Surfs Up

Aren't these lovely images? They're all from Elgarboart on Etsy. I've been knee-deep in finals stuff all week, so it's s good mental vacay if you ask me. I don't surf, but learning to is on my bucket list? Do any of you surf?? Living in Wisconsin is sort of a hinderance.

MKE Style: The Lady Cyclist

Madewell bicycle purse, Bern helmet, Beetle head light, Carrie bicycle basket, Leather bicycle bag, Wine + Bicycle bag, weather-resistant daily riding pant, Bicycle Diaries by David Byrnebicycle greeting card

Warmer weather is nigh! If you're not in Wisconsin you're probably thinking, 'what the heck, it's almost May'. But, our weather is still cold, rainy, and sometimes snowy. I have faith we will one day see sunshine, ride our bikes in the street, and feel the wind through our hair again. I've seen a few gents biking downtown, but soon us ladies will join! I've gathered a few stylish necessities to help you get ready!

These pants are definitely my favorite. See what I mean?

Backyard Discovery: Kangaroo Pitas

I was surprised too to learn that Milwaukee is home to a company that makes food that's good for you. I was beginning to think we only made beer and sausages. I was in the grocery store and came across the Kangaroo brand, a company founded and operating in Milwaukee since 1979. They make great Pita Pockets, Omelet Pitas, and Pita Chips. (Those Omelet Pita things look like a clutch breakfast-to-go) I found them at a bunch of area grocery stores, even Pick 'n Save, but they distribute nationwide. Or just order them online.

Support local business, y'all!



Now, for some recipes:

Salsa Cruda with Baked Garlic and Lime Pita Chips


Grilled Portobello Pitas

Rx: Pink Room Essay Contest for Breast Cancer Support

Inside the InterContinental Hotel is a special room called the Pink Room. It's booked by special request only, comes with goodies like free drinks and gourmet cupcakes, and helps a great cause--breast cancer. Twenty-five dollars from each night's stay goes to ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, a group that supports breast cancer survivors and advocates for breast cancer awareness.

Lucky for you, this great organization is sponsoring an essay contest to raise awareness of their organization and is giving away an amazing prize!

Grand Prize:
- Two night stay at the Pink Room in the InterContinental
- $200 dining credit at Kil@wat inside the InterContinental
- Couples massage at the WELL spa

Now you can put your writing skills to good use and share your personal stories in the Pink Room Essay Contest. Or repost and tell your friends to help spread the word about ABCD.


Contest Rules:
Find full rules here. Wisconsin residents can submit a 200 word or less essay along with a related photo about support or strength related to your struggle or someone you know's struggle with breast cancer.
{The open contest runs now until April 29th at 5 p.m. CST. From there a selection committee of Marcus Corporation and InterCon employees will select their top three based on the following:
- Originality: You, or someone you know, must have taken this photo. Is your photo and story original, fresh or inventive?
- Creativity: How imaginative is your photo/essay? A creative photo and story breaks from traditional methods of presenting ideas and messages.
- Effectiveness: Does your photo and essay clearly answer the question: “What does strength and support mean to you?"}

Submit your entry HERE.

Good luck, I hope one of you lovely readers wins!

Live Show: Arcade Fire + The National at UIC

After we did the Easter rounds yesterday we drove down to the UIC Pavilion in Chicago to see not one but two great bands, The National followed by Arcade Fire. The National was great, as always. The lead singer from the Arcade Fire, Win Butler, came out and sang backup for a song. The Arcade Fire came out with a bang. Then during the second song this (below) happened. Win practically stepped on my feet. Talk about an Easter miracle.

DIY Compost Bin

In honor of Earth Day, I'm posting directions to make your own backyard compost bin. The Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee is a great resource for earth-friendly, sustainable projects and education. They've posted WORM COMPOSTING DIRECTIONS on their website. Worms speed up the decomposition process. You can buy them at Growing Power.

We've been thinking about creating a compost bin in our backyard to handle some of our garden waste, table scraps, and biodegradable waste. Last summer our garden box was like a jungle and we could barely keep up with weeding and eating. This summer, our seed placement and timing will be different.

Here are some secrets to perfect composting found on Sunset

COMPOSTING TIPS
DO
- Mix brown matter and green matter: Brown matter is dried leaves, straw, sawdust, tree trimmings. Cut up pieces into 2 inches or smaller. Green matter is weeds, fruits/vegetable scraps, fresh grass clippings, coffee grounds, tea bags, and manure.
- Keep it hot: decomposition increases with increased heat. Keep the inner temperature at 140-150 degrees. In the summer, it shouldn't be too hard.

DON'T
- Keep it turning: Every 10-14 days turn the pile, mix it, break it up and keep it covered. Add water/worms to speed up the process.
- Stay Vegan: No animal products! The proteins will turn rancid and secrete garden-toxic chemicals into the soil.
- Avoid invasive weeds: In Wisconsin, we have a lot of hardy, nasty, invasive weeds. These plants will break down in the composter, but the seeds may remain and possibly reinvade your garden. Most seeds from plant matter will eventually break down, especially if chopped before adding to the composter.

It's For the Birds....

Roost nest from GRDN, $6., Bird Seed Eggs, $5, Birds: The Art of Ornithology, $19.95, Cardinal Bird Seed Mix, $9.99, Egg Bird Feeder, $135, Binoculars, $160

Can't Stop Listening to: Middle Brother - "Portland"

This song has been playing on loop in my car because it's just that dang good. Give it a listen and then you should probably download it - because it's awesome and because this video doesn't do the song justice, but it's all there was. Has anyone seen Middle Brother live? If so, tell me how it was! This album would make for a great summer road trip soundtrack, right?. Speaking of roadtrips, I'm off to campus in Chicago for the day after a quick stop at Starbucks and tank fill up. See you tomorrow!

Milwaukee Save the Dates

Wedding season is a'comin'. If anyone is in the market for some great Save the Dates, I stumbled upon these cuties from Etsy seller, Beyond Design. And did you know you can have a wedding at the old Pabst Brewery?? I'll be going to one this summer. I've seen the rooms, stain glass windows, and the beautiful courtyard. It's a gem. It's also open for tours and on the weekends for drinks. Check out the Best Place next time you're looking for somewhere unique and off the beaten path.

TV Guide: Brunch At Bobby's

I've been currently obsessed with the new show, Brunch @ Bobby's, airing on the new-ish Cooking Channel. Brunch is my favorite upon favorite of meals--perhaps because everywhere in Milwaukee serves brunch on the weekend. But, moreover, I like looking forward to a meal, hanging out with friends, having, sipping on fancy juices/drinks and enjoying every last bite. This show embraces that. Many of the (respectable) FoodNetwork people jumped ship onto the Cooking channel. After a few too many Guy Fieri episodes or food competitions it can seem a bit like the Disney Channel for fat kids. So, I've been switching over to Cooking channel.


This is what's on deck for tomorrow's show:
- Blackberry-Bourbon Iced Tea
- Country Ham and Fried Egg on Angel Biscuits
- Silver Dollar Buttermilk-Pecan Pancakes with Bourbon Molasses Butter and Maple Syrup

These recipes are themed around the Kentucky Derby (coming up May 6,7). Wouldn't it be fabulous to sit in your PJs eating the above while watching the races? Thought so. All the shows revolve around a themed or styled menu. I made the Frittata with peppers and onions with roasted cherry tomato sauce that was part of the Italian Countryside Brunch show. It was very good, then, I realized I've been making frittatas wrong for a long time.

Pint In Hand: O'so The Big O

Although its name is a little crass, this Wisconsin-made beer is mighty fine. It has some nice citrus notes make it great for spring and because its robust and amber-y weight doesn't make it a full-on summer beer. If you're in the Milwaukee area, you can find this at most grocery stores and specialty liquor stores. If you're in greater Wisconsin, see their distribution list. And of course, if you ever happen to be driving north and find yourself outside Stevens Point in a little town called Plover, you can always pick up a case at the O'so brewery. So put on your O-face and drink up!

The Vespa Ride

My husband has been taking the Vespa to work almost everyday since early March (Spring comes pretty late to Wisco). I patiently wait for him to get home and pray for nice weather so that I can hop on, but it always ends up being too cold, too rainy, too windy, or too late for a ride. But last weekend, when it was a glorious 84 degrees (remember that?) I looked by the garage to see the Vespa staring back at me. I grabbed the keys and ran. We (the scooter and I) took to the streets, zooming down KK. If you A) don't have a scooter B) live in a city or C) hate gas prices or bad parking, then you need a scooter. I parked on the sidewalk next to Groppi's next to 2 other Vespas. Now, if I only looked as cool as these European women riding a Vespa below. Well, I did strap a 6-pack of O'so Brewery The Big O beer onto the rack for the ride home (more on that tomorrow). That's how we roll in Wisconsin.

Do you have a Vespa/Scooter/motorcycle? Have you been out riding this spring?




images: the sartorialist

Backyard Discovery: The Domes

Last Friday, I went to the Mitchell Park Conservatory, aka "The Domes" with my friend Abby and her almost 1-year old daughter. I had been to the domes, maybe twice, and I remember being unimpressed. So, I don't know what it was about this trip, but I found it fascinating. I think getting older, traveling more, and backyard gardening put a new spin on my outlook. Walking around, I found familiar things like pepper, ginger, coffee, and chicle (in Chiclet gum). It's definitely more fun if you recognize some of the stuff you're seeing. It's also a lot more fun when it's rainy, cold, and nasty outside because the domes are sunny and warm inside and the air is oh-so clean and refreshing. So it's like a mini-vacation from the city and only a mile from downtown.

Mitchell Park Conservatory (what the signs say)/The Domes (what the locals say)

524 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215

2011 Hours (through October):
Mon-Fri: 9 a.m.–5 p.m
Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m

Adult Admission $6.50, free on Mondays 9am-12pm for Milwaukee County residents (bring ID)

website:
http://county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.htm

Life and Style: The Master's Tournament

1. "Tea-Time at the Master's" Recipe Book, 2. Lilly Pulitzer Cassie Sweater, 3. Burberry checked umbrella, 4. Lacoste shopping bag, 5. Bodum Ice Tea pitcher, 6. Tory Burch Travel Socks, 7. Williams-Sonoma drink dispenser

I've played golf....twice. I wasn't very good, but even if I did take lessons or work on my swing, I have a feeling I'd only be in it for the Arnold Palmers and pristine grassy views. That's why I love checking out the Master's Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club. The course is so beautiful I sometimes forget there's a game going on.

The Master's Tournament goes on until Sunday and is aired on ESPN or CBS.


Hole No. 6, "Juniper", at Augusta

Upholstered.

This chair looks amazing, right? Today it got some big recognition! Hop on over to Design*Sponge to see the whole post on Sara's chair. I can't believe this is the same chair.

It's all the work of Milwaukeean and amateur reupholsterer Sara Mulloy who reupholstered this shabby wingback as part of her Upholstery class at WCTC. Sara has a good eye when it comes to art and design. You can read about her local art scene picks on JSonline's Art City blog. I couldn't find when WCTC offers another class, but I've seen them offered regularly (I have contemplated taking it myself in the past). MATC also offers an upholstery class, too. Makes you wanna go out and learn right now, yes?

Opening Day 2011 in Pictures

1. Buying brats at the Metro Market downtown Milwaukee. Only in Wisconsin, people. 2. Getting ready to go, Vintage Brewers 1982 Champion hat found at Vintageous in Bay View. 3. Photo from the stands thanks to CJ, my phone died. 4. New Brewers earrings scored at the Team Store for $8.

Anatomy made easy...

I'm studying cardiac physiology this afternoon and this Anatomy of Love print from Rifle Paper Co. reminds me that all this science and stuff really ain't that complicated. Life is pretty simple, actually.