for a friend or fifteen: chiwawa

 midtown memphis, meet chiwawa.

chiwawa, midtown is memphis.

I spent most of my Sunday surfing the internet, (pretending to be busy, staring at the rain,) until my sweet friend, Sarah,  called and asked me to assist her in tasting some foods from a new local restaurant opening  right  down the street from me:

CHIWAWA
I've walked by this place a million times and I have memories of breaking in and walking around that patio where the old "Chicago Pizza Factory" sign was up. Now it's a beautiful building, with beautiful lights, and a beautiful patio and soon, beautiful people will be seen eating beautiful food while sipping on beautiful drinks. The first night that I saw the sign (and it opened up my eyes),  I was so proud to have secretly climbed it before they took it for the much needed makeover. Go ahead, get your picture made with it. You should; it's awesome. 

These were my visual observations:

located downstairs, here we have an open view of the kitchen

1.) WINDOWS: Even on a rainy day, we could've gone without the lights. Maximum exposure to vitamin D on sunny days/ watch cars drive by on Madison Ave.

2.)  BAR: It's the centerpiece of the restaurant layout which makes me believe they'll also have incredible drinks.

3.) EXPOSED BRICK: I love this so much.  Although the space has a new face, they made sure to keep the bones.

4.) PATIO: See, this is the part that gets me every time. With two levels of built-in wood benches and ample space for tables and chairs, I have a feeling I'll be a frequent to the soon-to-be-existent "Margarita Monday." Is that a thing yet?

What to expect for food? Prepare yourself for sharing and caring because Chiwawa will be serving tacos, quesadillas, salads, appetizers, soups and HOTDOGS a la carte, on small, sweet sharing plates. Here's your preview:

Top: (L) Mexican street corn (cotiza cheese & Paprika
(R) Homemade chips & salsa
Bottom: (L) Chicken, chirizo quesadilla
(R) Juan-ton: Fried crispy goodness with chicken & cheese

(L) Chicken  & bacon  quesadilla
Top (R):  homemade salsa, guacamole, KETCHUP, and green sauce
Bottom (R):  SLAW-SA DOG. This was my favorite.

THE SLAW-SA DOG IS WHERE IT'S AT.

empty plates. nom.

Chiwawa will be open sometime next week. 

REMEMBER: SHARING IS CARING. AND CARING IS FUN. 

so take a friend or fifteen.

They're bringing something home that makes this place feel more like home. I'm so looking forward to seeing this place all light up on my night-time walks. TEQUILA!

Here's the 411:

Chiwawa
2059 Madison Avenue
901.517.6518
hours: 11am-2am
www.chiwawamidtown.com
http://www.facebook.com/chiwawamidtown

fashion confession: i'm a bare-necked lady

"I'm giving your gold chain back to you because it would be like me keeping your arm.

 It's part of who you are." -Hallie F. on returning my necklace

fresh ties and french fries
alex's tavern

The Problem: Untamed necklaces for days, missing earrings by night, and cocktail rings in between. (For good health, please wash your hands.) These are the reasons I often leave my ensembles accessory-less. As a proficient style advocate, I'm not proud to be bare-jeweled. I'm ashamed to be the only girl at the club without the long layers of bling to swing back and forth as I do this dance that I do; And unfortunately, the only accessory I care about before heading to Sunday brunch is the re-application of my mascara and lipstick so my face doesn't continue to drag  my decisions from the night before. I do, so desperately, want to be more active in my jewelry adornments, but cut me some slack. Don't we already have so much to worry about?

The Solution: MY GOLD CHAIN. I noticed this one specific accessory that has made an outstanding presence in my wardrobe and I firmly believe that it's not only a go-to detail when I'm feeling outfit-apprehensive, but also a staple to my personal style. Whether you're in search for your style identity, currently sporting your favorite shiny, solid strands,  or believe it to be a distasteful decision, everyone has a preference when it comes to a gold laced neck.  My preference just so happens to be a single strand.

I.Love.You.

Below are the photos the photos exhibiting the versatility of my necklace verdict. I'm a little embarrassed to post these photos for a couple of reasons. This is exposure, folks. Most of these photos were taken in front of food. Awesome.

Trill photos ahead.  Enjoy. 

shine in christmas attire

dimsum & leftovers

business & bling
turtle neck & blazer

with pixel top in NOLA

beauty shop blue pant birthday party
(by @fomoloop)

with chambray and woodgrain
en route to vacation

air. plain. selfie.

with sparkle dress.
 nye. peabody l'hotel.

 with t-shirt for fuzzy bathroom pic.
 please note fuzzy boot.

casual dinner in CO

"Hey, I just wanted you to know that your outfit is off the chain." 

-said no one yet, but they will.

The Lesson Learned: I can wear this anywhere, anytime, dressed up, dressed down, in air, on ground, in public and alone. It's just freakin' awesome. So now, I challenge you to take a step back, identify your preferences, and acknowledge them. 

Here's to life. Let's keep it simple. 

busted.

chains, cupcakes, and cheers,

claudine