Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

17-Feb-09 - This is extremely silly, of course, to get all nostalgic over a ragged old canvas bag, but it did have provenance. When you go to exhibitions and trade fairs they very often give you a shoulder bag, usually packed with leaflets and catalogues, and oft emblazoned with the name of the fair. Madrid-Fusión is rather more discreet, with just the Spanish colours embroidered on to the flap, but there's more to it than that. Not many people get invited to the show (which takes place in Madrid every January), and those who do recognise each other in later months and years by the fact that they're still using the bag. For example at the Restaurant Show the year before last I was talking to Charles Campion of the Evening Standard (et al) who's still using his, and my winewriting colleague Sarah Jane Evans is still using hers. The bags were all a bit the worse for wear, but they were so well designed that Charles said he'd even considered asking his cobbler to make up a leather version: two compartments, one big enough for a laptop, the other documents; several pockets, and holders for pens and a mobile 'phone; and an adjustable shoulder strap. The clips on mine had given up the ghost a few years ago and I replaced the strap with another one from an inferior bag I'd been given at the London Wine Trade Fair.

The bag dated back to the 2005 Madrid-Fusión, since when it's been with me all over the UK as well as back to Spain (30 times), France (14 times), Portugal (7 times), Italy (3 times), Belgium (twice), Holland (twice), Ireland, Brazil, Austria, Moldova, Romania, Gibraltar, Chile and Argentina. Given that it was really only ever intended to survive the show, it has done very well, but one of the pockets had worn through and the main zip was coming away from the fabric, and it always had been just a bit small for all the junk I carry around with me.

So this morning I gritted my teeth and went out and bought a new one: it's a bit bigger, but with all the secure pockets and plenty of spare room, even for a shirt and bogbag for an overnighter. It does the business, and only cost £20, but... It doesn't have the bandera español. No longer will I meet a complete stranger carrying the bag with the colours and nod, smile, and acknowledge that I, too, was at Madrid-Fusión, amongst the world's culinary élite. I was in London later in the day (see following post) and seriously considered cutting out the colours from the old bag and pasting them on to the new one, but by the time I got home Jill had emptied the bin. So long, old bag. We went through a lot together.

Well, I did say it was extremely silly.