At the market

On Saturday, Mother Dearest and I headed out to visit the Farmer’s Market at the Triangle downtown, which we hadn’t been by just yet. I’d heard good things, and boy was I not disappointed.  After all those lessons on hunger I’ve learned these past few weeks (read the diatribe I wrote on this topic yesterday, if you haven’t already), I was ready to get out and do some serious food ogling, especially since now I CAN EAT IT.

What is it about farmer’s markets that makes you want to eat—nay, revere—your vegetables? I swear, when I see bushel upon bushel of gorgeous, fresh, and organic produce grown lovingly by locals, I sort of want to stuff my bags with them (the vegetables, not the locals) and bring them happily home with me, where I could research recipes with which to prepare them deliciously, and then feel overall better about life since I just fed myself and my husband something that came out of the ground and not a can or a carton or a box.

But alas, buying loads of organic produce at the farmer’s market is not exactly cost conscious for those budget minded individuals such as ourselves, so sometimes I leave feeling a little down that the majority of my food purchases will have to come from the boring old regular grocery store, where I’m pretty sure I picked up that 3 Week Satan Virus because that place is crawling with harried mothers and kids that were probably just playing in their own feces. 

Anyway. Enjoy the lovely farmer’s market photos below, and definitely check to see if your own city has one, too! And then go there! :)

  

And here’s what I wound up taking home…

There’s definitely some toasted raisin walnut bread with butter and strawberry-rhubarb compote in my future, as well as fresh brown eggs, kale chips, and this panini recipe with arugula! YUM. (next jam by Confituras I’d like to try is the strawberry-vanilla bean flavor… can you say HEAVEN IN YOUR MOUTH?!)

Happy Monday everyone!

Radiant

Like I mentioned yesterday, I had the real pleasure of attending the “Beauty for a Purpose” event by Radiant Cosmetics, a local Austin company I am a HUGE fan of!  Not only are these cosmetics high quality and fabulous, they’re also deeply rooted in an excellent cause: 20% of ALL sales go towards ending the fight against human trafficking.  Nicole, the owner of this fab AND socially conscious company, has a very compelling story here on her website.  Just makes me so happy to see people following a dream and a vision that not only includes successful entrepreneurship, but also furthering a cause they’re passionate about.  You GO girl.

So anyway, I just wanted to help spread the word about this company, because you’re going to spend money on cosmetics anyway… might as well support a good cause while you’re at it.  I’ve tried these products myself, and I’m completely sold!  Browse the shop here, if you’d like. And if you’re looking for a fantastic red lip gloss, try this one in “Rue.”  Another post on my favorite Radiant products coming SOON…

Now for a few photos from the event!

Kelly, thanks SO much for coming with me and helping me with pictures! :)

DJ Mr. Burnz

The event was held at 2nd Street’s own Plain Ivey Jane… LOVE this store! And they have the coolest website!

Beautiful Nicole, the face behind Radiant.

Makeup artist Lauren Davis with Hint of Shimmer

Happy Tuesday!

Dreaming of Pizza…

…And cheese and milk and milky cereal and fried chicken and cheeseburgers and cake. Heck, I’d even take a big fat salad or a plate full of vegetables.  It would be 100x better than my diet as of late, which has included more rice, toast, applesauce, and bananas than I ever thought I’d eat.  Yep, still fighting off a stomach bug.  (We can talk about stuff like that here, right? We’re cool like that?)  I even went to the doctor the other day, and he just told me this could last a couple weeks (we’re working on the second week right now) and that I’ll probably survive if I stop eating cereal for every meal.

Anyway, I’ve been feeling sorry for myself and mourning the fact that everything delicious upsets my stomach terribly, so I thought I would further the torture by posting tantalizing photos from dinner at Home Slice the other night.  Neither Rachel or I had ever been there, so while we were hitting up South Congress for a mini portrait session, we slipped in to grab some pizza, and ohmygosh was it the best decision of my life.  Seriously, Austinites, if you haven’t tried Home Slice, GO IMMEDIATELY.  This pizza rivals the best of the best in NYC.  We got the Margherita, and I just shed a tear while thinking of it. 

Now excuse me while I go sip Pedialyte and cry over my applesauce…

PS – Have you entered the Blowfish giveaway yet? A free pair of shoes up for grabs!

A day at the farm

It was one of those really good weekends that you wind down from feeling refreshed and ready for a new week, you know what I mean?  I got to spend an inordinate amount of time with my husband, drinking tea and watching movies and taking naps and sometimes crying because life still feels so funny right now.  But it was all still good. 

Saturday morning we took a little trip to Boggy Creek Farm, one of my favorite spots in town for homegrown, organic produce and other fun seasonal treats, like strawberry essence tea.  If you’re in Austin and haven’t been by Boggy Creek Farm yet, I recommend you get there asap!  Such a fun little place.   I read in the Edible Austin publication for spring that this little farm house was built in 1840, and people have been born in it and people have died in it, and it’s still a part of the land there—a part of the history.  And I just think that’s so neat! 

Here are some pictures from the outing…
 

Grandpa :)

 

PS – It’s sort of interesting to look back on this post I wrote about Boggy Creek Farm a year and a half ago… things sure have changed around here since then! Ha!

PPS – Clearly Megan and I were on the same wavelength this weekend! What are the odds?!

Happy Monday. :)

Things to do in Austin: Snack Bar

A couple nights ago, Brittany and I met down at South Congress for some dinner at Snack Bar, a restaurant I’d never tried until now.  Austin is teeming with fabulous little locally owned businesses and restaurants, and sometimes I’m overwhelmed by just how many good ones out there we’ve yet to try!  I guess we’ll just have to take them on one at a time, now won’t we.

South Congress is one of the quirkiest spots in town, and visiting serves as a reminder of just why the city slogan is “keep Austin weird.”  For example, I know this is Texas and all, but it was still a little surprising to see a couple clip-clopping along the sidewalk on horseback the other night, like it was no big deal.  Or there was that one time a crazy bum was following people around and laughing maniacally while waving a cardboard sign that said “smile if you masturbate.” 

It was uncomfortable. 

But anyway, we had a really nice time, and oh my!  That burger!  I don’t know if I was just extremely hungry or if that burger was exceptionally good (probably an even mix), but YUM.  And that’s all I have to say about that!