Tag Archives: Dallas

Flower Crown

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Exactly one year ago today James and I were got all gussied up to take our engagement photos with our stunning friend and talented wedding photographer, Heather Hawkins. I was so excited about what Heather had in store for us at the shoot, and, as I had anticipated, the evening turned out absolutely perfectly, as did the photos. Our shoot goes down in history as one of my most favorite memories with James (and with Heather!), and I love that we have gorgeous pictures to document that special night.

One of my favorite elements from the shoot was the flower crown that I wore, created by the talented floral designers at Bows + Arrows. It made me feel ethereal and beautiful, and I wished I could wear it every single day. Thanks to the way the flower crown made me feel during our engagement photo session, I decided to wear another floral crown during our wedding reception (this one crafted by the Nouveau Romantics), and I am so grateful that I did – once again, it felt like the most perfect accessory to wear to complement my overall look.

In case you were wondering, I will be taking advantage of every future opportunity that affords me the chance to wear another flower crown – don’t say I didn’t warn you. In the meantime, enjoy some of my favorite engagement photos from our shoot last October that showcase that gorgeous flower crown.

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Five Years

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Five years ago today I piled up my car, said teary goodbyes to my best friends, and began the long road trip from Los Angeles to Dallas. I was moving to Texas for my job at Touch A Life and though I was totally daunted by the transition and anxious about what lay ahead (I had only been to Dallas a handful of times, and I knew hardly anyone besides my coworkers), I knew that taking this step would allow me to live out the plan that God had set out for my life. And now, looking back, I see how vivid and rich that plan was, and I truly can’t imagine my life any other way. By moving to Dallas, I furthered my career, came into my own as a woman, and, most importantly, met my husband and made some of the very best friends in the world, establishing community that I truly could never live without, regardless of where I live.

Of course, I know that September 11th marks a very sad time in our country’s history, and I’ve been thinking about and praying for those affected by the terrorist attacks continually throughout the day; nothing could ever change or trivialize what this day means to us as American citizens. But as far as my personal journey goes, September 11th has come to mean something else, something about trust and hope and promise. I’m reminded to live every day with intentionality, following in the path that God has laid out before me. I’m reminded to never take a single second of this sweet life for granted and to trust that everything, indeed, can be redeemed and made beautiful in His time.

Photo via Heather Hawkins from our engagement photo shoot last year – click on the link to check out more photos from that fun session!

Taco Stop

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This morning was one of the really great ones. I felt invigorated and all sorts of hopped up on endorphins, thanks to an early personal training session with one of my City Surf instructors (who took pity on my measly ankle and offered me some one-on-one time to get me back into action). While on my way to the training site, I spotted a pretty little taco shop that I’d never visited (or heard of) before, and I knew that my post-workout breakfast plans were set. My instructor confirmed that the place was delicious, so after getting my sweat on, I excitedly drove a few blocks to Taco Stop.

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Let’s pause and take a moment to appreciate the fresh, bright decor at this lovely little place. Doesn’t it look pretty in the morning sunlight?

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I ordered two breakfast tacos – one with bacon and eggs, and one with potato, cheese, and eggs – and one of each of the salsas (green and red, of course). I added a bubbly, refreshing Topo Chico to the mix and the kind gentlemen working in the kitchen threw in a fresh black coffee for free (!!!). The tacos were piping hot and, as expected, totally delicious. I liked that the tacos were on the smaller side, too – you know that I love me a beast of a taco like the ones that are served at Good 2 Go but I usually reserve those treats for weekends when I can take a nap afterwards. The smaller tacos are certainly way more conducive to having a productive workday (as is the black coffee, which I am slowly but surely acquiring a taste for) – they’re filling but not so rich that I enter into a food coma immediately after consuming them.

I took a minute to reflect on my morning as a whole while I noshed on my tacos. I felt invigorated by doing something out of the norm, even though it was something as simple as trying a new local spot. I savored the quiet time I had to sit and enjoy my breakfast as the world hurried on by. It’s nice to pause in the middle of the work week to  treat yourself to some peace and quiet (and coffee and tacos) every now and then, isn’t it?

P.S. I am going to continue bookmarking all of these recipe & restaurant-related posts in my Taste & Try folder on the sidebar but I’m going to remove the T & T verbiage from the blog post’s titles (just to keep things simple and clean). I hope you don’t mind! All of the content and foodie goodness and Taste & Try vibes will remain the same, I promise.

Week & End

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Happy Sunday! How has your weekend been? Mine has been so relaxing and lovely. Kyla (and her sweet Scottie, Franklin) came over on Friday night and we drank crisp, cold white wine while making a splendid dinner of bruschetta and spinach salad. We took our pups for a walk, had long talks, and reveled in one another’s company. There’s nothing sweeter than a night in with a best friend, is there? The rest of this weekend was spent savoring relaxation, free time, and air conditioning – the summer heat has finally descended upon Texas, so it’s been nice to post up indoors and get a few projects done.

If you’re in an evening blog-reading mood, enjoy some fun links!

The photo above, documenting my enjoyment of both coffee & tacos at my favorite spot, is a tribute to the blog’s namesake, of course, and an image from Mom & Dad’s visit to Dallas, which I’ll post about soon! While we didn’t eat at Good 2 Go Taco this weekend, James and I did just get back from dinner at Taco Joint, another spot that we love. The restaurant just opened its third location a mere 1.5 miles from our house, which we are very excited about. We love their tacos, queso, and salsas (especially the jalapeño ranch dip).

I really liked the post on Camille Styles’s blog about creating ways to look forward to Mondays. I tried one of the tips and made plans to meet Heather tomorrow for a lunch date at CBD Provisions. It’s helping a little, but I do find myself wishing the weekend could linger on. However, I did love this quote from the post – it was so poignant and worth taking to heart:

“Let’s face it: life is too short to hate 1/7 of the weekdays! Instead of bemoaning that it’s ‘another Monday,’ practice a spirit of gratitude for another day to live life to the fullest and be your very best self.”

Kyla and I made this blueberry sugar cookie crisp for dessert on Friday evening and it was delicious (James and I are still living off of the leftovers, paired with vanilla ice cream, of course). I’ll post the full recipe on Tuesday!

Have you visited Rifle Paper Co.’s website since they launched their new design? It’s so gorgeous that I want to live in it, and it makes me want to buy a bunch of paper products (like the passport pocket notebooks, all of the greeting cards, and the paint strokes weekly desk pad).

Allison lent me her copy of The Vacationers and I devoured it this weekend, finishing the entire book in two days. It was so good and so well-written. I highly recommend it!

True Food Kitchen

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My most favorite go-to restaurant as of late has been True Food Kitchen. I’ve gotten to dine there several times lately (including when Mom & Dad visited Dallas) and I keep finding gems on the menu, delicious treats like their fresh-squeezed Kale-Aid green juice, the vegetable crudités with tzatziki and black olive dips, the “inside-out” quinoa burger, and, most recently, the summer market salad made with greens, corn, almonds, cucumbers, avocado, goat cheese, blueberries, and tomato & herb vinaigrette (which I topped with a perfectly grilled piece of salmon). Dad and I sampled my favorite of their cocktails, the Thai grapefruit martini, which is a simple, delicious, and refreshing combination of vodka, Thai basil, and grapefruit juice. So tasty! All of the menu items are made with the diner’s health in mind but taste is certainly not sacrificed in the process – I have yet to see something on the menu that doesn’t appeal to me. And there really is something for everyone – Mom, a vegetarian, loved the quinoa burger and Dad, who was initially skeptical when we described the restaurant, raved about his bison burger after we finished our lunch. James hasn’t tried True Food Kitchen yet but Mom & Dad generously gave us a gift card to the restaurant when they left – I can’t wait for us to go there for a date night!

Hi, Mom & Dad!

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Mom & Dad visited Dallas this past weekend and I was so caught up in our fun plans that I neglected to post a Week & End recap on Friday – whoops! I guess that shows that I’m really taking this post to heart and keeping my focus on life’s sweet moments instead of being distracted by life’s list of to-dos. We had so, so much fun spending time together and, clearly, as this photo suggests, we spent a lot of time enjoying one of our favorite mutual hobbies – eating! I can’t wait to post a recap soon, so stay tuned…

 

Girlfriends & Pie

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Last night Kyla, Laura, Emily, and I got together for dinner. We enjoyed salads and pizza at Eno’s, a pretty little restaurant in the Bishop Arts District, and afterwards we meandered over to one of my favorite spots, Emporium Pies, for dessert. As we lingered over coffee and pie, I looked around the table and felt myself on the verge of a having a moment – you know, one of those sweet beats in time where you just revel in the gratitude you have for your life, your community, your people.

I’ve known Emily for ten years – we met at Pepperdine University and God has woven a beautiful story throughout both of our lives that have led us to this moment, the one where we both live in Dallas, Texas. Laura and Kyla are kindred spirits who you already know if you’ve read my blog for the last several years – they were my first real pals in this city and they have proven to be the very best friends in the whole entire world. Through connections and get togethers and parties and gatherings, they’ve come to know and love Emily, and vice versa. I love watching the world get smaller like that, sitting by while friends of yours develop relationships in their own right, ones that started because of you but are certainly sustained outside of you.

So I was reflecting on these things, watching as our lives simultaneously change and expand and grow (with the addition of marriages and new jobs and babies and relationships) while also staying a little bit the same. I love that feeling, and I love this season that we’re in, the one that allows us to stay out on a Tuesday night, savoring coffee and pie, friendship and time together.

 

Kitchen LTO

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A few weeks ago, James & I got to have dinner with two of our favorite couples – Allison & Taylor Vieger and Allison’s parents, Steve & Carol Baker. We met at Trinity Groves, a great new area of Dallas that is bursting with new restaurants and watering holes. Steve made reservations for us at Kitchen LTO, which has a super cool premise, best summed up via the restaurant’s website:

Kitchen LTO is a permanent pop-up restaurant that reinvents itself three times per year and gives a rotating home to up-and-coming chef and design talent and their ideas. Essentially, the entire restaurant is “Limited Time Only,” where a new [space] is born every four months. Three times a year, a new chef rotates in and introduces a new menu concept. Simultaneously, a new interior designer re-designs the [inside’s] transformable elements. Applicants will be screened by our selection committee for qualifications and then voted on through our website and social media channels, as the general public will be the ultimate deciding factor for who will chef and design the restaurant every four months.

So fun and interesting, right? Brooke Eggers is the current leading lady at Kitchen LTO, and this Santa Barbara-based chef specializes in Urban Regional cuisine. We started the meal with cocktails, and Allison, Taylor and I loved our Peach Bellaritas, which were a simple mixture of fresh peach, tequila, and lime juice – so simple and delicious. We noshed on the blue corn & short rib chili “fritos” (so good) and drank several delicious bottles of wine, per Steve & Carol’s excellent selections. I really enjoyed my caprese fredda salad as a starter (though I could have done without the burrata gelato and gone with plain ‘ole burrata cheese…that was a little sophisticated for me) and I super loved my wild harvest risotto for dinner (topped with a tasty cheese corn fritter). Several members of our group had the halibut with coconut parsnip quinoa (yum!) and porterhouse steak with blistered tomatoes. So much goodness! Oh, and the carrot cake – so good, y’all.

It was definitely a treat to eat at such a neat restaurant with people we love and admire. What a great night!

Week & End

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Friday already?! I guess time really does fly when you’re cooped up in the house for a few days – once I got back into my routine after I started recovering, I feel like I blinked and each day was over in a flash. What’s on your agenda for this weekend? Tomorrow James & I are going on a Stand Up Paddleboarding adventure at White Rock Lake with some friends (preceded by breakfast tacos and followed by margaritas), and then I’m heading to Victor Tango’s for a birthday dinner to celebrate my dear friend Kristen. James & I embarked on a major closet clean-out last week, and we’re nearly finished – I think on Sunday we’ll have just the time we need to conclude the decluttering process. It feels so good to be organized and not weighed down by so much stuff, don’t you think?

Have a great weekend and enjoy some fun links from around the web!

I saw the poster above on Bri Emery’s Instagram this week and I wanted it for our house (the reminder is so, so good and I love the color scheme)…then, lo and behold, I discoverd that it’s available for free in Yield Design Co.’s shop – FOR FREE, PEOPLE! All you have to do is pay $2 shipping. What are you waiting for?!

I have been longing to check out two fabulous-looking new(ish) coffee shops in town: Weekend Coffee & The Wild Detectives. I need to hit up these spots soon (and very soon).

I love this peek into the refrigerator of Courtney McBroom (of Momofuku Milk Bar fame).

As a celebration of the closet-clean out (I seriously got rid of so many shoes – I can’t wait to sell them at our garage sale), I figured that these gorgeous Joie sandals had to find their way into my collection (thanks, Mom!).

Got a birthday coming up but not quite sure how to celebrate it? Consider donating your special day to Touch A Life. In lieu of gifts, ask your loved ones to support Touch A Life’s work in Ghana. Host a party so you can celebrate your birthday and thank your family & friends for their giving spirits!

Image & poster via Yield Design Co.

Chow Asian

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I’ve had Thailand on the brain for weeks now (I briefly mentioned that here), which has not only prompted me to scour travel blogs & research airfare prices (a girl can dream, right?) but it has also made me crave Thai food in a major way. James often craves Thai food, too, and he was thrilled when he found Chow Asian, a restaurant in our neck of the woods that, according to him, makes the very best (& very spiciest) curry in town. He took me there one night and I absolutely loved my Pad Thai (so much so that I didn’t have any leftovers for lunch the next day like I had anticipated…whoops). I’m a creature of habit, so Pad Thai was certainly a safe and easy choice but I’d like to branch out in terms of both entrée selections and restaurants – Chow Thai, located even closer to our house, has a great menu, too. A few adventurous items caught my eye, things like crab & avocado spring rolls with cashew dipping sauce, lobster & shrimp tempura, and sea bass in Thai chili sauce. I need to scoot in for happy hour, too – so many places end their cocktail deals at 6:00 p.m., which seems a tad early for the working crowd, so I love that both Chow Asian and Chow Thai have drink deals until 7:00 p.m.

UM. I also just stumbled upon the most amazing realization while perusing Chow Thai’s website – THEY DELIVER. There goes my social life.

Image via Rasa Malaysia