The End of Days [Shift]/ Big Grove Tavern

Thursday, May 2nd was my last official day of working the morning shift... thank goodness. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I will do anything to keep it and I enjoy spending time with all the people on the morning shift. That being said, I am so grateful to be back on the shift that does not require me to wake up and go into work several hours before the sun rises and go to bed before the sun sets.

It probably isn't as great step forward in many respects. I get less opportunities to pick up extra hours, I get less hands on experience and I'll have the opposite schedule as Boyfriend. But my spirits were always down. By the time 6 PM came around, I was tired, grumpy and irritable. I'm sure no one wanted to spend any time with me then. I'm thankful for the change and it's time to go back to my 4:30 PM til 10 PM shifts.

I felt the need to celebrate. Sounds the horns, we're going out! Boyfriend and I visited Big Grove Tavern only once. It's a relatively new restaurant in Downtown Champaign, focusing on an elegantly rustic farm-to-table concept of cooking. It has a beautiful simple dining area with little white lights, black and white paintings and sprawling wooden branches hanging over the grand bar.

You must forgive my sub-par picture taking skills. I did not bring my DSLR and the restaurant is a little too dark for my phone's camera. My shaky hands probably don't help. Here's what we ate.

The gorgeous bar

I want these paintings

They start us off with seasoned popcorn. Truffle butter maybe?

Herbs and Endive: gin mixed with sage, lime and simple syrup

Bison chili with cornbread

DAHKNESS!

Boyfriend's Trout with mustard greens and asparagus

My Mushroom Farro

Clean plate club!

Our "dessert pot pie" as our waiter described it. Puff pastry filled with cream and berries

I don't know what happened, but the past few days have been beautiful. Now we're cursed with more realistic Illinois Spring weather... meaning cold, wind and rain. During the hour and a half that we were dining, the temperature must have dropped 10 degrees. Despite my child-sized umbrella and my 3 inch heels, my shivering body and chattering teeth made it to the car.

Coat: The Limited

Sweater: BCBG MaxAxria

Skirt: The Limited

Necklace: Eden in Love

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Umbrella: Tokyo Disneyland

It's been an honor working on the day shift, but I've missed being on nights. Maybe I'll make more of a habit to wake up earlier and not go to bed at three in the morning. But no promises.

-Akemi-chan