NYE at L'Etoile

Dress: Hibiscus Heaven Maxi Dress by Free People (size L) via Nuuly

Cardigan, Purse, & Bracelet: Vintage

Shoes: Fluevog, Poser: Shiloh 

Necklace & Earrings: Green Goddess Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 37-32-42

This dress is fancier than it appears...with lace & intricate gold embroidery...so many pretty details...I only wish it had been warm weather season so I could have shown off the back. This dress is mostly cotton, but quite heavy with all the fabric & lining...I still think it would work as a summer evening dress...perhaps in India at a fancy restaurant...that's my fantasy anyway. This dress is long enough that I needed to wear heels (I would have anyway). Had I gotten it in a size smaller, I probably would have bought it...it was perfection. 

I felt SO lucky that this vintage 50s cashmere cardigan had arrived in the mail just in time. With its intricate beading, it was elegant enough to make this dress winter appropriate. 

Just as we began taking these photos (outside the capitol), it started to snow. 

This is what I adore about vintage...the attention to details...the beading continues on the back...

Look at how perfectly these Fluevogs go with my outfit...like they were made for it. 

I decided not to wear my fanciest black vintage parure...only the bracelet. The necklace would have taken up the entire décolletage.

My make-up with this outfit included...Lucky & Torch eyeliner from Urban Decay; Ankh, Hieroglyph, & Prophet eyeshadow by Kat von D; NYX lipliner in Pumpkin; Gothica lipstick from Kat von D; Bite Beauty lipstick in Toast; & ILNP nail polish in Pumpkin Patch. 

New Years Eve Day...I forgot Batch closes down for ~a month after Christmas. I wanted some sweet pastry treats for brunch the next morning, so I decided to try my luck at Bloom...& I wasn't the only one. This whole process took just over an hour. I got: Cranberry Almond Danish, Pan au Chocolate, Morning Bun, & a Brownie. Spoiler alert...we took about 1 bite of each one & threw them away. They weren't horrible, but they certainly weren't worth spiking our blood sugar. Batch is still the best bakery in Madison. 

That night...we began the evening at Lucille...we had a 5pm reservation at L'Etoile, but we were early due to wanting to take pictures while it was still light outside. 

I love these cufflinks we found at Elkhorn. Husband & wife Fluevogs. These are my favorite pants of David's...& they are now too big on him...but I think it might be worth having them taken in as they were made in Italy & have such a great shape. 

Cocktails at the bar at Lucille...then a walk down the street to L'Etoile...it's not far, but the sidewalks were extremely slippery from the snow/rain. 

Picture time before the doors opened...we wanted to eat early to avoid drunken traffic. 

We got the best seat in the house, front & center with this lovely capitol view. 

The menu...David & I ordered 2 things from each course & shared them...like we always do. The exception was dessert as neither of us was particularly interested in the others. 

We got the wine pairing for the meal, which started, of course, with a glass of champagne. Another photo of David's cufflinks. After the welcoming bite, above, the amuse bouche arrived...I think it was a smoked sturgeon with cheve foam.

The wine was all perfectly paired, of course...their sommelier, Michael, has been working there for over 30 years. 

First course...Spicy Yellowtail Tuna & Fischer Family Farm Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio (all descriptions in the menu above). Michael kept coming to the table with more wine. We found out later, after commenting to our server how great he & Michael had been, that our waiter was his son. 

I try to look good in photos, I really do...but I rarely pull it off. 

On to the pasta course...with bread. Mortadella Agnolotti & Dreamfarm Chèvre Gnudi. 

Third course...Maine Lobster & Kyuquot Gindara Sablefish.

Fourth course...Seven Seeds Organic Chicken Pithivier & Fischer Family Farm Ribeye au Poivre.

David loves Port...

And finally, dessert...Doughnuts for me & a Wisconsin Artisanal Cheese Platter for David. It was a wonderfully decadent dinner. And later, Carsie played live online to help ring out 2022.