It’s no secret that I take forever and a day to get ready for events. I love doing my makeup and that normally requires a fair amount of time if I want to do it the way I wish. Listening to music and dancing around in the bathroom is half of the reason I take so long, but it’s a must to kick off the fun times that are about to ensue. My current getting-ready soundtrack is a collection of “Earth, Wind, and Fire” songs. Since I saw them live a few months ago I’ve been hooked. Their music just puts me in a good mood and makes me want to dance! I’m actually currently listening to “Let’s Groove” while I write this and hope that you can hear it faintly in the background while you read this. If you read this. (If you are reading this I love you and you complete me.)

Today I’m doing something a little different with my blog…Today I’m going to do more of a recap on the fun events of a past weekend. The first time I read one of my favorite bloggers posts it was a recap of her weekend (I love Simply Taralynn and have been reading her for a few years now) and I’ve been wanting to do one ever since!! Problem is that my life normally doesn’t have too many eventful things to actually qualify for a blog posting to me, but you only live once and I’ve been hoping for the chance so now I’m going to take it!! hehe

 

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Firstly, I would like to document an exchange that happened between my mother and I. It was in reference to my latest blog post, “30 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I TURN 30” specifically number 8, which was to: Keep a plant alive until it’s supposed to die or winter comes. To set the scene I was out to a lovely lunch on a sunny, yet brisk, spring day with my mother and sister. We were all sipping freshly brewed coffee and passing the time updating each other on our respective current life events….

:lights dim:

Annnddd ACTION!

Mom: So how is your goal of keeping a plant alive this year going?

Me: It’s going great so far!!! I don’t have any plants yet this year soooo so far so good! :takes a small sip of coffee:

Mom: Well, what about the hanging flower baskets that you just bought?

Me: :slowly swallows coffee before pondering where the plant is, knowing all along the horrible truth. Eyes widen immensely: “Oh my goodness….”

Mom: What?!

Me: They are still in my trunk from when I picked them up….

Mom: Anna! That was almost 3 days ago!

Me: Do you think they are dead? Oh no…. Those weren’t cheap either!!

Mom: They should be okay if you take them out as SOON as you get home and water them!!

Me: …Why did I think I could keep one alive?…. Why?…Just why??.. :laughs:

:Mom laughs:

Annddd SCENE.

So for a normal person that goal should be reachable. Now I’m just left severely questioning my naive ambition.

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Anyyywhooooo…back to my adventurous week in good ole Wisconsin! For those that haven’t seen my blog post about my beloved car…there was some good news in all of that…My husband and I got a new van to drive around!! Well, it’s not a brand new van but it’s very new to us! To those that are wondering: No, we are not having a baby just yet. hahaha Though it seems like a logical conclusion to the van news. We needed a new car and that’s what happened to come along at the right time. This is not to say that one day that minivan will not hold our hopeful future little ones! 😉 (Also we are still trying to sell my car so if anyone knows anyone that needs something just to get around feel free to get in contact with me here: almostherblog@gmail.com)

 

On Monday Dan and I decided to take the van for a spin and head up to Milwaukee to try out a few new places! The first place we stopped at was actually a restaurant that I bought a Groupon for an extra discount AND I also used my Ebates so I got a percentage cash back for it. (Did I mention I love Ebates? Cause I do.) Date night on a budget done right!! The Groupon was for a BBQ Sampler at a Country and Rock Bar called “Red Rock Saloon.”

 

 

The sampler was more of Dan’s thing than mine. I bought it as a way of bribery for a date night if we are being honest here. Anytime I bring up good food he’s there…and a date night it was! If the name “Red Rock Saloon” sounds familiar to you, you might have seen this restaurant on the show “Man Vs. Food Nation” where they did the “Unforgiven Challenge” which was an obscenely large burger with fries and hotter than heck wings that need to be demolished in 23 minutes. We did not do the challenge. We DID get beers with the sampler package!

 

 

Beer number 2 was where I decided that the “do something that scares me” needed to be checked off of my 30 list and I convinced myself that I should ride the bull they had sitting vacant at the restaurant for kicks and giggles. As soon as I talked myself into it my palms began to sweat and I immediately doubted it. My husband helped talk me into it and said that he would even go first as an act of good faith and support. At least this way I wouldn’t be the only one to be thrown off embarrassingly. It was decided….that was until we asked about it and were told they did not have an operator there to control until 10pm…and it was wayyyyyyyy before that…So long story short this was another fail on my attempt at my 30 list. My heart rate went back to a normal level and Dan and I enjoyed the rest of our time at the Red Rock. Note: I did end up riding this bull at a later date and will post on that coming up!

 

 

After our time there we agreed to do a little more wandering around Milwaukee. At my last hair appointment my friend and hairdresser, Morgan, recommended this gaming bar downtown called 42 Lounge that she thought Dan and I would really enjoy…and she was right!! We walked into the dimly lit bar area and the walls were adorned with classic video game character references and “all things geek.” It was perfect for Dan. We sat down to have ourselves a little beverage and were excited about this drink menu:

 

 

I mean they even have a BB-8 shot!!!! I ended up ordering the “Harley Quinn” (as if you are even surprised) and just loved it!! It was Chambord Raspberry liqueur with St. Germain Vodka, and champagne. Yum! After you order a drink you are all ready to be set up at your own little gaming area, which is all free if you order a drink! We each had our own reclining chairs with built-in cup holders and got to pick from a slew of different gaming systems and games. Mario Kart was already being used so we ended up playing Street Fighter. I could tell that Dan was really enjoying himself and plans to go back there in the future.

 

 

To cap off the rest of the day we stopped at a place called “Safehouse.” It had been years since either of us had been there so we thought it be fun to take a look around. I didn’t get many pictures of this place because we were too busy exploring the many inner workings and secrets of the building. For those of you that are not from Milwaukee or have not heard of it, “Safehouse” is a spy restaurant and bar. It’s pretty well hidden as the entrance isn’t marked at all and there is even a secret password that you have to announce when you walk in. If you do not know the password they make you do something silly. (For example: When my friend Kellie and I went here they made us walk around and pretend we were crabs. She tried to pinch me and ended up running into a large bookcase and we both were bent over laughing. The whole scene is also broadcasted on several TVs to those patrons in the restaurant and bar area. It was so funny though we didn’t even care!)

 

Inside the “Safehouse,” and keeping up with the spy theme, you can walk around to hidden passageways, picture booths, places to scan your “fingerprint” to gain access to agent files, and even a telephone booth that opens up and leads you to the outside world. I definitely think it’s a fun little place to stop and try out if you have not before!!!

 

After this super fun day Dan and I headed home exhausted, but smiling. In keeping up with my 30 Before 30 list, this day helped us to discover just a little bit more of Milwaukee and Wisconsin than previously.  I was so thankful just to be able to do it and see more of the state that I live in. 🙂

 

 

 

If you liked the sound of any of the places that we went to I linked the names with the web pages so you can do some of your own exploring if you so choose!

 

I hope you enjoyed this even though it was a little different for me!! If you liked it let me know as I have several more places I’d love to talk about!! Also if you have any suggestions of places I need to see in Wisconsin please leave a comment with a recommendation.

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and if you are still here reading this….I LOVE YOU!!!

XOXO 

ALM