Ivy & Sage... Plus An Ageism Rant

 

As promised this will be an Eye Candy Post of my first visit to a Delightful Shop called IVY & SAGE LIFESTYLE CO..   A Friend gave me directions to this Shop, she had told me some Vendors who left a previous Venue were now there, it exceeded all my expectations.  The Merchandising and Displays were superb and Enchanting.   I just Loved this Shop and took a multitude of Blog Fodder Imagery.  It's all so Editorial and Magical in how they Showcase all their wares.   From the Enormous Fabric Mushrooms, some towering probably 9 Foot High or more, to the smallest of Creations, it really is a Fantasyscape of Merchandise of every genre.

And in many ways it reminded me of "Anthropologie" Stores, which I just Love the Merchandising and Displays of.   A mixture of Fabulous Antiques and Fantastical Fantasy Props used to Showcase and Merchandise the Wares, is a Feast for the Eyes and the Senses.   I looked thru the Book of Faces, Instagram and Yelp Reviews to see more of how the Shop looks during various Holidays, it's all set up for Easter and Spring right now.  They change it constantly for the Seasons and do an amazing transformation each Holiday.  It will now be on my Must See List every Holiday Season to be transported Visually.  Since the Shop is also a collection of Small Business Owners, Supporting it is important too.  And so I know coverage of their Shop is Helpful to get free Advertising out there.

No, we weren't able to Buy much this time due to Budget constraints, but, whenever Budget permits, this would be a place I'd happily enjoy spending time and money at to support.   They do have Specialty Food items available from some of the Vendors and those items intrigued me.  I didn't Photograph every Vendor Space, some appealed to me more than others, of coarse.  And I liked how some of the Vendors Showcased their wares and maximized their Space in such a Visually stunning and Editorial way.  I always try to Learn something from that, since, Princess T and I are Vendors too and always try to improve our own Spaces.  I'd Love to be able to Display and Sell Jewelry like this, but at our Mall if you didn't have it in a Locked Case, it would walk out unpaid.  Which is the dilemma our Vendors are challenged with and face, it limits you, no doubt.

Even Simple Displays appealed to me, like the Booksellers who used Antique Props around what they had For Sale.   Most of the Props and Displays were also For Sale, some were not, others were Priced High and I suspect was becoz mebbe they'd rather not Sell the Prop but don't wanna put NFS on it.  I have my own Displays I constantly got asked by Customers if I'd Sell, so, finally I decided I'd put my "I Don't Really Wanna Sell It But It Can Be Bought Price" on them to quit receiving incessant Calls of people wanting to Buy it.  *Winks*  Now, there's risk in that, since, if they want it bad enuf, they'll actually Buy it at any Price.  So, you have to asses what your "It's Not For Sale But It Can Be Bought" Price ought to be, so you have no Seller's Remorse?  *Winks* 

They had an abundance of miniature Antique Loving Cups For Sale at a decent Price Point, but I wasn't a Player this day.   I Collect Old Loving Cups and other Antique Trophies, it's getting harder to find them reasonably priced.   And now there's a lot of knockoffs, but these were the Real Deal, many had Condition Issues, but nice Engravings, some were Dated.   The Displays of them were pleasing to the Eyes, the Vendor also Sold some very nice Jewelry at good prices too.  In fact, I really liked a lot of the Jewelry I saw For Sale here by various Vendors.  And the Price Point on the Jewelry was very good, much lower than many other Vendors who Create their own Line of Accessories and Bling.

And we saw an Idea for repurposing Old Salvaged Doors that we're totally enamored with. {Trio of Pixs Below}   The Vendor made them into various Furniture, which, I've seen done before of coarse, but not quite in this way.  And, I really liked the repurposing of Old Doors that might no longer have their Glass intact, it was ingenious.  The Man said that would be a Fun Project for him to delve into, since he does have Cabinet Making Skills and was formally Training as a Young Man by a European Cabinetmaker who did it all with Old Antique Tools, a Lost Art.   The Man did his Cabinetry as a Hobby, since he had a Military Career and Cabinetmaking and other Carpentry helped him relax.  But, he did often get hired by wealthy Clients to Custom Make Cabinets, Custom Closets and Furniture for them.

 

Now, tho' both The Man and I were enamored with these Old Door Creations and could use something like these in The RV Garage Mahal Space, and would Buy one if the Price was within Budget, it wasn't.  In fact, I got Sticker Shock with these Creations and wouldn't be a Player at those Prices, but, they were Lovely enuf to Photograph and be Inspired by.   And Yes, Antique Salvaged Doors and their Hardware now are expensive just "As Is" so Sourcing them to Fabricate into Furniture isn't Cheap either, plus your Labor, so... it's all subjective as to Price Point.  I felt this was in the Stratosphere of Furniture prices that I just couldn't and wouldn't pay myself, but, if you have deep Pockets, you'd be a Player and have something quite unique and well built.   And I liked both the Cabinets that were Vertically Repurposed and Horizontally.  But at over $900 apiece, too rich for our Blood.

                                                                                   

Of coarse the demographic of this Store's Location is in a more affluent Community and I have no doubt many Customers have the means to pay higher end prices.   When we lived in Rural Affluent Subdivision Hell in the McManse, some of our Neighbors would do a stratospherically expensive Kitchen Remodel every single Year for Five Years straight in their 5,000-7,000+ Square Foot Manses, just coz they tired of the Old Look!   I kid you not... wealthier people often throw more Money away and are wasteful than you would or could comprehend, since, they have no Budget and no saturation point or conscience about it.   When you have seemingly unlimited resources, Money becomes no object and no barrier to tossing it around indiscriminately.  This is Why we don't need Billionaires running our Government/Country.  Nobody is as Wasteful as the obscenely filthy Rich.

And Yes, I'm gonna traipse off into a bit of a Political Rant just briefly to remind you that we now have a President whose Wasted more Money in his Lifetime than probably anybody ever.  So, while pretending to be handling Waste, Fraud and Neglect, he's doing all Three ALL THE TIME.  Do you know how much it cost us, the Taxpayers, for him to attend the Superbowl and only stay for half of it?   Or to do Laps at the Daytona 500?  Or how much it costs us for him to go Golfing every fucking Weekend he'll be in Office?  Millions, EACH TIME, so he's Saving you nothing, and he's extravagantly spending and Wasting plenty of YOUR Money.  And don't even get me started on the amount of Fraud and Neglect going on during The Big Grift and Long Con my Friends.   As my Welsh Nanna would say, he's intentionally being Penny Wise and Pound Foolish and running a Game on us all.

Why do you suppose he never has revealed his Tax Paperwork like every other President always has, just Two Words: Tax Fraud.   And the Katamine King is just as reluctant to be Transparent, Transparency would Reveal far too much... lots to Hide in his Dealings as well.   Just saying, Honest Men have nothing to Hide, Guilty Men have plenty to Hide.   And you can never Trust a Liar or a Thief, plain and simple.  Misplaced Trust has gotten us to where we now are as a Nation, and it's in a dire predicament so fast it even exceeded my predictions that it could or would unravel so quickly.   He's not even halfway thru his first 100 Days and already tanking everything.  Not really surprising since he has the Touch of Death on damned near everything he's ever done, so the Track Record spoke volumes for itself.

Stock Market Crashing, Planes Crashing almost Weekly now, Prices skyrocketing, Unemployment increasing, Inflation rising, Tariffs destroying Free Trade and worsening the Economy, destruction of alliances with Allies and pandering to our Enemies, on and on, ad nauseum.   America's Reputation has probably never been worse or as tarnished in History.   All done in far less than half of the first 100 Days in Office, just Wow!   How does anyone stand behind any of that?  I mean, really?  You can't justify something that has absolutely no justification, logic or reason that makes any sense, except to someone whose gone Mad or has purely Sinister Motives behind such Madness.  And it will get worse, trust and believe it definitely will.  This will not Age Well.

  

Okay, now back to The Fluff and some needed Escapism, along with a touch of Retail Therapy.  *Winks*   I Loved not only this Antique Display, but also this Vendors Packets of Food Flavorings and Packaged Mixes to make various interesting Dips, Dishes and Recipes.  I will go back and Buy some of these on another day, for sure.   Each Package had the Recipe, and a Photo of what the Mix will Create, as well as the contents of what you'd need.   I must have stood there looking at every single Packet!  *LOL*   Just the Dips alone were endless, and we Love Dips, and some of the full Recipes for what the Seasoning Packets held were something I'd like to make and try.   I shouldda done more Closeups of my Favorites and then looked up the Recipe Online to find out more about what it was.   

There was one called Texas Caviar that I did remember and looked up later... it's a vibrant looking Bean and Corn Salad.  The Mixes were priced reasonably and I usually have a lot of the ingredients on hand in my Pantry to make things like this, pretty sure the Family would enjoy it.   I'm actually having some non-buyer's remorse about not picking up at least one packet, mebbe this one.   Okay, definitely this one.  *LOL*

The faux foods were really cute and creative.   I don't know what you'd use them for except mebbe Kid's pretend Tea Parties as Toy Props?  Or mebbe as Commercial Props to Sell other things?  I don't know I'd find any use for them in a Home, but they did look realistic and if you have very small Children you'd have to ensure they didn't actually try to eat them!  *LOL*

Along with the faux foods they had the adorable Gnomes made by the same Vendor that used to be at "Highland Yard Vintage" and left, so I'm glad to find them again.  I bought some of their Gnomes Years ago and wondered where they'd moved to, now I know.  Their Creations were smaller than they used to be, my Gnomes are twice the size.  But, their faux Mushrooms were enormous now, I bought a much smaller one Years ago to go with my Gnomes.

These were their Spring Line of Gnomes and faux Plants, mine were the Fall and Winter Lines that I Decorate the House with for Autumn and Christmas.   I like my size Gnomes better becoz they have more of a Body, these were mostly Heads and absence of a significant Body.   Also, the price point of these much smaller ones was the same price I'd paid for ones twice the size, but, some time ago.   So, I doubt I'd pay the same price for half the Gnome.   Perhaps their Overhead and/or Supplies have increased exponentially, to make them and sell them, I dunno? 

Now to recent News, The Man and I did make it to the Gym to be in compliance with their demand we use our Membership or risk losing it threats.  They never responded to my strong response to the threat, since, the inability to use the Membership as much as we used to is in direct correlation with their new Ageism practices of restricting Hours Seniors are even allowed to use their facilities!!!   I used to go very early in the Mornings after dropping the Grandchild off at Work, or very late in the Evenings after my Shifts at the Antique Mall.  It was never busy during those Hours and I never had to wait to use any Equipment.  It wasn't their Peak Hours, so I don't understand how they chose the Restrictive Hours for Seniors at all?   Which fall during Peak use!!!

So, okay, we waited for the Restrictive Hours to end and showed up after 9:30 in the Morning, there were NO Handicap Parking Spaces left, which meant I had to drop The Man off and leave him standing there while I go park far from the building.   Then once inside, there were long lines to use the Equipment we wanted to use too!   With them limiting us to Peak Hours a lot of our Time is wasted just waiting to use Equipment and dealing with overcrowding, it makes zero logical sense.  I never had waits when I didn't have restricted Hours and I could always find Parking, especially Handicap Parking, which is important if you have a Disabled Loved One.  Not only for his Mobility Issues, but, having to leave him Alone to go Park when he requires Supervision with being a Wander Risk.  So, it's very inconvenient.

 

With wasting half our Time there just waiting to use Equipment we didn't get as much of a Workout nor stay as long either.  I was rather fed up with the waits, mostly of Seniors stacking up at the same Equipment preferred by Older Members... tho' to be sure, then it also means Younger Members wanting to use it have to wait longer too.   Without restrictions for a demographic of Member, I personally feel things flowed better for all Members from my Observations and Experience before and after Restrictive Hours were enforced.   Anyway, we'll try to still go more often coz it is good for both of us.  But I do Hope they'll reconsider these discriminatory Ageism practices and discontinue them?

 

We did enjoy a nice Brunch in the Gym Cafe tho', I had the Acai Sorbet with fresh Fruit and Granola, The Man had a Protein Power Shake with lots of Healthy Ingredients in it.   There seemed to be a Senior Coffee Clutch in progress, lots of very Old Members gathering to have Coffee, we felt almost Youthful among that group.  *LOL*   Mebbe they just all looked Older than they were, or mebbe they are the Ancient Ones, not sure?  *Winks*  It's great to see folks who look so Old still able to attend a Gym and Workout tho', so Bravo if they are in their late Eighties or Nineties?   I had thought about joining some of the Senior Group Activities the Gym has, but, if this demographic is indicative, mebbe not tho'.  Overhearing conversations, I'd be at a loss to connect in any meaningful way with a gathering like that one.

And I'm not being mean-spirited about saying that either, The Man in his TBI Innocence asked me if a Hospice or Nursing Home was having a Field Trip to the Gym perhaps!?!   *Bwahahahahahaha*   No, seriously, he said it reminded him of when we go to some places and one of those Special Needs Buses pulls up and has their Residents with serious Developmental Disabilities being taken on a Field Trip from their Facilities and Group Homes with their Caregivers in tow!!!   I was trying not to Laugh out loud when he said it, coz he was dead Serious and actually wondering if this was some Geriatric Field Trip to try to promote Gym Membership of some Nursing Homes or Rehabilitative Centers?  *LMAOROTF*   Okay, it's not PC, but it was funny as Hell.

I'm loading you up with some good Food Porn from all Week, you're Welcome.  *Winks*   Anyway, tho' too crowded, the Gym visit did make us feel better after doing some Hydrotherapy, which was all we got to use in the 45 Minutes we were there, just 10 Minutes each of Hydrotherapy.  And, a nice Brunch.   Not actually any kind of significant Workout, due to Wait Times to use anything, but, he enjoyed himself and he can't stand long periods waiting for shit, so, we just left after our Hydrotherapy, which you can only use in 10 Minute intervals and the Lines for that Equipment were getting ridiculous to try to do it more than once.   Like I said, the Hours I'd normally be using it without having any Age Restrictions to my Membership, there would be no Crowds, no Waits, no Waste of my Time... so, I do not see the Point of the Times they've chosen to Restrict Seniors to their most Peak Hours that create a detriment to all Members?!   Shame on you Lifetime Fitness!!!  You deserve to be put on Blast on Social Media for Ageism Practices!

Princess T had to Purge a lot from her Room to fit her new Desk in there so I brought some of it in to the Antique Mall too, including this enormous Hello Kitty Rainbow Squishmallow, which is now sitting on top of our Locked Case coz it takes up a lot of Space.  *LOL*  I therefore Priced it at a Quick Turn to unload it quickly, so some Kid will be thrilled it's so affordable.   Anyway, I was pissed off that our NAVY Embroidered Jersey is missing and hasn't appeared to have been Sold.  I'm Hopeful it wasn't Stolen coz it's an expensive piece... had Security Device on it, and I'd put it up so High that a Customer should have had to ask for an Associate's Assistance to even get it down.  But Thieves are tenacious, and who knows, it could be a Vendor Theft even?  There was hardly anyone in the Mall so no Customer had it in their Cart, we looked... and there was no Record of it being Sold either.  Dammit!!!

I had to Zoom in on a Photo I took of the Showroom to show Management what it looked like and where it was hanging in our Room just a Day ago.  It would require getting a Stepstool or a Tool to get down easily, so should have attracted attention.   Well, if anyone was actually looking, which some Floor Staff fail to do unfortunately and why Thefts are up when Key Dealers and Paid Staff get Lazy and aren't a Presence or deterrent on the Sales Floor.  I typically walk around a lot to not only provide Customer Service at the Booths and Showrooms on the Sales Floor, but to keep an Eye out for suspicious activity or Shoppers that are acting inappropriately.  It might not prevent all Theft and Vandalism, or Manhandling or Abuses of Merchandise, but it does Help.   I Hate that the best Quality and more expensive Merch is being Stolen now by not only Shoppers, but probably other Vendors!  The Mall's Loss Prevention is becoming abysmal and rampant Theft is off the Chain.

Okay, so now this Prez is Illegally Promoting a Friend's Merch on White House Property and making the White House Parking Lot look like a Tesla Dealership and a couple of Used Car Salesmen awkwardly hawking the now maligned Swasticars.   It was a very embarrassingly Bad "Commercial" and Stunt. *Eye Roll*  Yes it's Illegal to do that on Federal Property!!!  So another Illegal Act, among many!  Yeah, he faked buying one, he doesn't Drive and hasn't in Decades... and both he and the Ketamine King with his little Human Meat Shield in tow, looked embarrassingly Awkward doing their little Infomercial.  And Lying by saying it is Illegal to Boycott a Product, which, it's not... and you can't force Consumers to Buy goods with the Threat of retaliation if they don't.  WTF?!   As all Stocks plummet, Insane Tariff's take effect and are off again/on again, and Investors are shitting Kittens, the Ketamine King's Losses are Billions a Day now as the Public retaliates and reacts against what he and DOGE are doing to all of us to screw  us over!   Ruling by Chaos and Unlawfulness is NOT Working out for the Hard Working American People whatsoever, it's utter Madness and Stupidity at the Helm!

 It's a Cluster Fuck of epic proportions, forget about Egg Prices, you'll be Lucky we don't whiz by a Recession right into a Great Depression folks!  And fElon is threatening your Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security now!  He seems to think you're not Entitled to your Entitlements you PAID into and for, so he can dole it out instead to fellow Billionaires!  Yes, they wanna get their Hands on those Trust Funds badly, and since your IRA's are Toast now due to other stunts they're pulling so they can Buy low when they Crash the Markets, Rinse, Wash, Repeat, you better Believe you'll have no Security left for when you're too Old to keep Working as Indentured Servants of the Elite.  Soylent Green perhaps wasn't so Sci Fi after all?  Who knows?   Buckle Up Buttercups, Americans Voted in and Bought us all this Ticket, forcing everyone onto the Crazy Train going Wheels Off the Rails, so we're on for the whole fucking Ride now!!!   And he's still got about 43% Approval Ratings, so damned near half the Country is as Insane, inherently Corrupt, or Intentionally Stupid as he clearly is!!!  Mebbe they are even all Three?

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Holy Cannoli and Mob Boss tactics is accurate... Dawn... The Bohemian