[OPEN] Yesterday’s Magic Grand Opening and Vintage Party

[vintage_magic]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Yesterday’s Magic and Northern Lights (Building C in the shopping district)
Rating: Depends on who tags but unlikely to be more than PG-13
Time: April 21, 10AM-6PM for the shop, after 6PM for the party
Description: Lily’s vintage clothes shop officially opens for business, accompanied by a vintage themed party at Northern Lights. Come browse through the shop, play dress up, mingle, and dance!




Dag nab it! Why did it have to be so windy today?! It wouldn’t have been such a problem if Lily lived in an apartment above her shop like she did in San Francisco. But the witch had spent much of the walk from Casualty Communal to the shopping district trying to keep the wide skirt of her 1950s blue floral print dress from ascending to obscene levels.

She checked her appearance in the full-length mirror placed next to the three small spaces she had curtained off as changing areas. After a couple of tugs at the v neckline of her dress and smoothing the tangles out of her long wavy hair, she turned her attention to the shop.

Moving to the window, she adjusted the homemade Yesterday’s Magic sign—it hadn’t seemed right to reuse her San Francisco shop’s name without Bronwyn, Maya, and Oscar here—as well as the smaller ‘help wanted’ sign next to it. Then, she turned and circled the racks, surveying their contents.

Unlike Aunt Cora’s Closet, the racks here were laden with clothes for both men and women plus some smaller sizes for juniors. There was a bit of everything ranging from old band t-shirts and bellbottom jeans to vintage tuxedos and evening gowns. Victorian waistcoats, flapper dresses, and poodle skirts shared space with more mundane items such as cardigans, sweater vests, and 1960s miniskirts. Corsets, Edwardian petticoats, and old-fashioned nightgowns added to the eclectic mix. Everything had been washed or dry cleaned before being put out on the sales floor and the scent of fresh laundry mingled with rosemary and rue from Lily’s homemade herbal sachets.

She stopped to adjust one of the many baskets scattered throughout the shop, holding costume jewelry, gloves, scarves, and neckties of various eras; there were even a few bow ties and cravats mixed in. The hat rack was nearly completely hidden under pillbox hats, cloches, fedoras, bowlers, top hats, cowboy hats. And the shoe rack was similarly burdened with platform shoes, spectator shoes, and go-go boots and other styles of varying age.

She had put cash into the register to make change, stashed a set of shopping bags under the counter, and finished tagging the last of the garments. Some of the finer items, mostly the formal wear, carried price tags into the triple digits but simpler things and accessories could be found for as little as five to ten death dollars.

The employees she had hired would be coming in later; it being a weekday morning, she didn’t expect to be swamped. And the party she had planned as a grand opening event was set for that evening at the restaurant a couple of doors down from the shop—hopefully, the wind would die down before then. Satisfied that she had checked everything else off her mental list, there was just one more thing to do: the usual cleansing ritual she conducted each morning back home.

The witch wasn’t sure if it actually worked here but it couldn’t hurt to continue, especially after that break-in last week. She sprinkled salt water around the edges of the shop widdershins, or counterclockwise. Then, with a bundle of fresh sage, she smudged deosil and lit a beeswax candle. Muttering a protective incantation, she flipped the sign to ‘open’ and unlocked the door.

Yesterday’s Magic was officially open for business!


Links
Yesterday’s Magic – Racks
Yesterday’s Magic – Changing Area
Yesterday’s Magic – Sales Counter
Party – Mingling
Party – Buffet Table
Party – Dancing


[OOC: Since Lily is somewhat technophobic, she has been advertising her shop and the opening party IC by posting flyers around town rather than on the network. Previous OOC post about the event is here. As usual for event logs, indicate characters involved in the subject line and whether your thread is open or closed. Feel free to make your own threads if there’s something which doesn’t quite fit in any of the sections. And you can make up your own stuff to find in the shop as long as it falls into the late 1800s to 1980s range. Vintage outfits aren’t required for the party but are highly encouraged. (Because Lily kind of miscalculated and went broke setting up the shop and throwing this party. Oops.)]

Comments

[vintage_magic]

Apparently, someone has been spreading rumors about ghosts of star-crossed lovers meeting in the park. And that you're supposed to throw rice at them. [She scoffed at the ludicrous casting of her and that sorcerer as the lovers, if they ever even existed.]

[lezard_valeth]

...The 7 Mysteries of Death City hoax. To think I had some hope for the collective intelligence of the people here...

[vintage_magic]

You've heard of these flyers, too? [She figured he would have made the connection earlier if he had.] The guy I hired to do alterations for the shop told me about it. He said folks were throwing tomatoes at him because of it.

[lezard_valeth]

[So she hired that loud, rather aggressive boy from the Network? It was a surprise the store wasn't torn apart.]

The flyers are littered all over the city. I can't imagine anyone hasn't read them by now, but some of the citizens have been toting vegetables and fruit with them for the last few days. Whatever entertains, I suppose.

... [A corner of his mouth quirked.]

'Star-crossed lovers', then?

[vintage_magic]

All over the city? [Lily sounded a bit dismayed. She'd been so busy washing, steaming, and pricing clothes lately that she hadn't paid any attention to the produce-related habits of the locals. All she knew was what Kanji had mentioned to her.]

But that's ridiculous! You don't think that nonsense was supposed to refer to us, do you?! [And a few customers paused in their browsing to glance their way. Oops, someone forgot about trying to be quiet...]

[lezard_valeth]

A curious question. The fact that they mention the park - where we most often meet - may point to our having something of an audience.

Ha ha ha...! Perhaps it is about us! We did give them quite a show, indeed!

[vintage_magic]

Not so loud! [She lifted her hands in protest, trying to hush him. The customers went back to their shopping but continued to sneak interested looks towards the counter. She lowered her voice again. It was true that they always seemed to meet in the park but...] Who could have even seen us? Except that last time, there was never anyone around!

[Lily groaned as a pair of giggling teenage girls left the shop, whispering speculations. 'I'll bet the saleswoman is dating that geeky guy.' 'I'd be embarrassed, too, if it were me!' There was another burst of high-pitched laughter as the door swung closed behind them.]

[lezard_valeth]

I would not put it past BREW to hire in a few with skills in spying. Then again, some children are quite skilled in snooping.

[He seemed to pay little heed to their whispered speculation, but brought a hand to his chin once the door closed.]

...I confess, the word 'geek' is a relatively new term. I take it that it's derogatory?

[vintage_magic]

You think another person dragged here, a kid, is responsible for this? [But then in a way, it would kind of make sense. Starting a rumor that encouraged someone to throw tomatoes at a person was rather childish.]

Yes. Basically, someone who studies too much.

[lezard_valeth]

Only a child would craft such rumors.

[A shrug. He sees now.]

Having a well-primed mind is something to insult in this timeline? Undesirable? How interesting... yet I have not seen fit to even speak of my personal studies.

[He looked away a moment in thought.]

Or have I? Hmmm.

[vintage_magic]

Did you annoy someone who might do this? [Because why target them for no reason?]

Your studies? [Lily hadn't heard much about them either. He'd always been vague whenever the topic of his research came up.] And they're judging by appearances. They think you spend all your time with your nose in a book because of those glasses, I reckon.

[lezard_valeth]

I tend to remain in my room, if not my garden. No, I choose merely to annoy you. [The cant of his head and a cheeky smile.]

[Ah, but he was confused again. The cheekiness was gone quickly enough, a brow furrowed.]

...They are implements used to correct my eyesight. Though I suppose I did spend a fair deal of my life with my face locked against the pages of a dusty old tome.

Ailing as they are... I pride myself on my eyes. [And so he removed his glasses, and chose instead to lean on the counter again, observing her face.]

Hm. As should you.

[vintage_magic]

[With a roll of the eyes...] Just what I always wanted. My own personal nuisance.

[And did he really not get the point about the glasses?] It's a stereotype but lots of people think of geeks as wearing glasses. Besides, there are contacts now.

[As he leaned against the counter, she thought that his eyes were a rather rare shade, like the amethyst in the pendant hanging on necklace display next to the cash register...]

Um, thanks, I guess.

[lezard_valeth]

[A crash course on stereotypes in this day and age, but one he took value in. Ever the intellectual sponge, however, she used another term that he didn't quite understand.]

It is my understanding that use of said 'carn tracts' will lessen the "geek" appearance?

[Carn- corn- Contacts... those were informants, right? He had a chain of them back home, but only so few here. Why was he still called a geek, then?]

Yet I'm rather fond of my glasses. Alas, the opinions of this day and age are distressingly skewed!

[vintage_magic]

[Oh, right. Not being from modern times, he probably hadn't heard of them before.]

Contact lenses. They're little lenses you can put in your eye instead of wearing glasses. I think there's surgery, too... [She had never needed such things though so she couldn't tell him much more than that.]

I could do without the gadgets. Those cotton-pickin' things usually break if I try to use them. [Sometimes, she thought she'd do better as a witch centuries ago but then she'd remember the massacres.]

[lezard_valeth]

[Interesting. This may have required a visit to an optometrist for curiosity's sake. Whether he'd actually walk out with contact lenses remained to be seen.]

...I think I will keep the surgical implements away from my eyes.

The communicators, you mean? Or the 'microwaves' and other odd tools sitting around the home? [His poor microwave was gathering dust, among other handy kitchen tools. He hadn't bothered to ask anyone how they worked, so they'd become ornamental.]

[vintage_magic]

[She nodded.] Cell phones make me jangly and I usually can't figure out how to use the darn things beyond a simple phone call. [They interfered with her sense of vibrations and she had no idea how to even type in or send a text message on those things.] Digital cameras and other portable electronics, too.

Kitchen things aren't as bad but a plain old stove and oven still works best. [Lily didn't really use her microwave either. Back home, even her stove had been vintage!]

[lezard_valeth]

I admit, I had begun to learn using the glowing eyes above the small oven. To see just how far what those from my world could have called crackpot inventors have come in this day and age is quite fascinating.

I will miss scrying orbs and most of my tools from home, however. There are some things that should not have changed, and there is something peaceful about seeing an image over a rippling pool of water over the eye strain of electronic displays.

[vintage_magic]

Glowing eyes? I take it you mean the burners on the stove? [She wondered if he was brewing considering the things he had planted in the park.]

[At the mention of scrying, Lily let out a groan that made it obvious that she didn't share his sentiments about crystal balls. Muttering so the customers wouldn't overhear...] I hate those things. Can never see a dang thing in them. My terrace garden and some other things would be helpful though.

[lezard_valeth]

Have you trouble with divination? Mine is not as good as that of an oracle, of course, but I see what I wish to see as it occurs. Alas, no future-sight!

...Not that it matters now, thanks to BREW. Oh well, I shall stick to these 'burners' and see what I can concoct. Thus far I've managed something to counteract the fatigue after a mission that has more than run its course. Ah, the wonders of ginseng...!

[vintage_magic]

Crystal balls, black mirrors. I'm just no good with them. Aidan was trying to help but I usually don't see more than fleeting shadows. [She had never been good at simultaneously concentrating and allowing her mind to wander.] I can't read palms, cards, or tea leaves either.

So, you've been making tea? Never really tried that stuff. [Despite all the plants she did have her her garden back home, ginseng wasn't included since it took so many years to grow.]

[lezard_valeth]

I personally refer to remain in the present. I'll leave it to the oracles and stick with farsight.

[Were Lezard the more comical sort, he would have clapped his hand to his chest and lamented that Lily was missing out on the joys of tea. Surely, someone else would have done the same.]

Not a fan? I happen to know my way around a few interesting blends that I have no qualms against sharing.

[vintage_magic]

[And if he had, Lily might have just rolled her eyes. She lived with a goblin who tended to overreact to things back home.]

I prefer coffee but I meant the ginseng. I've never grown it since I moved a lot and it takes so long to mature.

[lezard_valeth]

Of course. ...Would you kindly tell me your secret to handling coffee? I'm afraid my heart tends to attempt to beat out of my chest after a mug.

[vintage_magic]

[There was a hint of amusement at his last statement.] Did you make it too strong? Maybe, you should try decaf.