Rustic Treetop Cafe
Perched on the cliff overlooking Xanadu's beach is a gnarled and massive skybroom tree. The bark and outer layers are sturdy enough to support the thriving, brushy top, but the interior, which is hollow, contains a spiral staircase that leads to a cafe built on a high platform amongst the branches. With a panoramic view of lake, sky, Weyr and the mountains beyond, the treetop eatery offers both sheltered seating just inside the trunk and tables on the wide deck that encircles the old tree.
The cafe's decor is comfortable and rustic, but closer inspection shows the smallest embellishments to be artfully combined into one detailed masterpiece. The wood of the doors, floor and walls of the trunk have been stained a dark mahogany that lends the space a sense of intimacy. Tables in various sizes have been carved to mimic driftwood, the chairs and benches padded with oiled sailcloth cushions to provide weather-proof comfort. Each table has an aged brass lantern filled with shells and agates gathered from Xanadu's shores, the sparkling natural mosaics holding tapered candles upright in their embrace. Lamps hang from the ceiling on silver poles, the thick frosted glass carved into intricate pastel shells or swirling white-capped waves. At night the colored glass softens the glowlight to enhance the ambience.
During the day, the retractable doors allow leaf-spattered sunlight to fill both the outer deck and the smaller interior with green and gold light, as well as allowing pleasant breezes to cool the interior. On clear nights, farviewers perch on the elaborately carved railing are free for use to enhance the gorgeous view of the stars over the Caspian Lake, the Sea of Azov beyond and the rock formations of the Weyr.
Dinners may be free and plentiful down in the caverns, but some days the mere thought of dealing with all those crowds is enough to make one pull out every last strand of hair. Judging by Rhodelia's frazzled but for the moment still existent hair, this may have just been such a day as she hauls herself up those steps to the Treetop Cafe. If she was hoping to quickly grab a seat in solitude, her hopes are immediately dashed as it appears EVERYBODY AND THEIR AUNTIE is at the Cafe tonight. Is it a party? A wedding? Funeral? Whatever it is, there are a ton of people in fancy clothes and Rhody's jaw just drops as she shuffles off to a little unclaimed waiting bench near the front door. While she might be by herself, she's not completely alone as a bronze firelizard sits on her shoulder and she reaches up to rub under his chin. "Think I can bribe someone to bring the cake out early?" Whatever his opinion, Molotov remains silent on the subject, although scritches do get a pleased hum.
Why? Why on the one night they decide to avoid the caverns (because that's exactly what Katailea's plan was too) is it that the place you go to do so is nearly as packed. She must have been just enough earlier to be able to have gotten a small table. Its in a glance across the room that she happens to catch sight of Rhodelia, and while she may get a glare or some from others for calling out like she does it doesn't seem to matter to her. "Rhody!" just enough to try at catch the woman's attention, a wave following to better direct it towards her and a nod towards the open chair across from her an invitation.
Any internal musings on where to acquire a cake on such short notice or any other possible diversions are interrupted as Rhodelia's head snaps up when she hears her name called. It takes a moment before the crowd moves on enough that she can actually catch sight of the wave, but once she spots the other candidate, Rhody's not going to miss an opportunity when it calls her name. She weaves her way in between the probably too drunk uncle and the other uncle debating him about some such trade deal or another. And then the auntie that's trying to show she still has some dance move. In between the weaving, she grabs a menu and finally makes it to the relative safety of that empty seat with a sigh. "Whew. Are this all your folks?"
Katailea offers a smile towards the other as she joins her. A shake of her head follows for the question, "No idea where they're all from. I was just hoping for a relatively quiet and uncrowded dinner, and a drink." Because sometimes you just need one, even if it wasn't a terrible day. "But he is cute," she adds, tilting her head in the direction of a man about their own age to direct Rhodelia towards the one she's talking about. He gets a brief flutter of fingers and a flirty smile from the trader, but is sadly occupied by his mother or perhaps and aunt and its with a slight sigh as a breath is let out that she turns back to her table companion.
"I may have saw some wineskins floating around on my way over…" Rhodelia nods her head in the direction she thinks the server may have wandered. The menu is idlely flipped thorough without any real looking before she closes it and sets it down. "Quiet was what I was after… I don't think I'm even really that hungry. Don't know why I didn't just snag a meatroll from the kitchens and run." Because that would have required forethought and knowledge that somebody was having a PARTTTTY in the Treetop. She tilts her head to look at the man indicated, before she gives a shrug. "If you keep making those faces, his mother might decide he could use some help in the setting up department. She looks like the type." It's the haircut of the way too doting of mother that's always looking for THE PERFECT SOMEONE FOR HER SWEET BABY.
"I think we'd do just find on our own," Katailea replies with a grin. She and he would not need help from that mother of his in her opinion at least. But not tonight given everything else. A glance follows Rhodelia's nod about the servers with the wine. "Me either," she agrees easily with the sentiment of quiet and not being terribly hungry both. "But anyway, how was your day?"
She may think that, but HOW CAN MOMMY DEAREST BE SURE IF SHE'S NOT ON THE DATE WITH YOU? Rhodelia however does not feel so strongly and concedes with a simple shrug of her shoulders. "It was long. And loud." She glances as the partygoers as if this was a conspiracy to continue the whole loudness. They certainly are doing a good job if so. "Nanny duty." There's a little frown for the chore as if she just caught a whiff of those teas a certain healer keeps trying to pawn off which should say enough about how she feels about that. "What did they stick you with?"
"Ugh," is Katailea's sentiments for that particular chore. Sorry Rhodelia! She feels your pain. "I mean not all kids are bad, but…" In moderation. As for what she was stuck with, "Maintenance." The answer followed by a short pause before she adds, "Me and Evangeline had ta fix, wash and reseal the clocktower stairs. Someone else is going to go back and fix the broken ones, but…" the last added more as an afterthought. There are worse things to be stuck with though. Another glance towards the party and cute guy has been lost in the crowd. Too bad. "Still bet we could find something to eat and a drink with a little luck."
"But you stick them in groups and the bam!" Rhodelia claps her hands together, getting a glare for the sudden noise from some of the nearer and crankier of party goers. She quickly tucks her hands under the table like she did nothing. "They just can't help themselves and get so much louder as a unit." She gives an understanding nod as the other candidate explains about stair duty. "Could be worse… at least it's been a while since Leirith and a visiting queen were both on the clock tower at the same time." The poor, abused, clocktower. Good thing at least somebody is making an effort to maintain them. As for the bet, she takes a final glance around the crowded cafe and the servers that have been nowhere to be found, before shaking her head. "Nah… think I can scavenge up something better. You're welcome to join me for a kitchen run unless you're trying to search for another sort of snack?" She might not be the best wingman, but she can be a foodman.
Katailea can't help but laugh for that, lips quickly pressed together as she grins mutely at the other woman for the glares they're getting. Totally wasn't them! "No, no, I hear you," she agrees about children in groups. "Yeah, it'd be a shame for it to fall to pieces," she agrees about the clocktower only to shake her head at the last. "Wouldn't mind," she will admit to that, "but right now, I'm just tired. So kitchens will do."