Out and About: Lupe Tortilla

Hunk and I have been waiting for weeks for this place to open up. A friend of his swore that they have the best fajitas anywhere, and he was so excited when the Houston chain announced they would be opening not one, but TWO locations in Austin. After all of his talk, we were dying to find out what the hype was about.

Finally, they opened for business last Monday, and Cinco de Mayo seemed like an appropriate time to give Lupe Tortilla a try. So did half of Austin. Once we found parking, we were told it would be a two hour wait. No biggie- we were expecting a wait anyway. And they had a nice big bar area with reasonably priced margaritas and plenty of room for standing. The tables in the bar area are first-come, first-serve, and they also have TVs going with whatever sport happens to be on at the time. On this particular evening, they also had a band playing on the patio area outside. Nice touch!!!

They use a number card system for seating, and we were able to watch the progress on a little screen in the bar area. It only ended up taking 1.5 hours to get our table, and we were definitely hungry by then. Since 3 of the 4 of us in our group had not eaten there before, they brought us all mini-fajitas to sample. Their beef is marinated in a lime-pepper concoction for 3 days, making each bite a tangy, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Man....it was good! We barely had to look at the menu as we had pretty much all decided on fajitas. However, we were hungry, and decided to start the meal with some queso flameado. You can get it with chorizo, jalapeño sausage, or seasoned ground beef. We went with beef. But the real reason we got this was to further enhance the tortilla experience. They make them on site, and they make them bigger than my face. Thin, warm, and oh so delicious!!!

I easily could have stopped the meal there and been fine. The cheese and tortillas were filling enough. But no. Hunk and I ordered 1 pound of beef fajitas. We tried to get his friend to share with us, but he was insistent on ordering his own 1/2 lb. He just said "trust me on this". I really haven't been eating much meat since we did our plant-based diet, but I was willing to fudge for this. And I'm so glad I did. I seriously could have eaten just the meat on our sizzling platter. It was so tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. The hint of lime was the real kicker for me though. They didn't add a ton of peppers for filling- it really was a pound of meat and a small side of sautéed onions. And of course, I wrapped that delicious meat in yet another warm tortilla and continued to stuff my face.

We had originally planned on going to meet some friends for a birthday celebration afterwards, but none of the 4 of us could hardly walk to the car. It was such a gluttonous meal, and not even dessert or an after-dinner drink sounded appealing. I just wanted to go home, put on stretchy pants, and go to bed.

I highly encourage you to go check out Lupe Tortilla if you have a chance. Go hungry, but be prepared to wait. I don't see the lines dying down anytime soon, especially if word continues to spread about how good this place was. Don't even bother to look at the menu. Just order some beef fajitas. You'll thank me later!

A weekend in Oklahoma

This past weekend, Hunk and I made the 7 (ish) hour trek up I-35 to visit his family and to participate in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. He did the running, I did the cheering/spectating. The drive up there was uneventful. We had both his dogs in the car, plenty of water and snacks, and no need to hurry. Our main goals for the weekend were to relax, have fun, and enjoy some quality time together. The trip up was pretty easy, minus an overturned gas tanker and some obnoxious highway construction. We did make a fun Starbuck's pit stop in Ardmore to meet up with a former student. It just kills me how fast they grow up, but it's so neat to see how well they are doing! I so appreciated her mom pulling her out of school a little early to come and say hi to me. After one final stop in Norman at the OK Runner store, we made it to Yukon (Hank's hometown) without incident.

Maddie making herself comfortable for the trip.

Marley was perfectly content to either chew on her bone, or take a nap on her bed in the back.

The water tower in Yukon, OK

Once we arrived at his parent's house, we spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out in the kitchen (he guaranteed me that his mom would be in there most of the weekend), snacking, drinking and getting to know each other. His parents couldn't have been more welcoming to me- they were just so nice! His brother's family came over to see us after dinner, and we called it an early night after such a long day.

On Saturday, we headed to the marathon expo where we both lucked out with a great new pair of shoes (thanks to the OK Runner expo sale), and then went on to see his niece's track meet. She was so excited to have her Uncle there to watch. It was a little warmer than expected, but still nice to be out. We were both starving though (and a little bit thirsty), so we headed to a new shopping area called Classen Curve to eat at a restaurant many of his friends had been talking about. Republic Gastro Pub was amazing, and was definitely the starting point for opening my mind to the fact that maybe Oklahoma isn't all that bad. The beer selection was incredible, and we had no problem picking out two tasty sandwiches (the BLT and the Reuben). I ordered the Abbey Road flight. It had Maredsous Blond, Ommegang Hennepin, Tripel Karmeliet, and St Bernardus Abt 12 ALL IN ONE FLIGHT. Even better was the fact that the heavy pours only cost $8. I fell in love with Republic at that moment.

Abbey Road beer flight at Republic

We went back to his parent's house for dinner that night, where we were joined by his brother and nephew. His mom cooked another great meal, and then we celebrated her belated birthday with some lemon cupcakes that I had made for her. It was an early night because Hunk was having to get up before 5 the next morning to head over to the race. Unfortunately, the weather was starting to look a little ugly, so I helped his mom move cars around in case of hail. Luckily, it was only rain (and a very small tornado watch) that ended up happening. I think besides an OU Zombie apocalypse, tornados were my biggest fear about being in Oklahoma.

I woke up by 6 on Sunday to drive with Hunk's dad, nephew, brother, aunt and uncle downtown to the finish line. There were tons of people, but I was lucky to score a spot where I would be able to see him coming down the chute, and maybe even get a picture. Hunk had already decided to just run the half, and even without much focused training, he did great!

Hunk crossing the finish line

We all headed for breakfast at IHOP afterwards, and then Hunk and I stayed downtown to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and the Festival of the Arts held every year in conjunction with the marathon. His mom had shown me a book the day before from the bombing that had personal stories from the rescuers, survivors, and medical/emergency workers who were there at that time. The stories were fresh in my mind when we went to the site, and I have to say it was a very emotional visit. Hunk had also volunteered then, and was a runner who went to fetch families when victims had been found. He is such a compassionate person, and this is just one of the many things I love about him. I can only imagine how difficult that job was.

Original Murrah Building sign

The reflecting pond

The lawn with 168 chairs for each victim

They open the lawn on the day of the marathon, and allow visitors to leave mementos on the chairs

The playground area for the daycare center inside the building

The original fence with items that were left after the bombing. The museum rotates items out from time to time

Shout out to my home state!

View of the Arts Festival from the Botanical Gardens

I have to say I was really impressed with downtown Oklahoma City. This orange-blood girl had low expectations, but it really was very nice! After walking around, we made a quick stop through the outlet mall by his house, a super fast drive through "downtown" Yukon, and then back to his house to munch on some snacks that his mom made for us. After a short nap, it was already time for dinner! His brother's family came over again, and we all sat at the dining table for a Sunday roast dinner. Again, his family couldn't have been nicer to me. Even his teenage niece and nephew were a lot of fun to be around. I'm so glad I got the chance to meet them!

On Monday morning, we loaded up the car, said our goodbyes, and then took the long route home going through 183. After dealing with the headaches on I-35, we decided it would likely be more fun to take the scenic route. We took our time, stopped when we felt like it, and even happened upon a little gem called Mineral Wells.

Driving into town, we saw this behemoth building standing out behind the typical downtown square area. Completely fascinated, we decided to circle around it to get some pictures.

Mineral Wells first hit the map when their mineral springs were discovered in the early 1900s. One well was known for its "crazy water" that helped patients with signs of Alzheimer's.

First glimpse driving into town

Neat architectural details of The Baker Hotel

Shuttered since the 1970's, it's in pretty sad shape

The pool and recreation area. I can only imagine how neat the hotel looked in its heyday.

We were so intrigued by the building (there were no signs saying what it was), but a quick google search resulted in everything we needed to know about the Baker Hotel. It used to be a top tier spa destination in the 20's, and now just sits empty and haunted, with no signs of the restoration proposed in 2010. Town people swear they see the windows open and close at any time, and one of the more popular ghosts is that of the hotel manager's mistress who used to live on the 7th floor before jumping to her death from the roof of the hotel. You can read about the various hauntings here. We were fascinated by the hotel, to say the least. So much that the rest of the drive, we decided that should we win the mega millions lottery, we would spearhead the renovation ourselves, and name it The Baker Holland. We came up with marketing, events to draw people to the town. You name it, we thought about it. Now if only we could win the lottery....

But, it was back to reality in no time as we pulled into Austin, and especially when we sat at our respective desks the next morning to the emails that had amassed while we were gone. However, after 14+ hours in the car, I think our relationship is even stronger. It was such a fun weekend together and I'm so glad we had the chance to take our first road trip!

Poochinis & Peticures

Lofty Dog in downtown Austin hosts Poochinis & Peticures once a month, and tonight's event is sure to be a blast! Join me and some of the cutest small dogs from the Austin Animal Center for complimentary drinks (for the humans) and "peticures" (for the pups). Tonight's event benefits a very special cause- the Hard Luck Hounds of the Animal Center. This special group of volunteers have dedicated themselves to saving the last 10% of the shelter animals, as our city continues to make strides towards being No Kill. These volunteers want to make sure that No Kill really means No Kill, so that even the dogs who just never get picked can find a forever home too.



So if you're in the downtown area, with or without a pet, be sure to stop by!

Out and About: Hopfield's

I'm a sucker for any place that has good beer and a cool atmosphere. Hopfield's tops the charts in both categories. Hunk and I dined there with friends on Saturday night and it's the perfect place for gathering with it's communal tables and open dining area. The place itself isn't huge, but it does lend itself to really great people watching. If you're wanting something a little more intimate, there is another space in the back with 2 corner seating areas, and it's definitely quieter than the main room.

The menu is French-pub, with steak frites, daily tartes, a charcuterie plate and the most delicious burger in Austin (complete with a side of homemade aioli in a cute little jar). After making our beer selection- they have many great choices on draft, including several local beers- we moved on to deciding on food. We started with a Small Bites platter and a cheese plate by Antonelli's (another favorite shop of mine). Hunk and I shared a burger, and everyone else got the steak frites (to rave reviews). Drinks and dinner are ordered at the bar, but a server brings it to you and comes by frequently to make sure everyone is doing alright.

On Saturday night, it was definitely busy, but not too crowded. We could carry on a conversation, but still enjoyed the chatter of those having fun around us. Hopfield's is a casual, yet classy establishment, and I will definitely be going back again!

April Birchbox

My April Birchbox was in the mail yesterday, and I couldn't be more excited about the great things inside. Right off the bat- it felt heavier. Heavier is good, right? To me, it means more things. And I was right, for the most part. While each Birchbox typically has 5 items, 2 of the items have a larger quantity than what I received before.

The theme for this month is "Natural Wonders", with an emphasis on fresh products packed with natural ingredients. As always, the wrapping was adorable, and it as all I could do to not tear into it to find my goodies.

Inside my April Birchbox:

1- Yes To Blueberries Brightening Facial Towelettes: I wanted to use one of these immediately on my grimy, sweaty, post-run face, but I decided to wait (only because I picked a different product instead). I did open the bag and these wipes smell wonderful. The sample size has 8, but a full-size contains 30 wipes for $7.99, which I think is a great deal. I can see carrying these around for post-workouts just to avoid sweaty face for too long.

2- Be Fine Exfoliating Cleanser and Daily Moisturizer: I decided to use 1 of the 3 samples of this exfoliating cleanser to get rid of all the dirt I picked up from running on the trail after work. The exfoliator is made with brown sugar, almond oil and oats. I was expecting it to smell great, but not so much. I think that's a good thing though, because it didn't have any artificial fragrance in it. The exfoliant part was really thorough, but it resulted in a fairly creamy lather. My skin felt fantastic afterwards. There are also 2 samples of the Rosemary and Pomegranate Moisturizer that I'll likely try tomorrow. At $25 for a full-sized tube, I'll think a little more before deciding to purchase one of these. I'm always looking for a good day-time moisturizer though.

3- Lulu Organics Lavendar+Sage Hair Powder: I have only tried one dry shampoo before (a cheap grocery store one) and was less than impressed. I'm looking forward to giving this a try, because I can rarely get away with not washing my hair every day. It's fine, and a little too oily to look good. The site promises that it doesn't leave a chalky residue. If that's true, it's a winner in my book.

4- Zoya TRUE Spring Collection Nail Polish: The color included in my box is Bevin, a greenish-blue tint that I can't imagine will look good on my cadaver-white feet (I usually stick with reds and pinks). The polish itself looks like it would paint on thick and smooth, but I'm not going to bother painting my toes with it. If anyone has a color they want to trade, please let me know.

5- Wonderstruck Taylor Swift: I can't believe I'm saying this, but I love how this smells!! It's fresh, and not too strong. There are hints of both fruit and floral- I really can't put my finger on anything in particular though. All I know is that I dabbed it on my wrists this morning, and continued to catch whiffs of it all morning. It's a great summer scent!


So- who else gets a Birchbox? Did you get yours in the mail already? What do you like/dislike?

Lunch in a Box: Vegetable Spring Rolls

I wrote about the Easy Lunchboxes that I bought a few weeks ago, and I am still really enjoying using them. They help with portion control, and the 3 compartments inspire me to fill them with a variety of things. I often post pictures of my lunches on Instagram and Twitter, but enough friends have asked for "recipes" of the things that I make- so I thought I would share some of my favorites.

It has been years since I made vegetable spring rolls, and now I remember why. They take quite a bit of time to make, but the effort is totally worth it. The recipe is really flexible, and you can make as many or as few as you want. I used the recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod as inspiration, but adjusted it as needed. I also made my own peanut sauce, using the things that were already in my pantry.

This is a 3-step process. Cook the rice noodles, assemble the rolls, and then make the peanut sauce. Ideally, they store for about 3 days. I was able to stretch mine to 4. Three rolls made a perfect "girly" sized serving, but I was sure to add a few things to the meal to make it substantial. For this particular lunch, I added a quick and easy edamame salad and sliced mango for dessert.

Vegetable Spring Rolls:

1 red bell pepper, cut into narrow strips

1 zucchini, cut into narrow strips

shredded carrots

romaine lettuce

fresh cilantro, chopped

rice vermicelli noodles, cooked

rice paper sheets (and a shallow dish for soaking them in warm water)

Get all ingredients into an assembly area. Dip rice paper in warm water until softened, and then place on wax paper for rolling. Tear off a piece of romaine to cover about 1/3 of the rice paper, and use it as a base for the other ingredients. Take a small handful of noodles, and then layer 2 strips each of peppers/zucchini, and then a sprinkling of carrots and cilantro. Roll tightly, tucking in the ends as you go along.

Store in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Peanut dipping sauce:

2-3 T almond (or peanut) butter

3 T low-sodium Tamari

3 T rice vinegar

Sriracha to taste

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

1 T Agave Nectar (mainly because I used too much Sriracha)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. I'm sure I ended up adding more liquid, but this is my best guestimate. Just taste as you go, and adjust as needed. 

Edamame Salad:

1-2 T vegetable broth

1 cup frozen corn

1 bell pepper, diced

1 cup frozen edamame

salt and pepper

1-2 T lemon juice

fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray lightly with no-stick spray. 

Toss the veggies with enough broth to coat, spread out on baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Remove from oven to cool, and then toss with lemon juice and cilantro to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Giving the Gift of Love.....eHarmony Style

I decided to dust off my relationship blogger persona long enough to post a giveaway of sorts. The brilliant idea is courtesy of Hunk, so I guess you can thank him for this.

Rarely do I check my mail, and when I do- it's usually not that exciting (unless of course it's Birchbox day!) But this evening, I pulled out an invitation-sized, thicker than normal envelope from eHarmony of all things. In case you're new to the blog, that is how Hunk and I met. You can read that story here. When I decided to shut down my account, I told them it was because I had met someone through the site. They followed up a few months later to see if things were still going well, and of course I answered with an overzealous yes! So either they're really happy for me, or really desperate for some new customers. Either way, they sent me these:

Two VIP Membership cards, good for one month of free eHarmony service. 

There was another enclosure card from the eHarmony CEO himself, saying how happy they were to play a part in finding someone just right for me. He also said that it's an amazing feeling to help bring a happy couple together, so they want to pass along that opportunity by letting me help someone else do the same. Cheesy, I know. But I tell you what....it worked for me!

I'll spare you my long storied internet dating history. Let's just say I've been around the block once or ten times. I've tried most dating sites, and have had minimal success on all of them. When I decided to give eHarmony another go, I told myself that I was in it for the long haul, that I really needed to give it about 6 months in order to expand my dating pool. I just didn't think in the first two days that I would end up connecting with someone the way I did. But there you go.

I think internet dating is a great way to meet people, to learn HOW to date, and- if you're lucky- to meet the person of your dreams. And now I have these two cards to give away to anyone else who wants to try it. Here's what you have to do though. I want to hear your worst dating story. If enough people respond, I might have a vote off for the final two winners. Don't be shy. This will be fun- I promise!!! Feel free to share your worst dating story ever in the comment section, and be sure to use a name (real or fake) so that I can call out the winners. Or maybe you're not single, but you know someone who is and think they deserve to win. Just tell me why they should get it, and I'll consider that too. I'll pick the two winners on April 30th.