detroit

I love visiting Detroit, and don't get to do it nearly as often as I would like to. I'd also like to say that it's very nice spending some of our money in a city that is going through tough times. Tougher than usual, anyway.

But if I'm honest, going to Detroit is really all about ME. One, my best friend lives there. Two, it gives me that taste of Big City life that I miss since leaving New York. And Three, I always have the best time! (If you don't believe me, you might believe Ms. Lauren of Dear Golden.)


The photo above is from one of my favorite Detroit places, the Dakota Inn, a German restaurant which has been operating in Detroit since 1933. So "Proper Attire" would mean a dirndl or lederhosen. Dakota Inn brings to the surface of my mind very old childhood memories of St. Louis German restaurants where the menus are printed with the Schnitzelbank Song.

Fittingly, I become very childish when it comes to Dakota Inn. When I go to Detroit, I have to visit it. And Stephani and Andy usually give in to me. It's not difficult. The German beer is fabulous. The food is delicious. The decor rules.

We were hoping the oompah band would be in house and that there would be dancing, but it was quiet the night we went. Until...

...this gentleman took on the piano! There followed lots of great music and even a fantastic group sing-a-long of the Schnitzelbank Song.

Another favorite place in Detroit is jazz club Cliff Bells. Go to their site and read about the history of this place. Cliff Bells was opened in 1935 and the art deco interior is gorgeous. Much nicer than my blurry non-flash photos could capture.

(That's the recessed, lit ceiling at Cliff Bells.) The night we went, Grand Rapids' jazz trio Organissimo just happened to be playing! We keep trying to catch them here in Grand Rapids and failing, so I love that we finally succeeded in Detroit, in a stunning old school setting like Cliff Bells. (Grand Rapids likes to tear down its old German restaurants and beautiful buildings to make room for things like hospital parking lots and TGIFridays, not that I'm bitter or anything...)

xo
Karen

mullet post

Business in the front, party in the back.

Business: we are taking a kinda impromptu quick trip up north for thrifting and fun on Tuesday. I love being in northern Michigan this time of year. Cooler temps, country drives, beautiful views, good places to eat. Maybe even leaf-peeping!

The shop will be open, but any purchases will not be shipped until we come back on Thursday. I don't think we'll get to make it up to Legs Inn, sadly, but hopefully we can have dinner at this place, which is housed in a former mental hospital.

That's Trattoria Stella. I will have a Manhattan, and pork belly if it's still on the menu. Go to their site and take a look at the menu. If you're ever up Traverse City way, Trattoria Stella is one of the best places to get a meal.

Okay, here's a little more business. Well, business and pleasure, since it's vintage. This shop preview has some great autumnal colors: mustard, grays, cocoa brown, olive. And a really fab angora cardigan.


Charcoal polka-dot capri pants and motorcyle-inspired jacket with the cutest clothing label I've ever seen!

Vine print blouse in autumn colors.

Sage crosshatch fabric dress with Peter Pan collar and cute pockets.

Pine green wool plaid pleated skirt.

Mustard wiggle dress by Minx Modes with amazing triangular cut-out back.

Winter woods print angora cardigan.

Jonathan Logan turquoise check dress.

Suzy Perette white eyelet and satin ribbon dress.

Woodcut floral print dress by Cos Cob.

Mod cherry red knit dress.

1950s blue rose and stripes dress.

VERY Joan Holloway. But how much did you love that blood-spattered green number she wore tonight?

Okay, I promised party. Here it is.

Caramel apple rice pudding. In vintage highball glasses. They were really good. The caramel isn't the typical sweet, thick caramel. The cider in it makes it tangy and a really nice counterpoint to the milky rice pudding. I posted a link to the recipe the other day, but here it is again, via Bon Appetit.

See you in a few days, hopefully with some newfound treasures!

xo
k

september wants

It's September! And we just had our 200th sale on Etsy. Both put me in a shopping mood.

I have become pretty frugal. Andy and I love selling vintage, but running a small business means money is always fairly tight. Luckily, neither of us has particularly fancy tastes...well, except in beer and perfume. Since I work at home, I don't require much of a wardrobe. Loving vintage and thrifting means I can usually get some good cheap thrills regularly.

I do have an innate love of clothes and fashion, though, and that love seems to really percolate this time of year.

Here is what I'm currently desiring. Most of it actually isn't clothing--with the exception of a few key pieces, that's usually a pretty easy jones for me to fulfill.

First is this fabulous acorn necklace from blockpartypress on Etsy. I wanted to purchase it for my 100th Etsy sale, but didn't. (My mom got me a beautiful necklace from another seller that I adore, though--thanks, Moom! xo) The acorn necklace is kind of perfect for this time of year, and blockpartypress is having a 20% off + free shipping deal, so I think I may have to finally go for it.

Speaking of things that go around your neck, I just saw this adorable ascot neckwarmer over at Modish yesterday. It's from Etsy seller yarnovermovement and looks like the perfect neckwarmer for a dork like me who can never seem to get her scarf to tie just right. I also love the gorgeous peacock blue/teal color, though it comes in other moutwatering fall shades (cranberry! eggplant! olive!).

I wear a lot of skirts and dresses with tights in the fall and winter. But I've been wanting a pair of lined wool tweed or flannel trousers, a la Katharine Hepburn for a long time now. They would be great for the biting cold Michigan winters, but I can't seem to find just what I want. US Navy sailor pants like these are nifty, but they're a bit more baggy than I desire, and I want a different color. I'll keep looking.

Red lipstick is my #1 makeup staple. My friend Jessica over at the Now Smell This blog has been raving for some time now about Poppy King's Lipstick Queen line. The Sinner lipsticks are 90% opaque (love matte, opaque lipsticks! I rarely wear sheer shades or gloss), and I think I may need one in Rouge, Rose or Red. Sadly, the entire line of Sinner lipsticks seem to be out of stock on the website. I hope that's just temporary!

Speaking of red lipsticks, I recently misplaced my NARS Red Lizard. NARS, in my opinion, makes the best red lipsticks out there. Red Lizard is a bright, matte, retro glam red. I really have to replace mine.

Now that the weather is cooling off, I am ready to place an order with my fellow Team Treasury member, Vintage Confections. She has some delectable-sounding goodies in her shop, including lavender honey truffles and French sea salt caramels. And just look at these dark chocolate strawberry jellies!

Finally, and I sure hope we can swing it, I'd love a trip up north to the fabulous Legs Inn for some Polish food before they close for the season.

Some thrifting and leaf-peeping, followed by pierogis, kielbasa and Okocim beer in a setting like this--heaven!

Not to mention the crazy taxidermy.

Yep, I could go on all day about Legs Inn.

I'm sure I'll have more posts like this throughout autumn. What are your September/autumn desires?

xo
k