The Hounds Of The Blade
About The Hound's TaleThe Hound’s Tale, which opens daily at 4 p.m., is a casual, cozy bistro-type restaurant created by Don and Geri Pratt of Williamsburg. Located in the Griffin Arms building on Prince George Street, the restaurant features affordable fresh, tasty bites that range from comfort foods with a twist, to dishes that evoke memories of travels abroad. Great spirits include a variety of regional beers and wines as well as an array of delightful, hand-crafted cocktails.Of course, locals will recognize Don and Geri as the owners of Aromas coffeehouse and bakery, also located on Prince George Street. There are two other Aromas locations as well, including one on the campus of William & Mary and another in Newport News.The tiny “English pub-ish” place truly delivers a fun, artsy vibe that the Pratts hope their customers will find unlike any other.
It is reminiscent of quirky bars and restaurants in Richmond’s Fan District and Carytown area, as well as similar neighborhoods in metropolitan areas like Pittsburgh and Atlanta.“Aromas got us started in this direction,” Don says. “We envision a culinary arts district in the downtown area someday, that will complement the existing arts district. Our mission for Aromas and The Hound’s Tale is to help our neighbors and guests enjoy life each day, but behind that is an incredible effort to incorporate good food and beverages at a reasonable price — and have fun.”Executive chef Steven Sowell has put together a menu that Don refers to as ‘eclectric’.“Not eclectic,” he explains.
“It’s eclectric with an ‘R’, and here’s why. Our food is shockingly yummy! It gives you a pop in the mouth.
That’s true of the drinks too, by the way. Our bar team creates the most wonderful cocktails.” Executive Chef Steven SowellA Virginian native who had returned to his home city of Williamsburg to open The Hound’s Tale, Steven started out his culinary career working during college at Aromas Coffeehouse on Prince George Street. He then went on to join the elite at The Culinary Institute of America where he met his wife Monique.
Katana score two or more hits per combat round far more often than any other weapon type (only ninja swords and poles are close). Katana damage is affected by a character’s strength and magick power, the katana’s attack rating, and the opponent’s defense. While katana tend to have lower attack ratings than greatswords, they more than hold their own in damage potential thanks to frequent combo attacks. To further take advantage of this, equip the Genji Gloves (which increases the rate of combo attacks).
Steve and Monique graduated together, each with a degree in Culinary Arts. Monique graduated prior to the CIA from the University of Florida with a bachelors degree in Advertising. Steve went on to work for the Tribeca Grill in New York City, while Monique worked for the high end catering company, Sterling Affair. Steve then moved with the Executive Chef of the Tribeca Grill to open Harlan Social in Stamford Connecticut.
When the opportunity came about to move back and be a part of this creation, he jumped at the chance to settle his family in Virginia. The Sowell’s have a three-year-old daughter who loves dogs and food, and are expecting a second child in September 2017. HarleyFrom young pup to the great big 11 ½ year old, 120-pound big boy, Harley, a Harlequin Great Dane, has become the mascot for The Hound’s Tale. He sports a black and white coat and stands out from the crowd at nearly 34 inches tall.
His most embarrassing moment was when he was told it’s “casual Friday” and he showed up naked wearing only a tie. Loves everybody except squirrels. His soft floppy ears and firm wag of his tale shows how sweet his demeanor really is.
A big cuddler, who often forgets his size and would love to curl up in your lap. He knows exactly where to go so if you want the best seat in the house, you will have to move the dog. You can spot Harley on most Saturdays with his human mom out on a walk near the Hound’s Tale.
Helm: Wearable fiberglass with operable jaws (jaw tension can be adjusted if necessary by using an allen wrench on the interior)Overall Weight: 15 poundsStand: Silkscreened wood with Clegane sigilPayment Information:We accept Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, or Discover. We also accept checks and money orders through the mail or Western Union. While checking out you will have the option of choosing credit card payment or a mail-in payment to finalize your order.OUT OF STOCK AND DISCONTINUED.Shipping Information:For domestic purchases we offer the full range of UPS shipping options, prices will be provided during checkout. For international customers to some destinations we offer regular mail shipping (2-4 weeks typically) or UPS shipping options that are faster, to other destinations the only options are UPS, and to some destinations we cannot ship at all. All international customers are advised to read prior to placing their order.Image Gallery.
' I received this item in the mail today and all I can say is wow! My expectations have exceeded beyond what I thought I would be getting.
You guys at Valyrian Steel have done a great job with this.Pictures cannot do this helmet justice. The detail is spot on from the TV show of course and the sheer size of it is jaw dropping at first sight. The beauty and intimidation of The Hound's Helm just as you would imagine if you ran into him in real life.The helm is very flexible, with very sturdy leather strips binding the pieces of fiberglass on the neck area. The upper section and lower section of the head also move as expected. However, I can't really get the upper section to stay open.
Not sure if there's some sort of 'trick' to it but I'm not too concerned about it.As for the wearing it, I have a pretty big head and the helmet slips on easily and has good thick padding for comfort on the top of your head. But I can't get my chin above that little 'lip' on the inside part, I'm not sure if you're supposed to be able to get it above there but I assume the answer to that is yes, as it would be much more comfortable that way. So if you have a big chin and want to wear it a lot, you might have to make some modifications to reduce the padding or keep your hair quite short for that bit of extra room to make it fit.
For me its less than a half inch to go to get it over the lip, and I have a thick pad of hair I've been meaning to shave off, so I'm not too worried. The weight is noticeable, but not so much it puts any strain on your neck.
It doesn't feel hot and stuffy either.But all in all those couple issues I have do not degrade my rating of this item. Even if it wasn't wearable at all I would give it 5/5 stars. The mere presence of the Hound's Helm on display in my home is enough for me. A fitting tribute to a great character.' ' Received my helmet yesterday, and I was blown away by the size of the box coming up my driveway (poor UPS guy). I'm pretty much built exactly like Rory McCann so I was afraid my massive head wouldn't fit and I would be stuck with a show piece.
However I was as happy as a kid at Christmas getting a long awaited present. It fit like it was made for me.
If I need to list one grievance, it's that the lower jaw is too loose and hangs low, I tried tightening with an Allen Key, but to no avail, and likewise the top jaw won't stay open. Other than that, the helm is a piece of art work, just magnificent.' ' I purchased this product on a whim and I am not disappointed.
This was my third purchase from Valyrian Steel. I bought the Stark Shield, the Catspaw Blade, and now the Hound's Helm. This helm is by far the coolest of the three. It is huge, heavy, and fully functional. I currently have it displayed as a centerpiece on my main table in my apartment. When people first heard that I bought this helm, they laughed at me.
When they actually saw it in person, they usually open up with 'dude, that's awesome!' ' Very impressed with this helmet. Never thought I would spend $300 on a helmet/prop in my life. Pictures do not do this helmet justice. I wore this to comic con @ Tampa bay everyone loved it even had it autographed by Rory McCann 'The hound' This is the perfect game of thrones memorabilia to have on display in any room. Only complaint is the jaws do not stay open. The sheer size of the helmet is astonishing.
Thank you Valyrian steel:)If you want to see pictures of it being worn Instagram user Brand0wn'. ' The majestic of this helm just left me speechless. Looking in real life than from images on screen just doesn't justify the quality and quantity. Thickness of the finer plastics are so representative to the armour pieces as if its forged using hammer. The edge of the ear is one piece of example. Like other reviews, the helmet does have some weight. Significant enough for you to notice its heavy but quite an okay weight to hang on top of your head after you wears it.
The craftsmanship just help me to imagine how they would had build a steel armoury back in the days. This piece of artwork shall begin my quest to look for a complete set of armour.
They are just too epic to be only sit on top of a stand on a table. Good job on crafting this helm!' ' Perfect for battling the White Walkers or just staring at. I have wanted this ever since I first set eyes on the Game of Thrones season 1 tv show of the Hound in armour.Completly satisfied, it looks awesome beside my book Longclaw sword. The lower jaw does hang a bit loose but overall that does not detract from the asthetics or wearability in any majour way.Side Note: They stand by their products.
The Hound And The Mountain
My original helm was damaged during shipping, I contacted Valyrian sales and they sent me another helm complete with prepaid return shipping. Order with piece of mind fellow fans:) VS Note: You can adjust the tension of the jaws using an allen wrench on the interior of the helm.' ' The Hound's Helm is absolutely amazing but first I have to compliment VS on their service. I ordered the helm last year and then went travelling so I asked VS to postpone shipping it to me until Jan 2014 and I had to change my delivery address. And they did as I asked, no problems. I've dealt with a lot of online companies in the past and most of them would never have gotten this right. Well done VS!
It is really great that you can accommodate individual requests amongst the hundreds or even thousands of orders you deal with. Back to the helm - it is absolutely beautiful and it even feels like a real helm. The pictures on here really do not do it justice. If you are on the fence about buying this, take it from me, buy it, you won't be sorry.'
The Hound Of The Ba
' I just recived my hounds helm for my bday and words cannot explain how excited I am! As soon as I got it, I put it on to see the world threw cleganes view point and didn't want to take it off! After about an hour I reluctantly removed it, set the stand up and fell asleep staring at it. There's nothing negative to say about it, it's 100% perfect. I own the warhammer, book longclaw, book ice, the throne and a number of other items from this site and this is by far my favorite. Perhaps the epicness of the hounds performance in season 4 episode 1 had something to do with it ( il be eating all the chickens!!!lol) but I couldn't be happier with this product.
Waiting for Roberts helm next!!! Make that happen VS!!!!' ' I just have to say, this is probably one of the best things I've bought in a hot minute. For weeks I saved 20$ from each check to purchase this product, each day building anticipation. But alas, when the funds were finally gathered it went out of stock. However, I was made aware that this recent status was attributed to the fact that they were simply waiting for their blacksmiths to send out their next supply crate.
So I bided my time, waited, until one day I gave in. But can you blame me, look at this it's awesome c'mon. I sent the lovely staff (personality wise not in any physical manner to my knowledge, but I'm sure they are all gorgeous) a message and they were professional as hell dawg. It's been maybe a week since I've received it and I still stare at it thinking 'that's what's up man, that's what's up'. Super satisfied, A+, 10/10.
I look forward to many nights spent swigging fine ales whilst donning it, boy can't even tell you how absolutely fantastic that it.' ' This is the most amazing item I have ever seen, it is truly an amazing piece of work. What a talking point every time I have friends over they have to try the helmet on and take photos I cant get rid of them. I am so happy with this purchase it has pride of place in my home. The hound is in Game of Thrones but I will have this beautiful momento forever I don't think I will ever tire of looking at it and remembering when I first saw this brute of a man who will I am sure be in the heart and mind of Aryia Stark for ever, same as my feelings for him. Princess of York. Oh by the way I really am a princess I was born in a castle outside of York Yorkshire England.10/10 stars and more.'