To the East Side

T-shirt: borrowed from sister * Skirt: thrifted * Oxfords: Seychelles, remixed * Belt: borrowed from Joe, remixed * Record cuff: Eye Pop Art on Etsy, remixed * Elephant ring: Forever 21, remixed

Last batch of pictures from my weekend in Austin! These were taken super quickly, on my sister's balcony, after a huge and delicious meal at the East Side Cafe. You all know how I feel about food (I adore it), so indulge me, and let me tell you about all the yumtastic treats we had. We shared the baked brie with apple chutney appetizer...let me tell you, there are few things I adore more than baked brie. And then my entree was this incredible vegetarian pasta dish. Artichoke manicotti stuffed with all sorts of delicious veggies. It was made from carrot pasta, with carrots grown in the organic garden attached to the cafe. Goddammit it was so good. Oh and the side dish was this acorn squash with the most delightful asian-inspired sweet soy sauce in the hollow of the squash.

Obviously, we ate well in Austin. That's the best measure of a place, for me. If you can eat well somewhere, they're doing something right. All the better if you don't have to spend a lot of money, but honestly, I'm willing to splurge a little on good food. Trust me when I say I'll never, ever go on a food shopping ban. That shit is worth every penny. If anything, I'm more likely to maintain my clothing shopping ban for longer just so I can eat well throughout these tighter financial times.

Speaking of food, I'm making a pumpkin corn chowder tonight for dinner. I keep meaning to document some of my cooking exploits, but I keep forgetting. Well, actually, it's half forgetting and half the fact that our kitchen has the worst lighting on the face of the earth, so all the pictures I've tried to take look terrible. But I'll give it another shot tonight. I got wind that the great pumpkin shortage of 2010 is officially over, so I'm dreaming up all kinds of pumpkin recipes. Just in time for autumn! Do any of you have favorite pumpkin/autumn recipes? Are you willing to spend more on food or clothes? Can you see my food baby in these pictures?

Happy Wednesday!

Title song: "Movin' on Up" (Theme from The Jeffersons)