Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra: Michael Mizrahi // Charleston: The Ordinary & Vintage Lounge

Dress: Cool Leopards Maxi Dress by Farm Rio (size M) via Nuuly

Sandals: Vintage Gap via Poshmark 

Earrings & Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelet: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

Leopard love...I'm not a cat person, but the colors in this were spectacularly juicy...this needs to be worn on a tropical cruise or an African safari. The long dramatic frilly sleeves & plunging cutout back made me adore this dress. The fit was tts, which is not always the case with Farm Rio as I often size down. Fantastic maxi length...I wore this with both heels & flats...& no bra. 

It's a good thing I think scars are sexy...because I have a lot of them now.

How perfect are these $9 sandals I found on Poshmark?! Leopard print with a leopard dress. 

Freshly dyed hair is the best...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Psychedelic Sister & Asphyxia; Crimson, Aruba, & Hibiscus eyeshadow from Ace Beautē; Violet Voss eyeshadow in Violet Sunset; UD lipliner in Bang & 714; Bang & No-Tell Motel lipstick by UD; & OPI nail polish in ¡Viva OPI!

I first wore this dress to attend the final Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra concert of the season with David. The highlight for us was Michael Mizrahi performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 1. It moved us so much we had to seek him out to discuss it with him. I also wore this dress out on the first night in Charleston with my mom. We walked to the restaurant (10 minutes) & even though I wore a raincoat...I looked like a drowned cat. It turns out...what I thought was a raincoat was not in fact a raincoat...it was just pretending. 

I looked up restaurants in Charleston back in April while I was recovering from surgery in Mexico & sent my mom a list...she picked some she was interested in & I took care of reservations. Our first dinner was at The Ordinary. First of all...gorgeous old bank building...with the kitchen inside the vault. 

Our lovely waitress took our photo...I *had* felt pretty before getting soaked. 

My first taste of The Ordinary was a special drink, A Poet's Love (Rhum J.M. Gold, guava, passionfruit, grenadine, fresh lime, bitters), in collaboration with Spoleto Festival USA. This music, theatre, & art festival has been happening since 1977 & is the American counterpart to the annual Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. I feel like we really missed out not taking advantage of this...but perhaps I'll go again next year with David or Kate. 

The hostess was going to seat us upstairs, but my mom had just had knee surgery...so that was too many stairs. It was prettier where we were sitting...so I had to go up to take in the full view. I took a picture of my mom & she got one of me. 

Oysters...the more like the sea they taste, the more I enjoy them. The 3 of these were local, from North & South Carolina. From there we moved on to...Smoked Yellowfin Tuna Pâté (smoked trout roe, seeded buttermilk crackers), Steak Tartare (pickled spring onions, crispy potatoes)...

Roasted Golden Beets (benne seed tahini, greek yogurt, fennel pollen), & Dave's Clams + Grilled Sourdough (rosemary butter, fennel-tomato jam, clam nage). It was difficult being so restrained...had I been with David, we would have tried several more dishes...everything sounded so delightful...& it was. 

My first culinary experience in Charleston blew me away...the food scene there is ridiculous...the best of fresh seafood, in season produce, & southern cooking. I've been to Nashville a few times, but Charleston has them beat on restaurants...such a small town (~150,000)...I had no idea. After dinner, we walked to Vintage Lounge...it was on my list because Architectural Digest declared it "the most beautifully designed bar in South Carolina." 

And it was...being in a gorgeous old space made it even better. It was packed, but the host found us seats at the bar just as a couple was leaving. Charleston is a university town (there are at least 3)...so everywhere we went was chock full of young people. There were 2 bouncers at the door & they checked our IDs...I told them, I'm grandma age & this is my mom. I thought it was hilarious. One of the things I saw there several times was a Porron (Spanish wine pitcher)...the server would bring them to the table, pour them into the customers mouths, & leave it for them to do themselves. Kate has one & we've taken it to Concerts on the Square. You can see a woman below taking a drink from one...

They had an old-fashioned meat slicer behind the bar & the waitress used it to put together charcuterie platters. It was loud in there...but we stayed for a cocktail & it was excellent people watching. I had a Eureka (Genever, aged rum, aperol, sloe gin, rhubarb, lemon). Delightful! Back at the hotel, wearing my non-raincoat...soaked.