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Finally made it back down to Austin after 13 years, this time with my husband and kids. The last time I was in Austin was in 2006 and 2007 for SXSW – before John and I were married, and before we had kids. A lot has changed but the rolling hills and trees I remember seeing were just as beautiful. Since both kids were on spring break the same week, we headed out for a fun weekend of outdoor adventures, kid-friendly attractions, and lots of yummy eats in between.

Our weekend itinerary:

Travel Day

Picked Up Provisions at H-E-B

We always pick up snacks, beer and wine at H-E-B when we travel through Texas. I love it. Every H-E-B in each city has its own unique vibe and offerings and I just feel at home buying food for where we’re traveling to and staying at.

Checked in to our Airbnb– a beautiful 36 acre waterfront property in Volente on Lake Travis. The place was beautiful, secluded, comfortable, and had everything we needed. The water views from the home were amazing and the backyard was a dream. We loved being able to walk down to the dock to go fishing.

Day 1

Morning and Midday

Fueled up for the day with coffee and breakfast we made and went for a morning hike around the property’s trails and spent the rest of the day fishing with the kids on the dock.

 

Outfit Details: Shirt Jacket, Bike Shorts,  Chunky Sneakers

 

 

 

Evening

Ended the evening quesadillas for dinner and s’mores by the fire.

Day 2

Morning

Headed out for brunch at Hillside Farmacy. A historical landmark, with beautiful architecture and interiors, the food is just as beautiful as it is delicious. The building reminded me of a lot of the Victorian-era architecture homes in Capitol Hill and the Central District in Seattle. Reminiscent of the pharmacy it once was, but in a warm, friend’s-house sort of way. Small copper-topped and marble bistro tables surrounded by vintage pharmacy cabinetry – so much great design inspo!

Midday


Took a family stroll down South Congress Avenue, for unique shops, bustling eateries, and the lively vibe. Obligatory photos at the ‘Greetings From Austin’ mural, let the kids pick out penny candies at the circus-themed Big Top Candy Shop, and got our sweet fix at Amy’s Ice Creams . The Vietnamese Coffee flavor was my favorite.

Kendra Scott Flagship Store

Since it’s opening in 2018, I’ve been dying to check out the Kendra Scott Flagship Store on South Congress, and finally made it out here since we were here for the weekend. Even more design inspiration here! More than a retail shop, the Kendra Scott Flagship store is a total experience. I love when brands integrate consumer experiences in their retail strategy. You can find home design and decor inspiration here, shop her latest jewelry collections with custom creations, and even enjoy a frosé and baked goods at the Sips and Sweets cafe featuring pastries from Austin-based bakeries. The building used to be the old Hill Country Weavers, and the new architectural design preserves some of the historic, quaint charm.

 

Outfit details: Mock Neck Sweater.  Wide leg pants  Teva sandals

 

Evening

As the sun went down, we returned to our default outdoor venue/market/kids playground for live music at one of Austin’s kid-friendly outdoor concert venues at Central Market North Lamar . We frequent Central Market often because our kids love choosing what they want to eat from the market, while John and I get to grab our bottle of wine, beer, and charcuterie plate stuff, and enjoy the outdoor patio with live music while the kids play the playground.  Why aren’t there more establishments like this?

 

Day 3

Meal Highlight – La Tunitas 512

John and I will travel for food, real good food, especially good tacos. We’ve had our fair share of authentic Mexican food and street style tacos, and most recently babacoa. One thing I have not tried is birria and after eating this, I believe I’ve reached taco nirvana. Traditionally the meat is cooked in an earthen oven and served with a Chile broth. In Austin, the birria is done with brisket!

Photo by Sara Marie D’Eugenio

The only thing to order at La Tunita 512 is the birria de res tacos and most definitely that consommé. Also worth considering are the gringa tacos with melted cheese – omg!

So we ordered two platters full for take out and headed out to the Boardwalk at Lady Bird Lake for a picnic with the kids and our birria tacos.

Tip: La Tunita sells out fast. Following their IG feed, they’ll let you know what’s available. They only make a certain amount each day and once they’re out, they are out!  The wait varies depending on the day, but we went on a Saturday and the wait time was about 20 minutes.

 

Other family-friendly food places:

  • The Picnic, just one block from Zilker Park with 8-9 Austin food trailers including The Mighty Cone, Hey Cupcake!, Trudy’s, Acai Hut, Kebabalicious, Coat & Thai, Cannone Cucina Italiana, and Steel City Pops!
  • Salt Lick for bomb bbq and the large playscape for kids
  • Stubb’s (my favorite bbq sauce since 2006), love the venue too. Traveling with kids do the Gospel Brunch featuring family-style bbq, without kids plan to see a concert, and stay of beer, and bbq.

Other attractions with kids:

 

That’s it for my shortlist for an Austin weekend with kids. John and I are already planning a quick weekend trip back here without the kids. There are so many other spots I’d love to check out that are more date friendly for just us. What are your favorite Austin recommendations for food, culture and nature?  Tell me in the comments!

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My favorite sale of the year is in full effect! It’s my favorite time to snag some amazing fall pieces on sale (like these amazing booties) and grab some tried and true favorites (sweaters, tops, and denim!).

With the kids headed back to school this week, and myself continuing to work from home, there’s no better time than to stock up on back-to-school and wfh essentials.

Here are my top picks for this year’s sale:

Back To School

1 | 2 | 3 | 4| 5 |6

 

Zoom Calls

1 | 2 | 3

Fall Days Ahead

1 | 2 | 3

1 | 2 | 3

Denim

1| 2 | 3

 

At Home

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

 

What’s on your Anniversary Sale wish list this year?

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A few weeks ago John and I celebrated our 12 year wedding anniversary in our garden. It was a change of scenery compared to our anniversary celebrations in the past where we’ve usually travelled somewhere or made dinner reservations out at a special restaurant – (Darn you Covid!). But it was a beautiful night nonetheless and just as special celebrating at home. We enjoyed a delicious meal John cooked – one of our favorite dishes, Rack of Lamb with Risotto. He’s perfected his recipe over the years and I always look forward to him cooking it for us!

A CASUAL SUMMER TABLESCAPE

To create an elegant and effortless table, I set out a white linen tablecloth, white linen napkins, and cotton placemats.  I put out yellow dahlias I picked from the garden with pink anniversary peonies from John in a ceramic vase for a relaxed, summery look. Tapered gold candlesticks completed the table.

FLOWERS

I clipped these gorgeous dahlias from my garden that morning and mixed them with these lovely pink peonies John gave me. Photos don’t do justice for how these flowers pair so well together for a stunning bouquet. Peonies were our wedding flowers 12 years ago, so I love that I get to enjoy these special flowers every year during this season.

SUMMER DRESS

Since Covid started and with businesses being closed, we hadn’t had a reason to get dressed up and go out, but we liked the idea of getting dressed up for a special dinner at home to celebrate our anniversary. I wore a dress by Callahan in Rust. I wanted to wear something comfortable, still dressy and look romantic and this wrap style dress fit the occasion. For shoes, I wore my favorite white Sam Edelman block heel sandals.

Although we do miss dining out at restaurants, making our everyday surroundings at home elevated with little touches is just as special.

Happy Anniversary John! I love doing life with you. Hopefully we’ll get to travel again and celebrate somewhere afar next year.

June 21, 2008; San Juan Island WA

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Image: WWD

A decade has come and gone by in a flash. It really has been the fastest decade of my life. The majority of it was spent raising kids, working, and establishing a home. Over the course of the decade, I’m sharing some of the lifestyle trends that defined each year.Disclaimer: By no means is this a definitive list of all trends, but more of a personal reflection of the decade trends that I participated in or adopted in aspects of my own personal life.

A lot of these trends I foresee carrying over to this new decade as some of the trends are also non-trends suitable for daily life and everyday style, such as classic fashion pieces that never go out of style, a less is more approach (in the home, with material possessions, and consumption), wellness, plants and gardening, and high quality and crafted foods designed for both entertaining and everyday sustenance.

Here is my decade trend recap (as best as I can remember!) from each year:

2010: Macarons are at every dessert table, subscription boxes (produce, meals, clothes, beauty, etc), wedge sneakers, skinny jeans, photo collages, booties are a closet staple, festival wear, street style bloggers are the go-to for inspo, #ootd

2011: Succulents are everywhere, cheese boards/charcuterie boards are a kitchen entertaining staple, garden beds and container gardens are the norm, colored denim skinnies, millennial pink

2012: Fiddle Leaf Fig, boho interiors, Birkenstocks are back, peplum, lighter and brighter interiors replace dark furnishings

2013: Boyfriend jeans, the year of Moscow Mules and the copper mug theft across America! Rose all day! Farmhouse everything thanks to the HGTV hit FixerUpper, LaCroix’s comeback, foil ballon number and letters

2014: Blazer capes, coats worn over the shoulders as capes, Doc Martens reemerge, cropped jeans, mom jeans, the lob (long bob), essential oils, KonMari Method book changes life

2015: Midi dresses, off-the-shoulder tops, slip-on sneakers, athleisure, backless loafers/mules, fanny packs/hip sacks, embracing the art of Hygge

2016: 90s revival: bodysuits, crop tops, high-waisted pants, lug sole boots, the block heel, faux fur coats, animal print, faux stems and greenery are more than acceptable

2017: Midi skirts, culottes, paperbag pants, bras and bralettes worns as tops, hikers as everyday shoes, chunky sneakers (again 90s), wildflower loose stem bouquets, floral arches, floral garlands, eucalyptus, IG Stories

2018: Balloon garlands, biker shorts, dad sneakers and Tevas comeback (again 90s), snake print, olive trees

2019: Neutrals, microbags, slip dresses (again 90s), organic earthenware, pottery, mixing metals, earth tones, Amazon The Drop

What are some of the decade trends that you are bringing with you into 2020 and beyond?

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Just Back From…A Joie de Vivre Weekend in Napa Valley

When it comes to pockets of California that have been on my list to visit, Napa Valley has certainly been among the top three.  With picturesque mountains, endless spa options, a bustling food scene, more vineyards than you could dream of and copious amounts of wine, Napa Valley was the perfect choice destination for relaxation and pleasure.

As you might have seen on my Instagram – we recently spent a weekend in Napa Valley in October to celebrate my 40th birthday, that’s right the big 4-0!  What better way to spend a milestone birthday than with a relaxing weekend getaway in Wine Country?  While the trip was short (they always are), it was my first time visiting Napa and it was the perfect taste of Wine Country and I’m already eager to return for more!  Whether you want to relax and pamper or dine and drink wine, Napa Valley has everything you need to make your birthday (or any trip) a celebration.

When to go:

For our trip, we had a weekend in the beginning of October, which I personally think made for the perfect late summer/early fall inspired weather in CA: cool and crisp in the mornings and 70 degrees into the afternoons, then cool again in the evenings, perfect for layering and still wearing summer-to-fall outfits. Of course, a lot of travelers opt for the height of summer to visit Wine Country (June and July), but I have to say, the fall foliage and autumn vineyard leaves changing colors is stunning to see between September and October.

Below, is a recap on how I celebrated my 40th birthday with only 72 hours in wine country:

While I had my mind set on relaxation, I knew I also wanted to find a winery or excursion with a little something extra, because wine not? Below is a breakdown of our Friday-Sunday itinerary with details to follow and some of the snaps from our epic adventure and joie de vivre in Napa Valley…

THE WEEKEND ITINERARY:

Friday: 

4:00 pm: Check in at 1801 First Inn, Napa

5:30 pm: Wine Hour at the inn

7:00pm: Oxbow Market for dinner and snack haul

Saturday: 

6:45am: Hot Air Balloon Ride

9:30am: Breakfast at the Inn

11:30am: Lunch at Oxbow Market

1:00 pm: Tasting at Provenance Vinyards

3:00pm: The French Laundry Culinary Gardens

3:30 pm: Tasting at RH Wine Vault

4:45 pm: Dinner at RH Yountville

Sunday: 

9:00 am: Breakfast at the Inn

10:00 am: Check Out, drive back to the airport

 

OUR STAY

1801 First Inn truly exceeded our expectations. Located near downtown Napa, the inn is a beautiful historic Victorian with cozy and thoughtful touches throughout (coffee, teas, water, fruit available), conveniently located in town near the shops and restaurants we needed to visit, and a great starting point to get to the nearby wineries and other towns. If you’re looking for something charming yet, elegant and luxurious yet b&b-like, it really covers all the bases.

Check-In time, Carrie the innkeeper was so sweet to take our photo!

Outfit Details | Cardigan: Superdown | Jeans: Levis | Bodysuit: Alix NYC |  Boots: A New DayxTarget | Bag: Chanel 2017 Metier d’Art

Sweet hubby had some birthday treats with a personalized note set up in our room upon our arrival. There’s nothing better than cold bubbles and dessert after a long day of traveling.

It may have been our first airplane trip without the kids, but our first priority off the plane was to FaceTime with Jonah and Baron. Okay, first it was to check in, find food, wine hour and then, before we consumed, we called home.

Speaking of home(s), special shout out to my dad (aka Lolo) for allowing this trip to happen and watching our crazy kids.

Wine Hour

After settling into our room, we headed outside to the inn’s beautiful patio for a special Wine Hour and presentation by micro producers Elkhorn Peak. We tasted 4 different wines with delicious food pairings prepared by the inn.

 

FOOD AND DRINK

Oxbow Public Market

After our Wine Hour tasting, we headed into downtown Napa to check out the Oxbow Public Market and grab dinner and snacks there. This market is the perfect place to grab picnic foods and artisan snacks and wine, or a quick bite at one of the many local food purveyors and pop up restaurants. From fresh fruit and produce, to books and flowers, everything beautiful and fresh you could ever want and more you’ll find here.

Most gorgeous San Marzano harvest

Lovely little artisan bouquets

Being from the NW, I’ve missed having access to fresh seafood since moving to TX, so I really came here for the oysters and I had to try Hog Island Oyster Co‘s own. Safe to say, I got my oyster and clam fix and was one happy lady.  The Roots were also playing an outdoor concert along the river so we were able to hear the band play from our table! We ended the evening exploring more of downtown and finished with the rest of the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in bed.

Outfit Details | Sweater: Who What Wear | Jeans: Levis | Boots: A New DayxTarget | Hat: Nordstrom

Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise

A hot air balloon ride has been high on my bucket list of experiences.

If you are planning a trip to Napa Valley, one thing to consider is taking a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. For the wine enthusiast, you’ll get a unique view of the vineyards and valley from above. For the thrill seeker, you’ll be rewarded with sights that will take your breath away. A hot air balloon ride has been something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m so glad I got to experience my first flight for my 40th birthday with Napa Valley Drifters. 

We arrived just before dawn, met our pilot and watched as the crew quickly prepare for take off. The baskets attached to the vibrant balloons slowly started to rise, one by one. We finally hopped into our basket and, before we knew it, we were up in the air!

Ready for take off

Gaining altitude, everyone was mesmerized by the panoramic views of the valley just at the break of dawn. Moments later, we simply floated into the sunrise, up in the sky and watched the other balloons pass above and below our own. It was so serene.

Dawn

 

Sunrise

Valley views

3500 feet above!

Our hot air balloon ride lasted about an hour and we reached a total altitude of 3,500 feet above the valley floor. When our flight had come to an end, we landed in a field with two other balloons and waited as the crew came to meet us to help us unload. We shuttled back to the parking lot, and drove back to our inn just in time for breakfast. It was a lovely way to end our morning’s amazing adventure!

Outfit Details | Sweater: A New Day| Jeans: Levis | Boots: Danner , budget option here| Hat: Nordstrom

1808 Inn Breakfast

No matter if you’re visiting for the first time or the tenth, I highly recommend taking a hot air balloon ride to explore Napa Valley from the clouds! Overlooking the vineyards below from a bird’s eye view was unlike anything I’ve experienced.

 

Wineries

Provenance Vineyards

The first winery we had reservations at was Provenance Winery and Vineyards.

The grounds and vineyard here were laid back and relaxing, and we sat outside on the patio overlooking the orchard. This is a great place to do any gift-giving or to simply sit and relax outdoors for a while.

Outfit Details | Dress: Zara, similar here | Belt: Vintage | Booties: A New Day | Hat: Nordstrom

RH Yountville

The next winery and restaurant destination, also on my bucket list – the new RH Yountville (opened in 2018) is stunningly gorgeous. The multi-structure feels like it’s been there all along, with arbors and granite and an indoor-outdoor restaurant in a Tuscan style design, where shoppers can sit on sectionals while sipping local wine flights.  To be honest, as a food, wine, art and design enthusiast, I based my entire trip around RH Yountville.

The Restaurant

100-year-old olive trees at the restaurant at RH Yountville. Photo courtesy of RH

 

John always orders better. Rib eye sandwich with truffle fries

The menu features simple, California-inspired, comfort dishes like truffle grilled cheese, a ribeye sandwich, and lighter fresher fare like the grilled salmon.  I regret not getting dessert as I’ve heard the cookies are amazing – a trio of freshly baked, gooey chocolate chip cookies sprinkled with giant sea salt flakes. Ugh. Maybe I had one too many wines by this time and wasn’t thinking clearly, because who passes up birthday dessert?!

My dream glass house or greenhouse!

Signature RH elements are found throughout the restaurant: stone fountains, opulent Rococo chandeliers, and cozy, neutral-toned RH furnishings, which of course, can all be purchased. But the 100-year-old, live olive trees are the main event, seamlessly blending the outdoors with the in — as do the picture windows, glass doors, and a glass roof that acts as a giant sky light. In the evenings, the ambiance completely transforms; the entire property glows, thanks to the massive chandeliers.

The Tasting Room

We made a tasting reservation at the RH Wine Vault so we could hang out early and enjoy the environment before our dinner reservations next door at the restaurant. The RH Wine Vault is the perfect place to enjoy a wine tasting experience outdoors in an unrushed and relaxed manner. I really could have stayed here all day. Like the restaurant, the Wine Vault emphasizes the outdoors, with several al fresco “living rooms” available for seated tastings. The ambiance and décor is nothing short of amazing as each seating area or grouping is designed straight of out of pages of the RH catalogs. Chandeliers hanging above every table added to the magical setting.

 

 The Galleries

Behind the restaurant and through a courtyard are two RH design galleries, where people are free to peruse home furnishings and antiques in the open-air rooms. We didn’t view the galleries while we were here, but I will definitely do so on our next visit on our own time.

 

The French Laundry Culinary Gardens

Another gem in Yountville is The French Laundry Culinary Gardens.  The French Laundry from chef Thomas Keller is among the most coveted dining experiences in the WORLD. The Michelin 3-star restaurant itself has a prefix menu that is $300+ per person, and books out 6-8 months in advance. I have never dined there, but during our day in  Yountville, I loved going across the street from this famed spot and exploring the 3-acre public gardens where they grow a lot of the vegetables that they use for their menu. It would be a dream to have dinner at TFL one day!

The culinary garden has a large hoop house where they grow all of their own starts.  A large table with flats of beautiful micro greens greet you as you enter the hoop house. There is also a chicken coup where they gather farm fresh eggs for the dishes and a bee area to pollinate the plants in the garden and provide honey for restaurant.

I appreciated this beautiful spot that Chef Thomas Keller has created. I recommend visiting this garden near sunset as the light adds a beautiful tone to the garden.

 

Pepperjam Verification

This weekend has been one of the most incredible trips I’ve taken and had some of the best experiences I’ll cherish forever. I can’t wait to travel here again as there are so many amazing towns within short driving distances and so many more wineries and restaurants I want to visit. Napa Valley has captured a piece of my heart.  It was the perfect birthday celebration weekend and I’m grateful to John for always making it so special and memorable. It will forever remain a highlight of my life.