Quartino and an OOTD

A few weeks ago, one of my old friends from high school was in town for work, and we made it a point to arrange a little dinner date in the city.  Laura and I were on the drill team together (sequins, fringe, and cowboy boots have a way of uniting people) and though it had been years since I'd seen her, she was still the same super smart, super driven, and super funny girl.

We had dinner at Quartino, an Italian restaurant/wine bar downtown.  My friend Christie had recommended the spot to me, and I'm so glad she did.  It was the perfect spot for a drill team reunion/dinner date.  We were able to snag a corner table outside on the patio, and it was so fun to be outside amidst all the hustle and bustle that is Chicago.

I wasn't able to snap very good pics of our food, but the polenta fries were too good not to get a shout out.  I love fries and adore polenta, so how could we go wrong?

The menus is made up of shared plates, which I always like.  I think it adds a more festive dinner vibe.  (Sharing is caring, right?)  Though the food was delicious, what I was most impressed by was the price.  This was one of those nights where we just ordered what sounded good, and didn't pay too much attention to price or what we were ordering.  And when the bill came, both of us exclaimed, "That's it?"  So if you're looking for a fun, hip spot in Chicago to meet friends for dinner and drinks without breaking the bank, I'd give Quartino a try.

After ending our meal with a caramelized banana, vanilla gelato, biscotti, whipped cream, and chocolate dessert (yes, it was as good as it sounds) Laura and I hugged our goodbye and snapped a quick picture.  It was so good to see her and share my fun city with her.  Hopefully she (and Shana) will be back in the spring to spend more time in the Windy City.  Hooray for drill team, dinner dates, and friends having business trips in Chicago!

And here is a knees up picture of my OOTD from the night...

Dress: Nordstrom
Jacket: Ann Taylor
Scarf: Ann Taylor
Belt: Anthropologie
TIghts: Hue
Boots: Vince Camuto (not shown but seen here)
Rings: David Yurman, Forever 21
Bracelet: Ann Taylor
Earrings: my wedding day gift from Matt

I snagged this dress from the juniors department at Nordstrom a few weeks ago for $7 dollars.  Score!  Since junior dresses are typically too short for my 5'10'' self, I don't usually bother looking at them.  But when I saw this summer dress marked down, I thought it would look perfect with tights and a little jacket.  And with tights I actually prefer the shorter length which puts this frock somewhere between dress and tunic.  I have also been really into pattern mixing lately, and though I wouldn't usually pair leopard and floral together, I think it works here.  Oh, and please excuse my Single Ladies pose here, I was trying to show off my new favorite bracelet.  A little bit rocker, a little bit Texas rhinestone.  Love it.