One of our favorite places to go downtown after Powell's Books is Little T Baker in Union Alley (which we call Diagon Alley, but it's really more like Hipster Urban Lumberjack Alley.) They have the best bread. I mean really, the best. And they serve it with butter and jam—it's so pleasing and fun to eat.
There's shop in this alley, Spruce Apothecary, that sells fabulous hard-to-find items, including Royall Lyme, which is the cologne my Dad wore when I was growing up. He passed away 12 years ago, and the anniversary of his death was last week. I was pregnant with Sadie, my eldest, when he died. I go to this shop to and dare myself to smell it. I have a few times now. I haven't told the girls what I am doing. I'm sure I will someday and let them smell it too, but for now, I just keep it to myself. Scents are so powerful. Growing up, my mom wore Chanel No 19, and I still buy it for her. I always feel about 8 years old when I smell it.
I'm in a sewing frenzy for the ballet performance coming up next week. I feel like I'm back architecture school, not knowing which way is up and drinking too much coffee and not enough water. But it's different now that I'm almost 43 instead of 23. The bounce back takes longer. And my eyes aren't as good. There has been some cursing at ruffles and broken zippers, but it's coming together! A show! A show!
