Busy Week

Boy! It has been busy here, at Rockwood Mill Shoppes.   Last Friday, we hosted a Speak Easy.   For those of you that are not familiar with what a Speak Easy is, they were gathers during the 1920's and prohibition, in which people would drink and have a good time at.  Today we would just go out to a local bar.  Not then though because it was illegal.   Not to mention it was illegal to have, make or even consume alcohol so they began to distill moonshine.

Most of the patrons that came for the show donned great Gatsby Era garb, as well as most of us that were working the show.   There was a jazz band and actors to do a skit of a moon shining single mom and a run away bride.    Laurel Arts secured the grant and the funding to make the night possible as well as the alcohol.   Because let's be honest, What is a Speak Easy without alcohol?   EXACTLY!!

Then today we had the Greenway Sojourn come through and stop for lunch.   No big deal really.   I mean, what is 330 bikers stopping into a local Mom and Pop's to eat Lunch and hand dipped ice cream anyway?   IT WAS NUTS!!!   There were 7 of us ladies working and it wasn't a slow trot pace either,   Those bikers had us going at an up hill speed in every gear we had.   Sweat was pouring down our backs and our make up was running.   Pizza after pizza went into the oven keeping the Pizza shoppe girls busy.   A line of at least 9 people at any given moment for an hour straight were out front in the coffee shoppe ordering hand-dipped cone after hand-dipped cone. Plus we can't forget the occasional person bringing our merchandise to purchase up front.    Upstairs, we had a small continuous flow going for the Buffett.    Honestly though, the riders were so courteous that even when we were falling behind they didn't get upset once or try to be pushy.   It was continuous smiles. And we appreciate every rider that comes in.   They are our livelyhood.

Tomorrow, we all get to play catch up with our normal stuff before the scheduled reunion in the Opera House and Rockwood Rotary's 5k and half marathon at the trail heading Saturday, followed by a crazy holiday week I am sure.   I can smell the Bengay now. I have a feeling it will be my friend in about a week or so at this crazy pace. No complaints though.  We here at Rock Mill Shoppes live for the busy times like this.    We get to hear more tales as well as meet more people.  

What a show!

 Let me start by saying that I was not expecting such a .....well exciting show!   There were senior citizens stuffing dollar bills down the baby faced, silk shirt of college aged Ricky Howsare.   This young ,Voice Major, can hit the notes of Elvis, while shaken his hips the same.    It drove those women nuts!

I have been to many concerts of all genres.   So my level of "crazy" is a bit high.   After yesterday's brunch concert oh you better believe I have a whole new view of how the senior population can get down with it.    They can give my generation a run for their money.    But don't get me wrong there were all generations.

Not only was Ricky Howsare a singer with a magical voice, but a performer.   He interacted with the crowd the whole show.   In return the crowd was singing back lyrics to him.   If you would have closed your eyes, you could have felt taken back to the 60's to a field concert with lighters flaming, girls wearing cardigans and black and white shoes and the boys wearing button up shirts and slicked back hair.  

All and all it was an amazing show.   If you hear of Ricky Howsare playing at the Opera House again be sure to get your ticket quick.   We sold out this time.  

If these walls could talk!

  I need to first start out with Rockwood Mill Shoppes & Opera house is a renovated old lumber, feed and opera house.   It was built in the 1800's by Penrose Wolfe as a lumber mill with the opera house on top then later sold in the 1900's to the Friedlines for be converted to a feed mill.    Finally in 2000 it became what it is today with a lot of elbow grease and dedication by Judy and Terry Pletcher along with their family.  

  On to if walls could talk.........   Many of the traveling perform that come through today tell us "fishing tales" of ghost stories they claim to see upstairs.    Of noises that they hear.    None of us employees have ever heard or seen anything, just to set the record straight.

  When remodeling upstairs there was a phrase written on the wallpaper that said "remember the San Francisco fire of 1917."   Needless to say that piece of wallpaper was salvaged and framed to be out in our safe.   Can you imagine the shows and the people from all over they carried here?   Oh I can!  

Down stairs in present day we still have famous people come through.  Weather it be a local celebrity or a world renowned one that holds us to secrecy while they are traveling the GAP with a scraggly beard and up recognizable clothing.     Again we are back to if these walls could talk......