Happy hour chat

Hiiiii!! Thanks for joining me for another round of faux drink-clinking, where I fill you in on life’s adventures because it’s been a little too long since I last checked in. As usual, I’ve got a lot of ground to cover in this happy hour chat!

Grab your tea, your Koolaid Jammer, a sour beer, mini Corona, bottle of bubbly, your bevvy of choice! We’ve got some work to do.

Here’s what life has looked like lately in my corner of the world.

Winter Colorado trip

In mid-February, Chad and I flew back to Colorado unexpectedly, for the worst of reasons. We went to Chad’s cousin Luke’s funeral. It was horribly sad and out of the blue, but it was nice to go home even for a quick two-day trip.

Matching tattoos

Back in February, Chad shocked me with an incredible suggestion: he asked if I wanted to get matching tattoos. So we did! We signed up for a Valentine’s Day-themed flash tattoo event at Creative Nameless Studios and both got the word “Amor” inked. I feel so honored and loved (especially since this is Chad’s first-ever tattoo!), and it was an incredible date day experience.

This was a biggie and I love that we have our matching tattoos forever.

Bucks game

I love going to Bucks games! Chad and I went with Haley in February and like always, it was a blast. The Bucks are SO fun to watch, and it’s easy to cheer on stand-out players like Giannis and Bobby Portis. Plus, it was great to watch them play the Nuggets, our other favorite team.

Belated Valentine’s Day celebration

After practically two years of wanting to check out Onesto in the Third Ward, Chad and I finally did! We went to this upscale Italian restaurant as a belated Valentine’s Day celebration and it did not disappoint.

Two years in Milwaukee

And just like that, Chad and I celebrated two years of living in Milwaukee, as of March 1. Wow! Time has absolutely flown by. Our greatest (and most unhinged) adventure has been well-worth it. We love it here.

Client rebrand

One of my very favorite clients has rebranded! My mom is the artist behind Dancing Lotus Artistry, and her work is gorgeous. The new look of her website matches her style and it was very fun to work on!

Magazine article deadline

Twice a year, I write for three Colorado-based magazines, which come out as Winter/Spring and Summer/Fall issues: Glenwood Springs Magazine, Carbondale Magazine, and Golden Magazine. Because they are owned by the same publishing company, each schedule is the same, including the deadline.

SO, in March, I had a lengthy pile of articles to write! I was essentially “on deadline” for the entire month, as I worked to write 15 articles for the three magazines. It was a lot of work, but I love writing about these towns and how to best experience them.

Spring wiffle ball league

As I mentioned last time, our LeftySwag Bats wiffle ball team won the winter league championship! We started back up for the spring season, resuming the fun at Broken Bat Brewery.

We finished in second place for the spring league, after two incredible playoff games back to back. I think the final scores were 14-8, then 9-10. Such a great season!

I love wiffle ball, very very much.

Galentine’s Day meal

I can’t believe so much time has passed since my friend Kelli invited me over for a delicious Galentine’s Day dinner party! She made the most incredible meal with a spread to match, including a heart-shaped focaccia, radicchio and greens Caesar (it was pink!), a spicy whipped butter in a clam shell, and a spicy vodka sauce pasta. Plus, a French dessert that was SO yummy, prepared by my new friend Leslie.

It was delicious. Holy cow.

Chicago > Tiki > Annie

In mid-February, we broke up the monotonous winter season with a little bit of chaotic fun. First, I drove to Chicago and finally got myself a haircut from one of my childhood besties Annie, who works at Spoke and Weal Salon. (Check her out!!)

Afterward, we drove back to Milwaukee for a night out with friends – we did something resembling a tiki crawl. We went to a few spots that specialize in tiki drinks, on a quest for that missing sunshine. Even though we abandoned our original map (lol), we still had a blast.

Girl’s day date

During one of February’s beautifully sunny days, Kelli and Meg joined me for a day of fun. We grabbed coffee at Anodyne (I got the ever-delicious iced soy honey bee latte), went to the 414 Flea event (held at the gorgeous Ivy House event venue), then grabbed a couple drinks and a pizza at Mobcraft Brewery. It was a lovely day spent in Walker’s Point with friends!

Dental treatments complete

In the spirit of keeping you abreast of my dental journey (it’s been a wild ride, lol), the latest update is that I’ve completed my treatment plan! The last step was a final crown on my recently root canaled tooth, which I completed in January.

There’s such a relief and satisfaction in getting caught up on dental work, and only having to worry about cleanings. This was such a huge step in my self-care journey over the past year!

Brew City 5k, round two

I jogged a 5k! Lol. For the second year in a row, Chad and I participated in the Brew City 5k race (which involves a gorgeous lakeside track and the promise of a brat and beer at the finish line). A special shoutout to Chad, who surprised us all by practically sprinting, lol.

We did it with our friends Kelli, Leslie, and Jackson, while Aaron cheered us on in the early morning cold. We followed up with a brunch at Merriment Social, then a few pit stops at O’Lydia’s and Broken Bat Brewery. Such a fun day!

St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl

To celebrate the luck of the Irish, we hopped around Walker’s Point pubs and bars with some friends. It was such a great time! Haley, Laura, Ryne, Chad, and I went to O’Lydia’s, Shakers, Zads, and Stenny’s—a full afternoon of laughs, green, and sunshine.

Sand volleyball league

On Sundays, we bump, set, spike (or, we try to). Lol. Chad and I are playing in a sand volleyball league hosted by our friends Amanda and Jaci, at Fat Daddy’s bar. It’s a fun vibe, and a good challenge for us. I’ve loved seeing us get better and better with each set, and having fun regardless. (Though I must say, the first week’s freezing rainy day game left little to be desired.)

Surprise birthday trip

In case you missed it: Chad whisked me away for a surprise birthday trip to celebrate my golden birthday!

We went to Scottsdale, and I was double surprised when my best friends Alexis and Jessica picked us up from the airport! Hot dog! (Sonoran, specifically, lol.) It was such a fun time, which included pool time, checking out Old Town Scottsdale (somehow failing to find dancing), some delicious Italian food, facials and massages, and quality time with the besties.

It was amazing.

Lakefront Brewery tour

It was time for us to do one of Milwaukee‘s top activities, at our favorite brewery: Lakefront is renowned for their hour-long tour that covers the behind-the-scenes production and history of the company, while drink tokens abound. It was great! We followed up with their famous fish fry dinner (it could not be more of a Wisconsin Friday, lol) with friends Kelli, Laura, and Ryne.

New glasses

Ya girl got some new glasses! It was overdue, but done unexpectedly. In true this-only-happens-to-me fashion, my dog cut me off when we were walking in the hallway, I face-planted against the wall, and my glasses broke clean off my face. And because I am pretty blind, the next couple of minutes involved me, on hands and knees, searching for my glasses. Jinkies!

Anyway, I got some new eyeglasses from EyeBuyDirect and I love them.

Glitter + gold photoshoot

Prior to my birthday, my friend Kelli came over to my house and helped me with a fun photoshoot! It was golden-themed (to ring in my 29 on the 29th), and it was a great afternoon with champagne and glitter. I definitely considered it one of my “treat myself” activities for the month.

Copper Cowgirl

My friend Kelli gave me the most flattering nickname and I am trying very hard to live up to its glory: its my Copper Cowgirl summer, y’all. I’m rising to meet the vibes, and excited to embody whatever the heck that means.

WWE

I have a new fav sport! Lol, maybe. Though I know nothing really at all about the intricate storylines and rules and history, I do know that WWE is fun and silly and easy to cheer for. Shout out to Adam and James for answering all of my endless questions and for supporting my quick descent into the fandom.

Wally turned 4

Our pup turned 4 in April! I wrote about Wally’s birthday and his silly goofy personality, which I’m still very much obsessed with. He’s my twin flame, and we love him so dearly.

Tulip fields

My friend Kelli and I recently made a field trip to Spring Grove, Illinois to visit the seasonal tulip fields at the Richardson Adventure Farm! We did it strictly for the content, lol—we took some photos and shot a quick video for one of her campaigns (which, in my opinion, was such a great concept) and admired the gorgeous pops of color.

Season of leagues

It’s league season! And boy, am I leaning in! I am officially on three different leisure sports leagues right now: wiffle ball, sand volleyball, and coed softball! I feel like this is all I’ve ever wanted in life, lol.

Naturally, my weeks are feeling pretty busy. But I do truly love the feeling of being active and having fun with friends (and Chad’s coworkers, lol). Between fresh air and getting to be an athlete again, I have very few complaints (as long as I stay injury free, lol).

Art in Bloom exhibit

In mid-April, Chad and I lucked out with tickets to the Art in Bloom exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. We won our tickets through a contest held by our realtor office, Falk Ruvin Gallagher (Ginger is the best!).

The exhibit was divine. Florists are chosen throughout the state and are invited to recreate a piece of artwork in the museum, and the arrangements are on display beside the original works. It’s such a gorgeous display of creativity, and we were so thankful to be there.

We threw a Bridgerton party

In late May, Chad and I threw a Bridgerton party! We transformed our home into a lavish portal into the Regency Era, complete with tea, florals, games, gossip, and delicious small bites (provided by our cohost Kelli, of Cooking with Kelli fame). From planning to execution, it was such a great time.

The BRIDGE

My version of the Roman Empire is the Middle Bridge, located between my hometown of Gunnison, Colorado and Montrose, Colorado. The Middle Bridge is an incredibly important connection that takes travelers across Blue Mesa Reservoir (Colorado’s largest man-made body of water), and it recently closed down indefinitely after failing a bridge inspection.

This is a very, very big deal.

Because there is just a single road connecting these two locations (and farther beyond, as a main thoroughfare for the state), what used to be an hour drive is now between 6-8 hours, because you must go around. Read that again: 6-8 additional hours! Indefinitely.

This is insanity and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since the closure. I can’t believe it isn’t bigger news. People of Gunnison, I’m thinking about you!

One Trick Pony event

Chad and I checked out the One Trick Pony vintage event, hosted at The Cooperage this spring! It was such a cool venue and event, with a small cover charge that included two champagnes as we shopped through a ton of cool thrift vendors. I loved it!

Kentucky Derby Day

For the first time ever, Chad and I got all gussied up to attend a Kentucky Derby party, hosted by our friends Laura and Ryne. It was SO fun to make a food board (we went with a tropical fruit board—Chad picked the produce and chopped it all, then I assembled) and I churched up some basic hats for the two of us. “Chad” even won the party’s hat contest! Lol.

It was a blast to dress up, drink a couple of mint juleps (or rather, bourbon lemonade), cheer for random horses, and spend time with some wonderful humans.

Camp Chad

Chad just turned 30!

To celebrate, I planned a summer-camp themed birthday weekend for him in northern Wisconsin. Camp Chad was such a fun way to embrace our inner youth while celebrating my favorite guy. I can’t wait to share more!

May Colorado trip

Surprise! I went to Colorado once again after Memorial Day, as a surprise birthday trip for my dad. He definitely didn’t see it coming! I got to spend several days in Grand Junction with my parents, enjoying their company, the pups, their pool (my favorite place on earth), yoga, dinner at 626 on Rood, and then a road trip to Denver. There, I got to see my brother and his family before flying home.

It was a successful and fun trip, and I’m so glad my mom and I pulled off this surprise. 🙂

Celebrating Haley

We found a few reasons to celebrate our beloved Haley. First, we went to Avili for her birthday in March (a fellow Aries dood!). Then, most recently, we went to La Merenda for a lovely tapas dinner, followed by drinks at Boone and Crockett, to celebrate her graduation from grad school! Haley is the BEST, and deserves all the yummy dinners in the world.

Food (and drink) adventures

If I’m being honest, I’ve dropped the ball a little with keeping track. But this is my best guess without whipping out the credit card statement!

(Might I add: going out to eat is indeed my favorite activity in the world? :))

What we’ve been watching

Cheers!

Thanks for tuning into this happy hour chat! Let’s catch up again soon, okay? The next round’s on me.