holiday party post

[callipygos]

Aphrodite's New York loft is done up to the nines.

The first good look as one enters is of twinkling Manhattan through the big windows, lights bright against a dark winter sky. The windows take up most of two walls; the rest of the space is largely empty, the star of the show a glowingly polished hardwood floor perfect for dancing.

There's a cluster of low-slung couches and chairs at one end of the room, velvet and leather and very inviting. They're situated by the fireplace, which lends them a cozy glow-- though it isn't cold anywhere in here, despite the windows.

Aphrodite is very proud of a few things about tonight:

1) The music, which spans a decent range of time periods and tempos, and will be playing for most of the evening.
2) The decorations, understated but quite lovely: softly glowing lights, silver and gold ribbons wound around columns and draped from the ceiling ... the occasional strategically placed bit of mistletoe.
3) Her dress.

And yes, darlings, there is a very well stocked bar and counter full of snacks.

That's what happens when you enlist the Three Graces to help you plan your shindigs.

Comments

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate has never mingled with London society, but she has been to a few Parisian get-togethers, and she's fairly certain Lady Aphrodite's party planning skills would put anyone to shame.

She's made a similar circuit as Lady Mary, bypassing the trays of rich and complicated foods, and sticking with what she knows. Alcohol.

"Good evenin'."

She inclines her head, curtsying.

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

"Good evening," Mary replies, nodding in acknowledgement.

"I don't believe we've met. Lady Mary Crawley."

She extends one elegantly gloved hand to shake.

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate recognizes the refined tones of good breeding in Lady Mary's voice the instant she begins to speak. Instinctively, her shoulders go a little straighter.

"S'a pleasure, Lady Crawley. I'm Miss Kate Barlow, of Texas."

She is without gloves tonight, her deep purple smock of the 1940s fashion; a woman out of time, out of time. Hopefully Lady Crawley can forgive her bare hands when she reaches for the shake.

"Are you a friend of the hostess?"

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

Ah, Americans. They try so hard. It's endearing, in a way. Or might be, if Mary were taken to sentimentality.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Barlow. And 'Lady Mary' will do."

From what Mary knows of the States, Texas is still another world away. So it goes without saying that explaining that she aspires to by Lady Grantham, not Lady Crawley, doesn't seem worth the effort. Kate's anachronistic oddities too she attributes to her Texan roots.

"Lady Aphrodite is a charming hostess, but sadly I had not met her before tonight."

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

"Then we're in the same boat, Lady Mary."

She smiles graciously and returns to her drink, refraining from adding, 'albeit in different classes.'

"I'm accompanyin' a gentleman of her acquaintance tonight. I'm afraid this sort of shindig is quite outside my realm."

And she does look mildly uncomfortable, afraid she sticks out like a sore thumb.

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

"I understand. Am I correct that you too are not from this time, Miss Barlow?"

Mary may be better at hiding her unease with the temporal setting, but she's well aware that she's at least slightly out of her element.

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

"You are. I'm from eighteen-eighty-eight, an' several worlds removed from this one, I'd wager. It's still a li'l overwhelmin' t'see so many lights."

Laughing softly, she gestures to the grand windows displaying the city skyline with her drink.

"An' you?"

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

Mary nods. "My father has just installed electric lights in some of the rooms of our house. I find them quite convenient."

And unlike Granny, Mary doesn't worry about "vapors" from the electricity.

"My home is in 1912. I suspect our two worlds have more in common than either has with this place."

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

Her eyes light up with interest.

"You're certainly much closer t'my time than most I've met in the bar. It can be — taxing. Bein' the relic who knows little of their future amenities."

She smiles, but if Mary's not mistaken there is something akin to a roll of the eyes in her expression.

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

Mary smiles. There's something about Miss Barlow—perhaps her no-nonsense attitude—that remind her of Anna. That is, if Anna hadn't the good sense to come from Yorkshire instead of Texas.

"Anyone who thinks that they are superior because they are more modern is sadly mistaken, and I'll have no qualms telling them so."

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate smiles, as slow as butter melting in a pan.

"I imagine y'wouldn't. Then again, I imagine anyone who hauled off tryin' to seem superior t'you would look the fool no matter the outcome."

She sips at her drink.

"May I ask where your home is? My daddy immigrated from Lancashire."

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

Kate is not wrong.

"Lancashire? He wasn't so far from my home. I live in Yorkshire, at Downton Abbey."

Why she persists in giving the name of her home she's not entirely sure. No one here seems to know it, which is beginning to be quite frustrating.

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

"I thought perhaps that might be the case."

The corners of her mouth twitch. She touches her throat in the relative position of her voicebox.

"Your accent. It's more alike his than others I've met around here. Ah, met around the bar, that is. Sadly, I myself have only been t'England once, an' briefly at that. Somewhat more south from you, in Manchester."

She's always wanted to visit the country where her father was born, though. She just wouldn't know where to start.

"I don't s'pose you've ever been t'America?"

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

Manchester, land of stuck-up solicitors. There are far better places to visit, in Mary's opinion.

"As a matter of fact, I have, though not to your part of the country."

There are far better places to visit.

"My grandmother has houses in New York and Newport, and I have spent some little time at each."

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

Her lack of enthusiasm is nearly palpable to Kate. She debates whether she should even bother asking if she enjoyed the coast.

"S'a whole 'nother world, the East from the West. The country's still wild. An' beautiful. Though, I reckon it ain't for some; y'hafta be hard t'scratch out a livin', men an' women both. The land takes them who aren't strong."

Most of Kate's scars are hidden, as they always are. But in this fine 40s number, the grizzled scar on her right bicep where a bullet grazed her arm can be seen. Still pink, but fading more and more with each day.

Re: Food and Drink

[lady_mary]

Mary nods, understanding, or at least believing she does.

"The same is very true of the North. Downton may not be as wild in the same way as your home, but it is not completely tamed, and is most certainly beautiful."

And even the Society life can leave scars—ones that are not always visible on the surface.

"And how do you, as you say, 'scratch out a living', Miss Barlow?"

Re: Food and Drink

[ikissdhimbck]

There's a minute widening of her eyes before she eases into a smile, taking Lady Mary's remarks one at a time.

"I hope someday t'see it for myself."

She has another sip of her drink, buying herself a little time to think on how to answer the Lady's question. She generally opts for honesty.

"Ah, I used t'be a teacher. I studied English an' poetry at university. Now, I travel."

Well. Something akin to honesty, anyhow.