She dreamed she lived in a house with a turret. She had had this same dream since she was about 6 years old. An old Victorian house, filled with secrets and doors to other worlds...
She even thought she could see herself peeking out through the window of a house with a turret resembling a perfectly proper witches hat...
Turned out her friend Miss D (the lovely actress), had the same dream swirling in her head. One day, they found themselves at the lovely house with the turret. They looked up, longingly. Like two little girls in pigtails dragging tricycles, staring, mouths agape. Just wishing to play in the magically interesting abode...
Luckily the two girls were easily distracted by a train depot.
It beckoned them, enticed them....
2 tickets to anywhere my pretties? asked the old woman at the ticket booth. Oh no, not today said the girls. They looked at each other wide eyed.
Quickly their attention was again distracted. But this time, it was by Maynard's Kitchen. Come in, come in it said to them. Miss D had tasted the food of the Gods, or should I say the dessert of the Gods, at Maynard's and thought that I too should be so lucky...
They didn't have the special dessert that day, but what they did have was even better as far as I was concerned...
Salad with taste bud bursting flavors. Figs, prosciutto, hazelnuts...
This was supposed to be a half portion salad, fancy that. Followed by pizza unlike any I have ever tasted. Seems the non-pizza eating girl is changing her ways. This is just my kind of pizza. It was unreal, delicious, one bite and you could faint.
Thin and light but super flavorful. Arugula, goat cheese, sweet caramelized garlic, meaty & dark grilled mushrooms... More than enough for two.
The house with the turret was quickly fading from the desire pool.
The train whistled by and left its charm dangling on the tracks, for us to absorb, as we munched away...
So much shopping had taken place before the tasty treats. Treasures a plenty were found at a favorite antique shop. The Tumbling Tumbleweed, soon to be known as Antiques Etc.
As they rested from shopping in the heat, lunch hit the spot. But, a cappuccino truly refueled the soul, because...
The girls hit the pavement big time, right after a few sips. 108' degree weather and stores with no air conditioning had nothing on them...
There were hippies and gypsies -
All on 4th avenue...
A Popcycle Shop had -
Hundreds of art treasures made from recycled wonderment...
A little trip to Mexico and beyond happened right in a corner shop...
While underwater creatures were just about everywhere...
Then they both peered into a shop that had been intriguing the painter girl for 15 years but was never open. A mysterious stripping and refurbishing shop...
Down 4th avenue they roamed in platform heels and heatwaves. Until they came to How Sweet it Was, a beloved vintage clothing store...
This is the shop Mister Lovee found gifts to knock the girl's socks off. Like those super vintage heeled boots from posts long ago, and shoe clips for tweed heels. Yep, that's the brownie points shop...
The charming dressing rooms tried to beckon them in, but the heat, the heat, kept them to hat modeling instead...
While the actress girl tried on hats, the painter girl made a discovery of the vintage Mexican variety.
Oh swoon. It was one of those precious peasant gowns, perfect for roaming in the Gypsy Garden ...
It tickled her soul. The mere thought of a night in the Gypsy Magic space tickled her soul...
So, she purchased the wee gown and then sat in Antigone bookstore, in blissful peace, where she found fairy tinkling bells as she was leaving. Funny, the things you find in a bookstore...
It was a beautiful, charming and memorable day. Driving to the country house, the sky twinkled and glimmered, as the thought of the house with a conservatory and a turret seemed to disappear with the moving of the clouds...
She arrived home, to a place where the vintage Mexican garden gown was all the joy...
Puffy sleeves with little embroidered flowers, yippee yay!
She loved the trim around the top. What a find, she thought...
She realized the house with the turret had vanished from her mind. A visit to the Victorian house, once in a while in her dreams, would be more than enough...
She hung her dress amongst the paper flowers, and continued the sole process of getting her office finished and packaging orders.
Office walls were done two years ago, but the place slowly filled up with junk junk junk...
Sooo, she placed 2 sheds worth of "stuff" goodness knows where, just this week. Now, don't open any other sheds on the property, things will just tumble out. Finally decisions were made. And white, dreamy white, won out...
That little door leads you 7 steps to the gallery.
One little part of the office was starting to come along. The bathroom still under construction and the little kitchen area and the desk space (hidden for now) needed to be done, so she chug chug chugged along...
One day soon, the painting door in the studio would lead to a perfect little bright office. Just what the doctor ordered for a cheery disposition :)
Special floor stuff, in a white to match the walls. That was the decision for now. Easy, painless, get it done. For one year she hemmed and hawed about wood floors, tile floors, concrete floors and on and on. In the end, concrete paint won. An Ulfert Wilke has patiently waited to be hung on the wall for ages...
As she stood on a ladder and painted a corner, her mind started to make a wish. "How I wish for that Victorian Turret hou...." Then the other part of her brain stopped her and said, "if you think this is work, you have no idea what you might be getting yourself into with an old Victorian abode..."
So, she smiled and said out loud "Beware of what you wish for Vanessa..." A house with a conservatory and a turret? You best be more specific about the details, you girl...
As she realized how her wish could end in less than a fanciful twist, she decided she was more than happy with what she had. Her current project was more than enough, thank you very much. Plus, nothing beats good friends, no stress, vintage frocks, gypsy gardens, and elves ;)
Unless of course, the perfect Victorian house........
♥,V
ps: I have parcel LOVE to share next time and thank the senders for profusely. Those who send me parcelettes seem to know me so so so very well! Thank you over the moon!!
pss: Last photo is the William Livingstone house, borrowed from - detroityes.com/news
