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

Necklace: The Embellishing Room 

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. 

 

Milwaukee: Retique // The Sophisticated Man // Odd Duck // Dial M for Murder

Dress: Dreamy Date Woven Midi Dress by Flying Tomato

Tights: Snag

Shoes: Fluevog, Operetta: Marcello 

Earrings & Necklace: Colleen Toland

Bracelet: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

This is my first dress from this brand...their website has lots of pretty colorful dresses (& then I paused here for 1/2 an hour while I browsed their sale & bought 2 more). We picked this up at Minx in Asheville. 

Despite all those colors, I had a difficult time finding the right tights & shoes combo...because I'm not a muted colors person, I picked out the bright blue bits.

See? Close up, this all makes sense...

The neckline on this dress isn't my favorite & I'm not sure why. 

I wore this outfit to spend the day in Milwaukee with David. Guess where we went first? This Retique by Goodwill is just so good. Actually, what usually happens is David parks here & I go in to start looking around & he walks to Likewise to get us coffee.

The find of the day was this black 50s number...I was going to wear it for NYE, but a few weeks later I thrifted something sparkly. 

Then we walked down the street to Lela...where I tried on a red sparkly dress & green sparkly pants that match a dress I got in Asheville that David & I both love. Next, we accidentally went to someplace new...The Sophisticated Man Boutique. I had made a list of men's clothing stores to check out in Milwaukee & this was at the top of my list. We parked directly across the street from them to go to a bookstore & I recognized the name, so we went in...it was meant to be. 

There was this amazing older couple at the store...Jack & Diane...they were adorable. Diane has owned the store for 50 years & she & Jack went to school together, but reconnected later in life & they are a fabulously stylish & charming couple. David found several shirts to try on & I picked out a bunch of socks for him. And we finally made it to the bookstore. Dinner at Odd Duck.They number their cocktails rather than name them...David's first drink was #61 (Denizen dark rum, Cihuatán Jade rum, Stateline coffee liqueur, Giffard Banane du Bresil, Yemeni spiced orgeat, lemon) & I had #51 (Wheatley vodka, Lillet Blanc, Salers aperitif, cassis, lemon, sparkling wine). Then the food started rolling out. I'm always nervous at these small plate places because we have had servers bring us too many things at once & it's overwhelming...our guy here was fantastic. First up, Lamb & Potato Pierogi (roasted root vegetables, parsnip purée, mustard greens)...my goodness this was tasty...those pierogi were the best I've ever had...& I don't even think I like lamb. Berbere Braised Short Rib (ash roasted sweet potato, Da'ata, Malawah, pine nuts).Our next cocktails were #32 (Alto del Carmen Pisco Reservado, Fruitful clementine liqueur, quince nectar, lemon) & #75 (Arette reposado tequila, basil eau de vie, Rothman & Winter Orchard pear liqueur, fennel seed cordial, lime, fennel salt). More food...Filipino Style Pork Belly Lechon Kwali (peanut kare-kare, mustard greens, Sinamak chili vinegar, sesame rice crisps) & Cornmeal Crusted Crispy Oyster Mushrooms (cane vinegar mayonnaise, creole hot mustard, pickled green tomato, scallion) Cocktails, round 2:#14 (Buffalo Trace bourbon, St. George bruno americano, Cocchi di Torino vermouth, Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters, Luxardo cherry) &...#83 (Tanqueuray Sevilla orange gin, blood orange, rosemary, juniper berries, Rishi scarlet tea ice, Fever Tree Indian tonic water) Our final 2 savory plates: Wood-Fired Brussels Sprouts (sunflower butter, pear kimchi, everything seasoning, miso mustard) & Odd Duck Cassoulet (smoked duck ham, pork lardons, duck confit, Toulouse sausage, white bean, duck cracklin' bread crumbs). David sipped an Espresso Martini with dessert, which was...Baba al Rum Cake (spiced rum syrup, spiced pastry cream, oat & pumpkin seed granola). Dessert was just ok, but the rest of the meal was spectacular, as always. And finally...the reason we came to Milwaukee, Dial M for Murder. We got here just in time, so I didn't have time to look at the program...so we were delighted by the surprise of Marcus Truschinski (one of our favorite APT actors) as one of the leads in the play. This was an excellent version of Dial M for Murder...they made the affair between 2 women instead of the traditional man/woman. Enormous Christmas tree in the center of the building...so pictures had to happen. Our spoils from Retique...Pants & dress from Lela, & I also got this leopard coat at Retique...& immediately wore it the rest of the day. Gorgeous things from Sophisticated Man...not one, but *two* gold shirts. Another marvelous Milwaukee day. 

 

Gleam // Milwaukee: Retique, Candide, Ristorante Bartolotta

Dress: I Can Dig It Striped Midi Dress from Traffic People

Tights: Snag 

Boots: Fluevog, Light: Canopus

All Jewelry: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I found this Traffic People dress on Poshmark for $12! It was $140 new. It's a size small & I took a chance on it because the seller said it ran big, & it does. It's also a bit of an awkward fit as the material is burlap weight, so it doesn't drape nicely...but there is gold glitter woven throughout & of course I adore that. I think I will look for a wide gold glittery belt to give it a better shape & help it lay nicer because I really love all the colors in it. 

And it goes perfectly with these Fluevog boots.

Every time I wear these I'm reminded that I want to antique gold rub 'n buff the buckles...the metal heel caps are copper...I wonder why they didn't match the buckles to those?

I found the matching necklace & bracelet years apart & the seller of the bracelet threw in similar earrings (& a ring). 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Torch & Lucky; Hold 'Em, Bud, Rustler, & Tex eyeshadow by UD; NYX lipliner in Pumpkin; Hypnotic Rust lipstick from Make Up For Ever, & OPI nail polish in Deutsch You Want Me Baby?

If you click on the photo below to make it bigger, you can see the gold glitter a bit. I first wore this dress to go to Gleam at Olbrich Gardens with my girlie. Every year they have new artists do light installations & it's always fun to walk around the place at night. 

What's behind the door?

Elephant! Dancing on the pads lights up the flowers. Disco balls! 

I've never owned a disco ball...that needs to change.

Bezzers! 

Mushrooms & spiders...oh, my!

I think this firework display at the end was my favorite...it was the one I'd most want in my front yard. 

The second time I wore this dress was to go to Milwaukee with David a few weeks after my surgery...so I'm wearing compression garments & protecting my incisions with maxi pads...very glamourous. David grabbed us coffee at Likewise, then met me at Retique. We are so predicable. Someone knit that autumnal cardigan & used leaves for the buttons. 

For some reason, David was in love with those striped pants he found me...I'm hoping they fit better once the swelling goes down in my thighs. Usually David only finds a handful of things for himself, but on this day...we found a ton of fun things for him too. 

After our fantastic thrifting expedition, we walked down the block to see a matinee performance of Candide. We'd been to the Broadway Theatre Center to see other plays, but never in this theatre...so pretty!

The room we usually see plays in is plain, but not this place. It was a very colorful musical. We really enjoyed the first half, but didn't love the ending. 

We tried another new to us place for dinner, Ristorante Bartolotta. They were doing a tour of Italy, a different city every 4 weeks...it was Firenze (Florence) during our visit. What a charming old building. We began with cocktails...for me, Scura Tempestá (Grand Marnier, ginger beer, lime, Angostura) & for David, a Metropolitan (house blackberry vodka, Triple Sec, Chambord, lime)...both excellent. 

There were 3 courses, plus dessert...each section had 5 things to pick from & as usual, David & I shared it all. For Antipasti we chose Polpette di Pollo e Ricotta alla Pommarola (Chicken-ricotta meatballs in tomato velouté. These meatballs are a signature dish of "Trattoria Cibreo," an iconic restaurant in Florence, known for its traditional Tuscan cuisine.) & Crostini Neri al Vin Santo con Salvia Fritter (rustic chicken liver & vin santo crostini with fried sage). Prima was Penne "Alla Vecchia Bettola" (pasta quills with a tomato, cream, & vodka sauce with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Alla Vecchia Bettola (Old Tavern) is a well-known trattoria, a favorite spot of true Fiorentini. Far from the tourist areas, this local restaurant serves traditional Florentine & Tuscan cuisine. Penne alla Bettola is the signature pasta of this local icon) & Pappardelle al Ragù d'Anitra (wide ribbon pasta with slow-braised duck ragù & parmigiano). That duck ragù was one of the best things that ever happened to us...when we told our server that, they let us know that we could also order risotto (not on the menu) with that on top, so that's what we got next.

Drinks in-between...David ordered an Aria D'Alpeggio (Montanaro Liquore di Camomilla Grappa, Island Orchard Brut Apple Cider, lemon simple syrup, fresh lemon) & I chose an Italian Old Fashion (Vecchia Romagna brandy, Fernet-Branca, Luxardo cherry, orange). Secondi: Peposo alla Fornacina dell'Impruneta (Beef shin slowly braised in Sangiovese with garlic & black peppercorns with roasted apple...there was a very long story about this dish). 

Seppioline e Gamberi in Zimino (pink shrimp & baby cuttlefish braised in tomato, garlic, white wine, & chard with grilled bread). And finally, Dolci: Classico tiramisu' del Ristorante Bartolotta del 1993 (our signature version of this classic dessert of layered mascarpone mousse, Savoiardi cookies, espresso, cacao) & Budino di Mou Salato (chilled sea salt caramel pudding with dark chocolate ganache)...& a Caffé Corretto to top it all off (Illy normale espresso, Expré liquor, Fernet-Branca). What a delightful meal...that's 2 times now that we've had excellent Italian food in Milwaukee. We mentioned that to our server & apparently the owner/chef at Sorella started out at this restaurant. 

Our Retique haul...5 of my items were green tagged, which was the 50% off color of the week. 2 pairs of leopard shoes...both of which David picked out for me. Look at that mound of clothing (mostly shirts) David got!