Austin, Texas

We boarded the plane to Austin only to realize none of us actually knew it was the state capital of Texas until we arrived.  All the more reason to go places you've never been.  I can speak for the group when I say things in Texas really are bigger and Austin treated us well.  We had an absolute blast.  

Although I won't go into details about everything we did I will list a few recommendations for those of you who haven't ventured to this fine city.  

Restaurants:

Easy Tiger- Great beer garden.  We happened to come in on a half price beer night which made this even better.  Order the pretzels and beer cheese followed by the Reuben.  Enough to share between friends.

Gourdough's Doughnut Truck- I don't even know how to begin to describe this masterful place.  Just go there.  You will not be disappointed.  The flying pig, heavenly hash, and blackout were a few we tried. 

Second Bar & Kitchen- Loved the atmosphere here.  If you're looking for a quiet spot, this isn't it but if you enjoy music and are okay with some noise then it's perfect.  The pizzas were superb.

Roaring Fork- De-Lic-ious.  We literally ordered every appetizer available and passed them around the table.  It's a must (esp. the lamb chop fondue and mac and cheese).

Guero's Taco Bar- Three words... Brisket Tacos & Margaritas. 

Shopping: 

South Congress Shopping District has a lot of really cool shops.  Some with a little more personality than others and a few here and there with distinct smells.  We spent an entire afternoon her perusing.  You could get lost in the antiques, costumes, cowboy boots, handmade crafts but it's well worth the time.  

We also spent some time browsing boutiques off fourth street.  There is no shortage of interesting items to purchase. 

Tours:

Austin Duck Adventures shares all the history Austin has to offer.  For those of you who love pop culture like my friends and I do, this tour also takes you to Austin Lake.  Austin Lake is home of Mathew McConaughey, Andy Roddick/Brooklyn Decker, and Sandra Bullock.  Yes please!

Night Life:

You do not have to venture far to find bars galore and clubs made for dancing.  If you're looking for more of a college scene with "Bourbon Street appeal" then 6th street is right up your ally.  6th street is blocked and the party ventures into the streets late night.  6th street was a great time but my friends and I preferred our second night out on 4th street.  The majority of our Saturday night was spent at Handlebar Austin having too much fun creating limbo lines and dancing throughout the bar. The DJ was AMAZING!

And how do you determine if the weekend was a success?  Like this... 

San Francisco, California

My trip to San Francisco 12 years ago does not compare to my most recent rendezvous in this fabulous city.  I went to visit my dear friends Genevieve and Kenlee and had an absolutely wonderful time.  It was a whirlwind of a weekend and well worth it.  

Friday when I landed Genevieve scooped me up from the airport and we went for drinks at the Lion Pub.  Be sure to take cash and order the Grapefruit Greyhound.  The fruit is freshly squeezed and the drinks are delicious.  

We had dinner at The Brixton.  Eat everything... it's all delicious.  Gen and I split crab cakes and macaroni and I had the chicken and beet salad for dinner.  Amazing.  

Saturday morning we woke up and went to the coast for the day.  If you've never gone to an oyster farm put it on your must do list.  Hog Island Oyster Farm is a true experience.  Reserve a picnic table, pack a bottle of wine, and spend a few hours shucking your own oysters and enjoying the view.  It's an absolutely beautiful place and a perfect way to spend the day.  

The other must do while in Northern California is take a trip to Sonoma.  I could spend weeks here but only had ten hours before I had to board my red eye back to the east coast.  Scribe Winery was by far my favorite of our stops.  It was rustic, earthy, and I absolutely loved the people that work there.  Our tasting was fabulous, not to mention all of the wines were spectacular.  I managed to limit myself to 6 bottles of vino and am anticipating their arrival at my front door any day now.  

We had brunch at The Fremont Diner.  Between the four of us we managed to consume deviled eggs, the Fremont burger, macaroni and cheese, Nashville chicken, crab chips, chili, and catfish.  Of course mimosas were necessary to wash it all down.   



We also made stops at Sebastiani and Domaine Carneros before my trip to Sonoma had to sadly come to an end.  

I had an amazing time and cannot wait for my next trip to San Francisco.  Thanks for a great weekend!  I'll be back soon San Fran.  xoxo

FloydFest (Floyd, VA)

I am now home from a four day music festival in the blue ridge mountains of Virginia.  FloydFest, cleverly located in Floyd, Virginia is directly off of the parkway and full of breathtaking views.  I borrowed this photo of the venue from the FloydFest website to give you a little idea of what I'm referring to.  

The weather was perfect... well, until the monsoon that happened upon us on Saturday.  Even the heavy rains and mud couldn't stop the music.      

Fortunately for us our camp neighbor had an extra tarp and we had three very capable men more than willing to rig up additional shelter... in the pouring rain, at any cost.  

While the girls... TOOK COVER!

Without the rain there wouldn't have been any trash bag skirts or trench coats

Let's get to the good stuff though.  The music was out of this world and I am now a huge fan of so many bands and highly recommend you look into them as well.  Promise me you'll at least download Jason Isbell music.  I am OBSESSED and you will be too or we can't be friends any more.

1- JASON ISBELL (do it, seriously)
2- Devil Makes Three
3- Megan Jean and the KFB
4- Field Report
5- Spirit Family Reunion
6- Brandi Carlile
7- Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros

You're welcome, ahead of time.

Camping for five days and live music throughout the night isn't everyone's cup of tea... who am I kidding, it's great and you should find a festival close to you too.  You won't regret it.