If you follow me on Instagram, I’ve dropped hints about some big news for a few weeks now. If you know me from my personal life, then you might have already heard, but for the rest of you I wanted to let you in on some BIG life changes happening around here. Without further adieu….
I’m quitting my full-time job!
Ok now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll explain a bit more. While I’ve never thought that I would find myself blogging full time (at least not until way down the road), it is opening doors to travel opportunities and experience a different pace of life that I can’t pass up. I don’t foresee blogging to be my end all be all and I don’t expect to solely be doing it for long, but for now it is the right decision for me. I expect to start looking for work again after the new year.
I’m having a second hip surgery!
As you might know, I had the first of my two hip surgeries in March of this year. I was out of commission for a good two months and then in physical therapy for another two. I will have the same thing done on my right hip October 9th and expect the same type of recovery. You can read more about my first surgery here.
I’m traveling the world!
Now onto the most exciting news and the most up in the air news. First up, I am heading to New York Fashion Week today for the second time. It will actually just be the first stop on my little adventure. I plan to be traveling for about a month. If you had asked me a month ago, heck even a week ago, my travel plans would have been different than what they are now. Due to recent events with Hurricane Harvey, my aunt is no longer able to travel with me which changes things a bit. I won’t go into detail but let’s just say that as of now, the only thing nailed down is my plane ticket across the pond. So it will literally be a fly by the seat of your pants type of adventure. I don’t want to give everything away (and honestly I don’t even know what everything is), but I will say that I am headed to Boston, Nantucket and then parts of Europe! I plan on blogging about my entire experience and will be sharing all of the pictures on my Instagram if you would like to follow along.
I’m moving!
And last but not least, I have moved back home with my parents temporarily with all of these life changes going on. This piece of the puzzle actually worked out perfectly because Lindsey (my sister/roomie) is also moving to Chicago! So we said see ya later to our little townhouse in the city this week and I am saying hello to the suburbs. I’m definitely a little sad not to be in the city with all of my friends but I am so fortunate for some quality time with my parents and to save a bit of money while I pursue my dreams.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to take this leap of faith. I can’t wait to share all of my experiences with you all.
Theres no hiding what a huge wino I am on my little corner of the internet. I’m not one to shy away from a glass (er, bottle) of cab any given night of the week. So when my college girlfriends talked about getting together for a reunion, Fredericksburg (aka Texas wine country) was at the top of our list. I’ve been to the “real” wine country, but this was my first time to experience Texas wine country and all of it’s glory. By the end of the trip, we all agreed that it would become an annual trip as we fell in love with the little city and of course, the endless amounts of wine and girl talk.
Where to Stay
I highly suggest renting a house for the weekend. If you are heading up for a girls weekend or wanting to go in on a place with multiple people, a house is the way to go. Fredericksburg offers many cute options that make the trip so much more enjoyable than staying in a hotel. We stayed at “The Aqua Door“ which proved to be everything we hoped for and more! We were able to spread out comfortably and truly felt like we were at home. Most places are between $4-$600 a night (cheaper during the week) so split between multiple people, it is well worth it! Our house came equipped with boardgames, a hot tub, outdoor games, cable, a piano, and several other amenities that made it a home away from home and a real treat. The owner has several other properties (found here), all with different colored front doors, that are perfect for your next girls weekend, bachelorette party, or couples retreat. I cannot say enough great things about the owner, all of her recommendations, attention to little details, and the overall house aesthetic. Just look what I mean 🙂
Favorite Wineries
There are several tasting rooms on the main strip but if you are wanting to go to some of the wineries a little bit further out, I suggest taking the Wine Shuttle that runs to all of the wineries and picks up every 15 minutes. It is just $24.99 and well worth the money to not drink and drive. Our shuttle driver cranked up the music and we had a grand old time!
Grape Creek Vineyard– Our personal favorite! A tasting is $18 and you get to pick out 6 wines. The majority of us are red wine lovers, and enjoyed the Viognier and Bellissimo wines. We also stayed for lunch in their dining room and split a bottle of wine. We were given several free glasses of wine which might have been why it was our favorite 🙂
Becker Vineyards– A beautiful vineyard that also has lavender fields. Perfect for that vineyard Instagram picture (see below). There is normally live music on the weekends with a gorgeous area that overlooks the vineyard. Perfect area to split a bottle of wine. My personal favorite was the Reserve Malbec.
4.0 Cellars– Calling all wine and cheese lovers. This winery offers a wine and cheese pairing tasting for just $25. If you want to cut the cheese (hehe), a wine tasting is just $15. Friday evenings offer live music and you are welcome to pack snacks to enjoy on the patio.
Where to Eat
Fredericksburg has a lot of German history and heritage, which makes for great dining! Several of our meals were German because who can pass up a schnitzel and beer to combat all of the wine? Not us!
Otto’s– If you are looking for a really good German inspired meal, all 6 of us LOVED this place. Each one of us got something different and ended up sharing everything because every dish was out of this world! Some of our favorites included the Ricotta Gnochi, Wurst Platte, and Pork Shank. The prices are reasonable for a nice dinner. They are also open for Sunday Brunch. I do suggest arriving early or making a reservation as the place is very small.
The Auslander-If you are wanting a cheap, authentic German meal, this is the place! If the weather is nice enough, there is usually a pretty good sized crowd enjoying live music and throwing back oversized beers.
Sozial Haus– A quaint spot that has great pizza. Monday nights they have half price pizzas and bottles of wine.
Hondos– An old spot where you will find many locals. The food is nothing extraordinary but the atmosphere is fun!
Vaudeville– This is a nicer place and reservations are recommended. Even if you don’t get a chance to eat here, I suggest checking out the courtyard and little shop that is attached to it. Both are amazing! I have heard the restaurant is a must do if you have the time (and money!) to do so.
August E’s– Another great fine dining experience. We were there during the week and attended “Thai Tuesday” night. While the price is a little high for thai, the portions are HUGE and easy to share. They also have sushi and steaks.
What to Do
Besides the obvious, there are plenty of other things to do in Fredericksburg! It is such a cute town to explore and small enough to walk most places if you are staying at a house that is close to the main strip.
Walk/shop the main strip- There are over 100 small shops, tasting rooms, markets, and restaurants along the main strip. Be aware that almost everything closes down early in Fredericksburg so to do this earlier in the day. Most place close by 6.
Tasting rooms- If you are just wanting to grab a drink before dinner or do not want to drive out to the wineries, several of the vineyards have tasting rooms on the main strip.
Lincoln St.- A cute indoor/outdoor bar that is perfect for drinks before or after dinner and one of the only places that stays open later.
Yellow Door Studio– If you have already done a wine and painting class, then you know how fun they are. If you have not, now is your time! The art class is BYOB and is so much fun! These classes run about $45/person and are a great keepsake for a girls or bachelorette weekend!
*Thank you Colored Door Properties for our complimentary stay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
