The Roby Family

We started our trip home with a quick packing job and a drive North on I-35 to the Round Rock Premium Outlets. We arrived at 10:15a and finally departed at nearly 2:00p. Our feet were about to fall off by the time we left. The shops were great and we picked up some great buys for us and boys at great prices. However, we learned very quickly that you aren’t guaranteed great deals. In fact, we found a coat at the Banana Republic outlet Jenny received as a Christmas gift last year. The coat at the outlet this year was more expensive than in the store last year. Ha!

After leaving the outlet we were starving! Jenny had never eaten at Jack in the Box so we found one in Georgetown, TX and chowed down! We got out of Jack in the Box as quick as we could and pointed the car North for Oklahoma! Arrival at mom’s in Norman came at about 8:15p and when we pulled up the boys were very excited.

Our last full day in Austin was pretty laid back. We started with bagels and coffee at Julia’s and then watched OU demolish Kansas State. Jules had to work so Jenny & I headed out after the game to check into our hotel, print some pictures for Jules then we were off to visit an art gallery and do more shopping.

The art gallery we visited was hosting a show of European posters from the 1800′s to today. It was amazing. The gallery also has a semi-permanent collection of original Dr Suess’ artwork. Seeing Suess’s drawings, paintings and sculptures was very fun. We couldn’t take any pictures of the posters or art but Jenny snapped this flick outside the gallery.

Our cultural experience of the week out of the way we visited a few antique and vintage stores on W 6th St. After inhaling a lot of dust we drove downtown and circled block after block in search of free parking (I was out of cash for the garage…). We finally caught a guy leaving a shop and snuck into his spot. The BMW safely stowed we headed out to find the Hatbox, A Modern Haberdashery. I had been looking for two things in Austin, a great pair of vintage cowboy boots and a new hat. I finally found what I was looking for with this beauty:

With my head now so stylishly adorned I had to make Jenny step out on the style limb. She tried this on and really liked it:

I wasn’t real fond of it with winter upcoming; so I convinced her to buy a hat similar to this one:

Following our trip to the haberdashery we were off to find a hostess gift for Julia. We power-walked across downtown to the 2nd street district which is fast becoming the chichi (\ˈshÄ“-(ËŒ)shÄ“ ) downtown shopping district. We found a great turquoise blanket at a neat little shop called Mercury Design Studio. Our shopping for the day done and sunset approaching we headed back to Julia’s to clean up for dinner. Dinner was at a little sports grill downtown filled with orange. The orange was both of the oSu and UT variety. Talk about being surrounded!

Day 4 of our trip was very laid back. We got a late start with a late brunch at Austin Java Co. We found a great shaded spot on the patio and were patiently waiting for our food when I felt a little drop on my shoulder. I thought it was a leaf and when I tried to brush if off I realized it was actually bird poop. Yum! Jenny just had to snap flicks of my shirt and the offending bird.

After a trip to the bathroom sink to clean my shirt I was able to settle in and enjoy my gingerbread pancakes with cinnamon & brown sugar butter. All cleaned up and our bellys full we snapped a few pictures and then sauntered across the street to several boutiques and of course didn’t buy a thing.

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We then met up with Charles and headed out to a great shopping district on South First Street. We visited a couple of record shops, a few vintage stores and a really great gardening shop. Jenny picked up a great vintage cashmere sweater and once again I passed on purchasing a pair of cowboy boots. We also met the owners of each of the stores we went in and had a great time chatting with them about their shop and Austin. After all the shopping we were ready for some late afternoon tapas at the restaraunt formally known as Dona Emilia’s. After hanging out for a while with Charles and friends we met up with Julia and headed for dinner at Cipollina Bistro. Jenny & I split a great pizza and then we headed back to Julia’s and crashed. Tomorrow we will watch the OU game at Julia’s then figure out what to do the rest of the day. Toodles.

Day 3 of our visit to the blue oasis in the middle of this big red state was loaded with more shopping, eating and seeing old friends.

We started at IKEA in Round Rock which apparently to some Austinites is akin to driving to Oklahoma. But nonetheless we loaded up our borrowed yellow bag and carts with lots of goodies for us and Julia. Prompting me to wonder if this what our impending trip home will look like:

After IKEA we visited REI and picked up a new camera case hoping a new slimmer, shinier case would aid us in taking pictures. We then trucked over to The Domain. A new ultra-high end lifestyle center. After maybe 15 minutes we decided it wasn’t really our speed. So, we loaded up and headed for lunch and an environment a little more befitting of us:

In all seriousness this place has maybe the best tacos I have ever had. Jenny & Julia both had The Democrat and I had a Beef Fajita while all three of us had a Fried Avocado. Yum!

The Democrat: Shredded beef barbacoa and onions topped off with fresh avocado, queso fresco, cilantor and a wedge of lime served on a corn tortilla with our green sauce.

Beef Fajita: Marinated and grilled skirt steak with grilled onions and peppers and topped off with shredded cheese and pico de gallo on your choice of tortilla and salsa.

Fried Avocado: Hand battered fresh avocadoes fried and served with vegetarian refried beans, lettuce, pico, and cheese. Taco comes with poblano ranch on a Corn tortilla.

Following gorging ourselves and our horrible attempt at taking pictures we headed to the South Congress shopping district. Lots of cool boutiques reside in this hip area. I begged Jenny to let me have some vintage black & turquoise cowboy boots to no avail. In the spirit of compromise we settled on my purchasing this belt buckle and rescuing it back to the great state of Oklahoma.

After not buying anything else and visiting the craziest costume store I have ever seen we headed back to Julia’s to freshen up for dinner. We headed to Polvo for more mexican food and to spend time with Julia’s beau Ben and Jenny & Julia’s friend Kate. After dinner we met up with Charles at a little coffee lounge called Halcyon and had smores. The selection seemed random but in the end was good and I almost ordered a second helping. And guess what, we forgot the camera in the car so no more pictures past 4:45p CST. But, we did better than day 2, so hopefully day 4 will contain many beautiful photographs. Toodles.

Day 2 of our Austonian excursion went great. We started out with brunch at a great little place called Galaxy Cafe on West Lynn. It used to be the laundromat where Jules did her laundry, but about a year ago they turned it into this great 50′s sputnik style retro cafe. The batteries for the camera were dead so I took this shot with my BlackBerry’s camera:

Next we drove over to the Westgate Central Market. It was a very cool grocery store that isn’t quite as pretentious as Whole Foods, but lot’s of the same stuff. Again, the batteries were dead so I snapped a photo of the “grind your own peanut butter” machine with my BlackBerry. Now, you know I love peanut butter so I sat and stared for a good five minutes and then watched Jules spoon fresh ground out of a five-gallon bucket. I almost starting licking the spoon.

It was time for Jules to head off to work so Jenny & I ventured out on our own for a little shopping. Against our better OU fan judgement we found ourselves over on UT’s “Drag.” The Drag is this crazy little shopping district that caters to the ten kajillion students at UT that all wear burnt orange. Every shop apparently has a quota of how much burnt orange they have to have on hand at in given time, because it is everywhere. But the great thing about the Drag is the shops cater to college kids, so it is hip threads at a discounted price. What is not to love about that? I scored a pair of jeans for 75% off at Urban Outfitters and Jenny landed a great plaid jacket for 60% off at a local shop. We also picked up several other things from shirts to pants. We love the bargain hunt! In a cool local placed called Wish I ran across the back wall decorated with album covers. I love old album art and though this was a really cool idea.

After clothes shopping we headed over to Whole Foods downtown to pick up some breakfast for the rest of the week along with coffee. You see, Julia doesn’t drink coffee and that is a problem for me as a house guest. So I picked up a Bodum Coffee Solo set and some fresh roasted Mexican coffee from the store. After I bagged up my coffee I ran across this:

I totally forgot Progress sold their coffee at Whole Foods and the labels were designed by Mauricio and the crew at LaunchPad. Great to see some OKC fellas representing the 405 in the live music capital of the world.

After our second trip to a grocery store on vacation we cleaned up back at Jules’ place then headed over to our friend Chas’ place. High-rise condos and apartments are being built everywhere in Austin these days. He lives in the 360 which is one of the first high rise buildings to be finished and is the tallest in Austin. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying time with good friends and the great view. Another BlackBerry shot:

We did get fresh batteries for the camera but then forgot it at Jules’ apartment. We’ll do better tomorrow. Toodles.

We finally made it to Austin tonight. The drive was smooth with the exception of being stuck in traffic in Fort Worth for what seemed like an eternity. We also caught traffic as we arrived in Austin and it took us nearly 30 minutes to go the last two miles. But, we finally arrived at Julia’s at about 5:30p.

We quickly cleaned up and headed out for dinner and to meet Julia’s beau Ben for dinner. The restaurant they had picked out was all full. So plan B kicked in and we walked over to a place called 219West in the Warehouse District of downtown Austin. I enjoyed mini-burgers and Jenny had “brocolini” with crab meat. We then walked over to Ben’s loft which is in the Amli on 2nd building. Very cool building and very cool space with great views. I was able to capture one decent pic of the sisters out on the balcony.

We will try and get better pics as the week goes on and I find fresh batteries for the camera. Toodles.