I spend a lot of time scanning menus, honing in on the items the girls will eat and enjoy (key to our entire dining out experience) while trying to avoid automatically resorting to the kid's menu dregs of chicken nuggets and buttery noodles.
In fact, I spend so much time thinking about what the girlies will consume that when I do find myself dining sans kids (it doesn't happen often), I still inevitably scan the menu for the "safe" choices. It's a hard habit to break.
A couple of weeks ago my hubby and I spent an weekend in Austin for our tenth anniversary -- with no kids in tow. We were (of course) excited about the alone time...the chance to hang out, meander in museums, go for drives without having to mitigate backseat dramas...but we were absolutely giddy with excitement about the food possibilities. We planned our meals with the precision of a general going into battle. (I even e-mailed this fantastic blogger for some restaurant suggestions, as while Bryan and I lived in Austin for many years, it was over a decade ago, and when we visit, we tend to frequent the same spots.)
While we ended up eating some admittedly "kid-friendly" fare -- namely lots of tacos (it was Austin after all) and a *huge* stack of pumpkin pancakes at Kirby Lane, we did revel in such adult indulgences as fresh arugula and heady gorgonzola pizza and an amazing, magical, wholly unique meal at Uchiko. It was maybe the best meal I've ever had...it lasted almost 3 hours, involved a genius French waiter, prosecco with grilled thyme and lemons and insanely delicious food that I couldn't pronounce.
It was definitely not a kid's meal.
We need to do that more often.
In fact, I spend so much time thinking about what the girlies will consume that when I do find myself dining sans kids (it doesn't happen often), I still inevitably scan the menu for the "safe" choices. It's a hard habit to break.
A couple of weeks ago my hubby and I spent an weekend in Austin for our tenth anniversary -- with no kids in tow. We were (of course) excited about the alone time...the chance to hang out, meander in museums, go for drives without having to mitigate backseat dramas...but we were absolutely giddy with excitement about the food possibilities. We planned our meals with the precision of a general going into battle. (I even e-mailed this fantastic blogger for some restaurant suggestions, as while Bryan and I lived in Austin for many years, it was over a decade ago, and when we visit, we tend to frequent the same spots.)
While we ended up eating some admittedly "kid-friendly" fare -- namely lots of tacos (it was Austin after all) and a *huge* stack of pumpkin pancakes at Kirby Lane, we did revel in such adult indulgences as fresh arugula and heady gorgonzola pizza and an amazing, magical, wholly unique meal at Uchiko. It was maybe the best meal I've ever had...it lasted almost 3 hours, involved a genius French waiter, prosecco with grilled thyme and lemons and insanely delicious food that I couldn't pronounce.
It was definitely not a kid's meal.
We need to do that more often.
I'm so glad you guys had a great weekend in Austin! And glad you got to try Uchiko... it's seriously amazing. (Also, yay Cipollina!) :)
ReplyDeleteSounds amazing!!! The dinner part and kid-free weekend. Got to do it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic meal!
ReplyDeleteprosecco makes every meal better. glad you had a fantastic trip! xo
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to see that you were in Austin, where I live! Cipolina is a fantastic grown-up restauarant. Thanks, too, for introducing me to Poco-cocoa! Somehow I missed her wonderful writing until now.
ReplyDeleteThat pizza has me dreaming of jumping from my desk and going in search of something war, gooey, and chewy! And I love that it has greens on top; it's a complete meal!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great meal! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteBrad Fallon
Good for you guys don't we all need more of that! Old habits!
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www.thefamily-table.blogspot.com
It is such a yummy pizza dish, really you arranged it so good way, with green vegetables.
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ReplyDeleteThis sounds like the dream anniversary getaway! 💕 No kids, just good vibes, long drives, and carefully plotted foodie missions—love it! Planning meals like a general? Totally relate 😂 If you're ever looking for a quick bite that still hits the spot, don’t forget to peek at wendy’s menu with prices —sometimes the best comfort food comes with zero planning!
ReplyDeleteCompleting Live Below the Line 2014 and the day after was such an emotional experience.
ReplyDeleteI can’t explain how charged the house felt on Friday evening as we neared our completion of living below the line. We danced round the kitchen, we chatted, we talked — really talked about big important issues. I felt enormously proud of the boys for being compassionate children who truly care about others and seem to grasp the bigger picture.
Earlier in the day, a heated discussion had broken out on my Facebook page about poverty and healthy eating. They are linked, but also two separate issues. Many people with enough money still eat poorly, and when a BBC article highlighted that some can’t afford to eat healthily, it left me deflated. Living below the line showed me how restrictive poverty really is. It’s not just about learning to cook better — when choice itself is limited, healthy balanced meals every day become nearly impossible.
For those who want to explore affordable food options while still being mindful of budget, you can check out ALDI Weekly Specials. Small changes in shopping choices can make a big difference.