Pretend Chef: Pinterest #5

If you're a regular FOLLOWER of my blog I'm sure you've noticed a lot more food funnies than food. Reason being I've sorta fell into a funk. I haven't wanted to really cook a meal with a lot of heart in it. In fact, I've avoided cooking so much that I ended up taking a three day "just for me" vacation to help clear my head with hopes of coming back home feeling refreshed and getting back into the flow of things.

On Thursday I left for Austin, TX. After a car wash and lunch at Dairy Queen I ended up at the State Capitol Building and took the tour. Wandered around Sixth Street. Then headed to Barton Creek Resort and Spa which is the #1 golf resort in Texas. Somehow the reservation got lost and I ended up in a suite for the night to make up for the mistake. After checking out the resort and all it had to offer I headed to County Line BBQ On the Hill where I enjoyed the BEST marbled 2nd cut brisket EVER! Too stuffed from dinner to get around to any activities on the resort so I settled in for the night.

Oh to stay up late and sleep in. Sigh. It's been over 3 years since I've really got to sleep in. Blissful. Enjoyed breakfast at the resort. Southwestern Style Eggs Benedict. Oh my! Toasted English muffin, topped with BBQ pork carnitas, poached eggs, smoky jalapeno hollandaise served with a side of fresh fruit. Crave worthy and worth a three and a half hour drive back for someday. After breakfast I decided to take up an activity that the resort is best known for ~~miniature~~ golf. No really. I played miniature golf. Two rounds of 18 holes. Haha! On the resort they also had ~~table~~ tennis. No really. I played table tennis. Haha! I am not a golfer or a tennis player.

Checked out of the resort that morning and decided to head for San Antonio, TX. On the way I stopped and toured San Marcos, TX. College towns are the BEST. Could have gone tubing but decided against it after discovering Wonder World Park and a spontaneous tour. Couple hours later it was back on the road. Made it to Grand Hyatt San Antonio on the Riverwalk and got checked in. In the room long enough to drop off luggage and then off to the Riverwalk to explore. Ended up at Rita's on the River and had incredible steak and chicken fajitas and poor service. Nonetheless, the atmosphere and people watching more then made up for the service. There is also the Rivercenter Mall with an IHOP Express in the food court. What!?! I have never seen an IHOP Express. Later that night I ended up watching Captain America and then headed back to the hotel after scoring a free cheesecake caramel apple from the boy at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. It's all because of the eyelashes.

Saturday morning I woke up early and set out for a breakfast spot near the Alamo. I was introduced to the Emily Morgan Hotel which was right across the street from the Alamo. I enjoyed the House Mesquite Smoked Salmon with a toasted New York bagel with cream cheese, capers, sweet onion, garden tomato, and a squeeze of lemon. Fresh and simply divine. Headed across the street after breakfast and toured the Alamo. Don't blink or you'll miss walking through the historic building. They are currently doing renovations and there wasn't much to see but the grounds are absolutely beautiful.

That wrapped up my "just for me" vacation. Back home and back to reality. I am planning on doing these mini vacations more often. It left me feeling refreshed and ready to come home to my toddler ~~temper tantrums~~.

Since I have nothing to blog about that I've cooked I thought I'd leave you with this week's Pinterest picks.

KitchenAid Artisan Design Stainless Steel Aqua 5-Quart Stand Mixer at Bed, Bath, and Beyond