Author's Note:
YA'LL, welcome to the Austin edition. I am not going to go crazy in depth about mine and Hectors trip to Austin because that would take awhile and I don't have all the time in the world (lots of work emails and other stuff to catch up on!), so I will just highlight my favorite parts! First, I would just like to say that Austin is such a wonderful city. All of the California transplants really made it feel a little bit like home. Great food, great clothes, and everyone there was just chill, ya know? Very mellow + hip in the most California way, but with a splash of Texas twang, hospitality, and music. We spent most of our time in South Congress (all time favorite part of the trip), Rainey St. and Downtown around the Capitol. I can say with confidence that Austin has my heart and I'd totally go back. We walked pretty much everywhere, too. There is something so freeing about walking around in a foreign place. Tours are boring. Plans are dull. When you walk, you see all the details that make that city unique and worth the time + money spent on getting there. With that said, here are some highlights from our trip:
+ So. Much. Coffee. There is a coffee shop on almost every block. Every single one one-of-a-kind in look and feel, and all of them serving great brew (should I do a separate post for Austin recommendations?).
+ Visiting the Texas capitol building. Sadly, we couldn't go inside because it was closed and the military was guarding it in preparation for Inauguration Day (*hard eye roll*), but it was still a special experience. I haven't seen too many capitol buildings in my day (except for THE Capitol building in D.C. - greatest experience ever) but this one almost knocked me over with its beauty. It's other-worldly big. Made entirely of sunset red granite, it stands out in a grand, powerful way. For my art history majors, its architectural design is that of Italian Renaissance Revival style and is actually modeled after the US Capitol. Experiencing any type of historical landmark and learning its background makes me an even prouder American.
+ Rainey St. - this is the alley of dreams. Every business (restaurants + bars) on this street resides in historic homes topped with string lights. It's cozy and everything is close together, making it super easy to hop from one place to another. There was live music playing (quintessential Austin) at almost every bar and you best believe people-watching was at an all time high. It was a street that was alive. It made us feel like things were normal again.
+ BBQ - good Lord, I had so much beef brisket. Tender and fresh, with house barbeque sauce, I was salivating before every meal (and still am). The sides of mac n cheese and cornbread hit the spot too.
+ South Congress aka SoCo - South Congress is a district in Austin that lives on Congress Ave., which is also a one-way walk/drive/scoot to the main bridge over the magnificent Colorado River that goes through downtown straight to the capitol. We spent a lot of our time on this street. It's where all the good shopping and eating goes down and, frankly, where the best pics can be taken. There's a ton of wall art all over the place. The surrounding neighborhoods have houses made of dreams (think Newport Beach/Costa Mesa but for $400K, ha!) with a quaintness that can only be found in 50s sitcoms. Not to mention, the shopping centers have little hidden treasures like chic restaurants tucked away and hotels that feel like Venice canal huts. Truly extraordinary.
That's it for my Austin round up. I'll do a short post very soon with a list of all my recommendations if you ever consider visiting! Praise God for these mini vaca's. The Arroyo's needed a break.