Austin is Amazing

My Texas update so far:

Houston gets a bad rap.

Austin is AMAZING.

We spent the weekend there being "Brian and Phuong" and not "Michael's Parents." And it was not only necessary, it was pure BLISS. We stayed at Ryan and Renee's fabulous house near the Arboretum and enjoyed a weekend of being adults! We arrived around dinner time and immediately inhaled some County Line barbeque. After which, we checked out Star Trek at the Alamo Drafthouse - Village location. Our favorite theaters. PERIOD. Oh yes, and Star Trek was AWESOME.

After going to bed at 1am, we awoke to an amazing homemade breakfast spread and then the couples split up. Brian and Ryan met their friend Dave for some frisbee golf at Zilker Park. And Renee and I ran some errands for me at Target, Hobby Lobby, Best Buy, Bath and Body Works, and Barnes and NOble. And then lunch at Z-Tejas on the veranda in the shade overlooking the hill country. I mean, honestly...it just doesn't get any better. Throw in some of their wild mushroom enchiladas and I was seriously in heaven.

Then, Ryan and Renee stayed home for a good Saturday nap while Brian and I checked out the Independence Brewery.

Now, this is an event that is PURE Austin. Every 1st Saturday, Independence Brewery gives out 3 free beers for everyone who comes by. So you bring your lawn chairs and sit out in the HOT Texas sun and enjoy. ANd that we did with Brent and Tracy, some of our old grad school friends. It was SO MuCH Fun. And SO Austin! Sitting around, shooting the bull, and drinking beer. With Good Friends. And so Austin for us. We met some new grad students and hung out. Thanks go to Brent and Tracy for an AWESOME idea.

Then, we had to pick up Brian's dry cleaning and swung by the old apartment. We headed back to Ryan and Renee's where they grilled out delicious HEB fajita meat and sausages. Brent/Tracy/Dan came over too and we spent the night playing Wii. I had 4-5 glasses of wine and passed out at 11pm. WIMP. I know.

Sunday, we relaxed some more. Brian went with Ryan to play a game of pickup ultimate frisbee while Renee and I decided to hit up the Round Rock Outlet mall. After buying some very cheap and good playground clothes (for me), we went back where we chatted with their friends Dave/Jisun (who are expecting in August!). At 3pm, we left town, had some Amy's ice cream on the way, and stopped to buy some sausage at Chappell Hill.

And that was it. And it was great. And it was exactly what we needed. Austin is beautiful. Rolling hills, not so much humidity, nice gusts of wind, and beautiful trees everywhere. I get very nostalgic going to Austin because it is where we began our life. And thanks to our great friends, we had some wonderful times and made some unforgettable memories. And Austin to me...is all about relaxation. In Houston, we do things. Go to exhibits at the museums, or special events. But in Austin, it's all about eating, getting together with good friends, and hanging out. Whether that be at someone's house or at Barton Springs, or downtown. It's all about the food, the drink, and the hanging out.

Brian asked me why I get so nostalgic about Austin. I mean, he likes it too...and misses it, but doesn't have the same kind of, "OH...*sigh* I just love and miss Austin. Can we come back?" like I do. So I thought about it and it boils down to this:

Austin - is where I want to be. It's where I am who I am. The me I was in Austin...is the me I want to be. IN Houston, I am my parents' daughter. In Paris, I am Brian's wife and Michael's mom. In Austin, I was just me. I had my own job, my own life, my own friends. So it is special to me because it is where I really was independent and had loads of fun. What's not to like about that?

And Austin is where we are US. Brian and I haven't had THAT much fun together in a long time. Brian got to play ultimate, which is something he adores. I got to hang out with one of my favorite people, Renee, whom I adore. And who is so crazy in her own way that she is just so entertaining. And then Brian and I together...we have fun, we joke, we hug and kiss a lot. And it's just not something that happens so very often when we're trying to keep our toddler from destroying himself or the world.

But that's not to say we don't love our world. That we don't love our baby Michael and who is growing up to be. His little face was the best part about coming back home. But we we sure did enjoy our little weekend away.