Austin

My husband’s Texan. From Fort Worth (bored and raised, baby!) but went to high school in Austin, my in-laws met and fell in love there, Zach and I first talked about moving in together on a road trip through hill country and we have a lot of great friends who call it home. So it’s a special place and we’ve been a bunch. It’s actually one of my favorite places, period. The people are friendly, the city diverse, the food scene is sick and that’s not even mentioning the music, which it’s known for.

We usually stay at Barton Creek Resort, a bit outside of the city, which is great for kids: big villas with living rooms, kitchens and plenty of space. But if I were going solo, as a couple or with just a girlfriend or two, I would absolutely stay at the Hotel Saint Cecilia. It’s dreamy.

The, now iconic, neon sign is fitting because the city has so much soul.

Our first stop is always Gueros to get our Tex-Mex fill.

Can’t resist the quesssso.

This recent trip, I discovered two new favorite stores in JM Drygoods…

… and Beehive Boutique

Clark’s Oyster Bar is such a charming, coastal-inspired spot for seafood.

The lobster roll was legit.

Street art runs rampant.

The city is so vibrant. I dare you to not fall in love.

Perla’s remains a favorite for fantastic seafood and southern classics like fried okra.

The best breakfast in town? $3 migas tacos from Veracruz All Natural.

I’m not even a breakfast taco person but couldn’t get enough so I stole Zach’s.

As punishment, he made me pose alone at this lover’s wall.

Lunch at irresistibly cute, quaint (and healthy!) Josephine House.

Even in the rain, it was cheery.

So many tacos, so many trucks, sooo little time.

One of the better cones of my life was at Lick.

Goat cheese, thyme and honey. Do it.

Saint Cecicila’s sister property, Hotel San Jose, is pretty great too and worthy of a stay and/or outdoor drink.

Not pictured by equally deserving: South Congress Cafe for mouth-watering brunch (think: carrot cake french toast), Fonda San Miguel for fine dining Mex, Elizabeth St. Cafe for ridiculously good Vietnamese fare in a vibrant spot, St. Philip Pizza Parlor for quality pies, Uchi & Uchiko for exquisite sushi, The Broken Spoke for legendary honkey tonk (a must for first-timers!), Uncommon Objects, one of the cooler antique stores I’ve ever been to absolutely worth the walk-thru and the iconic Waterloo Records. That barely scratches the eclectic surface!

Finally suckered this one into a sweet shot.

These sentiments could easily be applied to Austin. Can’t wait to come back! Until then, keep it weird.