2011

Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe it is already 2011. I started my Friday morning off by doing inventory at work (boo). Then Neal and I headed to Austin, Texas to ring in the New Year! We bought tickets to a party at Abel's on the Lake next door to Hula Hut. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out! The tickets included unlimited drinks, appetizer and dessert buffet,  a DJ upstairs, a band downstairs, champagne at midnight and a beautiful fireworks show on the lake! Unfortunately, during the finale of the fireworks show, a piece got a little too close and caught the roof of Hula Hut on fire! It was very sad to see it burning, but the fire fighters were able to get to it before it was completely demolished. News reports say there were $75K worth of damages. We ended the night waiting for our taxi driver Emily (I can't believe she came back!) and walked the streets of Austin until we finally hailed a cab at 4:30 in the morning. The cab ride home is what made the night. We had an awesome driver who listened to Bob Marley, explained life (according to a cab driver in atx), made an instrument using only his hands, and then left us with two high fives.

Saturday morning, afternoon rather, we ate at one of the most amazing vegan restaurants in Austin, Veggie Heaven. I've been begging Neal to try it every time we make it to Austin, and with almost every other restaurant closed, I finally got him there. The place is very small, with random posters and decorations. You sometimes have to wait to be waited on, but I guarantee a satisfying meal. My favorite is the Spicy Soybean Tofu served with brown rice. Try it. And needless to say, I was right again. Neal loved it. ;)

We met some friends at Union Park (a bar off West Sixth) and drank pink prickly pear mimosas until the sun went down. After some rest, we ate at another super awesome outdoor restaurant called Cazamance www.cazamance.com. This place was amazing! Check it out. We stayed on Rainey street and visited some old houses that have been turned into bars. It was so relaxing and fun. We played Jenga at one of the cute bars. I picked a wood block that said "Send a picture to 512-XXX-XXXX with the title 'Drunk Jenga!'"So naturally, I did. Here is the original picture...

After a little while the girl wrote us back, "F yea! Have a blast, you guys are the s***!" It made me very happy that they responded. And then they sent us a revised picture of our original, which again, made me even more happy!

What an amazing way to end our New Year weekend! I am so lucky that I got to spend such a special night with so many people I love! 

I hope you all had a safe and memorable New Year as well. One of my resolutions is to write more often, so check back soon. 

xo, ash.