that it’s “a bit pricey for a tin of mints.”
A box of After Therapy Mints costs $3. It makes a delightfully zany little present, and it’s useful to boot. Pricey on what planet?
I am the editor of the Tucson restaurant reviews for Zagat.com, which involves going through sheets of readers’ comments, praying that someone will say something clever that is also accurate. No matter how reasonably priced a restaurant, there is always at least one yutz who writes, “It’s pricey.” Compared to what? The McDonald’s dollar menu?
What makes people head to the internet and proclaim their penny-pinching like a badge of honor?
No doubt Freud would have an opinion on that.
