50 for 50: 2 -- Vintage Clothes Shopping with Cousin Michele

I hadn't thought I'd catch Cousin Michele on this trip to Maryland.  (I have a lot of family in Maryland; I'll be coming back.)

I had, however, always been planning to go Vintage Clothes Shopping with her.  (She was not aware of this.  One of the things that has surprised me in putting 50 for 50 together is that I'll have an activity in mind for someone, and then they see the list and pick something totally different.  But I'd had Cousin Michele in mind for Vintage Clothes Shopping from Day One, and when I pitched it to her for tonight, she agreed.)

We met someplace convenient.  (I don't even know.  I just plugged it into Google Maps and went there.)  She met me there and took me to Hampden -- an area of Baltimore with cutesy little shops and restaurants.  Very boutiquey.  

We didn't get quite as much vintage CLOTHES shopping in as we'd hoped.  I tried on one dress -- Cousin Michele wanted to see me model it, but, um, it buttoned down the front, and I would have violated several decency laws if I came out of the dressing room "wearing" it.

We did, however, find vintage JEWELRY, and I can adapt.  :)  I bought a really sweet vintage-inspired brooch which Cousin Michele spotted.  (I missed it while I was focused on the sale shelf right next to it.)  Michele correctly noted that it would go with a bunch of my retro dresses, which just goes to show that posting all those pictures on Facebook does, in fact, pay off from time to time.  (And the nice guy in the shop gave me next week's sale price when we assured him that I would, in fact, not be able to come back for the sale.)

We also tried on gorgeous vintage rings (which were way outside our price range, but fun to admire).

Then we stopped at The Charmery, a hand-made ice cream place.  (OMG, Strawberry Pomegranate Molasses ice cream.  I had thought the molasses was questionable, but O.M.G.)  I like this Eating Dessert First thing.  That way you don't have to bother with the inconvenience of "saving room."

Cousin Michele and I then grabbed some dinner, and she dropped me off at wherever the hell I left my car.  

A great -- somewhat unexpected -- second entry in 50 for 50.  I honestly can't remember the last time I had a meal alone with Cousin Michele, and it's wonderful to have a chance to catch up.  And I'll have the brooch to remember it by.