Happy Friday! This week in trying to make fetch happen:

I. Leather Jacket Weather

[Jacket: AllSaints, Scarf: H&M]

I bought this leather jacket in Georgetown the day before moving to New York. It was about 85 degrees out, but I was coming off a self-imposed shopping hiatus and was told by the friend who joined me that I “had to have it” (thanks, betch). I had the chance to wear it exactly once before the weather turned bizarrely warm again, and am thrilled for the crisp fall temperatures that are now allowing me to integrate it into my outfits on a daily basis (PS: AllSaints Spitalfields has the best leather goods, from jackets to pants to bodyhugging minidresses that look stylish, not slooty).

II. Halloween Decorations

[Our “foyer”: Mirror: Ikea, Table: Urban Outfitters, Seriously Badass Antlers: My grandfather, in Siberia, 30 years ago, Sparkly Pumpkin Stickers & Candy Corn: Target]

I am a firm believer in decorating for the holidays, and after Christmas, Halloween is my favorite festive occasion. I tend to go all out for the winter holidays–think Christmas Tree, um, Hannukah Bush, tinsel and strategically placed mistletoe, but I keep Halloween a bit more understated. I picked up some sparkly Halloween decals and candy corn at my favorite place in the world, Target, and placed them in our “foyer” hallway to set a festive mood for guests. They will be joined by pumpkins which I may or may not be too lazy to carve after my pumpkin picking trip next week!

III. Just Dessert

[DBGB’s Chocolate Malt Ice Cream Sundae: malted meringue, cookie dough, brownies, chocolate fudge & whipped cream]

Since I moved to New York, my boyfriend and I have set up a weekly date night. The past few weeks, we’ve started a little tradition of going to dinner at one restaurant and wandering over to another for dessert. It’s a nice way to extend our date and get the most out of our evening (or, as he says, “you just want to check in to both places on Foursquare so everyone can see how cool and well-fed you are. Touché, dear). Last night, after a delicious dinner on the Lower East Side, we walked up to SoHo to grab something sweet at DBGB, Daniel Boulud‘s upscale-casual joint. Our ice cream sundae was delicious, and we got our dessert wine on the house after our waiter noticed it was taking a while to come. I plan to try this place for dinner very soon.

IV. Animal Print for Autumn

[Booties: Forever 21, Dress: Rebecca Taylor, Key Pouch: Dooney & Bourke]

You guys, I have a confession. Although I was once a spelling bee champion (oh fourth grade, pinnacle of my academic existence), there are several very simple words that I just cannot spell. Among them: Leopard (Leaopard) and Tomorrow (Tommorow). Please don’t judge me. Although I can’t correctly write “Leopard,” I have figured out a way to correctly wear it and am infusing my wardrobe with animal-print accessories this fall. The key to leopard, zebra, cheetah and other animal-inspired fashion: Small. Doses. Animal-print shoes, bags, scarves, cardigans: adorable. Animal-print head to toe: fit for a woman of the night. I picked up the above booties at Forever21 for under $30 a few weeks ago, and the Rebecca Taylor dress is a find from one of my favorite stores in DC. I love that it’s understated enough to toss on under a black blazer for work or play.

V. Beers in Brooklyn

This weekend, I plan to attend Fort Greene’s Brooklyn Pour, a beer festival with over 100 craft beers and plenty of brew-friendly snacks to accompany them. Fall is the best time for food and drink festivals–weather in the high sixties this weekend is ideal for and afternoon of sampling several, or several dozen delectable beverages.

Enjoy your weekend!