Personal blog
Last day in the US. We got into the frontier spirit of Fort Worth with a visit to the Cowgirl Museum and a lunch of BBQ ribs at the Stockyard Hotel. A wander through the stockyards area included a purchase of a Texas cowboy hat for S. We then rested at the Star Cafe for bottomless cups of coffee, apple pie and a root beer floater for E. Grand finale was the viewing of the daily herding of longhorn cattle through the streets of Fort Worth.
Our second to last day. We stayed overnight at the Hotel San José, another great hotel.
Breakfast was next door at Joe’s, before heading to Barton Springs for a dip and a play.
After that, we checked out of the hotel and headed for lunch on the shores of Lake Austin at a Tex Mex joint called Hula Hut, before hitting the open road bound for Dallas.
Last night, we ate at a seafood restaurant Perla’s, just up the road from the hotel, then had an ice cream at Amy’s, before a short walk.
Now, after an easy 1-hour drive from San Antonio, we’re relaxing by the pool at the hotel San José in Austin, Texas.
Before, we spent the early afternoon exploring, eating, shopping (great ‘curated provisions for men’ at Stag)…
…great burgers at Hopdoddy…
..and trying on hats, of course…
Our hotel in San Antonio, the Hotel Havana, was a beautiful old mansion set on the river walk, a beautiful winding walk along the river in the heart of San Antonio.
After breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Ocho, looking out over the river..
…we went walking along the river walk and to the market.
Lunch was tex-mex on the river, then more exploring the river walk and downtown San Antonio.
Classic Dillonism: K to S, who is walking along the river walk going ‘quack, quack’, ‘for a second there I thought that duck was you…’
Our last morning in NYC was several days ago, and since then we have flown to Houston (by way of Atlanta airport) to visit with Emily for a night and a half day, and driven from Houston on the I10 to San Antonio, about 3 hours drive, to the Hotel Havana.
Saturday morning we went for one last coffee/hot chocolate at Toby’s in Williamsburg, then brunch around the corner. Then to JFK for our flight, with a one hour stopover in Atlanta, to Houston, where Emily was waiting to drive us to her beautiful apartment.
A lovely evening and following morning spent catching up before some quick sale shopping and delicious lunch at a Latin American buffet-style restaurant, Seco’s.
The food was wonderful, with much unfamiliar fare, and E loved it, helping herself to several different serves, and three separate desserts!
Kitted out with a cooler full of drinks and snacks aplenty (E’s eyes bulged) courtesy of Emily, we set off on the first leg of our short Texas road trip. S behind the wheel, K navigating.
The three-hour drive to San Antonio was surprisingly easy (given driving on the other side of the road etc), and we had no trouble finding our beautiful hotel, the Hotel Havana.
Our last full day in New York. What a wonderful city. Such a livable city. It’s difficult to imagine it any other way, but we have been reminded several times that 10, 20 years ago, NYC was a dangerous place. Walking today through Central Part with E, it’s hard to imagine.
On the subway, the number of men who have stood up to offer E a seat has been astounding. It’s difficult not to reflect on our own city, Melbourne, and wonder if that sort of public thoughtfulness is as prevalent.
There are so many people, and they are all out all the time: the children’s playgrounds and public parks, great and small, are all so well used and so inviting. We have stumbled upon wonderful eateries by chance, and they have been universally excellent. This evening’s dinner is a case in point. After a late start, and lunch in midtown, K went to MoMa for a second look around, while S and E went for a play in Central Park. Then down to SoHo for a wander (while S scooted off to buy ties and shirts from Century 21). Then, we went to Snack, the Greek cafe/restaurant in Thompson street, for dinner. We had noticed it a few days ago, as we were walking past after playing for a bit in the Thompson street playground. We were taken by the Michelin Recommends sign on the window, which had served us so well the other day with Yuba. If it was dinner time we would have stopped in then and there, but as we were reading the sign in the window, a woman walking past said ‘it’s great, really great food,’ then walked on. She was right. The food was excellent, classic Greek in a small, intimate cafe setting.
Our stay in Queens/Brooklyn has been excellent, and we love the L train. The weather has been universally perfect all fortnight. Very sad to be leaving NYC, but looking forward to our brief road trip in Texas too.
Today, our second last full day in NYC, we decided to have a quiet day, exploring Williamsburg, then resting in the afternoon, all in preparation for a late night out on the town. We promised E she could stay out late one night. So, first a lovely dinner at the beautiful Balthazar in SoHo, classic French bistro fare…
…with an American slant…
After dinner, which was lovely, a train to midtown, to walk the city streets at night (or evening). We then went to the top of the Rockefeller for views across NYC at night.
One tired girl piggy-backed home by 10.30pm.
