Shoestring Chic and She-Crab Soup

How many consignment shops do you know of 

that have their own shopping bags?

 This past weekend, Howard and I visited my brother Kirby and his wife Doris at their home in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Yes, that Williamsburg, as in tri-corner hats and tourists.  

We had a blast -- laughed a lot, ate even more, enjoyed some grownup beverages,

talked & talked & talked, and . . . shopped.

My personal favorite stop:  The Velvet Shoestring.

This ain't Goodwill; it's a high falutin' consignment shop.

Visit the website here and you'll see what I mean.

We brought home this:

 In fact, we brought home two of this-es:

Frick and Frack, our new chairs, sitting idly in the Parlor, biding their time till they get their new duds.

 I've been looking for Martha Washington-type arm chairs for our parlor for 3 years.  If they are good quality, they cost a bundle to buy (gasp!) new, and in many cases they also cost a lot used.  Check eBay and you'll see what I mean.

These caught my eye right away.  They are big, with lovely wide seats

for those of us who are the possessors of lovely wide seats of our own.

 But what I really loved were the frames.   These are really nice chairs.

 Chinese Chippendale fretwork.  Oh, be still my heart!

 I think it's nice that the dust makes it easier to see the piercings in the stretchers.

Not a good enough excuse to leave the dust, though, is it?  No, didn't think so.

 The upholstery is clean but worn, and it will be replaced.  Okay, I'll be honest here;

mostly it will be replaced because it's teal and peach and forest green. 

The 1980s wants its colors back.

For now, the chairs sit patiently in the Parlor until I can get them to the guy down the street who refinished our marble top sideboard, and who has a brother who does beautiful upholstery work.  This gives me time to develop a really good tension headache deciding on the fabric.

 Yes, I know -- nothing can replace that old flamestitch tapestry fabric in those 80s colors . . .
but what would you use to cover these chairs?  Our parlor is Lenox Tan walls, cream sofa, old wide pine floors,
black wing chairs, and a stunning old Oriental rug that I haven't found yet so don't know the colors.
:-P

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Now, if you visit Williamsburg, I very much recommend doing the rounds of the consignment

shops, especially The Velvet Shoestring.  But I recommend visiting Williamsburg, period.

It's one of my favorite spots, even more of a favorite now that Kirby and Doris live there.

It was our first visit to their house; it's gorgeous, in beautiful Ford's Colony.  We'll visit often.
(Doris and Kirby, you have been warned.)

Our guest room had its own en suite bathroom; how swanky is that?

In our house even the master bedroom doesn't have its own bathroom!

We had lunch Saturday in Merchant's Square, at Berret's Seafood Restaurant.

She-Crab Soup and some kind of special-of-the-day sandwich that I cannot remember

because the deliciousness of the soup has totally wiped out my recall of any other food at that lunch.

She Crab Soup is "she" because there is roe in it.  Tell your kids that and you'll get to eat their soup as well.

At Berret's the server asks if you want a drizzle of dry sherry atop your soup.  Yes, please.

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my supermarket potted hyacinths are going all rebel on us.

They look innocent enough, sitting here this morning getting a good bath and watering in the kitchen sink.

 But looks can be deceiving.

They are making a break for it, going over the wall, busting out of their dirt prisons.

They are climbing out of their pots; you can see their nekkid bulbs! 

What gives?

Am I going to come downstairs some morning to find them frolicking, rootless and free, all over the kitchen?  Ordering pizza online?  Making long distance phone calls to second cousins in The Netherlands?  Liberating the asparagus from the vegetable drawer because they are distant relations?  Pointing at one another and giggling, "You smell!"?

Whew!  It's Friday, my friends.  Tomorrow Howard and I head for the beach house, as the painting contractor begins on Sunday (yes, Sunday!).  I'll spend a good chunk of next week watching paint dry out there, and don't know if I will have any internet access at all, but I'll try!  -- Cass

Friday Link Parties!

Show and Tell, at My Romantic Home.   Click here!

Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.  Click here!

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage.  Click here!

Furniture Friday at Miss Mustard Seed.  Click here!