I went out a day earlier than everyone else. I was looking forward to some alone time, and a little 24 hour stint for me would do the trick. I managed to squeeze in lots of good stuff. Once I landed in Austin, I decided to take the bus rather than a shuttle downtown to my hotel, since the ride time was about the same, the cost difference substantial ($1 vs. $16) and the people watching would be much more interesting. I always love going to a new city with no expectations or a clue exactly what I am going to do or who I may meet. I always end up getting great tips from locals, which prove to be so much more fun than just from a guide book. While I am by no means good with directions, I do end up finding my way about in a new city. I booked a massage on line at a spa in Austin before leaving Columbus so I did have at least one place I had to be on Thursday afternoon. The spa, Milk + Honey, was a delightful experience. I haven't had a spa-like massage in a long while and the minute I walked in the smell reminded me of being pregnant and going to a place like this to get pampered. The ambience was perfect - clean, calming and fragrant, yet not too much. First, I got a manicure and the woman was from Mexico City - I learned so much about her life and transition to the states. She also gave me suggestions where to eat and shop, and so I had an exciting plan for the next day before my friends arrived. It was well past dinner time when my spa visit ended so I just walked next door to Lambert's for dinner. I enjoyed a lovely and strong Bourbon & Coke, followed by grilled Rainbow Trout, served with avacado-quinoa and brussel sprouts. I couldn't imagine eating another thing so I ordered dessert to go: coconut cream pie. Dinner was delicious; the dessert, a disappointment.
In the morning I headed out for a run to the river path - it was invigorating to be running outdoors in shorts and a tank top during the dreary month of January. Once again, I loved the newness of a place to run and the fact so many people were out and about. Afterwards, I took a cab out to Southern Congress, locally known as 'So-Co' to eat at the Southern Congress Cafe for brunch. Maria the manicurist recommended it, as they have excellent breakfast. Since I'm a breakfast girl, it was a no-brainer. So-Co is a hip little strip of eateries and boutiques. A little grunge, a little upscale. My meal was a scrumptious plate of traditional eggs benedict, where the ham was not too thick and locally raised, hollandaise on the side, both traditional and chipotle. The music made it a favorite for me as well, while 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons played in the background. There is nothing worse than having bad, outdated music playing while trying to enjoy your meal (except for having a bad meal, of course).
I spent the remainder of the day in So-Co, wandering in and out of shops, taking in the local atmosphere and enjoying the fact that the sun was shining and it was almost 80 degrees. I missed my kids, however, I also loved having a chance to be on my own, not a diaper to change or a meal to make.
The food truck scene is seriously impressive in Austin. I, along with my friends, were eager foodies and a large part of our trip was dedicated to unearthing yummy eats. The only thing that bums me out when I travel to a new city is I am not able to try as much food as possible. One can only eat so much during the day.
Friday night we ate at Guero's taco bar - it was a warm evening and we dined out on the patio overlooking the street; good for people watching. We stuffed our faces with chips and queso and salsa. Washing it all down with Margaritas. My take on Guero's: great scene, mediocre food, small and not powerful enough margaritas. The chips however, were my favorite during the whole weekend. And remember, chips are served with EVERYTHING down in Texas.
After dinner we made our way over The Continental Club to hear some live music in one of the many Austin hot spots. It is a very intimate venue so we really were able to have the experience up-close. We heard country blues and watched an older couple dance so elegantly together it was mesmerizing. The second band came on and he played Louisiana Swamp blues, which was fun, hard to dance to and after a while all the songs sounded the same. Fun was had by all.
On Saturday morning, we headed out to the food trucks. We were determined to find Gourdough's- renown for their donuts. Located in South Austin, we found it, along with many others. We got 'two' donuts and shared - donut holes covered in a sweet icing and layered with crispy coconut on top. These were sweet, but the donuts retained some crunch on the outside and doughy in the middle. A favorite of all of us. We also got breakfast tacos; migas - which was new to me. A mixture of scrambled eggs, fresh jalapenos, pico de gallo and tortilla strips, served on a homemade corn tortilla. Two of them mind you. I was officially stuffed.
We sadly opted to skip lunch since we were so full from our breakfasts. I did make room for Amy's Ice Cream on Congress - Mexican Vanilla served with hot fudge, whipped cream and pecans. While I enjoyed it, we are quite spoiled here in Ohio with some outstanding ice creams. So, I am glad I tried Amy's since it's a hometown favorite among Austinites, however, I still give my ultimate shout out to Jeni's Ice Creams right here in Columbus, Ohio.
Good thing we could't make dinner reservations until 9 pm that night. We desperately needed some time to digest! We headed out for Fonda San Miguel. And, just like the review states, it's a gorgeous setting. The food was outstanding. Everything we had was superb- the mojitos, tamales, huaraches (made with Mexican blue corn meal), steak, shrimp and mole. Once again, we were so stuffed we had no room for dessert. Surprisingly, our bill was relatively inexpensive among the four of us. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. Would I eat at 9 pm again? Not if I planned ahead :)
At this point during our weekend stay, the thought of more food seemed a bit daunting but we had more places to cross off our list. My friend Christina suggested we opt out of breakfast the next morning, but we would have none of it and forged onward to Kirby Lane. The gals had fond memories of this place, from around 20 years ago, so they were excited to relive the glory days.
For starters, we ordered our coffees and a large basket of chips, with queso AND guacamole (which was submerged in the queso). These girls were awesome. I loved sharing their enthusiasm for food, but having chips along with my morning joe was a bit out of my comfort zone. I carried on of course - coffee in hand, dipped chip in the other. We laughed, ate eggs, pancakes, and queso. Afterwards, according to the posse, the food didn't live up to it's legend. I reminded them that the passing of 20 years does make for certain memories to become a little more like stories we want to remember instead of facts. :)
I had one more stop to make on - Salt Lick BBQ. That could be had at the airport on the way out of Austin.
I spent the remainder of the day in So-Co, wandering in and out of shops, taking in the local atmosphere and enjoying the fact that the sun was shining and it was almost 80 degrees. I missed my kids, however, I also loved having a chance to be on my own, not a diaper to change or a meal to make.
The food truck scene is seriously impressive in Austin. I, along with my friends, were eager foodies and a large part of our trip was dedicated to unearthing yummy eats. The only thing that bums me out when I travel to a new city is I am not able to try as much food as possible. One can only eat so much during the day.
Friday night we ate at Guero's taco bar - it was a warm evening and we dined out on the patio overlooking the street; good for people watching. We stuffed our faces with chips and queso and salsa. Washing it all down with Margaritas. My take on Guero's: great scene, mediocre food, small and not powerful enough margaritas. The chips however, were my favorite during the whole weekend. And remember, chips are served with EVERYTHING down in Texas.
After dinner we made our way over The Continental Club to hear some live music in one of the many Austin hot spots. It is a very intimate venue so we really were able to have the experience up-close. We heard country blues and watched an older couple dance so elegantly together it was mesmerizing. The second band came on and he played Louisiana Swamp blues, which was fun, hard to dance to and after a while all the songs sounded the same. Fun was had by all.
On Saturday morning, we headed out to the food trucks. We were determined to find Gourdough's- renown for their donuts. Located in South Austin, we found it, along with many others. We got 'two' donuts and shared - donut holes covered in a sweet icing and layered with crispy coconut on top. These were sweet, but the donuts retained some crunch on the outside and doughy in the middle. A favorite of all of us. We also got breakfast tacos; migas - which was new to me. A mixture of scrambled eggs, fresh jalapenos, pico de gallo and tortilla strips, served on a homemade corn tortilla. Two of them mind you. I was officially stuffed.
We sadly opted to skip lunch since we were so full from our breakfasts. I did make room for Amy's Ice Cream on Congress - Mexican Vanilla served with hot fudge, whipped cream and pecans. While I enjoyed it, we are quite spoiled here in Ohio with some outstanding ice creams. So, I am glad I tried Amy's since it's a hometown favorite among Austinites, however, I still give my ultimate shout out to Jeni's Ice Creams right here in Columbus, Ohio.
Good thing we could't make dinner reservations until 9 pm that night. We desperately needed some time to digest! We headed out for Fonda San Miguel. And, just like the review states, it's a gorgeous setting. The food was outstanding. Everything we had was superb- the mojitos, tamales, huaraches (made with Mexican blue corn meal), steak, shrimp and mole. Once again, we were so stuffed we had no room for dessert. Surprisingly, our bill was relatively inexpensive among the four of us. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. Would I eat at 9 pm again? Not if I planned ahead :)
At this point during our weekend stay, the thought of more food seemed a bit daunting but we had more places to cross off our list. My friend Christina suggested we opt out of breakfast the next morning, but we would have none of it and forged onward to Kirby Lane. The gals had fond memories of this place, from around 20 years ago, so they were excited to relive the glory days.
For starters, we ordered our coffees and a large basket of chips, with queso AND guacamole (which was submerged in the queso). These girls were awesome. I loved sharing their enthusiasm for food, but having chips along with my morning joe was a bit out of my comfort zone. I carried on of course - coffee in hand, dipped chip in the other. We laughed, ate eggs, pancakes, and queso. Afterwards, according to the posse, the food didn't live up to it's legend. I reminded them that the passing of 20 years does make for certain memories to become a little more like stories we want to remember instead of facts. :)
I had one more stop to make on - Salt Lick BBQ. That could be had at the airport on the way out of Austin.
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