Girlie Time

Dress: Jessica Howard via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn an extra garment for a month)

Boots: Gripfast in Antique Gold

Jewelry: Vintage

Kate's Dress: Lace Cocktail Dress in Green & Black from Kiyonna via GB

Angie's Dress: Scalloped Boudoir Lace Dress from Kiyonna via GB

Photography: Me, Kate, & Angie

Last Sunday Kate, Angie, & I got together at my house for some girlie time. We put on our make-up together and dressed up. I won this GIANT cupcake from Cupcakes A-Go-Go over 2 years! ago, but they very generously still honored my gift certificate when I called to finally get it made for Angie's birthday. Chocolate Sea-Salted Caramel...yummy, but a bit too rich to have more than a few bites. We got a little fashion show as Angie tried on the 3 dresses in her very first GB shipment for us!

Then we took pictures at the nearby Goodman Community Center...because the lighting is better there than anywhere else we were going to be. 

Notice we all have boots on since it had just snowed a foot. Madison sexy. 

After snapping photos, we went on to Heritage Tavern for cocktails & nibbles. Here is Kate's gorgeous beet salad, adorable octopus necklace, & lovely cleavage. 

I SO enjoyed the risotto we had the previous week, that I just had to have it again. Carnival Squash & Pear Couscous Risotto with saffron cream, pearl couscous, & toasted pumpkin seeds. I know it probably doesn't sound that exciting...it was the thing I was least looking forward the first time we ordered it. It is heavenly...rich & creamy...the perfect blend of savory with a touch of sweetness. 

¨

When we were finished, our waiter came over with Dan Fox (the chef & owner) & a shot for each of us...their signature house shot, Malört, & we all did a shot together. Except I sip my shots...I like to savor the taste. Malört (the Swedish word for wormwood) tastes very herbal & reminded me of a tincture I used to get at Community Pharmacy to boost my immunity...but good. So, Dan Fox came over and MENTIONED THIS BLOG by name! I think perhaps it was because I Instagramed a photo last time we were here. In any case, it was lovely & I felt like a celebrity!
2 sexy girlies. 

After Heritage I took a bunch of fun photos of Kate outside The Bartell Theatre. Look how cute she is!!

Snowy Monday at Work

 Dress: Tiffany Dress from Igigi via Gwynnie Bee

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Quick post with this dress I wore to work last Monday. I didn't love it. It was incredibly heavy & felt like 1/2 a dozen swimsuits stitched together. 

After work we took a few photos of Kate in the cute outfit she wore to work that day. 

Friday the 13th

 Sweater: Lane Bryant

Skirt: Belmont Skirt in Cabernet from Igigi via Gwynnie Bee

Shoes: Ariat

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Earring: etXarte

Photography: Me & Kate

The girlie evening started out at Square Wine for wine tasting. Doesn't Kate look like an adorable Dalek? She eventually bought this dress from GB in a size smaller. I really liked this Igigi skirt. It was tighter than the skirts I normally wear, but I was ok with that. I felt very sexy secretary. I was in LOVE with the color and wallpaper-like pattern. I nearly wore this with a black turtleneck, but then I found this fun cut-out sweater I forgot I had. I like it. My closet could be better organized. I have too much stuff & I don't know how to purge. 

After wine tasting, we decided to take our chances & pop into Heritage Tavern. Ha! On a Friday night without reservations. We had a backup plan. Somehow, as busy as it was, they fit us in. We started off with these 2 incredible herby drinks. On the left is Fox Trot (Art In The Age Sage, Reyka, Pimm's, Lavender, Ginger, Lemon) & on the right, Rosemary's Baby(Luxardo Bitter, St. Germain, Rosemary, Tullamore Dew, Prosecco Lemon). We shared them & could not pick a favorite. 

We ordered a dozen deviled eggs, duck confit, and squash & pear risotto. Every single thing we put in our mouth was heaven. Really. It was perfect. I have not had a favorite restaurant since Magnus closed, but a few more flawless meals here & Heritage Tavern will have that title. Just look at that plate of deviled eggs!
To end the evening, we went to Tempest. After all the delightfully delicious food at Heritage, we dared to order a dozen oysters and sparkling wine. And Key Lime Pie. 

Our reason for the entire evening was to come to Tempest to see The Sills play. We had heard them at the farmer's market the week before and thought they were great. They sound to me like a mix of 16 Horsepower & X. It made my night when they were setting up & the guy sitting down on the right said something like, there are those ladies from the farmer's market, they liked us right away. It's true. We did. 

What a delightfully decadent night this turned out to be. Thank you, girlie. 

Snow White & Rose Red

 Dress: Minerva Dress from Igigi via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn a free month)

Cardigan: Avenue

Shoes: Ariat

Necklace: Age Before Beauty

Earring: Babil & Bijou

Photography: Super Boo

This was another one of those dresses I didn't think I was going to like...too much white & that pattern hurts my eyes. But. It was a fun outfit in the snow. I wore this to work last Thursday. It was a really great weight of fabric and was fully lined...so cozy for a winter's day. 

Experiments in Pattern Mixing V

 Top: T-Bags Los Angeles via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn a free month)

Cardigan: Avenue

Skirt: Lane Bryant

Socks: Sock Dreams

Shoes: Ariat

Necklace & Earring: Babil & Bijou

Photography: Super Boo

A week or so before getting this T-Bags top, I got the dress from GB in the same pattern. It was hideous and I sent it back unworn & undocumented. I liked it better in this top, especially with just a bit peeking out. I also liked how I could pick up the bright colors with the polka dots in my socks, but otherwise stick to b&w. This was a fun snowy Monday at work outfit. 

A Girl In Every Port

 Dress: T-Bags Los Angeles via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn a free month)

Leggings: Roamans

Socks: had them since hs in the 80s

Shoes: Fluevog

Earring & Necklace: Babil & Bijou

Nail Polish: Gizzards & Lizards from Colors by Llarowe

Kate's Day Dress: Kiyonna via GB

Kate's Night Dress: Coldwater Creek via GB

Photography: Me & Kate

Kate & I started off Saturday in our usual way...farmer's market. When the market is indoors, there are bands. There are bands outside too, but they just show up & are not scheduled. This band looked fun, so we plugged the meter & stayed a while. The Sills. They were so good & after joining their fb page, I learned they are playing at Tempest on Friday...I can't wait to see them in a better venue. The pink in her socks matches her hair. 

Another T-Bags dress...with unfinished sleeves & hem. Weird. This was a fun one time wear...great colors & pattern. In my previous life (before GB), I would have NEVER worn any of these colors...waaaaay too cool. But I thought it looked good on me & it's fun to play with these eyeshadow colors as well. I choose to wear Madness (blue) & Betrayal (purple) from Urban Decay's Vice 2 palette. 

This building is across the street from the house we used to live in on N. Hancock St. Notice the rectangles match the shape in my dress...& also my necklace and the buckles on my shoes. 

 Most of the photos I took of Kate were of her shivering...

After market, we went to the maul (yes, at the worst time of the year) so Kate could belt shop & we could check out the sale at Lane Bryant. Here we are in matching dresses we did not buy. Even at 50% off, most of LB's stuff is overpriced for the quality. I do well with their sweaters & cardigans though. Kate got some great deals on belts ($5!), stockings, & leggings at JCPenny. She got a cute black glittery sweater at LB & I got this chevron striped t-shirt below. 

Look how well it matches my nails! This is my first polish from Colors by Llarowe. I *swore* I was not going to get into indie polishes, but e hooked me after I saw her gorgeous color at Thanksgiving. This holo polish is just stunning in person & it has been 5 days today since putting it on & it is just now starting to chip on 2 nails...otherwise it has been perfect for days & days! Unheard of!

Kate changed her outfit in the evening to more closely match the occasion...

...a double feature of Howard Hawks films. Fig Leaves & A Girl In Every Port. The second movie had the lovely Louise Brooks playing the female role. The theme of the 2 stories were...girls are trouble. We were treated to a live piano player who performed for both features. 

Experiments in Pattern Mixing IV

 Top: Dotty Faux Wrap Top from Sejour via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn a free month)

Skirt: Lane Bryant

Shoes: Easy Spirit 

Necklace: Me

Earring: etXarte

Photography: Super Boo & Me

I was planning on wearing this top with a plain black skirt, then I saw this dotty skirt in my closet. I think Kate told me it was too busy, but I really like it. This top was so soft and comfy, I had to buy it at GB's ridiculously low price. 

I was super excited to find these burgundy shoes among the shoes I never wear. Super Boo & I had oiled my most often worn leather shoes & I was letting them sit a few days to really soak in. It was the strangest thing. I got to work & went about arranging the room the way I liked & I saw what looked like a chunk of sole on the floor...I threw it out, then saw another one...& checked the bottoms of my shoes. They were falling apart. I had only worn these shoes a few times before & the soles looked perfect when I put them on in the morning. I wrote a letter to Easy Spirit, but they didn't have much to say & just sent me a form letter in return. Sadness. 

Leopard & Latkes

 Dress: Leopard Print Dress from ASOS Curve via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn a free month)

Leggings: Roamans

Cardigan: Lane Bryant 

Shoes: Liz Claiborne

Earring: etXarte

Glasses: Gucci via ebay (lenses put in by Costco)

Photography: Me & Kate

I wore this leopard dress to Angie & Toby's house to make & eat latkes. This dress is a size 24 & obviously runs big. It's pretty shapeless and needed something to define it a bit...so cardigan tied under my bust it is. It was suuuuuper comfortable, but not really me. The fabric is incredibly thin & I can't really imagine this holding up to a lot of washings. I'm trying to show you my pretty sparkly red nails, but they are not really photographing well. 

Kate looking adorable as always...she's wearing a dress with pockets from Target that she's worn on here in a different way before. 

I wish I would have gotten some close-ups of my face. I am wearing a loose eyeshadow from Mon Ennui called Year of the Dragon...it is a light sparkly red & I really like it. 

Angie had planned on making latkes for part of our Thanksgiving meal, but wasn't feeling it that day...& I am SO glad...they would have just gotten lost in the gluttony of the day. On their own...they were delicious...what's not to like about fried potatoes?! I helped peel potatoes and mix them up...Molly helped too (lower left, you can just see a bit of her head). Kate took a bunch of pictures of me doing this...

YUM! e commented on fb to say they looked like flattened tribbles! They were scrumptious flattened tribbles...especially with sour cream, leftover cranberry horseradish, & chunky applesauce I made. Oh, & sparkling wine provided by Kate! Angie makes the best food...always...

Muffin Monday at Work

 Dress (worn as top): Printed Side Tucked Dress from Taylor Dresses via Gwynnie Bee (click link to get a free month & help me earn a free month)

Dress: Lane Bryant

Necklace: Vintage Miriam Haskell

Earring: etXarte

Shoes: Fluevog 

Photography: Super Boo

Like I've mentioned before, I've been trying out the size down from what I normally wear at GB because of the larger selection to choose from. Sometimes it works out. I consider this a win, since I think it looks ok as a top. I've pulled it down below so you can see why I didn't opt to wear it as a dress as intended. Too tight, too short. I am in love with this emerald green color! And I love that there is a different pattern on the sleeves than is in the dress. It has a huge stupid pointless gold zipper running down the back. I hope that trend ends soon. Also, it just so happens to match my sparkly green nails left over from the day before! 

James Beard House Preview Dinner at Graze/L'Etoile

 Dress: Igigi (several years ago)

Shoes: American Eagle

Necklace, Pin, & Bracelet: Vintage

Earring: etXarte

Nail Polish: Emerald Sparkle from China Glaze

Photography: Kate, Super Boo, & Me

Kate & I decided to attend this dinner in place of going out for a fancy feast on NYE like we normally do. It was delicious. What I remember most was the soft pillowy gnocchi from the first course. I took a cooking class from Tory Miller (chef/owner of L'Toile/Graze) years ago where he made gnocchi, so I have his recipe...I think it's time to dig it out & attempt to recreate this heavenly delight. 

The theme for this year's dinner at The Beard House in NYC was the end of prohibition (since it was on the 5th, the day prohibition actually ended in 1933), so each course came paired with a craft cocktail. Tory generously shared a preview of this dinner he would make on the 5th with those of us in Madison on the 1st. It was lovely, but like many special events at restaurants, was seated family style. I'm not that social. 

I actually wore my own clothes out for this evening, but only because I didn't have anything appropriate from GB. I could have ironed the waist sash, but I don't know where my iron is because I haven't used it in years. Kate & I both own this green velvet dress from Igigi & I've worn it a handful of times over the years. Kate is wearing the pintuck sheath dress by London Times from GB in a size too big, but it still looked cute on her, but perhaps did not have that va-va-voom effect it would have had if it had been hugging her curves properly. 

The lighting in both restaurants is very flattering, but not so conducive to good photos. The L'Etoile bathroom was the brightest spot we could find. 

I love this copper L'Etoile wall in the entrance. 

I am always happy to have a chance to pull out my fancier glittery pieces of jewelry & wear them out. This Miriam Haskell necklace is one of my favorite pieces by my absolute favorite designer of vintage jewelry.