Checking out the Driskill
When I got married, I hit the jackpot when it came to second families. I love my new family, (and, despite them being from the Midwest and liking cheese more than I could ever possibly understand) and me from the East Coast (and knowing that pizza should always be triangular and foldable), we get along better than I could have ever imagined or dared hope for.
That is especially true when it comes to my cousin Emily. She’s not actually my cousin. She’s my cousin by marriage — is that a thing? Her mother is the daughter of my father-in-law’s sister. So … I’ll let you do the math.
Anyway, we got along famously from the moment we met, despite our 17-year age difference. She’s super smart and hilarious. And she’s as free a spirit as they come. She’s game for any of the shenanigans I come up with, including traveling with me whether it’s a cruise to the Caribbean or a Texas road trip.
Our most recent trip was the latter. Her son was off to Mexico with friends for Spring Break, so she asked if I might have any adventures in my back pocket. And, of course, I did.
Here’s the thing about traveling with Emily and what makes her literally the perfect traveling companion. She is truly cool with whatever. She doesn’t just say she is and then sigh when she sees the menu or the hotel or the day’s activity. She is literally wide open to whatever the day might bring and finds joy in every moment, every interaction, every activity.
So when I suggested we head to Austin to check out the famous Driskill Hotel and eat our way through the city then head to Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs, she was more than happy to oblige. I ordered us the obligatory matching crewneck sweatshirts and tees, and we hit the road.
The Driskill is a super cool old hotel. Our room was charming, and the hotel itself is gorgeous. Now, rumor has it its haunted but only by friendly ghosts. Don’t worry. And, I will admit, we did DIY a Ouiji board, which we used to great success.
Or maybe that was the cocktails. Either way, it made for a very fun evening.
We did literally eat our way through Austin, starting with brunch at Cafe No Se, a chic little coffee shop with the best beverages and bites and a totally inviting space.
Then, after spending some time exploring the incredible ballrooms and shelves of books and massive mirrors at the Driskill, we went to Social Hour at Lutie’s — DO NOT MISS social hour at Lutie’s. From the simple entrance to the hundreds of plants hanging from the ceiling to the decadent and inventive menu, I cannot stop thinking about this place.
We had fritto misto, snapper crudo, roasted carrots, crispy chicken wings, Yonderway Pork and pistachio matcha soft serve, and the not-to-be-missed-under-ANY-circumstances Sourdough English muffins. I would drive to Austin just for those.
Although we could have happily stayed there all evening, off to our reservation at The Kitchen we went. And we were glad we did. They have an impressive menu already, but they even made Emily a custom menu for her birthday, complete with images of her favorite things all printed up in her favorite colors.
The food was delicious. But it was the staff and the vibe that made for such a nice evening.
The next day we enjoyed lunch at Uptown Sports Club with its super-groovy old-school bustling vibe, high wooden booths, lunch counter service and a charming staff wearing “Gumbo Weather” sweatshirts.
The tuna crudo was out of this world. And — I am saying this as someone who is not a major gumbo gal — their chicken and sausage gumbo is perfection. Plus, their spiced chai is definitely worth writing home about.
That night we had dinner at Aba, and I think we ordered almost everything on the menu — mostly sharable, small plates, my favorite way to dine. We had hummus, kabobs, Brussels sprouts, crab cakes, chicken thighs, orzo — it was enough to feed an army and SO delicious.
The next morning, we ended our Austin feasting with brunch at Serenade on the ground floor of the W Austin. It is so incredibly chic, from the entrance to the décor to the plating of their fabulous food, including their house-made gougères, roasted rainbow beet salad and buttermilk pancakes with cinnamon apples, candied pecan butter and caramel.
Then it was off to Camp Lucy. The only bummer is that it was cold — like, really cold. Like, freezing cold. Like can-barely-walk-from-the-car-to-the-restaurant cold. Luckily our room was fantabulous, thoughtfully appointed with anything one could need, including pour over Vietnamese coffee! And the décor is unreal. It’s like stepping into an art museum where you’re allowed to sit on the furniture.
We got to say hello to the adorable llamas. (We’ll have to go back in order to have our planned hike with them.) Emily did yoga, which she loved. And we got to briefly visit the chickens, who graciously gave us the prettiest colored eggs.
All of the other activities — things like archery and fly fishing, which I cannot wait to do — will have to wait for a fair-weather visit.
We were just happy to be tucked into this beautiful hideaway, making our visit all about the food. We enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner at their onsite restaurant, Tillie’s, and the only thing better than the food — everything was delicious — was the service. We also got to enjoy afternoon tea and a bubbles tasting/pairing with chocolate-covered strawberries and charcuterie.
It was heavenly. All of it. And I cannot wait to go back.
When you get married, the second family you get, is well, the second family you get — for better or worse. So I feel terribly lucky and incredibly grateful to have gotten the one I did, especially when it comes to Emily. The only question now is, where shall we go next?
