this friday is my brother’s 21st birthday(!), so i’m taking a vacation day to drive down to austin to spend that afternoon and evening/the rest of the weekend with him. i’m sooooo excited. uh, 1.) i don’t get to see enough of my little bro these days. 2.) 21st birthdays only come around once in a lifetime, especially your little brother’s. haha. but yeah, i’ve been waiting on this day for years, literally. 3.) austin is the greatest city ever and i’m always thrilled to have an excuse to visit it. 4.) the last time i’ve celebrated a 21st birthday on sixth street was my 21st birthday. oh, the memories, guys.
anyway, i thought it would be the perfect time to post pictures from the last time i went to visit him, back in october. it was rad.
{i couldn’t miss stopping at our favorite czech bakery in west! you might remember this post from waaaay back when. i got the usual kolaches for mike and me for breakfast and a pumpkin whoopie pie for the road, which was fantastic.}
{every time i’m roadtripping through texas, the sky always puts on some elaborate display for me during the drive. this time, there were several. as it was, i had my friend michael, who passed away a year and a half ago, on my mind, like i always do when i drive to austin, because in college i would always visit him when i went there. and then with the sky doing some spectacular things and the clouds moving so fast and seeming so alive, i know it sounds crazy but i just felt like he was there. i was having like a lion king moment or something. anyway, it was pretty cool.}
{yeahhhh… see what i mean? no filter on this, you guys. it was unreal. a few times, i looked at the people in the cars that i was passing like, “are you guys seeing the same thing that i’m seeing???”}
{a sidewalk poem – VERY austin – and an oktoberfest at pluckers. also very austin. although it would have been even more austin had i been drinking, say, an austin amber.}
{oh heyyyyyy.}
{didn’t mom and mimi do a nice job decorating mike’s condo? ;) i actually really like it [minus the UT stuff!]. like this number thing on the wall – the perfect decoration for the numbers guy!}
{his space.}
{we slept in [college-style], and then we went for a run at shoal creek. and i pretty much almost died. remind me never to run with this tennis-playing college kid now that i’m old. but the run was pretty and i’d still say it was a good one.}
{i’m happy that he’s my brother.} :)
{south congress. and pictures from the last time i was there.}
{oh, this city sure knows how to steal my heart.}
{dinner at south congress cafe! mike had duck, and i had the most amazing seafood risotto.}
{the parents instructed us to go for a nice dinner together and they took care of the bill. being the foodies that we are, it was much appreciated. and we loved spending the time together, just the two of us. thank you, mom and dad!}
{we always have to stop in uncommon objects for a look-see.}
{this was me trying to get a picture of the downtown skyline while we were driving over the river. somehow, i kind of like it.}
(dear texas capitol building, you are too beautiful for words. also, year-round sparkly white lights in trees are my favorite.}
{and then we went to sixth street and it decided to POUR. so this is the obligatory bathroom selfie in which i am completely drenched and have dripping wet hair that i am about to attempt to dry under the hand-dryer. good times.}
{we spent most of the night at buffalo billiards because of the rain. we sure had a fun night though!}
{brother-sister bonding on sixth. i love him so much.}
{and as a bonus, i got to have brunch with one of my best friends from college, thomas, at taverna.}
{brunch is something we do best. also, not to embarrass thomas or anything, but remember when he was my model for photography class? – see the photos here and here. what a handsome guy!}
can’t WAIT to see you this weekend brother bear! 21, here we come!
xoxo