Riot and Frolic

a mostly ballroom dance, but also a bunch of other stuff, blog

recent posts

about

I own and rock people’s faces off teaching ballroom dancing at Dancers Studio in St. Paul, MN. My husband and I compete professionally in American style and wrangle eight children in our spare time. I’ve been teaching and competing in ballroom dancing for over 25 years and have lots of opinions on it. I am an expert by any means, but there are quite a few dancers who are better than me and I have a solid knowledge of basic technique, so suck it.

  • Booby Traps

     

    Things I Will Miss About My House Upon Completion of Renovation

    1. Dirt chutes.  Several years ago, we visited the James J. Hill mansion when my in-laws were in town (educational field trip points!).  The thing that I was most impressed by was not the ornate woodwork, the beautiful period lamps, the amazing art gallery, but the DIRT CHUTES.  You could sweep the floors and push the debris into a slot on the wall and it would fall into a garbage can in the basement.  WHAT.  Low and behold, between removing baseboards and fixing sloping floors, we have several accidental dirt chutes.  Yes, at some point, I'll have to vacuum up all the crap I'm sweeping into the basement, but for now, I might as well be Mary Theresa Mehagan.  
    2. Secret entrance #1.  When we first moved in, we had a door that didn't exactly… what would you call it… oh yeah… LOCK.  It was kind of a pain in the ass to open, but with very little gusto, you could throw a shoulder into it and get in the house.  LOVELY if you forgot your keys, FRIGHTENING if you were home alone and didn't have your baseball bat handy.  
    3. Secret entrance #2.  Our front door was inoperable for awhile, so if anyone knocked on my front door, I knew it was someone I didn't want to talk to.  
    4. The gauntlet.  When our front door wasn't working, everyone would have a BRAVE THE GAUNTLET to get to our back door: uneven risers and treads on stairs; sloping sidewalk complete with ice patches on the side of the house; steep, un-handrailed, loosely attached staircase with no landing to the back door.  You knocked on our door?  You gained the right to enter our house.
    5. Electrical scavenger hunt.  There was a hideous front closet that hid an electrical conduit in our foyer.  The G and his brother (hi) took out the closet, but the electrical conduit was bothering them.  Out came the electrical conduit… and half of the working outlets in the house.  And since the house is over 100 years old and has been updated in interesing ways, the wiring is a bit of mystery to everyone who's ever looked at it.  I can't assume that all the outlets in the living room work or that everything on the north wall works or if I plug a hair dryer in the 2nd floor bathroom it won't make the washing machine in the basement blow a fuse.  It is a fun puzzle that refuses to be solved!
    6. Weather forecasting.  Some people check their phone, or listen to the radio, or even go the extra mile and step outdoors to see what the weather is like.  But by just heading downstairs in the morning, I can tell how cold and windy it is, with my ancient and drafty window casings,  missing leaded window panes, and flapping house wrap.  So convenient!  

    Have you ever renovated?  What was your favorite/least favorite part?  The temporary kitchens?  The showering at the gym?  The dust everywhere?  What was the most worthwhile upgrade you made?

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    Two years ago: LLLL, in which I go to Anthropologie.

  • Let The Blonde Jokes Commence

    What many of you have been saying for years is official: I'm blonde.

    For reference, I started 2013 like this:

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    23317_4179699137354_1177323571_n

    In April, I made the MASSIVE decision to get bangs.    

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    Then in June, I chopped off my 12" ponytail.  If you've read my complaints about long hair (read about it here, here, and here), you'll know this was a relief, even if I look skeptical in the picture.

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    Since my hair was short (AKA, easier to grow out if it got totally damaged) and I had always wanted to try it, I made a 3.5 hour appointment at a highly rated salon in town to turn my tresses PLATINUM.  Yes, 3.5 hours.  All of them.  But after all of those minutes in the chair, there was no doubt I had blonde hair.

    I don't have many picture of those first few weeks because it scared me.  It was like looking at the negative of a photo, except it was MY FACE.  IN THE MIRROR.  

    Very disorienting.  

    I couldn't figure out if I was having more fun because I was too worried about not letting anything touch my hair.   I had read extensive amounts of blog posts about bleached hair being brittle and sponge-like, breaking off and soaking up colors from sweatshirt hoods and HORROR STORIES LIKE THAT.  DON'T TOUCH ME!

     

    On the plus side, I got asked if I was a model more than once.  That was weird, but flattering.  Note: short blond hair = model, regardless of grocery shopping for chips and ice cream and beer.

    People didn't recognize me.  People, like my mom.  So, as ridiculous as it seems in all those movies, dying your hair makes you incognito.  

    A month went by, and even with my roots growing out, I started liking it.  And after I got my second "bleach and tone" (now I know what to ask for!) and a bad-ass European mullet (I mean that lovingly) haircut, I LOVED it.  

    Now I look like this:

    Of=50,480,319-7

    Yes, that's a whiskey glass on my shoulder.

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    Want my blond tips?  Here:

    • PURPLE SHAMPOO.  I guess there's purple conditioner, too, but GET SOME.  (Clairol's Shimmer Lights is highly recommended and Sally's carries it.) My hair started out WHITE after the first bleaching, but I used my regular ol' shampoo.  My hairs got more and more yellow, and less awesome, until I did some more interwebbing and found the ye olde purple shampoo trick.  It just tones your blondeyness and makes you not look stupid, trust me.
    • Call around for pricing.  The first place I went to was great, but the second place was even better AND CHEAPER (Phresh Salon Spa on Grand Avenue, I go to Annie).  Plus, at Phresh, they offered a bunch of different tones of toner to choose from, from pearl white to seashell.  Yes, it was like picking the perfect white paint for your living room.
    • Don't wash it.  I started doing this when I cut all my hair off, much to The G's dismay, but since blonde hair can get pretty dry, use what God gave you and skip the suds most days. 
    • Have someone do it.  Like a professional.  Most of the terrible stories I've heard are from DIYers.  It's expensive, sure, but my hair doesn't feel like straw and doesn't smoke when she's bleaching it.  And this is coming from someone who has 20 YEARS experience dying her own hair. 
    • Spell "blonde" with an "e" at the end, it's more often grammatically correct.

    Yeah, that's all I got.  It turns out it's not as much maintenance as I thought.  I mean, I have to go to the salon more often, but on the daily, it's pretty carefree.

    Have you ever done something crazy with your hair?  Mohawk?  Purple?  From blonde to black?

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  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love – Internet Mumbo Jumbo Edition

    – look to the right, now back at me.  Via my Instagram feed, you'll see that I have my children doing my dirty work for me now.  In princess dresses, nonetheless.  

    – in related news, Amalah started following me on the Insta and I am HONORED and FREAKED OUT. She is LITERALLY the funniest blog I have ever read (and yes, I read the Blogess).  

    – you know what's fun?  TEACHING BALLROOM DANCE.  I get to work with the kids at the University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club and A) they laugh at all my lame jokes B) they laugh when I trail off after making dirty jokes inadvertently BECAUSE THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME C) they do what I tell them D) they're pretty talented.  

    – I'm going to start a Tumblr account to post all the terrible things I accidentally say while teaching dance.  All dance teachers would be invited to guest post.  Here's the first one [talking about basic dance frame]: 

    Ladies! You can't just lay on top and expect the men to do all the work.

    – Christmas planning.  Above and beyond the WIPs I believe I will finish, I have Advent calendars and craft projects and decorations just awaiting.  We're traveling a bit around Thanksgiving and I don't want to put up the decorations before Thanksgiving, because that's crazy (I'm looking at you, Target), but I DO because when we get home? Boom!  CHRISTMAS!

    – Christmas is much more fun with kids and I really liked  Christmas beforehand.  It's so easy to shop for them, and make them things, and every tradition is so new and shiny and "WE GET TO DECORATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE?!"  Yeah, little dudes, every. year.

    – Did you hear that bit going around Facebook about how there's only supposed to be one space in between sentences?  Apparently every style guide in the world has agreed upon this for quite some time, but those of us who learned to type on TYPEWRITERS (what with the monospaced type) are probably doomed to annoy hipsters and graphic artists until our generation dies off.  So.  There.  

    – hormones.  Which are obviously funnier and easier to handle if you call them "hormobes", or MOBES for short.  Can we just talk about how much less crazy it must be to be a man, without this whole cycle thing the ladyfolk deal with?  OY.

    – confrontation.  I am NOT a big fan of confrontation, let alone "talking" or "not being sarcastic", but for some reason, this week I was taking EVERYONE ON.   [See above… Or my inner rage… I don't know.]

    What have you been up to?  What's your holiday routine?  

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    Two years ago: The Pinterest Project – It's Not Gross, in which I'm disappointed by healthy food being tasty. 

  • Studios vs. Independents

    If you going to take private lessons for ballroom dancing, there are two main choices you have to make: studio or independent instructor.   

    I took my first lesson at a studio, I taught my first lesson at a studio, I left that place, took many lessons from an independent, danced pro-am with that independent, danced am-am while taking lessons from a studio, taught at that same studio, left that place, currently dance pro, and am an independent.  I get around.  

    *cough*

    Here's the lowdown:

    Yay For Studios!

    • Community.  With multiple employees, and the students that come with them, you are guaranteed a community of like-minded individuals.  Granted, your only shared interest might be dancing, but dancing is fun and awesome and you need at least one other person to do it with, so the bigger the pool, the better.  
    • Welcoming Committee.  Besides your teacher, when you walk in the door, there's probably a smiling face to say hello.  There might be a receptionist, or manager, or some sort of support staff whose job it is to help you.  Whether it's taking a payment, scheduling a lesson, helping you sign up for a competition, or whatever, you don't have to do that during your lesson time.  And that means more dancing.  
    • Extras.  With a higher volume of staff and students, group lessons, free practice space, and parties happen all the time.  Often, they're included in lesson packages and are a great way to meet potential friends and duh, practice dancing.  
    • Support.  The instructors?  It's their job to be motivating and inspiring.  While your teacher might be the greatest, having 2-8 other people with a compulsory (don't read "fake", just "required") CAN DO attitude is AMAZING.  And with all these friends you're making, you're building an enthusiastic (and sometimes competitive) group to encourage your progress.  
    • Training New Teachers.  This might not be a plus for most students, but almost every instructor alive started at a studio.  Many studios offer great training programs for wannabe teachers.  I think it's fun to watch the newbies grow into accomplished dancers and teachers.  You can always say, "I knew 'em when…"

    Boo For Studios

    • Cost.  Employees, leases, taxes, benefits, staff certification: all these things cost money.  There are very obvious costs associated with owning a studio and those costs need to be covered.  The more overhead, the more someone has to charge.  
    • Insulated.  The aim of studios to keep money in-house.  They're not going to tell you about the awesome $2 swing dance down the street or the huge competition that's nearby because they want your money.  They want you to go to their  swing dance and do their competition.  And you know what?  The dance world is HUGE and full of talented people.  Even outside your studio.
    • Kool-Aid.  I have never met a student who said, "My studio sucks."  Everyone thinks their teacher is the best teacher in the world and their studio is the coolest ever and everyone else sucks.  You're drinking the Kool-Aid, man.  (See above.)
    • Turnover.  Your teacher is probably going to leave.  Whether it's because they're going to continue grad school, is opening their own franchise, had a job offer from another studio, doesn't have any room for advancement, or

      found a pro partner a couple states away, it is going to happen.  
    • Atmosphere.  Every studio has a vibe.  If you don't like that vibe, you're not going to change it.  It's a big machine that revved up before you got there and will die after you leave.  

    Yay For Independents

    • Quality Instruction.  MOST independent instructors are highly-qualified, certified, accomplished dancers and teachers.  Often they are champions, judges, or coaches, and are well-known in the ballroom industry.  
    • Focused.  You walk in the studio, get your shoes on, and dance.  You are dancing with this person because you know that they are very good at American Rhythm, Argentine Tango, or Lindy.  You saw them teach a workshop or heard of their stellar reputation and went to them to learn that specific skill.  
    • Cost.  Since independents don't have all the overhead that studios do, they are more likely less expensive per lesson.
    • Personal.   Back in the days of "land lines", my teacher's S.O. knew my voice when I called.  I still think that is cool.  You probably are friends with them on Facebook.  You might text them to let them know you're running late to your lesson.  It adds a nice dimension to the drill sergeant who controls your lesson time.
    • Flexibility.  Independents often teach at more than one location and have flexible schedules.  Want a 6am lesson?  I know people who do that.  (It's not me.)
    • Dance World.  You might know and feel comfortable at a lot of different venues and events, since you're recognized as a student of your instructor.  Independent students seem to have a cult-celebrity status at many shindigs.

    Boo For Independents

    • Self-Motivated.  You have to schedule your lessons, you have to find group classes, you have to seek out dances, you have to put yourself out there to find friends who dance.  Your instructor can help you, but you have to actually do it.
    • No Frills.  Group classes and parties are not offered or attended by most independents.  Having "paid their dues" for years before, they leave it to the newer (and often younger, family-free) teachers to take their place.
    • Introverts Accepted.  Since there's no weekly group events, taking lessons from independents is often social-free.  You might run into another student on your way out of your lesson, but they're going into their lesson, so there's not much time to talk.  
    • Homeless.  Want to hang out and chat with other students?  Only if you're at a bustling studio open to many independents where there's space to chill and not get run over.  Want to spend a couple hours practicing?  You'll have to pay for studio time, just like everyone else.

    In summation?  Studios and independents are both great, but you should know what you want and what each one offers.  

    Don't like what you're getting at your studio?  Try another studio.  

    Don't like your instructor anymore?  Try another instructor.  

    Flow chart coming soon.  :)

    TomHiddleston

    One year ago: Smooky 2, in which I reveal the costumes.

    Two years ago: Crazy Bread, in which I share the stupid recipe.

  • I’m Not Fat

    I am not fat.

    Which is not to say I'm skinny.

    Which means I'm fat by professional ballroom dancing standards.

    On one hand, ballroom dancing is a bomb profession: I meet lots of cool people, I share my love of dancing, I perform on a regular basis, I travel.  There's music, joy, and dancing.

    On the other hand, dancing as a job totally sucks.  The audiences, judges, and most other competitors want to see a perfect specimen of person out on the floor.  And as much as everyone tries to deny or change the perception of beauty in media and minds everywhere, "perfect" means skinny in the dance world.  "Fit" is a plus, but not necessary in that definition.  

    I've bounced around the scale during the extent of my career and discovered I'd probably be very comfortable 10 pounds heavier (hello, Mr. Bread Basket!).  If I go 10 pounds lighter, my family tends to worry (I don't think they really get the "whole dancing thing" still).  

    Weight loss = exercise and/or diet, right?  Well, I could run and yoga and dance all day, but exercise ≠ weight loss in this girl's world.  So, dammit, it's onto food…

    While I've gone through fits of sugar-free!, caffeine-free!, processed-free!, I settle on a generally healthy menu with a few extra chocolate chips and pieces of bacon in between.  I should be eating way more salads and way less cereal; more grilled chicken and less hamburgers.  Most of the time, I say "SCREW IT!" and eat the pizza.  I understand this might hurt my career at times, especially when I see the waifish, child-free, high metabolism-blessed, and most likely very hard-working babies standing next to me on deck.  I'm slightly comforted by the idea they won't knock me over in a dance collision.  

    Slightly.

    What's your food weakness?

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     One year ago: LLLL, in which I reference Cheers.

     

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – what?

    – I feel like I should call this category "News and Recommendations", but that sounds like a segment on CNN and doesn't have any alliteration, so… Lame.  

    – Firemen are great.  I'd say firefighters, but I haven't met any fireladies, so I'm sticking with firemen.  

    There was a house fire across our street last week (no one was hurt, the house is mostly intact, but still, yikes) and the lovely St. Paul firemen came to the rescue.  The little ladies and I headed over as they were cleaning up to see them work and point out the hoses and foam and special gear and talk about fire safety and blah blah blah.  

    Three or four of them came over and chatted up the girls and gave us firefighter badges and were all-around awesome.  All the while, steam is rising from their heads and arms because they just took off their gear and were JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIRE. 

    Thanks, firefighters of the world.  You're all brave and amazing.  

    – if you're over on St. Paul's Eastside, I would HIGHLY recommend going to Ward 6 for a burger and beer.  It's "typical" bar fare, but with stupid delicious tap beers (HAVE TRIED SURLY'S COFFEE BENDER?! BECAUSE I WANT TO DRINK IT FOR BREAKFAST!), regionally-sourced ingredients, homemade accessories (dressings, sauces, and SOFT-SERVE ICE CREAM), and waitstaff that treats me like my most hospitable family members.  

    It's awesome.

    – Last weekend, The G performed with his rising-star student in CornerHouse's Let's Dance event (a "Dancing with the Stars"-type shindig with local bigwigs pairing up with local dance pros to raise money for a great kids' charity) and won.  There was no mirror ball trophy, but there were flowers and a different kind of trophy and prestige.

    Woohoo!

    – The weekend before, The G and I had the opportunity to perform at a different gala, for Hope for the City's annual fundraising party.  We got to dance to the musical talents of adorable Michael Johns (American Idol's season 7 top 12 guy) and his band in front of 600 people.  Then we partied and had ridiculous dance-offs with other attendees and Michael Johns serenaded me in the hallway and his drummer looked and acted sooo much like my brother and Hope for the City raised almost double their goal.  

    Woohoo!

    What have you been up to?  Are you digging fall?  Have you gotten your fill of Pumpkin Spice Lattes?  Are you celebrating the Red Cup Season?  Could I insinuate MORE advertising for Starbucks here?

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    Two years ago: Pinterest Project: Flowers and Flies, in which I catch flies… and make flowers.

  • Catch of the Day

    My huge network of music-loving brothers- and sisters-in-laws have an ongoing game of Show and Tell (one might call it one-upmanship) with new artists and songs.  Generally speaking, they find great Music, songs with harmonies and meaning and that will never be played on the radio.  Unfortunately, as The G will attest, I am hard to impress, so mainly my reaction to the YouTube links and 82 witty and banterous (it's totally a word) "reply all" emails following the first one is "Oh, that's nice."

    But this week?  No.  

    [Editor's note: any time you see words in italics during this post, imagine I'm swooning a bit.)

    This week my sis sent this:

     

    That's one charming video.  

    Then, you might do some research on the rough and awesome group of 10 old guys (the oldest is 79, the youngest is the accordian player at 41) called Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends. 

    They are indeed fishermen.  Fisherman, by trade, who just happen to put out gold albums and turn down U.S. tours so they can continue BEING FISHERMEN.  They are also former Coastguardsman, shopkeeps, potters, hoteliers, a children's book author, and ruggedly handsome.  

    Most of them have known each other since childhood because Port Isaac (a town in Cornwall, the area on the southwestern tip of England) has a population of 700.  Well, that, and three of them are brothers.  They learned to sing together at the Methodist church in town and obviously that lead to forming a group that would later perform at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  

    port isaac

    Port Isaac – I want to go to there

    Are you in love yet?

    In the summer, down on the beach, they'll play free shows, depending on the weather and the tide.  They've had to cut down on the number of shows, though, because they can only fit about one thousand or so people on the beach between high tides.  

    beach gigs

    this is only half the crowd

    They rehearse over beers, claim no bandleader, and enjoy singing together because they enjoy singing together.  

    Inevitably, in your research, you'll come across the story of Trevor Grills (who takes the lead on "Mary Anne") and the band promoter, Paul McMullen, who died tragically while unloading for a gig in February.  You'll find out the filming of the "Mary Anne" video was one of the last time the guys were together, roaming the beautiful cliffs surrounding their hometown and clearly having a rowdy and brotherly good time.  And then you'll watch that video again.

     

    And when Trevor sings that last, now poignant line, I DARE YOU NOT TO CRY. 

     

    fisherman's friends
    I have a huge crush on all of them

    Buy their music here.

    Two years ago: How to Boil Water and Other Skills, in which I'm demanding.

  • Let Us Discuss Menards

    For those of you who live outside Menards' 14-state area of home improvement monstrosities, it's like Home Depot, BUT IT'S NOT.  Or maybe like a Costco, BUT NOT AT ALL.  

    Because, fuck, Menards.  I just hate you.  

    Now to be fair, the first beef I have is with a particular Menards, but there are several traits that are genetic.

    1. parking – granted, they shoehorned "my" location into a relatively tiny, quarter-million square foot triangle between some railroad tracks and University Avenue, but what were they thinking when they arranged the parking lot?

    • the Green Line (the highly controverisal light rail train) has been under development or construction since 2001 and University Avenue and the perpendicular interesections have been a clusterfuck ever since.  Could they not have put the main entrance on the northern corner of the lot instead of right in middle of Hell?
      menards entrance

      that one traffic cone will not save you from the first gate

       

      menards entrance

      the second gate
    • this is a home improvement store, right?  Where people are buying lumber and drywall and plumbing and appliances and other large items, right?  Where contractors, handymen, and DIYers might be strapping things to the roofs of their trucks, vans, and cars?  Or at least unloading parcels into trunks and flatbeds?  And maybe they don't drive Smart Cars?  THEN WHY ARE THE AISLES SO DAMN NARROW?!  Two cars can BARELY pass each other without scraping paint.  On top of that, everyone in that parking lot is still recovering from the road rage of entering the Menards' property and thusly, not driving Minnesota-nicely.
      menards parking

      the third gate

    2. organization – let's say you got into the store without coming to fisticuffs in the parking lot.  Then you must face down the daunting gauntlet of Menards' unlabeled bins of things.  Want to find a 1" dark iron cap for your radiators?  GOOD LUCK.  

    • the first couple trips, I thought it was because I was a girl or blonde or didn't really know what I was looking for, but when I was rummaging through not-thoroughly-sorted trinkets and swearing under my breath next to several burly men with toolbelts still on and purchase orders, I knew it wasn't just my hot pink shirt that was throwing me off.
    • are you still looking for that elusive trim and have wandered aisle after aisle to no avail?  It might be in the seasonal aisle, or you might find an employee to help y…HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  No.

    3. service 

    • unlike Home Depot, where the employees are often so chipper I want to punch them in the face and so helpful I literally hide from them, Menards might as well have hired some crickets.  *chirp chirp*
    • the employees that can be tracked down must have been forced to watch the Miley Cyrus debacle before their shift and are therefore pretty sad and disgusted about people and just life in general.  
    • clearly, Menards has great prices and their rebates are so kick-ass that The G and I will continue to mill around their store with growing hatred to save a shitload of money, but MAYBE if they raised their prices 2% or something and threw some candy at their employees, it wouldn't feel so much you're asking for help from the Angry Cat.
      ANGRY CAT

      what gate are we on? nine?  there aren't really nine gates of Hell, but there are nine gates of Menards!

    4. snacks - here's where they really get you.  You're feeling angry, lost, lonely, confused, sad, helpless, tired, and probably hungry.  But you have your things.  You've won the war.  You've completed your journey.  You're a damn Hobbit returning to the shire.  You're wearily pushing your cart to check out when you round the corner andHeaven

    the amazing array of delectable snacks and treats has dazzled your frazzled mind and you leave the store smiling because you found the Sharing Size Peanut M&Ms AND YOU'RE NOT SHARING.

    You win, Menards, you win.

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  • Self-Serving and Completely Random

    Full disclosure: this post does not relate to the prescribed schedule put forth by the editor, nor does it really have any point to it at all.

    I hate laundry.  And washing dishes.  And putting clean sheets on the bed.  I did all of these things tonight begrudingly because it's MY JOB.  I was one of those worker bees who was just going through the motions with no joy or conviction, which ironically, I had been lamenting that exact kind of person earlier in the day.  

    [remove old pillowcases]

    [get new pillowcases]

    [wrestle pillows into new pillowcases]

    [rustle remaining fabric looking for fitted sheet]

    [unfurl fitted sheet]

    [turn fitted sheet 3 times because can't figure out which way fitted sheet fits on bed]

    [tuck corners of fitted sheet around mattress]

    Kate: What the f$%^ is that?

    [reach hand under newly stretched sheet to remove large lump in middle of bed]

    Kate: SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

    Yes, I literally squealed.  Right after putting the girls to bed.  Didn't care.

    The lump?  One of my lost things.  The super kick-ass, totally plain, yet yay-black-and-white-stripes, made-my boobs-look-awesome shirt.

    That's been missing for A YEAR.

    Yeah, the shirt that I lost on this great trip to Chicago where The G and I demonstrated we have no idea how to take a picture together, but my pants match the art in the background, so it's okay.

    IMG_4162
    The trip where I also took my favorite photos ever and found these cute shoes at Old Navy which APPARENTLY DIDN'T EXIST AT ANY OTHER OLD NAVY IN THE WORLD.

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    IMG_4159
    IMG_4159

    And I got new business cards.  

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    Let's do more chores!

    Boom.  Great day.

    Tony_lucca_h_2012

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – any there any words that give you the heebie-jeebies?  "Moist."  Classic.  

    – on the other hand, I love the word "murmur" and "cadenza" and have even discovered some favorite words in other languages.    What are your favorite words?

    – hosted my in-laws and got to do some tour guiding.  Took in northeast Minneapolis for some delicious sausage at Kramarczuk's (yes, I can spell it correctly) and sightseeing along the ye olde Mississippi.  

     

    nordeast

    we were, exactly, here

     

    – my sister-in-law and I hit up the area's best thrift stores and FOUND ALL THE THINGS.

     - Unique Thrift Store in "Minneapolis" (who are we kidding, it's Columbia Heights) is a long-time favorite.  I have found some of my favorite pieces of all time in that place.  

    – Looking for kids' stuff?  Head to Roseville's Once Upon a Child for awesome deals on Ralph Lauren, baby Gap, and other designer duds at Target prices.  

    – Back in St. Paul, we googled at the vintage finds on Snelby: Everyday People and the infamous Lula's.  While Everyday People has great deals on high-quality vintage and consignment clothes, shoes, and accessories for everyday living (see what I did there), Lula (in their newly-unkitsched store) has one-of-a-kind pieces to add some pop to your wardrobe.  

    – I want a typewriter.  Can someone find me one?

     

    zac efron

    it's weird that he's the first picture that pops up when you Google "actor", right?

    Two years ago: What Not to Wear, in which I tell you for the first time, but without a flow chart.