MILWAUKEE DATE NIGHT

Good morning Knuckles!

I apologize for the seriously long absence.  I recently started a new job (same company, different brand) and I've been spending a lot of time getting up to speed.

BUT!  Mr. Brass Knuckles and I took a well-needed mini-vacation this weekend.  We drove up to surprisingly scenic and adorable Milwaukee, WI for 36 hours of date action.  It was our first evening alone together in over three years.  We left on Friday morning and by brunch on Saturday, I had the same lovesick butterflies in my stomach that I had at our first brunch (I was also considerably less hung-over this time).

On the way back home, we stopped at the outlets where I picked up this gorgeous silk printed BCBG blouse and fun Aldo boots:

(Sunnies, Target; top, BCBG; skirt, H&M; boots, Aldo; bag, Elliott Lucca; bracelets, Alex+Ani; necklaces, MyNameNecklace,com and PersonalizedBoutique.com)

I love these new boots!  They are super comfortable, and they remind me of Jeffrey Campbell Lita's but less crazy.  

Also, I jazzed up this look with blue hair chalk, which you can barely see in the photos but adds a touch of temporary fun.  I bought the chalk at the big Walgreens on the Las Vegas strip and even though it's really messy, I love it because it reminds me of a time when I used to have blue hair (more on that in a different post). 

Have a great week, Knuckles!

VACATION, ALL I EVER WANTED, VACATION, HAPPY TO GET AWAY

Hello Knuckles!

I haven't posted in almost a month due to traveling and vacations.  I'm finally home today and am pretty bummed to be back, especially because Mr. Brass Knuckles is still away through next week!  Lucky!

I had so much fun this past month, and even learned a few things:

10) "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is incredibly difficult to sing.  Don't ever pick this during karaoke -- you won't nail it.  I got an "E" for "Extra Fancy Dance Moves" to compensate for my off-pitch warbling.

9) Meat wins!  I had dinner with a couple of dear friends who've been vegetarians for as long as I can remember, and one of them ordered a pork tenderloin and my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets as my head calmly exploded.

8) It is possible to eat two buffet meals in one day, but only just barely, and you must be in Las Vegas, and the earlier one must include unlimited champagne and the later one must include ginger ale and an elastic waistband extender.

7) Watching fireworks while lying on a blanket in the middle of a baseball diamond and listening to Celine Dion versions of patriotic standards is surprisingly moving.  Murrica! (tears)

6) I am very thankful for Mr. Brass Knuckles, who put in a lot of daddy overtime these past few weeks.

5) It is possible to go to a nightclub alone, particularly if your friends are still playing blackjack and someone hands you free drink tickets.  It is not possible to look cool, however, enthusiastically dancing to Tupac's "California Love" which was your college jam but for everyone else in the room it's like Elvis or Beethoven.

4) Any evening that includes voluntarily ordering an over-priced frothy pink martini is bound to be memorable.

3) Seeing old friends is the best. 

2) A man on the street may ask to take a photo of you and your girlfriends and claim it's because he likes your outfits, but in reality it's probably for some kind of "Cougars of New York" blog.

1) Vacations are never long enough!  (Plus, you are more-than-slightly afraid of your Outlook inbox).

Have a wonderful weekend, Knuckles!

CUPCAKES AND TEA

Hello Knuckles!

The littlest Knuckles abandoned their toys during naptime, so Mr. Brass Knuckles and I had our own little tea party:

(Truly, the unmanicured toes of the working mother).

(Nom nom nom!  Sunnies, Target; shirt, J.Crew; skirt, Nanette Lepore; shoes, Miu Miu; bracelets, vintage, F21)

As parents you have to have fun wherever and whenever you find it!  Before kids it was all rock shows, late brunches, and lazy Sunday matinees.  Now our idea of a great night is 16oz. PBRs smuggled into Star Trek and drinks afterwards at the local townie bar (where, I should add, the people-watching is equally if not more entertaining than people-watching in Brooklyn.  Hello too-tan blond ladies, Blackhawks jersey guys, REALLY old dude, accountant swinger couple, and DIY Pac-Man t-shirt-wearing bassist).

It seems like all my friends have kids these days.  Parents, how do you manage to have fun now that kids are a part of your life? 

Have a great weekend, Knuckles!

KNUCKLES ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Hello Knuckles!

A few weekends ago we hosted family and school friends at the Chicago Treehouse to celebrate CoStar's 5th birthday.  

Borrowing a friend's idea, this year in lieu of gifts we asked everyone to bring a package of diapers to donate to The Bundle Of Joy diaper bank.  I love this idea!  Not only does it teach sharing and compassion, but it also eliminates the tyranny of more toys (sometimes I'm a little overwhelmed by all our dolls, puzzles, books, ride-on's, blocks and Legos).

Not gonna lie, it took a little convincing but CoStar agreed to the plan.  So last Sunday we took a field trip into the city to drop off the diapers.  Mr. Brass Knuckles and I tried to make it a big deal so she'd know how proud we were.  As promised, we had ice cream afterwards to celebrate.


(I think we ended up donating almost a thousand diapers)

Then we took an impromptu trip to the top of the Willis (nee Sears) Tower.  There was absolutely no line and the whole family enjoyed it.

(Floating!)

Incredibly, that day we had breakfast with my family, dropped of the diapers, ate ice cream cones, toured the tallest building in Chicago, and were back at home eating hot dogs at our kitchen table by 12:30pm.  Ah, sleep -- when will I know ye again?

Have a happy Thursday, Knuckles!   

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME

Good morning Knuckles!

Seven years ago today I married the best-looking guy in the room.  We've both grown so much and I am incredibly proud of our marriage.  The whole of Knuckles is much greater than the sum of its parts.

To celebrate, on Saturday night we had dinner at a lovely restaurant downtown and capped the night off with cocktails.

(Coat, Club Monaco; shirt, F21; pants, Chip+Pepper; shoes, Aldo; purse, Elliott Lucca)

Happy Monday!

RE-CREATION TUESDAYS: ENGAGED IN DVF, AND AWASH IN MEMORIES

Good morning Knuckles.

Today's post was supposed to be an ode to Diane Von Furstenberg, and how her clothes are inextricably woven into some of my most meaningful memories.  I wore the dress below on the day Mr. Brass Knuckles proposed to me in Battery Park, under cloud cover and before an impending thunder storm.  I wore DVF to my rehearsal dinner and my dearest cousin K's bridal shower.  I've also worn DVF to countless job interviews, cocktail parties, weddings and funerals. 

But after yesterday's events I'm feeling sad.  Seeing this dress and writing this post is flooding me with a million different memories; it's almost too much.

(Sunnies, Target; dress, DVF; shoes, Gucci; purse, The Sak; necklaces, PersonalizedBoutique, MyNameNecklace, Anna Sheffield for Target; bracelets, Asos, F21)

My dear Knuckles, hold on tightly to the people you love!

PUT A BIRD ON IT

Good morning Knuckles!

I don't have any tattoos but my favorite one of all time is Cat Hartwell's (of Fannypack and Holy Hail fame).  Holy Hail played at the Fur Cups' second album release party and pretty much ever since I've wanted her tattoos: two birds in flight, one on the forearm and one on the bicep (I won't be creepy and post an image but you can see a small photo here).  Alas, tattoos aren't in my future due to a) the pain and b) my job so I'll have to settle for birds on my skirt instead. 

(Sunnies, Target; blazer, Moschino; top, Banana Republic; skirt, F21; belt, H&M; pearl necklace, J.Crew; necklaces, MyNameNecklace.com, PersonalizedBoutique.com; purse, Elliott Lucca; shoes, Fendi; bracelets, F21, Alex+Ani)

The most amazing part of this ancient Moschino blazer is the piping.  It's made of reflective material that glows in direct light (e.g. when the flash went off) like something out of Tron or Jack Donaghy's laid-back future self in 30 Rock:

Anyhow, I am a huge sucker for tattoos.  Lately I've been really into The Voice and I have to say, that Adam Levine is one winsome dude.  Actually he and Mr. Brass Knuckles are long lost twins but one has tats and the other doesn't, and consequently one does not have to hear me waxing poetic about how hot he'd be with some ink, or nagging about mowing the lawn or putting his cups into the dishwasher.  (I'm coming after you, Adam Levine.  ALL DIRTY CUPS MUST BE PLACED IN THE DISHWASHER IN A TIMELY MANNER).

Have a great week, Knuckles!

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!

Good morning Knuckles!

This weekend we took advantage of the warmer weather and took the kids to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

(Sunnies, Target; jacket, Hong Kong high street; skirt, F21; leggings, American Apparel; studded booties, Asos; scarf, a gift)

The zoo is one of Mr. Brass Knuckles' and my favorite places.  We love the fresh air, the beer at the cafeteria, and the fact that the kids can run around like crazy and tire themselves out so when we finally get home they take like a three hour nap.  

The little ones love it too:

I hope you have an energizing week, Knuckles!  Cheers for springtime in Chicago!

I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND TO YOU, AN INVITATION TO THE PRINCESS PARTY

Happy Monday, Knuckles!

On Saturday morning when I woke up CoStar handed me a lovely hand-written invitation to a Princess Ball, complete with harp music and red velvet cake, "after naptime."  She was very excited about it!

So to surprise her I made a hasty trip to WAGS during naptime and bought some decorations and snacks (including red velvet cake, which you can buy at Walgreens apparently).  I had Mr. Brass Knuckles turn on some spa-type harp music on Pandora and we dressed up her little play area:

(Princess decorations and snacks.  Streamers, tape, and cupcakes from Walgreens are about as crafty as I get).

When she came downstairs she was dressed in full princess regalia and was completely surprised and delighted by the festivities.  There was dancing.  There was singing.  Sir Footie Pajamas appreciated the serendipitous cupcake windfall.   

Later that day one of them passed on a bug that turned into a nasty sinus infection.  This morning before heading off to work I almost took NyQuil instead of DayQuil.  NYQUIL.  Can you imagine?

Hope you had a great weekend, Knuckles!

FULL DISCLOSURE: GIFT CARDS MADE FOR A LITTLE FUN THIS YEAR

Good afternoon Knuckles!

As my clothing fast draws to an end, I wanted to disclose that I did get a few things last year funded by small amounts on existing gift cards and presents.  

Even though the number of new acquisitions went down, I feel very satisfied by the items I was able to buy:

1) Floral blazer: I got this post-fast for my birthday.  This was one of those pieces you're immediately drawn to in the store because you love loud prints and shoulder pads.  I will enjoy it forever, and can imagine wearing it when I'm 70 with white elastic-banded pants and SAS sneakers.

2) High-low skirt: Funded by a forgotten gift card I found in an old purse.  Don't you love finding money in random places?  

 3) Red dress: I exchanged a birthday present for this, and specifically bought it so I could re-create my first date outfit with Mr. Brass Knuckles.  Also, I love the color red even though it makes my skin look green.

4, 6, 8) Of everything on this list, the plaid shirt is the only item I can see getting tired of.  Though I am proud of the DIY studding.

5) Accessories, like this hat, were fair game, people!

7) Do I need to mention this black patent skirt again?  It was a gift from a fashionable co-worker and it is still amazing.  IT IS STILL AMAZING.

9) See 5)

10) These Miu Miu boots originally cost more than my monthly mortgage and when I tell you how much I paid for them you will high-five me and then curl up in a fetal position and wonder what you've been doing all your life because you're never at the right store at the right time to score these boots on sale at a fraction of their original price.

11/12) The skirt and blouse were holiday gifts from my sisters-in-law, who knew I was on my fast and delightfully indulged me.

While I'm no longer on my fast, I do think my habits have changed and my goal this year is to continue being a thoughtful consumer.  Keep me in check, Knuckles!

Have a great weekend!

BRASS KNUCKLES AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMSCARF, OR, MY CINDERELLA STORY

Good morning Knuckles!

Let's go back in time to 2003.  A swinging single Mr. Brass Knuckles and a couple of his homeboys take a trip to Ireland to visit his sister and reconnect with the homeland (i.e. drink beer and pick up girls).  During one of their roadtrips he finds himself at a store with local wares and sundries.  There he spots a bright, multicolored scarf hand-knitted with Irish wool and thinks, It'd be nice to have someone to buy this for.  And because he's an optimistic romantic, he buys it anyway for some special lady of the future.

A few months later and not long after we started dating, Mr. Brass Knuckles gave me this scarf along with the story.  I guess I was Cinderella, and this was my glass slipper!  I dutifully wore this scarf every winter until we moved and it got packed away in a random box that I didn't open again until this weekend.

(Sunnies, Gucci; scarf, a gift from Prince Charming; jacket, Ann Taylor; shirt, Target; pants, F21; wallet, Elliott Lucca; shoes, Asos)

And as they say, they lived happily ever after (if happily ever after means your rock bands go on hiatus you get your MBA have 2 kids move to the suburbs and work for the Man.  JUST JOKING!  Cinderella's got nothing on me, except for the talking to birds and mice thing)....

Have a great weekend, Knuckles!

FINALLY FEELING SUNNY AGAIN, IN MY MOM JEANS

Good morning Knuckles!

After a long bout with a sinus infection I finally started feeling like myself again, just in time for my little guy's 2nd birthday.

(Sunnies, YSL; coat, Club Monaco; sweater, F21; jeans, Grey Ant; shoes, D&G; necklace, Zara)

Aside from the necklace, this outfit is super old (as you can see from the pills on the sweater, yikes!).  I think I bought the shoes the first time I ever shopped at Century 21 in Battery Park.  I've had these things re-soled and re-heeled multiple times and if I ever become famous they will show up in an US Weekly "Brass Knuckles really loves her D&G shoes!" feature.  BTW this weekend Mr. Brass Knuckles was making fun of my penchant for celebrity gossip and he was like "What are you reading, U.S. Magazine?"

These pants are definitely of man-repelling ilk.  High-waisted pants always remind Mr. Brass Knuckles of Mom Jeans and he can't really see the fashion behind them.  

Okay, I agree these Grey Ant jeans would look better if I were 4 inches taller but whatever, I love these pants.  I'm a Mom, after all!  Now I just need a Carol Brady haircut.

Have a great week, Knuckles!

VALENTINE'S GIFT GUIDE FOR YOU OR A MAN

Happy Thursday Knuckles!  With Valentine's Day just around the corner I've compiled a short collection of items to get you in the gift-giving mood!  

For the Men in your life:

1) Team City Red Sox Hoodie, $85: Sports never get old.  The Red Sox never get old.  NEVER.

2) Star Wars Daily Planner, $9.87-$13.72: Like sports, Star Wars never gets old.  Han Solo never gets old.  NEVER.

3) A snappy new bowtie, $65: Most of the time your man wears the same zip-up hoodie and jeans for 56 days in a row and then one night he walks out of the room smelling good and looking like Andre 3000 and he's like, Oh what this? and you're like Day-um! 

4) Kisses from YOU.  Let's face it, men don't care about gifts on Valentine's Day.  They want YOU.  Make sure your lips are super soft with Lipstick Queen Medieval Lipstick, $20.

For the Women in your life:

5) An amazing studded necklace, for the aging punk rocker in you.  This one by Joomi Lin, $162, is edgy but still looks like real jewelry.

6) A new pair of white heels.  I love the straps on these Michael Kors beauties, $275.

7) On February 10th, go to your nearest Target at 5am and wait in line.  Then when the store is about to open, call your lady and tell her to drive over.  Trust me, this is a really good idea, and it's free.

8) A varsity letterman jacket, $80.  This gift is extra special if you sew on your old football numbers (numbers available at any JoAnn's Fabrics or Michael's).

9) Kisses from YOU.  Let's face it, we love gifts on Valentine's Day, but mostly we want to feel loved and appreciated.  So do 20 push-ups then throw on your softest grey Hanes t-shirt and give your lady a smooch... if she really likes you, it's the best Valentine's Day around.

Have a great weekend, Knuckles! 

PURPLE AND BLACK, OR, IS THIS A TRENCH COAT OR A DRESS?

Good morning Knuckles!

Here's something I rarely wear because... well what is it?  It's neither a trench coat nor a dress.  It has short cap sleeves making it impractical as a jacket, but the fabric is rather too stiff to wear as a summer dress.  Hence, I bought this from the Macy's at Herald Square years ago but have only worn it once, to Mass with my in-laws.

(Holy feathered hair, Batman!  Sunnies, YSL; hat, American Apparel; dress, Plastic Island; shirt, J.Crew; boots, Miu Miu; bag, Elliott Lucca; gloves, Alfani; necklace, Francesca's Collections)

I think if I turn this dress into something more fall-like, I will wear it more often.  What do you think of adding black puffed leather sleeves?  I think the black and purple look nice together...

Mr. Brass Knuckles is normally very appreciative of my get-ups, but this one so deeply reminded him of 3 childhood icons that he couldn't help but make the comparison:

(If you know the names of all three Congratulations! You have great memory).

Have a great week, Knuckles!  Let me know if you have any mysteries to solve, people to spy on, or crimes to mastermind! OMG I am such a dork.

RE-CREATION TUESDAYS: IT WAS OUR FIRST DATE, AND I WAS YOUNG

Hello Knuckles!

There are some outfits I’ll never forget, like the get-up I wore on Mr. Brass Knuckles’s and my first date.

It was a Tuesday night and I was supposed to meet Mr. BK at Arlene’s Grocery for an early evening show before dinner at a low-lit Tibetan restaurant (that I later found out he took many girls to.  Oh hey-y!).  I rushed home from work to change into a ruffled plaid XOXO mini-skirt, thigh-high boots, and a cotton motorcycle jacket.  I’d gotten the skirt at Macy’s and the boots and jacket from Beverly Island in Hong Kong.  The boots were suede and were partially held up by some long ties that I had to wrap around my legs so tightly they were basically tourniquets.  All in the name of love!

In honor of our many years together, the other weekend I assembled this outfit.  Only the jacket is the same.  I had to part ways with the original thigh-high boots because in general I prefer circulation in my legs, and the skirt got too age-inappropriate. 

(Sunnies, Gucci; dress, Patterson J. Kincaid; shirt, J.Crew; jacket, Hong Kong high street; belt, H&M; tights, Wolford; boots, Miu Miu; jewelry, ASOS, Alex+Ani; minaudier, Luella Bartley for Target.  Since there are no Targets in New York City, my dear mother bought the minaudier for me when that collection came out.  It's pre-smartphone and back in the day it had just enough room for my credit cards, ID, house key and cigarette case).

When I donned the outfit above I asked Mr. BK if it reminded him of anything and he looked at me blankly.  When I told him it was similar to the outfit I wore on our first date he shook his head and said, “No, that skirt was plaid.”  WOW, Mr. Brass Knuckles remembered!  Now that’s what I call complete outfit success!  Thanks to that trashy first date outfit we are now a couple of suburban-dwelling MBAs with two kids!  

Have a great week, Knuckles!

INSTA-FRIDAY; A DENIZEN OF SPATULA CITY

Happy Friday, Knuckles!

I am so thrilled it's the weekend, and my morning is all Instagrammed up:

If you recall, I was in the market for a new pair of glasses.  The Warby Parkers didn’t work out, but I got the above pair at Lenscrafters.  I love them but they are a different look than my family and I are used to, particularly in the mornings when I just wake up.  Usually right out of my bed my hair looks like – at the very best end of the spectrum – Carrie in SATC circa Season 2.  At the worst end of the spectrum it looks frizzy and disheveled, and paired with these glasses….

Me, on one of the first days I wore the new glasses, walking out of the bathroom, to Mr. Brass Knuckles:  Hey look, your wife looks like Weird Al Yankovic!

Mr. Brass Knuckles: <bursts into wild, uncontrollable guffawing>

Me: …

Mr. Brass Knuckles: <his shoulders are shaking he’s laughing so hard>

At this point I expect him to wind down and wipe his eyes which he does and say something like You’re always beautiful to me but instead he says What do you wanna do for breakfast?

....

Have a great weekend Knuckles!  Enjoy your Friday!

ART IS CHAOTIC, BUT THE SWEATER IS TOASTY

Hi Knuckles! 

Last year we took the kids to the Art Institute, and boy was that a mistake!  CoStar was too young to appreciate anything and I was still nursing the little man, which was impossible in a crowded museum with communal benches.  

This weekend we figured the kids might be old enough so we tried the Art Institute again; it was only marginally more successful.  At least I had on a comfy sweater:

(Sunnies, YSL; sweater, Vince; shirt, J.Crew; liquid leggings, Silence+Noise; boots, Chinese Laundry; purse, Elliott Lucca; bracelets, Alex+Ani, Banana Republic; name necklaces, PersonalizedBoutique.com, MyNameNecklace.com; watch, Casio). 

Nothing too exciting about this outfit's provenance, except that this sweater is one of my favorites because it is incredibly warm and does not pill very much (which is a huge sweater pet peeve of mine).  I wore it while walking across the Williamsburg Bridge during the NYC subway strike in the winter of 2005.  It was a freezing cold morning and then-boyfriend Brass Knuckles and I were walking to work, and I distinctly remember thinking "Man this sweater's warm!"

Anyhow, the Littlest Knuckles thought the art museum had too many rules: no touching, climbing, running, or snacking, all 4 of which we got called out on by the guards.  Screw rules, man!

Hope you are having a great week, Knuckles!