Howdy, Y'all! - Austin, TX
Howdy! In February, I took a trip to Austin, Texas to house- and cat-sit for a lovely lady who was going on a cruise. I jumped on the opportunity since tickets were very cheap on Southwest around New Year's time. Off to the Lone Star State! I arrived on a cool evening and met up with a friend, who took me out for the most amazing pizza on Rainey Street - Via 313, which is a food trailer that is permanently parked behind Craft Pride, the bar located at 67 Rainey St. This pizza (the four-cheese) HIT THE SPOT! I was so hungry I ate all of it, but it was worth it. They make their pizzas on trays, so the 'zas are rectangular and cut into four pieces.
It is also interesting how they put the sauce in a landing strip on top of the cheese...
The next morning, I was hungry again, so I asked my RideAustin driver to take me to a place of his that he liked to go. RideAustin is the city's version of Uber or Lyft, since drivers declined to be fingerprinted so the Big Two pulled out of Austin. This app is a non-profit, and you can round your fare up to the nearest dollar and then donate the extra few cents to the charity of your choice. It's a great idea!
He took me to Cisco's, a Mexican place on E. 6th St.
I took a look over the menu (and boggled at the prices!!) and decided what I wanted to eat for my first breakfast in Texas.
That afternoon, I felt the urge to swim, and since the weather was so nice (mid-60s in February!), I found the JCC of Austin to take a quick dip.
These are two videos I took of myself to see my form (and improve). Don't judge me on the backstroke: there was no ceiling to follow!
FUN FACT: Austin is the home to the flagship Whole Foods store. So of course, I went there! Located on North Lamar St., between 5th and 6th, the adjacent garage takes you right into the marvelously clean WF where all dreams come true. They even have self-serve mochi ice cream, which are soft spheres of creamy ice cream wrapped like a dumpling in sweet rice dough. It will soon be available in all WF stores!
What set this store aside from all the others was its variety of in-store restaurants, and of course the quality was extraordinary.
I got the red bean (left) and double chocolate (right) flavors of mochi ice cream to try.
The next morning, I wanted to go on a hike. I drove to Mozart's Cafe for a tea and the barista was kind enough to tell me about the Austin Greenbelt, the extensive hiking "loop" throughout the city.
They have an outdoor patio for their patrons, and birds usually join for impromptu dining.
I got the hibiscus mint tea (free refills) over ice. So refreshing!
On my drive to one of the entrances of the Greenbelt, I passed this gate, which, according to its sign, led to the Prehistoric Gardens... I'll have to go in next time!
Next to the Barton Springs entrance to the Greenbelt hiking trails is an outdoor natural pool. The Barton Springs pool is open year round and runs at a cool 68 degrees. There are no lane lines, but swimmers can do laps or just relax in the water. Fun fact: women can walk around or swim topless, so I'm sure this pool is more of a scene in the summer...
I SAW AN ARMADILLO! It was too fast for me to take a photo, but I heard rustling and froze, and when I looked over, I saw a little helmet walking in my direction! I took a step towards it, but it turned and trotted away... So cute and cool to see in the "wild"!
These are some photos from my trail hike:
Now, I heard this guy rustling around in the leaves, so I found him! I was so confused as first what I was looking at, since he is literally both black and grey:
Have you ever seen such a squirrel?
I made it to Campbell's Hole! It's a spring about a mile into the trail where hikers can relax or swim and enjoy the sunshine.
FUN FACT: Austin is the home to the flagship Whole Foods store. So of course, I went there! Located on North Lamar St., between 5th and 6th, the adjacent garage takes you right into the marvelously clean WF where all dreams come true. They even have self-serve mochi ice cream, which are soft spheres of creamy ice cream wrapped like a dumpling in sweet rice dough. It will soon be available in all WF stores!
The next morning, I wanted to go on a hike. I drove to Mozart's Cafe for a tea and the barista was kind enough to tell me about the Austin Greenbelt, the extensive hiking "loop" throughout the city.
These are some photos from my trail hike:
I did a mini photoshoot of my hiking boots. They've actually been to Europe and back with me and I've worn them in the harsh New York winters ( ;) ). They're holding up great! Want a pair?
The hike was so nice, and the weather was fantastic: upper 60s into low 70s with sunshine!
Stay tuned for more photos and commentary from my trip!
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