Livin' La Vida Local

Kristen came across a list on Facebook of 365 things to do in Austin, including places to eat, sights to see, and events to attend. Being the new kid on the block, I want to hug the boy who created this list. We've decided to try to tackle one thing per week.... not that I'm going to be in Texas for 365 weeks (don't worry, Mom), but we'll at least try to check off the most appealing suggestions.

We started off our venture with a trip to the Live Oak Brewery, a local Austin gem, Saturday morning. Little did we know, and little did the brew-master Julie know, that an obscene number of people had all seen this genius suggestion on Facebook, and had also decided it was how they wanted to jump-start their Saturday. We fell into a line of about 50 people waiting outside of the brewery, most likely waiting for the hour-long tour that was described in the Facebook post. Not so much. As we got closer to the inside of the brewery, I heard the blonde brew-master yelling "GRAB IT AND GO, GRAB IT AND GO", referring to the beer that she was pouring from the keg at lightning speed. Kristen and I exchanged looks of confusion and quite possibly fear, as this girl was not messing around. We wandered back outside, where we joined about 150 more people all either enjoying their beer or eagerly waiting to have one poured. Eventually, we heard Julie yelling for people to come a bit closer so that she could share a little insight about the brewery and the beer we were drinking. The first thing out of her mouth was, "HOW did all of you hear about this tour?" Laughter followed as a few people shared that it was the Facebook post that had divulged this well-kept secret. She told us later that they normally toured up to 100 people on a typical Saturday... there had to have been close to 250 people on this particular morning.


Julie was a one-woman show. We were able to sample five of Live Oak's beers (all delicious, especially the HefeWeizen) and she shared a bit about each beer between the samples. One 30-something girl managed to get 250 people in and out of a tiny damp room (Kristen made the observation that it smelled like Splash Mountain, and indeed it did) five times, in addition to a quick tour of the inside along with a little "beer education", all within two hours. To top it off, she had the best sense of humor (with a streak of sarcasm, which I thoroughly enjoyed), and handled the situation like a pro. She deserves a serious raise. So I raise my glass to Julie and to the Live Oak Brewery... I will definitely be returning with out of town guests.

Kristen Met Her Husband at the Chuggin' Monkey

Can you see the fireworks? Can you hear the choir sing? Ah, love is in the Austin air...


Sike. This kid might have found his soulmate in Kristen, but all she found was a not-so-secret admirer. Not once but twice has this guy singled Kristen out at the Chuggin' Money, and clung to her like cellophane (Dee, note the throwback reference) on and off the dance floor. The first time was semi-normal. It was the first weekend I had arrived in Austin, and we were having a blast dancing with my sisters to Jay-Z, Whitney, Bon Jovi, you name it. We were beatin' the beat. Kristen must have had all the right moves that night because out of nowhere... he appeared. With the energy of an 8-year old after eating 12 packs of Fun-Dip. He danced around Kristen with so much enthusiasm, I thought he was going to burst. He was jumping, spinning, bending on one knee... the kid was unstoppable. His friends eventually dragged him away and out of the bar, and we believed that was our first and last encounter with Kristen's admirer.

3 Weeks Later

Kristen and I explored different bars on 6th street for most of the evening... we were feeling a bit defeated as we were not encountering any PF's and we weren't so thrilled with any of the places we had been so far. We were about to pass the Chuggin' Money and thought "We've had a good time there before... let's give it a go". We weren't 10 feet into the bar when we hear, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"as Kristen simultaneously gets attacked with a bear hug and slathered in affection. And there he was, in all his glory. And there Kristen was, wide-eyed and somewhat in shock. And there I was, laughing so hard that my hands were shaking as I quickly reached for the camera in my purse. This incredible reunion clearly had to be documented. We left him to use the restroom and returned to find him on stage, dancing by himself. Apparently the DJ had played a special song for James (Kristen eventually did ask his name), leading us to believe that he was well known around these parts. By the time we joined him on stage, he had only his top button buttoned. Awk-ward. This picture isn't grandmother-friendly, but it's too funny not to post.
He showered Kristen in twirls, dips, and spins on stage for a second time around. It may have been the most entertaining night of my life. Needless to say, his superhero friends dragged him off stage and out the door once again. But now we know where to go when we need a good dance partner... and an even better laugh.

To Kristen and James: May your love for each other grow stronger and stronger each year. Or each weekend. CHEERS!

Go Nicki, It's Your Birthday

In honor of my sister's birthday on February 23rd, I have created a list of the top 10 reasons why Nicole is one of the two best sisters in the world. Keep in mind that there are thousands of reasons, but these are some of my favorites. Here goes...

1.) When she was a kid, she went over to our neighbor's house to see if her friend could come out to play. When the Mom told her that she wouldn't be able to play that day, Nicole sulked away, found a dead bird on the sidewalk, returned to the house, knocked on the door, threw the dead bird into the house, and ran away.

2.) She is the best hostess in the world. Whether I visited her at college, in San Diego, or in DC, she always planned out the entire trip so that we would have a memorable time. It's amazing what we packed into one of my 4-day trips to San Diego... Laguna Beach, Disneyland, Tijuana, Encinitas, Mission Viejo, and the list goes on...

3.) See picture below.
4.) She stuffed a box of raisins up her nose when she was itty bitty, forcing Mom to pull off the interstate and perform emergency raisin-removal.

5.) It was her and Tony's move to San Diego that inspired me to be gutsy enough to move to Austin.

6.) She participated in sister/cousin plays when she might have been a few years too old for it. Well let's be honest, we were all probably a little too old for it. She directed and produced several unforgettable performances, including "Do You Have Any Shoes?", "Detective Ray", and "The Coolest Thanksgiving Play Ever". Oh wait, can't forget the performance voted least popular by the family, Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People". Bad idea. But hey, we were living in an MTV world.

7.) She is 29 and still gets extremely hyper = hilarious.

8.) She jump-started my adventure in Austin with me by driving me all the way from D.C. to Texas. She made the trip much more exciting (see #3 and #7).

9.) On top of her having the most fun and beautiful wedding EVER, she also had a risotto bar at the reception.

10.) She is up for anything. Whether it be moving across the country, planning a Cinco de Mayo themed party in September, riding every single ride at an amusement park, attending multiple Britney concerts, "pulling an international" by trying out an Ethiopian restaurant (never again), making several trips to Tijuana for reunions with Froy and Pancho, or jumping/singing/dancing/crying to Bette Midler's "Going to the Chapel" with me and Dee the morning of her wedding, she is in it to win it.

And that is why I love her!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE!!!!!!!!

Git Yer Hot Dogs

We're American, therefore we love hot dogs. Isn't that how it goes? I still remember visiting London after my sophomore year of college... Elizabeth and I were hanging out at a great spot in Covent Gardens and had struck up a conversation with two Londonites. Naturally, they asked us to impersonate the English accent and we asked them to do their best impression of an American. We of course rambled off something about tea time and scones... and they, in their best New York accent, loudly exclaimed, "Let's go to the baseball game where we can get a coca cola and a hawt dawg!" Something along those lines. I vividly remember the "hawt dawg" part. Made me proud.

Anyways, Kristen and I came across Frank's Hot Dogs and Cold Beer the other week and were quite impressed. This was mainly because of the options on the menu. Take a look:

The Jackalope: Our local antelope, rabbit & pork sausage, huckleberry compote, sriracha aioli, applewood smoked cheddar.

The Notorious P.I.G.: Housemade pork, bacon, jalapeno & sage sausage with macaroni & cheese, Texas BBQ sauce.

Caroline Pork It: 100% Vienna beef, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and deep fried; Grilled coleslaw, house made green chile pimento cheese.

Antelope... rabbit.... macaroni and cheese.... wrapped in bacon and deep fried?! Holy hot dog. Or sausage. We weren't as adventurous as some may be... I stuck with a good ole' Chicago dog.


And like the sign says, "A Hot Dog at the Ball Park is Better Than a Steak at the Ritz." Two thumbs up for Franks.

Cheers to You, Captain Morgan

Last weekend, Kristen and I were hanging out at JBlacks, one of our favorite spots on west 6th street. As always, we were on the hunt for PF's. For those who don't speak acronym on a regular basis (Tara McDonald and Laura Young), I am referring to "Potential Friends". My family always has a good laugh remembering Nicole, my older sister, standing on the front porch when she was around 4 years old calling out "Friend.... friend..." to the kids walking home from the bus stop. It's not as funny these days, considering I am 26 and sometimes feel desperate enough to follow her lead. How does a girl pick up girlfriends? I met Kristen through Monica... and I met Monica while dancing the night away at Metro, a small bar in Richmond. I got her name (to facebook her, obviously), invited them to my guido birthday bash... and BOOM, insta-friends! Unfortunately, bars are not as small in Austin where you can't help but to bump into people while screaming "from the windowww to the wall"... but I have faith that someone out there will notice our high-energy performance of Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" and want to befriend us immediately.

While at JBlacks last Friday night, I realized what I might have to do to score insta-friends: dress up in costume. It worked for Captain Morgan. He had people taking pictures of him all night. Apparently he does this quite often... either he's incredibly sketchy or completely genius.

P.S. How excited is the guy on the right? And how scared is the guy next to me?

Cheerleaders in Chaps

That's right. The UT cheerleaders/dance team wore chaps for the second half of the basketball game. This place is amazing.

Since Kristen and I were "valentines" this year, she surprised me with tickets to the game! It was a blowout... UT slammed Nebraska. Go Longhorns! We were in the beyond-nosebleed section, which turned out to be awesome... even the chaps didn't provide as much entertainment as the boys in front of us. And by boys, I am referring to four six-year old boys. They were HYSTERICAL. Best line ever: "When we get home, we're going to eat so much cake and ice cream, we're gonna PUKE!!!!" Kristen and I were wondering why we haven't run into boys like them on 6th street... hopefully soon.

It was definitely a good first experience as a new UT fan... glad Mom convinced my to buy that orange sweater last Fall.

For the Love of Brisket

It takes a lot for me to whip out my camera at a restaurant and take a picture of my meal. But it was impossible not to at the Salt Lick. Three meats (brisket, ribs, and sausage), 2 sides, and bread. It should be illegal. I'm sure my love handles consider it a crime.


It was voted one of the top 10 tastiest places to chow down by the Travel Channel. I'd have to agree. And as you can see in the picture, it's BYOB. Seriously. Salt Lick, you are one of a kind... well, probably not in Texas, but you are to this VA gal.

Lonely Girl Sees Lovely Bones

I did it! I went to the movie theater all by myself and saw a movie without a friend on either side of me. I'm sure most people have done this before, but it was a first for me. It probably wasn't the best movie to see by myself considering I cried through the entire book, and the film did have some chilling scenes, but I made it through. I was a little nervous during the previews because there was an older man sitting in the row behind me breathing heavily and making strange noises, which made me a bit uncomfortable. I chalked it up to asthma, COPD, etc... take your pick. Lucky for me, a boy around my age entered the theater just as the movie started and sat in the same row as the heavy breather but directly behind me. This made me feel a bit safer... even though I felt bad for completely BUSTING him when he clearly thought he had escaped anyone finding out that he was moved by the previews for Lovely Bones and just had to see it. He might have taken a half-day at work just to catch an afternoon matinee. Very smooth. The movie was good. The book was better, as always. The movie definitely had a more imaginative/supernatural/psychedelic spin, but still very heart-wrenching. It made me very scared to have children, and it also helped me understand why my parents made me call them every time I arrived to where I was going... because there are crazy, disturbed, twisted people out there. And like the book, it made me value my family even more. I wouldn't recommend seeing this alone... because there were probably 14 instances where I wanted to turn to a friend and say "OH my gosh", "Oh no....", "WHAT?!", or "DON'T DO IT!!!!" I had the choice to hold it all in, turn to the boy my age who already felt awkward, or share my gasps with the heavy breather. Needless to say, I held it all in.


And don't worry, I'm not actually lonely as the title of this post leads you to believe. My Mom made this comment after I called post-movie, and we had a good laugh about it. Yes, it would be nice to have more than one friend to invite to the movies here in Austin, but that will come with time.... it better come with time.

Marry me, Ryan Bingham

The title of this blog is bold, I know. But I am under strict orders by my friend and musical soulmate, Amanda Jobe, to find him, hook him, and marry him. Thanks to Jobe, my world of music has been rocked. No pun intended. He is good.

I recommend "The Weary Kind", "Tell My Mother I Miss Her So", and "Country Roads". All of his songs are good though... great driving music. "The Weary Kind" was featured in the film "The Crazy Heart", and won the Golden Globe for best song! Go hubby, go.

Disclaimer: I'm not claiming to have any music expertise, but I know what I like, and I like Ryan Bingham.

We Met the Statue of Liberty

Kristen and I ventured out in the rain last night for our weekly tradition of Wednesday night trivia at the Ginger Man. I can call it a tradition now that we've been three times, right? We have met some interesting people the last couple times we played, but George from last night takes the cake. I actually left the bar and told Kristen "I have GOT to blog about that guy." That might make me incredibly lame, don't judge. We struggled through the first round of trivia (just warming up, of course) and on Kristen's way back from turning in our sheet, George (stunned by Kristen's beauty) stopped her and asked if we would join him at his side of the bar and he would play on our team. And so we did. We figured hey, we're new in town, another friend would be nice.


We introduced ourselves, shook hands. Normal. When I asked where he liked to hang out, he told me that he's a "free spirit", that he's "like the Statue of Liberty". Not normal. First off, do true free spirits actually label themselves as that? Isn't that something that other people perceive one to be? Secondly, how is one like the Statue of Liberty? I can't imagine the Statue of Liberty in human form playing trivia and drinking beer at a bar in Austin. He went on to say that he believes America has room for EVERYBODY, that we shouldn't turn a single person away because of all the land we have to offer. I asked if he'd ever been to Southern California. More specifically, a high school in Southern California. Don't get me wrong, I believe in all the good that America has to offer and I support helping those that are committed to working hard to make a living for him or herself. But let's be honest, room for EVERYBODY? This was clearly his shtick that he uses on groups of girls to impress them with his kindness and goodwill toward others. Sorry George... we were more into the 80's television category than we were to your noble qualities. When I offered him Kristen's number before leaving the bar (just to be polite), he informed us that he's more connected through the social media world. I'm pretty sure the Statue of Liberty doesn't have facebook. He handed Kristen his card, and we were on our way.


Another eventful night at the Ginger Man... only this particular Wednesday was much more memorable. Thanks, George.

All Play and No Work Makes Jac(lyn) a Restless Girl

...restless, yes. But in all honesty, it's also been extremely relaxing. And fun! Over the last three weeks, I've had the opportunity to explore Austin, stir up a little adventure with my roommate Kristen, reintroduce myself to SoapNet (who doesn't love an afternoon of the OC, One Tree Hill, and 90210?), and sleep in. But the time has come for my bank account to get a little lovin'. Perfect timing too... I was offered a job last Thursday!!! I will be working at a brand new rehabilitative and health care facility as the Director of Recreation Therapy. I do love those elderly folks. One of the best perks is that it's only 5 miles from my apartment! A 10-minute drive is a whole lot better than the commute I was anticipating since moving to a big city. I start the job next Monday and I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. I may regret that statement in a few weeks, but as of right now, I'm ready.

For those who haven't seen pictures of my new place, here's a quick glance!

The Courtyard in the center of our apartment complex

The outside of the apartment

The inside... and the dog is real. That's Darcy, Kristen's schnoodle. She's a character!

Kristen enjoying spicy edamame at a sushi happy hour in Austin!