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  Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favorites!