I’ve only written about the race in Dallas, but I did other things besides run. Mostly eat. I know you’re waiting with bated breath. (Get a mint for that.)
Blake and Laura spent all weekend showing me their favorite Dallas spots. When planning this trip, my only objectives were to see friends, run the race and eat tacos.
Oh yeah, the view from the hotel wasn’t bad.
We accomplished my taco objective almost immediately at Gloria’s, where I also experienced their amazing bean dip.
I don’t have to have my arm twisted to have a margarita, so our next stop was Mi Cocina. I was told that their Mambo Taxi was pretty lethal, and you were only allowed two. I only had one but did not see the lethality of it. So then they took me to a super divey bar called The Loon for good measure.
The next morning, I sweated tequila all over a mat. Sorry, Brit.
Laura insisted on Company Cafe on the Katy Trail for brunch. When she described the Katy Trail (a long biking/running trail that actually runs through several states) and that several restaurants backed up to it, I said “so it’s like the Boat Basin but without water??” Anyway, I was sold on sitting outside on the trail, and the restaurant was all-natural/farm-to-table/insert-healthy-buzzwords here.
And delicious. I got the Deep Bowl, which is sweet potato hash browns with ground beef, scrambled eggs and avocado. It was so good that I recreated it this week, and died of food happiness all over again. (I didn’t make sweet potato has browns…yet. I just cooked a sweet potato and then mushed it, and I also substituted ground turkey for ground beef.)
But our pre-race dinner was one of the best parts of the weekend! My sweet/lovely/amazing friend Blake and her husband J.P. made a delicious dinner for all of us. Including HOMEMADE PASTA. J.P. made his own sauce, which was wonderful, but this girl with a Southern Italian mama was very confused by the inclusion of carrots in the sauce.
And I got to meet Jenna and her boyfriend!!! We’ve been blog buddies for years, and she was just as awesome in person. Girl is hil-freaking-arious. I’m so sad we live so far away from each other. ALSO, you know she’s a good person: as we were leaving (and her and her lovely boyfriend were driving us home, Blake asked if there was anything we needed pre-race. YES! BANANAS! Obviously. Blake didn’t have any, but Jenna knew how vital they are to my race morning and not to mess with one’s pre-race rituals and stopped at her house to get me bananas. For that, we will be besties forever.)
I gave up taking pictures after the race the next day because I just wanted to eat All the Things, but we went to Bolsa for brunch and Sushi Zushi for dinner and ate All the Things.
They all kept asking if I would move to Dallas, and unless you caught me with my mouth full of delicious food, the answer was always a resounding no. New York ain’t the easiest place to live, but it’s still where my heart is. (Also, after years of not having to, the idea of having to drive everywhere makes me feel like a caged animal right now.)
Do you tour cities through food, too? If you are a city person, would you ever live in the suburbs (and vice versa?) Honestly, I’m not ruling out the ‘burbs forever, but as long as I’m young(ish), the city is still what makes me happy.
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I totally get the caged animal commrent. I moved to the burbs from a small town several states away. There I hardly even had to drive. Now I have to drive EVERYWHERE. I hate it. It feels like I spend a large part of my day in the car.
City life is where it's at. You can just recreate all the Dallas dishes in your kitchen at home.
OH MY GOD YOU WENT TO THE LOON! Hahah I lived like 2 blocks away from that when I was in dallas! And even closer to company cafe...my favorite place ever. Their smoked salmon is to die for.
One other place to hit up if you ever go back: Velvet Taco. THE BEST.
Glad you had a good time!
We used to live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and I actually preferred not living in the city but having it close enough to take advantage of all that the city offered - especially good food!
I love living in DC and often don't think I'd ever give it up...but then I see a house hunters on HGTV where someone in Atlanta (or TX or any city that isnt' DC/NYC/SanFran) is buying a 4/3 home with a pool for like 150K and I swoon. So maybe I'd leave it. But, like you said, for now, it is perfect for me.
love company cafe! my bff from high school lives in dallas, and i insist upon that being one of my first stops when i come visit!
Looks like you hit up a bunch of great spots! I haven't been to the Loon in FOREVER.
One thing about the Katy Trail, the trail is just in the city of Dallas, but it runs on an old railroad line that is multi-state. We aren't that progressive, having a trail cross state lines yet... heck, we can barely connect trails between city lines! (Coming from experience of living on the edge of Dallas and Plano for several years.)
I live in the burbs, and a lot of the time I feel very out of place. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to like about where I live, but there's not a lot of young (and single) people in my area and it's a big pain to always have to drive into the city, in this case Philly, for fun things to do.
That egg/meat/spot/avocado bowl looks delicious!!!
I am either a city/downtown living or farm living girl. No way Jose to the burbs!
Madison, WI, isn't exactly NYC!, but I walk almost everywhere and love it!
When I'm visiting somewhere that I've lived before is a total food tour. All the places that I want to see again are different restaurants. It's a little embarrassing.