Style in the City

Since this is a blog about retail and style, I’m going to talk about my top five (in no particular order) picks for stylish bars and restaurants in this week’s post. For a city of our size, we are lucky to have the sheer selection of eateries and cool places to hang out. If you’ve been to these places, let me know what you think, and if you haven’t—well, go!

Paul’s Club
Although the décor isn’t much (dark paneling mostly), this hipster watering hole has an awesome tree smack-dab in the middle of the joint strung with Christmas lights. Love it! It certainly gets crowded on a Friday or Saturday night, which attests to its popularity with some college students and more typically, an older crowd that’s not as rowdy. You also can’t beat the music: I’ve heard Al Green, and on more than one occasion, Michael Jackson.
212 State St. 257-5250

Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace
I make no secret of the fact that I’m attracted to sparkly and/or metallic things. Silver or gold heels, necklaces, hoops—I’ve got ‘em all. That’s why I like Tex Tubb’s on Atwood Ave. It’s décor screams kitsch and good old-fashioned fun. Check out the futuristic light fixture with silver spokes above the bar, or perhaps the large plastic “gems” that are affixed to the light fixture in the bar area. The wallpaper in the women’s bathroom is delightfully tacky too: pink with cartoon cowgirls and cowboys and accented with rickrack. It seems the whole place implicitly encourages customers to let their hair down. Have a margarita and munch on a quesadilla, chips and salsa and of course, tacos galore.
2009 Atwood Ave. 242-1800. foodfightinc.com/textubbstaco.html

Natt Spil
This über-trendy place is where the fashionable people go. The lights are low and the scene is jumping. When it’s warm, the windows swing open and people spill over on to the sidewalk to sit outside and talk. Inside, look up and check out the mod ceiling panels accented with Chinese symbols, and the bar’s cool lanterns. Venture to the very back of the small-ish bar/restaurant and sit in the intimate room where tree stumps serve as some of the stools and you can swing the curtain closed for those mysterious rendezvous.
211 King St. No phone.

Cocoliquot
If Cocoliquot was a woman, it would be a polished socialite with that impeccable outfit, handbag, cocktail ring and of course, the flawless manicure. The French restaurant’s atmosphere is one that just might prompt you to kiss a friend on both cheeks when you greet them for drinks, European-style. The sunny yellow and reddish-orange walls blend with blond wood and contrast with cool stainless steel appliances for a comfortably approachable, yet rich, look. What to order? The chocolates, made daily, and of course, a cocktail like the Bumblebee or Pink Sangria.
225 King St. 255-2626. cocoliquot.com

Eno Vino
This far west side restaurant injects big-city ambiance into a strip mall, believe it or not. Walk in and be instantly impressed with the beautiful décor: low lighting, warm walls, leather banquettes, the open kitchen and dark wood bar, beautifully stocked with a vast selection of wines and liquors, perfect for any cocktail you could imagine. I think Eno Vino’s attention to design is a concept that’s worth replicating as new establishments open in our fine city.
601 Junction Rd. 664-9565. eno-vino.com

Street Style

I like people watching. That’s why I like NYLON magazine’s Street: The NYLON Book of Global Style. I received the book as a Christmas gift and I read it instantly. It’s 250 pages of photos of people off the street from seven influential fashion “capitals” (as the magazine dubs them) of the world: London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, New York, Melbourne and Tokyo. NYLON’s editor-in-chief Marvin Scott Jarrett writes in the book: “Fashion doesn’t exist in a bubble. To us, it’s not only rich people, models, and they type of people who slavishly adhere to runway trends: we see it as a living, breathing reflection of cultural and social currents …”
I like this book because it illustrates the idea that fashion is accessible to all, and it means something different to everyone. Some people dress to stand out; some dress to fit in; some dress to communicate something about themselves. Whatever your concept of “fashion” is—Target, thrift store or Theory—this book shows how these style arbiters from across the globe show who they are.

Street: The NYLON Book of Global Style, $24.95.
Available through special order at University Book Store, 711 State St. 257-3784. uwbookstore.com

It Will Make an Impression

Drive on over the Milwaukee Art Museum before September 9 to see Pissarro: Creating the Impressionist Landscape. I plan on going to learn about the career of Camille Pissarro, the pioneering artist of Impressionism. I don’t profess to know a lot about art, but I do like Impressionist painters like Mary Cassatt, Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne. It is the MAM’s first major Impressionist exhibition.
Not only is the MAM beautiful (have you seen the Santiago Calatrava-designed pavilion yet? If not, go!), but it’s got the best view of Lake Michigan, especially gorgeous this time of year.
Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr. 414-224-3220. mam.org

Affordable? Vera Wang?

I have long lusted after Vera Wang’s dinnerware and serve ware when I stop by Macy’s home department. Never mind that I never host dinner parties or make anything fancy to eat … I just like it!
Wang is also arguably one of the most well known bridal designers with her dresses ranging in the thousands of dollars for that special day. In fact, Madison Magazine highlighted one of Wang’s “Maids” dresses from Premiere Couture in our May wedding guide. The floor-length crepe creation was a beautiful eggplant color with a deep V-neck and a satin inset at the waist. Certainly fit for a beautiful wedding!
Now Wang is navigating the ready-to-wear “mass market” (she has long designed high-end ready-to-wear fashions; her flagship store is in New York City and her fashions are sold through high-end department stores like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman) by introducing a line at Kohl’s! Now I admit, I’m not the biggest Kohl’s shopper, but I have been impressed lately here and there with some of their newer lines like Daisy Fuentes and Nine & Co. And I plan on going when Simply Vera launches.
Wang’s Simply Vera line, from what I read, is very moderately priced. The fall campaign’s ads have a Wizard of Oz theme and models don mostly black and gray tops and skirts with jolts of bright purple and gold accents. The models wear pieces with ruffles, bubble skirts, and there’s lots of layering and pieces of different lengths, all hot trends this fall.
Kohl’s is even making an appearance at Times Square—on a billboard introducing Wang’s line. Her line will launch September 9 at the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based retailer.
Also, read this article from last week’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about the Simply Vera line.

Kohl’s, 7401 West Towne Way. 833-9293.
2501 W. Broadway. 221-7620.
2602 East Springs Dr. 246-3022.
Kohls.com

New Stores!

I like to think we have a good thing going here in terms of our shopping scene in Madison. But similar to my philosophy on shoes, I don’t think I can ever have enough.
Outdoor enthusiasts (and trendy UW–Madison students who don their fleeces) will be excited to hear that The North Face is opening at Hilldale on August 3rd. The new store is located across from the Macy’s entrance and boasts 4,500 square feet. They’ll carry performance apparel, equipment and footwear. The specialty store will no doubt fit right in with Hilldale’s upscale feel and target the city’s very active and fitness-focused population. The Hilldale location is the company’s fifteenth in the nation.
There aren’t a whole lot of locally owned specialty kitchen stores in Madison—I usually think of Orange Tree Imports and Tellus Mater, not to mention All Through The House in Stoughton. Now another store is adding some spice: The Kitchen Gallery at 1354 Williamson St. Owner Roz Anderson says shoppers will find a broad mixture of kitchenware, serve ware and gourmet foods in her space, which opened July 3rd.
IndoMalay Gallery in Fitchburg features “distinctive handcrafted products of Indonesia & Malaysia,” bath and body items, and artwork. Owner Matt Castagnet’s concept sounds somewhat similar to Indocara’s (located downtown) modern Asian furnishings angle, but IndoMalay appears to focus more on gallery aspect with decorative home items and artwork. Check out the store at their grand opening celebration on August 9th.
And finally, the news I’m most excited about: Anthropologie is opening a store in Madison this fall! Now, I don’t know where it’s going to be yet (I’ve spoken to a couple of people and they don’t know either), but the store’s website says they’re opening a location here and are hiring store managers, display coordinators and the like.
Anthropologie stores have a smart mix of clothing that appeal to laid-back types and trend-forward sisters who crave the latest and greatest in fashion, premium denim in current styles, lingerie and cool home décor items.
The Philadelphia-based retailer’s brands also include Free People and Urban Outfitters stores.

The North Face, 702 N. Midvale Blvd. thenorthface.com
The Kitchen Gallery, 1354 Williamson St., 467-6544
IndoMalay, 2690 Research Park Dr., Fitchburg. 213-4521. indomalay.com
anthropologie.com

Sales and Events to Hit up This Weekend

Dog Daze of Summer tent sale at Bohemian Bauble. Everything is fifteen percent off at this adorable and artsy little enclave on Lakeside Street. August 4th, 10a–4p. 404 W. Lakeside St. 333-2646. bohobauble.com

Johnson Creek Premium Outlets’ Back-to-School and Fall Preview Sidewalk Sale. Check out sixty designer and name brand outlet stores. August 3–5. 515 W. Linmar Ln., Johnson Creek. 920-699-4111. premiumoutlets.com/johnsoncreek

Greenway Station’s Third Annual ArtFest. More than thirty-five of the area’s artists will participate in a juried art exhibition and sale. Live entertainment, kids’ activities and art available for viewing. August 4th, 10a–5p, August 5th, noon–4p. Greenway Station, 1620 Deming Way. greenwayshopping.com

Madison Arts Crawl. Join other art enthusiasts on this “gallery night.” Participating gallery spaces include Absolutely Art, Escape Java Joint, Fanny Garver Gallery, Ma.Cha/Hue Art Gallery, and more. madisonforce.org

Stylemaker Q&A

Layla Martin, owner of drunknBUTTERFLY, 845 E. Johnson St. (full disclosure: Martin’s husband, Wes, is associate art director at Madison Magazine).
Originally from Los Angeles, Martin moved here one year ago and opened drunknBUTTERFLY with husband Wes. This contemporary and stylish “lifestyle boutique” with an urban edge has clothing, accessories and shoes for men and women. I spoke with Martin to get the lowdown on her store, her personal style and one of the best deals she’s ever scored.

What’s your background?
I worked in retail [in L.A.] for of number of years as a buyer and manager. I went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. When we moved here, I was working as an assistant to interior designers.

What is your personal style?
It depends on the day of the week and the mood. There are times I like to be boyish in tennis shoes, jeans and a top. And there are times I like to be girly and wear heels, jeans and a cute top. I really like black right now.
I also like purples and blues and something with pop to it. I find that with shoes you can always do that, and add a cute pair of shoes, and it can really change your outfit.

How is Los Angeles style different from Madison style?
People are far more adventurous in L.A. as style goes. They’ll wear totally out there, kooky things (she laughs).
I think the movie industry as well as an evolving fashion industry has a huge effect on how people dress in the city. Most people move to L.A. to become a part of the industry and if you live there, it’s almost unavoidable.
Girls will buy Louis Vuitton or Chanel—they’ll spend their whole paycheck on things like that. They go out to the “it” club of the week and sort of make a spectacle of themselves. In a way people are constantly trying to outdo one another, looking for that one article of clothing, shoes or accessory that will make them stand out. It’s quite a sight to behold … I quite miss it, almost like watching a fashion show every time you go out or walk down the street. There’s not a lot of impulse buys here. In California it’s definitely more impulsive and spendy than it is here.

Anything you like or dislike about the style in Los Angeles or Madison?
Los Angeles: The over-the-top sensibility. People put together over-the-top things. They’re really bold with color, and strange patterns and mixes with outfits. They’re just not afraid to try things (she laughs). Most natives have quite a different style than those that aren’t. L.A. kids have a little more grit and more of a true sense of style that is all their own … they are more comfortable in their own skin.
In Madison it’s not a lack of style, more like a lack of choices. Take H&M opening, for instance. You can go to the stores in New York, L.A., Chicago even, and the options are a million times better than what’s offered up here. Really it’s insulting in a way, do the buyers think that Madisonians wouldn’t want the other option? I think they do, in fact, I know they do, and that in its essence is why we opened our doors, to give another option.
Oh and the one style I truly hate in Madison: Ugg boots! They are meant to be worn around the house or after you get done surfing or snowboarding. Definitely shouldn’t be worn in the snow and rain.

How is drunknBUTTERFLY different from other Madison retailers?
We bring style from the coast here to the Midwest. We’re always making sure to carry things that other people aren’t carrying. With what we do in terms of the genre we are in (we call ourselves a lifestyle boutique), it’s sort of an extension of who Wes and I are. Most of the boutiques that are in the genre we’re in don’t have female buyers. So we are a different sensibility than them.
I mean, sometimes I like to wear T-shirts and sometimes I like to wear dresses. Being with Wes, I always would go and shop in those types of stores, and well, there was nothing I would really want to buy.

What are the top trends drunknBUTTERFLY will be carrying for the fall?
For women: Dresses, across the board, everyone seems to be doing dresses. More knitwear and heavier dresses in wools and whatnot.
In our streetwear-geared lines: More cut and sew instead of standard T-shirts. More intricate details that might you not have seen before. More prints and cool patterns as well.
I’m seeing a muted color palette: grays, purples (not vivid); more earth tones.
In accessories, we’re adding more accessory lines. More silver and quirky stuff like things with antlers and strange things (she laughs).
We will carry more of Tashana Kjelland, whose things are made out of wood or painted origami paper. Earrings, necklaces—each piece is unique.

What will you be picking up for this fall from your store?
We will carry really great knit Wesc dresses. There’s one that I really, really like. It’s sort of a bright blue, three-quarter sleeved. It has a cable knit to it. It’s interesting, something different. I like sweater dresses.
For men, we’ll have an old-school fisherman-type looking sweater. It’s Merino wool and it’s the softest, most beautiful thing.
We’ll have really great Adidas shoes this fall. I’ll probably get a pair in every style we get!

Do you have a favorite clothing retailer (besides yourself, of course)?
Halle’s Vintage Shoppe in Mazomanie. The selection is impeccable and the store is what a vintage shop should look like; it’s perfection.
I like what Context is doing for men. I find it interesting.
Other than that, I just haven’t had the time to venture out.

Favorite retailer(s) for housewares or other items?
I love The Century House. I think it’s the best thing in the whole wide world (she laughs).
The Glitter Workshop always has cool, gifty things.
It’s sad Jade Workshop is leaving! (She thinks they’re closing on July 28th of this month). Pick More Daisies, too, I like that place.

Since you’ve worked in interior design, what buildings do you like in Madison for design?
Restaurant Magnus. I like the idea of Natt Spil. The idea that they don’t have a phone, that’s kind of funny. Cha-Cha is fun. It totally goes with the style of the hair they do. It works. Hubbard Avenue Diner is cute as far as a diner goes.

Does your sense of style carry over into your home? Is it pretty contemporary?
I adore mid-century design. I’m sort of obsessed with it. I tend to buy it, and I have to buy it.

What’s your favorite item in your home?
A Scandinavian-looking bar. It opens like a cupboard and there’s a mirror in the back. We found it at this weird random antique store in Albuquerque for seventy dollars. It’s probably worth five hundred dollars.

drunknBUTTERFLY, 845 E. Johnson St. 256-9119. drunknBUTTERFLY.com