Passionfruit & Olive

Dress: Passionfruit Flocked Skater Dress by City Chic (size 24/XXL) 

Jacket: Avenue (size 26/28)

Tights: We Love Colors

Boots: Doc Martens via ModCloth

Necklace: Me

Earring & Bracelet: Wendy Baker 

Pin: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-70

I've got several of these City Chic velvet flocked dresses...this is my first time wearing this one. This dress fits a bit snug for this size in City Chic, but it was the perfect fit for me. The cutout in back made me happy...I need a back tattoo though, right?! This green velvet jacket was begging me to wear it...so I went with passionfruit & olive.

The hook on this jacket was missing...so I grabbed a green pin right before we headed out the door. 

It's boot season! These purple & gold brocade Docs tied with black ribbon are my favorite...stompy & girlie. 

Once upon a time...I used to make jewelry...like this necklace...I miss that. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Psychedelic Sister, Huda Beauty Amethyst Obsessions eyeshadow palette, UD eyeshadow in Mildew, Voodoo & Flashback lipstick from UD, & This Is A Slick Up nail polish by POP Nail Polish.

Bette Smith...live online for the second time in one week...amazing voice & performer. Me with one eye made up...& a bit of purple eyeliner on my lips...? I love this ghost sign they uncovered on Great Dane. Violet is always happy to see me when we come home...not that we leave the house much...on this day we left to take photos & pick up the car from our mechanic. Dogs are love. 

Something to look forward to while dressed up...a video chat with Kate to kick off her birthday weekend...she, David, & I all shared the same bottle of wine. Luckily, Kate is younger & has a better memory than I do...she remembered that we had this particular wine at a seafood restaurant in Seattle in 2012 & I adored it so much she got on a waitlist to buy it. It was delicious. Also, how fun is Walla Walla Washington to say? Later that night...there was some DJ/VJ watching on Twitch. 

This is one of our favorite farmers' market winter meals...pork chops with roasted sweet potatoes & baked apples. Carsie Blanton playing her 11th rent party for the boys in her band last Saturday...she was taking requests with donations & I asked her to play So Ferocious & wish Kate a happy birthday...& she did! It was adorable. During the last hour of the show I drove over to Kate's to drop off some masks. I left the house AND saw my girlie & didn't take a picture...?! 

Saturday night on Twitch...I've had to find some other shows to listen to since my favorite, Planet Earth, has had a guest DJ that doesn't have the same taste in new wave music as I do.

The Lowest Pair playing live...dueling banjos. Palmer said, we're opening for Charlie Parr, but he doesn't know that...as soon as they were done...Char Parr played his last Sunday show in residency from First Avenue. Michael Waite playing from the UP. 

Some lovely new earrings from Teri at EtXarte... 

The birthday girlie on her birthday! Dropping off some skincare for her to try & this amazing mushroom dress by Eva Rose. It was the perfect birthday dress for Kate. 

 

2020 Certificate of Achievement

Dress: Rose Scarf Maxi by City Chic (size XXL/26)

Tights: We Love Colors

Shoes: Worthington, thrifted

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-70

I always think of maxis as summer clothing...but this one had longer sleeves...so I thought, winter dress it is...although it's certainly light enough to be worn year round...ideally, in spring or autumn. The fit & length were good, but it was a bit big all over. There was a tie at the waistband with tassels on the ends, but it didn't draw it in as much as I'd like. The fabric had no stretch & there were pretty brass faux vintage buttons all up the front which paired well with the boho look of the scarf patterned dress. 

I picked these shoes up at Savers years ago for a few dollars & I believe this is my first time wearing them...they appear to be vintage 80s shoes, but I'm not an expert. 

I've had one haircut in the last year...& now I'm regretting it. I am obsessing lately about growing my hair out...but on one side or both? Lately, I am leaning towards both which is why I regret getting several inches chopped off. Perhaps when it is safe to go places again, I'll get extensions to see how I feel about me & long hair. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in 1999, Dreamer & Rose Gold eyeshadow by Anastasia, Bite Beauty lipstick in Spiced Plum, & Queen of West Web-erly nail polish from OPI. 

After we took pictures...I came home & video chatted with Kate...it was *almost* like I got dressed up & had somewhere to go. Charlie Parr, continuing his January residency at First Avenue. 

On Tuesdays...we eat salmon. With fried garlic, dill, & Meyer lemons...& a side of cauliflower. Look at what my sweet girlie made me...a certificate of achievement for completing 2020. We all deserve that. Something similar was supposed to come with our Them Coulee Boys vinyl, but they forgot. Getting this from Kate made me ridiculously happy. And...I leave you with my Fluevog unicorns...Half Truth Tanyas in both green & purple rub off in a size 10, as they run a bit narrow. I didn't get them when they were available because I thought I'd fall in those tiny heels, but now I'm just sad they are not living in my closet for me to admire. 

 

World Famous Skull's Rainbow Room

 Dress: Lily Patch Maxi Dress by City Chic (size XXL/24)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

Necklace & Earring: Wendy Baker

Bracelet: Sobral via eBay 

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I adore this kimono style dress from City Chic...I have it in 5 different patterns. This dress calls for a bodysuit underneath...why don't I own any bodysuits?! I wore the under slip that came with it & matching black teggings so it wouldn't be obvious when the slip bunched up around my waist. I last wore this dress in fall of 2017. 

I wore this dress on our first day in Nashville, then on our last day in Nashville, & to drive home...I was the fanciest road tripper on the road. We didn't have time in the daylight to get photos the first day...so that is why I wore it again. I had to take advantage of as much street art as I could. 

I didn't wear any of the same accessories as I did the last time. Isn't this dramatic diva necklace divine?!

We stopped for lunch on our way to Nashville...at a place in the middle of nowhere...in a strip mall next to an auto repair shop...that I discovered via Google reviews, Courtney's Diner. It was delicious. We started out with fried green tomatoes, served with jalapeño ranch...amazingly delicious. Then I had a loaded hot dog...chili, cheese, cole slaw, & onions...I'd never heard of putting slaw on dogs...but I liked it. 

After we checked into our cute Airbnb & got Rye settled in...we perused The Nashville Flea Market...which is held every 4th weekend of the month...we lucked out. It was not nearly as nice as the all antique Elkhorn Flea...there were all kinds of vendors at this one (food, crafts, knockoff designer sunglasses)...but there were gems to be found. I snapped a photo of this lamp that caught my eye...but I thought...it's not really us...now I'm obsessed with it & can't stop thinking of how fabulous it would have looked in our dining room. We came home with the grape sconces David is holding, a bit of antique silverware (including the pictured cake server for Angie because that is her pattern), & some vintage jewelry for me. 

The jewelry I got all came from one nice ladies booth... Ellen was sweet & when David showed me the bracelet below...she let us know she made it, so we should be kind. She was delighted when we both loved it. I'm going to gold it up a bit on the white & silver spots...but I think it's fabulous! 

The rest of the jewelry...I'm trying to stick to colors I don't already have a lot of...

World Famous Skull's Rainbow Room...they only take reservations two weeks out & even though I had it on my calendar...I forgot until about 5pm...so the best I could do was 8:30. I was worried they wouldn't let us linger until the burlesque show started at 11...& a long night for us. None of it was a problem.

None of the entrees looked exciting...but many of the starters did...so we ordered appetizers two at a time, along with craft cocktails to accompany them...it took us over two hours to finish our delightful meal. 

We began with carpaccio with arugula & tuna tartare...followed by crawfish risotto & veal sweet breads. If you blow up the photo below, you will see my drink, The Skull No. 3, had a skull in it...

We finished the evening with duck empanada & foie gras. Every single dish was delicious & the cocktails were expertly crafted with unexpected touches such as mustard, porcini mushroom, bell pepper, & herbs. 

After dessert...the burlesque began. After much digging online, I discovered the group that performs at Skull's is Alley Cat Cabaret. I sent a message to them asking the performer's names on this night so I could credit them, but I got no response. They do burlesque shows each week... Thursday, Friday, & Saturday...& according to the hostess, each show is completely different. 

Skull's has a fantastic stage that has a catwalk past the dining area...many famous people have performed on this stage...including Johnny Cash, Elvis, Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline, & Etta James. 

The live band was a wonderful touch to this fantastic show.

All the outfits are created & sewn by, I believe, the performer below. In Tennessee you are not allowed to show under boob or the triangle just above your butt crack...so they have to get creative.

This woman has the most shapely legs...

My favorite performance of the evening...

Performed to the band's rendition of Devotchka's Such a Lovely Thing...

A short video I took...I wish I would have filmed the entire piece...

Good night Skull's & Printer's Alley. Two days later, on Monday...we ate breakfast at Biscuit Love before taking outfit photos & leaving town. 

Despite making all the best of Nashville breakfast lists, the food was most certainly not worth the long wait in line to get in...the coffee was the most acidic I'd ever had...undrinkable. However, those bonuts *swoon*...yep, worth the wait. Bonuts are fried biscuit dough, tossed in sugar, topped with lemon mascarpone, served over blueberry compote. Wow. 

After breakfast...we headed to The Parthenon to take photos, which turned out to be more difficult than we'd imagined. Taken next to the pillars, you can't tell they are pillars...taken far away...people, construction, & not much beauty. I've looked online to see how other people do it & there are some great shots, but none as up close as I want for outfit photos. So, just across the street...there was some lovely street art that we used instead. About an hour-ish outside of Nashville, I found this fantastic family owned coffee house where we had some of the best coffee we'd ever had. 

Me & The Parthenon...

Chicago with Kate & Nick Cave

 Dress: Fire Bloom Maxi Dress by City Chic (size XXL/24)

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

Earring & Necklace: Heidi Daus via Ebay 

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I am madly deeply in love with this style of dress from City Chic...I wish they had a name for it so I could search more easily as they often release new colors & patterns. Once upon a time it came in leopard...& I missed out. Can you imagine how spectacular this would have been on me in leopard print?! I also own this in a lily design. 

Every woman needs a dramatic diva dress in her closet.

Sometimes a windy day adds allure...other times it just gives me wacky hair.

Monday morning at our Airbnb...Kate tries out my dress...

We considered taking a Lyft into downtown...but the girlie somehow found this super surprisingly cheap parking...$15!!! for up to 12 hours. And...the elevator up deposited us right at the door of our favorite Chicago restaurant, The Gage. 

Coffee...& lunch...delicious soft shell crab, beet salad, & smoked salmon BLT. 

After lunch...we walked down the street to the American Writers Museum...which I discovered after looking online for lesser known museums in Chicago. It's been open for two years & they had a special Bob Dylan exhibit running while we were there. 

It took up a relatively small space...but there was a lot to look at, watch, & listen to...including Dylan's copy of Catcher in the Rye.

The history of writers in America...

I sat for a bit in front of this 2 walled art installation...Word Waterfall...quotes, mostly from authors, on America...when this particular quote was lit up...it was accompanied by the vision & sound of flames...

Typing on typewriters throughout the years. They had a digitized version of the scroll of On The Road...but I know I've seen the real thing...but where? And who was with me? No one knows. This was a fun museum &...free bookmarks. I'd go back if they had another special exhibit that caught my eye. 

In the evening, we dined at a Polish restaurant in the neighborhood...Smakosz. They were slammed with concert-goers & only had one server. We shared an order of potato pancakes... Kate had mushroom & onion pierogis & I chose potato cheese & had mine fried. The food was incredible...one of the best Polish meals I've ever had.

Then...on to Conversations with Nick Cave at the lovely Copernicus Center. The girlie & I used to come here years ago to see silent films...& then drive home. Oh, to be young. 

Nick Cave was amazing, as always, & most of the questions from the audience were quite good. He's become a gentler, more vulnerable man since his son died...he turned his grief into something stronger. It was a beautiful thing to be a part of. What a perfect day spent with my girlie. 

I also wore this dress to work & out to dinner with David...because pictures had to be taken of this outfit.