san francisco.
December 17, 2018 • here lately, jetsetter
Last stop on our Grand Tour of 2018: San Francisco!
J had a work conference that mandated a trek to San Fran, and I was all too eager to leap at the chance to experience a bucket list city of mine. We (a mere four days after returning from Texas--don't know how you frequent fliers do it) boarded another flight to California, admittedly a bit anxious about the wildfires that were feverishly tearing through the state nearly 200 miles north, as we'd heard the smoke was creeping as far south as the city. Sure enough, the sky gripped a thick, haunting sheet of gray as we descended into SFO. We trudged on with weekend plans, mindful of the residents who--in addition to the constant donning of surgical masks--were tasked with going about their days-to-days while dealing with the uncertainty of a horrific disaster looming counties away.
Saturday, we concluded our five hours of flying, then settled in at our downtown hotel for a bit. before finally skirting out for burritos at a local place that came recommended (Papalote--pretty decent! The salsa was unique and really good). A couple blocks away, we indulged in late night coffee and sweets at Mission Pie, which I can absolutely recommend.
Sunday morning, we set out exploring--first stop was the Ferry Building Marketplace. Such a unique smattering of shops and eateries under one walkable roof, overlooking the beautiful bay. We sampled small batch chocolate at Dandelion, snacked on empanadas at El Porteño, and scooped up macarons at Miette. We ogled pottery at Heath Ceramics and I grabbed a tea towel and Christmas ornament (my favorite travel souvenirs) at Village Market.
From the Ferry Marketplace, we Lyfted over (at the hand of perhaps the most SF-sports-trivia-informed driver known to mankind--bless you, Chris) to Baker Beach-- a locale we'd been recommend due to its being a bit off the standard tourist path, and therefore a little slower and less populated. Thankfully, the smoke had dissipated a bit and we lounged in the cool sand and took in the sputtering of salty, breezy waves for a lazy, early afternoon.
After retiring to the hotel for a bit so J could get conference-ready, we departed a while later for dinner at flour+water. Sweet Lord, can we pause a minute to reflect on one of the best meals of my life?
...
Thank you.
After dinner, we walked over to Trick Dog for cocktails... a painfully cool (and easy to miss, unmarked) bar right up the street. Fun fact: the folks there create a cookbook once every six months, which doubles as their bar menu. The drinks were superb and the atmosphere really hip, and yet inviting.
Monday, I ferried over to Alcatraz and was completely transfixed for the duration of the morning. I'd always known the island to be the site of the infamous prison, but never gleaned many details beyond that. The audio tour is incredible--I highly recommend fitting this experience into your San Fran travel plans. There are fascinating details woven into the 3-4 hours of exploring there--for example: did you know the site was considered too expensive to keep operable in the '60s as a prison, therefore it was closed--a handful of years later, a group of American Indians staked their claim there for nearly two years in an effort to protest their having been removed from their native lands across the country? Oh, I ate it up. So much detail and a very well curated excursion.
I made my way back to land and grabbed an underwhelming lunch at the Wharf before admiring the smelly sea lions, basking on their piers. I found my way to Ghirardelli Square, bought my body weight in peppermint bark and chocolate, then carefully selected souvenirs at Lola, an adorable shop in the cluster of retail at Ghirardelli Square. A long afternoon done, I settled in at the bar at San Francisco Brewing Company for a flight before ambitiously walking the nearly completely vertical climb to Russian Hill Bookstore. After grabbing some gems, I quite literally stumbled into the Loving Cup for some froyo before meandering back to the hotel to my sweetie.
Night two of dinner began at Finn Town, in the Castro District, followed by cocktails (and attempting to avoid what may have been the most awkward first date ever) at the Beehive--a '60s-vibey lounge with drinks to match.
Tuesday, I again kissed my guy goodbye, as I pounded pavement for my last morning in the big city. First up was breakfast at Wooden Spoon--incredible huevos rancheros and an adorable vibe--not to mention fabulous conversation with the bartender, who shared her San Fran story with me. I walked deeper into the Mission District to grab a beverage at Bi-Rite and all of the baked goodness at Tartine. I finally found myself at Dogeared Books (are you finding a trend here?), where I got lost for a bit before needing to make my way back to J at the hotel, and our awaiting departure for the airport.
All in all, it was a whirlwind weekend tailored to exactly what we love: indulgent food and cocktails, history, time outside, some solid retail. A few tips, before I go:
All-in-all, a pretty magical weekend! I can't wait to go back.
J had a work conference that mandated a trek to San Fran, and I was all too eager to leap at the chance to experience a bucket list city of mine. We (a mere four days after returning from Texas--don't know how you frequent fliers do it) boarded another flight to California, admittedly a bit anxious about the wildfires that were feverishly tearing through the state nearly 200 miles north, as we'd heard the smoke was creeping as far south as the city. Sure enough, the sky gripped a thick, haunting sheet of gray as we descended into SFO. We trudged on with weekend plans, mindful of the residents who--in addition to the constant donning of surgical masks--were tasked with going about their days-to-days while dealing with the uncertainty of a horrific disaster looming counties away.
Saturday, we concluded our five hours of flying, then settled in at our downtown hotel for a bit. before finally skirting out for burritos at a local place that came recommended (Papalote--pretty decent! The salsa was unique and really good). A couple blocks away, we indulged in late night coffee and sweets at Mission Pie, which I can absolutely recommend.
Sunday morning, we set out exploring--first stop was the Ferry Building Marketplace. Such a unique smattering of shops and eateries under one walkable roof, overlooking the beautiful bay. We sampled small batch chocolate at Dandelion, snacked on empanadas at El Porteño, and scooped up macarons at Miette. We ogled pottery at Heath Ceramics and I grabbed a tea towel and Christmas ornament (my favorite travel souvenirs) at Village Market.
From the Ferry Marketplace, we Lyfted over (at the hand of perhaps the most SF-sports-trivia-informed driver known to mankind--bless you, Chris) to Baker Beach-- a locale we'd been recommend due to its being a bit off the standard tourist path, and therefore a little slower and less populated. Thankfully, the smoke had dissipated a bit and we lounged in the cool sand and took in the sputtering of salty, breezy waves for a lazy, early afternoon.
After retiring to the hotel for a bit so J could get conference-ready, we departed a while later for dinner at flour+water. Sweet Lord, can we pause a minute to reflect on one of the best meals of my life?
...
Thank you.
After dinner, we walked over to Trick Dog for cocktails... a painfully cool (and easy to miss, unmarked) bar right up the street. Fun fact: the folks there create a cookbook once every six months, which doubles as their bar menu. The drinks were superb and the atmosphere really hip, and yet inviting.
Monday, I ferried over to Alcatraz and was completely transfixed for the duration of the morning. I'd always known the island to be the site of the infamous prison, but never gleaned many details beyond that. The audio tour is incredible--I highly recommend fitting this experience into your San Fran travel plans. There are fascinating details woven into the 3-4 hours of exploring there--for example: did you know the site was considered too expensive to keep operable in the '60s as a prison, therefore it was closed--a handful of years later, a group of American Indians staked their claim there for nearly two years in an effort to protest their having been removed from their native lands across the country? Oh, I ate it up. So much detail and a very well curated excursion.
I made my way back to land and grabbed an underwhelming lunch at the Wharf before admiring the smelly sea lions, basking on their piers. I found my way to Ghirardelli Square, bought my body weight in peppermint bark and chocolate, then carefully selected souvenirs at Lola, an adorable shop in the cluster of retail at Ghirardelli Square. A long afternoon done, I settled in at the bar at San Francisco Brewing Company for a flight before ambitiously walking the nearly completely vertical climb to Russian Hill Bookstore. After grabbing some gems, I quite literally stumbled into the Loving Cup for some froyo before meandering back to the hotel to my sweetie.
Night two of dinner began at Finn Town, in the Castro District, followed by cocktails (and attempting to avoid what may have been the most awkward first date ever) at the Beehive--a '60s-vibey lounge with drinks to match.
Tuesday, I again kissed my guy goodbye, as I pounded pavement for my last morning in the big city. First up was breakfast at Wooden Spoon--incredible huevos rancheros and an adorable vibe--not to mention fabulous conversation with the bartender, who shared her San Fran story with me. I walked deeper into the Mission District to grab a beverage at Bi-Rite and all of the baked goodness at Tartine. I finally found myself at Dogeared Books (are you finding a trend here?), where I got lost for a bit before needing to make my way back to J at the hotel, and our awaiting departure for the airport.
All in all, it was a whirlwind weekend tailored to exactly what we love: indulgent food and cocktails, history, time outside, some solid retail. A few tips, before I go:
- We spent a lot of our time in the Mission District. This wasn't planned--it just happened to fall into place based on the places we wanted to patron.
- It should come as no surprise that the heavily tourist areas are around the Wharf, and Pier 39, and sure, Alcatraz too. When we travel, we gravitate toward the holes-in-the-walls, or at least, places that are highly reputable, but don't necessarily top every tourist list that is google-able in a five-second whim.
- Some elements surprised me about San Fran too. The homeless population is expansive, and parents of downtown are considerably gritty (as most large cities can claim). There were entire streets dedicated to rows of tents and clusters of people gathering together.
- While a lot of areas are adjacent enough to each other to glance at a map and think you can walk, be wary of the incline! There is substantial fluctuation in elevation throughout the city--so consider yourself warned.
- Something that dazzled me was the depth and span of culture and ethnicity that covered the city--as millennial-esque as it sounds, of our 8-10 Lyft drivers, they all appeared to be from a vastly different background based on physical traits, the music they were listening to, the conversations we had. This fascinated to me to no end--I drank it up.
tour de texas.
December 11, 2018 • back home, my people
Our autumn of travel was everything and more, but man, I've been appreciative for some downtime at home. After the sweetest long weekend in Asheville, next we trekked down to the motherland (!!!) for Baylor Homecoming--and to jump on a prime weekend to introduce J to all my nearest and dearest people and places.
We kicked off the long weekend with an early morning straight shot to Austin (and rampant Beto fever!), where we wasted exactly zero time before my sixth sense honed in on those telltale orange stripes, ushering us to the nearest Whataburger. We plotted the agenda for our next couple days over fries drizzled with jalapeno ketchup and magic. After settling in at our adorable east Austin airbnb, we moseyed to South Congress to lazily stroll through all of the iconic shops before settling in for Turbos at Jo's Coffee (where oh yes, we sure did buy a $5 logo-emblazoned tennis ball for Wriggles).
Up next, we headed back to the east side for flights at Austin East Ciders and Friends & Allies--conveniently located neighbors. The Ginger Armadillo was posted up outside on the perfect 72-degree afternoon, so we pounced on that and inhaled some amazing venison Frito pie while going head-to-head with games on the patio. All-in-all, the quintessential Austin afternoon.
Friday morning, we gorged at Gordough's, before hilariously attempting to wait at Franklin's for BBQ (the line was 120 deep nearly an hour before the place opened). So we plan B'ed our way to drive around UT's campus and some of the more central murals before grabbing a caffeine jolt at Caffe Medici. A happy accident ensued when--true to form--I squealed at the sight of a tiny, fluffy canine--which prompted us to initiate light conversation with said nugget's owner. This gentleman suggested swinging into Nau's Enfield Drug on the adjacent corner, so we dipped into explore the dusty time warp, and the sweetheart behind the counter whipped us up some bomb breakfast tacos before we hit the road for the hour-and-a-half north to Waco.
First stop in the motherland was--naturally--margaritas with my dear old dad at Ninfa's. We skipped around campus for a while ("this is the super-retro journalism building! ...and this is where I wrecked my bike the summer of my junior year and thought no one saw!") and grabbed milky ways at Common Grounds before meeting up with with J's college roommate (small world!). Finally, we had a tour of HEB (and subsequently procured local beer and Blue Bell) before settling in with my childhood best friend's fam for a night of football and long overdue catch-up.
Saturday started earlier than preferred with the biggest college Homecoming parade (in the country! totally worth the early wake-up!), followed by an 11 a.m. kick-off, that led to a last seconds, unexpected victory over OSU.
Trips to campus ignite mixed feelings sometimes, but Homecoming weekend was so utterly sweet--so many warmly familiar faces and elements of childhood and young adulthood that are steadfast and unwavering and intricately woven into who I am. I was completely in my element, introducing my favorite guy to the rest of favorite people in the world, in one of my all-time favorite places in the world.
Game timing was on our side, as UK kicked off toward the tail end of Baylor's game, so we scrambled to get to a sports bar to cheer on the Cats before heading to my dear friend Amy's for more Operation: Show Off My Favorite Greek to All of My Favorite Texans.
Sunday morning, J had the honor of meeting my Pops' beloved Airedale, Benjamin, and we all took in a dewy morning walk together before getting lost in our breakfast burritos at my favorite hometown haunt. We had the requisite stop at Bucee's before spending the afternoon with my niece and nephews crawling all over us, as we caught up with my SIL and brother. And all too suddenly, it was time to head to the airport, and I was a mess of tears--a trip I'd long anticipated slowly dwindling to a close, with me hopping a plane to the life I've steadily built, 800 miles away from the people and places that built me.
It must be mentioned that my guy was a total champ, and that as I introduced him to no fewer than 31 folks (as well as a smattering of dogs, longhorns and barn cats) in a matter of 48 hours, he was his ever reliable, charming and laidback self: the ideal travel partner. (And yes, I know how fortunate I am.)
Happy to relay more recs anytime you find yourself needing them--and while it may be unpopular to put out there, here goes: do yourself a favor and don't get lost swimming in the Silos. Waco has so, so much more to offer than that, and was plenty cool before Magnolia came around. I love the Gaineses as much as any other millennial gal, but take my word for it--spend your time getting lost elsewhere.
My overarching advice to anyone seeking an authentic Texas experience is to prioritize breakfast tacos and barbecue, find some live music and local shopping, do something outside, and always, above all, stay loose and not too tied to an itinerary. There are simply way too many amazing ways a trip can shake out to be nailed to a rigorous agenda.
Until next time, Texas!
There's a habit being formed here... whoops. A third of December is gone, and admittedly, so too have a few of these plans been put to bed. I have a lot more on my mind for tying up the tail end of 2018, much of which is woven into experiencing Advent, being deeply grateful for this life I've been granted, and savoring the miracle of this Christmas season, as I eagerly pave the way for 2019.
Life has taught us how to find our own ways through the ups and downs of resolutions and altered plans... of navigating the surprises and heartaches. How to trudge through the lulls of dull winters and trying in vain to slow the rapid-fire nature of warmer seasons that plow unrelenting at us--but there's something so inspiring about concluding a year--truly, honestly reflecting and knowing with confidence that every little moment and situation had its place in your story--and marching right into the promise of the next, knowing (and yet, not knowing) all it will undoubtedly hurl your way.
I hope wherever you are, whatever is on your immediate horizon, you find something fondly to remember 2018 for, and that you have more than a few things to smile about, pondering what 2019 holds.
Happy December, lovelies--three weeks left until 2019!
I mean, okay. Somehow, some way, November is half gone. Thanksgiving looms before us, and suddenly everyone in my inner circle and beyond is carefully orchestrating their Christmas decor all the while my dogs' Halloween costumes are still haphazardly tossed in the corner of our kitchen collection corner (come on--everyone has one of those). I'm scrambling a little to catch up, but I'm swimming in great excuses for how I've stayed busy here lately.
So, my confession to you is that yes, some of my November to-dos have already been to-done. But there's still enough to cross off my agenda (and to recap here!) so without further ado...
...a mere 48 days remain between now and 2019. What are you going to do with 'em??
48 hours in Asheville.
October 29, 2018 • jetsetter, my people
bridal veil falls, dupont state forest.
We spent the first weekend in October gallivanting around Asheville, and the mini vacay couldn't have come at a better time. We were drawn there initially for J's best buddy's wedding, but you better believe we extended the trip a couple days to deep dive into a sampling of what the Paris of the South has to offer. If you haven't had the joy of unwinding in this glorious place, go already! It is teeming with art and culture, insanely beautiful views, and ohhhh man, the food. And for you Nashville folks, it's a little over a four-hour-drive due east, and more than manageable for a weekend escape.
Here's a little of what we'd suggest:
Do:
Get outside. Hike somewhere! We started the weekend by driving down to Dupont State Forest (roughly an hour south from downtown) for a long morning hike to Bridal Veil Falls, and High Falls. Full disclaimer: long stretches of the path to Bridal Veil Falls are not so much a hike as they are a long walk on a gravel road. We took the puppies with us and they absolutely loved it. Fun fact: High Falls was featured in The Hunger Games!
It was about six miles roundtrip, the area is exceptionally maintained and the incline is minimal. The terrain that got tricky was right at Bridal Veil Falls, which a bulk of is actually submerged, and therefore super slick. Wear shoes with some grip if you've got 'em, although hiking boots might be overkill for six miles of mostly flat land. That said, there were several teensy pools of water that the pups were more than happy to trot down into to cool off and sip on.
Check out this awesome resource for hike-planning, which offers maps, reviews, photos and everything in between.
Last year on a girls' trip, we hiked Catawba Falls (on the west side of Asheville) and it was all kinds of enchanting--misty waterfalls, tons of glorious greenery and tall, tall trees--one thing to note: while the sites say they're dog-friendly, I wouldn't recommend bringing pups along, as there can be a lot of variation in incline and hiking difficulty, especially depending on the weather preceding your trip.
There are countless areas to savor some nature (albeit most require a little bit of a drive outside of town)--and from what I've seen, they're all totally worth the time and navigating.
Next up: downtown exploring! Pounding that pavement! Downtown Asheville is quickly rising as a culinary hotspot in the southeast, and it's so easy to see why: each shiny eatery staggering the street is hipper than the next. It's also really concentrated and walkable--most of the bustling restaurants are situated on Market Street or Biltmore Avenue.
Okay. Time to discuss food. Something we noticed from the get-go is that Asheville is all about some tapas. Bougie small plates are all the rage. With that in mind, we tried a couple, Sovereign Remedies and Curate.
brunch at curate.
Both were pretty delicious, although admittedly, and as a shock to no one... pretty small portions. The space at Sovereign Remedies was so warmly eclectic in a way only Asheville could claim--upon entry, seemingly a hipster's paradise, complete with street corner prime real estate, walls of bright windows, and expansive bar offerings covering a wall, from waist-high to the ceiling--but as you weave your way throughout the narrow labyrinth of hallways upstairs, you can't help but warm up at the scores of simple houseplants tucked in unassuming shelf corners, and the charmingly mismatched chairs circling a hodge podge of small tables.
At Sovereign Remedies, we had the crispy pig ears, bone marrow tater tots and the bavette steak, with the tots being a standout favorite... but nothing was super earth-shattering.
The location at Curate was a little neater, a little sleeker and brighter--in a Spanish villa meets old downtown building kinda way. Lots of rustic influence, richly warm hues, and a wide range of comfy seating, including gorgeously detailed tables, and an impressively wide, inviting bar area. Both locations boast those dreamy tall ceilings that are indicative of old buildings rescued for the sake of a new crowd. Clearly, I was equally as drawn to the aesthetics as I was the menus.
At Curate, we had brunch -- the pisto manchego con huevo (fried egg over a potato puree with a smattering of insanely tasty roasted veggies) for me and he had the huevos estrallados (baked egg over chorizo and a bed of roasted peppers and onions).
Other places that remain on our list for the next trip are:
Cucina 24
Bull and Beggar
The Admiral
Nightbell (also a Katie Button restaurant--she is the brainchild behind Curate)
Limones
Rhubarb
White Duck Taco Shop
Buxton Hall
Posana
Tacobilly
Luella's BBQ
Smoky Park Supper Club
Also! We passed time between ceremony and reception at Pack's Tavern--a great bar downtown to take in a game (ahem, or in our case... to watch UT give OU the business).
Asheville has a strong brunch game too. We braved an early Saturday morning foray to Hole Doughnuts, rated Bon Appetit's 2016 best dessert--with very good reason. Their standard vanilla glazed was unreal.
toasted sesame and honey doughtnut at hole.
Other breakfast/brunch suggestions we read a lot about:
Vortex Doughtnuts
Biscuit Head
Over Easy
Early Girl Eatery
There are a ton of coffee shops tucked here and there, and we found Trade & Lore at the top of a lot of lists. To be honest, we skipped into the location while strolling through downtown, stood for 5-10 minutes with no movement in the line, and debated that we weren't really hankering for coffee badly enough to keep waiting on staff that didn't seem super concerned with serving their clientele.
Some sweet shops that you absolutely need to try out are Sunshine Sammies (outrageous ice cream sandwiches) and Kiliwin's -- a magical chocolatier. Get the turtles and chocolate covered oreos. We went to The Hop for ice cream and it was fairly underwhelming. French Broad Chocolate was also at the top of a lot of lists, but we didn't make it there. Next time!
kiliwin's goodness.
sunshine sammie situation.
Finally... the brews.
We spent ample time at Burial, Wicked Weed and Sierra Nevada--all very different breweries, all fabulous atmospheres. Sierra Nevada is a bit south of town, so plan accordingly. It's basically a compound near the airport--there's a full restaurant, gift shop and you can tour the space (we didn't). Wicked Weed and Burial are much more quaint--walkable to each other, downtown, and dog-friendly (I think most--if not all--of the breweries in Asheville love them some pups). Grab a flight, settle in and chat with a stranger.
sierra nevada boasts some good offerings.
stellar outdoor seating at burial.
Sidenote: when I went on my girls' trip, we also visited the Funkatorium (Wicked Weed) and Hi-Wire, which I also remember both being great.
One more thing worth noting--some of the coolest little haunts in Asheville are bookstores. Malaprops is a fantastic stop downtown, full of the latest and greatest, along with lots of quirky gifts too. There's a coffee bar off to the side, and oh yeah--dog friendly too. I am over the moon that Asheville is such a pup-friendly locale!
One stop we didn't have time to make is the Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. Literature and bubbles. No further explanation necessary.
In true hipster city form, Asheville has a ton of insta-worthy murals and artsy photo ops--lots of which are in the River Arts District.
As far as lodging goes, we chose to airbnb at a great cabin in the woods, just 15 minutes south of downtown, but if you've ever discussed Asheville in your life, you've heard of the Biltmore Estate (the wedding reception took place in one of the many, many buildings there and it was all kinds of magnificent). One more worth splurging on is the Grove Park Inn. Oh my gosh. Google it.
And if that's not enough for ya, feel free to check out my pinterest board for a little more inspiration!
Up next: Austin and central Texas this week!
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