Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Tag: Austin

Wyndham Austin: A Texan’s Welcome to Austin

There is a reason Austin has been named the No.1 city to live by US News and World Report for two years in a row.  Actually there are many reasons!  So, if you can’t live here, please come visit us a fast as you can.  And if you are looking for a place to take in all the excitement of Austin, the Wyndham Austin is a perfect place to start!

Wyndham Austin Owner's Page Article, Photo #3 - Our Son Enjoying the View

Our Son Enjoying the View of Austin from our Room

Staying at the Wyndham Austin

The Wyndham Austin is a spectacular way to be introduced to this wonderful city, or to welcome you back.  Located in downtown, everything is easily accessible with a staff that is professional and helpful.  The suites are thoughtfully designed to make you feel comfortable and relaxed as soon as you walk in. 

Wyndham Austin Owner's Page Article, Photo #4 - Rooftop Infinity Pool

Rooftop Infinity Pool complete with views of Austin

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Lonesome Dove Western Bistro Review

IMG_1276We here at From Texas to Beyond love food. Rachel and I particularly love all types of food and trying new things. We used to spend many hours watching food shows like Top Chef, Next Iron Chef, Chopped, MasterChef and on down the list. Living in Fort Worth, it just so happens that one of the most well know and respected chefs in Texas and the US, Tim Love, has several restaurants here. David has previously talked of The Woodshed and I have mentioned the burger from Love Shack, but the restaurant that started it all is Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. This restaurant has been featured in many shows and articles about Tim Love and the DFW area and created a stir inside Rachel and I to try this place out.

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Beet Home-Fries, Goat Cheese, Chilies

In need of a date night and having saved up for a nice meal, we decided to take the plunge and mark off Lonesome Dove Western Bistro on our list of places that we needed to try. Situated in the Fort Worth Stockyards (an Austin location has opened recently), Lonesome Dove Bistro hearkens the diner back to the days of the Old West but with modern and upscale food. The restaurant itself seems fairly small upon entering with a dining room and a bar, but there is a room in the back that allows for parties. The setting has a dark and romantic atmosphere while celebrating Texas and the western motif, including a Texas flag behind the viewable kitchen.

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Gourmands Neighborhood Pub

Mother’s Day weekend, we took our little family on a road trip to San Antonio; yesterday you read Matt’s post about his tried and true favorite when we visit, Alamo Cafe. As we made our trek back north to DFW, we decided to try a completely new restaurant. Austin is known for its weird vibe, congested traffic, and many original restaurants; our drive through Austin  happened to coincide with lunch and we wanted to avoid some traffic headaches, so perfect! Let’s eat in Austin!

In a post about creating itineraries, I previously mentioned that I love to use Yelp to find new restaurants. Being in the mood for a sandwich (at the time), and still about a half hour away, I plugged in a couple keywords and conducted a search. Gourmands Neighborhood Pub came up second on the list. Whoa! 4.5 stars on Yelp with 307 reviews?! No way! After looking at the menu and preemptively deciding what to order, both Matt and I started to get excited about trying something new. Ultimately, we chose Gourmands over the number one option because of its location, just tucked in the east side of Austin on Webberville, and the menu, which even reading online made our taste buds water.

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An Introduction to Rebekah

I talk with my hands.  I love to tell a story often by reenacting a scenario as if I am in a One Act Play.  I might even use props or the occasional sound effect.  So how does an animated and incredibly verbal person start to tell stories through written word?  Well, I am not sure, but I suppose we will learn together.

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The Guadalupe River

Looking at my life, some people may say I am a stereotypical Texan.  I was born here and am still growing up here.  I spent my childhood on the Gulf Coast, went to school in the Panhandle, lived 11 years in Central Texas, and now call North Texas home.  On our family pecan farm, at the age of 7, I learned to drive on a 1951 Ferguson tractor.  While the tractor is still running to this day, I graduated to a 1973 Chevy pick up at the age of 12.  I have been attacked by mockingbirds, chased armadillos at night, and been known to enjoy a hot summer day sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the Guadalupe River.  I love traveling, but it is even sweeter to get to come home.  My Mom always says, “It’s a good thing you want to come back home; it means you like it here.”

When I was a child, every other summer my family piled into a van, ready to have an adventure for a couple of weeks.  We stopped at historical sites, museums, and parks.  I just though vacations were the greatest. I learned so much and then those experiences helped me at school, making connections to all sorts of subjects.  In college, I traveled to Bolivia for two months.  When I look back at key moments in my life that influenced and changed me, many of them resulted from my Bolivian experience. Traveling challenges me to think about the world differently.  There are countless people with beautiful stories, each pursuing a meaningful and purposeful life.

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Rebekah hiking the Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin

Looking back, I have traveled to 30 states, 14 countries, 4 continents and always have a plan for another adventure.  Whether traveling to the town next door or across 10 time zones, meeting new people and learning about their culture, art, traditions, music, food, experiencing plants and nature, what brings pride to a community and their history is a joy to me.  I think it creates empathy and understanding that is powerful and life changing.

I hope you join us as we travel from Texas to beyond and I hope we can inspire you to travel and experience new things too.