Road Trip: Fort Worth, Texas

Last month we celebrated Rich’s first full weekend off in two months, by taking a road trip to Fort Worth. We had never been, and we were curious to check out the sister city to Dallas.

Fort Worth has such an adorable downtown, and the shops offer a lot of unique gifts without being overly cheesy and tourist-driven. Since there are almost no chain stores, the downtown has a truly authentic feel.

We stayed at The Ashton Hotel, and it’s one of the city’s oldest historic landmarks.

The hotel has been fully restored, but there are still fun little elements that remind you of its historic charm. The room key, for example, is an actual key. (We had a heightened sense of anxiety the entire weekend that we would lose it.)

The fun thing about Fort Worth is that there is definitely an outdoorsy, cowboy element that permeates the area. We spent Saturday on the river, kayaking alongside the city’s borders.  We rented a tandem kayak (from Backwoods Kayak & Canoe Rentals). I don’t have any pictures of this, but Rich did most of the paddling while I made feeble attempts to match his swift strokes.

That night we were complete nerds, and went to see 1964: The Tribute at the Bass Performance Hall in town. We brought the average age down about 30 years, but the band had great energy and it’s hard to beat classics from The Beatles.

Bass Performance Hall

On the balcony right before the show!

Inside Bass Performance Hall

1964: The Tribute

A real summer treat

You guys. After sweltering for months in ungodly temperatures and humidity, the unthinkable finally happened. It has FINALLY cooled off.

Yesterday morning some rains showers moved through…

 

… and now the average ‘high’ is only 84°.

 

This morning, I was actually cold when I went outside. It was amazing.

Summer Sunset

While driving home the other evening, the roads were empty and I caught this really serene sunset. The sky was just glowing with warm, summer light.

 

Gidget turns 5!

To celebrate the five years of non-stop howling terror this maniac beagle has unleashed in everyone’s lives, she gets her very own birthday post. (I’m aware this puts me on the same level as a crazy cat lady).

Yesterday, Gidget turned 5. In human years, this equates to mid-thirties, yet Gidget is proof that age is all about attitude.

Cupcakes for breakfast.

The favorite among the birthday toys (sent from Gidget’s grandparents) was selected.

Can’t stop. Won’t stop. 

Happy birthday to the most adorable dog there is!

Day Trip + Meat Pies

I’m practically vegetarian. I also hate pies (all kinds). Yet, somehow the combination of the two is fabulous, and I had the pleasure of trying it this weekend.

We took a day trip to Natchitoches this weekend for lunch and some shopping.

We ate lunch at The Landing, a quaint restaurant along Front Street with eclectic menu offerings such as alligator, catfish, rabbit hushpuppies, and a local favorite, meat pies.

Since Natchitoches is known for its meat pies, I silenced all of my internal protests against such a creation and resolved to try them.

They were Ah-maz-ing. Like really, really good. The best description I can give them is to liken them to baby calzones filled with spices and meat.

I cannot  believe I let two years pass without trying this Louisiana staple.

This is probably the one time you’ll ever hear me say I’ve been missing out when speaking about a deep-fried meat dish, and I’m okay with that.

 

Half-Marathon Training in the Summer

Participant ribbon from one of the local summer fun runs.

There was once a time when I really relished a long summer run. Not so much anymore. Thank you, Shreveport.

In New Jersey, there might be a “heat wave” where the heat index exceeds 100°, maybe once a year. I can’t even believe I used to complain about this when it only lasted a week or two, max.

Now, I live in a constant heat wave for six months every year. This means there are some new challenges when training during the summer months for the famed fall marathon (or half) season.

I’m currently training for the Women’s Running Half Marathon in Nashville, TN, and I hate running on a treadmill. After battling, (yes, battling), two previous summers in Louisiana, where I felt faint, dizzy, and nauseous, after almost every run outside, I think I finally have it right this third time around.

I’m sharing my tips for running in temps that make your life miserable, so it’s not as miserable.

• Hydrate fully an entire day before a long run (anything exceeding 5 miles) with lots of water, a lot of watery fruits and veggies, and skip anything carbonated or heavily caffeinated.

My two favorite choices for staying hydrated.

• Set the alarm for 5:00am (or earlier). This is the hardest part, but also the most important. You need to already be running while it’s still dark out. Once the sun has been up and blazing for only a mere hour (around here it rises a little after 6am), it will begin to feel like the fires of hell have been unleashed upon you. Think you can just wait until the evening when the sun goes down? Think again. That asphalt you’re running on has been baking all day and will continue to radiate heat like a fry pan.
• Expect that your pace will dramatically slow down. No, you’re not out of shape (okay, maybe just a little), but the heat is going to take a lot out of you, and your first mile is going to look a lot different than your last mile.
• Under absolutely no circumstances should you wear any article of clothing made out of cotton when going for a long run. This is a classic rookie mistake. Google it for horror stories.
• Bring water with you on the run. You can invest in some fancy gear, but I think that’s cumbersome. I usually just carry a baby 8oz water bottle with me and refill it at water stops as I go. The best (free) water stop in Shreveport is here:

A BIG thank you to the residents of this development for letting local runners stop here for water!

• Lastly, don’t overdo it. Hitting a mileage or time goal isn’t worth it if you’re feeling awful.

Happy running!

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville

There’s a new hotspot in town: Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Resort & Casino in Bossier City.

We recently went to check it out.

Not being a frequent visitor to casinos, once inside, it kind of looked like all of the other casinos in Shreveport/Bossier; the only difference being its affinity for palm tree decor and tropical drinks.

The one thing that does set it apart from the others in town, however, is the Margaritaville roofdeck bar.

It’s the one place in town with a great view of the Red River, Texas Street Bridge, and Louisiana Boardwalk. (Tip: Arrive before 8pm to avoid the $5 cover charge).

I think most visitors will probably say that the strong margaritas, served in a souvenir blender cup, make the trip worthwhile (watch out, Superior Grill).

Now, if only I actually liked margaritas…

Cheers!

I can’t even begin…

Sometimes I wish I knew Rich in college. Other times, I’m grateful we didn’t meet until afterwards.

While cleaning out some boxes and closets recently, Rich uncovered this tiger printed, faux-fur blanket. He says it was from his fraternity days.

The absurdity of it makes me laugh out loud every time.

Gidget even posed for a glamour shot.

Is anyone else reminded of the Seinfeld episode with the George Castanza photo shoot?

A Perfect Saturday

To celebrate his last weekend as a PGY-2, Rich worked. The entire weekend. As in I did not see him except for dinner on Friday night.

Having the weekend to ourselves, Gidget and I made a productive use of our time.

We got up early and walked.

We went to the Farmer’s Market.

I took a yoga class with Ally Ford, an amazing and inspiring instructor who was visiting our local yoga studio for the weekend.

I went to lunch with a fellow yogi friend, took a well-deserved nap, and cooked a veggie-filled dinner with fresh purchases from the Farmers’ Market.

Roasted Vegetable & Basil Quinoa with Garlic Sauteed Green Beans.

… And repeated the sequence on Sunday.

Seaside, Florida

The summer travels continued, and this time Rich was able to join!

We ventured down to Florida’s panhandle, where we spent a week in Seaside, a little beach town best known for being the movie set of The Truman Show. Located right on the Gulf, it was a true slice of paradise.

We stayed in a beachfront cottage, and it was the cutest little place, ever.

Our adorable cottage and the Gulf view.

More of the view.

While in Seaside, we played a round of golf (the single most humiliating four hours of my life, having never played 18 holes previously), rode bikes, lounged on the beach, and even went fishing, where I nearly died from seasickness, but that’s another story for another blog post. The good thing is that Shorty’s Surfside & Topside Grill was able to cook up the fish for us, and we absolutely feasted like royalty. It was amazing.

Four! (And that water you see in the photo is now home to the many, many balls that I lost).

A post-yoga treat. That this existed in Seaside made me so happy.

r & r. Doctor’s orders.

No need for a car! We biked to dinner. (Hence, the heels rode in the basket).

Fresh catch! All the red snapper you can eat.

This made my seasickness worth it. I think.

Yep. Worth it. The most delicious red snapper I have ever eaten. Fresh off the boat.

Seaside, and the surrounding area, has now become one of our absolute favorite destinations.

On the way home, we made a pitstop in Destin, Florida to visit one of Rich’s college friends. It was a great way to break up the drive home, and we loved the opportunity to spend time with friends.

I think this photo pretty much sums up the visit for the reunited college buds.

These two… there are no words.

Now, how can the remainder of my summer vacation top all of this?