The weekend, succinctly

The last two weekends past, have been all about eating out as we indulge in the last bits of freedom that remain (according to some very wise couples we know who have gone through it all). Coming in the next month or so, I am told to expect not wanting to do anything besides: 1) sit pregnantly and uncomfortably on the couch, and 2) lay pregnantly and uncomfortably on the bed. Not even to go out to eat! Sounds dire.

So last weekend, we got brunch at Aria in the fancy-schmancy Fairmont Hotel Millennium Park. We had five tasting plates of sweets and savories, and four cocktails at 11 a.m. (Fine, The Fella had two cocktails and I had mocktails.)

{ chicken and waffles with orange glaze; croque monsieur, stuffed brioche poppers }

This weekend, we stepped it up a notch by dining out twice. Friday night consisted of an impromptu dinner at the neighborhood French Vietnamese resto. Pho noodle soup, Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp, and papaya salad with shrimp...

And Saturday night, we chillaxed on the sidewalk patio of Corner 41 Bar and Restaurant in the heavily-German neighborhood of Ravenswood. The menu is vaguely German-inspired, and we had excellent fried calamari, Shrimp Neuberg, Beef Stroganoff, and Bread Pudding. And, right across the street, was the German Bavarian House, so we also got to reap the free musical entertainment coming from their sidewalk cafe!

Notice the wrap dress I'm wearing in the photo above? Well, as it turns out, there's only so many times one can wear a crazy-print dress like this to the office, or out and about. (Not to mention laundering, which is another good reason not to wear the same thing over and over, even though I've been doing just that, tsk tsk.) This weekend I finally gave in to my good sense and went maternity shopping, a little. I've been delusionally thinking I could somehow get away with wearing my normal wardrobe throughout the entire pregnancy, but as Mother Nature would have it, this is not the case. Mostly for bottoms. So off I went to GAP, doing the whole kit and caboodle––strapping on a fake belly and sizing up for bottoms. Maternity sizing really confuses me. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure the fake belly is meant to be used over a barely showing belly, as opposed to over my 6 months pregnant belly. It didn't look realistic at all, but heck, what do I know? It gave me some giggles in the fitting room although I'm sure I won't be laughing in another month when I'm unfathomably ginormous.

There was also some time spent at my office over the last two weekends, picking up packages and doing some odds and ends. The Fella made himself right at home, as you can see.

{ a dress from my pre-maternity wardrobe }