BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

August Highlights

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Highlights-August-2015

In Monday’s post, I mentioned that we didn’t have any plans for Labor Day weekend … well, now that’s changed. We’re heading to Washington, D.C.! A few months ago, we had actually talked about visiting the nation’s capital over the holiday weekend, but plans fell by the wayside when we decided to simply enjoy our Louisville jaunt instead of putting another trip on the calendar so soon. We’re also looking into a two- or three-week trip to Denmark next year, so extra money isn’t exactly in abundance around these parts! But who can pass up a cheap vacation package, especially when the flight is direct from Madison?! (It’s such a rare treat. We have so few direct flights here and usually drive to Milwaukee or Chicago to fly.) If we’ve been blog or Instagram buddies for awhile, you’ll know this is our fourth trip to D.C. We just love the city so much! I’m looking forward to dining at our favorite pizzeria, trying new beer bars, visiting museums and monuments, shopping at Eastern Market, and taking plenty of photos of the quaint neighborhoods. (I’ll be turning to Rosa’s blog for ideas!) Before I fully turn my attention to what’s to come, here are a few favorite moments and snapshots from August:

  • Took my most cliche blog photo yet. I love all of your suggestions on what I should have added to the pic! I knew I should have picked up some macarons and scattered open tubes of lipstick on the table. (Yes, the bag is a total Chloe knockoff. Read my thoughts on it here.)
  • Snapped photos of flowers at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
  • Enjoyed drinks with Fran! I was so excited to finally meet Fran in person when she was in Madison last month. I can’t believe how quickly the time passed when we were catching up over drinks at Madison’s darling new cocktail bar, Gib’s.
  • Began our five-hour drive to my parents’ house with a sugary breakfast.
  • Visited Michigan’s Lake Superior shoreline.
  • Found the prettiest turquoise wall for an outfit photo.
  • Saw acres of sunflowers at Pope Farm Conservancy.
  • Ditched sneakers in favor of pretty summer sandals — finally!
  • Tried a new pair of sunglasses, thanks to DITTO’s Endless Eyewear program. Endless Eyewear is a monthly subscription service that allows you to try out designer sunglasses for $19 per month. You can swap out your shades as often as you’d like, making it a great way to try out sunglasses before committing or to simply keep your look fresh. You can get your first month for free with code BEDKNOBS. (What better way to play dress up with Karen Walker’s signature shades?) Sign up here.

Let’s be friends on Instagram! Find me @bedknobsandbaubles.

July Highlights

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July-2015-Recap

This summer really hasn’t been a banner one with my injury, but things started to look up after we went to Louisville for a three-day weekend to celebrate the removal of my boot. It was just the thing I needed to kick off the rest of summer on the right foot (…see what I did there?). Here’s what I was up to:

  • Finally ditched my crutches and slipped into sneakers! I’m not a sneakers girl by any means and didn’t actually own a pair other than uncomfortable canvas Chucks. Black Pumas and white Jack Purcells have proven to be fairly versatile. Now, if only the Jack Purcells would stop cutting into the back of my ankle.
  • Watched A Streetcar Named Desire under the stars at American Players Theatre. APT is an open-air performance theater near Madison. I had always wanted to go, but never made it a priority until a Travelzoo deal came around.
  • Met 50 Cent. He was visiting a nearby suburban grocery store as part of his Effen vodka tour to do bottle signing at the country’s highest volume stores. My coworker and I waited in line for over three hours and suffered serious sunburns for a minute-long meet-and-greet with the artist. When it was my turn in line, I asked the rep if he would have 50 write “Go Shorty” on my bottle. The rep was skeptical because 50 wasn’t writing anything more than his name. I must have been suffering from sunstroke when I insisted that he ask him anyway because “I’m a pretty girl!” Evidently, it worked. 50 Cent was smirking as he wrote the lyric on my bottle and I was deliriously happy (and dehydrated). This article sums up the experience perfectly.
  • Found a vine wall in Louisville. Score. (If you’re not familiar with the glory of the Elsa tunic, you’re seriously missing out. It’s my favorite road trip shirt. It’s breathable and still looks pretty after you’ve been sitting in a car for hours.)
  • Went to see The New Pornographers in downtown Madison at a free outdoor concert. Dave is a fan and I couldn’t have named a song they performed. I was happily surprised by how much fun it was.
  • Enjoyed craft cocktails at Meta in Louisville. This was our third trip to the city and we had already taken care of the tourist must-dos, so we spent the weekend shopping and imbibing. I’m terrible at writing trip recaps afterward, but I’ll make it a priority this time. We’ve found so many gems during our three vacations that I feel like I’m holding out on you!
  • Two words: Pool. Time.
  • Stayed at 21c. I was beyond excited to stay at this boutique hotel, which is part modern art museum. The hotel has a large golden statue of David outside and its signature red penguins throughout the hotel. We’ve wanted to stay here in the past, but it was always just a bit too pricey. Thank goodness for last-minute deals online! (There are 21c hotels in other cities, each with different colored penguins. I’ve been collecting the small ceramic versions available for purchase in the gift shop. So far, I have the red one and the yellow one from Cincinnati.)
  • Watched Bacon get acquainted with our new rug. We haven’t actually put it down yet because I wanted to wait for the coffee table to arrive (it’s been on back order for two months), but Bacon races to it whenever I unroll it to peek at it. He loves stretching on it and rolling on his back. I’m assuming he wants the rug to smell like him, but I prefer to think he’s just enamored with it.

Let’s be friends on Instagram! Find me @bedknobsandbaubles.

June Highlights

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June2015

Let’s just start by admitting that June wasn’t nearly as fun as May. My broken foot left me a little too gun shy to use crutches at the beginning and even when I was finally feeling more confident, I didn’t want to scoot around too much. It was exhausting! Here’s what I did manage to do:

  • Whine about my broken foot. Here’s what I learned during the experience.
  • Enjoyed beer and frites at my favorite restaurant in Madison.
  • Introduced Bacon to our new rug. Let’s just hope he doesn’t use it as an expensive scratching pad. (Truth be told, I hated this rug online, but fell in love with it in the store. The colors are much prettier in person.)
  • Enjoyed time at the pool, even if I didn’t go in. Instead, I sunned myself and made it through Girl on the Train. It’s similar to Gone Girl with an unreliable narrator, but not as good.
  • Bought a new Tory Burch dress because I can’t resist a good sale or a dress with pockets. It’s still available in different sizes at varying price points at Tory Burch, Bloomingdale’s, and Saks.
  • Received this gorgeous necklace as a birthday gift from Dave.
  • Ordered new sunglasses that I’ve been wearing nonstop.
  • Picked up Sunday donuts at Madison’s best bakery.
  • Finally wore my favorite bathing suit. It’s from LOFT last year, but I’m also loving this flattering striped suit and the batik stripes on this one. This year’s version of my LOFT swimsuit comes in an array of solid colors.

Weekend Guide

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WeekendGuide062015

BEMOAN
Gap Inc. recently announced plans to close 175 stores. This piece discusses why Gap may have lost its cool and became, as the author so eloquently puts it, a “basic bitch.”

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DRINK
We have beer. We have raspberries. We have orange juice. Soon, we’ll put them together and have beermosas. I hope they’re as good as the photo looks.

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FOLLOW
Artist Meghan Maconochie creates colorful animals and cultural icons out of pencil shavings. Follow her impressive Instagram feed here.

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SEE
We all know Disney takes some creative liberties with its animated princesses. See what they’d look like if they were historically accurate.

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LEARN
According to this article, German-Americans are America’s largest ethnic group and they’ve assimilated so well that we barely even notice.

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LIGHT
I love bringing a new scent with me on vacation. It helps bring back happy memories of our travels when we return. Hi Wildflower Botanica is looking to do the same thing with books.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
I may be on crutches, but I refuse to let it kill my summer style. Here’s inspiration for an 11-piece wardrobe to get you through the work week with ease. Many of the items will transition into fall. (Truth be told, I already purchased the dress, skirt, shell, and cardigan. The dress is incredibly well-made and flattering. I’ll need to get the top taken in, but it’s worth it.)

What to Expect With a Fractured Foot

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Crutches2

Even as a child, I was risk averse. I stayed indoors. I played with Barbies, read books, and worked on art projects. I didn’t participate in sports. Hell, I didn’t even learn to ride a bike until I was 10 years old because I was too afraid of getting hurt. Basically, the chances of me breaking a bone were slim to none. I never imagined that I’d fracture my foot as an adult from walking on it. Sure, it had fallen asleep and I came down directly on my toes, but still. I was walking.

The official diagnosis is a fracture at the base of my fifth metatarsal. I made the mistake early on of telling people it was the “base of my little toe bone.” Few people realize how far back that bone really goes. I likely have five more weeks in the Aircast ahead of me. Three weeks will be non-weight bearing and the following two weeks will be partial weight-bearing. After that, it’s shoes with stability for the rest of the summer. (Ugh.) I am very lucky to be able to take the boot off when I’m relaxing or bathing.

I had no idea what to expect as I started my road to recovery, other than assuming it was going to suck. Which it does. It’s been an eye-opening, tear-inducing week already and I wanted to share my experiences and observations so far. So many of you shared similar war stories in this post and you have no idea how much it means to me to know that others made it through with both feet intact. For the rest of you, here’s what you’re in for if you ever have the misfortune of fracturing your foot:

  • Your purchases will make you feel like you’ve aged 40 years in a matter of days. I was told that I would have to take baths until I was allowed to put weight on my foot. I’m sorry, but no. I sent Dave out to buy a shower stool for me that very day. The Walgreens version he found had an octogenarian woman on the box. Excellent. Other necessities include: crutch cushions, a backpack (crossbody tote bags threw off my balance too much), compression socks, foot powder (the Aircast isn’t the most breathable), and plenty of Tylenol.
  • There’s so much bruising and not just on your foot. Before I bought my crutch cushions, the rubber top of the crutches rubbed against my sides so much that I had bruising along my bra band on both sides. I also have bruising on my knees and legs from stabilizing myself on furniture.
  •  You’ll drink less water at night. Nothing–nothing–is worse than getting up in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
  • You don’t actually have to learn how to use stairs with crutches. Since I can’t put weight on my foot, I have to hop up and down the stairs with my crutch while hanging on to the railing for dear life. The only stairs I have to contend with are those that go up to our apartment. I’ve just been sitting down and scooting up and down on my rump like a toddler.
  • You will appreciate sneakers more than you ever thought possible. KicksUSA sent over these Puma sneakers before my injury. They’ve been a lifesaver as I learn to maneuver on crutches. It’s amazing how slick ballet flats can be!
  • You’re going to cry. A lot. Losing your independence is hard to deal with as an adult. You’re not able to do simple tasks like bringing a glass of water to the living room by yourself. Getting ready for the day is now a production. It’s stressful. Personally, I went through a few days of feeling useless and a bit depressed. It’s getting better as my confidence on crutches grows, but it sometimes becomes overwhelming. I usually have a mini meltdown in the evening after I’ve spent an entire day struggling.
  • If you break your left foot, you’re going to feel like a rockstar when you drive. It’s pretty much the only time you’ll feel independent.
  • You need to rely on people. It goes beyond having someone to help with things like bathing and grocery shopping. You’ll need to ask your coworkers for help. You’ll need to ask strangers to hold doors for you. Don’t be shy about asking, either, no one is a big enough jerk to actually say no. Just be sure to say “thank you” sincerely and often. Bribes help. I asked a coworker to make a Starbucks run for me yesterday (my weekly Wednesday treat) and offered to pay for his beverage. Honestly, most people want to help. They just don’t know what to do.
  • You might take #TreatYoself to a whole new level. No? Just me? I ordered a new rug, a coffee table, and a pair of Karen Walker sunglasses in the course of a week…
  • You’re going to become irrationally angry with people who tell you “it could be worse.” Well, of course it could be worse, but it’s still pretty crappy. Nothing about it is easy and it’s hard to look at the bright side all the time. And you know what? It’s okay to be angry about your injury. It’s a huge hassle. I realize that some people just don’t know what to say. If you’re one of those people, stick with “I’m so sorry. Let me know how I can help.” (To be clear, I try to look at the bright side for most situations. I’ve only started getting annoyed with “it could be worse” after hearing it on repeat for a week.)
  • Place chairs wherever you usually stand to perform tasks. I have one in front of the bathroom mirror and one in the kitchen. I can rest my knee on them while I get ready for the day or help Dave cook, which allows me to ditch the crutches for a bit. It’s a small way to feel in control.
  • NEVER use #FracturedFoot on an Instagram. The number of foot fetishists that come out of the woodwork is staggering and many of them have too many probing questions.