Happy Friday!! Hope everyone has had a great week. I can’t believe we will be heading home tomorrow already! Today is hopefully the day that I will eat off of a food truck. We are going to find Garbo’s Lobster truck – how bad could that be?!
I am still having to use my phone to load pictures from my iPhone onto a blog post. I have about 300+ on my Nikon! So these pictures are in no particular order.
I love Joe and Lizz’s pets, but especially the dog. It makes me miss Ed all the more. He actually even slept in bed with us and I am seriously trying to think of a way to bring him home with us! Tony thinks he’s too noisy of a dog, but not me. As a thank you for their hospitality, I went to Walgreen’s yesterday and printed out two pictures I liked of Jasmine and Cinnamon Bun and put it in a frame.
Yesterday Joe treated us to a movie at the theater he works at. If you have never seen a movie at an iPic before, you are missing out. Recliner seats, a call button for a server to give you anything you need. Great food, blankets if you get too chilly. We ended up seeing Hangover III. Um, save your money and wait until it comes out on video. A few chuckles, but that’s about it.
On Wednesday night Tony and I went to 6th Street. I was a little worried because it was going to be a lot of walking for Tony but he was a trooper. We stopped at one bar to have a beer. We were trying to decide where to go, when we realized we couldn’t find the restaurant we wanted so we ended up at an Irish Pub. I know what you are thinking – in the heart of Austin, tex-mex capital of the world, and you eat an Irish Pub?
But it ended up being a great choice. Being that we are middle aged, ahem, by about 8:00, the quiet bar that we had our first beer at turned into a loud house band show, and when we were walking back to the car almost all the bars were so loud with music that you probably couldn’t even have a conversation!
This is one of the owners of the bar. He called his bar the “grown up” bar on the strip, and it was true nearly everyone else in the place was around our age. They had a trivia night that we participated in and it was fun. The food? I ended up ordering a grilled chicken sandwich with roasted red pepper and goat cheese on Texas toast. So good. But Tony’s rule of thumb is order what you think their house specialty is, which in the case of an Irish Pub, fish and chips was his go to.
Sadly, the breading was kind of greasy, and the fish was just okay. We didn’t say anything to the owner about it, but Tony did a yelp review. š
Last night we went to Kona Grill, which I found out is a chain and they actually have one in Oakbrook and Lincolnshire at home. Holy crap, this plate of food was so flavorful and good – pan noodles with beef tenderloin and vegetables (no onions!) and I asked them to kick it up a notch and it was perfectly seasoned. I wish I could have finished the whole plate, but I ended up bringing half of it home.
On the way back to the car Wednesday night, we stopped to go to the bathroom and have one final drink before heading home. This was the sign on the woman’s bathroom!
I have been loving the local beers I’ve tried since we got here. The beer below is Fireman’s Brew #4. Super light, crisp and refreshing.
We have had such a great time this week. It’s nice not to think about work. Going to bed whenever and waking up whenever and just seeing where the day takes us.
Thanks again to Lizz and Joe for opening up their home to us this week. We appreciate it and it made this vacation all the more affordable.
Although truth be told, I miss the kitchen. The only thing I’ve made all week is a big batch of grilled cherry salsa, and I am looking forward to getting back in the kitchen and making some healthy food next week. Detox week for me next week, getting back to the gym, drinking the detox water and eating healthy food.
Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! See you on Monday! Hugs!
I want to go to one of those theaters, it looks like a lot of fun. and good advice with The Hangover! i hope you’re having a great weekend!!
Sorry you vacation is coming to a close. Your readers have been lucky to share it with you š Can’t wait to hear about the food truck. Great pet photos. I love critters!
There’s a Kona Grill in the mall near us–they made a good margarita, but it was a hot day and the AC wasn’t working well in the bar so I could never stay to try any of the food. I’ll have to give it another go!
I hope you do, it was so good!
So glad you had a nice week off! I don’t like beer, but your photograph made me want one! š
Safe travels home and my mouth is watering for some grilled cherry salsa! Any news on whether or not you might start selling?
It is super complicated to sell the salsa, you need a commercial kitchen, health certificates, liability insurance, crazy! I am going to send some salsa to you through Tyler soon!
My cousin has told me about their awesome movie theater in Austin that serves food and such, maybe it’s the same one š I can’t wait to hear about your food truck experience! I ate some Mexican food from a food truck in Connecticut, and it was amazing! I wish we had them here.
Yep, that’s the one, ask her if it is in The Domain.
B – did you not know that my office does Kona Grill’s? I’ve never eaten there but like you said the food is amazing!
Nope, I had no idea! It was delicious!
Looks like you guys had a great time! I’m looking forward to eating from my first food truck in Portland next month! I’ve already been searching for good ones. š
Thanks for sharing your vacation. Glad you had a fun trip.
Do I see a pug in your future? š
I would love to, but Tony is not ready for another dog yet.
What a nice gift, those pics are great! Safe travels home.
What a fun trip you are having Biz! It’s so nice to get away and those first few days of eating out are such a joy. But then like you I start missing doing my own cooking and having good ole home food.
Safe travels!
I guess that’s one good thing about vacays. It is always nice to go home.
The pictures of their pets are awesome-what a nice gift! I think you and Tony need to get another dog, maybe a little one. š After seeing all your good food, I’m craving detox water now too-LOL!
Aw! I love the kitty picture!!
Sounds like you guys are having a great vacation! A lobster food truck?!? I can’t wait to hear about that! If I ever eat from a food truck, I hope it has lobster!
I think the Irish Pub sounds like fun! We love finding restaurants that fit our style, especially when traveling. And then we like to talk with the people working and/or locals.
I’m sure you don’t want your vacation to end, we never do! The theatre sounds really cool. I’m always cold in there. The animal pics and frame is such a great idea, how nice of you! That beer picture is totally awesome, it’s perfect. Have a great weekend Biz!!
I am glad you guys are having fun and eating well š I have been to Kona grill a bunch as it was right next to my work before we moved. I love their salmon salad and their burgers are really good. We have an iPic close but haven’t been yet, actually, we haven’t gone to a movie for about 6 years hah.
So glad you’re enjoying the trip. I’m totally with Louise…I can’t wait for your to be back! Their pug is SO so cute. Wrinkles! Love. Bummer the hangover III wasn’t amazing- I’ve been looking forward to seeing it
I love Austin! It sounds like a great trip. My friend and I started a tradition of finding an Irish Pub in every country we visited on a backpacking trip to Europe! Although we like to always sample tidbits of the local culture and flair wherever we go, my husband and I continue that tradition whenever we travel. Yay for Irish Pubs!
Missing your blogging everyday. But, glad you had a wonderful vacation. That food truck sounds interesting, do tell about it and maybe a recipe for that “pan noodles, steak and vegies???? Have a great weekend traveling home.