Showing posts with label Live Shows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Live Shows. Show all posts

Friday, January 26, 2024

The Nutcracker // Thrifting // Ketamine

Dress: The Long-Sleeve Somerset Maxi Dress by Anthropologie via Nuuly
Tights: Snag
Shoes: Fluevog, Power: Coal
Glasses: Francis Klein
Earring: etXarte
Necklace: Green Goddess Vintage
Bracelet: Vintage
Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42
Orange! This abstract design was an ideal dress for me to rent as that's not typically my style. As usual, Somerset is a great fit...the long sleeves were wonderful for colder weather...deep pockets, smocked waist fits you like a glove, hook closure at the neckline, & I love a dress with tiers. 
My preferred maxi length...so you can still see the shoes & can wear both flats or heels. 
I wore my leopard glasses...
The orange in these Coals were an excellent match for the dress. The burgundy toes are patent leather & I just recently learned that Pledge will shine it up...I've been doing it to all my patent recently, I'll try it on these the next time I wear them. 
Orange make-up & jewelry...
My make-up with this outfit included...Zero eyeliner from Urban Decay; Blazing, Blood Moon, & Nefertiti eyeshadow by Huda Beauty; MAC lipliner in Chicory; Gothica & Pumpkin lipstick from KVD; & OPI nail polish in A Woman's Prague-ative.  A good mail day...I've been trying to hunt down this Effie's Heart gramophone print in a dress I liked...I don't love the fake buttons, but it's an adorable dress otherwise & better than the square neck ones that pop up on Poshmark the most. 2 pairs of shoes from the 10 Days of Vogmas that David bought for me...every day for 10 days, shoes that don't typically go on sale, were an excellent deal. My dream is to use antique gold Rub 'n' Buff to highlight the embossing on the black shoes...wouldn't that be pretty? Back in October during the Flumunity Fest there was a talk on taking care of your shoes...David took notes & then he ordered all of this...it's a few layers deep...we now have everything we would ever need to spruce up our footwear. Dinner...Sheet Pan Roast Chicken & Mustard-Glazed Cabbage.And later that day...I first wore this dress to see The Nutcracker with David. This is our second year in a row seeing this production...it's alright, but I think we'll see Milwaukee's version next year instead. Our tickets were excellent...front row center. I enjoyed watching the orchestra play. Nutcracker photo-op! How had we missed this on our way in?!The sale was so good at Ulta on my brow pencils & Urban Decay eyeliners...I had to order more online. I also wore this dress to work & thrifting at the westside Goodwill afterwards. 
I have a thing for polka dots...& David is not a fan...they are just so happy to me. This was our Christmas Eve dinner...ribs smoked on the grill with wood from our apple tree & the blueberry chipotle bbq sauce from 12 Bones in Asheville with baked apples & salt & vinegar roasted cabbage. The last time I wore this dress was at Essential Health...where I had a subcutaneous ketamine experience. 
It was pretty uneventful, but let me know that I don't have any bad reaction to ketamine & was a good intro to the more serious ketamine therapy I went on to have elsewhere. My favorite part of this experience was thinking of a question & drawing a tarot card after & reading about it.
My question was...will I ever beat my anxiety? Then I went to Gail Ambrosius to get chocolate for Kate, but I forgot they close for a few weeks after Christmas. 

 

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Milwaukee: Retique, Indulgence, Sorella, Jerry Seinfeld, Bryant's // Boxing Day

Dress: The Marais Printed Chiffon Maxi Dress by Anthropologie via Nuuly 
Coat: Catherine Malandrino, thrifted
Tights: Snag
Shoes: Fluevog, Enneagram: Enthusiast 
Purse: Portland Leather via Poshmark
Earrings: Wendy Baker
Bracelet & Pins: Vintage
Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42
I love renting these Marais dresses in fun prints. I only own one though, because it's not something I'd reach for a lot after wearing it once. They're a super relaxed fit...this is a small & I really could get an XS, but it would still be oversized. Comfortable & I received many compliments...it really brightened up a winter day.  
This was my first time using this boysenberry Portland Leather Circle Crossbody purse I hunted down on Poshmark...I had my eye on it for a while, then they discontinued making it in this color. It's also my first small size rather than large...I like both of them. 
This dress had a white slip that often showed...which doesn't usually bother me when it's a better color.
There were so many tights/shoe combinations I could have gone with...but there was no doubt it had to be Fluevog. 
This bright yellow Big Bird coat is full of happiness...& I added some vintage Christmas pins for the month of December. That Christmas tree on the left was a gift from my grandma back in the early to mid-70s. 
I first wore this outfit to spend the day in Milwaukee with David. Our first stop is usually Retique (& Likewise Coffee)...where I try on *all* the clothes. 
The find of the day for me was this gold metallic oversize turtleneck sweater & skirt set from the 80s...I'm overjoyed they've stayed together all these years. The skirt is a small & the sweater is a medium, which accentuates the oversize-ness in a good way.
It was a rainy day in Milwaukee...so I had to wear Docs as to not ruin my Fluevogs. Stupid weather. We found David 2 really nice coats, as well as a bunch of other stuff. 
Then it was on to a new to us place, Indulgence Chocolate...where we did the chocolate & red wine pairing...which is such a fun idea. 
We also picked out some other truffles to nom on...they were good, but didn't compare to the chocolatiers we have here (Gail Ambrosius & Madison Chocolate Co. especially). We still had some time before dinner, so we hit up our favorite antique store. 
And took pictures of each other. David got both the shirt & pants when we were in Asheville. 
Our second time having dinner at Sorella...the first time was in September & we were able to sit outside on a lovely warm evening. They did have a large tent set up on their patio with a big fire pit burning on this night...but I'm not that brave. 
I made reservations too late to get a table in the dining room...so we sat at a table in the bar area, which I may have liked better because it was a smaller room. These Arancini Mortadella were amazing...I'd been dreaming about them since last time. Our first cocktails were...Autumn in Flight (GL brandy, aperol, muddled cranberry & orange, apple cider, Peychaud's bitters) &...
Autunno (Mt. Gay rum, Frangelico, Poppy amaro, St. George pear, saba, lemon, root beer bitters). We also shared...Gnocchi Genovese (potato gnocchi, short rib & onion ragu) with a side of crispy potatoes...&...
Chicken Parmigiana (crispy chicken breast, marinara, mozzarella), & our absolute favorite thing from the first time, Cavatelli with Monday Sauce (broken meatball, sausage & pork ragu, ricotta)...it's just SO good. And we were SO full. The dessert here wasn't that memorable last time, so we just shared an espresso martini. 
Then...on to the reason we were in Milwaukee...Jerry Seinfeld. The line to get in was ridiculously long, but luckily it had mostly stopped raining. Jerry was hilarious & his show was so tight...& nothing he said was risky or made him in danger of being cancelled. I'm not usually into that kind of comedy...but he made it work. 
Afterwards, we decided to check out Bryant's...which has been on my list for years. There was a pretty long wait to get in, but not for us because we were only 2 people & the rest of the groups were at least 4. One of the guys in line complimented David's shirt & I told him he should check out his pants...he replied, maybe I already did & now I'm embarrassed...which made me laugh...I'm always impressed when someone shoots back the perfect retort. Bryant's has been open since 1938...& was an absolute time capsule...swanky velvet & the most smooth sound system I'd ever heard. There was a main floor & an upstairs, which was where we ended up. They don't have a menu of drinks...they're known for just telling your server what you're in the mood for...something with rum, vanilla, & citrus...or a tiki drink or whatever...& magically a drink appears that fulfills your wish. David got a take on a Hurricane & my cocktail was a Bryant's traditional favorite, Candle Light (a fruity vodka drink that our waiter set on fire). 
For only a handful of days in December...the Tom & Jerry bar is open...you go into the back room to collect your drink...it was the best thing we had all evening. I then asked for an ice cream drink with kalualua, chocolate, & caramel...& then I lost track. Our drinks were taking a while, so our waiter brought us some holiday punch...which was way too sweet & boozy for us. This place was so charming...warm & inviting...I could hang out there for hours...& probably would have LOVED it back in the 90s...but craft cocktails have come so far...so these blasts from the past just weren't that appealing to us. I'm so happy we experienced it though. 
David came home with a great haul from Retique...including this vintage wool coat. 
Our finds from the antique store...a tissue holder for my office at work, a jewelry display mirror for my makeup/jewelry room, & bits & bobs to decorate myself. My Retique scores...mmmmm...velvet. 
The second time I wore this dress was on Boxing Day to shop for sale Old World ornaments & similar...we found SO many new ones...it really makes decorating the tree the following year so much fun since we only briefly see these, so they are exciting all over again. On this day we visited Little Luxuries, Sur le Table, Bruce Company, & Kleins. Then...home to have leftovers from Christmas Eve dinner...ribs that we made on the grill with the blueberry chipotle bbq sauce from 12 Bones in Asheville & baked apples...I also roasted us some romanesco broccoli. YUM. 

 

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Asheville: Marquee // French Broad Chocolate // Rhubarb // Ashley Gavin

Dress: Zola Velvet Maxi Dress by Hutch via Nuuly
Tights: Snag
Shoes: Chie Mihara 
Earring: etXarte
Necklace: Green Goddess Vintage
Bracelet: Vintage
Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42
I adore these Hutch velvet wrap dresses...I've had several of them in both same & different styles & they are always so luscious. I seem to have this boob problem every time though, I'm always busting out of the top even after I pin it & I'm only a C cup...otherwise the fit is fantastic. And could the colors be more perfect for me?! It was difficult not to buy this one.
I love how the seam in back is framing my butt. Also, I realized I never mentioned it here...but right before leaving for Asheville, I had to have 3 drains put in...one in my abdomen & the other 2 in each thigh. I had a lot of excess fluid building up & I absolutely did NOT want to go on vacation with drains...but my friend & lymphatic massage person, Courtney, convinced me that if I didn't, it would dehisce...& drains would be preferable to my thighs bursting open. I agreed. But it is difficult to feel pretty while lugging around drains...but I think most of the time they didn't show too badly...but I see a slight bulge in the photo below. 
My first time wearing these Chie Mihara shoes I found on Poshmark...
Also my first time wearing this bracelet that we bought on this day at Marquee...
I wore this outfit for our first full day in Asheville. Every morning started with delicious coffee from various amazing places that David went out to get while I got ready. We began this day with a trip to Marquee which is in the River Arts District where we were staying...out of all the places, it looked most like us...& we were right. Check out the front desk that greeted us...
This huge space was filled with art, clothing, & antiques...it was just a feast for the eyes. 
It's not the clothing, but the colorful chippy door I'm taking a picture of here...& predictably...we were drawn to light fixtures. 
There was a rather large NA section in the middle of the store that made me think of Kate. 
Fun chairs! And my favorite booth, The 3 Graces...so many vintage clothing pieces reimagined in a maximalist way.
I was especially smitten with this coat...
There is a snake on the shoulder of this dress...so many pretties. 
This whole booth was just marvelously magnificent...it is a collaboration of 3 Asheville artists. Alligator lady with an alligator purse bench...don't you just want to sit down next to her?!
The Marquee was fabulous...I bought the vintage bracelet I'm wearing in these outfit shots...& David sneakily bought me a rhinestone bird bracelet. 
We checked out some other artist's studios in the area...I really liked these stained glass pieces attached to these old window frames with lights behind them...I might get around to copying that idea some day. Then we headed back downtown to the area we'd been in the night before...we saw so many cute closed shops we wanted to check out. We started at Hazel Twenty...they also had a men's boutique in the basement. Everyone in Asheville was SO nice to us...except in this store. There were several dresses I would have tried on & bought...but they couldn't be bothered. They offered all the other shoppers champagne, but barely acknowledged us...not sure why.
They did have an adorable dog though. After so much browsing around...we needed lunch. We wandered into the first place that looked appealing...Farm Burger. We had andouille corn pups & burgers. 
It was fine, but nothing special. I should have consulted my list of places to try. After lunch...we walked over to French Broad Chocolate Lounge. The line was ridiculous, but we waited. 
David got a cup of Liquid Truffle & a Truffle Torte...while I nommed on a Triple Chocolate Mousse & we bought a box of dark chocolate bonbons (which I just now learned were vegan while looking at their website). It was very nice, but we are spoiled in Madison with extremely talented chocolatiers (Gail Ambrosius & Madison Chocolate Co). 
After this, we took outfit photos & wandered around some more before heading back to our Airbnb for a bit. Later that evening, we parked in the same area & on our stroll to the restaurant, popped into a few places. Just look at these spectacular...aquariums? Not sure what to call them, but they bubbled away in the window of this closed gallery. They were dazzling & delightfully calming. We meant to go back when they were open, but it never happened. We guessed they were $4-5,000, but in looking it up online, I see my favorite one (green) has a price of $40,000. They are by the artist Alison Sigethy & she calls them Sea Cores (which I never would have known had I not looked it up to write about here). If our art budget were that high, Deep Sea Garden would be in our living room right now. I am happy knowing these exist. 
Since we were passing by, we darted into Fine Arts Theatre to inquire about tickets to Napoleon, which we wanted to see when it came out in a few days. Olive This! A charming store filled with olive oils & vinegars...we walked out with several bottles, including the one I enjoyed most, Blackberry Ginger. 
Dinner at Rhubarb. As always, cocktails first...David had a Fig Gold (dark rum, Carolina Gold horchata, fig, ginger, cranberry bitters) & I had to have a Ginger Rodgers (The Chemist (local) gin, pomegranate-ginger molasses, lemon, ginger beer, candied ginger). I loved this drink so much. 
Lovely mood lighting leads to terribly dark food photos. Our parade of food begins with Chicken Liver Mousse (persimmon, house pickles, lavash), Pimiento Cheese Hushpuppies with Comeback Sauce, & Carolina Bison Short Rib (field pea & peanut cassoulet, Alabama white BBQ sauce, collard green kimchi, crispy onions). 
Our second round...David, Rye Not? (toasted pecan rye whiskey, mulled port wine, cherry, allspice dram, chocolate bitters, smoke) & for me, R-Bar Collins (Social House vodka (local), draft strawberry-rhubarb soda, lemon). 
Our mains: Seared Sunburst Farms Trout Fillet (Gaining Ground pumpkin purée, Kilt hearty greens, Appalachian blue barley, brown butter roasted pumpkin seeds) & Apple Brandy Brisket Bourguignon (peanut whipped Gaining Ground potatoes, feta-caper relish, Bordelaise sauce, GG baby beets & their greens). All the food was delicious & our server was friendly & charming. Dessert...I can never pass up a Carrot Cake (Chai ice cream, salted caramel, cream cheese, nut & seed dukkah).
We took an after dinner jaunt over to The Orange Peel where we had tickets to the late show of comedian Ashley Gavin. Lots of great shows have taken place here...
We lined up early to get a good seat, but when we sat front row center...we were told that was the VIP section...so David went & exchanged our tickets which turned out to be an excellent call. Ashley is a lesbian & the majority of the audience was women...so her thing is to pick a token straight man & use him to talk to all night...which made it even funnier for us. She couldn't figure out our relationship...she asked him, is this your queer daughter?! At the end of the show, she asked him to come up on stage & video her while she did crowd work with the audience. She asked David what he did & when he replied pyschotherapist, the crowd cheered loudly. Ashley then went looking for some funny clips to put up on TikTok...but this audience didn't have it in them. So she asked if anyone had any questions for her...the first person she picked said, I have a question for David...will you be my therapist? To which David had to say no since we are only licensed in Wisconsin. We had an excellent day & completely fell in love with Asheville.