The Hilburn Couples Shower

April 30, 2015Leave a comment

Couples showers are so much fun. They are basically just a big party and I love that. So this past weekend some of Katie’s bridesmaids threw this amazing shower and it happened to be in my home! Dan and I love having people over and should definitely do it more often. Big plus: Dan suddenly turns in to a cleaning machine and is insanely helpful and MOPS. In our household, I typically do all the housework (minus hand-washing dishes) which is fine, but it’s always great when he helps. He takes cleaning direction incredibly well and is the best. (To be fair- he’s the greatest handyman and handles the bulk of all outdoor work, which when you have a big yard, with big trees, is a big deal). Long story, short we did a massive cleaning/ organizing spree and it was great.

Then we got to party! And I didn’t have to cook or bring decorations! So stress level was non-existent. Gerrit made an awesome spread with deviled eggs, pulled pork sliders, lox and cream cheese, candied bacon, and chicken and waffles (with Chick-fil-a nuggets, yum). Such a feast and am so grateful he spent all day in the kitchen. The girls brought beautiful flowers and cute signs and lots of pictures of Katie + Josh and everything came together so well. And they were sweet enough to leave the flowers so I’ve had glorious blooms in the house all week long 🙂 Plus Dan had recently kegged his witbier (my personal favorite) so that was on tap as well. So classy have a kegerator in our dining room 😉

It was a “stock the Bar” shower, so we gave them ingredients for one of my favorite cocktails.

They excelled at the Newlyweds game!! Totally ready for marriage.

Such a great feeling to have a full house, with top notch people, and one of the best reasons to be celebrating! These guys getting hitched:

A Very Full-Bellied Weekend in NYC Part II

April 24, 20151 Comment

SATURDAY

We managed to get up a litttle bit earlier. Definitely needed my coffee so I had “coffee that doesn’t suck” as we made our way south to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a fairly long walk from Kim’s all the way to Brooklyn, but the weather was so amazing, it felt like I was in heaven. And walking across the bridge is pretty awesome, even when crowded with fellow tourists. It’s such an iconic structure and when you look behind you as you cross, all of Manhattan is splayed out before you.

Once we got across, we grabbed a pizza from Juliana’s and headed down to the park under the bridge to have a picnic. Green grass + blue skies + views + pizza = oh yes. We walked along the coast (is it called that?) to get to the subway and they had soccer fields and basketball courts out on top of the piers. I can only imagine getting to play on that as a kid. The subway stops are a little farther apart in Brooklyn so we got to see some really cute neighborhoods as we walked, which I loved. Every time I’m in NYC, I pick another place I’d like to live and I think Dan and I decided on Brooklyn this trip. I wish we could have spent so much more time exploring.

Next stop was Brooklyn Brewery, because we can’t go anywhere without a brewery visit these days. The line was long and our throats were parched, but once we were inside with a cold one, all was right again. The tour here was also one of the best we’ve been on, with a lot of insight into the founders and why they started brewing, as well as their link to Brooklyn. I can only hear about how beer is made so many times. It was also interesting that the branding is by the same guy who did “I heart NY”. Oh, and apparently NYC wins water quality awards? Drink from the tap people. I also found an IPA I liked!!! Hallelujah, my beer palate is finally developing. It was the Gold IPA and is only served at the brewery, so that’s a bummer. After the brewery, we grabbed a bite at Spritzenhaus, which was rocking. Great hot dogs and a huge beer selection.

Then it was time to head back into Manhattan for a show!! We had bought discounted tickets at TKTS that morning for Matilda and I couldn’t wait. It was SO GOOD. The kids in the show were so talented. The girl who played Matilda was only 8! We saw her on the street afterwards, walking with her parents 🙂 Too cute. It followed the movie fairly well, but obviously not everything translates between a movie and the stage. It was also a musical, and that part was fantastic. We loved Miss Trunchbull the most- they actually cast a man and dressed him up like a woman and he was hilarious. So perfect because Miss Trunchbull is supposed to manly to begin with. We stopped by a low key bar, Tom & Jerry’s, while we waited for Kim, and then had another late dinner at Blue Ribbon’s Fried Chicken It’s prettty embarrassing how much we ate over the weekend.

6th row!

SUNDAY

More good food- we brunched at Sarabeth’s Tribeca, which is just about the prettiest place ever. From the giant fresh flowers to the white everything, I loved it all. And the food was good too 🙂 To work it off, we rented bikes and did the loop around Central Park, which is about 7 miles. I love seeing all the nature in the middle of such a big city. The blooms were beautiful!

Ellie would have loved this 🙂

So sad to leave. Already dreaming of going back. I heart NY.

A Very Full-Bellied Weekend in NYC Part I

April 22, 20151 Comment

WHAT an amazing weekend. Just the best. So lucky that the weather was pretty much as good as it could possibly be in NYC the whole time we were there. Every time I visit I love it more and all that sunshine didn’t hurt one bit.

THURSDAY

We got in fairly late and went straight to Kim’s apartment in the Lower East Side. I figured we would catch up and go to bed. Kim had other ideas. We stayed out until FOUR. AM. That’s a thing in NYC apparently. I could not hang if that were something that happened on a regular basis. But we had a lot of fun, got to meet some of her chef friends, and went to some great bars. My fav was Pianos because you essentially got 3 bars in one and it was in an old Piano store. Fun times.

SATURDAY

We slept until 11. Because 4 AM. Then headed to Kim’s restaurant, DBGB, for our first indulgent meal of many. And Bloody Mary’s. Because 4 AM. Kim sent us 5 desserts, which we managed to get through a little too well. They were incredible. I loveddd the popcorn brittle and the peanut butter ice cream. And the touches on the sundaes were so thoughtful and added a lot to each bite. And baked alaskas are just amazing- so much time/effort to make and so worth it.

Afterwards, with stomachs so full we could barely move, we went up to The Frick Collection. Dan has been to this museum before and I’ve been dying to visit since he told me about it. I had high expectations and they were exceeded. It’s small, so it doesn’t take very long to get through, which I think is a big plus in a city with so much to see and do. It was a personal residence, built in the early 1900’s and filled with art. While building it, he had already planned to turn it into a museum upon his death. Can you imagine having works by Titian, Holbein, and Van Eyck just hanging in your home? Or having a half block facing Central Park?! It was unbelievable. They’ve done small additions since converting it to a museum, so everything isn’t original, but they did a great job. I especially loved the garden court and want one in my next home. K, Dan?

We later met up with Alex & her gang to celebrate her birthday at the rooftop bar of the Gansevoort in the Meatpacking District. Swanky stuff. And you can’t beat the feeling of being up high in a big city. I always just want to inhale deeply to soak it in. Then we went over to Cookshop for dinner, where Dan and I split the special, a 30 day dry aged ribeye, and the best onion rings I’ve ever had. Chris brought an adorable cake and Al looked adorable blowing out the candles.

Post dinner, we waited in line to get into what appeared to be a coffee shop. Turns out, you go into the shop, then down into a basement for fancy cocktails at Bathtub Gin. You could actually make reservations. For a bar. Very cool place. We also meet up with Jordan, who has been living in NYC since we graduated college. So great to see her! It’s always a lot of fun to be with friends in a place that’s unexpected (even if it is her home).

THEN (my goodness we were still going somehow), after Kim got off work, we had a second dinner at Blue Ribbon and I ate one of the most delicious dishes of my life. It’s one of Kim’s favorite places so she ordered a few plates for us to split- Oysters, escargot, and oxtail. Just DIVINE! The reduction the escargot was in was perfect and the oxtail, oh my goodness. Scraping scrumptious goodness out of a bone. Sounds weird, I know, but I want more. And I will make a search of Houston for it.

And that was just one day. Going hard in the city.

More pretty weather pics to come. And I got fancy this time with my new iPhone camera and even edited all the pics using VSCOcam 😀

From Housework to NYC

April 16, 2015April 16, 2015Leave a comment

After a weekend in Houston with basically NO PLANS (what?!) aside from some meals with great friends, we are off to NYC today!!! We’ve spent the last week working in the yard a lot. It had gotten pretty bad and no matter how hard we tried to keep up with the leaves collecting, it seemed it was to no avail. They kept falling. They’re still falling. It’s never ending. And we had to buy a new lawnmower because ours broke… it was only a year old so I was ticked. But now we now have a Honda which should be much more reliable 🙂 And fresh flowers and mulch! Dan also fixed the grout in the shower, which has been on our DIY list for a while and I’m really happy. It’s strange what makes you happy when you have a 1940 house. Like no cracks in your grout.

the handy man himself

On to more fun things… Dan and I are both pretty excited about our trip this weekend. I’ve been keeping a spreadsheet (duh) of all the things I want to do/ eat (mostly eat) and I’m so glad it’s finally here! Every time we watch White Collar it gets me even more excited to be in the city. Plus, we are staying with Dan’s sister, Kim, which means maybe we’ll get to see a little bit of her! Her work schedule is the craziest I’ve ever heard. I don’t know if many people can beat the amount of hours she puts in. Double plus, Al Pal will be in town for her birthday so we get to celebrate that too 🙂 Happy Birthday Alex!!

See ya soon, New York City!

The Funnies

April 13, 2015Leave a comment

We just got Apple TV and the first thing Dan watched was this. It doesn’t get old. We can’t stop watching and laughing like crazy. Enjoy.

A Long Easter Weekend

April 10, 2015Leave a comment

It was SO good to spend the long weekend at home. Can I call it that anymore? I haven’t even really lived in that house except for a few weeks at time, when home on college breaks since they moved into it after I was already at UT. Either way, it’s the same place I grew up, off the same road as before. And my sisters were there, so I think I can still call it home for a little longer. Maybe I’ll stop after I have my own kids.

I’m rambling, but it was a fantastic weekend filled with gorgeous blue skies, sunshine, lots of food & beer, and quality time with family.

FRIDAY>> Deep Ellum Arts Festival. Tara moved into this Dallas neighborhood for grad school and it’s changed immensely. Very cool area. Artsy and modern with older building mixed in. Only purchase was a hat for dad! None of us were prepared for the intense sun and all ended up with sunburns. Glad we got it because it’s supposed to rain for a week straight here in Houston. We all really enjoyed lunch at Brain Dead Brewing. Chips and salsa were to die for and the beer menu was really diverse. And Deep Ellum Brewery was awesome! Fun place to hang out, both inside and out.

Nanny nanny boo boo, I’m taller than you

Bar LOVED this. Obviously.

A 200 lb, 5 year old Dane, named Admiral

SATURDAY>> Shopping with the girls and lunch in Ft. Worth at The Bearded Lady. Also, Easter egg dying. What do you expect from a family of girls? We even got Dan to do a few 🙂

It wasn’t our best year…

Mine & Dan’s favorite eggs

SUNDAY>> Easter! A day of celebration. We went to the church I grew up in for the service and afterwards my mom made a delicious lunch. Home cooked food from your mom can’t be beat. And my mom still puts together a killer Easter basket. Then we headed down to Waco for Easter with Dan’s family. The little ones did great at their egg hunt- Ellie would intentionally skip eggs to only get the pink ones. And we got to make our pizza’s in Dan’s Aunt’s brick oven! So nice that all the cousins, aunts & uncles, and grandparents are within a couples hours of each other. Makes me wish all mine were closer!

The whole time we were decorating, Dan’s only concern was if he would get to make deviled eggs out of them. He got to.

Dan’s Easter “basket” from me.

Barley’s “I am not a horse” face

**Most photos from Tara’s camera

Viva La Tay

April 2, 2015April 2, 2015Leave a comment

Isn’t it great to spend time with old friends? Not only did we get to see Chels and Bobby in Austin for dinner on Friday, Taylor turns 25 TODAY(happy birthday!!!) and we celebrated by joining her in San Antonio for a Fiesta. Let me tell you, when she throws a party, she throws a really, really great one. She even gave us adorable party favors. Hand painted bags with painted pottery shot glasses, tequila, and paper flower crowns (I’m getting to wear these a lot lately and I like it). The boys even had little maraca pins. So cute. And the weekend was packed!

I got to try Urban Taco! Peeps in Dallas have been raving about it. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the jalapeno margarita, I think I still like Torchy’s Tacos better. Maybe I’m biased from college in Austin. Then… it was archery time. Apparently Tay has always wanted to do this. I was a little apprehensive, but excited to try it. And it was totally awesome. We all channeled our inner Katniss. And Dan was really flipping good. Because he rocks at everything. Which I guess is a plus because if we were ever in a zombie apocalypse, he’d would be able to protect me. Until I ran out of contacts and my glasses broke. Then there’d be no saving me. Can you tell I started watching The Walking Dead?!

Next up, Alamo Brewery. The place itself was impressive. The design and outdoor space was top notch. However, they only had 3 beers on taps and one tap wasn’t working. It was also pretty pricey for beer served at a brewery ($6 a pint). Still worth it for the great atmosphere! Tay also busted open her pinata here! Or more like stabbed it to death. I thought we were all going to turn, but I think she was enjoying it too much 😉

After we refreshed at our hotel on the riverwalk, we hailed a RÍo Taxi to The Pearl. Our river captain had 2 master’s degrees and made fun of us the whole trip. And The Pearl, omg, very cool. It used to be a brewery and has now been converted into everything- restaurants, culinary school, apartments, shops. With a farmer’s market every weekend, I could definitely live there. We ate at Granary Brew & Cue, which was amazing. They brew their own beer and the BBQ was top notch. I decided to go with the Brisket Ramen and I slurped it up to the last drop. Divine.

Birthday girl on the rio taxi!

Champagne in cans!

Before we headed out Sunday morning, we had brunch at The Boiler House, which is actually in the old boiler room for the Pearl brewery. It’s the same owners as Max’s Wine Dive, and the mac and cheese here lived up to expectation.

Weekend número dos of roadtrips is complete! On to Dallas tonight 😀

Just Dance

March 26, 2015Leave a comment

Jenni and I took a dance class this week! Contemporary jazz at the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center. We decided to challenge ourselves and just go all in by taking the advanced class even though we haven’t taken class in like… 3 years. And let me tell you, it was challenging. An hour and a half of non stop choreography thrown at us. Even the stretch was choreographed. It was really good stuff and the teacher was amazing. And we were definitely the oldest people in the class, which consisted of highschoolers who are actually in this studio’s company.

I was just praying we didn’t look like all those people on So You Think You Can Dance who audition and think they are good and are actually just straight horrible. Those are always really painful to watch and I kind of hate that they are even on the show. Even if I have gotten a laugh or two out of them. Speaking of… remember this audition?! Best one ever. Chills every time.

Anyway. Thank goodness I have still been taking yoga and pilates classes and have managed to keep my flexibility up. And even if we were stressed the whole class about looking silly, it was still wonderfully fun to be dancing again and feeling movement throughout our entire bodies. There are few things that exhilarate me more than dance and I’ve really missed it. So, thank you Jenni for braving it with me 🙂 and can’t wait to go again!

Aaaand throwback Thursday for you… One of my favorite dances of all time. Tainted Love.

Cute babes

March 23, 2015Leave a comment

I have a new favorite picture of Daniel.

Too stinking cute. I get so excited thinking about him being a dad and I have to remind myself (and both of our familes :D) that we want to wait.

“waiter!” also… that’s beer in the glass.

Anyways… we visited Dan’s parents in Georgetown over the weekend and Jenny was in town with the kiddos. While I terribly wish they thought we were awesome and wanted to sit and hug and play with us all the time… that is not the case (Opa and Nana win by a LONG shot there). Although I did squeeze in hugs when they would let me and helped Ellie make some really cool pumpkins with mustaches (leftover craft from Halloween?). Fingers crossed that as they get older they realize how super cool we are and want to be our best pals. Lucky for us (though not for her family), Jenny is moving back to Texas while Rob is deployed, so we will be seeing more them 😀

The weather was pretty terrible so we were inside a lot. Which meant Dan took a nice nap. He gets a cute award too.

I leave you with Ellie and “Ariel”. All the chickens got princess names. And I took these on Dan’s phone so the picture quality is much better.

I’ve Got the Blues

March 19, 2015Leave a comment

I have/want blue and white everything. It’s verging on the edge of extreme. Dishes? Blue & white? Bathroom? Blue and white. Bedding? Blue and white. Heck, our house is blue too. And pretty much everything we registered for for the wedding was as well. Dan feels like he’s swimming in it 😀 Luckily he’s been fairly obliging. I mean… I could definitely be a huge pink fan. There are some really beautiful salon style rooms that look gorgeous and have the prettiest pink walls. So in reality, I think he should be pretty satisfied that I adore blue.

So of course, when we get the chance to renovate the kitchen, I am wanting blue and white cabinets. I’ve been keeping a look book ready.