anne of green gables said it best – october is a glorious month, and this one was no exception.  i know that november is already halfway over, but as always with my posting, it’s better late than never.  [and back in september, i posted fall pictures from last year, and that makes me feel significantly better when i realize that these are only a couple weeks late.  it’s an improvement!]  anyway, you’ll find that these photos are admittedly not as october-y as they ought to be, at least in my opinion.  in my head, the photos in an october post are all of changing leaves, fall colors, and lots of nature, but that’s unfortunately not really the case in this post [besides the first couple photos, which are nature-y, although not necessarily autumn-y] and it’s kind of a random assortment of stuff.  but pretty nature pix or not, i heart october.

{the month began with a quick work trip to some cucumber fields in georgia…}

{…which included a pretty awesome meal at 306 north in valdosta.  i’m always a sucker for a tomato salad, and then the entree was scallops with caper beurre blanc and sautéed spinach and the best sweet potatoes i’ve ever had in my life – they were grilled and truffle-rubbed and who even knows what else.  sooooooooo good.}

{a view of dallas and some good news.}

{just the usual downtown dallas pictures from when i’m headed to culinary school.} 

{and today, she wore purple.}

{i knowwwww that these are *almost* the same photo but i couldn’t decide which one was better so i included both.  maggiano’s new lighter take shrimp fra diavolo is one of the healthiest items on the menu and it is so delicious that you’d never think it could possibly be healthy.}

{selfiez}

{my favorite babydog who lovessssssss to sleep in in the mornings.}

{UM, check out this lovely new doormat that i got from walmart for $11.  and my little awkward turtle on my bed, wondering why the heck i have so many clothes and pillows up there and looking pretty miserable because he wants down.  don’t worry, i helped him down as soon as i snapped this photo.} :)

{from a date at rise°1 with my friend rebecca.  we go once every month or so and always try a restaurant we’ve never been to.}

{we both ordered a dark chocolate mint soufflé for dinner… here it is when they brought it out and when i poked the hole in it and poured warm chocolate sauce inside!  so yummy!}

{and one day i woke up and realized that my advanced pastry shop class was already halfway over.  it’s unbelievable the way time flies…}

{i discovered that sip|stir near my house has awesome cold-brewed coffee.  and on the right, i think i want to live here.}

{visiting my friend julee at her new home in krum, tx.  these cute little shops are right across the street from her neighborhood.}

{for the love of small town cuteness.}

{because sometimes you just have to eat like a five-year-old.  although i’m pretty sure my mom would have never let me eat like this, even at five…}

{even though it’s blurry, i just had to post a pic of julee’s adorable new pup, lila.  and here’s me dressing for halloween matching lila.} :)

{cakes from the cake decorating class that i peeked at in the fridge during culinary school.  the ladybug cake was made by a girl in my group.  and i felt super creepy opening the bikini cake… like i was creeping on someone in the dressing room or something.  and then i took a picture of it.  awkward.}

{this little guy came to visit us at the office one afternoon.  as you can tell by that adorable, earnest little face, we were able to get lots done that day.  #not}

{i love pumpkin season!}

{dressing up for halloween is so fun!  i had to break out the bat leggings and kitty headband for our work fall festival, and then my coworker convinced me to draw on some whiskers.}

{our fall fest!  i was in charge of the pumpkin painting booth… and there are all the cute little pumpkins that kids painted, set out in the grass to dry.}

{on actual halloween, i brought this cake to the office that we’d made in culinary school.  it was a devils food cake with a thick layer of peanut butter mousse in the middle, covered in chocolate frosting and finished with a chocolate glaze.  it was definitely a hit – super rich but super good.  and that picture on the right was approximately 30 minutes before i went into a chocolate peanut butter coma.}

{…and there were other halloween goodies too…}

{this was who i had to sit next to on october 31st!  and i halfway dressed as my own corporate america version of holly golightly from breakfast at tiffany’s.}

{i tried lots of new restaurants this month!  on the left is a yummy dinner at so & so’s, and on the right, tacos + guac + margs on the patio at fernando’s.}

{and my coworker took me to the best korean restaurant, seoul garden.}

{bright lips.  and just call me wild hair girl.}

{love this sky, love this couple!}

{…and because i love ending posts with sunsets…}

october, you were real good.  and now it’s officially the holiday season!  woohooooooo! :)