Happy Sunday, plant lovers! I hope your weekend has been filled with lots of love and blessings!. It’s a dreary and cloudy day here on the East Coast. It’s the perfect day for oversized comfy sweaters, (read: borderline obnoxious) floral leggings, boots, and slow pour coffee from Wildflour Vegan Bakery Cafe.
Hey, coffee is #plantPOWER too! 
As you may or may not know, I’ve sort of omitted the word “treat” from my vocabulary when it comes to food. You can read more about that here. I did receive a special, non-food related”treat” in the form of Caitlin Croswell yesterday though, so that is my #plantPOWER treat for today!
Cait Comes to Visit
My dear friend and best blend, Cait, arrived here yesterday and we’ve been workin’ our bb magic for the past two days. She arrived at my condo in the late afternoon and, of course, we kicked off our weekend with gifts! Since we don’t have the luxury of seeing each other often, Cait and I have made it a tradition to give each other special gifts when we get together. It adds to the excitement of being in each other’s presence!
A couple of weeks ago, I was at Staples with my Dad and saw the most perfect gift for Cait while we were waiting in line at the checkout counter. I looked to my right and squealed as I saw a small stack of notebooks gazing back at me. One, in particular, stood out because it sported a phrase that Cait refers to time and time again: “Too Blessed to Be Stressed.”
Check out that beautiful smile! She was so genuinely stoked. It was awesome!
Next, it was Cait’s turn to give me my gifts! Yes…plural. She went over-the-top and I wanted to lovingly kill her First up, the card. I flipped out.
There are many musical layers to yours truly and one not-so-closeted layer is my love for Justin Bieber. Babyyy babyyy babyyy, ooooh! As if the card wasn’t enough, Cait also gifted me with maple pumpkin butter (!!!) and toasted coconut coffee from Daybreak Coffee Roasters. Heaven!
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Girls Night at Garden Grille
Cait and I did our BB thang and chatted for awhile before getting ready for dinner at Garden Grille with my good friend Raquel. Cait and Raquel met each other last February, the same night that Cait and I met each other for the first time! It’s hard to believe that Cait and I have only been friends for eight months. It honestly feels like we’ve known each other forever!
Garden Grille is quite small and, with it being a Saturday night, we knew that we had a potentially long wait ahead of us. Luckily, just 15 minutes later, we were ready to be seated!
I promptly ordered a class of pinot grigio while Raquel opted for water and Cait chose a Manhattan.
The three of us decided to split the sweet potato wedges with housemade BBQ sauce while waiting for our entrees. We had a blast chatting away. The food was the perfect backdrop to the highlight of the evening: the incredible company!
Garden Grille recently released the “First Fall” edition of their menu and I was so excited to see what seasonal options were waiting for my squash-loving eyes. I was not disappointed! After perusing the menu for mere seconds, I knew exactly what I wanted to order: The “Beets & Squash” plate.
Are you swooning yet? If not, we have issues. The dinner plate consisted of seed-crusted beets on top of escarole and white beans with a horseradish cream. On the side was roasted acorn squash topped with a mustard seed glaze and resting on an apple puree. It was a home run meal! The squash immediately made me think of my girls Lisa and Kasey.
Cait opted for the Za’atar Spiced Tofu special, which came with braised local cranberry beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, sherry-tomato jam and sautéed greens. She was in love and practically licked her plate clean!
We finished our meals with satisfied bellies and happy smiles.
The word “treat” is one that I associated with restriction from my past eating disorder-ridden days. Personally, for me, the word “treat” is synonymous with something that I willingly restrict because of the belief that I “shouldn’t” eat it. This idea is no longer a part of my life, as I do not restrict anything from my life!
Now, the word “treat” is one that I associate with special encounters that don’t come around often … like this beautiful weekend with Cait. Do any of you feel the same way?
Stay lovely,
Heather
P.S. – The Fashion page was updated today!
I am so GRATEFUL to have been able to come see you this weekend and be sitting next to you as I type this. Also I’m honored to be considered a treat since I know it isn’t a word you use often. I actually have been making an effort to use it less (along with “indulge”) myself and you are the reason behind that. love you!
LOVE MY BB!!! <3 So happy to hear that. You’re an all-around blessing.
What a beautiful visit! I love those leggings ahhh
Thanks, Melissa! Got them at Target last year for just $3.99!
I love your view of “treat” so much better than a cookie
I also love your mentality that foods are not good or bad! They’re just foods and fuel for our body! Looks like you and Cait had a fabulous weekend!
YES! Our relationships make up our lives – and that’s the best treat we could ask for, huh?
I want your dinner!!! Though I would eat a whole acorn squash; I’d have to ask for an extra side!!! Sounds a like a plate of pure heaven!
I wish you could have dined with us, Michelle! I hope we can meet someday! <3
I love you both!!! So gorg. I wish I was with you guys <3 Reunion needs to happen sometime soon! I haaateeee the word treat. Like, with a passion. This is life and we are all humans. If someone wants something, they should have it!
I’m gonna take Heather in my suitcase to FL…
WE Wish that too, girl. SO MUCH. I know that we’re on the same page with the whole treat thing…and that’s why we’re destined NEW ENGLAND besties. Cough cough.
Looks like the perfect weekend! Only thing missing is me
I like that Cait was your treat this weekend! Yes, foods aren’t meant to be seen as good vs. bad. But, fuel for our bodies and energy for our days, also for enjoyment too!
You were definitely missing given all the squash that was present at dinner!
YES – YOU ARE MISSING! Move out of Canada and our mystery will be solved.
Look like an awesome encounter and so much fun! Yu are killing me with the Bieber card, girl! I cannot stand him…lol. And I love your closing description of a treat.
Haha. To each their own, right?
I love what you said about the word “treat”. It is so true! I am sick of feeling guilt when it should be pure enjoyment all the way.
No room for guilt – just love! <3 Amen sister.
Aww exchanging gifts is such a cute tradition! That maple pumpkin butter seriously sounds amazing.
And I’m drooling at both of your meals! I think I would have gone for yours though because I can never turn down squash.
I’m glad you ladies had fun together!
Yes! Squash for the win!
Haha
I’ve been stalking your pictures with Cait all weekend!! Love you two
I am flattered! Haha
Haha aww thanks girl! Love you!
I know just what you mean about the changing meaning of “treat.” For a long time, it went hand in hand with “cheat,” which is such an awful way to look at things. After all, “cheat” has a strong moral overtone, and eating shouldn’t be a matter of morality (though the ED often turns it into one)! Even now, I sometimes hesitate to use the word “treat” in my mental vocabulary just because I shudder at what it used to mean to me. Glad you have successfully overturned its meaning though!!
And p.s. I love your floral pants!
It always fills my heart with happiness to see my favorite BB couple having so much fun together! Your joy shines through in both your writing and your photos! <3
Every time I read about your adventures at Garden Grille, my mouth waters, and my jealousy deepens. ;-p I need to dine at this restaurant some day. I WILL dine at this restaurant some day! Your entrees look amazing–especially the acorn squash atop the apple puree. Yum!
I love your philosophy about what *truly* constitutes a treat in life. It's not food, but people and experiences that are true treats, because they have the ability to satisfy our souls far longer than a bite of food does. Cheers to a life free of restrictions! xoxo <3
You NEED to visit so we can enjoy the amazingness that is Garden Grille. I know that you would just die. Love you so much, Sara!!!
This was a nice post to read — thinking of special encounters as “treats.” As I am spending this year abroad, many simple things in life have become treats: extra long Skype calls with friends or family, the care package of vegan goodies that my mom recently sent, NYC postcards from friends still living in my beloved city. Your blog helps to keep me connected to a “vegan world” that does not exist in Japan — so I thank you for that. You daily posts are a treat in an of themselves ^_~
YOU, my dear Kate, are a treat. Every single comment and email you’re sent me has warmed my heart to its core. You’re amazing! Sending you so much love. <3
Ive totally found I borrow that phrase of CAITLIN’s too
It’s a goodie!
ZOMG Carla I’m flattered!
Um, best treat ever!!! Love when friends come to visit! You two are so cute. Would it be weird if I bought that bieber card and framed it…..?
Don’t answer that.
When I come here I forget how goshdarn PRETTY vegan food can be! My veganism may have only lasted a year and a half, but dem chefs really know how to get creative with a dish!
LOVE YOU LADY! xo
It would NOT be weird and I EXPECT a picture of you + Biebs.
Love YOU!
you three are just lovely. Yes, i wish i could have been there. Pinot grigio all the way!