Things we’ll miss about Milwaukee #2: Cafe Lulu

Yes, yes…many of the things we’ll miss about Milwaukee will undoubtedly be related to food. I guess that’s because 1) we love food, and 2) there’s a lot of great food in this town! We live near Bay View, an up-and-coming, hip-and-cool area just south of downtown Milwaukee. Bay View is filled with lots of nifty little shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, and it keeps getting better with every passing season. Every business is bursting with personality, from Sven’s cafe – a divey little coffee shop with great sandwiches and mismatched tables and chairs – to Tease, the salon where we always go when we need a never-fail haircut from our fave hair-dresser extraordinaire, Betsy.  So without further ado, we’d like to talk about one of our favorite spots in downtown Bay View: Cafe Lulu at the intersections of Lincoln, Kinnickinnic and Howell Avenues.

Now, I must preface this with saying that Cafe Lulu does pride themselves on the “bar and cocktails” part of their fine establishment, but since we are non-alcohol-drinkers, we’re just going to focus on their fantastically delicious food. Serving mainly sandwiches and salads, and some really awesome ciabatta pizzas, the menu items are creative and fun, and the specials are always awesome. How does this sound: Spanish White Bean Spread for an app, Morrocan Chicken Sandwich for lunch, and a fresh slice of cheesecake for dessert. And the best part about getting a sandwich here is the sides – “chips, Asian slaw or a little of both?” The Asian slaw is ABSOLUTELY TO DIE FOR and the chips are served with yummy bleu cheese dressing – so I suggest going with “a little of both”.

You know how you become a regular at a certain restaurant, and even though you know nearly everything on the menu is going to be delicious, you always get the same thing? Well that’s how I am with Cafe Lulu’s East Indian Chicken Pita (and I always get  it with a healthy portion of Asian slaw on the side). The pita is topped with a serious helping of lime-cilantro marinated onions and this really great yogurt sauce. I usually come out with a pretty strong case of onion breath, but it’s totally worth it, every last bite of it!

Things we’ll miss about Milwaukee #1: Martino’s

Well, it has come to my last week in Milwaukee before moving to Pittsburgh for school (sad face). Jason is going to be staying in town for the rest of the month to tie up loose ends with the move (what a guy!), and we decided it only appropriate to spend this month featuring some of the things we’ll miss most about our beloved Milwaukee – starting with one of our favorite lunch spots – Martino’s on 13th and Layton.

We love the vibe of this place. It’s got kind of a diner feel, with super nice folks behind the counter, and the booths are always packed with hard working people on their lunch breaks (or snack breaks… or dinner breaks…). This place is known for their famous Italian Beef sandwiches, but our favorite thing to get is the classic Chicago Dog. For only $2.95 (fries included!), it’s a steal. Pair it with a cold milk shake in just about any flavor you can think of, and you’re set! I have to say, I’ve never been much of a hot dog person until we discovered Martino’s–and now I find myself craving them like nothin’ else!

new project! apple display cover

Recently, my friend Matt asked me to help him out with super fun project.  Matt is an incredible graphic designer in San Francisco and he had just purchased the gigantasaurus rex 30″ Cinema Display from Apple. He desperately needed a cover for the thing to keep it from getting dusty and dirty when it’s not in use and he called upon me and my sewing skills to help him out.  A few weeks later, this is what I came up with.

before

after

The cover is made from sturdy canvas, with a flannel lining to keep the screen in ship-shape with out any chance of getting scratched.

The design also continues onto the back, with a cutout at the bottom for cords n’ such to stay plugged in while the screen is not in use.

Creating this project has really sparked my desire to get an etsy store up and running, so stay tuned for more stuff of this nature up for sale in the future! (or tweet me @emmaneezer to order one for yourself!)

visit Matthew Fleming at blackt-shirt.com

Upcycle: Candelabra

To begin, I am fully aware that the term candelabra usually refers to an arrangement of candlesticks and these are pillar candles, but it’s just a way cooler word than candle holder, so if you were planning on correcting me, I know, I know, I know. I am also fully aware that the fact that I just wrote that sentence may alone qualify me as a super-dork, but again, I know, I know, I know. The point is, I found this candelabra at Goodwill one day and had a vision. So, I bought it, and with the help of a little spray paint, it has become a very cool addition to our fake fireplace. Spray paint can really be a magical thing!

Duvet for St. Patty’s Day!

Well folks, we chose our duvet cover! And in honor of the today’s holiday, I thought it would be the perfect day to show it to you, (since it is part of the greenest room in the house). We went with the Gion Organic Duvet from CB2 (ignore the wrinkles, mom) – fits our style perfectly and it compliments our green bedroom theme without going overboard. We love it! Now we just need some things on the walls!