Avec

Last night, we went out to dinner with Tyler's team of coworkers. I had to get dressed up- quite a feat since I haven't bought myself any maternity dresses yet! I went with this wrap dress and just wore the belt above my belly. It actually looked great- a much more flattering fit than any maternity dresses I've tried on. Although you can't see from this photo, the dress is dark blue with a large black diamond print. You also can't see that I wore heels, breaking my own rule for myself- to never let myself be seen as the pregnant woman waddling around in heels. I knew we'd have to use a valet service at the restaurant, and how far can the walk be from the curb to the table? I think it was worth it, especially considering that my black ballet flats just didn't create the look I was aiming for- my sleek dress looked more like a bathrobe with slippers with the flats, and the heels looked much better!We ate at Avec, a well-known Chicago contemporary American restaurant. The food was great. I had a mustard greens salad with carmelized fennel and vadalias, dried cherries, croutons, and a vinagrette. My entree was prepared special for me (Tyler was sweet enough to call ahead, and we had a wonderful server who was really helpful). It was fresh market vegetables- patty pan squash, fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, lima beans, corn, grape tomatoes, green and wax beans- sauteed in a delicious sauce that was so complex, I couldn't put my finger on any single spice. It was delicious! I could eat it every day. Being able to afford Avec for dinner every day is a whole other topic... But fine dining is one of the perks of Tyler's job!

A view inside of Avec.