BLOGGING IN THE WEE HOURS...

Pinkalicious ES

Princess LG

Thank goodness for a spare pair of wings!

2 Lady Bugs!

DM engages the little girls in some pumpkin carving this a.m. CA and LG brought us Country Donuts so we are all hopped up on sugar. An appropriate way to begin Halloween...

LOVING AND LEAVING AUSTIN: part 5

S-I-G-H-H-H... Do we really have to go? Yep! And, the two little girls are already at our house and waiting. In a bit over a week we drive to Omaha to be with JA + LE. Life is good.

LOVING AUSTIN: part 4

Guadalupe River from The Gristmill

Gruen

New Braunfels

Y'all can go to hell. I'm goin' to Texas.

-Davy Crockett-

Yes, I know he is not the true Davy Crockett, but he is certainly better looking that the real guy and who has a photo anyway?

I'm up rather early--finally--and TL has the coffee hot for us. Great host! It's rainy and humid today. We're going downtown, doing some errands, and maybe driving to New Braunfels and Gruen ("Green" is both the translation from German and the local pronunciation.).

LOVING AUSTIN: part 3

The Herb Farm - Fredericksburg, TX

We got out of bed before noon today! TL picked up some breakfast tacos from Taco Shack this a.m. YUM! I only managed one... Eggs, chorizo, potatoes, cheese, and onions.

CA and I gather our stuff and maps and travel guides for the trip to Fredericksburg, first stopping next door to beg some Tylenol for Arthritis from Peggy. Nice lady. TL and she are tight, so I invite her to join us for the Yellowfin Tuna Burgers he is making for dinner tonight. We hope to climb Enchanted Rock, but there are no footwear stores between Austin and Fredericksburg (and I ruined my Brooks with the red clay in Kaua'i), and the day is short so we decide next trip.

BLOGGING FOR THE SQUISHY LITTLE GUY

I promised JA some photos of guitars. These were all at Austin Bergstrom Airport on Sunday, October 25th.

COOKING IN AUSTIN

TL is a wonderful cook and has been sharing some favorite cookbooks with us. I can't resist ordering these two. His Yellowfin Tuna Burger recipe we're having tonight (third try) is from the McCormick & Schmick. Taste test and review will follow... He's on his second copy of the Weber Real Grilling cookbook--wore out the first one. By Wednesday he has recommended Reata, and I will soon not be able to resist ordering it.

Looking forward to some cooking adventures when we return to Chicago area.

LOVING AUSTIN: part 2

Our friends in Austin and their rooftop view from the Ashton

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

From the moment we left the plane I knew I loved Austin. The airport is so cool and so Texan and so music-oriented. TL's house is very nice and he is a great host.

CA and I sleep in until noon! Yep, that's right. We did not get out of bed until 12:00. The 5 hour time difference between CST and Hawaii blindsided us. TL had left us coffee in the insulated carafe, so we finally get our eyes open. We do a quick review of the visitor's/siteseeing brochures TL has graciously left on the counter for us, and decide to head to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center south of the downtown area.

ARRIVING IN AUSTIN: part 1

What day is this? The overnight flight from Lihue to LAX and Austin goes without a glitch, but also without sleep.

LOOKING BACK AND AHEAD: smart stuff to remember for next trip to Kaua'i

Things we did right and things we want to remember for the next visit to Kaua'i:

>Soft-sided collapsible cooler
>Freezable ice pack
>The Ultimate Kaua’i Guidebook
>Keen’s for hiking the trails and into the beaches and falls
>Extra beach or fitness shoes for after hike
>Guys: more fun t-shirts, fewer golf shirts
>Girls: pack lighter—one short skirt, 3 shorts or capris, t-shirts
>Aveeno sunscreen, 30 and above
>Hats
>Ziplock bags
>Washer/dryer sheets from WalMart (Purex Laundry Sheets)
>Daypack for hikes
>Water bottle ring on a ribbon (DIY project)
>Hand sanitizer
>Butt wipes
>Neoporin To Go! spray
>Paper plates and napkins

FUN THINGS IN KAUA'I

>How to predict sundown (fingers on the horizon)
>How to measure altitude temperature changes (4 degrees per 1,000 feet)
>Kukui nuts and their uses
>Longans and more Longans
>Fruit water in the Marriott upper lobby at Kalapaki Beach
>Tip Top Café in Lihue
>Same owners for Ono Family Restaurant in Kapa’a
>Oxtail soup
>Coconut shrimp at Duke’s
>Bobble Head Beach
>Bread and Deli
>Bubba’s
>Monster Tacos
>Lappert’s
>Brick Oven Pizza
>Duke’s… Duke’s… Duke’s
>ABC Store for t-shirts and souvenirs
>Sunshine and Farmer’s Markets
>Waimea Canyon – the views, photo ops, and the hikes
>Waimea Canyon Koke’e Museum
>Kintara for sushi (a local recommended, haven’t tried it yet)
>Merrimen’s for steak (a local recommended it, haven’t tried it yet)
>Puka Dogs at the Po’ipu Marketplace – YUM!
>Flowers
>Chickens
>Judith Jackson Spa citress shampoo
>Hikes : Hideaways Beach, Queen’s Bath, Shipwreck Beach, Kipu Falls, The Canyon Trail, Kalalau Trail, and Secret Beach
>The terrace at the St. Regis Princeville Hotel

EXPERIENCING KAUA'I: part 8

Dusk and the sad goodbye - Marriott Kalapaki Beach, Kaua'i

Queen's Bath - Princeville, Kaua'i

Hideways Beach - Princeville, Kaua'i

View from St. Regis Princeville Hotel

Tip Top Cafe - Lihue, Kaua'i

I’m very, very tired this a.m., too. No more up at 5:00am on Chicago time! We have been so physically active most days and then I stay up too late blogging…

I talk to GiGi a bit, and then JE. But, it is time to do the final packing as we check out by 10:00am and then we are going for our third trip (PM’s second) to Tip Top Café.