Since there is so much to catch up on, I’ve decided to do a little series of what has been going on in the past week. I figured I’d start with the most important thing: my trip to Texas!
This was my first time to Texas and I was so glad to get away from the cold and into the warm weather. And it surely didn’t disappoint. The first few days were in the 80s/90s and the last day and a half was in the high 60s.
Our first day was pretty much spent driving to pick David up at Fort Hood and then driving back to the hotel. The hotel was beautiful, by the way. We were up in the gold floor with great views of downtown Dallas.
The room also included a private check in/out, breakfast, and evening canapés and honor bar.
On Friday, we decided to drive down to Austin for the night and visit with his family just north of the city. I still can’t believe how vast and flat the state is. I swear I could see every single water tower for 20 miles. 
We stayed at the Holiday Inn just outside of the city and for dinner we decided on checking out the historic 6th street. Such a cute street! So many bars and restaurants. We ended up getting a drink at the Shakespeare Pub and Mexican food at the Chupacabra. I had an awesome Texas brewed beer called Fireman’s #4. Not too light, not too hoppy. It went down smooth. For dinner, we split a Spanish Fly which was pretty much just a mix of alcohol that turned ultra blue. It kind of reminded me of the Fat Frogs I had in Ireland. For dinner I had the pulled pork quesadilla and it was chock full of pork. It was delicious, despite not having all that much cheese.
The next day was beautiful, so we went to a local bike shop and rented some city bikes to take a ride along the river. There were tons of people out biking, running, walking, strolling, dog walking, you name it. I was so caught up in the ride that I didn’t stop to take all that many pictures, but here’s a few that we took.
The evening was spent with family, eating fajitas, catching up, and playing with wild geese and ducks. Fajita face! (I had a mouthful of fajita when David took the family picture)
I loved visiting with David’s family. They’re so warm and welcoming. I had only met his cousins a handful of times and when I do see them, they give me the biggest hugs and are genuinely so happy to see us. I love it!
The remaining days in Texas, we feasted on local beef (at the YO Steakhouse), swam in the pool, ran 7 miles on the treadmill and visited the Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza. The whole time I was planning my trip, it never occurred to me that the assassination of JFK was in Dallas. The museum was intriguing, touching and profound. As well as the marks on the road that indicated where both shots were fired…
And I’ve discovered a new favorite beer: Shiner Bock. And I tried this one called Buffalo Butt but it was too hoppy for me.
Some other restaurants that we tried out, that I didn’t take pictures of:
Rudy’s BBQ: The chicken was delicious; very moist. But I wasn’t a huge fan of the BBQ sauce. I like a smoky sauce and this was too sweet for me.
Whataburger: I had seen this all along the interstate so when I mentioned it to David, it was something to add to the list. It seemed just like In-n-Out but not as good.
Hoffbrau Steakhouse: David really wanted a burger and this was right in the West End section of Dallas, near the hotel. I had a chicken sandwich which was really good. I had it with BBQ sauce, lettuce and onions; side of homemade chips. YO Steakhouse: We went here for lunch and the steaks were really, really good. I had an 8 oz. sirloin, medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. And the sides were the perfect size: just a dollop of smoked mashed potatoes and a good helping of veggies. The salad beforehand was a great blend of spring greens with a cilantro vinaigrette.
I was in Texas, with David, from Thursday to Monday and I enjoyed every single second. There were times that we didn’t even leave the room or we would just aimlessly walk around looking for some good BBQ or a burger. So even though it was more of a reunion and a last opportune trip to see my husband before he goes overseas, rather than a touristy trip to a new city, it was still a trip that I wanted to share with you all.
What trips have you taken that stood out in your mind?
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Its so nice that you got one last visit before he leaves. The trip looks awesome, too!
I’m glad you got to have this fabulous weekend with the hubby before he leaves!
Looks like a wonderful trip! I’m so glad you got to go and spend time with David.
It looks like you had such a fun time! So glad you could see your husband before he leaves
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