White

I don't know how to break it to you guys, but summer is ending. I know, I know, it's tragic. This week  was filled with dull days that made me just want to sit in bed and binge watch a bunch of Friends episodes. Sadly, with summer coming to a close, this means schools are opening again. So, however much I may want to stay at home, I just can't. 

I must inform you all that I have quite a love-hate relationship with Fall. Aside from the fashion trends, I love the feeling it gives off. All the warm-colored leaves, slowing falling to the ground, and all of the scents. Everything you can imagine is pumpkin spice. Latte? Pumpkin spice. Pizza? Pumpkin spice. And who could forget about old Halloween movies on ABC Family?! I can't be the only one that lives and breathes for those nights. The best movies are the cheese-y ones that aren't scary at all. It's just all so exciting.

Alright so, I might love it more than hate it, but there are a few things that get to the point of extremely irritating me. The main issue is, none other than, weather. Yes, you guessed it! I'm nowhere near excited for 50 degrees to hit that screen on my weather app. Another thing that I feel is cruel is the fact that mango season is over. Absolutely outrageous.

Now onto the real reason behind this post. Since next week is a fall month, I realized that it will no longer be acceptable to wear so much white anymore (at least in Chicago). Therefore, I pulled out some white ripped jeans and showed everyone what my momma gave me! No, really, my mom did give me these jeans.

I'm more than a little into the simple style. I'm not exactly a fan of wearing colorful graphic shirts. Many are truly artistic, but I just don't like them on myself. I'd rather stick to one (maybe two) basic colors when it comes to clothing. So if you spot me with a neon pink shirt with lots of flowers on it, something in my life must have drastically changed. 

What I'm Wearing

Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Shirt: Urban Outfitters (similar here and here)

Pants: AG Jeans

Shoes: Adidas x Stan Smith

Purse: Louis Vuitton

Levain Bakery

Today, I serve one purpose and one purpose only. It is nothing else but to tell you of a heaven sent cookie. The cookie that Santa Clause DREAMS of receiving on Christmas Eve. The cookie that makes you savor each bite. The cookie that will make you never want a different cookie ever again. The cookie from none other than, Levain Bakery. 

I recently took a short trip to New York City. Although things like the Empire State Building attracted me there, the food did just as much. You may have heard about this place from Miss Taylor Swift, or you have seen it once or twice on your Instagram feed. Or maybe you've never heard of this place in your life and you just think I've never tried a cookie before. But let me tell you, this isn't your ordinary bakery. I know I say this a lot, but as you walk in, the smell of freshly baked pastries hits you automatically. It's just so true.

 The most famous cookie here is the ooey-gooey chocolate chip walnut. Although I love me some chocolate, I just wasn't feeling it at that moment. So, I went ahead and got myself an Oatmeal Raisin. I really don't get why people put it to such shame sometimes...oatmeal raisins are wonderful, especially the ones from Levain. 

Now I'm pretty sure that just by looking at these photos, you can tell how doughy these cookies are.

In my personal opinion, there's nothing better than a doughy cookie. Absolutely nothing. This has just the right amount of everything. Not too many raisins, not too little dough. The ratio is quite lovely.

Taking a look at the glorious outside of the cookie, you can easily notice that it is perfectly baked. Whether you love your cookies, crispy or soft, this is ideal. I can almost taste it through the screen.

Hopefully I have convinced to you to head towards Levain on your next trip to New York. Or maybe you live near and have never understood the craze. It's time to try it out. If you're not into treating yourself, I've still got a few more recommendations from my NYC trip that are a bit more on the healthier side, so you might want to stay tuned!

Bang Bang Pie

On weekends, everyone usually loves to relax. That's nothing new. My relaxation is found in a delicious meal. But before I let myself unwind for the weekend, I must stress out over finding a good brunch spot. Any true foodie knows that it's important to do a full online search of a certain place prior to actually eating there. First, we eat with our eyes. Our eyes then tell us if we will actually enjoy the food. Or maybe that's just me. Yeah, it's probably just me. Be that as it may, after what seems like 3 years, I finally find a dainty restaurant. It often ends up being one that I have been to several times in my life.

Recently, I decided to get myself together and try something new. Located in Logan Square, this tiny restaurant is almost always filled with locals lined outside the door. For warmer days there is also pleasant outdoor seating. Most might think that the place is not very tasteful, but I beg to differ. It's about the food here people! The chefs put tons of hard work into these meals and it truly shows (in my opinion). The indoor part of this little place is filled with scents from the kitchen which you can notice right when you step in. You immediately notice that those working there are trying to prepare an order as fast and properly as they can. 

I managed to get here the minute they opened, yet there was already a line outside. That really says something about a place. Especially if you know they're not all tourists. Then, you're at the right place. 

Here we have my dad's breakfast. I promise I go to brunch with other people too. This is the incredibly appealing Farmer's biscuit. In it you see hummus, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and an herb salad. Although I did not take a bite out of it in real life, I think I may have bitten my camera after I took the photo.

This right here is my little brunch. It's the Scratch Biscuit along with some butter and jam. It may not seem like much, but it was truly filling. I have never had such a good biscuit. This is some real magic. I may be a health freak most of the time, but a cheat day is always necessary. I mean, how can it not be when this beauty exists?

Pictured here are both meals

We may or may not have also ordered the Blueberry Cobbler. It was just sitting there in the front of the restaurant as we ordered. How can you say no to that? And for all you gluten free people, this ones for you! 

 I'm a fan of anything artistic. Putting stickers on things is art. Chief Keef stickers are art. Enough said.

I also wore clothes. Nothing special. 

 Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters (similar here)

Shirt: Brandy Melville

 Bralette: Brandy Melville

Shorts: Levi's

Velvet Taco

If you haven't noticed by now, tacos have become all the rage this past year. I don't know what it is, but taco joints have been opening up left and right here in Chicago. And they're not just your average tacos. Oh no, they're more than that. So many places have these delicious Mexican eats made with things you've never imagined could be inside of a tortilla. The place that cannot seize to amaze me is none other than, Velvet Taco. From fish to falafel, they've got it all. Not only can they substitute anything on the menu for your desired ingredient, they also have a special WTF taco. "WTF?" may be your exact thoughts right now. It actually stands for, Weekly Taco Feature. That's pretty awesome. 

Another awesome thing about Velvet Taco is that they make all their own tortillas and everything from scratch. If you have read any of my previous posts, you must already know that in my heart, fresh food is the best food. No cold leftovers for me. 

This place is alway buzzing. No matter what time I come here, the place is pretty packed. However, I don't mind the wait. It pleases me knowing that someone in the kitchen is putting care into my meal, instead of putting random garbage in it just so it's ready fast.

Let's take a quick look at the menu. Isn't it incredible? Brunch at a taco place? Cravings = Satisfied. Your attention may have been caught by the tiny sign that says "cake" in bold letters. Don't deny it. I have personally never tried it, but by looking through the Velvet Taco geotag on Instagram, something tells me I can't say no next time. Besides the fact that it looks perfectly baked, it comes with a caramel sauce. Genius.

Time for some food pictures. I don't know if you're ready for this.

 Here we have a lovely Falafel taco. If you took time to inspect the menu above, you may have noticed that this is certainly not in a lettuce wrap. Congrats to you! This was a day that I was feeling quite hungry and knew lettuce would not completely fill me up. So, I asked for a corn tortilla, and without a problem, it was created. I absolutely love places that allow you to alter a meal to your liking. "Can I have an chicken taco without chicken?" That's me.

Here we have my fathers taco. At first glance (or maybe at any glance) it may not look appealing, but if you're into spicy foods and shrimp, this one's for you! Also on a corn tortilla, this taco could be known as a seafood lovers best friend.

Lastly, we have some Spicy Tikka Chicken tacos, next to a lonely WTF taco. That week the taco came with rice, cilantro, green onions, chicken, and even pineapple. As you can clearly tell, I subbed the chicken for some falafel. I'm obsessed with falafel tacos. It's an incredible creation that everyone should try.

And here we have me giving a sweet kiss to my falafel taco. I didn't know the camera was on, I swear. I hope this post made you all realize that tacos are a true blessing. Without tacos, we would probably never have peace. I'm totally kidding. Maybe. That being said, if you are ever near a Velvet Taco (located in Chicago, Fort Worth, Dallas, or Houston) go inside. 

Farmer's Market

Sunnies: Ray Ban

Shirt: Topshop

Overalls: Topshop

Shoes: Vans

By simply reading the title, one can easily assume that I recently went to the farmers market. Of course I decided to dress the part. Overalls were insanely popular last summer and the craze has died down a bit, yet I'm still quite obsessed with them. I love the fact that they're so easy to put on and you don't even have to bother putting a fancy shirt underneath. You can pair them with a simple shirt of any color or a basic striped shirt. Anything works with them. Just don't count on a polka dot crop top to work well. Overalls are incredibly comfortable, yet still make it possible for you to look cute.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, there's a farmers market called Green City Market. I've mentioned it before in a previous post. Visiting markets like this is one of my favorite things to do during the summer. Even if I don't need to store up on fruits or veggies, I love walking around the stands and admiring the things around me. This time, many things looked very appealing to us, so we went around to buy some produce for dinner and to snack on. 

For dinner we sliced up some banana potatoes from the market and cooked them in a pot with a few spices and no oils. Now that may seem plain and boring, but the flavor of those potatoes was so incredible that you didn't need anything else. Sadly, I don't have a photo to share with you. For now just imagine a carb loaded potato heaven in your mouth. Perfect, isn't it?