Dining Out: Camacho Garage

After the lock-down in March, every blogger event I'd had on my calendar was cancelled, and truthfully, I didn't think there would even be new restaurants and businesses opening this year. But no matter what we face, we forge on; while many businesses in my area were shuttered, new ones still opened. 

When I received the email inviting me to attend a real, in-person, opening of a new restaurant last month, I didn't hesitate to send my R.S.V.P., especially considering the executive chef Arturo Franco-Camacho is behind many of my favorite restaurants (past and present), I knew an evening at Camacho Garage was not to be missed.

 

The space in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven has the industrial feel of a vintage garage, with several all glass garage doors that open to the outdoor seating area, allowing for lots of air flow and indoor seating that is effectively outdoor seating for as long as the weather will hold out. In addition to the huge horseshoe bar inside (patrons are currently separated by plexiglass partitions) there is an additional bar outside. The bar menu features the Geronimo Margarita and the Roomba Mojito, nods to Chef's past restaurants, both of which are delicious. While I never visited Roomba before they closed in 2007, I can say I truly miss Tacuba Taco Bar (which was inspired by Roomba) and Camacho Garage seems to embody the feeling and Mexican street food of Tacuba.

While I only sampled a small portion of the menu, everything was delicious - guacamole and tacos of course, but I truly enjoyed the dishes I'd never experienced before; a ceviche comprised of mushrooms, cactus, and onion; a Molcajete bubbling with molten queso, mushrooms and poblanos; and the most delightfully flavorful dessert of a Maria cookie topped with a caramelized sweet plantain and cajeta.

Even while I was still missing the social aspect of past events, it was still a lovely evening to be out seeing some familiar faces from a six foot distance and sampling amazing food.

 

Take any opportunity to enjoy dinner at the open and airy Camacho Garage while the weather is still favorable, and maybe try to get a patio table close to a heater if you love impractical footwear as much as I do.

                     
The Rundown
Rust Knit Dress H&M similar
Floral Kimono Lucky Brand
Sandals Urban Outfitters similar
Basket Bag TJMaxx similar
Jade Hoop Earrings Vintage similar
Coin Necklace TJMaxx

Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry

Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry

Gold Croissant Ring Etsy

Twist Ring Vintage via Etsy
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
Nail Color "Saffr-on the Move" Essie

Dysfunctional Rationalization

I've always prided myself on shopping for deals, a near outright refusal to pay full price for something. Admittedly though, I often lose touch with sensibility when I say, find a skirt with an MSRP of $88 at TJMaxx (linking Marshalls because they still have some in stock) on clearance for $10 and I feel like I've just saved $78. Not that I would have ever paid that, and really I only saved $10 since the original TJMaxx price was $20. However Gilt is selling it for $50, which kind of means I saved $40. Therefore, when I buy a pair of sunglasses for $80, I like to apply that imaginary $40 as a discount. Since the sunglasses were originally $190... well you know where I'm going with that; how could I not justify $140 sandals? (Marked down from $169 of course!)

I'm pretty sure this is how Kohl's entire business model works, and I feel too savvy to fall for their savings gimmicks, yet I still manage to fall for my own.

      
The Rundown
Square Neck Bodysuit Banana Republic
Linen Midi Skirt Nanette Nanette Lepore via TJMaxx
Sandals Flattered
Straw Box Bag Zara similar
Pearl Hoop Earrings c/o Mejuri

Simple Pearl Necklace c/o AUrate

Aries Pendant Necklace Mejuri

Signet Ring Sashi

Gold Croissant Ring Etsy

Thin Gold Ring Etsy

Sunglasses "Nina" Ray-Ban

One Thing

I'm in slight disbelieve that October has arrived, and in my typical fashion, feeling overwhelmed by all the things I haven't yet done this year, I want to shrink into a tiny ball and do nothing while the guilt from unanswered emails and abandoned to-do lists gnaws away my insides. Time expands and contracts in whichever way isn't convenient - I wake up at 7:30 a.m. and have my coffee, thinking I'll get my blog post up soon. Then it's noon, my coffee is long cold, I'm still in pajamas, and the cursor on my screen blinks to an empty page. I'm not entirely sure where that time went, but clearly I'm not going to take responsibility when I can blame the internet.  

I just wanted to get one thing done today, even if it was just writing this post, yet once again, I feel that I'm at a loss for words, a trend which began at the start of the pandemic and has stretched out over all these months. Maybe just leave it at the photos then.

       
The Rundown
Knit Tank Mango
Leopard Skirt Gap similar

Espadrilles Soludos

Raffia Bag Cleobella via Marshalls
Ram Hoop Earrings Vintage via Goodwill 

Necklace S.V. Decker

Locket Necklace Gorjana via TJMaxx

 Blue Topaz Stacking Ring Hirajule via TJMaxx

Twist Ring Vintage via Etsy
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx