located in the boroughs of capitol hill, we found ourselves at TOP POT.

ON THE TABLE:
glazed old fashioned
raspberry filled
bavarian creme filled
diplomat coffee
a glass of milk

afternoon snack? totally.

brit, olive, and i wouldn’t stop walking until we found the perfect place to eat. and we did, at oddfellows.

the front windows were tall, the ones that can open and close like french doors on a daily basis. the space was incredibly large, but all the tables were filled. the window tables were for dates only. the other tables consisted of booths, back terrace fake garden seating, and white picnic tables- where we were seated. the table was garnished with dried lavender sprigs and around 8:20pm the candles were lit on every table.

it was soon after we were seated that we knew our quest for the deserved dinner spot was granted. we decided to share a handful of appetizers to experience oddfellows to the fullest.

ON THE TABLE:
corn fritters with garlic aoli
french fries with garlic aoli
squash soup with fresh crab
asparagus with poached egg and frisèe
a bibb salad with green goddess
roast beet & chevre salad with pistachio vinaigrette & greens

this was my most favorite meal in all of seattle. the food was decadent and divine, and the atmosphere was close to perfection.

wine and pink champagne, cheers!

ON THE TABLE:
Yaogurt, noix et miel: yogurt with honey and walnuts
Pain au chocolat << à l’ancienne>>: bittersweet chocolate melted on baguette

it was a wonderful french café with pea green tables, wooden booths, tall ceilings, vintage baby green wallpaper, a wall of windows, beautiful men, and most delectably, a bi-weekly french conversation table.

we had a light, lush breakfast with coffee, an open journal, and a wide open schedule for an adventurer’s big day.

we were mules walking up Olive Way Rd. with all of our travel bags. THE SAINT was a sight for sore eyes with a  beautiful turquoise stucco shell. the building was on a corner and brightened up the whole street. i immediately knew it would be a favorite.

we decided to hit up THE SAINT for happy hour and i, per usual, was overwhelmed with goodness as this place fulfilled all my dining expectations. the walls were covered with black and white prints of matadors and everything else accented turquoise and white. tequila is their specialty,

ON THE TABLE:
HERMANO: tequila, lemon and lime.
MAÑANA: sauza silver tequila with elderflower, blue curacao and sour mix made from scratch
CUCUMBER COCKTAIL: cucumber and lemon, gin and cassis, with a dash of housemade agave syrup
NACHOS: beans, queso fresco, jalepeno, pico de gallo, and housemade guacamole.

the atmosphere was so laid back with a lower and upper dining level (playing off the hills of seattle), dried roses, georgia o’keeffe animal bones, wooden bars, tables of friends, and lots of tequila.

this was a phenomenal place and if i lived in seattle permanently, it would definitely be on my list of most frequented restaurants. if you go to seattle, this is a MUST!

betsy came back from argentina with a ring on her finger. and what better way to celebrate this excitement than an impromptu bachelorette breakfast at san chez cafe. 5 of us gathered on a beautiful wednesday morning to bring proper recognition of this new future!

ON THE TABLE:
fresh spinach and tomato with goat cheese omelet
traditional breakfast: eggs, potatoes, bacon, toast
goat cheese and asparagus omelet
cinnamon french toast- served in a skillet. way too scrumptious!
1 chai tea latte
celebratory mimosas all around

as we were waiting for our eats, i was admiring the sunshine coming through the windows and the vibrant colors in the place. i was thinking that if i were traveling through grand rapids, this would be the perfect breakfast spot for  a walkable-destination-breakfast-for-an-out-of-towner.

our food was delicious, but the company and friendship shared today was the best part. there is nothing better than sharing in an exciting life with those you love.

cheers!

breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out for. and milk&honey hit the spot. located on a busy street with many eateries to choose from, we landed at milk&honey, thanks to recommendations by locals. the layout was fresh, simple, self-serve, and inexpensive.

ON THE TABLE:
yogurt and granola bowl; house-made granola, vanilla yogurt, fit with crisp apple and strawberry chunks.
breakfast panini; scrambled egg, tomato, cheddar cheese, bacon.

we sat outdoors on wooden tables adorned by terracotta pots of cacti and watched other singles, couples, and families trickle in an out with newspapers, babies, and dogs. we drank intelligentsia coffee and sipped as the hot summer sun beat down on our happy hearts. it was nearly 10am and we were already sweating. i am not usually a yogurt-and-granola-for-breakfast girl, but m&h’s version blew me away. in fact we went back the next day to eat our hearts out, again, on this fabulous house favorite.

once again, hearts were filled by new flavors and new experiences. each day is new and i thank God for that.

after hearing much about this wicker park staple, i finally got the chance to experience it for myself. Big Star is constantly bustling with people, conversations, dim lights and tacos. the outdoor seating area is just as big as the indoors, characterized primarily by the yellow chairs. to the right of the main restaurant is a take-out area where anyone can walk up and take out. the story of Big Star is here, and just so happens to be a part of a tasty culinary family in the heart of chicago.

ON THE TABLE:
tacos de panza: crispy, braised pork belly, tomato guajillo sauce, queso fresco, onion, cilantro.
tostado de pollo: wood grilled chicken thigh, arbol salsa, yogurt, pickled red onion, cucumber, queso fresco.
chips and guacamole: avocado, lime, onion, serrano pepper, cilantro.

BEST:
canned TECATE with crushed lime inside
the guacamole, was the best i’ve ever had
1 taco was only $3
and friends, of course, complete any experience.

i loved it because it was simple, fresh, and true to its roots. and because there is nothing like a late-night taco.

while visiting my brother alex at his home in breckenridge, he took us to columbine cafe for a john denver mountain breakfast. after driving 22 hours into the middle of the country, and after snacking endlessly on twizzlers, jellie bellies, mcdonald’s and chocolate covered almonds; we were in dire need of a solid meal. the morning was a great time for this.

ON THE TABLE:
lyndi ordered the biscuits and gravy: peppery, flavorful, and creamy
abby ordered the breakfast sandwich: bagel, scrambled eggs, sausage, cheddar cheese, and a side of hashbrowns
sarah ordered the breakfast sandwich: bagel toasted to perfection, thick apple smoked bacon, eggs over easy, cheddar cheese, and a side of hasbrowns
danielle ordered the breakfast sandwich: toasted english muffin, bacon, scrambled eggs, cheddar
madelyn ordered the texas french toast
kelly ordered the veggie hash with broccoli, mushrooms, and hashbrowns
alex and  i ordered huevos rancheros and the texas french toast to share.

 plus hazelnut coffee to go around.
regina, the woman of few words, waited our table.
alexander, the man among men, treated all of us to this breakfast.
what a gentleman.

north damen avenue
chicago, illinois

it was the most magical bar experience i have ever had  shared with two of the most delectable people i have ever known. looking for an afternoon drink, joe took sarah and i to the VIOLETHOUR. with a few minutes to spare before opening we waited until the nonchalant doorman let us in. the outside of the bar was decorated with paper birds on white antiqued wood; and the door, hidden.

once given permission to enter, we found our way through the dark hallway and the tall, thick velvet drapes to be seated. when the curtains were pulled back, the splendor of the bar was revealed. with van morrison music playing lightly in the background, it was beautiful. it seemed as though the whole place was lit only by oil candlelight and a fireplace in the back. the waitress (armed with a petite oil lamp on her waitress tray) seated us in the back room with the fireplace on high backed victorian blue chairs.

as we discussed the cocktails we were going to experiment, the kitchen door kept flinging open, with the sounds of the new Fleet Foxes album. it was all too charming.

ON THE TABLE:
Dark & Stormy: brugal anejo, lime, cruzan black strap, house ginger syrup
Gun Shop Sazerac: rittenhouse Rye, Maison surrenne, Cognac, peychaud’s Bitters, herbsaint
Giralamo Sour: cynar, gin, egg whites

not many experiences could top this one.
all is well in the violethour.

TOAST is a wonderful, wonderful hustling, bustling restaurant. TOAST is a neighborhood joint. my best friends and i travelled to visit our dear friend danielle for the day. the sun was bright and the drive, a delight. we stopped by starbucks to get our free dark roast coffees (thank you uncle david for saving the coffee bags) and also picked up the burly sunday edition of The New York Times. needless to day, our sabbath was off to a promising start.

the day continued as we arrived, meeting up with our other dear friend leighton. leighton was driving to florida to start a brand new job and graced us with his presence, a tasty michigan send-off from TOAST. the day never stopped being beautiful and we also all know how refreshing a road trip is.

ON THE TABLE:
greek omelet
veggie burrito
mushroom omelet
cinnamon challah

THE ONE THAT TOOK THE CAKE:
the cure: home fries topped with fried eggs, sausage, gravy, garden chili, cheddar, and herbs.

it was a beautiful day, one that required sunglasses at every second. a fresh break from the winter blues. take the time to go somewhere new and enjoy every bit of it. life is too short and too precious to keep doing the same old thang.