austin

It’s been 6 months

January 14, 2014 by Alyssa

So here’s the truth – I haven’t gone missing. I’ve literally just dived into life and a lot has happen in the last 6 months, making life much too fun to break for anything – including this blog!

But now that 2014 has rolled into town, life has slowed a tad, at least momentarily. And to bring you up to speed, here’s the cliff notes version of what I’ve been up to the past 6 months!

July

I got engaged! There were cupcakes, champagne AND a ring!

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August

I took a trip to New York, vacationed in Montauk (the Hamptons people, yeah, I’m that girl) and watched my best friend & college roommate marry her prince charming – also another great friend from college.

Biking in the Hamptons

September

Autumn rolled into town, the Texas heat became moderately tolerable and people actually wanted to visit us! This month, M<3 and I had a few New Yorkers visit and we played tour guides as we toted them around the great ATX.

We had to hit up obvious Austin activities – hanging on Town Lake and drinking Mexican Martinis.

October

This month I pushed wedding planning into high gear –

Venue – CHECK
Cater – CHECK
DJ – CHECK
Photographer – CHECK

Basically, I’ve been knocking this wedding planning thing outta the park.

BTW – did I mention, I’m having two weddings. One in India and one in Austin.

The one in India is thankfully being planned by my future in-laws, whom I met for the first time, along with the rest of my soon-to-be-family, during our October trip to India! This trip was to not only meet the family and celebrate our engagement but to also honor M<3’s parents’ 30th wedding anniversary!

November

It’s 2 months until the close of 2013 and M<3 & I believe we need to up our karma for the before twenty-thirteen becomes a thing of the past, so we decide to take in a foster dog from Austin Boxer Rescue. Meet Jack (aka Sean in the ABR world). He was a rock star and luckily we found him his forever home after just 3 short weeks.

This month also marked my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Since we’re not avid turkey fans, we went the non-traditional route and I roasted a whole chicken instead. I also made a delicious homemade spread of cornbread stuffing, roasted brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce (NOT from a can, thank you very much). And you can bet these were all healtified but delicious none the less.

December

Winter came into full swing and I went on a baking spree – gingerbread cutouts [and houses], a plethora of cupcakes, donuts, muffins, and a dozen different flavors of cookies.

Gingerbread House

Thank goodness I have a slew of coworkers and friends whom are more than delighted to indulge in my baking obsession!

December also brought my parents to town! For the first time they took the trip South to visit M<3 and I in Austin. We were also able to celebrate Christmas together for the first time in 3 years, they met Stella, checked out some Austin wedding related items [I bought THE
dress] and of course, they enjoyed some BBQ and tacos.

January

As midnight struck on January 1st, 2014, M<3 and I welcomed in the new year with a group of amazing friends, champagne, and of course – more cupcakes.

M<3 and I have also taken on another foster dog from ABR [whom sadly just gnawed on one of the dining room chair seats as I was writing this post]. Other than that little issue, Jefferson has been great so far and Stella enjoys have a friend around to beat up.

This month I’ve also continued rocking the wedding planning thing and we’re gearing up for our next trip to India at the end of February for our first wedding on February 28th.

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So that about sums up my past 6 months – which you can see has been a whirlwind of fun, excitement, and filled with amazing memories.

I’m looking forward to the next 6 months and hope to once again begin posting regularly. Except, with the encouragement of my friends & family, this blog will be changing a tad.

Content here will have less of an emphasis on my daily life and a little heavier emphasis on recipes that showcase how I balance my enjoyment for food with my obsession for health aka Healthified Recipes!

But no worries, some daily shenanigans and of course wedding related items will be sprinkled about when it feels right – because let’s face it, it’s hard not to talk about wedding planning and life here in Austin is just too amazing to not share with you all!

What all have you been up to while I was MIA?

Any recipes you want me to healthify? Just leave a link here and I’ll get to work recreating a healthier, tastier version!

6 Months Later

June 24, 2013 by Alyssa

It’s been six months since we’ve returned to Austin and every day I’m positive we made the right choice.

As soon as we returned, M<3 and I fell back into your what felt like an old [but new] routine. Somehow returning to Austin meant a return to “us” – a return to normal.

Normal…

To drive again & listen to the radio.
A renewed love for baking.
Date nights.
Conversations that no longer center around work.
Sunday Fundays!
A growing group of friends.
Time to enjoy the sunshine, warm weather, and fresh air.
Seeing a real future together in Austin.
Genuine happiness that radiates in eyes, voice and smile.

Returning to Austin meant a return to LIFE.

Dining at Uchi

May 20, 2013 by Alyssa

Uchi – Austin, TX

If you’re not from Austin, then you probably don’t understand the meaning of dining at Uchi so let me bring you up to speed with a few quick facts

Uchi is a contemporary Japanese sushi restaurant
The name translates to “house” in English
The menu consists of hot and cool tastings, sushi and sashimi. makimono, yakimono and tempura, and a changing omakase based on seasonal selections
Uchi has a limited number of reservations per evening and the majority of its patrons are more than willing to wait 90 – 120 minutes to be seated
Uchi’s owner & chef is Tyson Cole, whom won the 2011 James Beard Award for Best Chef, Southwest
Chef Cole competed against Morimoto on Iron Chef America: Contemporary Japanese and although he lost, the score was close (49-43)
Named one of Bon Apetit’s Top 10 Sushi Restaurants
Featured on Zagat Guide’s Best Food in Austin
GQ declared Uchi one of 2010’s Top New Restaurants in America
Uchi has a sister restaurant, Uchiko, meaning “child of Uchi.” Uchiko has also won a number of awards and is considered a more casual Japanese kitchen compared to Uchi.

Now that you understand how renowned of a restaurant Uchi is considered, let me share my experience with you…..

Uchi was one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever enjoyed. Each dish is delicious, but the food as a whole, is not the type of food that is crave-able. For instance, I don’t believe I’ll ever eat at Uchi then 3 weeks later “crave” a specific dish and be compelled to instantly return. I believe this is because their food is truly unique.

Uchi Sushi Preparation

Uchi

The food is presented in such a well displayed manner that it’s beautiful to simply look at. The presentation forces diners to pause and enjoy the site before carefully consuming the food in front of them. Each dish is perfectly balanced in flavors – acidity, sweetness, saltiness, and textures play an equal part in developing the flavors as a whole.

The consideration of each element that goes into a specific dish is complimented by the restaurant’s attentive and knowledgeable staff. Each waiter, waitress, sushi chef, and hostess we encountered knew the menu inside and out, was able to recommend wine pairings, and simplified the menu for our understanding This ability to eloquently explain the menu without making a patron feel unintelligent is a feat that not all restaurant staff can accomplish.

Mackarel & Salmon Sushi

As for the atmosphere, Uchi is naturally beautiful. Playing up the contemporary Japaenese style – taking advantage of rocks, aged wood, water pools, and a flourish of greenery. Even with a 2 hour wait the experience was somehow calming, relaxing, and enjoyable.

Salmon Asparagus Roll

As for our meal, we were able to enjoy it while sitting at the sushi bar. While some may believe that to be not as an intimate dining experience, I was ecstatic! I love watching sushi chefs at work, looking at all the exotic, color ingredients, and speaking with the person preparing my food to learn more about the ingredients, technique, and the specialties of the menu.

Prepping a Salmon Roll

Display of Tobiko

M<3 and I started our evening off on the outdoor patio with a few glasses of wine and some grilled shishito peppers (one of his favorites at any restaurant!).

Uchi, April 2013

The peppers were perfectly cooked, not overly spicy, and simply salted.

Shishito Peppers

We were also treated to a few passed appetizers that are served to guests whom are waiting to be seated – we were able to taste spicy, apple slices. Who knew a well-picked apple and a salty-spicy rub could enhance the flavor of an apple so much. We were also treated to some grilled cauliflower that I had been eyeing on the menu!Once we were seated, we were greeted with a watermelon granita, a palate cleanser. Slightly sweet and refreshing!

Watermelon Granita

Miso Soup

Once we had time to review the menu and ask some questions to the chef and waitress, M<3 and I decided on a few dishes to split – miso soup, sweet-chili glazed brussel sprouts, a spider roll, and nasu (Japanese eggplant) sushi.

The soup was delicious & simple, just as miso soup should be.

Brussel Sprouts

M<3 is not a huge fan of vegetables but we both loved these brussel sprouts – so much so that I was intrigued enough to find a similar recipe online the following week. Again, this isn’t a crave-able food but just truly unique, delicious, and the perfect accompaniment to any Asian meal.

Spider Roll

Nasu (Japanese Eggplant) Sushi

The Spider rolll is M<3’s go-to sushi roll. It’s a cooked roll with fried shrimp (or crab, at times – Uchi served their’s with shrimp), a spicy mayo sauce, and cucumber. Uchi’s roll also had an eel sauce on the side, a sweet-salty mixture that made the Spider Roll mouthwatering! The shrimp was cooked to perfection (I loved the crunch!) and the spicy mayo was careful to not overpower the other, lighter flavors in the roll. I would definitely recommend this roll for non-sushi eaters!

I love eggplant, it’s one of my favorite vegetables and I had never experience it as nigiri. This was slighty sweet, the skin added a bit of chewiness and the eggplant is self was melt-in-your-mouth soft. It was a simple transition into heartier dishes.

Fresh Sea Urchin at the Sushi Bar

After our shared dishes, we each chose something a bit more exclusive to our individual tastes – I sampled, the chef recommended, machi cure (aka: “sushi nachos” which is how the chef described them to me). It was simple and fresh with lightly fried yuca, marcona almonds, asian pear, smoked yellowtail tuna, garlic brittle and tobiko.

Machi Cure – Sushi Nachos

Mayank chose to try the sasami yaki, an oak-grilled chicken breast with lemongrass and cilantro. He said it was one of the most moist and flavorful pieces of chicken he had ever tasted.

Sasami Yaki – Lemongrass Chicken

Since Uchi is known for their sushi, I had to try a couple of pieces on my own! I chose the hotate (spicy scallop & avocado) and sake (simple, salmon and rice).

Hotate – Spicy Scallop

Sake – Salmon

Finally, we ended our even with a double dessert treat from the chef. We were able to share the coffee panna cotta with white chocolate sorbet & mango and the lemon gelato with pistachios and white balsamic. I never thought I would enjoy white balsamic in a dessert but the lemon gelato was the dessert I kept going back for!

Coffee Panna Cotta

Lemon Gelato

I’m truly thankful to <3M for such a wonderful birthday dinner. We both agreed that Uchi is a restaurant that we both want to visit again – though it’s definitely a special occasion type dining experience. And in the future, we’ll remember to plan well in advance to ensure reservations.

April 20, 2013

Call Me, Crazy! Why I’m back in Austin.

January 23, 2013 by Alyssa

Most people would call me crazy, leaving Austin only to move back 9 months later. But that was not the intitial plan. The initial plan was to stick it out in NYC for about 2 years and suck up as much of the “big city” life as possible in those sweet 2 years before moving back to Austin.

Yes, the plan always included moving back to Austin. So, if I knew I was to be reunited with my beloved Austin eventually, why did the timeline change? Well, let’s just say as much as I had convinced myself that I’d love NYC, in actuality, it just wasn’t for me. It’s not that I “couldn’t cut it” because I did. Ask my parents – I morphed into the stereotypical NY-er.

I could navigate my way around the subways (with a little help from Google). I could point tourists in the right direction when they were lost. I had perfected the rude, eye rolling, fast paced NY-er lifestyle. I acquired savvy street smarts for hailing a cab. I learned to curse the oblivious, cellphone obsessed tourists. I pleasantly accepted the elite dining experiences and acquired an eclectic taste for champagne & truffles from client dinners, while also learning to snobbishly turn my nose up at the overpriced Tiffany’s bracelet while bargaining in ChinaTown. $15 for a knock-off? Too much. I felt like a true New Yorker.

The problem was, I hated it. I hated spending my morning commute waiting for my transportation to arrive only to board a crowded train & be pushed and shoved through the entire ride. After my morning groping, I’d then have the joy of walking a mile through the natural elements to my office. By that time, any chance of arriving looking the least bit presentable was out the window. My morning beauty efforts were wasted by the wicked wind, drenching rain, freezing snow, or sticky humidity. And don’t even attempt to do this in heels because you can bet your ass you’d end up on it while trotting through the crowded sidewalks. I hated working what felt like 24/7 with no free time to visit the gym, cook dinner, weekend adventures, or even make friends outside of the office. My life was consumed with work, commuting, and recovering from the work week spent in the city.

I missed my old life. I missed the sunshine. I missed seeing greenery. I missed smelling fresh cut grass. I missed driving in my car and listening to the radio. I missed being able to cook dinner. I missed reading. I missed watching my favorite televisions shows. I missed spending time with my boyfriend (outside of work). I missed having girl friends. I missed having time to think. I missed laughing and being goofy. I missed smiling. Really smiling. The big toothy smile where your grin spans ear to ear. I missed being happy.

And that’s when I knew. That’s when I knew that sometimes, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else, you have to do what makes you happy. You have to follow your heart. I knew that being back in Austin would make me happy, so we went. And you know what, I’m happy. So call me crazy, crazy happy!

Here’s a little map of my travels:

Although I’ve lived in three different cities in the past three years, I’ve actually moved a total of 5 times.

1) Rochester > Austin

2) Austin Apartment 1 > Austin Apartment 2

3) Austin > NYC

4) NYC Apartment 1 > NYC Apartment 2

5) NYC > Austin

Public Notice: I will not be helping anyone pack or move in the near future, but feel free to contact me for mover or apartment hunting recommendations!

Google Maps can’t solve this…

December 1, 2011 by Alyssa

Once you leave college, it’s common to not have a set direction – especially this day and age with the economy and all…Besides, who can choose a set path when life continually throws detours every couple of miles….or at least that’s the way I’ve felt these past few weeks…months…

Remember in high school when you choose a certain future career which in turn leads you to choose your prospective college degree, then your college, your post-college plans, and ultimately plan your life at age 16….Well I sure as heck did all that and my destined plan at 16 hasn’t turned out half that bad except ‘til now…

Not that I’m complaining in the least! It’s not bad at all! I absolutely love my life, the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve gained. But life sure as heck gave me more than just a couple detours, I fee like life landed me flat in a round about and ever since I’ve been spinning trying to get out on the “right” path‘

So which road do I choose and how do I decide? My paths include Austin, New York, and Rochester…..warmth, family, and adventure…..

Should I follow my ol’ stand by…

BTW: This quote, to me, is NOT about following your heart, it’s about making a decision that one is wholeheartedly committed to, a decision one will not regret in the future, a choice with consequences one is fully aware and prepared to handle, a choice made with one’s head held high and a decision one can completely and fully support when faced with opposition.

Or…

Do I do I play it safe and make the “financially secure, I might not be 100% happy, but life isn’t half bad, give it some time it might improve but yea, it sure as heck will be difficult the next few months,” kind of decision?

Some of you might say, follow your gut instinct but I’ve got news for you…it’s not always right, you’re usually too paranoid, overly naïve, or maybe you just have a stomachache. Check the article people.

I guess when it all comes down to it, I’m young and by nature, I’m more of a risk taker when it comes to life decisions (not when it comes to risking my life), and I feel that as each day passes my ability to navigate life without a set map is improving…I know I’ll manage just fine but it sure would be nice to have a road sign now to let me know I’m at least headed in the right direction….

Why I Love Austin

August 21, 2011 by Alyssa

So I’ve mentioned that Austin is great for healthy living but I haven’t really given any exact reason on WHY it’s so great for healthy living. Well here’s the first reason, the fitness activities here are endless and I’m ready to prove it

LiveStrong

Austin is bike friendly.

Overly bike friendly, as in

1) Lance Armstrong lives here

2) Bike lanes are specifically designated on all roads

3) Bike theft in Austin probably exceeds that of car break-ins

4) I’m sure half the city commutes to work via bicycle – even at 105 degree temperatures

5) I’ve joined the bike community, even though it means lugging my bike up and down endless flights of stairs from my apartment, which is a workout in it self.

Had to get a new bike, left the old in my apartment basement – it’s up for grabs if anyone wants to take it for a spin! Beware of the breaks…and uncomfortable seat…and it squeaks

Although I’ve joined the bike community I’ve yet to purchase a bike rack, but luckily for me M<3 lets me tear apart my bike and shove it in the back of his car.

So after I carry it down the stairs, disassemble it, shove it in the car I’m only half way to my goal of going for a bike ride in Austin. After the pre-workout, workout I make the 20 minute trek down to Town Lake, unload the bike, curse as I try to reassemble it and ensure the breaks are working, get my playlist set to jam to, and hop on my bike I’m ready to zoom around the Town Lake path.

Gotta love the ATX views

City skyline peeking through the trees on the Town Lake path

I love the action packed biking adventure of Town Lake: weaving in and out of pedestrians, stopping on a dime to avoid running over puppies, dodging speed bumps (aka stray kiddies) and sweating my butt off in the sweltering heat. Afterwards, I rewind and do the post-workout, workout of disassemble, shove, drive, unpack, reassemble, and carry up.

Super Sweaty Biker Babe!

Some how Austin’s biking habit has rubbed off on me and I can’t help but love it! Although, I think I’ll love it even more when I invest in a bike rack and the cooler temps arrive!

supATX

That’s Stand Up Paddle boarding for those of you thinking I’m trying to be a bit ghetto and saying “S’up Austin”

That’s not me, I can stand without the spotters (Boo-Yah!)

So stand up paddle boarding is exactly what it sounds like.

You stand. On a board. And paddle.

Yes its fun. Yes I like it. Yes I want one. (Future X-Mas gift?)

So I only tried it once so far, but I have a daily deal coupon I bought to go again and I can’t wait! It’s so relaxing and serene out on the water. I loved kayaking in high school but this is even more fun and is even more of a workout than kayaking. It works your core, your legs, and your upper body without putting a lot of strain on your muscles. It’s absolutely fabulous. Now I just have to find a way to do it more often.

Random water views of Austin that I could be enjoying on a SUP.

So the best part about supATX – they offer lots of SUP adventures (Check out their site!)

1) Full Moon paddle boarding – A little romantic moonlight paddling

2) Happy Hour paddle boarding – It involves a 3 mile paddle followed by a happy hour within food and appetizers afterwards

3) Bat Watching paddle boarding – Austin is home to one of the largest bat colonies in the U.S. and a popular nightime activity is going to watch the bats depart for their nightly hunt

Sidenote: M<3 and I went to experience the bat flight and those stupid bats apparently weren’t hungry the night we went because they never took off. Either that or the news channel was a bit off on the bat departure time.

4) Yoga paddle boarding – Yes, you are doing downward dog, tree, and warrior 3 all while balancing on the paddle board in the rippling water. Try that for a core workout!

I’ll keep you all posted on how many times I splash into the water once I try Yoga paddle boarding

Which brings me to my next point…

Nature’s Bikram Yoga

I’m sure you didn’t know this but Austin practices Bikram yoga all year round since we average +365 days with above 100 temps. No need to heat a small yoga studio when Mother Nature’s heating the whole city for you!

Austin not only houses a huge bike community but also a huge yoga community as well. I attended Yogasm this past week – which was more like Yog-onna have a heat spasm.

This reminds me of the hippie Dirty Dancing lift.

But seriously, this was ah-mazing. Hundreds of people coming together to do yoga in the park. It was put on by Lululemon – so of course everyon was rockin’ Lulu right and left. Before the actual event there were healthy living vendors like Zico coconut water (Oh My-Yogasm the chocolate coconut was delish!), Luna bars, tons of yoga studios (scored a bunch of free yoga passes *woot woot*), and lots of health food vendors literally begging everyone to try their weird (but insanely good) samples!

I love free samples and coupons! Must have gotten it from my Mom

So, at the festival, there was an hour and a half of community yoga. It was a round-robin type yoga practice where 8 different Austin yoga teachers took a turn leading. It was great to have so many different yoga styles in one session, super sweaty, and a pretty awesome experience to be a part of.

Post yoga mats laid out

Relaxing, trying to cool down before Nature’s Butt-Kicking Bikram session

Yes, I stopped yoga-ing and was a creeper taking photos in the back because I thought it was really cool.

So this Yoga event is something I’ve been dying to experience and I’m so happy I was able to participate in such a unique yoga practice. There’s another 2 day yoga festival being held in October that I’m already looking forward to!

Keeping Austin Weird

So these are just some of the cool healthy living things that Austin has to offer. I know Rochester has SUP, I know it has Yoga, and I know I can bike in Rochester, but the fact that I’m doing it in Austin where the WHOLE city actually embraces and supports all of these activities, is the reason why doing it here is so much more special and fun.

The fact is, when in other cities, a severe love of Yoga especially doing it on a Paddle Board would be seen as weird, in Austin, it’s actually just normal.