I started this mani off with a 3 coat base of ULTA Baby Doll — cute color (boy did they ever name it right) but the application wasn’t much fun; the 3 coats were so carefully applied because I clearly was getting spotty coverage, but attempts at correcting it sort of failed.  So instead of giving up/going for a 4th coat, I decided to use some acrylic paint and keep practicing my lettering *over* the problem.

The design was taken from the logo for We Live to Eat here in New Orleans, a flowy logo with big fat swirly letters and a fleur de lis fork — I just think it’s a fun design.  Plus the folks over at the Louisiana Restaurant Association are pretty great.  Here’s a little bit about WLTE from their website:

In New Orleans, we live to eat; it’s part of who we are. The culinary industry is a cornerstone of the city’s identity and should be embraced by locals, as they play a vital role in supporting our restaurants, the culinary talent behind them and celebrating the way of life for which New Orleans is widely known. WLTE seeks to keep all of the city’s restaurants top-of-mind with consumers while also building an emotional connection with the local food-loving community. The result—a larger number of locals dining out more often and fueling the movement through referrals and word-of-mouth to increase patronage across every type of restaurant.

If you’re living in New Orleans or just coming for a visit, check out their site for the latest on restaurant events and guides to local cuisine — and prepare to get hungry!