Austin, TX

Published on May 12, 2014July 6, 2015 by T.W.O.1 Comment

At the beginning of May one of T.W.O. jumped on their saddle and headed to Austin, Texas for a friend’s wedding. Having visited before, we knew that Austin was a great town, but after this trip we now know it’s an AMAZING city. With different neighborhoods, shopping, great food, live music, outdoor activities and rooftops we can’t wait to go back! Here are some of the highlights of one of T.W.O.’s trip.

Austin

Rainey Street

It’s a street filled with historic homes, many of the bungalow style, in downtown Austin, Texas. Rainey Street is positioned near Lady Bird Lake and Interstate 35 in the southeast corner of downtown. Our first stop – Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden. Great outdoor area filled with picnic tables and great ambiance.

Franklin Barbecue

The effort was there, but unfortunately we didn’t get to try this famous barbeque place. We arrived around 11am and the line was already a two hour wait. Two hours would have been worth it, but comes to find out a girl 10 people in front of us was holding a sign that said “Last person guaranteed food”. Ummm….okay Franklin – – you are going to have to wait till our next visit to Austin! Off to another barbeque place that didn’t disappoint.

The Ironworks BBQ

This little tin building is a historic site and a family owned and operated business that has been serving Real Texas Barbeque since 1978. It’s a definite must stop when visiting Austin. What did we order – beef ribs, brisket, corn on the cob, potato salad and a local beer. The ribs were phenomenal – – and you know that we like ribs! The meat just fell off the bone and had a great smoky flavor that wasn’t over powering. The brisket was juicy, tender, meaty and went well with their homemade barbeque sauce. I wouldn’t mind going back and having a brisket sandwich! Do they deliver in California??

South Congress

A neighborhood located on South Congress which is known for the shopping and its many eclectic small retailers, music, art venues, food trucks and restaurants.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar, South Congress

On Sunday afternoon, while strolling down South Congress we stumbled upon this gem of a restaurant with a hour line. Must be good, right? Luckily we got the attention of the bartender who seated us before we had to wait the full hour – – must have been our California IDs! Anyways, the menu was overwhelming and I say that because everything looked SOOO good. It was so hard to choose what I wanted. From their burgers, to salads to vegetarian dishes and fries – – there is an option for everyone. Ended up ordering The Goodnight (an angus beef, Tillamook cheddar, hickory bbq sauce, caramelized onions, sliced jalapenos and sassy sauce. We got fries with queso which are highly recommended. Word on the street CA is going to be getting one of these in Marina del Ray area – – let’s hope!!

The Wedding

The ultimate reason why one of T.W.O were in Austin was for a wedding – – and besides all the sites seen and the food eaten, this was my favorite part. It was amazing watching two people that are so in love get married in front of their friends in family at Stonehouse Villa outside of the city. From the dancing to the food and mostly – the people that were there made for a special and memorable night. Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Rorden!

Keep Austin Weird,

Birthdays + Bunnies

Published on April 23, 2014June 6, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

T.W.O. was able to spend this past weekend with their entire family. We celebrated March and April birthdays, Easter and got the chance to spend quality time together. There were laughs, good food, sun and beach runs. Check out some photos that were captured this past weekend.

The Beach

Home is Where the Heart Is

Birthday Celebrations

A Family Photo (with a photo bomb by Libby!)

Salt Creek Beach

Published on April 14, 2014June 6, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Like most weekends, T.W.O. likes to stay active and find new trails. This past weekend, T.W.O. ventured to Salt Creak Beach and ran the famous trail near the St. Regis and Ritz Carlton. The golf course and ocean views were spectacular. There is no doubt we will be running this trail again and will include a pit stop at the Monarch Cafe.

Happy trails,

Hats Off to Traveling

Published on February 20, 2014February 20, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

If you haven’t already noticed, T.W.O. enjoys traveling. And like most people, we usually get a souvenir (well actually, we should say souvenirs) when we travel! One of those souvenirs has to be a hat. Yes – a hat. It’s an item that we will wear the rest of our trip and get to bring it back home to the States. Beach hat, winter hat, ball cap – doesn’t matter! Here are some of our favorite hats we got a long the way.

Costa Rica:

The Caribbean:

Lake McClure:

Palm Springs/ Stagecoach:

Tahoe:

Angel Games:

Italy:

Spain:

Happy Travels!!!

A San Francisco Weekend

Published on November 5, 2013November 4, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

T.W.O. reunited in San Francisco this past weekend and had a great time with friends and family! Below are some highlights of the fabulous three days.

Ferry Building

A marketplace, office space, meeting spot and event space – this building has it all. Not only is the architecture of the building spectacular with its high ceilings and natural light, it is also an iconic building to the city with its 245-foot tall clock tower that was designed after the 12th-century Giralda bell tower in Sevilla, Spain. In the 1930’s, the Ferry Building was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, but with the construction of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge, it has become less of a transit terminal and more of a marketplace.

Chili Night Dinner Party

Being the first day of November, T.W.O. deiced to cook chili and cornbread for their small dinner party. In addition to the Fall menu, T.W.O. created a tablescape that gave the small city apartment a cozy feel. It was a wonderful night of good food, views and people. The cornbread recipe can be found HERE and we will be featuring the chili recipe on Thursday.

Golden Gate Bridge Runs

On the weekends, T.W.O. likes to start off the day with a great exercise. It helps that there is a spectacular view along the way! (Well sometimes…if it’s a typical San Francisco morning, you might not see the bridge, yet alone the water.)

Sonoma County Afternoon Drive

Forty-five minutes across the Golden Gate Bridge and you are in wine country! T.W.O. + family took a day trip to get out of the city and enjoy the beautiful scenery, food and wineries. They went to three wineries – VJB Cellars, Imagery and Ram’s Gate. In the next couple of weeks we will be highlighting each winery individually. Stay tuned!

A 25 Mile Bike Tour Over The Golden Gate Bridge

Published on October 30, 2013October 28, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

This past weekend T.W.O.’s family was in town to visit San Francisco. And like most visits, we try to accomplish a new activity. This time, T.W.O. & family decided to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and back. Our 25 mile journey was filled with steep hills, long inclines, great views, perfect weather and wonderful people.

Since some of us didn’t have road bikes, we had to rent hybrid bikes from the local shop on Lombard Street – Bike & View. Book online before going to the shop to pick up your bike…you save $10! T.W.O. highly recommends using Bike & View. The store was located in a convenient location, service was spectacular and the bikes were durable. Each rental comes with a bike lock and helmet. Safety first!

Golden Gate Bridge Crossing

Crossing the GG Bridge on a bike is exhilarating. Being that high up on a bridge with water beneath you while pedestrians and cars are near, gets your heart rate pumping. On the way back, the fog horn was going off which meant that a portion of the bridge was fogged in. Yep, that’s right- we had to ride through a fog bank to get to the other side. Once we crossed, the sun was shining again and it was 10 degrees colder in SF than it was in Marin.

Cavallo Point

Once we dropped down into Sausalito we rode to Cavallo Point to see the hotel and great views this resort has to offer. It’s a great spot to grab brunch or a sunset drink on a clear day.

Sausalito

After leaving Cavallo Point, we rode through the town. The streets were bustling and the restaurants were crowded with people enjoying the beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Fish

Just north of the town center is one of T.W.O.’s favorite lunch spots, Fish. This was a great spot to stop for the halfway point on the ride. Known for their views and seafood, Fish offers a variety of food for everyone’s taste buds. Fish sandwiches, salads, oysters, soups, and hamburgers – you can’t go wrong at Fish. Note – they only take cash, so make sure you hit up the ATM prior to going unless you want to pay the ATM fee onsite.

T.W.O. & family had a great time riding and exploring on Saturday. After 25 miles of some challenging hills (the hill coming out of Sausalito towards the GG Bridge), a great meal and adventures, we all can’t wait to do it again soon! Hopefully with the entire family!