The Duchess Loves More Than Me

I share my marriage with various other “men”. I had never heard of any of these “guys” before, but I understand they are quite well known in certain circles.

The first I met in London on a side street after considerable search. Manolo Blahnik is stylish and elegant and soon several pairs graced out closet.

But you know its funny..... I discovered there are more and Jimmy Choo entered the scene. We can find Jimmy Choo in many more locations; most visited for us being Chicago. She even braved the rugged streets of Mumbai alone to find a Jimmy Choo!
I soon found that new closet space was required.

I have learned that there are limits. On a visit to Hong Kong the Duchess became ill. We had to call the hotel doc and get her some medicine to recover. We even had to delay our departure for Beijing for a day to fully recover. Well... my story is this; I took the Duchess for a walk to access her well being before heading to Beijing. On the walk we passed a corner with Manolo Blahnik on one side and Jimmy Choo on the other. When the Duchess was not interested in visiting either I knew she had not recovered.

There are others of course. Lesser known players that tug as her heart strings; like Michael Kors, Cole Haan, Donald Pliner, Salvatore Ferragamo, Stuart Weitzman to name only a few.

The latest is now showing its red bottom. Christian Loubouton has arrived. Will we find them in Africa?

Of course the Duchess had to share me with the likes of Lang, Nike, Footjoy, Sidi Sperry and of course Merrill. -


Fidel Duke

A Diamond in the Rumble Strip

"Wow. This place is great.  I didn't know all this was here!"

So began another conversation at the counter, inspired by another delighted passer-by who'd just discovered WC3.

"Who makes these truffles?" she asked, voice full of awe, poking the pastry case and staring longingly at a dollop of Stranahan's Whiskey covered by dark chocolate.

I tell her Chef Martin makes them; all the pastries, all the curries, soups too - right here on site.

"He's English, and really knows his curries and spices. He uses fresh herbs from the garden for the Dilly Egg Salad, too!"

I feel like a farm-girl, in from the fields, enthusiastically pointing out the fresh bounty of the day.  I didn't plant the herbs, or lace the chocolate with orange liqueur, but I'm glad to be a part of the quality floating around WC3.

She asks about a beer and I tell her that WC3 is a non-profit operation, supported by members and membership. That the tremendously healthy food, the wireless, the plethora of interesting and affordable books, even the truffles, are all cultivated and delivered at the best value possible. Membership dollars make it all possible; they keep the lights on, safeguard the garden and keep WC3  the charming, welcoming place that she's just discovered.

I tell her that members get to drink adult beverages, get discounts on our exceptional coffee, enjoy many other perks but most of all, I tell her that her membership will ensure she'll  have a WC3 to call home.

In truth,  I only alluded to all of the above but she smiled, a hint of understanding in her eyes. She lived just a few miles down the road and said she knew she'd be coming back soon; the next time, as a member.

Live Music comes to WC3

Some still ask, what's the C3 for? Creek Community Center - Woody is understood.  Relatedly, there's more and more going on at WC3 each and every day... so think of the acronym as a synonym for the exponential summer excitement in the works.

WC3's hallowed halls are about to be filled with music.

It's a phenomenal venue with a perfect vibe, for solid musicians to display their wares. Kicking off the summer season, it's the Matt Flinner Trio, Acoustic, a critically-acclaimed and fan-appreciated outfit known for writing spontaneous music the day of the show, and performing it live for the inaugural listening, the evening of. Their Music Du Jour tour delighted those lucky listeners across the country, each and every night; for every audience had its own unique performance. 

  For further show prep,  visit: http://compassrecords.com and, as always, peruse woodyc3.org for all about WC3.