dunhaven; ic community.

( instagram post! )

I have always lived in relatively large cities -- St. Louis for eighteen years, then Chicago for nearly ten. (Please don't do that math. I'm in denial over leaving my mid-twenties.) I've now been in this small town for about a month and here are my observations.

1. Two neighbors have come over in the span of the last three hours to bring me a casserole and a pie.
2. I got to explain to both of them that the man I live with is my brother and not some variation of a life partner (gross). One of them proceded to very casually (aka not at all casually) slip into conversation that they have a single grandson. The other let me know that they have a single daughter, in case my brother is single. (Gabe, I'm preparing your dowry as I type.)
3. All of these things happened while I was in pajamas.
4. The Dreamery has amazing ice cream and I keep eating it.

I realize that 3/4 of these observations happened only today, but I feel as though the encapsulate just how incredibly different living in this town is compared to anywhere else I've lived. I didn't even know the names of my neighbors in my building in Chicago. Now I not only know the names of neighbors down the block, but I know which of their family members are being sold off to newcomers. I also know that people really love putting walnuts in brownies around here, because today's casserole and pie are only the tip of the iceburg of food that we've collected since officially moving in. I should probably stop getting takeout and actually eating some of this so we have room in the freezer for the pints of ice cream I keep buying.

That said, Dunhaven has been lovely and I'm still a little bit in love.

GABE

Two things. I want to go to that fancy sounding party that we got an invite to. It's hanging on the fridge. You should come with me.

Second thing, I have a crush on a librarian and Jesus, Mary, and Joseph if that isn't the most stereotypically Esther Shaw thing I have ever admitted to.

Okay, I lied. Three things. How are you?

( Instagram Post! )

( instagram post! )

So, I'm sure most of you have noticed that there's been some renovating going on at 215 Main Street next to The Dreamery. I'm finally ready to officially make the announcement:

For Goodness Bakes is no longer by order only! We will be having a soft-open on Black Friday, November 29th. I'm really excited about this next phase of my baking adventures, and I hope you all will be, too. Our website was updated today with hours and information.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know! An announcement will also be going up on the Instagram page soon, but seeing as this is the Dunhaven Network, I thought it was best to let you all, my beloved neighbors, in on the secret first.

FRIENDS & FAMILY OF IAN & EZRA

As some of you already know, Ezra and I decided that we wanted to get married a couple of weeks ago. We had an initial plan, but some soul-searching had us changing things around -- and by soul-searching, I do mean a conversation with my mom that was, frankly, very convincing. (But when have I ever not listed to my mom, really?) So while I would like to thank everyone that helped with brainstorming the original ideas, this is what we've decided is best for us:

Next Wednesday, November 27th, we would greatly appreciate it if as many of you as are available were to come to City Hall here in town at 3PM to watch us get married. Mom and Henry are coming down already for Thanksgiving, so they will be there. We know that this is last minute and that it's afternoon on a week day, so we understand if you can't all make it, but if you can, do know that you're welcome. And if you can't make it, you're still all invited to dinner with us at The Square that evening at 7PM and also for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday evening at my place, if you don't already have plans. Most of you already have standing invitations to the latter as it is; if you had any question about it, now you know for sure.

Anyway, I believe that will do it. You are all incredibly important to us, so we wanted to include you as much as we could as we take this step together. Thank you for always being there and making us a possibly unconventional, but sincerely amazing family.

( instagram post! )

TEXT MESSAGE TO THOMAS

-- Hey.
-- So Gabe Ella's father somehow found me on Instagram and messaged me last night.
-- He's coming to town today.

( instagram post! )

WHO: Thomas & Calliope Corvin
WHEN: BACKDATED Tuesday, November 5
WHERE: Washington, DC
SUMMARY: Calliope and Thomas celebrate an important anniversary, and she reveals some news.
WARNINGS: Pregnancy, brief mention of restrictive eating and panic.

( I always wonder how many people they think we're ordering for. )

( instagram post! )

Good Saturday, all! There is something that I have been sitting on for a while now and am finally feeling like I can address outside of the handful of friends and family I've discussed it with!

As I'm sure it's been heard around town, Mr. Harris, the owner of Roll of the Die, is planning on retiring south to warmer weather around the turn of the new year. Initially he had been planning on simply emptying the building of stock and selling it, but I've bought all of it instead. 🙌

The shop itself will be closed for the months of November and December, with a grand reopening on January 6, 2020. I'm planning on using that time to do some renovations and restructuring inside the building, the bulk of which will be adding a functioning kitchen and seating to turn it into a gaming cafe. There will still be comics and dice and board games (oh my) among everything else nerdy and wonderful for sale as well as weekend gaming tournaments and D&D, but with the added bonus of a full menu.

This is something I've always dreamed of doing, even back when I was in culinary school in New York, so to be able to make it a reality in the town I've fallen in love with is really something special. 💖 Though much of the current staff will be staying from the sounds of it, I will be hiring on some additional people in the kitchen and for waiting tables. I'll have more information to come on that, so stay tuned~

( Instagram Post )

( Instagram Post! )

CW: mental health

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[LORELEI]

Hey!

I have a question for you. Do you know if anyone has shown any interest in the space next to The Dreamery?

[THOMAS]

I'm asking Lorelei about that space next to her shop.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

Hi.

So remember how last year I just so happened to ask you guys to go to the Faire in Maryland and then do dinner and drinks in DC on a day that ~totally by accident~ happened to be near to my birthday? I was wondering if maybe you guys would be into having that happen again, once more totally by coincidence. Liiike September 29? Prom on Saturday, Faire on Sunday?

Y'know. If you're all free. And feel free to invite other people, too. The more the merrier!

WHO: Thomas and Calliope Corvin
WHEN: Saturday September 9
WHERE: Their Home
SUMMARY: After some super terrible dreams, Thomas and Calliope come to terms with an unexpected ending.
WARNINGS: Major spoilers for Heartless. References to character death.
BINGO: Help me hold on to you.

( She would do anything. Marry any king. Wear any crown. Give her heart to anyone who asked for it. )

WHO: Thomas Corvin → Jest
WHEN: Saturday September 7
SUMMARY: A dream of familiar words and unfamiliar endings.
WARNINGS: Major spoilers for Heartless. Nothing good here, folks.

( ''I cannot tell you how I look forward to a lifetime at your side, and all the impossible things I'll have you believing in.'' )

For the record, Dunhaven, moving from the city that you lived in since you were a teenager and then putting your daughter on the bus for her first day of middle school is more emotion fuel than anyone should really volunteer for in the span of a week. I am not a fragile lady, but right now I have plenty of feelings, all of which have me wanting to pull out kid pictures at any given moment to show complete strangers on the street.

[...] And here's the pictures. Maybe if I show it off here, I won't show unsuspecting folks just wanting to go into the grocery store. ( Cut for image! )

My kid is the best kid.

And so, hello there! I'm Jules Hart. I was sent access to this network almost immediately after moving in, so I thought I ought to check it out and be a bit more emotionally honest than I'm normally into. Go big or go home, right?