A True Fashion Story (updated for salad pic)

While Sheena is loving her new house and having fun exploring the new 'hood, she still finds herself unable to tear herself away from the old 'hood on Queen W. Dinner with El Chaperone at the Gladstone Hotel. My new favourite thing to eat there is the Near North Salad. Very interesting mixture of ingredients: mixed greens, spiced nuts, grapes, grilled salmon, teensy new potatoes. Had swooned every time I've had it and have yet to polish off the full plate. $11.95 and is a substantial meal.

Ok, so we're yakking and catching up and figuring out some of the last move details. Then somehow the conversation turned to a big box of Sheena's old stuff. You know the kind, stuff that has to be sorted and left behind. Too good to throw out, but not new house worthy. Really all you can do is put it into a big box and drop it at the donation box.

Shoes that never fit right. Souvenir shirts that are hideous. Trade show tote bags that are too ugly to use in public. Vintage shop purses that seemed like a good idea at the time. Dresses from 15 years ago that haven't fit for 10.

I asked if he dropped off the box. He turned a bit flushed and squirmed on the bar stool. Sheena zeroed in and asked the question again, more directly. A flood of words flowed out but all I could make out was "turquoise" "dress" "cross dressing party" "I love this".

Huh?

20 minutes later the full story emerged. Some of the regulars at Sweaty Betty's had been invited to a cross-dressing party and didn't have anything to wear. So El Chaperone cherry-picked my box of stuff and took it to the bar. So my shoes and dresses were passed around from guy to guy like a cheerleader with a runny nose until one of the gals in the room shrieked "OMG I LOVE THAT DRESS" and saved it from humiliation. I thank her.

So before my next trip to the neighbourhood Sheena needs to steel herself and mentally prepare for the sight of Zanta in my prom dress. I think I can deal with it.

Updated to add picture of the Near North Salad which is pretty much the most perfect non-hot meal ever eaten.