Category Archives: date night ideas

Dell Match Play: Your Dining Guide

22 Thursday Mar 2018

Posted by in ATX Events, Austin, Texas, date night ideas, Dining, Snacks

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One of the most elite and exciting tournaments on golf’s calendar, the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, is going down this weekend in Austin, TX. I think everyone who competes in, commentates on, attends or watches this event on TV falls a little bit in love with our fair city. The weather is absolutely divine, the setting is picturesque, and the food is on point! One thing most people don’t know about this tournament is that the dining options & entertainment offerings reflect the cool, hip #ATX vibe. In addition to the exciting play you’re sure to witness with golf’s top talent in the field, the Dell Match Play has become more than just a world-class golf event. Yep, it has really transformed into one of the most anticipated social & entertainment events of the year.DELL signUnlike some of the other more traditional or historic golf tournaments around the country, I believe this one is unique…it’s fun for both golf super-fans and those who may simply be fans of a good time. Even if someone isn’t a huge golf aficionado, they’ll find this event is perfect for enjoying a fun weekend out with friends. –There’s exceptional food, drinks, and entertainment all around! If you’ve already got your tickets, I want to share a handy entertainment guide to help plan your time at the tourney. Pretty Golf GreenBest Dining:  The Dell Technologies Match Play has more to offer than your average sporting event, and there’s no better illustration of that than in the food selection, which brings some of Austin’s best to Austin Country Club. If it’s variety you’re after, The Fan Village is calling your name. Located along the 16th hole, there are plenty of choices sure to satisfy everyone in your group. Seating and shaded areas give fans the chance to rest, relax and enjoy some delicious menu items.Torcy's Taco

  • For classic concession favorites visit The SHACK for a combo meal aptly named “Dustin’s Grand Slam,” which pays homage to him capturing the World Golf Championships Grand Slam last year.
  • For local favorites, pick up items from Michelthwait Craft Meats, best known for their BBQ.
  • Escape the heat at Amy’s Ice Creams, serving tasty cool treats. Get there early for their signature breakfast item, “Start the Jason Day,” a banana nut bread topped with maple ice cream named after the tournament’s 2016 champ.
  • No food tour is complete without stopping by Mighty Cone, who is returning this year to serve spicy fried meats & veggies inside a tortilla cone.
  • New in 2018, Oak Grove on 6 will be serving craft beers and delicious foods from local vendors like Torchy’s Tacos — their menu items are always made with the freshest ingredients.
  • If you want to try something new, swing by Austin’s Pizza for the PeppeRoryRoll, named after the 2015 champion (I think you can guess who it was).

Golf Ball & Tee

Valentine’s #DateNight Ready

09 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in Beauty, date night ideas, Fashion, Holidays, Product Reviews, Shopping, Uncategorized

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Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! I’m feelin’ extra lovey-dovey this year, with my new lil’ guy here in my arms. Our newborn son is the sweetest cuddliest Valentine I could ask for! Since family will be in town helping with baby, I have this crazy idea that the hubs & I will be able to sneak out for a nice dinner BUT in reality, that might actually be a quick run out to the fro-yo shop 🙂 However the evening plays out, I want to make Feb. 14th feel somewhat romantical during this trying transitional period known as the newborn stage. It’s helped me to do some little things to feel pretty & vibrant these days, even if I am sleep deprived & a tad hormonal. Even if it’s just a date night in, here are some fun things I’m using to get Valentine’s date night ready…

Add Some Sparkle:  I love how necklaces dress up a basic tee like magic. I’m relying on them to be a quick outfit pick-me-up when all I want to wear these days are comfy clothes. Y’all may have heard of fibi & clo, a women’s shoe and accessories brand that offers unique and eye-catching sparkly designs. As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, jewelry gift ideas can come in large supply, but when they are affordable and on trend – even better. They recently released an all-new line of jewelry that is purposefully paired with their signature sandals. I recently got the Seahorn Necklace & the Montauk Necklace ($55 each) and am fawning over the amount of semi-precious stones on each…so sparkly!fibi & clo jewelry

Putting on a Fresh Face:  One of the rituals I’ve tried to keep up with post-delivery is putting on my makeup. I’m a makeup-lovin’ girl, and for me, it’s something about getting ready for the day & putting on a fresh face of make up that makes me feel like normal again. Even if I’m not leaving the house, the process just helps me feel good about myself. I received a shipment of a new-to-me makeup line, CATRICE Cosmetics, and I have to say: I’m impressed with both the product and price point. Catrice CosmeticsIf you’re not familiar with CATRICE, they are a European brand who just launched stateside. Originally from Germany, they are now available in 60 countries world wide and expanding to 300 ULTA locations in the U.S. this year. CATRICE is known for being a luxury product at an amazing price point, offering a wide range of complexion, eye and lip products, featuring luxury packaging, innovative ingredients and beautiful, on-trend shades.

New Night Cream:  One of my favorite non-toxic skincare lines, PUR attitude, has just released Advanced Cell Renewal Night Crème, a high-performance anti-aging cream that delivers key ingredients into the skin overnight via a natural polymer time-released technology.Night Creme While the health benefits of eating fermented, probiotic foods are widely accepted in the food industry at this time, their use in skin care is relatively new. Fermenting natural oils restructures complex molecules, transforming them into tiny “superfoods” for the skin, providing faster absorption that results in healthier, younger-looking skin. Advanced Cell Renewal Night Crème uses a fermented olive oil for superior performance. –Kind of like Kombucha for the skin!

 

 

What Moms REALLY Want for Mother’s Day

01 Monday May 2017

Posted by in date night ideas, Everyday Joie, Holidays, Married Life, Motherhood, Product Reviews

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Hint:  it’s not flowers. It’s not chocolates. It’s not a store-bought greeting card. Many moms are over-scheduled, burdened by the day-to-day routine, and weary wearing the hat of caregiver for the whole family. We mamas keep this ship afloat, fo’ real. While we manage it all and love doing it, sometimes it’s a little overwhelming being everything to everyone. Sure, our hearts melt at a hand-crafted creation made with love from the littles but Dadas, consider breaking from the traditional gifts this Mother’s Day:

–What service would provide a momentary vacation from her daily responsibilities at home?

–What hobby did she enjoy pre-kids but is kinda missing out on these days?

–What is a luxury she could use & enjoy but just simply would not buy for herself?

Yes, her heart is bursting with love for your family, but what about the refreshing power of time for herself? –Self-care isn’t selfish! A long brunch with the girls, a week of dinners delivered-in, a surprise mani-pedi appt. — these are just a few thought starters. It doesn’t even have to be fancy or expensive…a drawn bubble bath or a morning to sleep-in goes a long way.  I’ve rounded up a couple more ideas below:

A Toast:  Breakfast in bed is certainly a treat, but a glass of rose’ is even better! Pour, serve, and cheers to her. After the kids go down to bed, escort her out to the back patio…think about & share a few words about what she means to the family or what you love about her as a mom. Perfect for sunset-watching and porch-rocking, these new canned wines are portable, safe around the pool, and easy to pair with even the most casual of meals from the grill. Backpack WineThe Chicago-based Backpack debuted in September and is available in two blend varieties, Cheek Rose’ and Snappy White, in four-can packs. Backpack Wine offers a unique combo of great-tasting, quality wine in an approachable, rebellious and fresh manner.

Adults-only:  Ok, family time is the BEST but we all could use a little adult-interaction from time to time. –We need to talk predictions for Game of Throne’s last season with people who are actually allowed to watch the show! Child-care cards from Toybrary hold a $25 value, which can go toward daytime drop-in care during the week or Parents Night Out on Saturday evenings. Date-night? Summer blockbuster on the big screen? Appt. at the blow-dry bar? –The gift of a child-free excursion is up to her! Whether she’s thinking a couple’s candlelit dinner or lunch with the ladies, these gift cards are little tokens of your support toward her independence. Might just give her the push she needs to get out there and reconnect with an old friend or try that new restaurant in town.Child Care Cards

 

Day-Date Idea: iFLY Austin

04 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by in Austin, Texas, date night ideas, Everyday Joie, Fitness, Married Life

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In my last post, I shared how I’ve been learning to set a regular date-night for my marriage and to keep it a priority. However, instead of the usual dinner & movie, I’m really digging the idea of 1.) day-dates vs. date-night and 2.) planning active & fun excursions to keep things fresh. I plan to begin cultivating ideas & places to check out and will post ’em here! Our first foray in achieving this type of couple’s activity was at iFLY Austin. iFLY 2Home to our city’s only indoor skydiving tunnel, this place is legit. So legit, in fact, that when we arrived for our mid-morning “flight,” the freaking ARMY was training there. Legit soldiers were in full gear practicing for when they’ll have to jump out of planes to keep America safe. Understandably, they wouldn’t allow me to take pics. Seeing a few minutes of their training was an honor.

Once they moved out, it was time for the recreational side of indoor skydiving to begin. My group was instructed to suit-up, remove all jewelry, and find a locker for your wallets & phone. Then, we attended a short & casual training class to prepare us for the experience. Our flight instructor informed us that we’d be communicating with him via hand signals and the most important rule is to RELAX. –I can certainly try & do more of that, right?!iFLY 1Then, we were ready to fly! Neither of us have gone skydiving before so it was our first experience with anything like this. –SO hilarious to see each other’s reactions! With the basic level ticket price, you get two flights. For the second round, we chose to upgrade a bit…the instructor takes you on spins and way up high to the top of the tunnel. This way, even though you’re a beginner, you still get to experiment with trying some tricks! iFLY Lindsey 1

iFLY Ryan 1It was an unexpected adrenaline rush that left us energized for the week. So, if you’re like me and feel like you & partner’s typical date-nights are in a bit of a rut, definitely give indoor skydiving a try. It’s the “something different” you’ve been looking for, trust me! They’re open until 9 or 10 p.m. most nights, so it can really fit into any schedule. Safe to say, we definitely bought ourselves return flights before we left. Thanks to iFLY for a truly unique day-date experience — we’ll be back!

Parents of preschoolers: Making weekly dates a priority and how to fit them in your schedule

18 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by in Austin, Texas, date night ideas, Faith, Married Life, Motherhood, Uncategorized

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day dates

Two years into this whole parenthood thing, I’m just getting used to the concept of “date-night.”  When you’re married & childless, any occasion, day-or-night, can be turned into a “date”…heck, your whole life outside of work is one big date!  And score! –each dinner out, movie, concert, whatever all result in getting to take your hottie home at the end of the night.  Young married life is pretty freakin’ great.  International travel.  An MBA.  Spontaneous weekend getaways.  Fancy meals at hot new restaurants.  I look back on that stage fulfilled to have gotten so much time together, just as husband and wife.

Then comes baby in a baby carriage!  #Blessed, but married life as you know it won’t be the same for at least 20+ years.  I’ve talked about Fearless Mom before but just as a quick refresh, it’s a moms lecture series with small group breakouts that meets weekly on Wed. mornings.  It’s a ministry of Lake Hills Church here in Austin and it’s been a place of comfort, learning, and camaraderie for me as a mom.  I’ve absorbed so much parenting truth.  Things like:

  • Marriage:  how the parenting pendulum swings between wife and mom
  • 20/20 Parenting:  discipline for the next 20 years, rather than the next 20 mins
  • Mom Guilt:  be aware and intentional with your thoughts – YOU are enough
  • Social Media:  Wherever you are, be all there. #putdownthephone

All. of. this.  Seriously, I’ve loved it so much!  If you’re not in Austin, you can follow along at home.  Anyway, one of the lessons of the past couple sessions has been to set a date night and keep it regularly.  –But it’s hard, y’all!  Here are the reasons why we’ve never been able to keep a regular weekly date night:

  • Babysitters are expensive.  No lie, I had a professional nanny who babysits on her off hours quote me “$15-$17/hr. for one child under the age of 5.” –Ugh, our ‘one child under the age of 5’ goes to bed by 7:30.  The sitter may be super-qualified, but I just can’t allow myself to pay someone $17/hr. to sit at the house while my little one sleeps.  I need to find some good minimum wage-level high schoolers in the neighborhood, for real.
  • Movies are pricey, too.  Many of the cinemas around where we live are these new luxury-style set-ups where you choose an assigned seat in a comfy leather armchair and have servers wait on you throughout the show.  Plus, all those bigger recliners with tables and wide aisles for food service = less space available in each theatre.  Anytime we get an itch to go to the movies on a whim, it’s like NO –tickets sold out a week ago.
  • I’m tired, honey.  Frankly, I’m tired all the time.  But I’m especially sleepy after like 9 p.m.  And honestly, on a Friday night with a glass of red wine in his system, so is the husband…I’ll catch him crashed out on the couch by 9:30 at night.  Also, no one enjoys looking down at their watch during a date.  If I do happen to get a second wind and want to party ’til midnight, the child’s still waking up at the same early bird hour that she always does the next day.  Um, where are the babysitters for the morning after?

But still, the notion of prioritizing your marriage during parenthood remains so important.  At Fearless Mom, I’ve heard it put like this:  Connect daily.  Date weekly.  Retreat annually.  So, dating doesn’t need to happen at night, right?  Here are some alternative date-night periods where we’ve carved in some couple-time:

  • During Preschool:  Our little one goes to a half-day program twice a week at the local church.  They call it Preschool, but it’s more of a Mother’s Day Out.  It’s rare, but if the hubs is open for lunch, I’ll throw out the idea of a lunch-date…he loves to eat out, so it’s not a hard sell.  Sometimes we’ll drive to the East side to check out the latest buzzed about restaurant that just opened.  But really, any meal out that we can eat together, hot & uninterrupted, is “date” enough for us!
  • When the Grandparents are Around:  Whether they’re visiting us or if we’re home for the holidays, we try to find an opportunity to sneak off for a moment to ourselves.  Just get in the car and find something to do outside the realm of parenthood!  Usually, it’s just us going see a movie or grab a drink with a friend.  BUT If you can get Grandma to sign-off for the overnight shift, this is an ideal chance for a one-night staycation at a hotel.  It’s amazing with the illusion of a real vacation can do for tired parents’ souls.
  • Daytime:  This is our key window!  I’m all about the day-dates vs. date-night.  Saturday mid-day is a great time for your weekly date.  Babysitters are less likely to be booked up, and the littles are awake & energetic so they’ll be earning that hourly rate 😉 Plus, there are opportunities for fun, active, outdoorsy dates.  Something to spice-up that married dating game besides the usual dinner & a movie, ya know?  We recently went on an indoor skydiving day-date that I can’t wait to tell y’all more about.  Blog post on our experience at iFLY coming soon!