Austin, Texas

A couple weeks ago I took some time off from work and flew to Austin, Texas to visit one of my best friends, Talia. If you've never been to Austin, you NEED to go. BBQ, tacos, guac and margaritas surround you along with endless things to do and an exciting nightlife. If that doesn't give you enough of a reason to go, Austin was voted the #1 place to live in the United States in 2017 by the U.S. News & World Report. It's a place where everyone is welcome, after all the city motto is "Keep Austin Weird".

Immediately as I got off the plane I jumped into Tal's car and we headed towards our first destination, Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. As a die hard HGTV fan, this was by far my favorite part of the trip. 

Standing in front of the iconic silos for the first time was so surreal for me. I never thought I would actually see Magnolia Market in person. Walking into Joanna's whimsical store was an experience in itself. Every little detail was perfect.

After walking through the store we headed straight to the bakery. The shop was beautifully filled with Joanna's iconic style and the most delicious looking cupcakes. Subway tile lined the walls and every treat in the window was labeled with Magnolia's signature calligraphy. As soon as you step in line you are handed an index card that list the menu of treats, I checked off the Lemon Lavender Cupcake.











The Lemon Lavender cupcake featured a cloud of creamy lemon buttercream frosting on top of a lavender-infused cake. It was soooo good!



After spending about an hour sitting on the swings taking in the view of the Silos we decided to head back to Austin.


The rest of my trip was spent exploring the best parts of Austin. We went sight seeing, shopping up and down South Congress and eating our way through the best restaurants we could find. See below for a list of my favorite places to eat!

Where to eat:

• South Congress Hotel - This brand new hotel has a candle-lit, sophisticated atmosphere featuring live music, delicious drinks and apps. Oh and there's free valet parking!

• Torchy Tacos - Right in the middle of South Congress, this taco spot has the best, somewhat spicy tacos.

• Guero's - This is my favorite spot to eat in Austin, I make Talia take me every time I visit. Their fresh guac is so good, along with their watermelon margarita. You have to try! 

• Culinary Dropout -  Located in the up and coming area, The Domain, this restaurant has the coolest outdoor seating with a bar serving creative cocktails, turf area filled with yard games and a menu filled with unique pub-food dishes. 

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog, I hope you enjoyed! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or leave a comment below!

xoxo Tori