apartment hunting: success!

Not that kind of Rent...

When I last posted about my apartment hunt, it was a wishlist for my "someday" apartment that I hoped would be coming soon. That was back in May but, happily, someday has come! The fabulous Disdainbrook and I signed have signed a lease and are now officially renting a lovely little apartment (dubbed House Snark).

I won't lie, the searching was rough. I spent hours on Craigslist, sifting through spammers and aggressively ugly (and poorly maintained) apartments. Not even gonna lie, after the thrill of finding a place, my second thought was "I don't have to spend every night on Craigslist anymore!" Freedom is sweet. But in the end, perseverance (and a little good ol' fashioned luck) is what made it happen. We visited several places, some (one) doable and others not. We weren't overly picky, in my opinion, but we knew what we weren't willing to compromise on and, much like in the dating world, we were looking for Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Now.

And Mr. Right, indeed! I didn't really remember what I'd put on the original wishlist I'd posted, so out of curiosity's sake, I went back to take a look. And, well, see for yourself!

(Bolded points were top priorities)

Location - I'd like to be close enough to downtown to go back and forth easily but in a neighborhood that's relatively quiet. Not college student-land. Check! It's in our top choice neighborhood, which is close to the city but has a great mix of neighborhood-feel and funky flair

Clean/well-maintained Check!

2 BR/1 BA Check!

Separate dining room OR den - K and I are both writers (obviously) and would love a shared office space. Personally, I'd lean towards dining room because I also would like to entertain Check! We have a lovely little dining room (complete with a built-in with leaded glass!)

Hardwood floors Check!

Historic charm Check! Built in the 1920s with many original features!

On-site laundry Check! (and it's free too!)

Non-hideous kitchen Check! And much more spacious than most kitchens we saw

Parking for 2 - preferably at least one that comes with the unit, the other can be street parking Check - one garage & plenty of street parking

Central air - Uncheck :( But there is a window unit that comes with the apartment, and we knew that was a longshot in the historic buildings we were looking at

Preferably upper level Check!

Walkable to restaurants/groceries Check! (Well, the winter might keep us in our cars a bit, but there's a lot of great stuff within a mile)

Tall shower - we are both tall ladies Check!

Outdoor space for DIY projects Check! We get our very own private porch - great for projects and entertaining!

All but one point on my wishlist? Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

My biggest tips for new apartment hunters like myself are: never give up (never surrender!) and be ready to act. It was tough trying to coordinate two very different work schedules (I have a standard corporate schedule with no availability during the day, Kaitlin works a variable retail schedule that changes week to week), and there were a few times that we set up an appointment for a showing a few days in advance only to be called and told that the place had already been rented. The same was true in the case of the apartment that became ours - I asked for a showing on a Sunday, we saw the place on Monday (due to a serendipitous series of events that gave Kaitlin the night free), decided that night we would take it, filled out applications on Tuesday, were formally offered the place on Wednesday (and immediately accepted), and signed our lease that weekend. The rental world moves fast, especially when you're looking in a popular area. It's scary, but when you see the right train coming, you just have to be ready to jump on board and ride that baby all the way to tenancy. 

I'm nervous (and horrified by the length of my to-do list), but I'm so excited to finally put all my blog-reading and pinning to good use. And, of course, to share our ideas and projects with all of you! Westward ho!

milwaukee spots: coquette cafe

Last Sunday, my lovely little sister turned twenty! Yikes! Luckily, I was able to face this inescapable proof of my own mortality in the best way possible:  with celebratory brunch!

We all know brunch is totally fetch right now (is it too late to make fetch happen?), but this was my first foray into the downtown brunch scene. As resident foodie (or the closest thing), I was placed in charge of researching the possibilities and presenting the birthday girl with her options. In the end, there was a clear winner:

Photo taken from my phone during brunch - I love technology!

Coquette Cafe (warning: site features autoplay music if you wait too long!) is located in the city's Historic Third Ward, serving "authentic bistro fare." Their menus are available for perusal in the website, and one look at the brunch menu convinced us that this was the right option (plus the fact that they serve brunch all the way through 5 o'clock; we would be arriving at 2, which is sort of a no man's land as far as brunch-serving restaurants are concerned). It features both brunch-y fare and many of their usual entrees, so there's an option for everyone.

The restaurant is really lovely and charming, and the staff was warm and attentive. Of course, the number one question is, as always, "how was the food?"

I am not a great food photographer. Trust me, it was super good.

I had the salmon cakes with poached eggs and bernaise sauce with a side of dauphinoise potatoes. It was absolutely divine, and I say this as a person who isn't particularly fond of eggs (but who loooooves salmon and bernaise sauce). I also had a mimosa - because, brunch! - and that was also very good. My sister had the pain perdu (brioche french toast with carmelized pears, candied pecans, maple syrup and a side of bacon), my mom had chicken confit crepes, and my dad went traditional with an order of coq au vin. All of the dishes received thumbs up from their respective diners.

All in all, I definitely recommend Coquette Cafe to any eaters in the area. It was my parents' second time eating there - they'd gone for dinner something in the neighborhood of ten years ago, and they said that nothing has changed. As far as I'm concerned, nothing needs to! The prices are definitely more on the side of "downtown" as opposed to discount (brunch meals range from $9 sandwiches and omelettes to $23 hangar steak) but I felt they were reasonable (of course, I wasn't the one paying, so...your mileage may vary!)

What's your brunch destination? I've read a lot of great things about the brunch scene in Milwaukee...hopefully I'll be able to investigate some more!

ootd round-up

Did you know that I wear clothes everyday? Like, every single day of my life? It's true!

I've only very rarely posted OOTDs to this blog because a) I don't have a tripod or a fancy camera or a friendly photo-taking slave to help me get good shots and b) I generally don't feel like my everyday outfits are worthy of commemoration. But now I have Instagram and, by definition, those photos are allowed to be a little funky and self-taken! And maybe knowing that I'll be posting pictures occasionally will help me inspire to be fierce every day.

Here's a selection of some lovely outfits I've worn to work in the past few months:

It's interesting to look at outfits together like this...you can definitely see what my favorites are (hello, black cardigan!) and what the basics of my office style is (cardigan + top/dress + tights/socks, generally). A lot of my work style is based around comfort; while I like to be cute, I have to consider whether an outfit is something that I'm going to be able to wear for 10 hours at a stretch (from getting ready in the morning to changing into my lounging clothes at home) including three stretches of commute, a walk from the city lot for my second job, and a lot of sitting. You can also tell at the end that I got a shiny new app that allows me to make collages which I really like...it's nice to be able to show off accessories or shoes within the same pic (I have some shoe shots that I didn't include in this collage - you can view all of my instagram shots on your computer here).

Looking at the composite also reminds me of things that I want to buy to fill in wardrobe gaps - new trousers and more stylish socks (which I get a huge kick out of wearing) chief among them - as well as things that I have in my closet already and should really make an effort to wear more often - certain sweaters and my blazer (I haven't worn that thing in forever!).

Do you have a formula for putting together work outfits? Are you in the habit of recording your day-to-day looks? Have you ever had someone walk in on you taking a picture of yourself in the mirror (awkward.)?

autumn incoming

Illustration by the lovely Claire Whitmore

Yesterday I wore a dress with tights and today I wore a sweater. It can mean only one thing:  autumn is coming! As much as I love the lazy days of summer...well, let's be real, they aren't that lazy when you're a grown-up and I'm more than ready for the heat to break and a cool breeze to blow in from the north! I'm ready for changing leaves, pumpkins (but not pumpkin-flavored stuff, yuck), Halloween, chilly nights spent curled under a blanket, cups of hot cocoa, and, of course, fierce fall fashion! Even though I'm not in school anymore, fall still feels like a fresh start.

Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

I've always loved crisp autumn weather. Outerwear is one of my truest loves, and fall (in Wisconsin, at least!) lets you play with coats, hats, scarves, and all sorts of outer accessories without being too worried that you might freeze to death (thanks, winter). I'm still hoping to find that perfect trench, but for now I have a lovely teal trench-style coat that my mom picked up for me to protect me from the wind, rain, and mid-level chill of the fall.






I am ridiculously in love with this look. The coat is beyond gorgeous (great color, great texture, those CUFFS), but the scarf is a perfect capper. Something as simple as tying a loose scarf into a bow really can make an outfit into something special. I believe this is at the end of a fur collar, but it could be done with any scarf you already own, provided that it's long enough to tie and still have enough length for a bit of drama. Obviously her hands are in her pockets, but I would imagine topping this look off with a pair of sleek leather gloves. I've always wanted leather gloves, but it really doesn't make sense - most of the time, even though I have gloves, I just shove my hands in my pockets anyway. Last year, I got a pair of those fabulous hybrids sometimes known as "glittens," which are a little silly/cutesy, but I can wear them while I drive, so haters to the left. (Besides, I'm a little silly/cutesy, so it works out.)

Source: chiestore.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Shoes! And tights, hurrah! I love charcoal tights in the autumn - they're tremendously versatile - and pairing them with a bright pair of shoes is such a lovely idea. Jewel tones are definitely the name of the game when the weather gets cold; keep your style warm all through the season with vibrant, saturated colors. As I'm sure you all know, your shoes are definitely a place for a little bit of extra fun in the wardrobe. Obviously you can't show up at the office in 5" lucite heels, but I've noticed plenty of fresh and funky shoes on otherwise conservatively dressed ladies - rock on, ladies! I actually just bought new shoes (nothing bright, unfortunately, but my wardrobe was actually lacking in cute neutral flats - who could have guessed?) and I'm excited to keep playing with footwear this fall.

That's what's got me shivering with anticipation and reaching past the sundresses in my closet for some long sweaters! Other things that I'm interested in this fall: colored trousers, socks over tights, bright lipstick on grey days. What are you looking forward to? Fashionwise or otherwise! Even if you're one of those foolish people with poorly functioning tastebuds clamoring for the return of Pumpkin Spice at Starbucks...I love you anyway.

avenging fashion

Like the rest of the free world, I went to go see The Avengers earlier this summer. I loved it (of course, Joss Whedon and superheroes? What's not to like?) and as I do, I was inspired to make some outfits. "This will be great!" I said to myself, "A very timely post!" Except then I sat on the outfits...and sat...and then it felt too late but, hey, that's okay! Comic-Con was coming up! Once again, it would be a timely and appropriate post!

...yeah, that worked out well. But now The Avengers is coming out on DVD and also, who cares about timely when it comes to superhero-inspired fashion? Superhero-inspired fashion is ALWAYS appropriate. This is the motto that I live by. (You can see my past pop culture fashion posts right here! DC heroes (and a villain), Buffy Summers and Hogwarts houses.)

captain america by ficklekitsch featuring mary jane pumps

The lady who draws sartorial inspiration from Captain America is one classy broad. I tried to incorporate vintage flair into this look, with a pretty and structured coat and some pearl earrings, along with America-colored sweetness. There are stripes and a very sensible bag, and of course I couldn't resist the compass necklace (a bit of an extra nod to Captain America).

iron man by ficklekitsch featuring skinny jeans

Tony Stark is Iron Man, so I tried to work a little bit of both into this look. Obviously, the red and gold are Iron Man colors, but I think that the effortlessly cool rocker flair is a look that Tony would emulate. An easy tank top (for when you need to get at your personal ARC reactor ASAP), hot skinny jeans, boots, super cool aviators and some rockin' metal accessories. Boots are obviously both functional and stylish, and the bag is, again, a cool satchel ready to be filled with all the necessaries for being a superhero, genius inventor, or mogul.

the incredible hulk by ficklekitsch featuring a short sleeve dress

Last but not least, the Hulk! This one is also a bit of a balancing act between the Big Green Guy and Bruce Banner. Green and purple made their way in for obvious reasons, but I also tried to include touches of Bruce, both in the floaty easy style of the dress, the pretty yet practical sandals, and got a little bit cheeky with the glasses necklace. I love having some fun with accessories - you can have a lot of freedom there if you play your cards right (I actually have an upcoming post on that very topic! Stay tuned!). Plus, a backpack, most sensible of all, to keep your things safe while you travel the world and tool around on an old motorcycle.

These are the three I designed so far; if you'd be interested in seeing outfits for Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, or even Loki (my personal favorite, even if he's not actually an Avenger and is "evil" or something), let me know! The pop culture inspired outfits are a ton of fun to make, any suggestions are welcome.

product review: qtcase iphone cases

I was recently contacted about doing a review of an iPhone case; I don't have an iPhone, but I love cute cellphone cases and am so looking forward to my turn to have one, so I was happy to play with it for a while. Luckily, there was an iPhone in my house that I could test it out on!

 Oddly enough, my dad wasn't the biggest fan! I don't know why - it suits him, don't you think?

The case from QT Case is very nice; when I saw them on the website, I was worried about how strong the ears would be, but I've tugged on them and messed them around and they seem pretty tough. It appears to be molded out of a single piece of silicone, so everything is well attached. The case was a little bit loose around the phone (it's an iPhone 4S) - it stayed on, but I'm not sure that I would trust it getting jostled around in the bottom of a bag (but would you really just dump your iPhone into your purse with no protection?). Bunny ears aren't quite my style, but I can see it working really well with a super-femmey and slightly quirky look (maybe Lolita?) or as a somewhat classier version of the Playboy logos that were so popular for a while (are they still popular? I hope not. Not my taste, thanks!). I could definitely see the brand expanding to feature other animals (cat ears, anyone?) and I know they're planning to add more colors to the line-up (the cases are currently available in the blue seen here, pink, and yellow). QT Case also donates 10% of sales to the Susan G. Komen Foundation - in the interest of transparency, this isn't a charity that I personally choose to support, but I always appreciate a business trying to do something good in the world.

In summation, the case didn't get submitted to most rigorous of testing, but it seems solidly made and is certainly very cute for the right aesthetic. I hope to see a variety of styles and of devices (since I'm the proud new mother of an Android phone) at QT Case in the future! The cases retail for $29.95 and can be purchased on the QT Case website.

Disclaimer:  This product was sent to me for the purposes of the review. I was not compensated in any other way for the review and the opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

summer 2012

Summer isn't technically over yet but...wow, what a doozy! As you may have guessed from my disappearing act, I've had a very busy summer. For one, it was the first summer I'd worked full-time the whole way through, like a BOSS grown-up, but it was also filled with more adventures (mostly musically related) than ever. A quick run-down of the big ones? Why sure!

Summerfest

Summerfest is the world's largest music festival, and it takes place right here in Milwaukee (damn straight). I've gone one of the 12(!) days when there was a band I really wanted to see, but this year the Summerfest Gods smiled down on me and my sister and I went down three nights. For an S-Fest veteran, that's small potatoes, but it was a lot for us! We went down to the grounds after work on a Thursday and Friday (I work only a block and a very large parking lot away from the festival grounds) and then all day Saturday. On Thursday, we saw Imagine Dragons, a great band whose album isn't even out yet! On Friday, it was AWOLNATION, which has my vote for best concert of the summer (also a cool "emerging" band called Hell & Lula, check them out!). And Saturday we braved the heat, sitting on hard metal benches all day until the sun went down and Cake performed. By the end, I was incredibly sweaty (and I was sore from all the bench-sitting), but filled with rock n' roll spirit!

State Fair

I'm really not a huge State Fair person. Sure, deep-fried food on a stick is always entertaining, but as I've gotten older, I'm way less interested in spending time in smelly animal barns than I used to be, and the weather always seems to be dire. But this year, one of the headlining bands was Neon Trees (whom I'd seen opening a show last fall and had been jamming out to on the radio all summer) so, that's right, sister & I headed off the fair. Even though it was both hot and rainy, we still had a good time - my godparents came up to meet us, so the whole fam hung out for a while before J and I set off for the stage. We ate: cheese curds, cream puffs, deep-fried scallops on a stick, all-beef hotdog and a cheeseburger from the Cattleman's Association, and cotton candy (well, J did). There was even time for my favorite "traditional" State Fair activity - checking out the prize-winning food and textiles! There were some gorgeous cakes in there. And the show was great too - it stopped raining by then, and Shiny Toy Guns opened and were a pleasant surprise (although I started coveting the female singer's undercut! Bad self, fall in love with office-appropriate hair!).

LeakyCon

Did you know I'm a huge nerd? I think you did. If you recall the lengthy post I wrote about Severus Snape and the implications of sorting, you will probably know that I'm a huge Harry Potter nerd. So when a Harry Potter convention popped up a mere three hours from home, obviously I packed up all my best house gear (Slytherin pride!) with Disdainbrook and headed down to Chicago! It was really the highlight of the summer. We actually didn't end up going to any Harry Potter panels (...oops?), but we saw a ton of awesome panels by awesome young adult authors (including one of my favorite of any authors, John Green), participated in epic wizard rock concerts and dance parties, and saw the final installment of Team Starkid's A Very Potter Musicals LIVE AND IN 3D!!! (I'm looking forward to seeing what the version they eventually put up on youtube will look like...it was definitely an experience to see it live...all 5+ hours of it...) 

Authors!

Wizard rock!

(If you couldn't tell, I'm pretty obsessed with Instagram now. You can follow me @ampersandjay. Just before Leaky, I got my very first smart phone, which was another big source of excitement this summer!) Basically, when they announced the dates for next year's in Portland, I started mentally planning my attendance so - yes, it was awesome. My first convention!

But perhaps the most exciting summer moment came just this Thursday - I got a(nother) job! It's part-time, but it's in my field and it seems like it'll be a great place to work. And, on the plus side of part-time, I'm going to be able to stay through on this temp assignment through the end (which actually got extended...gosh, I haven't posted since then, did I? Oops!), which is fab. Looks like the best of both worlds! (Did you go to a Hannah Montana place? I've never even watched that show. Let's pretend no one did.)

How was your summer? It feels like the Really For Real end for me since J is moving back to school this weekend - plus, I've done so much fun stuff, that must be a whole summer's worth!