This one is about food and friends, not poop

As much as I want it to be about poop, I will give you a one-post hiatus. Instead, I will talk about the adventure I had last night with co-workers.

I was invited to join my co-worker (Stacey), a former co-worker (Pam), and Steph, who is the art teacher at the middle school for a girls' weekend. Originally the plan was to eat dinner and drink margaritas in Minneapolis at a Mexican restaurant, Las Mujeres. We were going to spend the night in a hotel called Aloft. Then we were going to partake in early morning beautifying appointments at the Horst Salon and Aveda Esthetique (where Aveda stylists/aestheticians practice). Then we were going to have lunch and go home. Stacey found a great deal for the restaurant and hotel. The appointments wouldn't cost much since it's a beauty school (I was going to get highlights). I saved up some piano lesson money to use, which wasn't as much as I anticipated it being, so I was hoping I could get by without doing something. However, I didn't have to do that because it dwindled to substituting the Aveda Institute for Starbucks. Then it turned into no overnight; just dinner. All of this stemmed from Walker's Bill proposal. It was all fine by me because I had $42 in my pocket and dinner would be perfect for my budget. I'd even have some money left over.

On Friday, we met at Steph's house then made our way to Lake St. where Las Mujeres is. On my trusty place map, it looked like it was in/near Uptown. However, it was a mile from Uptown and in a sketchy neighborhood, so after convincing Stacey that her $3 coupon for $35 worth of food was NOT worth it, we went to Chino Latino instead.

If you've never been to Chino Latino, you should go. Expect to spend time there, and expect to share food. It's a family-style place. It was my second time there, the first time being Jess' bachelorette party.

We ordered drinks--margaritas for them, a delicious Honolulu Hummer ("banana-spiked rums blended with vanilla ice cream and served in a fresh young coconut") for me.

We ate fish tacos (I'm not a fish fan, but I hear they were good) and Belafonte's Banana Boat Chicken, which was "crunchy plantain-crusted chicken breast with a sweet-tart passionfruit sauce and sautéed peppers and onions." It was so good.

Then, of course, we also had dessert: a chocolate volcano cup ("molten dark chocolate cake erupting with kahlua whipped cream") and fried coconut ice cream.

Grand total: $137.00 for 4 people. YIKES. Yes--also expect to pay a lot. We decided that $42 was a perfect amount for each of us to pay. Perfect! :D

I was also able to come home and sleep in my bed with my cozy husband instead of a hotel bed with another woman whom I dare say would let me put my cold feet on her feet like Kevin does.