Summer is in the air

It was 77 degrees today! I had the sunroof open and sunglasses on!

Now I've been going through my closet and getting out my some of my summer clothes. I would love to add this to the rotation.


Pixelated silk top by larilemon

Matt Vs. Kitchen: Cornish Game Hens

A few weeks ago, Matt cooked up this recipe Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary and Garlicrecipe from allrecipes.com. He said it surprisingly wasn't all that hard to make. Oh my gosh, it was soooo good!

CLICK HERE for the full recipe.

I want to go to there: a backyard studio

Can't stop listening to: Joanna Newsom

Check out the song Good Intentions Paving Company HERE from Joanna Newsom's new album Have One On Me. This album seems like a work of growth. Her voice is more relaxed, but still unique. Her harp is able to relax a little, too, on this album as it shares the stage with a few more instruments for a more blended sound.

Joanna is coming to Milwaukee Friday, April 2nd at the Pabst Theater. Yay!

Decorating: Vintage Brass

Lonny magazine is hands down my favorite design and decorating source. Here are some pictures from their latest issue--check out the brass apple, toast rack, and letter opener. I snagged this horse letter opener from one of my favorite Etsy shops, High Street Market. She has a lot of vintage brass for sale but you can find this stuff all over. The only bad thing is that sometimes you get it and it's tarnished to pieces. If so, here are some brass cleaning tips.

Good Advice: Live What You Love

hijirk

Budding....

Photo: Lasting Love Photography

We went on an evening walk tonight. The trees in Humboldt park are starting to bud, the days are longer, and the temperature is almost warm enough. I can practically taste Spring; it's so close.

The Paisano

We had the Paisano pizza yesterday at Transfer, one of my favorite pizza places. It was so spicy but so good! I kept on eating it even though my eyes were watering. (I have a very pathetic tolerance for heat/spicy). Here's what's on it: mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto sauce, hot Italian sausage, and aged asiago cheese. Anyone else out there love spicy food, but can't hardly eat it? I wonder if I could grow a tolerance to spicy stuff?

Lulu the dog gets a new collar

Mimi Green, classic hound, Nola and Spencer, Nola and Spencer, classic hound, The Mod Dog

Every year Lulu the dog gets a new martingale collar (a cinch collar for hounds with small heads). This year, I had a hard time picking one because I found several cute summer collars, but I finally chose the Classic Hound Botanical Petals one in the bottom left corner. Red is really her color.

Cheap Thrills: IKEA Tekla towels

Photo: IKEA, Apartment Therapy, Metaphore

On my last IKEA trip, I picked up a short stack of these Tekla kitchen towels because they were only $0.49 each and I needed some better looking towels. Since I've had them, I use them for a million more uses than I had thought. I fold or roll them into napkins, fold them and line bread baskets, lay them on the coffee table for a placemat, use them to cushion vegetables in the fridge. They aren't real thick, but they are absorbent and do get the job done as far as drying dishes or cleaning up spills. And for $0.49, I'll just use two if I need to. They're already on my list for the next IKEA trip.

Daily Fix: vintage Dior scarves

I don't think I'll ever be able to afford real couture like the people pictured in The Sartorialist, but sometimes I can afford vintage pieces. Thank god vintage couture is uber-chic, otherwise people would know that I'm cheap. 70's and 80's Dior is really reasonable. Here are some great scarves from Etsy. I like to wear them as headbands, neck scarfs, or if long enough, belts. And pair them with a neutral colored outfit so they really pop.



from top to bottom: Vintagous, Vintage Style 101, , Babouches, VJones1

Daytripping......

It was another good baseball game today, a 5-4 win over Cleveland. Like I said, there's a lot of down time at these games. I spent it by admiring the pedicure I got before I left. I really love this bright melon pink color called Daytripper by Lippmann Collection.

I leave Arizona tomorrow night, but have an auto-post all set to go for everyone. And hint, hint, check out Design*Sponge tomorrow!

On the Road: Brewers Spring Training

I'll be gone for a few days during my annual trip to Phoenix: to visit the grandparents and my beloved Brewers. I look forward to Spring Training even more than Christmas. I love the gameday experience at Miller Park, but that's not what these games are about. These games are the ones where people people bring books for the slow innings, bring their own radar gun, and their memorabilia to be signed since the players hang out considerably long after games. It's just more relaxed during Spring Training. So, I've packed my book, my manicure set, and sunscreen and I'm ready to sit and enjoy the game.


[A note to Brewers fans: These pictures were taken last year; Hardy is now with the Twins]

Fox and the City

Everyone is coming out of hibernation; jackets are off, people are outside, and that Fox has re-emerged. Several years ago, I was training with the Beans & Barley cycling team and would ride the wooded Oak Leaf Trail everyday. I saw a fox running up from the river's edge and was completely shocked/frightened/excited. Holy crap! There's a fox! In the city limits! Over the summer months, I would be lucky to see it, but then people started feeding him and he became very people-friendly. C'mon people, we know better than to feed wild animals. Well, several years have passed and they've multiplied, mostly the near East Side, the lakefront, and South Shore Park. Last night, we were driving north on Water St. and almost hit one! Watch out, little guy, it's a dangerous world out there!



Photos: (top to bottom) gesika22, thaumazin, j03

Interview with James from Bramble

[Hello CC&S readers, today we have something new for you. James, the singer and charango player from Bramble is going to answer a few questions and talk a little bit about the being a musician, street-performer, and a free spirit. Enjoy!]

CC&S: How would you describe Bramble's sound?
James: I would describe Bramble's sound as sort of gypsy-folk, mixed with R&B with a spice of boy band.

CC&S: What instruments do you guys use--I've never seen some of them before?
James: Chaz Prymek play guitar and banjo, Ian Accord plays accordion, Steve Schmit plays bucket percussion with other trinkets (including a cymbal supported by an empty wine bottle), and I play banjo and the charango (a 10-stringed Bolivian lute). However, we don't pretend to be tied to playing these instruments specifically. We'll switch around a lot and we are all multi-instrumentalists, with plans to use those talents in the future.

CC&S: Explain busking. What's it like? Why on the street rather than small venues?
James: Busking is a whole mess of emotion and effort. Sometimes, people can be crowded all around you with smiles on their faces and dancing and they cheer after a song is over, and encourage the hell out of you. Sometimes nobody cares. Nobody. Folks pass by without even looking over, and we are all there pouring our hearts into these songs. And you just have to deal with that, the reality that it's not always fun. And that people aren't there to be your audience, and to pay attention to what you have to say (unless of course they choose to).
We don't want to give the impression that we don't play small venues. We most certainly do, and will. But playing on the street can be so much more rewarding. Playing in a small, crowded bar can be draining, because even though you are scheduled entertainment, people still won't care or listen. It can be a discouraging scene, but obviously not always. Small all ages places are pretty rad, but on the street, you know that people are stopping to see you. They are out and about doing their own damn thing, make no mistake, and here they are, disregarding their errands or schedules and what have you, and listening to our silly butts make some happy noise. It's thrilling. We love to give a surprising show for people who are not in the least expecting it.

CC&S: How many famous people did you see while playing on the streets during Sundance?
James: We saw like, 8 famous people at Sundance. 4 of them became fans of ours, and hopefully will come see us in LA at the end of the month (including John Hawkes, woohoo!)

CC&S: How's the tour planning going?
James: Tour planning is much easier when you decide to do it like 3 months in advance or more. Everyone is nice and says yes. We have a show in Madison just about lined up with our friend Shane Shane.

CC&S: So we can order your album online, but pay what we want? What's up with that?
James: Our album, H.A.G.S. (standing for Have A Great Summer) is available on a Pay What You Can basis. This isn't an original idea or anything, but it is one that we feel great about using. We made all of our albums cases by hand, and we have a simple collective idea: We are playing music because we love it and we want other people to hear it, love it too, and spread it. Therefore we have no wish to deny someone access to our music simply because they may not have the cash at the time, or whatever the reason. You want it, you can have it. Set prices only create conflict, either in an individual's mind, or between seller and buyer. And we're into a gift economy, not capitalism. Plus, sometimes people are super generous and are into paying more than the usual amount for a cd just because they feel we are deserving of it. (we gotta love that).

[This video is from the True/False film festival in Missouri and features a snippet of Bramble. I have to say, this little film is so EXCELLENT. I just love the time-lapsed sunrise over the "Mr. Roger's neighborhood" view of the city, and then when the day starts, the people come, have a parade and watch movies all day. It makes me want to go to there. It looks like people are having so much fun!]

True/False 2010 Closing Night Video from Boxcar Films on Vimeo.

Milwaukee Faves: Rockabilly Chili Contest

Last Sunday was the 8th Annual WMSE Rockabilly Chili Contest. This was my first time going but it won my heart and is now a solid Milwaukee fave. I did take some pictures, but I won't bore you with my crappy iPhone pictures. These pictures are from Rebecca Gagnon at Cake Walk, a great Wisconsin foodie blog. My pictures will never look as good as hers.


Sidenote: You may be wondering what's up with the stainless-steel cream whipper......that's the avocado sour cream whip that went on top of Roots' vegetarian black bean and sweet potato chili.

If I were at the Oscars.....

I am sitting here watching the Oscars, eating popcorn, and imagining what I would wear if I were there. I'm still hung up on that Dries Van Noten dress worn by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It's such a beautiful gown. Now that I can't wear that to the Oscars, here are my two other finds. The red ball gown is by Rubypearl. It gushes old Hollywood glam. The navy gown with red belt is from Sarah Seven, one of my favorite Etsy sellers. (I almost bought this wedding dress from her....I still want that veil, though)

Weekend: Laying around

Nothing exciting going on over here. Just planning to lay around most of the weekend. Lulu the dog and her foster friend, Payton, are getting an early start. I will be leaving my relax-fest, to see Alice In Wonderland; anyone else going to see that, too?

Katie Musloff paintings

I was reading the Shepherd today and saw this article about the Pfister's new artist in residence, Katie Musloff. These paintings are just breathtaking. I love the watercolors, the subtleness, and definitely that half-drawn/half-painted piece. She commissions paintings, too! Someday, I say. Someday.

Spa time: Sara's dry skin remedy kit

My skin is always dry, but these mid-winter dry spells really turn me into walking parchment paper. That's when I break out my dry skin remedy kit filled with the best dry skin products I have found over the years. What stuff works for you guys? Any suggestions for lil' ol' me?



Top to bottom:
Lather Bamboo Creme Hair Wash and Rinse, H20+ Sea Salt Body Scrub, Nivea Intensive Nourishing Hand Cream, YonKa Fruitelia Renewing Lotion, Lace for the Face exfoliator, LOTS of water (with lemon, cucumber, or mint), Good Ol' Carmex, Soft Bristle Nail brush (use to scrub body, too)

Hey, check out my guest blog today over at Haute Apple Pie. It's a Spring Break Staycation guide to beautiful (yet cold) Milwaukee!

In the Kitchen: Butternut and Leek Soup

Last night I made this Butternut and Leek Soup from a recipe I found in Food and Wine Magazine. Sometimes squash soups come out real watery or bland but this one was very good. And plenty left over for lunch this week.
Here's the RECIPE

I'm usually on the go and have found that soups are the easiest way for me to pack in nutrient rich foods into my diet. Here's the nutritional data for Butternut Squash. I also toast up a batch of walnuts for the week and I've been putting them on top of this soup...mmmm.

Picture above is from a very similar RECIPE from Real Simple magazine.

I like: Hangers by LilaFrances

Wouldn't these be great gifts: for a baby shower, a wedding shower (hint!), a graduation gift?

You can personalize them with a name, nickname, a date, class of '10, or a short saying.
Order them at LilaFrances on Etsy


On a sidenote: was anyone else annoyed/disappointed with the Bachelor finale tonight? Thought so.