Small town Texas

Becoming Texan?

The last two months in Texas haven't gotten me any closer to an accent and I haven't bought a pair of boots or cowboy hat yet, but that hasn't stopped me from falling in love.What's not to love about a place where you can eat barbecue, biscuits and gravy, and sushi alike out of food trucks, where you can hang out at an outdoor pub on a Sunday afternoon with your dog, or get all dressed up for a night on the town?  I don't even think I've gotten to the honeymoon stage yet, but the activities below have made me feel all head over heels for my new home.

5 Cool Things I've Done So Far

1. Music - saw my first concert at Austin institution, Emo's.  For only $20 we saw three great bands on the outdoor stage. It was cool hanging out in the crisp air, drinking cheap beer, and getting smoke blown in my face. Definitely a must for anyone into music
2. Food - My husband and I celebrated our 9th anniversary in style at Jeffrey's downtown. What a treat! Foie terrine and duck confit for me, crispy oysters and fillet for him. I only wish I would have taken pictures
3. More Food - A trip to San Marcos a few miles away ended with some of the best barbecue I've ever eaten in a hole in the wall we never would have found without the help of Google. Kip's Texas BBQ off I-35 had brisket that melted like butter when it hit your tongue and cornbread that would make a grown man cry and ask for more (okay, there wasn't really any crying but there certainly were seconds)
4. Shoal Creek - A great off-leash area runs along the creek just a couple of miles from our house. We take our dog Ripley down, let her off the leash and watch as she chases squirrels, plays with other dogs, and cools off by laying in the shallow creek. I love how dog friendly this town is!
5. Shopping - I discovered Central Market, also just a mile from our house. This mecca of organic specialty foods is absolutely amazing. The produce section alone could occupy me for whole afternoons.

What's Next?

The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty cool here in Austin. Here's a few things I hope to do and blog about:

1. Farmer's Market - I'm hoping to hit up the local farmer's market for the first time this week. I'll post about all the interesting things I find
2. Mardi Gras - guaranteed to be a blast - I'm sure I'll find something fun to do.   
3. SXSW -  South by Southwest is about to start! Good thing we got wristbands -they'll get us into some of the amazing concerts. My husband, the lucky dog, scored himself a ticket to the interactive portion and will be spending a whole week geeking out.
4. Spring Planting - I know this doesn't sound as cool as everything else but I'm excited! It's been over a year since I've had any sort of a garden and I'm looking forward to getting some dirt under my fingernails.

Keep checking back for updates! Spring is in the air and my fingers are itchy to tell stories.