Times in Texas.

Tom and I have been in Austin for just about a month now, though it feels much longer. I guess that's probably a good sign, as I feel quite comfortable here. Austin is a nice town, not as big of a "city" as I thought it'd be. But, there's a lot going on here!!

Downtown seems to be a hoppin' place, though Tom and I have really only gone out, down and around 6th street, a couple of times. Most recently, we went to the Beauty Bar here in Austin, to see a band play. It wasn't really my scene, but still we enjoyed ourselves, listening to the music as I slowly drank my Sea Breeze cocktail. Ha!

We've mostly stayed over on the South side of town, enjoying the vegetarian dining options available to us! Austin is great for vegan food!! Our favorites so far are Kerbey Lane Cafe (awesome breakfast options!!!) and Mr. Natural (we enjoyed the most amazing, mint cream filled chocolate cucakes there...YUM!). Both of these places are pretty casual lunch type eateries, and both reasonably priced. Most of our dinners out have centered around Mexican food, as it is extremely abundant here, especially along South Lamar, where we live. One of my best friends works at a place called El Chile, so we've been there more than once. :) I've been loving the enchiladas with verde sauce. Mmmmm...

Austin is also blessed with many green spaces, some really closeby. We've most frequently visited the Barton Springs area, located in Zilker Park, right down the street from us. This is a natural pool fed from springs underground. It's really quite beautiful, and big! Apparently, it's the largest natural swimming pool in the United States. We've also enjoyed some of the wide open spaces in the park, just relaxing, enjoying the sunshine and the company of butterflies! There's also a large section near the park called the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Tom and I have only begun to explore this area. And it seems that there are many more greenbelts to seek out as well! Tom thinks he's going to start rock-climbing. I just want to get a bike!! :)

Outside of our love for good vegetarian food and nature, it's worthy to mention that there's a lot of good shopping around town, if you've got the time and money to spend! Fair trade options, consignment shops, thrift stores, half-priced books, antiques, record stores, etc. I love it, and can't wait to be settled in a job and monetarily stable, so as to be able to enjoy what's available. I'm not a HUGE shopper, but I do enjoy the occasional "fun" purchase once in awhile.

In between our mini-Austin explorations, Tom and I have just been relaxing at home, cooking more often, enjoying each other's company in the peace of our new place. We've also been trudging along, getting our lives in order, looking for profitable work, while at the same time trying to follow our dreams. It's hard for me to believe we've only been here for a month. WOW! I'm thankful to be here, in this NOW, with Tom. We have so much to look forward to, as we embark on this adventure together. Though I miss my friends and family terribly, I know that opportunities exist for me here, that I need to take the time to explore. I hope to enjoy all that Austin has to offer! Here's to living for today, and taking it all in, one Texan experience at a time!!