Symmetry of Pomp

At CREATE PC, the so‑called Holiday Makers Market commands the West Main Street façade with an amber‑hued awning and a playlist of distant snowfall. Executive Director Jocelyn Scudder presides over a tableau of over eighty artisans, each cart a pastel promise: handcrafted chocolate truffles, artisanal Chapstick, and hand‑stitched scarves. The valet greets guests with a near‑robotic efficiency, their polishing sputter jittering on the cobblestones like a ticking metronome. Inside, the timber paneling sways beneath crystal chandeliers, revealing a crowd of lank tones and genteel discomfort; guests sip cognac in translucent flint glasses, murmuring dispassionate comments about the sublime. The ambience feels sticky—oil on the floor, a perfume of cedar and espresso. To truly taste the spectacle, request a table at the window and order the chocolate truffles with a splash of bourbon, a buttery ode to bygone opulence.