Quick Girls Weekend Trip in Austin, TX

When I only had a few days for a long weekend with my old work wife, we took off to Austin, TX to meet up. Mid-summer in July is probably the hottest and most uncomfortable time to go to Texas but was also pretty affordable and quiet in the city.

We stayed at The Line Hotel. Such a beautiful boutique hotel, with a few restaurants in the hotel including Arlo Grey, Dean’s One Trick Pony, plus a cafe (Alfred’s), a rooftop (P6). Dean’s was a dive type bar which had poolside service and happy hour deals, my favorite of them all. Above all, I loved the infinity salt water pool at this hotel. We stayed in there for hours tanning, drinking, talking and by a sheer miracle did not ever prune or get sunburnt. This hotel is also right next to the Bat Bridge and very close to South Congress.

Besides the pool literal highlights were brunch and hunting for murals. Sure we did the 6th Street partying on Friday night but it …

A.) Never truly got popping & drinks were crappy at every place… AND

B.) I’m not 21 anymore. But I did learn that I love to live my best Tina Belcher life.

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Where We Brunched:

South Congress Cafe

We landed at this restaurant right after we landed and were starving. Since it was a Thursday afternoon it was pretty slow but were told it gets super busy for weekend brunch.

I got started here with a frozen peach bellini and Miga’s dish which had farm fresh eggs, corn tortillas, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, three cheese blend, refried black beans, and smoked gouda potato pancake.

Miga’s dish at South Congress Cafe

Cenote

This place was an adorable cafe and served delicious food, however we decided to walk and not only was it hot but the walking trail was not in the greatest part of town… as an FYI I’d take a Lyft next time.

Avocado Toast with Egg at Cenote

Irene’s

This brunch spot is an instagramers dream. Very cute decor outside, inside, to even the mugs and food. I got the Chilaquiles which had pork, salsa, tortilla strips, sour cream, feta, and sunny side eggs. First of all how have I never had Chilaquiles before and WHY ISN’T THIS ON EVERY MENU. I mean eggs and tortilla strips such a good combo!

Chilaquiles at Irene’s

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Other Excellent Eats:

Donuts - Gourdough Big Fat Donuts

I went to their 1st Street location which was an Airstream “food truck” with some outdoor seating. Really big delicious donuts with a crispy edges and soft on the inside. I got the Miss Shortcake -Cream Cheese Icing With Fresh Cut Strawberries.

Ice Cream - Amy’s Ice Cream

I absolutely LOVED this ice cream. There were so many delicious flavors and combos to choose from. Most of all I appreciated their keen sense of relevancy of current events. Stranger Things had just streamed their 3rd season and they decked out all their chalk signage, decor, and flavors (even tip jar) to a Stranger Things theme.

Food spots I didn’t care for:

• Arlo Grey - I love the decor but I’m not a big fancy restaurant with tiny expensive portions type of girl and ultimately thought all the food was VERY salty.

• Home Slice Pizza - Being that I live in NY, this is NOTHING like a NY style slice, like they claim…

• Little Lucy’s Donuts - This was a small food truck on Rainey St. They were tiny $6 donuts with flavored sugar on top, tasted very artificial yet this was the only dessert spot (besides one other small ice pop cart) on Rainy Street. More dessert shops need to come to this street!

Austin Murals:

I’m very big on graffiti, street art, murals. I love finding them and on this trip it felt like a scavenger hunt. Most images from the gallery wheel below were found randomly but the tops ones are below:

• I Love You So Much Mural (on Joe’s Coffee Wall)

• Greetings From Austin Postcard Mural (1720 S 1st St - on Roadhouse Relics shop’s wall)

• Won’t You Be My Neighbor Mural (behind Home Slice Pizza/parking area)

Overall I had a blast in Austin. Usually when I go on vacation I need to be active and try to do a million things. This trip was a really nice chance to just relax, hang out by the pool, eat, drink margaritas, and catch up with an old friend. Sometimes you need that break from digital or social media and time for yourself soaking up some Vitamin D. Did I mention how much I miss my hotel’s infinity pool!

Food Tour: Nashville, Tennessee - 12th Street South

On another adventure with Secret Food Tours, we took to the 12th Street South area of Nashville, Tennessee. This area is about a 10 minute drive from downtown and was even more up and coming then when I had visited 6 years ago.

Our first stop on our food tour was Taqueria Del Sol where we had their Memphis Taco with pulled pork, bbq sauce and jalapeño coleslaw. Here our guide explained a few of the regional differences in BBQ. Memphis has more of a tomato based sauce. Rest of Tennessee has more of a vinegar tomato base. Texas more of a dry rub where meat is king and sauces are secondary. Kansas City doing their own thing where they have a thick, sweet molasses and tomato based sauces.

Memphis Taco at Taqueria Del Sol

Our next stop on the tour was to visit Christie’s Cookies. Home of the famous Doubletree Cookies. Obsessed with their flavors and napkins y’all!

Next was a local Tennessee specialty dish, Hot Chicken at Edley’s BBQ. Made of fried chicken breast, thigh, or wings that has been marinated in assortment of spices and heat. I don’t tend to like spicy things but this was delicious! Our tour guide also told us the secret to controling your taste buds and it isn’t milk… Milk has acidity to it and can actually make the heat worse. Soda is too sweet and carbonated. The best way to beat the heat is with… Southern Sweet Tea! I can vouch for this, because it really did help my mouth out instantly.

While we walked from one spot to the next we also stopped and the “I Believe in Nashville” mural and a mural of all the TN state wildlife native to the area including the construction cranes.

BurgerUp was the next stop for some mac and cheese balls, fried pickles, and potato skins. We did not have a burger, but this restaurant sources their menu from local farms practicing sustainability and humane treatment of animals. Much of their beef comes from local farmers in Franklin, TN.

We were then off to Las Paletas, a frozen treat similar to an ice pop, made with fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. Our tour guide said the sisters and owners moved to Nashville and couldn’t find the same tasty treat from Mexico and wanted to share a bit of their culture with the community, causing them to build a business here in 12th Street South.

Finally we took a long walk over to Martin’s BBQ and on the way got to pass by Sun Records.

At Martin’s we have smoked turkey and broccoli salad. My husband and I had gone to another Martin’s location closer to Vanderbilt and was a little underwhelmed with the hype of their BBQ. What I do like about this place is they give you free mini chocolate Moon Pies and the turkey was very juicy.

Overall, our tour guide was incredible and very knowledgeable about the area and cuisine. We tried a lot of things I wouldn’t have known about or would have gone to on my own. I learned a ton about BBQ, sweet tea is the cure, my favorite hotel cookie came from Nashville, and construction cranes are Nashville’s state bird. (The more you know… 🌈)

As usual Secret Food Tours did not disappoint!