october is such a lovely month – i think it every year.  even when sometimes it’s still pretty warm in texas, there’s just a great feel to the whole month.  the heat is going away, the holidays are coming…  i actually got to experience a true autumn this month, as i went to cleveland for work [you’ll see pictures of it down below] and also visited denver again [photos to come].  the leaves were stunning.

i need to start posting photos from my last semester of culinary school… it’s crazy to think that i only have a month left.  i’m feeling so behind on my blog posts these days so you’ll just have to bear with me as i get through them, slowly but surely!  with the holidays coming up, i don’t anticipate that it will get any easier, but i’ll try to stay on top of things as much as i can.  and after the holidays, i should have much more free time which i’m quite excited about.  we will see what that feels like, and we’ll also see if i can get back to a more regular posting schedule. :)

{the big D}

{it’s all about angles.}

{neighborhood brunching at bread winners.}

{this was a fun weekend.  we brunched, we watched the aggies win, we explored, we ate s’mores, we hung out with friends, we rode the trolley, we went for walks.  and on top of all that, my best friend got engaged to the love of her life and my other best friend got married to the love of her life!  wonderful times.  the photo on the left is from thanks-giving square downtown and the one on the right is of the s’mores at tillman’s roadhouse.}

{on the left, these are two of the best people i know.  they got married and we celebrated!  wishing them a lifetime of love and happiness.  on the right, hanging out with my friend and coworker liza at their reception.}

{i also got to see my lovely friend karuna whom i used to work with!  she is such a dear.  it was a wonderful occasion.}

{the month wouldn’t be complete without some good throwbacks!  i love one on the left, raking leaves with poppy and the dogs in libertyville, IL, 1991.}

{on the left, pumpkin city over at the office!  going all out with a pumpkin bagel, pumpkin shmear, honey almond shmear, and pumpkin spice coffee.  and on the right, i had to bring out the halloween leggings for house-lounging.}

{when you go to culinary school, this is what your fellow students post on facebook.  i’m DYING!}

{and then you send it to your friends and they get worried…} ;)

{on the left, a s’mores donut + coffee from glazed donut works.  and on the right, something a bit more healthful!: rainbow trout sautéed until the skin was nice and crispy, with roasted butternut squash and spinach salad with grapes and pears and my fave persian lime olive and white peach vinegar.}

{what my job often looks like…}

{product review}

{safari or aggie game day?  you decide.}

{brunch at henry’s majestic with my game day buddy, lauren!}

{we heart the sparkle bar.}

{i’m all about the bubbly.} ;)

{beer braised corned beef hash and organic farm egg with leek potatoes.}

{the caption: “we miss jamie!!!”}

{my favorite lunch EVER!  the best nigiri [thick-cut, extremely fresh and good quality salmon and tuna over good sushi rice] with “my” special sauce, at sushi lover!!  but seriously, the sushi chef, frankie, knows me by name and makes it for me the minute i get in…}

{on the left, it was my lucky day thanks to nama!  she sends halloween popcorn every year that i so look forward to!  and on the right, our little boy.}

{the best autumn burrata with butternut squash, roasted garlic reduction, pepitas, wild mushrooms and basil at dough!}

{dough’s pizza is ridiculously good.  on the left, the preston hollow: house-pulled mozzarella, tomato sauce, house-made sausage, calabrian chiles, and caramelized onions.  on the right, the fontina: fontina, oak-roasted mushrooms, caramelized onion, parmigiano reggiano.}

{i got to check out reese wither spoon’s new store draper james in highland park village with mom and mimi.  it was as perfectly preppy and southern as one might imagine.  (you’ll have to excuse my “undone” nails as i know a good southern woman wouldn’t approve… i blame culinary school!)  anyway, i loved draper james and its sweet employees that made us feel welcome with sweet tea and lots of smiles.}

{the margaret hunt hill bridge and a strip of sunset}

{trinity groves for sunday funday with the fam!}

{the kojder kids at LUCK!}

{i always love the calabacitas!}

{one more of ms. margaret!}

{seen at target: donut halloween costume.  i was tempted.  and then a real donut, for your viewing pleasure, because don’t rainbow sprinkles make everything better??}

{i sleep with a lot of pillows lined up on my bed…}

{finally got to try shake shack since it opened up in dallas!}

{i’m all about the string lights.}

{there were lots of people but the line went super fast!}

{i got the smokeshack [cheeseburger topped with all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper, & shakesauce].  hopdoddy is still my burger go-to, but i enjoyed coming here and am definitely going to have to come back to try a shake AND bring shiner because they have a little dog menu!  it’s a fun atmosphere.}

{i was thrilled to get to go out one friday night with these three.  noelle was in town and it was a perfect excuse to get together with lauren and katlyn too – we had a blast.  aaaaaand we got a fishbowl at high fives.}

{that paparazzi flash though.}  ;)

{fun times!}

{haha}

{love these girls!}

{my dad fixed my beloved chandelier lamp!  he’s the best.}

{brunching with mimi, mom, mike, and priscilla at boulevardier.  we missed you, dad!}

{this was yummy – “legs and eggs.”  crisp duck leg confit.  sunny-side up farm eggs.  homestead stone-ground grit cakes.  huckleberry preserves.}

{more of my favorite mazemen ramen from ramen hakata.  and a monarch.}

{these bright and early airport mornings bring me back to my childhood.  when we were really little, we were getting on a plane at least every six weeks or so, about as frequently as i travel now.  because we could fly stand-by, sometimes mom and dad would randomly decide to take a trip [often to visit relatives since at the time we were the only ones in our family to live in TX] and we would get on a flight later that day or early the next morning.  we knew the drill and could do it with our eyes closed – we’d be packed up in 45 minutes to an hour, and mike and i would carry our own backpacks and pull our own little suitcases through the airport and sit quietly on the airplane, entertaining ourselves since we often couldn’t sit next to our parents on the flights.  when we got to be school age, we couldn’t just pack up and go on a whim, but we spent most of our summers traveling, making the trip to and from the airport 5-10 times in a single summer.  to most people, traveling is stressful [at least the getting to and from the destination part] and i won’t pretend that it hasn’t been for me in some instances.  but most of the time, the whole “airport game” feels like a familiar piece of my childhood that i’ve been able to bottle up and take with me into adulthood, and that makes me pretty happy.}

{from my flight into cleveland – so beautiful!  and i checked another state off my list!}

{perfect weather on this day}

{those gold trees…}

{downtown cleveland}

{i’m the type of person who wants to spend time in the city when i go to a new place, but who also wants to see the small towns, the quiet countrysides, and suburban neighborhoods.  suburbia across america actually looks a lot different depending on where you go, and it’s fun to imagine what it’s like growing up in a different place.}

{ohio, your fall leaves are too much!}

{sparkles of rain on the windshield and when i look at those trees dressed in gold and orange and crimson, i say to myself, this is autumn.}

{wow is all i can say!}

{rainy day in cleveland}

{i ate some badass barbecue in cleveland at mabel’s BBQ.  pork spare ribs and J.W. potatoes, mabel’s style.  so good!}

{the old arcade}

{mirror selfies.  one in a fall-colored maxi skirt that i’ve had for years but hadn’t worn in forever… the other in workout clothes.  because we can’t be cute at all times.} ;)

{remember that one time when we were beating the hell outta bama for a hot second??  sigh.  i wish i could forget the rest of that game…and the next two…}

{early morning wakeup calls from the resident cranes… ha.}

{pre-spray-tan and post-spray-tan.  when you’re naturally pale and supposed to be a glowing little pageant toddler for halloween… it’s necessary.}

{i tried local press + brew for the first time!}

{where the cacti grow…}

{someday maybe i’ll do the juice flight, but on this day, it was coffee.}

{saturday morning vibes}

{coconut nitro cold brew coffee…}

{…and avocado chili oil toast.}

{another new place that i tried this month: goodfriend package!}

{this place is cool.}

{they have coffee…}

{and beer.}

{lots of it!}

{and the best breakfast sandwich i’ve ever had!:  the farm egg biscuit sandwich.  one local egg, sausage & white cheddar on a house-made beer biscuit.}

{as a final note, those of you who follow me on instagram may have seen that i created another instagram account, @abitofsweetandcolor.  i’ll continue to post on my personal account like normal, and my other account will be a bit more focused and reserved for those images which are more creatively inspiring.  feel free to check ’em both out and follow one or both if you’d like.  thanks friends!} :)

and that’s all for october, folks!