Little Shops Make a Big Difference

One of the nicest surprises I had in Italy was to find so many similarities between the shops in the ancient towns we visited and the shops along Fourth Street in Berkeley, where Castle in the Air is. Of course, we don't have the luxury of being right down the street from the Pantheon like Natalizia's shop in Rome, pictured here. But philosophically and socially there is a lot to compare.

The Italian shops tended to be clustered together in warrens, shopping districts that were destinations in and of themselves. These parts of town had played host to merchants and buyers for centuries -- if the streets could talk, what stories they'd tell!

In a post like this about visiting shops in foreign countries, on a weblog that I use to promote my online store, it might sound odd for me to tout the virtues of shopping locally. But it's something that I sincerely believe in, and the afternoons spent in the little shops in Italy really drove it home for me. What struck me more than anything else was how vital the shops were to creating a sense of community in their neighborhoods, in their towns. Fourth Street is like that for those of us who work down here in Berkeley, and for our regular customers. After spending my childhood watching Fourth Street grow, and following years of running my store, getting lunch at the take-out place next door, buying treats for my dog across the street, and seeing all the other workers and customers day in and day out, Fourth Street is as much my home as anywhere else. I know it's that way for so many people in so many little districts around the world, and I believe it's something we all should cherish and support when we do our shopping.

"Medieval Times"

My family loves few things more than an inspired theme party, so when my older daughter -- who turns seven this week -- asked to have a "medieval times" birthday celebration, I was on a mission.

We sent out invitations she drew and lettered in the style of illuminated manuscript pages and, before the guests arrived, hung streamers from the ceiling and arrayed ourselves in finery of the Middle Ages. Duncan and I wore robes and adornments we found at a local Shakespeare festival costume sale, and the girls put on favorite party dresses. Our younger daughter added to her look with a felted dragon headdress from a few Halloweens ago. We were so thrilled as we welcomed the guests to see that many other people had decided to dress the part too. There was even another baby dragon for ours to play with!

For refreshments, we provided simple foods such as figs, pears, kumquats, cheese, and bread, with wine and tea for the grownups. One friend of ours provided the party with minstrel-style guitar playing, and there was a dancing revue by the girls (and at least one adult).

The pièce de résistance, however, was the birthday cake. Set on a board decorated to look like a medieval meadow, complete with castle in the background, the cake itself was made in the shape of a running unicorn. It was the creation of a dear Castle in the Air customer, my friend Jeff Gosche. As enchanting as the unicorn was to adults and children alike, once it was time for cake, the birthday girl wasted no time in carving up the fabulous creature for us all to enjoy.