The Fresh Market.

You walk through the doors, you're greeted by classical music & a sense of calmness. Then the second set of doors open & you see all the pretty flowers & you take a deep breath & smell the coffee.
           .... It's all in the first five seconds really. 
                                                                              ~ Sarah

 Each time an Official Function was declared in the shop, it seemed that Sarah's journey post-work that evening would take her not to Posh Kroger of Carytown but to The Fresh Marker, purveyor of fine goods, heightened choice and definite Party Food options.
  Over time, I heard her wax lyrical on the delights of shopping there and as my last week approached, I decided it was high time to discover the delights of Fresh Market for myself.

Marcia provided me with my Grand FM Tour. The free coffee samples helped us on our way as we explored each aisle and counter, marvelling at the choices of deli goods, jars upon jars of fancy food stuff. It's kind of like a little bit of Waitrose, plus a smattering of M&S,
& an awful lot of Booth's thrown into the mix.

Out of curiosity, we went to look at their beer selection. It was then that I happened to glance up above the milk fridges & saw Buttons. My costuming brain switched on...

Wait - what, Buttons?!

Period attire alert!

Fancy groceries require fancy displays too! The best of it was that neither Marcia nor Sarah had ever looked up so far above the shelves to notice them before; I mean, why would you?

The Grand Tour stepped up a pace as we stared ceiling-wards for more. Turned out they were everywhere across the store. How terribly smart! How dashingly historic! 

The Verandah

Horse & Home

Books & Desk & Luggage

 

 Gotta love your local Fresh Market!

Wall Art #20: Aniekan (RMP)

"Mr Bojangles"

 

Wall Art #19: 1011 West Grace (RMP)

Introducing....

the Jam Lady.

She sits in the parking lot on West Grace, opposite the 7-Eleven. (Oh Thank Heaven!) 

Etam Cru is the artist of this particular mural - a Polish duo; Sainer & Betz respectively.


We like her. She reminds me a bit of Snow White. She even got to grace Style's front cover.

Strudelberries.

Rubber duckie down low!

Dixie Chick.

... Aforementioned boxes are off, soon to be up & away! 

Ginny meanwhile, in complete disregard for her cousins of the Northern climes,
is focusing more towards acclimating herself as a Dixie chick.

Dessert Date

Whilst ticking off what was left to do & see in Jackson Ward, I decided to go the two birds, one stone route. Throughout the year, I'd heard wonderful things about the desserts of Comfort. Trouble is, the portion sizes are such that just making it to a second or third course can prove tricky so I figured on a new - albeit old tried & tested - approach: 

I'd just do Dessert, with a girlfriend for company. 

Step up, friend Megan!

The Infamous "Banana Pudding"

It's styled somewhat as a crème brûlée except that the custard is banana-flavoured & it's a biscuity-type base underneath. The brûlée happens with the caramelised bananas on top.
So worth the visit; delicious.

Although it was still sort of two courses through the side dish for starters: 

as this is Comfort so there had to be Okra, Southern & Fried.

 .......

We had a good catch-up. 

Things learnt from Megan:

Kansas is the most central state of the US. 
(Thus solving my problem of where it belongs!)

Nevada is shaped like a 'V'.  

.....

And then there's this, from my Pops, fitting neatly into this post...

Marcia's Note.

*deep breath...
And so it begins. To the re-packing process.

Big Band at Balliceaux.

A different Monday night to the norm as RVA Big Band were playing at Balliceaux. 

Porthole in Balliceaux's bar.

It's a bit of a fancy hang-out, somewhere between cool and cliquey. Big Band was in the back room; away from the regular clientele & full of people ready to enjoy some cool brass.

Tastes of Intern Mondays & Freedom, according to The Manly Man.

 

Mask Completion.

And she's finished!
       .....

"Nikki is a costumier and lover of masks, masked balls & Shakespearean disguises..."  

Designed specifically for RVA's 50th Annual Children's Hospital Foundation Ball,
fifty artisans masks will be displayed during the fall prior to an online auction after which they may
be donned by patrons for the ball, 'rich with the glorious culture & elegance of the Italian opera'.

.......  My mask sold for $75!  

   See more here.

Drag Brunch.

So there's been talk of Best Brunch but this, This, was something else.

My friend & fellow costumier, Lynn invited myself & The Manly Man for brunch at Godfrey's. 

Her argument, as follows:

i)  it's a Richmond must-have experience;
ii) it'd make Excellent Blog Fodder.

Godfrey's, 

where the girls are quickly chastised for bringing along their straight boy-friends...

(We''ll call her "Dolly", working 9 to 5.)

 

 So many sequins & feathers, bodystockings; wigs, piled-high & flesh-net.

I also liked the fact that we were sat right by a dresser of sorts, responsible for
catching the QC discarded cloaks/over-dresses, plus a handful of dollar bills....

Heh. Pretty boy gets a lot of attention & a lot of lipstick kisses.

My greatest "Stray Dog" love of the Costume Shop. 
I think this has "Wedding, November" written all over it.

To skin a cat*

As in, there's more than one way to do so.

Which is great, if Feline's on the menu. However, if your man wakes up with only one intent in mind - an entire Monday dedicated to the cooking of a brisket - there's only one way to go.

We listen daily in the 'shop to NPR's All Things Considered. Today they happened to consider Brisket, which takes "at least fifteen hours to cook". I guess I should counting my blessings with only a nine hour wait.

'Morning'

 

'Noon'

Night.

........

Someone seems to have designs on my latest love. 
Nae fun!

 *No cats were harmed in the Making of this Blog-post.
Not even a cheeky, foot-chasing Woodcat.

Pasta IS Fancy.

And so it was that one by one, my 'theatre daughters' left our nest & flew away to Study Land once more. (That's what happens when you have an in-house recycling system and a compohst system and you favour early bedtimes; you get to be Mom.)

Yup. Aren't they lovely?

For Jenny, there was only one way to say goodbye: 
  The manifestation of Pasta as truly Fancy.

c.f.: A Fancy Backstory.

Invite:
 "pasta is fancy. i'm cooking pasta. come eat pasta. pasta.pasta.pasta. you get the picture."

Prompting some good questions from the Invitees
         as well as a few conflicts of interest:

   Katie:  "Will there be pasta?"
   Emily: "I'm allergic to pasta.
  Can you make me steak instead?"
                 
 Nonetheless, fancy preparations progressed: 

(Pasta! Penguin! Craft!)
 

with Homemade Garlic Bread.
Très Fancy.

..............................

Household.

 Another ae fond goodbye:

08-09-16: 

Jenny: nikki, why are you so fancy?

me: because i like pasta and i'm short

......

08-06-16:

Jenny: "Nikki, you're so talented!"

me: "It's because I'm short. 

God had to give me something to make up for being this close to the ground." 

JK crafted it. So clever & so pretty!