9.02.2016

Friday Favorites: Girls Getaway

Friendship, fun and food are three of my favorite things in the whole wide world... so last weekend was basically perfect because it combined all three!! Shelly, Holly and I decided to go a quick girls getaway before our worlds got too crazy this fall and as a quick "pat ourselves on the back for a successful first week with kids back in school" celebration.  


We mostly snapped our way through the weekend but I do have a few pics to share. As soon as we got into Austin, Holly recognized the neighborhood and navigated our way to this darling mural. Austin has so many awesome nooks and crannies for fun photo-ops and this one had been on my list!


Shelly booked us a room at the JW Marriott Austin and it did not disappoint. I was so taken in by it's beauty that I forgot to snap any pictures. 

(That's a lie, I was just being a lazy blogger. It's gorgeous though, trust me.)

As soon as we got into our room, we all three wanted to unpack. I sent Ryan a text message of the picture below and let him know that I had found my traveling soul mates. I am an award winning overpacker and these girls loved me through it because they are just as bad as me! 

3 women, 2 nights, SEVENTEEN pairs of shoes. 

#mercy
#weworeeverysinglepair


We lounged around the room in silence for a bit, talked shop and then got dressed for dinner. I took zero pictures of how darling we all looked, but did manage to snap these pics of the best margarita ever (cucumber jalapeño) and these amazing fried plantains with sour cream and black beans on the side. 

Y'all. Go to Glorias and order these plantains. And don't be afraid to dip them in that goodness because you will be so sad.


Know what else is my favorite? Being in bed by 10.



We slept late, threw on some yoga pants and headed out for brunch. We were treated with a crystal clear sky and some pretty amazing temperatures for Texas. 


We headed to a brunch place super close to the hotel and were treated to $1.84 mimosas. 

#wewilldrinktothat 
#alldaylong


We decided to go for a little stroll around the boardwalk at Lady Bird Lake and enjoy the afternoon. We stopped in a few shops and left empty-handed even though I really wanted a new coffee mug and Texas tee.



And then made our way back to the hotel to spend the afternoon by the pool. 

We proceeded to spend way too much money but we also had a whole lot of fun. We couldn't stop laughing at the groups of guys at bachelor parties that were trying every trick in the book to get attention from the opposite sex. One guy even pretended to "back into me" as if he didn't see me there. My favorite part of the encounter was watching his face as I explained I was on a girls weekend while my husband and three kids were enjoying their weekend at home. 

#poorguy #neversawitcoming #stillgotit


We cleaned up and headed out for dinner...which was exactly two hours after we ate chips and salsa at the pool... 



So we decided to just share some nachos. :)


Unbeknown to us, the gay pride parade was that evening. We walked along side the parade route all the way down to get a peak at the capitol all lit up and were entertained the entire trek. It was pretty awesome to see parents and families supporting the journey of their loved ones. It was also pretty awesome to see some of these costumes!


We made our way back to the hotel and fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows. We slept in AGAIN and the next morning, sipped our coffee, talked about blogs, read books and just enjoyed the blessings of friendship.

I can't believe that I have only known these women for 1 year. They inspire me, motivate me, support me, and love me as if we've known each other much longer. I admire so much about how they love, how they live, how they serve and I am so so so immensely grateful for their gift of friendship. 

(I also really hope that Shelly posts some of the outtakes of this picture. The one time we used a "big girl" camera all weekend long!)


It should not surprise you that we ended with brunch. 



Not just any brunch. But perhaps the best brunch I have ever tasted in the history of brunching ever. 

Pro tip: Skip Yelp/Trip Advisor/Other rating sites and go straight to instagram. I searched #austineats and Forthright Cafe had tons of tags. The food looked amazing and the comments people posted were positive. And it did not disappoint. 

I could have eaten the butter on Holly's chicken & waffles with a spoon. Instead, I just stuck my finger right on top and licked it. My sweet potatoes and pork belly hash with fried eggs is getting made at my house this weekend and Shelly's avocado toast with flavorful and filling. SO DAMN GOOD.


And the company wasn't so bad either. 



Such an amazing 48 hour retreat. 



When do we leave for the next one?





Linking up with  AndreaErika, and Narci for Friday Favorites!

16 comments:

  1. Happy Friday! Looks like such a fun weekend getaway. I've heard great things about Austin and would love to visit at some point. Have a great weekend. Beautifully Candid

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    1. You totally should - it is such a fun city! Food, music, nature - so much to do!

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  2. That sounds like such a fun weekend!! Love that you relaxed and enjoyed brunch and mimosas a bit! Hopefully y'all get to do another trip soon enough! :)

    https://happilyevergriedlscom.wordpress.com/

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    1. Haha - we definitely tasted mimosas "a bit"! :) We will be planning another weekend as soon as we can! Nothing beats time with your girls!

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  3. Yes....take me all the way back! I'm thinking I look like I partied harder than I did in that last picture lol. It was an amazing weekend and I look forward to making this a tradition. Love you!

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    1. I think we should have a standing reservation for the same weekend every year!

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  4. That sounds like the perfect weekend! I'm cracking up at the picture of the closet! I'm a total overpacker, too!
    I just told my kids I would take them to Chick-Fil-a for lunch, but now I'm craving Gloria's. Think I can change their mind? Probably not. Ha!
    Hope you have a great weekend!

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    1. You can always do what my mom did and go to both! Just pick it up to go and enjoy it on the couch! Hope you had a fun long weekend!

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  5. As I sit her on Friday merely one week later - I'm already aching to go back. Think our hubbies would mind if we made this a monthly tradition?! :) I'm thinking I could be a much better wife/mother if I could get that little re-charge a little more frequently! Seriously though - it was the perfect weekend with the perfect friends! Love you guys!

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    1. I say we do it again next year and 3 times in between at least! ;)

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  6. Y'all's weekend was too good, girl! Just too dang good! And there is no shame in going to bed at 10. LOL my bestie and I say we're going to do this and that and always find our way into our pajamas and our beds vegging out to crap tv or our books! LOVE IT! Have a fabulous weekend! xoxox

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    1. Vegging out to crap tv in pjs is one of my favorite things - I think I could be a gold medalist! Hope you had a great long weekend!

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  7. You guys are too cute and I can tell you had a lot of fun! I enjoyed seeing all the fun on Instagram! ~Lowanda of Sunshine and Elephants

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    1. We really did have the best time! Counting down the days until we can do it again!!

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  8. Thank you for sharing this great post on your recent trip to Austin - as an Austin local I truly enjoyed reading it - especially the #MomSoHard #WeDrankEarly part! That tends to be my scene when travelling and it's glorious! :) As the marketing manager at the JW Marriott Austin, I'd also like to personally thank you for such a lovely and unsolicited shout out to our hotel - our team absolutely thrives on great guest feedback and I can't wait to share your post with them! Thank you again - we look forward to hosting y'all for another girls weekend soon!! Samantha

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    1. We had the best time and loved every thing about the JW! We especially appreciated how accommodating you all were with our "high floor" request and the extra bath robes! Ladies had to lounge with a view! HA! We'd love to come back so if you ever need 3 blogging moms to gush about your properties, you know who to call!

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