A Week in Austin, TX :: Part II

One thing I really appreciated about this visit was that each time I've come to Austin in the past, it was to tag along on my dad's business trips or to spend a day at the outlets with my mom. I knew about all the big, in-your-face spots like the bat bridge and the UT tower and that one skyscraper that looks like an owl. But it took seeing my friends' Austin, collegiate Austin, nooks-and-crannies Austin for me to see how dynamic and wonderful a city it really is. Before, I had the "connect the dots" version of Austin as a mental map; now, I've gotten to also color it in a bit as well.

Time really makes me laugh. When Brina was doing her homework one night, I was backreading my GChats into 2006 (don't EVER do it because CRINGE – learn from my mistakes). There was one message I sent to her: going to Austin tomorrow, ya jealous? To which she replied: wahh, you're so lucky! ...To think that almost ten years later, I'd be in Austin again, her Austin and have her show me the places that constitute her new home and her memories from the past four years. Who woulda thunk it.

Austin Highlights {from this post} –

Kerby Lane Cafe :: This place makes me happy because I know that several of my friends have spent many a 2am here post-socializing and many a 12pm here curing hangovers. This place makes me positivity GIDDY because the queso is literally one of the most amazing things I've ever had. It has guacamole IN it. Why didn't I think of this though.

Mozart's :: An amazing study spot. So very peaceful, with the most incredible view, and spacious enough where you are sure to find your own little corner in which to hide out for a couple of hours.

Tacodeli :: Alas, I did not have enough time to judge the Tacodeli vs. Torchy Taco's breakfast tacos debate myself (read: slept in #sry), but I was more than fine with the sampling of lunch tacos I had at Tacodeli. Go for the Cowboy Taco, yum yum!

Hey Cupcake! :: Brina and I shared a carrot cupcake, but after a bite of it, I was thisclose to making her go back and get her own so I could savor it all by myself. I like my cupcakes dense, and this was dense. Plus the frosting wasn't too overbearingly sweet, which is always a dealbreaker for me.

South Congress :: South Congress is such a fun area to explore! I highly recommend Hey Cupcake, Hopdoddy, Amy's Ice Creams, Jo's Coffee, and more. Uncommon Objects is also the coolest little treasure trove of vintage trinkets and doodads. If I'd had more time, I'd also try out the TOMS Cafe (the most Pinteresty seating areas), Lucky Robot, Homeslice, and everything basically.

Gourdough's :: Holy wow. Donut leave town without trying! Wink emoji. This restaurant / food truck (depending on which location you go to) is everything donuts. My friends had donut burgers. I wussed out and got a strawberry shortcake donut pile of glory. #noragrets

Salt Lick BBQ Tacos :: So I never did get the chance to make it out to Salt Lick, the famous BBQ joint (or Franklin's, because idk queues). But at the airport, by the power of the universe, I had ten minutes till boarding and what do I see but a tiny little Salt Lick BBQ Tacos stand? Screw it being 7:00 in the morning, the sun just rising. Screw boarding. Screw it all. I wanted breakfast tacos, and breakfast tacos I got. WIN.

To Tex-Mex and humidity and blazing heat and y'all and hometown friends and new hometown friends and new not-hometown friends and shots that taste like watermelon Jolly Ranchers and skipping Dirty Sixth because of lost IDs, and to Austin!