Financial guru Scott Pape has shared a peculiar story about an unexpected encounter with a self-described influencer at a famous Melbourne bakery. The Barefoot Investor was waiting outside Lune Croissanterie in the city centre when a young woman approached him with an unusual request.
The Unusual Request
According to Pape's online newsletter published on Monday, the woman asked him to participate in her video shoot. "Would you mind walking behind me?" she reportedly asked. "You look like a local. Just walk past me as I shoot my video, but keep it natural."
Pape agreed to the request, noting that "beautiful women don't stop me in the street to talk" under normal circumstances. His family watched the entire interaction from inside the bakery, clearly amused by the situation.
Family Reactions
After the incident, Pape's daughter asked him, "Are you famous, Dad? You were just on a video?" Meanwhile, his wife Liz observed that the influencer's Chanel handbag appeared more expensive than their family utility vehicle.
The finance expert had driven with his family from their chestnut farm in regional Victoria specifically to visit the bakery, which gained international recognition after being featured in The New York Times for its exceptional croissants.
The Bakery Visit Context
The visit was prompted by a Japanese exchange student staying with the Pape family, who had requested to see the renowned bakery. Pape admitted he was impatiently waiting in what he described as an "annoyingly long queue" because he wanted to watch a football match.
He observed the influencer carefully photographing her croissant from multiple angles and laughing at things that didn't seem particularly funny. "She looked stressed directing me until the camera came on," Pape recalled, "at which point she looked like she was having a lune of a time."
Contrasting Experiences
Pape noted the influencer never actually tasted her croissant, which he later reflected was "the most honest thing about the whole production." This contrasted sharply with their Japanese exchange student's experience.
The student, who had traveled from Shibuya in Tokyo, paid seven dollars for her croissant and "ate it like it was the best thing that ever happened to her." Pape described this as a "genuine perfect moment" for the visitor from one of the world's most overwhelming cities.
Broader Reflections
Pape used the experience to comment on current economic conditions, noting that "back on the farm, every bill feels like it's doubled and even dog food is starting to look like a luxury item" during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
He contrasted the authentic experience of their exchange student with the influencer's performance, observing that "the influencer was there too … kinda. She was performing. She wasn’t present."
In his concluding thoughts, Pape suggested that while everyone is advising cutbacks during difficult economic times, "the last thing you cut is the stuff that's actually real," emphasizing the value of genuine experiences over manufactured ones.
