Bites of My Life

December has really kicked off and started running toward Christmas. So many fun events and parties and dinners on the docket for December. In typical Annie fashion, looking ahead at my calendar I started to get overwhelmed at what the month held. However, I know that it’s a blessing to have a full schedule, especially after last year, and that the memories made and fun times had will outweigh any preconceived stress or worry of not having enough downtime.

I always write the captions for each photo below before I write this opening section. And to my point above this month has already hit the ground running. What a treat to have my Sunday night routine of writing out my bites post and getting to reflect back on the week. Because what a good one it was! And if not for this time, I’d easily have my eyes only turned to what is on tap for this week and forget to say my thanks and prayers for a a great last 7 days.

-I was lucky to get to do a sponsored post with Kodiak Cakes, and boy do I love this brand and these pancakes. More details here.
-Fun evening bopping around the Something Navy pop-up with Jordan and Sarah!
-A Rom Com Holiday! Have you listened to my *perfectly* curated holiday playlist?
-A holiday must if you’re in Dallas is drinks or dinner at Hudson House while they are fully decked!
-ABPA Holiday Home Tour with my festive friend Jordan. Each house was stunning but this one took the cake and the Christmas decor was spot on. You can watch a tour of the house from a few months ago with The Potted Boxwood.
-Friday favorite things party with some of my favorite people! Walked away with some fancy shampoo and conditioner that I used for the first time last night and wow. I took my tried and true lip stain.
-Sweet Green is finally in Dallas. I waited in a line out the door for this Curry Cauliflower Bowl. But worth it!
-First time trying cutie Yo! Lobster in Highland Park Village. After a tour of Christmas lights, Pete and I feasted on oysters, lobster bisque, fish tacos and lobster rolls.
-Started Prolon again yesterday. I was not its #1 fan the first time I did it, mainly because of the price, so I purchased a box on Black Friday to save a few dollars. I’ve been feeling bleh and wanted a jumpstart before I turn into a Christmas cookie.

Annie

Bites of My Life

One week countdown to Thanksgiving, the best holiday of the year! Days feel full of events, and food, and holiday hooplah already and I am a OK with it.

-I love a stuffed sweet potato moment. I’ve been doing this since college. The amount of microwaved sweet potatoes with almond butter I ate in the sorority house is alarming.
-Roasted cauliflower sammy on house-made focaccia. Need I say more. This lunch from Georgie’s Butcher Shop was a stretch outside my usual salad lunch, but just what I needed.
-How gooooood is this bowtie pasta puffer I rented last week from RTR!
-Such a fun new spot in Downtown Dallas, National Anthem. It’s owned by the same guys from Neighborhood Services so you know it’s going to be good.
-Celebrated #NationalHappyHourDay at The Slate on Friday with a group effort board. We all contributed something to this 3-foot board.
-This goofy house in the M Streets has a rotating gigantic inflatable in their yard. I joked they are prepping for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
-Saturday morning walk with a breakfast taco reward!
-Black tie crew!
-Chelsea Handler crashing our Sunday night dinner. Yes I submitted to Deux Moi, brace yourself for the repost.

Annie

Soup bite: I quietly posted my Chicken & Right Rice Soup recipe last week. View the recipe here.

Bites of My Life

Daylight savings sneaks up on you woof! It was bright as day at 6:30am this morning and sadly so dark by 5:30pm last night. I had a relatively lazy week after a run in with being sick and then proceeding to lay low after that. Lot’s of naps and couch time, which who am I kidding, I’m not mad about. I’m obsessed with the fact that the past two weekends have not been jam packed with plans. It’s so nice to just chill before the holiday hooplah. Fingers crossed for something similar this week/weekend!

-Started the week with a group of my favorite people having the coziest girls’ night with homemade butternut squash soup, a cheese board, and girl talk for days. The little group that has formed from my time at The Slate is my favorite.
-My Kindle came in and I love it! I thought I’d always be a book girl, but after using that excuse and not reading but maybe 1 to 2 books this year, I bit the bullet and got the basic Kindle.
-I woke up Tuesday with the most random spat of sickness. My symptoms came out of nowhere making me miss the Rolling Stones concert. A batch of buttered noodles on the couch is how my night turned out. And by buttered noodles I mean red lentil noodles with ghee and nutritional yeast 🤪
-Sick day uniform which has easily transferred into everyday uniform. My sweet Bailey sold me on this UO crop top (size large). It’s as good as she told me it would be, and I’ve worn it in some capacity every day since I got it. Paired with these little gold hoops from Amazon, and some basic gray sweats (I got a large) that are just it.
-Cheeres Marget aka Cheers Margaret! A Tom Thumb party fail but a good laugh nonetheless for Margaret’s bday.
-Birthday celebrash round 2 with ice cream and caramel cake. The most delish.
-Cozy Friday early birthday dinner for Morgan!
-Peter and I wasted zero time trying Mayer’s Garden. From our faves Alamo Club, it did not disappoint. We snacked on the meat & cheese plate and bacon jam deviled eggs for Sat. lunch.
-Best Sunday prepping bolognese all day. I’ve never made bolognese and it was the perfect meal for daylight savings and the Yellowstone premiere. We used ground elk meat because #Texas. Used this recipe.

Annie

Bites of My Life

November omg. How did we get here? BUT it’s truly the best time of year. I love the Halloween kickoff to the holidays. I’m ready and here for them!

-Spark is open! Couldn’t have done it without my PIC!
-Extra extra read all about it. Our opening blew out my expectations and there was press to match. I’m feeling proud and excited for Spark’s little future.
-Spent one last morning in OKC, then hit the road to make it back to Dallas. Park Power Bowl, I miss you already.
-Fall flowers at my door after a successful opening :)
-Since I’ve lived in Dallas I’ve wanted to do The Old Monk’s pumpkin carving. For $15 you get a hollowed-out pumpkin, carving kit, and a pint of beer. Such a fun weeknight activity. My sugar skull on the right won my IG poll - weee!
-My crazy fall is settling down a little just in time for the holidays. I’m so excited to have some free time to just let plans fall together and not have everything be so structured. That is exactly what happened on Friday. The girls were in town and we threw together a chill evening in, with copious amounts of snacks and sweets.
-OGs know. I made THE verde turkey chili for Friday’s gathering and slurped down leftovers Saturday.
-First time trying Crisp & Green. It opened earlier this year in Dallas. Similar to sweetgreen for national folks and Cool Greens for my okies but errrrrr way better and cleaner than CG. I got their seasonal Chicken Casablanca and my sweet Morgs got the Squash Goals. I can’t wait to go back.
-A great little Halloween Sunday with Peter’s fam at a neighborhood block party and then off to watch the Cowboys game with friends.

Annie

The day after Halloween means one thing: Halloween Candy Compost Cookies
Save this cake for your Thanksgiving or fall pot-luck contribution: Caramel Butterscotch Cake

Bites of My Life

One of my favorite weekends of the fall has come and gone. I’ve been going to the OU/Texas game far before I even went to school there. I love living in Dallas now and having loved ones and old friends come to my city for the big game. Just as fun to share with new Dallas friends too. The big weekend the past couple years have been a mixture of Rise Roundup, a tour through the Kipps Bay showhouse, lunch at S&D, dinner at Campisi’s, a night out with college friends, early morning gameday, and copious amounts of corny dogs and beer. The weekend just can’t be matched, but somehow gets better and better ever year. I linked a few OU/Texas bites from years past below.

2020 / 2019 / 2018 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013

-I’m not one for Monday night dinners out, but when a highly anticipated neighborhood spot sneakily opened, Peter and I jumped on a reservation.
-Said restaurant, is the little Sister to a fav Dallas spot, The Charles. One of the favorite things we ordered at Sister was the lobster burrata.
-Welcome oatmeal season, welcome.
-My restaurant Bic pen collection is coming right along. Matches are so 2019.
-Such a great night running into about every person I know in Dallas at Rise Roundup raising money for the Rise School of Dallas. Yellowstone fav, Ryan Bingham performed!
-They took about a month to arrive but my new slides finally came in. These Amazon copycats of the pricy Manolo Blahnik’s are just as good as I hoped. I did the brown kitten heels and the tan flats. A few blisters after the first wears, but they are worth it.
-Browsed around the Kipps Bay Showhouse with my mother on Friday morning. I love that they’ve brought this fundraiser to Dallas. It is still happening in the next couple of weeks if you are in the area!
-Nothing hits better than a 9:00 AM breakfast Fletcher’s corny dog and a wax beer at the Texas State Fair the morning of OU/Texas!
-2nd half team pulled through for an amazing win and day!!!

Annie