Jan. 5
Got an email informing me that I was Hot Topic's Ratings & Review Contest winner for Dec. and that I'd won a $100 HT gift card! 8D! So glad I rated & reviewed the 5 things I bought from HT. Just when I was thinking I should cut back on buying geeky stuff, I get $100 to spend on geeky stuff! XD They have some pretty nice plus-size dresses sometimes, so maybe I'll buy one of those...
Jan. 16
Drove to Panera Bread for breakfast. I had a mocha caffe and a cinnamon roll. Tasty but overall disappointing. The cinnamon roll was not as thick, chewy, and warm as a cinnamon bun, just a generic, flat, flaky breakfast pastry with cinnamon paste instead of fruit jam, but it was rather large (about the size of a small plate). And I don't know if I'm just not used to real coffee and/or full-fat milk, but I got a rumbly tummy for the next few hours. :P
Hung out at the mall and browsed around my favorite stores: Books-A-Million, Macy's, Cupid, Teavana, Francesca's, Charming Charlie, and Hot Topic. I didn't intend to buy anything (still waiting for the HT gift card before serious browsing/shopping), but I couldn't resist more CC, even though we'd just made a huge purchase online. There was a MLK Weekend Sale with Buy One Get One Free already-discounted sale items. Obviously spurred by my obsession with Reign and its fabulous fashion, I bought an ornate "ruby, pearl, gold" headband. Not sure if/when I'll wear it, but I think it looks nice in our black hair. I also found the big, pink/red, floral rhinestone statement necklace I'd been eyeing online (after our purchase). Don't usually go for those kinds of pieces, but I'm trying to diversify and mature my accessories for work and it was my favorite of the chunky fashion jewelry. Maybe Mom might like it? The total was only $10 for both, down from $40, so not bad.
M had plans to meet up with old coworker friends that evening at The Warehouse, so instead of driving home and making her late or miss it, I just tagged along with her. I had developed a headache, and mixed with the rumbly tummy, was feeling a bit queasy. M theorized that it was due to a combination of nerves, dehydration, and not being used to caffeine. I took an hour-long nap in the backseat of her car, then went into the restaurant by myself. M waved to me from the bar, and I waved back, but not wanting to intrude upon a stranger's birthday get-together, I got a table for myself.
M told me the building was once an old car garage until a Chinese retired math professor turned it into his own restaurant. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is quite nice. The interior looks kinda like a remodeled barn, with one big open room, a bar to one side, cool pieces of art, and pretty lighting (a warm dim yellow glow with multicolored light bulbs from the hanging lamps that reflect from the silvery ceiling and holiday light strings that spiral around the beams), overall resulting in a charming mix of industrial, comfy, and trendy ambiance.
From M's recommendation, I ordered the Chive and Corn Cakes, but the waitress said the kitchen ran out (it was popular that night), so I changed to the Portabella Mushroom appetizer. But while I ate the piece of fresh bread with olive oil herb dipping sauce (and drank lots and lots of water), I was told they made more corn cakes so I switched back to that. I was surprised when the dish came because I'd been expecting a flat, pan-fried savory pancake, but it was actually 3 thick, breaded, fried triangle cakes. Kinda like large hushpuppies, with a consistency of a chunky mashed potato filling (grits?) with corn kernels, chives, and roasted red pepper, served with sauteed spinach, pepper, and mushroom (in balsamic sauce?), plus goat cheese. It was very yummy! I only ate 1 before I was full. (M and I finished the other 2 corn cakes for breakfast the next day.)
As I finished up, M came over saying sorry for leaving me to eat alone, but I didn't mind at all. It occurred to me that in my attempt to not be rude, it may have been rude to not come by and say hello to M's friends. But she said she had already explained that I had been tired, felt not so great, and was shy, so I guess it was okay. I got a box for the leftovers, paid, and went to the restroom while M said bye to the few remaining friends at the bar. Then we went home.
I'd say 3 cakes with veggies and goat cheese for $10 is reasonable for a higher-priced casual restaurant. The food was really good, so I can't wait to go back and try something else, namely the duck tacos!
At home, M and I delved into the Charming Charlie package that had been delivered to her office that day (which M's fellow fashionista coworkers oohed and ahhed at, as they do whenever new bling arrives ;). We were quite happy with our purchases. Well, M's cuff's gems are very slightly off-center and she wasn't "in love with it" (unlike the turquoise bracelet she got from chloe+isabel), so she's still deliberating on whether to return it or not, but I think it has enough versatility (and value) to be a keeper. Everything else was as nice in real life as we'd hoped from the online pics, sometimes more so. I liked M's casual scarf much more, and her formal clutch and long, beaded tassel necklaces were fabulous. I still love the crystal hourglass pendant, the leaf bracelet fit nicely (not too tight or too loose), and the violet scarf was even bigger, silkier, and prettier than I imagined (adore the color gradation and subtle swirl patterns throughout). Shopping win!
Jan. 27
Got the HT gift card in the mail! Time to get shopping~ *praying mantis*
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