A Long Weekend in Austin

Would you recommend Austin as a destination for a person of color?

Hi Joanna! Your trip looks like it was a blast, what great photos! I actually moved to Austin from New York City about 7 months ago, and have been following your blog for several years. It’s been such a fun look into NYC after moving, and definitely been a great way to stay in the city’s loop. Anyways, I was at Elizabeth Street Cafe with a few friends when y’all came and sat at the table next to us! I didn’t want to interrupt your dinner, but my friends can attest to how neat it was for me to see y’all, and what a fun surprise (and I loved your dress)! So glad you all got to experience Austin on such a beautiful weekend, and thanks for such a thoughtful blog that is enjoyed across the globe :)

Aww
That last picture of Anton looking still babyish gives me hope that my two year old still has a few more years of babyhood and doughy elbows and hands.

I’ve been in Austin for 7 years, and it’s hard to imagine living in a more perfectly worn-in, vibrant, small-town feeling city:) Some favorite dinner spots in Austin: Justine’s (perfect for late-night wine and cheese and steak frites!), Patrizi’s (Food truck that makes delicious hand-made pasta, cozied up tight with a wonderful outdoor seating area and adjacent to the divey ‘Butterfly Bar’), and Enchildas y Mas (as the name suggests, the cheese enchiladas are STELLAR!). Deep Eddy pool is another favorite (and walk up to Deep Eddy Cabaret for a beer- the perfect hole-in-the wall bar with ice cold Lonestar) as well as Commons Ford Ranch (an expansive park with trails and wildflowers that sits just a few miles west of downtown. So, so fun!

Your sweet boys yawning at the sculpture garden and asking where the parking lot is along with the 12-year old at the museum post made me laugh out loud. We were in Sedona last month with our kids, the oldest is 12. He was SO GRUMPY. We were in one of the most gorgeous places I’ve ever been, on amazing hikes, and he was sulking. I remember being that age though, there’s a lot going on. I realized, like you, that the best thing to do is to enjoy the humor of the situation (but to yourself, otherwise there will be eye rolling).

Those pictures on the bench! When did Toby become a teenager??

I was there this weekend too with my mom, visiting my sister who just bought a place. We had italian at Taverna, BBQ at Terry Blacks, breakfast tacos at River City Market. Definitely recommend The Thinkery for kids — we went there last fall when we visited with our 5 yr old. Oasis is up in the hills but has incredible views of Lake Travis. Even the library downtown is cool (we had icky weather in October and spent hours at the library!) Such a great city!

My favorite photo is the one of you swimming in the springs. I moved to Austin when I was 17, following my junior year of high school. I frankly mostly hated it at the time. The Texas culture seemed so foreign, the girls at my high school were not nice, and the heat just wore me down. As time went by I got on with my life, but I still felt oppressed by the long, broiling summer. I went to Barton Springs one day for relief, and was sitting on the side of the pool watching the lap swimmers, when it occurred to me: That’s how you do it. This is how I can make friends with the summer. I began to swim laps, first across the width of the pool, then as I grew stronger, the length (a lap is a quarter mile, down and back), and up to a mile. I went 3 or 4 times a week. And it was a revelation: the summer can be wonderful! The water can be joyful! Barton Springs transformed my perspective, and was a doorway to a better way of being. I don’t go that much any more (we live further away now), but I look back on that time as a period of great happiness. So here’s to trying new things, and moving into a new zone. (also btw, I love the cowboy hat and Western belt)

I understand Alex…I hate to share plates. My husband loves it (and his adult children and extended family), so in order to get along, I go along with them (minimally)!

This post makes me look forward to family travel when our son is a bit older! We went to Florida for a long weekend with my parents in early April and while it was really nice to get away and see/feel the sun ( we live in frigid Minnesota) I can’t say it was relaxing/refreshing as our son is just over 1 years old… Ha. It was still worth it to get away but I look forward to traveling with him when he’s in a less high maintenance stage of life!!

When did Toby get so tall? He’s like a little teen with his long legs and yawns during your morning of fun. ;)

Born in raised here in ATX. The past few years this city seen a rise in homelessness, gentrifications and traffic. Our city management is out of touch with the needs of the city. The Major Steve Adler believes the only people that live in this city are UT students he forgot about the adults. Metro system is the worst.

I used to live in Austin for undergrad and absolutely loved Hamilton Springs. You have to hike to it and it opens up to natural springs. I can’t wait to take my boys when they are a little older and can hike!

Love this post! Your pictures are so cute, and I also love you Ganni dresses! Would you mind sharing your lipstick shade? It matches your dress so lovely!

Yes to the enneagram post!!!

I live in Austin but have been a loyal Cup of Jo reader since my Brooklyn days long ago!
Having lived in Brooklyn, San Francisco and now Austin- I feel fortunate to have spent so much time in these incredible cities. Austin has that hip side of BK with the cultured feel of SF, but topped off with a super friendly, laid-back vibe. It’s pretty great and I think you need to move here too :)

Las Perlas for tacos and mezacale was amazing hole in the wall!

Ha! That De Young museum experience is exactly the same as our visit to the Frick with my 12 year old daughter. We let her sit in her own little pool of angst in the palm court and then I escorted her around, explaining the art so she could someday remember being dragged around The Frick by her mother. I know she will relish telling that story.

Can’t wait to take my girl to chill long weekend vacays like this when she gets a little older. We took her to Japan and HK (see relatives) before she was 2 and that was fun and tough. Something more relaxed like this is probably best at the young age.

Montanan here to say same! Go west boys ?

Always love to see your family vacations! Very inspiring to travel with young kids.

We visited Austin from Seattle last weekend, and I think we were at Barton Springs on the same (beautiful) day! It was so nice to spend a few days sitting on patios, enjoying the weather. One of our last meals in town was at Loro – I can’t recommend their food and boozy slushies enough!

We spent the weekend in Austin too! I was there for the Mom 2.0 Conference last week and my husband and kids joined me for a long weekend afterwards. We went to a lot of the same places as you by the looks of it. The kids were desperate to swim at Barton Springs but the line wrapped around the building and it was too hot to wait in the sun too long so we gave that a miss. Good thing the hotel had a pool! We spent a lot of time checking out murals too. I’m a sucker for good street art!

The most amazing Mexican food I had was at El Mezon in Austin. So, so delicious.

cutest family!

What a wonderful break. I am with Alex on the small plates and sharing. I want my own food and I want enough