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Eating Our Way Through Austin

Gig and I met in Austin this weekend with the intention not to shop, but to eat our way around Austin. I also had a family reunion going on Saturday morning, so it was a 2-birds-1-stone kind of thing. Now we plan to make it an annual trek.

After struggling to get out of Dallas, during Friday evening traffic, I was a little frustrated and very hungry when we met a bit after 10pm. So, off we went on our first adventure for food – off the cuff.

Deep Fried Deviled Eggs

The Food Gods were smiling. We pulled into Lucy’s Fried Chicken on Burnet Rd., walked into the neon lit ambiance and found a seat among the few patrons (it WAS after 10 p.m.). Great little waitress greeted us and recommended the Deep Fried Deviled Eggs…..OK????

Let me just say, they were De-lish! Creamy, with a lovely batter. We also ordered a basket of chicken – 4 piece -which was also really good; crunchy, tender, not greasy. The kind your great granny might have cooked for Sunday dinner. We were super happy with our late night meal and good service.

Saturday, we breakfasted at Magnolia Cafe off MoPac. I would hghly recommend the Prima Dora. An omelet with generous sliced avocado, topped with lemon sour cream, verde and chipotle sauces dressed out like a Mexican flag. I out ordered Gig (that means mine was better) who had some type of Eggs Benedict. Wouldn’t recommend the mimosas – little and over done.

Off to the reunion where, technically, we ate/snacked again about 2 hours later.

District Cutie, Pork Crostini appetizers, Soft Glow

Too full for a regular dinner, we opted to make happy hour at the District Kitchen + Cocktails. We shared a District Cutie (Gig has a thing about ginger beer) and a Soft Glow – dragon berry infused Bacardi with strawberries (it was VERY sweet). Stick to the District Cutie. We also tried the Pork Belly Crostinis which were yummy and the Chicken Street Tacos (very bland).

We meant to go take a nap to prep for our next meal, but we gabbed too long. We ended up at Hula Hut, highly recommended by other foodies, but honestly, we were a bit disappointed. The food was good: Gig had Shrimp Pipeline Enchilada, a shrimp/spinach enchilada and I had a Surfer Salad with mahi mahi, but not really anything to write home about and the waiter spoke so fast that we were left looking blankly at him trying to figure out what he’d just said or if maybe he’d been imbibing. I also think we irritated him by just ordering water when we first set down – and before we had menus – instead of drinks. After perusing the menu, we both ordered drinks, but they were nothing to write home about. We missed sitting outside on the river…Hula Hut just didn’t hit our mark.

Sunday, still full from Saturday, and with plans to leave by 1ish, it took a while to get moving, but we landed at Maria’s Taco Xpress. What a fun place! I bet this place is great fun in the evenings. We had a gordita (good) and a steak & egg burrito platter (way good) with potatoes, rice & beans. There’s an eclectic crowd here (ok, that COULD be said about most of Austin). I’d go back, Maria must have a really great sense of humor and Gig said the cook was a miracle to watch.

But probably the piece de resistance was Burro Cheese Kitchen with their artisan grilled cheese sandwiches. We’d looked forward to this place all weekend and we were NOT disappointed. Stuffed to the gills, but not disappointed.

Artisan Grilled Cheese

We planned to split 1 sandwich but then the selection was just too tempting, so I talked her into getting 2 and we’d save the 2nd half for a snack on the road…Yeh, that didn’t happen either. We scarfed those puppies down like we’d not eaten in days…and I enjoyed every messy, delicious bite.

The Burro is on South Congress, on a corner, in a shipping container, with only outside seating. I don’t care. I had the Waylon and Willie – sourdough, carmelized onions, maple bacon, pepperocinis. It was heavenly! Gig opted for the Croque – Madame – a sweet blend of smoked ham, gouda, pesto aioli, fried egg and dulce de leche. Um – YUM. So glad we stopped there on our way out of town.

I may not eat for a week, but for just a few days in Austin, it was foodie heaven. And the company, some of the best to be had.

Oh, and a shout out to Sara & Frederik (no c) in Allandale for the perfect spot to sleep via Airbnb while we stuffed ourselves on Austin cuisine.

“Maybe instead of strings it’s stories things are made of, an infinite number of tiny vibrating stories…that’s why no story on it’s own makes any sense, and so what you have to do in a life is try to weave it back together, my story into your story, our stories into all the other people’s we know, until you’ve got something that to God or whoever might look like a letter, or even a whole word…” from Skippy Dies by Paul Murray.

Stories…strings of stories, making up the universe. Stories woven together to make..a whole.

Painted Pumpkins

Got this idea from Pinterest and over the course of the next few days made several sets for friends and gifts. Don’t tell the kids, but I used some of their old school pictures – the ones that come as stickers.

She’s Really Getting Married

A precious friend is fitting Gig’s wedding dress and last week she sent a text to say it was ready for the first fitting. And she added, “It’s one of the best made wedding dresses I’ve ever seen.”

And I got so excited! Then I burst into tears.

Somehow, knowing that, made the whole thing seem… well, right now – not “down the road a bit”. We’ve spent the last year talking about her getting married and the things that she wants and where it’s going to be and who’s going to be there. And fitting the dress brought it all front and center.

It isn’t about loosing my baby girl…it’s more the changes that I know will be right around the corner.

When we had this little girl, we didn’t think about the day that she’d walk down the aisle. We were counting fingers and toes. And the years flew by and she became my friend as well as my child. She became someone who I was so proud of…she went off to college (maybe dated some duds along the way), then she graduated, got a job, bought a house and learned, and loved, to DIY all on her own (playing with the electricity still scares me). And made her home and…well, grew up.

And now she’s getting married. In just a few weeks.

I already know that I’m going to cry. I’m a crier. But they will be happy tears – for my precious child/friend. And for the future she’s going to share with a very, very lucky man.

And the dress is going to look beautiful on her. Because she’s beautiful.