Proof

Dress: Iridescent Leopards Sweater Dress by Farm Rio via Nuuly

Tights: Snag

Boots: Fluevog, East End: Adanac

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

In love with this colorful leopard sweater dress! The fit was fantastic & it was just soooo soft & comfy. I was the first person to get it & I should have bought it. However, I noticed that Farm Rio makes this pattern in several pieces...I've posted my 3 favorites at the bottom of this post...which one do you like best for me?

I wasn't sure about these boots, but I wanted to wear boots with this dress & I hadn't worn these yet.

Pretty! I need to find more outfits to wear them with.

This is also my first time wearing this necklace we found at Elkhorn...

My make-up with this outfit included...Sephora Matte Black eyeliner, Giving eyeshadow from Natasha Denona, Rustette eyeshadow by Mon Ennui Cosmetics, Heat lipstick from Urban Decay, New York Apple lipstick by MAC, & OPI nail polish in Man of La Mancha. I wore this dress only one time because later that week I had drains put in due to fluid collection in my thighs from surgery...so no more form fitting dresses. Our last APT play of the season...inside, of course...Proof. 

It was an early afternoon performance with Kate & Jason. Great story, wonderful acting, & fabulous friends on a lovely autumn day. On our way home, we stopped at Courtney's house to buy this spectacular vintage jumpsuit that I've been coveting since I first met her over a year ago. She somehow found 3! of them & I was lucky enough to snag one. 

Back at home, I made us dinner, Sheet-Pan Salmon Tikka with Spinach...this is such an easy delicious meal. I also opened some boxes to discover...a pumpkin purse from Love, Pain, & Stitches...I've had a tab open for nearly 2 years to remind me to buy a pumpkin purse...& I finally did...I chose this one because it was on sale...it comes in so many colors & designs & I couldn't really choose a favorite. And...polka dotted Fluevogs from Poshmark. 

These are the 3 dress I like the most in this fab leopard pattern...which one is most me?

APT: The Liar // Milwaukee: Eating, Thrifting, Jinkx Monsoon

Dress: Blooming Floral Maxi Dress by Farm Rio (size M) via Nuuly

Sandals: Born

All Jewelry: Wendy Baker

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

This dress is my favorite color, the color of fun...in multiple shades. In theory...everything about this dress was perfection...& with a few tweaks, it could be. First, let me say...I felt spectacularly sexy in this gorgeous gown...with its stunning summer color palette, large blooms, multi layers & the seductive ruffled slit. Fantastic shoe showing maxi length. However, despite the elastic in the arms...I really had to squeeze my limbs in there (most reviews mention this, but I'm not sure there were any/many written when I chose this). Also, the shape hugging elastic waist was nice, but it was far too small for my 36C breasts...notice how it starts before my boobs end...it would have looked better underneath. I might rent this again in a large to see if that helps the fit...but judging from the other ladies feedback, sadly, it probably is just a design issue. This dress would be great on a small woman with tiny arms & an A cup chest.

Check out the details on the sleeve...the elastic v shape & a poof of gathering. Some reviewers wore this off the shoulder to help with the tightness of the arms & I wish I had done that. 

Although there were many shades I adored in this frock, I didn't quite have the correct shoe match. I wore this with 3 different shoes...these green ones were the right style, but the color was too dark; the yellow sandals were a good tint, but too casual; & the Fluevogs were the wrong vibe, too chunky & retro for this delicate feminine dress. 

I love these bright Francis Klein glasses...with their multiple colors & orange temples...they go with countless outfits.  

Likewise, Wendy Baker's creations go with & make everything better. 

First APT play of the season! With my two favorite people, David...

& Kate!

I made us a cumin roasted salmon salad with pistachio & cilantro sauce...with roasted veggies. 

Picnicing...with strawberries for dessert from Roots Down Farm...which were tiny & sweet...consistently the best I got all season. 

Balancing on the rocks & a walk up the hill. At the gift shop, we bought a hat to keep me dry...my new Betsey Johnson leopard rain coat is adorable...but does not have a hat. 

The Liar was hilariously silly...French farce in rhyming pentameter with fantastic acting & cotton candy colored wigs. However, 40 minutes in, they decided to cancel due to rain. Oh, well...at least the picnic & company were delightful.

Spending the day in Milwaukee with David...we began at Likewise for coffee...they use our favorite Wisconsin brand, Wonderstate...but they make it their own by creating unusual seasonal concoctions. David loves anything lemon...so he ordered a Summer Shandy (lemon-lime soda topped with espresso, housemade hops syrup, & fresh lemon) & I had The Wanderer (brown sugar latte spiked with cinnamon & vanilla{with cocktail bitters, rum extract, & candied ginger}). After our morning beverages...we headed over to Flourchild for brunch.  

We sat outside as it was a beautiful day with a great view...Milwaukee has some fantastic architecture. It was a bit loud as Harley Davidson was celebrating their 120th birthday & the city had been overtaken by motorcycles. I sipped on a Smash Spritz (tequila, passionfruit liqueur, vanilla, honey, lemon, allspice, ginger, cava) & David enjoyed a Bloody Mary. We began with Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Taquitos, as well as Crab Rangoon Spring Rolls. 

We couldn't decide on one pizza, so we each picked our own. For David: Daddy's Pizza (red sauce, ezzo pepperoni, house sausage, aged mozz, cherry peppers, red onion, stracciatella, basil); mine was: Risky Biscuit (house sausage gravy, fontina, scrambled eggs, cheese curds, chives...& I added some caramelized onions). YUM. Stuffed...& off to our favorite thrift store, Retique. I did not find nearly as many things to try on as I usually do...but that was a good thing. I'm being more selective on what I say yes to. 

This upscale Goodwill curates such a lovely selection of nicer clothing...at the same thrift store prices...& they always pick a tag color of the week to discount 50%. 

On to Lela's...where they still had a pair of the flower pants I'd been thinking about since we were last there in spring. Pics of that & the 2 other things I got at the end of this post. They always expose me to new brands I've never heard of. The flower pants are by Traffic People & I've since gotten some of their clothing for super cheap on Poshmark. And...one of the women working there told me she liked my Fluevogs...I'm always impressed when someone recognizes what they are. We decided we were going to chance getting to Pabst Mansion for their 3 o'clock tour. We made it just in time...but they were sold out. 

Kate & I came here once for Halloween over 20 years ago...it's a stunning house. We'll have to plan a visit next time we're in Milwaukee. We wandered around the grounds.

And took photos on the front porch.

A guide was showing a tour out & he let us peek inside for a minute. We still had some time to kill before our 5 o'clock dinner reservation...so we went to one of the antique shops we like. I'm slightly obsessed with finding a 1990 David Bowie Sound + Vision tour t-shirt. I saw that tour & I'd love to have a shirt...but they typically sell for ~$250...& I just can't bring myself to pay that much. This all started because my lymphatic massage person, Courtney, was wearing one a few months back. She collects, as well as sells, vintage concert shirts. 

Fluevogs on my feet...& other things that caught my eye. There was absolutely nothing there we needed...although I did leave with a pair of clip-on costume jewelry earrings from the 50s. 

Our first time at Odd Duck (although Kate thinks we may have gone there together...they moved, so obviously nothing looked familiar to me). Milwaukee is full of delicious restaurants & I wanted to try somewhere new for dinner since lunch had been at an already known place. 

We started out with cocktails...a #96 for David- Capel pisco, Fruitful papaya liqueur, rhubarb nectar, fresh lemon; & for me, #51-Wheatley vodka, Lillet Blanc, lemon, Salers aperitif, prickly pear, sparkling wine. We built a Charcuterie Board, including: fennel & citrus roasted olives, chili crisp deviled eggs, Marikeke (raw milk young gouda from WI), chicken liver mousse, smoked duck ham, pork pâté, peach jam, red grapes, bread & butter pickles, Marcona almonds, whole grain mustard, & sourdough bread. It was good, but the only thing we regretted ordering all night...simply because we filled up on things we could have had at home. 

Drink #26 for David- Quintana Mexican white rum, Tamerlo tamarind liqueur, Greenbar hibiscus liqueur, Agua de Jamaica, lime, CO2; & I tried a #27- Citadelle gin, elderflower liqueur, sage cordial, grapefruit juice, lemon. Wood-Fired Broccoli (Agilo e Olio, Calabrian chili purée, SarVecchio, roasted pine nuts, oregano, lemon)...what a gorgeous color combination. 

Next up...Seared Sea Scallops (sweet corn succotash, potato cabbage pancake, pickled peppers, sweet corn velouté), Duck Confit Flautas (foie gras guacamole, cream, radish, pickled local peppers, Queso Oaxaca, farm lettuce), & Seared Pork Belly (charred peach jam, chrysanthemum greens, rice cake noodles). Cocktail #46 Tapatio tequila blanco, Can de la Calle fortified agave wine, Apologue celery root liqueur, fresh cucumber juice).

#56- strawberry infused C. Comoz vermouth, aperol, Fair State citra & mosaic hop water, sparkling rosé). For dessert, we ordered Kahlúa Creme Brûlée with orange ginger duck cookies & Sweet Corn Buttermilk Ice Cream with basil blueberry sauce & cardamom waffle. I couldn't resist the Campfire Old Fashioned (graham cracker infused Irish whiskey, Shenk's whiskey, chocolate bitters, toasted marshmallow). 

David loves an Espresso Martini to finish a meal. We were delighted with every bite of this dinner...we declared it our new favorite Milwaukee restaurant...& of course I want to keep trying new places...but I'd love to go back while we still have an abundance of produce growing in Wisconsin. Parking downtown & a short walk to our venue...

Pabst Theater...exquisite...I just love ornate old theaters. 

This person had glittery hair & I was full of envy. I think we were in the 6th row, center...the best seats we could get without being VIP (which we did for Sasha Velour, then didn't take advantage of...we just don't want to meet anyone). 

Jinkx put on a good show...she can really sing, but it wasn't as spectacular as we were hoping for. The band was loud & the sound was poor...we couldn't hear any of the words she was singing...we were talking about that on the way back to the car & the woman behind us said she agreed. 

This Cadillac convertible was sooooo long. One of the 1/2 price items we found at Retique was a briefcase David liked...at home, we discovered it was vintage Coach...$30. 

The other amazing deal were these leopard shoes by Rupert Sanderson...which would have been ~$700 new...$35. $6.50 for the pink Gabby Skye dress. David also found a pair of pants & some shorts. 

What I brought home from Lela's...an orange Effie's Heart dress with oranges on it, a red camisole, & the flower pants I tried on back in May. 

 

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.