Empresses strike back--and, a poll

At today's mixed doubles gathering, it must be said, the Empresses seemed to have outshone the gentlemen.  Empress Sue and Empress Jeanne beat a duo of of the opposite gender, who shall remain nameless here to preserve their fragile dignity, 3-1. The Empresses also managed to find Tim's "Achilles Heel"--literally. Or is that "Achilles Hell"?  But, with the grace and generosity for which we are known (in addition to our power and intelligence), Empress Pat drew upon her professional expertise as a health practitioner to fetch ice for the wounded warrior, his wife being too busy hitting a tennis ball to tend to him.  (Fortunately, a shipment of wine from California arrived shortly after he returned home, just in time to be used For Medicinal Purposes Only sometime this evening.)

Off-court conversations in the breezy shade of the hut lent an air of sophistication to the competition today.  Earl, having just returned from abroad, offered a deep analysis of Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."

Okay, she looks good, but how's her cross-court forehand?

Perhaps Earl's affinity with the masterwork comes from its position in what has been described as "a room where you could comfortably play tennis."

Empress Lora mentioned that she is to be a guest at the upcoming nuptials of a distinguished young couple in Deepest Colorado.  She queried former Northerners there about whether she would need a wrap to fend off the chill of the mountain air (reception to be held in an elegant barn, it seems).  Mind you, she is a Native Floridian; for such as they, New Bern might as well be New Igloo, Alaska. This, Readers, is where our Poll of the Day comes in.

Poll:

When attending a formal affair in a barn in Colorado, what should an Empress of the Courts of the Emerald Empire wear?

a.  Crown and velvet robes, with ermine cape just in case.
b.  Tail brand activewear. Surely there's a matching warm-up jacket...? (and doesn't this look like Empress Lora?):

c.  denim overalls, plaid shirt, and a Pendleton wool throw in case of June flurries.
d. sleeveless silk cocktail dress, Manolo Blahniks--and who cares if it gets cold.