Our Trip to Williamsburg | Personal

We rang in the new year in Williamsburg this year! Lily has proven to be a very valuable friend - she takes me on all her fun trips. ;-) This time, the whole family went. Williamsburg was chilly, but nothing like home. It was still in the 40s, and on the whole more pleasant to be a bit cold but wrapped up in a wool cape than to be sweltering in the heat like we were the last time.

We had a lovely time; eating in the historic taverns, shopping, visiting trades, exploring gardens, and going english country dancing.

Nice how we can generally find an obliging tourist to take our picture. :-)

We had to wait around for about 20 minutes for the tourists to clear out of the Governor's Palace grounds... but it was so worth it!

Read out Tara's new silk jacket ensemble on her blog.

I could live here.

Hole in the wall! :-)

Lily and I actually remembered to get a picture together! What?!

We had a lovely time chatting with Nicole and Abby in the milliner's shop, where they were constructing a new gown.

It was a lovely trip - and I bought fabric for a new jacket, so that means we HAVE to go back! ;-)

Colonial Williamsburg | Personal

We had been scheming this trip for several years, but we had never actually made it happen. Lily and Gretel go to Williamsburg every year, and we always look at their pictures longingly. We have been to Williamsburg twice before, but the last time we were there was 9 years ago.

This year it finally happened. We drove out to Virginia and spent nearly a week in the ridiculously charming Colonial Williamsburg. Seriously, people, it's really amazing that a place this cute exists. It's rather hard to come home to the midwest after that...

Since it had taken so long to make this trip a reality, we were going to milk it for all it was worth, so we went all out with period correct 18th century outfits. Lily is Colonial Seamstress Extraordinaire, and I was privileged to have my gown made by her talented fingers. Tara whipped up an insane number of garments in about 2 weeks time, making me look like a complete wimp (which I am, when it comes to sewing).

We spent the week roaming the streets and gardens, visiting shops and trades, attending a concert in the ballroom of the Governor's Palace, listening to actor portrayals of the founding fathers and having a generally marvelous time. I didn't take half as many pictures as I thought I would, because I forgot about the fact that carrying a giant black piece of equipment around would really ruin my authentic look. :-) So, not a ton of pictures got taken, but still enough to warrant a post. I hope you enjoy just a peek into our week of traipsing the streets of Williamsburg!

Charming doors and gardens abound! And hurray, charming 18th century girls to stick in them!

The lambs were out and we spent the week hunting around for them. There was an ever-elusive group of triplets that we searched for and only found out where they were on our way home.

There's me on the first day, in all my hairspray-less glory.

I can assure you I doused myself in it every day thereafter.

This room is so perfect. Sloping ceiling, little mini doors, pretty bed... yep, love.

I have a desk obsession.

Game Pye at the King's Arms Tavern

Lily in her amazing silk polonaise she made at a class here in Williamsburg. Ridiculously precise matching of stripes...

The print shop was one of my favorites. What can I say, paper and ink gives me a thrill!

It also had many highly photographable objects in it. Double yay!

My dress made by the amazing Lily! I love it!

Especially the back bodice pleats... there's some fancy French name for those...

Hand-stitched frills and my shoes from American Duchess!!

I couldn't help taking a picture of this notice on the wall of Wetherburn's Tavern. Paper, ink, cool handwriting, old phraseology, AND a ball... what's better than that? :-)

Gretel the Adorable.

Whose stripey, ruffly, minty jacket I wouldn't mind stealing from her...

It was a simply wonderful week. THANK YOU R's for having us!!! Next year? :-)