I can’t believe its been a year and a half since Mr Yolo left his full-time gig and joined ISpyDIY to renovate properties full time. It’s been an amazing journey. But, renovating rental properties is a ton of work! After gutting three, I’ll admit that it’s nice to sit back and watch renovations from afar, ha! These are just a few of my favorite IG accounts who have renovated homes and turned them into beautiful properties that you can visit! Since all our short-term rental businesses took a hit recently, I figured now was the perfect time to spread the love to some of my favorite short-term rentals. Since the world is starting to open up again, now is a great time to pack up the whole family and head out on a long weekend.
@yellowbrickhome
The first of my favorite Airbnbs is called The Treehouse! Located 80 miles outside Chicago in Southwestern Michigan, Kim and Scott’s lakeside retreat offers the cozy relaxation we’ve all been needing during 2020. These two are SO FUN to follow on IG, and there posts are so informational. They quit their full time gigs to blog full-time, and raise their little girl, which is a story near to my heart. They are currently working on one heck of duplex renovation; a must follow!
Catherine and Bryan are both husband and wife and design partners! Their four Airbnb locations in Columbus, Ohio range from historic townhomes to eclectic escapes that will leave you speechless. There before & afters are unbelievable!! And I love that they renovate with their little girl in tow. I see a roadtrip in our future!
Someone once said, “There is no such thing as bad beer, just great beer, and beer.” Well, at least someone probably said that. If not, then I just did, so that someone would be me… which is why I’m taking you on a Milwaukee Craft Brewery Tour today.
I love living in Milwaukee, known as Brew City, due to its legacy of creating this country’s biggest and most iconic breweries. Due to the corporate nature of the modern era, the only true remnant of those bygone glory days is the buildings those breweries once occupied. The last old brewery in its somewhat “original” form is Miller, which is now MillerCoors. No joke, on a tour the introduction video said, “We have combined the best of the Great Lakes with the best of the Rocky Mountains.” That was half hilarious, half sad.
So it’s no surprise that the push back on conglomerates and mass production has taken the form of craft brewing. Eight years ago, I boldly stated (wrongly) that the craft beer market in Milwaukee was completely saturated, and there is no way one more brewery could succeed. Since then, it feels like 1,000 breweries have popped up and are thriving in their own way. Fine by me. I’m good with being wrong if it means I can walk from my house to three different tap rooms.
I’ve broken down some of my favorite breweries into made-up categories (more winners that way) to create a Milwaukee Craft Brewery Tour . If you go to a brewery that’s not on here and had a great time, I would not be surprised one bit. Just like there is no bad beer, there is no bad brewery in this town.
COVID-19 Disclaimer: All of the following locations on this Milwaukee Craft Brewery Tour require masks and social distancing, with their own COVID-19 policies in place.Please check their websites ahead of visiting to comply with their requirements.
Eagle Park Brewing Company — This place keeps winning awards. I used to think beer awards were on par with this list (made up, so there are more winners). And maybe that’s still the case, but these guys at Eagle Park are deserving of everything they get. The beer is phenomenal. Check that. EVERY beer there is phenomenal. If you’re looking to try the best and take home a souvenir or two for your beer nerd/snob friends, make sure you stop here.
Best Spaces
Enlightened Brewing Company — The new Enlightened brewery is in a beautiful, sprawling old warehouse building. The taproom/seating area is spacious and invitingly cozy. This would make a great event space. Pool, darts, foosball, and video games occupy a corner of the room. And get this, they are FREE! The way things should be. There’s no food in the space yet (you can order in), but I hear that’s supposed to change soon.
My BFF Big Papi loved this place. Pre-COVID, our neighborhood friend group had a standing 5:00 Friday gathering here. I miss the sounds of clanking beer glasses, barking dogs, laughing kids, and a whole lot of conversation.
It’s starting to feel like Fall around here, but that’s not going to stop me from spending as much time as I can outside! So I decided to transform a little area outside our fence into a potting station. Instead of making a mess in the kitchen, my Better Homes & Gardens Outdoor Potting Bench is now my little spot to create arrangements with wildflowers and the bouquets from the farmers market.
I also got a BUNCH of mums to pot and set on the porch. I picked up two Better Homes and Gardens Outdoor Garden Vases. They are SUPER lightweight but look solid. I have them on flanking the front door and love how tall they are! Once the mums wilt (spoiler alert: some have already wilted, because apparently you have to water them everyday, ha!) I am going to put evergreens in them for the Winter.
I have had a few Outdoor Potting Stations that have not lasted long. But the wood on this one looks and feels really durable, and I love the weathered grey finish. Baby Girl LOVES flowers, and is always helping out 🙂 I love little spaces like this where I can be creative. I started blogging over ten years ago doing Fashion DIY and transitioned to Home DIY when I moved from NYC to Milwaukee in 2014. In Manhattan there was no space to DIY in my tiny apartment, so I am so grateful that I now have these areas of my house to work on what I love and make a mess to create something beautiful!
I love this little work area outside the fence by the shed. We always have project going on in this space and the potting station is the perfect addition.
Mr Yolo hung some Vintage Cage Lantern String Lights under the little roof he made for the wood pile. The backyard bonfires are going strong!
