The Far Less Creepy and Far From Abandoned Mansion in the Woods; Friday Afternoon/Evening [06/27].

[chef_chocobro]

When the guests arrived, they would, of course, be instructed to find their way to the garden conservatory; the subtle decorations both inside the mansion and through the exterior gardens would guide most people to there, and, barring that, the steward was naturally on hand to provide and escort. There, they would find a scene that seemed almost a stark contrast to the dark and brooding decor of a necromancer, a place filled with light and life, with plants both decorative and functional, colorful and aromatic and useful, and, of course, no lack of the expected gothic or Victorian touches here and there. Somewhere, some cleverly situated water fixture babbled steadily along with the light, inobtrusive music that set the atmosphere: something elevated just slightly above casual, that slight touch of pretentiousness that was gentle in its demands for propriety and decorum and class. Comfortable chaises and chairs were arranged here and there sociably, a gathering a wrought-iron bistro tables and chairs as well, but the set-up seemed to suggest the kind of floating interactions of butterflies among flowers, drifting from one to the next with an airy regard.

And, of course, the spread of food was exceptional, lighter fair, but plenty of it, things that could be enjoyed while fluttering about with the other guests in one hand, while the other held a glass of fine wine or sparkling water garnished with fresh fruits or even a robust coffee or a floral cup of tea. Small sandwiches and crostini, bruschetta and other variations, but there were also empanadas with a chimichurri sauce, paella with scallops, pomegranate pork kebabs...

Spring rolls, summer rolls, smoked salmon cucumber rolls...

And of course, desserts, which would include alfajores dulce de leche, coffee truffles, fruit crostini, and key lime mini pies.

Needless to say, no one should be wanting for food. Just be careful not to fill up on treats too much if you plan to stay on later; there was still plenty of dancing to be had, once the party moved itself to the awaiting ballroom.

[[ naturally, ocd incoming ocd is up! Come and celebrate with us! ]]

Comments

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

[mustbeawitch]

"Eleanor, dearest, there you are!" Lydia exclaimed when she saw her. "You look lovely!"

A small part of Lydia was having a heart attack over the general design and shortness of the dress, but she was sternly reminding that part of herself that the modern era was very different.

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

[what_big_teeth]

Believe her, Lydia, Eleanor was having the same reservations herself, but Luma had insisted that her long legs deserved to be showcased and that, clearly, all that time at a religious school had made her practically prudish, and Eleanor just....didn't have it in her to put up that particular fight.

She felt the creep of her oddly green blush start to flood around the edges of her face, ducking her head but giving Lydia a grateful sort of smile. "Thanks," she said, with a self-conscious sort of tug at the hemline as if that could magically make it resemble Lydia's. "So do you, but no surprise there. How're things going?"

Considering how, recently, they'd been in this location for Liliana's awkward, terrible class so much, she couldn't help feeling some of those awkward, terrible moments washing back over her.

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

[mustbeawitch]

"Oh, I'm quite well, you know." Lydia oh-so-casually dropped, "It's my birthday tomorrow. And how are you, dearest?" Lydia would have asked after Eleanor's sister, but she'd seen Luma about the party, so she'd surely catch up with her individually, and she'd seen enough of Luma and Eleanor in said awkward class to suspect such an inquiry would not be fully welcomed.

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

[what_big_teeth]

Eleanor was honestly relieved that Luma had apparently taken to socializing the way she had, although she was already ready for it to flip at a moment's notice, and then she'd be spending the rest of the time trying to keep Luma in human form while apologizing to everyone and trying to decided if she should explain it away because Luma never really had interacted with people before...

She really hoped that didn't have to happen, though, and so any distraction was nice, especially one that she would have jumped on anyway.

"Oh, tomorrow?" said Eleanor, who blinked and realized that her own birthday was coming up in just a few days from now, too. The only thing that really reminded her of it was remembering that she remembered feeling safety when everyone else's birthdays were happening and there were surprise parties everywhere because hers was still far, far away, and it had come up, hadn't it, somehow, that hers and Lydia's were fairly close?

She laughed a little then, and smiled. "Well, happy early birthday! Are you doing anything special for it?"

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

[mustbeawitch]

"Yes," Lydia affirmed, "and that means yours is coming up rather soon, too, is it not?...and oh, no, I shouldn't think so. They're having that rainbow parade thing, so I'm sure everyone will be very busy." Everyone should really admire how mature she was being in not throwing a tantrum about this. Fifteen-year-old Lydia would have been insufferable about a scheduling conflict with her birthday. "I might buy myself a cupcake. Or perhaps two! Do you have any plans for your birthday?"