"Every demon wants his pound of flesh..."

This week was busy, but full of good things.

Halloween was this week which is absolutely fantabulous!...

but that was also the inevitable end of October, which is one of my favourite months of the year due to it's heavy inspirational take-over. The spookiness was in full swing on Monday and I am so glad some plans came my way.

Not having plans on Halloween sort of feels like not having plans on your birthday.

One of my girlfriends was in town last week and came by to catch up, which is always so nice and so necessary. It was cut early because I had a train to catch into the city, at 4:51 to be exact. So I wasn't planning on dressing up...

That changed when Caitlyn mentioned it and I kind of felt like that meant I had to...

which meant that I really wanted to in the first place.

Of course I had fancied the idea, but I knew we would be going out with my counterpart and his friend, so I didn't want to pull my usual crazy shit. But I did anyway and this was the result; luckily I have random flower headbands around my wardrobe, green dresses, and bright yellow cardigans.

So I took the train to the city to meet my partner (who happened to be beckoned to the city for work) and his buddy, who both seemed to dig my flower get up, by the way.
I was the only one dressed up in the whole place. No big deal.
We met at Sepia, where I fell in love with the drink menu (and the atmosphere) and ordered easily;

 

This isn't the full menu, it is just the shot of what I wanted to try most and what I actually did try;

Sepia Mule, French 75, Boston Martha

I chose the Sepia Mule. I have been wanting to try a Moscow Mule for some time now and I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

I chose it twice and both times it was delicious.

If I ever go back it will be quite the toss up.
I'm sorry, when I go back.

The bartender was great, I recommended he wear a bow-tie, he was that kind of dude.

The fellas have some difficulty tying the suckers!

 

Here was the menu I drooled over even as I knew Portillo's was on the horizon.

When it comes to dining, I'm not stupid. I may be a Portillo's addict, but if meals like this appear on paper in front of me, I'm going to have different desires.

These just look absolutely exquisite.

Of course, the drink is my beloved Sepia Mule. It was absolutely delicious and dangerous and totally did the job. It was a jolly train ride back. That's the worst about just going for drinks, your buzz is enjoyed on the seats of a Metra car...ehhhh.

Here was my Halloween din-din!

Oh the joys of living in Illinois! (there are so few these days...)

A chili dog, cup of chili, and a small fry just felt night on such a fright night!

So on to another adored beverage of mine;

So I picked up these little gems at Adagio while in Downtown Naperville earlier this week. Seriously, if there is a tea shop in walking distance, I'm there!

I had been wanting to try the sweet potato pie since the last time I had been there and had a feeling that was going to be a seasonal treat. So I scooped up a bag...should have scooped up three more.

This is a dazzling close up of the sweet potato pie tea and it is so delicious in the most peculiar way. It is a starchy Ceylon black tea. It contains hints of marigold leaves, cinnamon bark, and natural sweet potato flavour. I just can't believe how delicious it becomes when used in concoction- with MARSHMALLOWS!

I find that adding 'mallows is the BEST way to go about drinking this tea.

It literally tastes like a Thanksgiving accompaniment in a cup.

A lot of people have unfavourable things to say about it, however, I don't need my tea to be overwhelmingly sweet. It is perfect for this time of year. I wouldn't necessarily steep this sucker in the summer. Was

{CASUAL FRIDAY RECAP}

Tights: both pairs, Forever 21 Skirt: Gap, thirfted BRAND NEW! Originally $50, scored for $5

Sweater: given to me by my mom (so soft!) Boots: Doc Martens-1940's Jacket: Forever 21

 

I felt the whole thing was very good-felt very 90's.

 and the best part was that I enjoyed wearing this outfit immensely.

Especially the skirt! What a remarkable find.

Of course, another huge thing happened this week.

C E R E M O N I A L S

DROPPED.

Please tell me you got your copy?

I am over the moon about it.

I will talk about it more at length, but it is worthy of it's own little post.

Stay tuned!!

Saturday's Occurences

[About Saturday]

So yesterday it was super nice out for it being eight days into October in Chicago.

My counterpart had a day date planned with car repair and I knew if I wanted a fun day, it would be totally up to me. I texted a few people, thought about taking a train into the city to roam around by myself, or bounced around the idea of driving back out to Naperville to spend it with my parents. I had a super good feeling about this one. Lunch downtown, followed by meandering through the blocks and heading into the Riverwalk was the game plan. We ate lunch outside at Hugo's Frogbar, and then proceeded to walk around. My parents have never been in an Apple store. I know, I KNOW.  I feel like a big reason for this is because my parents both hate crowds in addition to high priced gadgets that they feel serve them no purpose. I am totally against the idea because I know how busy it was going to be on a day like that in downtown Naperville. I warned them of this, but we continued to walk to it anyway. There was a tiny shrine outside for Mr. Jobs and my mom refused to let me place my iPod headphones along the bouquets of flowers. I don't think she quite realizes that I have countless pairs around the house. Her reason? "I need new headphones, if you're just going to put them on the ground, I'm going to just pick them up & use them". Needless to say, they are still in my purse. At this point we are now outside the doors and my parents are just kind of anxiously looking in and my mom is like, "Do you really want to do this?" and my dad said "No." So my parents have still never been into an Apple store. I applaud them for this. It's just a bloody awful experience, grimy fingers swiping countless iPads, kids taping away on the Macs, and 182,219 employees just dying to ring your purchase right in the middle of the store, or on the side of the store or wherever the hell you want to purchase your item because they can. It is kind of like my standing with Denny's. I've never been in one, and I have no desire to ever go in one.

So we continued on and I had wanted tea and I ditched the Starbucks idea after seeing that 20 people were parked in line at one of the three downtown locations. I decided to take it on over to Adagio Tea. I had never been here and was kind of expecting a mix between a Starbucks & an Argo Tea. However, it was more like Teavana. I was so excited and my parents were tea enthused as well;

 

You were able to smell everything on your own, which I loved. I hate having to ask employees to smell the tea, especially at Teavana because you are smelling out of the bin that people purchase the tea from. I could have gone around the room smelling and comparing the teas all day. I absolutely loved it. I smelled the Cocomint Green and it pretty much sealed the deal, really solid combination. Ideal for morning or after dinner, because you get the kick from the tea, and the sweetness from the chocolate & mint for after you chow down.

But I am dying to taste this sweet potato pie. I'm hoping they have these teas year round, and not just seasonally.

I cannot wait to go back there, hopefully it will be sooner than later.

We walked across the street to a little shop called Serendipity. It's a super mini thrift that gives back to charity.

Last time I was here they had some lime green Doc's in the window for $25!! Unfortunately they were a size too big and my mom has some serious disdain for certain bright colored accessories. This time they had a fabulous plaid patterned Pendleton** coat, wedding dresses, and this gem;

 

for $6!

WHERE ARE YOU, LADIES?! Let's be friends.

Red Hat Society

along the riverwalk.

If you're unfamiliar, the Riverwalk in Naperville is sort of a big deal to people who live around the area, for it is rather awesome; click here for more

[the 'fit]

 

Boots: thrifted Goodwill $4 Tights: Forever21

I can't say I'm a fan of the Marilyn Monroe statue downtown Chicago...

But this Dick Tracy one is all the rage in my book.

There is a great little story about it [here]

I guess we can top it off with this excitement;

OH YEAH, BABY! RETWEETED BY XRT!

Tessa__Gee Tessa Groll 

Hell yes! Terri played some new @flo_tweet and I screamed when it came on. so good! @93xrt

8 Oct Favorite Reply Delete

All in all, it was a really good day. I really wanted to spend the day outside doing something fun. I was glad that day included the rents as well as one of my close girlfriends and her companion. Everyone has the "get outside" mentality this weekend. I'm mustering up the anticipation to take a stroll around the neighborhood. Keep it real.

[show line-up tonight]

Sunday Night Football. The Good Wife. Breaking Bad. Dexter

**I have the BEST luck when it comes to scoring Pendleton goods in Thrift stores. I was in the Portland Goodwill about a year ago and there was this phenomenal floor length red coat. I tried it on and about three other people that were in the store flocked over and insisted that I needed to buy it. It was $50 and I knew this coat would last me forever. I decided to take the advice of the store-goers and I bought it. So yesterday I was in front of this plaid coat and my mom and I had struck up conversation with this woman and her friend visiting from New York. She also adored the coat and said "Hey, you know try that on, if it fits and your mom doesn't get it for you, I will." Unfortunately, it was pretty big and it did not make its way into my life, but feel fortunate for finding such things.