How to Pack Martini Glasses

Maybe it was when we moved to our current apartment, 27 months ago, that I noticed we had way too many cocktail (AKA, Martini) glasses.

During a recent clean out of our china cabinet, I was reminded of just how many we had. I see how it could happen. I've been drinking Martinis since shortly after college, that is, the late eighties. Courtney enjoys the occasional Vodka Martini, straight up, dirty, with extra olives. Then came the Cosmo craze, and you need a few extra for entertaining or parties. They will even do for serving Margaritas. And they make great gifts -- four will do, whereas with wine glasses, belonging more with traditional dinnerware, you might feel obligated to give what? Eight? 

We accumulated at least 20 Cocktail AKA Martini glasses. 

I asked my brother-in-law, Brian, for help. Please, could you possibly use a set of Martini glasses for your swank new pad? Yes, of course. 

I waited for sufficient materiel and inspiration to come my way. Weeks passed. Finally, on November 6th, a Monday, came an evening Fresh Direct delivery, with its collateral cardboard boxes. Then Courtney cooking away in the kitchen gave me a good 40 minute window -- to do so something. 

I assessed my supplies: a good amount of cardboard, not much else. Picture one of those scenes from "A Beautiful Mind" (which I always recall incorrectly as "A Simple Mind") where complex spatio-geometric formulae (relating to blondes) twirl about Russell Crowe's head in computer generated elegance. Now dumb them down, fog the beautiful mind a little, and take out any actual math. That's it! 

What resulted was a lightweight, highly protective, cardboard cocoon, without benefit of packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or inflated baggies, which would shepherd its contents across the globe if needed. In other words, plenty strong to make it down I-95 to DC. That was my hope, at least. 

I even bought a roll of brown craft paper to cover the ugly Fresh Direct labeling. I took pictures of the box internals, through various steps of assembly. Unfortunately, I neglected to snap a pic of the box in its final, brown paper wrapped glory. 

The glasses made it to DC without damage. Brian remarked that it was actually difficult to get the glasses out. That old box didn't want to give 'em up.