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Day Trip From Austin – Kingsland, TX

November 1, 2017 by Kristin

While it’s easy to get caught up in all Austin has to offer, it’s also important to make time for exploring the rest of Texas. And because we don’t have an infinite amount of time {and I’m guessing that you don’t either}, we’ve made a commitment to get out there and experience things together. Even if it’s just a day trip. Because, most likely, there’s only time for a day trip.

The formula for our day trips are a pretty simple: within a few hours from Austin, must include nature, must include food. Kingsland made for a pretty perfect day trip from Austin because it was only an hour drive, is the home of Longhorn Cavern State Park, and also has a restaurant that is in the house from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I wasn’t expecting much from Grand Central Cafe because, from a distance, it seemed like it was going to be super touristy. But other than a few themed cocktails on the bar menu and some movie memorabilia scattered about, it felt like a cozy local spot. The menu was giant and included your typical American staples: burgers, sandwiches, salads. I ordered the chicken fried chicken and Kody ordered the reuben. And we both Leatherface lemonaded it up because… When in Rome.

And while nothing on the menu blew my mind, that wasn’t why we were there nor was that the expectation. But everything about our time at Grand Central Cafe was pleasant. The green beans that were served with the chicken fried chicken brought back happy memories of when my great grandmother would spend winters with us in Florida {big positive!}. And I can’t recall a time in Austin where a boozy lunch for two was under $35.

After lunch, we traveled about ten minutes down the road to Longhorn Cavern Sate Park. We both looked at pictures earlier in the week, but the park was immediately cooler than we were expecting. There were a few buildings/structures to gaze at before entering the cave. And the entrance to the cave itself was pretty grand.

There were quite a bit of stairs that led to the cave entrance. And sink holes created tunnels of light that illuminated rock, while allowing greens to grow. Per the website, we intended to do a self-guided tour. But when we arrived at the entrance we were greeted with a locked gate.

So heads up, the only way to enter the cave is through a guided tour which costs $16 per adult and about 90 minutes of your time. Both important things to note before making the trip.

But it was apparent as the tour began that the caves would be difficult to navigate on your own. Not only was it very dark and sometimes slippery, but there were a ton of details that we would have missed had we walked around solo.

All said and done, we were away from home for about five hours and spent under $75 – a total win in my book! Regarding kids, Kody and I both agreed that this tour might be a little long for Haven {age 4}, but we still could have managed had she been there.

What to bring?

Closed toed shoes that have a decent grip. We wore Vans and Converse and were totally fine, but I was so thankful I didn’t wear boots.
Layers, especially in cooler temps. The cave was much warmer than we expected.
Water bottle. The tour is between 60 and 90 minutes with no access to water. There’s a gift shop, but a reusable water bottle is the way to go!
A fun playlist. Fresh out of tunes? Click here for one of my go-to lists!

A Staycation With Voveti Prosecco

December 5, 2016 by Kristin

This fall has been filled to the brim with “oblications” {obligation + vacations}. And though I’m beyond delighted to whip across the country for weddings and press trips, it’s important for me to spend quality time with the town I call home. And, equally as important, making time for the people here.

And to make up for neglecting my number one {pictured above}, we planned a weekend of our favorite activities. To add something extra special, we incorporated bottles of Voveti – an upscale {yet affordable} prosecco, perfect for everyday pairing.

First on our list were tacos and hiking. I love parking at the Spyglass entrance at the Greenbelt and grabbing a few tacos at Tacodeli before hitting the trail. And since it’s been exceptionally rainy lately, the Greenbelt is extra green, super shady, and overall beautiful.

The next day, we planned for more nature, but this time at Mount Bonnell {one of the highest points in Austin}. Mount Bonnell is always on my itinerary for out-of-town visitors because it’s relatively close to downtown and has the most stunning view of the city. As a resident, the view will still get ya every time.

There are a few tables and plenty of large rocks that serve as quintessential picnic spots. We packed up a loaf of crusty bread, a charcuterie plate, and a bottle of Voveti to accompany us while we chatted and soaked up the beauty.

Kody has been wanting to learn more about photography, so we snapped a few pictures of each other while talking apertures and shutter speeds. I prefer to be behind the lens, but sometimes it’s nice to have photographic proof that you were there.

And after being out and about for a few hours, we came home and prepared a no-fuss, but still fancy, homemade meal. Verde pork tostadas served with a bottle of Voveti prosecco for the win!

To learn more about Voveti, a craft prosecco in which only 15,000 cases are produced annually, click here.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Float Fest 2016 – Lineup & FREE TIX!

June 30, 2016 by Kristin

Float Fest 2016 is in a couple weeks {July 16th & 17th} and I am so excited about it! How often do you get to float the river and, when you land, be greeted to the tune of some of your favorite bands? The answer is once a year. And the place is Float Fest in San Marcos, TX {about 40 minutes from Austin, TX}!

Metric, Santigold, and Yeasayer are at the top of my list of bands to see. If these bands are new-to-you, I’ve included videos at the bottom of this post to lure you in. And, if you click on any of the pictures within this post, you’ll be taken to an Instagram contest where you can enter to win TWO FREE TICKETS!!

In addition to seeing some of my favorite bands, I’m wayyyy excited about some of the Austin food vendors that will making an appearance at the fest, as well. Like Torchy’s Tacos {pictured above} and Burro Cheese Kitchen {pictured below}. I can’t tell you how many times a grilled cheese from Burro Cheese Kitchen has been the key to my survival at a music festival.

Hope to see ya there!!

ACL 2015 – Tunes & Eats

October 7, 2015 by Kristin

Weekend 1 of ACL 2015 – ch-ch-check! This was my third ACL in a row with Emily, my college roommate {the blondie pictured above}, and we’ve got our fest process down. Luckily for Em, I learned the hard lesson of over-doing it my first year. I was soooooo excited to live in Austin, the weather was perfect, I was bouncing from stage to stage with two college buddies, I thought after-partying was a good idea, and I thought after-after-partying was an even better idea. Day 2 of the festival was miserable. I stood sickly in the rain as I feigned excitement over Metric, walked a soaking wet walk home, changed into PJs, ordered Chinese food, and gave my wrist band away for the remainder of the fest.

So like I said, things are totally different now. First off, we eat and we eat well! Since I live walking distance to Zilker Park, we were able to stop at one of my neighborhood favorites, Cafe Josie, for a line-less {yet fabulous} lunch. I veered from my usual goat ribs order and went with the redfish tacos and an aperitif. I’m super obsessed with aperitifs lately. So herby and refreshing, they’re my lunch cocktail of choice.

After arriving and splitting a bottle of white wine {they come in reusable water bottles and are most definitely the way to go}, we walked straight to the HomeAway stage to watch Albert Hammond Jr., who was one of the first bands I discovered on Sirius XMU in 2006. I haven’t gotten much into his new albums, but I loved that he played so many tunes from Yours to Keep, like In Transit, 101, and Everyone Gets a Star. It was nostalgia at its finest.

The rest of the day was non-stop. We went straight from Albert Hammond Jr. to Leon Bridges, Brand New, Tame Impala, and Foo Fighters. Although I don’t have a video of Leon Bridges, he’s a must see. A young gentleman from Fort Worth, Leon’s soulfully vintage sound is sure to make you feel good. And gracefully skipping over Brand New, Tame Impala was my favorite of the day. Balancing established hits and tracks from their newest album, Tame Impala’s playlist was ideal for old and new fans, alike. And lastly, Foo Fighters. Playing a decent set, they allowed the older members of the crowd {like me!} to cross things like hearing Everlong live off their bucket list.

After eating well and a tune filled day, my best advice is to go home early {skip that after party}, SLEEP, and do it all again. Oh! And fit in a Juiceland trip when you can.

We kicked off Day 2 with green smoothies, pulled ourselves together, and re-kicked off Day 2 by heading to South Congress and putting our name on the list at South Congress Cafe. My advice for a trip to South Congress Cafe is to never go starving and always have the desire to shop. They’ll take down your number and text when your table is ready, which is likely an hour later. That hour will give you plenty of time to shop the strip {Parts & Labour, Y & I, Maya Star, By George, Allen’s Boots, Uncommon Objects}. I ordered the burger with smoked gouda, crispy prosciutto, and caramelized onion and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Crispy prosciutto was like a heavenlier version of bacon {if you can imagine such a thing}. And the fries were on point!

Day 2’s lineup wasn’t super impressive {to us}, so we took our time heading back to the house and then to the fest. We stayed for most of Alabama Shakes, but when Em noticed there wasn’t much of a crowd gathering in front of the Miller Lite stage, we darted over for a front row TV on the Radio spot. Not much was played from my fav album, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, but Tunde Adebimpe’s powerful voice and indie-rock-before-indie-rock-was-adult-comtemporary dance moves were more than enough to satisfy this old fan.

We ended the music portion of the night on that high note and chose watching the Gators WHOOP Ole Miss at the beer tent over listening to Drake. You gotta love a Texas festival’s appreciation for college football!

Day 3 started off with a mutual favorite, Josephine House. Ever since Em’s first visit, we’ve joked about {and ordered} a bevy of beverages. Before the food arrived, our table was filled with waters, French press coffees, and Jo House Fruit Cups {Old Overholt Rye, muddled lemon, lime, orange, mint, cucumber, house fruit cup blend}. Not wanting to commit to total savory or total sweet, we split the lemon ricotta pancakes {which I’ve uncharacteristically eaten about three times this month because they’re that good} and short rib hash. We left full and ready to take on our last day fest-ing day.

Beginning with Strand of Oaks and The Decemberists, I could only half pay attention because I just wanted it to be Kurt Vile time. I missed seeing Kurt Vile at Fun Fun Fun Fest a few years back and seeing him play was my top priority this year. And he didn’t disappoint. Standing at the shady stage on a sunshiny but breezy day, we got a little Jesus Fever, Pretty Pimpin’, Goldtone, and Wakin on a Pretty Day. At that point, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

And then The Strokes played. It was too dark, too dance-y, and too far away for a video, but wow! I heard a lot of rubbish and forecasted disappointment over The Strokes headlining Weekend 1 and, although I disagreed plenty before, I soap-box-style disagreed afterward. The Strokes have been relevant for almost two decades, were pioneers in making indie rock accessible, and were likely influential to half the bands that play at ACL each year. That, in conjunction with putting on a solid rock ‘n’ roll performance, made them the perfect last taste of my ACL 2015 weekend!

‘Til next year, ACL!