TRAVEL JOURNAL: AUSTIN, TEXAS

Austin has long been one of Smoot's and my favorites cities. We had the pleasure of spending a few days there and was amazed at how the city continues to grow.

Picnik 1700 S. Lamar Blvd - is a tiny coffee shop in a trailer with a few tables featuring Paleo-friendly meals, pastries and butter coffee.

The Burger Bar - 110 E. 2nd St. in downtown Austin, not only has mouth watering burgers and hand spun milkshakes, but has total "modern vintage" style.  

La Condesa - 400 W. 2nd St - offers delicious authentic Mexican food in a  fun and sophisticated atmosphere. 

Hotel Ella - 1900 Rio Grande St. is our favorite place to stay for many reasons...the staff, decor, spacious rooms, pool area, and location!  This time,we stayed in the "mansion" wing which was just renovated a few months ago.

We love the new art installations - it finishes the hotel in the most wonderful way! Ana, one of the owners, did an amazing job putting it all together.    

The pool area is an oasis from the city. Nestled in the seating and lounge areas are art sculptures that add to the hip vibe. Be sure to look for the "hidden" art bar...

This was our first stay at Hotel Ella since our amenity line was added. I have to say it was pretty surreal to see it in person. The updated bathrooms are beautiful and the RVT line looks perfect in them. We worked really hard to get it just right and are really proud of how it came out. 

We met our friends that own Hotel Ella at St Cecilia for a quick bite on our way out. We got a sneak peek at the finishes they've picked out for their new venture - the South Congress Hotel. We can tell you - IT"S GOING TO BE AMAZING!!

St. Cecilia- 112 Academy Dr. is another favorite hotel of ours. It's small, intimate, and uniquely cool. Another inspiring place to add to your Austin "must stay" list. 

There are cranes on every corner of downtown Austin. It's growing up, literally! 

We took advantage of the kids being on a sleepover and had a wonderful "adult get away". This picture was taken at CRU - 238 W. 2nd St., a wine bar with delicious wine flights and cheese trays.  

The "Sinful Cheese Board" at CRU was exactly that - and totally delicious!   

The W Hotel - 200 Lavaca St. has several intimate lounge areas. This one was our favorite with a large fireplace, dark walls, and stacks and stacks of LP's.