Respites
Notes from the Past
Ivy F. DeShield, contributing editor
ivydeshield@gmail.com
Dear Reader,
I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you now on a cool summer’s eve as I dine café style on a side street in the heart of Georgetown. And since I have no companion this evening other than my pad and pen, I invite you to take in the scenery of this quaint, historic locale with me. Sitting here in the pre-twilight hours on a cobblestone street, it is not a stretch for the mind to wander past the colorful row houses, palatial end-units and backyard flower gardens to more romantic times when streetcars ran along the tracks that remain intact still — tastefully nostalgic, but rather cumbersome navigation for automobiles.
As the early dinner crowds begin to pour into the bistros, pizzerias and pubs, I notice a young, raven-haired woman in a marvelous pale green caftan, milk glass beads, chunky metallic silver platforms and an oversized straw tote. Her confident strut and eclectic, vintage style holds my attention (and a few others) until she fades into the distance. Writing once again now, I think how apropos her sudden commanding appearance was as I reminisced on earlier days; her loveliness only added to the already quixotic tableau I had conjured this evening.
There is some unnamable feeling that washes over me when I catch glimpses of the past in our present day society; I suppose it reminds me of slower, simpler times when family dinners and face-to-face conversations were the everyday. I believe this is why I am drawn to historic sites, early architectural styles and, of course, vintage wear. One of my favorite pastimes is spending the day vintage shopping for some unique finds and excellent deals. Earlier today, I visited a vintage/consignment gem in Georgetown, named Annie Creamcheese. I find myself returning to Annie Creamcheese again and again, not only because of the wonderful selections in clothing and accessories from vintage to modern, but the ever-helpful staff and the head buyer, Lauren Hendrickson, have created a shopping oasis for their customers to escape their daily lives and remake themselves into the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Lana Turner, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, Pam Grier, Elizabeth Taylor...the list goes on. And the iconic actress, Jennifer Beals, who embodied the 80’s in the classic film, Flashdance, recently visited the Georgetown boutique and made a few purchases of her own. I envy the shoppers who had the pleasure that day.
But I digress, and the streetlights are now glowing. The pub crowds are growing in number, and the late strollers are making an early start. The restaurants’ kitchen aromas weigh heavily on the night air now, and this café’s menu is a bit limited for me. I’ll be on the go soon like everyone else. But until then, I think I’ll sit curbside awhile longer. Maybe the striking woman in the vintage caftan will make another appearance. Yes, that’s always a possibility. Why not? The night is still young and my imagination, endless.
Yours truly,
Ivy F. DeShield
