Finding my new groove

After much anticipation (insert sly, satirical face) and delay due to you-know-what, I had my well-person check-up with labs. The results are in…. too many lipids, not enough Vitamin D. Shocker!!! I’m old enough to not care about my age, my dad always says “age is just a number, it’s how you feel that counts!”, he’s always the optimist in my family. As a 12-year-old with a very dry sense of humor, I told my dad “40 isn’t that old if you’re a tree” and that man has the memory of an elephant because guess what birthday wishes were sent to me? Same line I gave him all those years ago…

Ok. So now I’m searching for “low-cholesterol, low-fat diet” recipes, per doc’s orders. I’ve done this before. I can do it again. Right?!? This is going to be an uphill challenge with two picky teens and the hubby working nights.

I’ll be reading fellow AFBA Blogs to get their take on eating healthy and scope out new recipes to try out:

• The Fit Habit: Weight Loss Over 40
• andthenmakesoup
• Her Modern Kitchen: Healthy recipes
• veggiebytes

Do you focus on healthy, low-fat recipes? I’d love to check out your blog, please leave a comment with a link 🙂

Local #Veteran Entrepreneurs Launch #KickStarter

Pflugerville’s Mr Pfranks launched a KickStarter to keep their home-grown hot dog shop running. The couple served a total of 19 years in the armed forces, since then they setup shop selling all-beef hot dogs.

Yesterday they posted on their Facebook page:

After a tough day and some final prep we want to announce our first ever funding campaign. it is a Kickstarter and we would appreciate any help you can give to help us be successful!
It can be reached at www.512hotdogs.comwww.512hotdogs.infowww.512hotdogs.net and www.512hotdogs.co We do not take this lightly and we hope you can find it in your heart to support us in any way you can see fit. Family and friends (new and old) we ask you to share this everywhere you think it is appropriate. Help us serve our community and join us in our quest for customer service. We love and thank you all!

I love hot dogs and supporting local businesses, so it was easy for me to pledge to the cause.   Anyone can help out with a few clicks, share this post and pledge if you can!

If you live in the area, visit Mr Pfranks at 200 East Pecan Street in Pflugerville.

The Big Day (#2)

Funny how life events happen in clusters within social circles. I guess it’s a matter of statistics.  You get enough of a group of individuals together, they form a sampling of the population, relatively close in age and voila: you’re all pregnant at the same time!

Don’t panic.  It’s not that kind of “Big Day”.

This is about gettin’ hitched.  Again.  (But this time to Mr. Right!)

Picking a caterer for this party is turning into a big project.  I have spreadsheets, quotes, menus, and pintrest boards.  There’s too many options in Austin, not really a good problem to have if you’re in my boots.

Most wedding venues have a list of preferred vendors.  So I started there.  The first three caterers on my list are:

Royal Fig http://www.royalfig.com/

The Peached Tortilla http://www.thepeachedtortilla.com/catering/

Pink Avocado http://pinkavocadocatering.com/

Now it’s a matter of how many RSVPs will we get and how much extra cash can we stash towards dinner for our family and friends.  I don’t care about fancy flowers or having the finest china, I want to feed my people and wow them with local creations and talent.

So let’s see how this goes…. How do you pick a caterer in Austin?

Nites Out: Gibronis Food truck

This year has moved my office to a busier location, which comes with a perk: lunch trucks!

Now that I’m amidst a collection of tall buildings, full of hungry workers, there’s a sustainable audience for a food truck to pull in (almost) every day.  I usually pack leftovers in an effort to keep within a frugal budget (saving for the Big Day #2 now!) but today I was without my zippy car and fresh out of frozen delectables.  Gibronis was still parked outside when I managed to decouple myself from my desk in search of food.

An interesting wood exterior and hand-painted design of a Spanish sugar skull adorned with various fruits and veggies greeted me.  Unlike most food trucks, you enter the rear via wood stairs and place your order at the window.  The walls inside are just as, if not more, exciting and colorful than the exterior!

I took the first item on the menu.  The Texitalican. With two sides and a pop, with tax it was just over $16.  It certainly had a good amount of pulled pork.  I had to disassemble the sandwich a bit to fit it in my mouth (huge roll!)  The extra stuff was enjoyed with a fork, along with the side salads.

Would I go back again? Maybe.  I would try something that isn’t a sandwich next time though.

Star Wars in my coffee

How could I not try Star Wars coffee creamer?

Put a little Vader in your cup!

#AustinBakes for Nepal, Whole Foods Gateway

Thank you to all the volunteers who baked all the wonderful goodies and stayed to help sell them!

We met many people today, including two sisters who held a lemonade stand to raise funds for Nepal.  This is one of the many reasons Austin is a great community to live in.

If you missed the bake sales around town, you can still help!  Check out the dance at Davis Elementary on Sunday, May 24th at 5pm.  Or buy a T-shirt from Stay Strong Nepal.  The bake sale’s online giving page will be available as well. Stay tuned to Austin Bakes (http://austinbakes.com) to find out how much was raised for Nepal relief.

#AustinBakes for Nepal, Saturday May 23, 2015 @ Whole Foods Market

Call for bakers, I will be at the Whole Foods Gateway Market if you want to volunteer with me: http://austinbakes.com/2015/05/11/calling-all-bakers/

Where the funds are going: http://austinbakes.com/2015/05/13/austin-bakes-for-nepal-where-the-money-goes/

Sharing is Caring… Please share this with your friends!  Anyone, anywhere can donate online here: http://austinbakes.com/2015/05/13/online-donations-are-now-open/

THANK YOU!

Nites Out: Riverwalk (San Antonio, TX)

A spur of the moment getaway to San Antonio to explore the Riverwalk.  We didn’t know it was Fiesta this weekend, so the streets were crawling with festival patrons.  The Riverwalk itself wasn’t terribly busy, and I managed to stay out of the water.  Apparently the open container laws are different than Austin, as everyone seems to be holding a cold beer can or a margarita.

I was looking for something different. No chain restaurants, somewhere we would have a view and a glass of wine (or two).  Keep walking until you find the gem, The Fig Tree, the quaint little restaurant in La Villita owned by the Phelps family.

We shared a bottle of the Heinz Eifel Riesling (2013), ordered the duck and prime rib, dark chocolate fondant for dessert.

They have a wide selection of wine, sorted by region. Or ask for a cocktail or beer, the waitstaff are very friendly and can help you decide.

We stayed at the Omni, La Mansion Del Rio, a boutique hotel with direct access to the Riverwalk.

After walking all around the river it was nice to relax!  I noticed the A/C was quiet, a very nice amenity to have when you want to get a solid night of sleep.  There was a small pool but I didn’t pack my swimsuit.

Across the river from the hotel was our lunch spot, Rita’s.  There are probably more Tex-Mex restaurants along the Riverwalk than anything else.  I tried the fish tacos, which ended up super greasy and it was Tilapia (not a fan), not the best lunch for $18.

Mad Dogs British Pub is on the list for next time we visit the Riverwalk.  It was a little busy when we walked by looking for dinner.

Nites Out: Uncorked No More? (Austin, TX)

It’s a mystery.

Our special spot, the place I fell for my deary, is inexplicably closed!

The only confirmation is the Yelp page noting Uncorked | CLOSED.

The couch in the foyer… Oh that couch….

The menu worked, the wines were interesting and plentiful.  What happened?

Sigh…

Now we are searching for another date night spot.  Any suggestions for wine bars in Austin?

Nites Out: Dragon Noodle Co. and Sushi Bar at Monte Carlo (Las Vegas, NV)

The abundance of Las Vegas buffets kicked off our holiday, but we were pleasantly surprised to find sushi at the Monte Carlo Resort.

I ordered Sake 3 and some sashimi.  The Sake 3 had salmon marinated in sake in the middle of the roll, fresh salmon on top, garnished with roe and basil.  The basil threw me off a bit, it’s not a typical herb for sushi in my limited experience.

SAKE 3 ROLL

Prices were not that much more than you would find in Austin, TX.  Expertly prepared sushi and hot Chinese dishes are available at Dragon Noodle, something the owner prides himself in offering his guests.

There are several seating options, low sofas, at the bar, tables and at the sushi bar.  Service was friendly and accommodating.  This experience was top notch and my favorite within the resort!

Dragon Noodle Co. and Sushi Bar

3770 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Within Monte Carlo Resort & Casino

(702) 730-7965