Divine Theatre

I don't think you could pay me to use paper plates. I get too much joy from history. I feel like a part of something bigger. One rinse and it's ready to use again and again. No landfills need be involved. These Blue Willow Grill plates from restaurants long shuttered are the perfect serving pieces for little hands that may not be as nimble. Seventy years ago, these plates likely held dinners of baked chicken, mashed potatoes and corn, served by the kind hands of a woman named Ruby, and set onto a checkered tablecloth next to a cup she deftly filled with steaming coffee. Don't let them fool you, these ironstone plates can take a beating. That's why they were used in the restaurant industry. And if you are six years old, the Blue Willow pattern and its story, set right before you, will give you something to discuss while you avoid eating your peas.And the divided sections make sure that if you are a picky two year old, your food doesn't touch each other. Of course, memories exist around paper plates but I'm hoping that the children remember how much we love them each time they see Blue Willow, long after we may be gone.