Category: Travel

Y’all ever feel like your brain has a bunch of internet tabs open at once? Yeah, that’s me right now. So why not set that to-do list aside and type up a blog post instead?! Maybe not responsible with my time, but it’s responsible for my soullll.

Thanksgiving 2023 was one for the books! We started out by getting to the airport the night of Wednesday November 22nd. Quinn was drawn to the Christmas decor in the Cleveland airport, particularly this little guy!

We arrived to the airport about three hours early expecting there to be a super long line at TSA. To our surprise (and elation), it was hardly crowded at all. We speculate maybe now that people work from home more, they have more flexibility to travel earlier in the week? With arriving early, we had lots of time to kill. It was right around dinner time, so we grabbed some appetizers and a burger at Bar Symon. Quinn ate so much of the burger we were splitting that I ended up ordering another. See, this girl’s the reason I craved nothing but meat in my pregnancy after not eating it for 10+ years!

We arrived at my mom and Pete’s house in TX around 10 pm. Quinn had such a rush of energy from seeing everyone. Uncle Kevin (the dentist of the fam), relieved us of wrangling our crocodile toddler and helped her brush her teeth that night.

The morning of November 23rd, my mom made some delicious quiches for us to devour. Quiche (or egg pie as DJ calls it) just taste like a holiday morning to me!

As do cinnamon rolls!

Kevin and Halston brought along their new Mini Bernedoodle, Captain. Needless to say, Quinn was obsessed.

Time for a morning walk after breakfast! We used the ‘limo’ stroller my mom and Pete found for Quinn, and it happened to fit Captain perfectly in the back too!

When Captain grew restless in the limo, they put him in the carrier.

Quinn took a very long, much needed nap after, so I had plenty of time to get dressed and hang with the fam. I got some pics with cutie Captain myself.

We started to get appetizers out around 3. We enjoyed some drinks and munched on snacks while watching football.

Hilariously, my sister and I did not plan these outfits. But safe to say we’re sisters!

Time to feast! Pete cutting the turkey!

We enjoyed a yummy traditional spread with a twist. Kevin is from Peru and he made this scrumptious spicy Huancaína Sauce made from saltines!

The food was delicious per usual. Quinn continued to sleep through the meal, so we let her snooze while we savored our food.

When she woke up we made sure she enjoyed a big plate herself.

My mom’s neighbor had this little bench that was perfect for Quinn to eat at during meals through the week. She smashed several servings of green bean casserole and not much else. I hear ya, girl, I love the GBC too!

Kevin and Hal wanted a pic with Captain, and Quinn was adamant that Captain must have his toy for the pic, lol.

After dinner, we chatted on the back patio while enjoying Pete’s famous pumpkin crunch.

The next day I had the itch to venture into the Black Friday craziness for the first time in over 10 years! I had a couple returns to make, so I was aiming to be productive at the same time. My mom, Quinn and I headed out! We stopped first at Summer Moon to enjoy a treasured moon milk au lait from one of my favorite coffee shops on earth!

Then we headed to the mall, made returns and played in the mall play area. Once in the mall, I just decided I’d rather actually shop online 😂. Anyone else?

We had so much fun at the playground though.

For dinner that night, we enjoyed some delicious paella- a tradition here!

Sweet pic of Quinn and Uncle Kevin ❤️.

That evening we went to Andy’s for the best custard!

That evening, my mom and Pete put Quinn to sleep so us kids could get out on the town!!!

DJ and I tried the hard seltzer Topo Chico for the first time, and it was so refreshing and light! Loved it! Just can’t be in TX and not drink Topo.

We had an absolute blast at a local dive in Keller. We played darts, pool and this golf game. I lost every time. It’s fine.

I had these beyond indulgently good loaded fries to console me.

DJ created my outfit for the golf game, and he chose a witches hat. Tell me how you reallly feel, Deej! 😜

Sista Sista.

Saturday I woke up with a bad cold. Thankfully Quinn wanted to take a nice long nap with me that day, then we enjoyed some Hard Eight BBQ takeout in the afternoon.

Hal and Kevin had to leave that afternoon, sadly. Before they left, my sister and I went through bins from our childhood to see what could be tossed. My mom and Pete are getting ready to move when they retire, so they’re trying to get rid of anything unnecessary. While it felt quite laborious going through all the cards, crafts and nostalgic knick knacks, it was a really special walk down memory lane. Some of it also made us laugh to the point of tears.

Before bed, I wanted to make sure to get packed up so Sunday we didn’t have to rush in the morning. My mom and Quinn watched a sweet Christmas movie about Elf on the Shelf on Netflix before we all hit the hay.

Sunday morning, my mom made some potato pancakes that were to do for. I love potato pancakes so much. I wonder why they aren’t more of a breakfast staple? They are SO good!

We had our flight back to Ohio that afternoon. We were biting at the bit to see Moose.

He had a great time at Aunt Marie’s, but was happy to be home!

Hope you all are having a wonderful season!!

<3,

Mackenzie

Welcome to Part 2 of our Austin trip!! We woke up bright and early Saturday September 23rd and trotted our way to a new coffee shop in town, Foxtrot.

DJ and I had spotted it on our walk the evening prior, and it had a line out the door.

We certainly had a more lackluster experience than expected & the actual coffee was not all that great in my opinion- while they may have great offerings, it’s not quite a well oiled machine just yet. I’m sure it’ll be running more smoothly in no time.

We walked around the city after. This picture was really special to take on Congress bridge- it felt very full circle. (She ended up falling asleep in the carrier for an early morning nap as we walked the city).

Similar picture taken just a few years ago!

Side note: the second picture from a few years ago was when I was going through hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery the first time (trying to get a cycle back after it being MIA for years while running marathons- yeah, not healthy, 0/10 recommend lol). Going through it again this time, the trip to Austin gave me that boost and reminder that it’s possible, that the weight gain is worth it and a lot of good comes from recovery in addition to being able to have a baby.

Anywho, not sure how to segue, but after walking the city, we went to one of our favorite brunches of All. Time. Caroline has been on my Austin bucket list ever since we lived there. It was within walking distance of the hotel, so it was a pretty easy decision!

There was a wait, but not a super long one, maybe 15/20 mins? It helps when you wake up early with a little one and beat the usual weekend brunch rush! We went to their coffee bar area and grabbed a breakfast taco for Quinn & a croissant to sample since I could tell she was pretty hungry (and let’s be real, I was too 😅).

We were seated soon after getting our food! She really loved the taco. I mean you can’t go wrong with breakfast tacos from anywhere in Austin.

Cedric came everywhere with us that weekend- Quinn’s new bestie!!! Shhhh don’t tell Moose.

Quinnie feeding Cedric.

DJ ordered a Mexican Iced Coffee and raved about it- I get why! I tried a sip, and it was delicious.

We ordered a couple cinnamon rolls, and oh my, they were as good as they look!!

DJ enjoyed their chicken and waffles.

My mom and I split a couple dishes. This feta and spinach omelette had a very unique smokey flavor. So savory and unlike any omelette I’ve had.

The absolute star of the show was this dish below- the sweet corn cake Benedict. It included a jalapeño cheddar corn cake, avocado, tomato and corn salsa. It was divine. Truly one of my favorite brunch dishes of all time. Pete ordered the same thing!

We were very happy campers after such a stellar brunch!

We decided to walk through the Capitol building since we were already nearby. On our way, there was some type of political convention taking place. We didn’t have much interest in that, but the robotic dog definitely caught our eyes!

It just makes me think of Black Mirror!

Into the Capitol we go! We had been here once before, but it was neat to tour again.

After, we played outside in the green lawn for a while to let Quinn get her wiggles out. Then we walked around some more along Congress.

We had to get Quinn her own little bandana. She’s embracing that Texas girl life!

We couldn’t turn down some free ice cream samples from Salt Lick- yum!

When we got back to the hotel, we wanted to try to squeeze in some time at the pool before Quinn’s nap. The Azul rooftop pool at the Westin is amazing!!! The views, the vibe, it’s everyyyyything.

We had a great time, and it was so relaxing!!

Our girl was tired after alll the excitement and ready for a big nap. She napped in my Mom and Pete’s room so we could get ready for the wedding.

I ordered us all SweetGreen (I missed that place!). It was as good as I remembered!

Quinn was still napping when we headed out for the wedding. It was about an hour drive which provided us some rare time for uninterrupted conversation. The wedding was for good friends from UT (where DJ went for Grad school).

The ceremony and reception provided a stunning view of Horseshoe Bay.

It was a wee bit warmer that day than I think had been anticipated (It was around 100 degrees all evening!), but that didn’t stop the wedding bliss nor the wedding fun!

Also this cake!

Everything was just so lovely. The best part was catching up with old friends!

Back in Austin, Grammy was up to some antics 😂.

A happy girl with her VooDoo donut!

We enjoyed a delicious dinner (we have had some awesome wedding dinners lately!) and then daaaaanced, danced the night away (sung in Dua Lipa voice).

Quinn was wiped out from all the activity and managed to pass out at a decent hour despite having had a four hour nap that day.

Love this pic of her and Grampy 💕.

As soon as we got home, we transferred Quinn back to our room and she didn’t even stir. Hard to know how everything will go with sleep/schedule traveling, but all went smoothly as could be! Such a fun day!

Stay tuned for Part 3 😊.

<3,

Mackenzie

Hey friends! This post is long overdue but one I have been eager to share!

It’s been hard to find time to blog since Daylight Savings ended. Quinn has been waking up with me at my usual 445/5 time when I usually blog, but I hope we adjust here soon! I used to love the end of Daylight Savings for the extra sleep, but no longer now that I have a child lol.

Anyway!!! September 22nd we headed out the door to head to Austin, TX for a wedding and to see my mom and Pete!

I know I’ve said it before, but this carrier is everything. Especially in an airport!

Every time we walk in the airport we’re greeted by the smell of Cinnabon. I’d already eaten at home, but DJ grabbed one for breakfast.

I found a fruit pouch and some snappea crisps as a snack for Quinn before take off.

I also had packed a leftover lunch from home to share with her with corn and chicken.

We still did the lap seat for this flight, but luckily we didn’t have anyone seated next to us in our row. Miss Quinn was loving the independence. I think we’re at the point where we need to buy her her own seat!

And we have arrived! My mom and Pete picked us up from the airport and we battled the traffic until we arrived at the Westin in downtown ATX. I forgot about that traffic! My mom brought along a stroller she found at a garage sale so Quinn could have one for the weekend, it worked out wonderfully! We called it her limo since it was so long, hah!

We all were wanting Mexican, and Pete noted the place right next to us, Micheladas Cafe Y Cantina, had great reviews.

We still talk about how insanely good this meal was! Pete and DJ both got brisket tacos (not pictured) and raved about them. My mom and I split a veggie enchilada and watermelon salad, and the whole gang shared chips and salsa/queso.

Topo!!!!

Quinnie was alllll about the quesadillas!!

This is a girl that loves to dance, just like her mama!

After dinner, we walked around downtown. It was so hot, I forgot how you just kinda constantly perspire in the summer there, hah. My mom insisted DJ and I go out and enjoy the evening while they put Quinn to sleep. Can’t turn down an impromptu date night!

We wanted to hit as many old stomping grounds as we could- starting with Rainey!

It actually was kind of a bummer- much of Rainey is under construction which dampens the usual vibe, but when all the construction is done hopefully it will be poppin’ again!

We went to one of our old favorites, Bangers, for drinks.

They’ve made some nice changes since we were last there with a gorgeous outdoor bar area.

We received a sweet picture of Quinn reading the book Grammy and Grampy got her from the Biltmore before bed! It’s called A Sunny Spot for Cedric, a book about The Biltmore’s St. Bernard. They also got her the stuffed puppy that goes along with it. She was (and still is!) obsessed!

Back to Banger’s- we enjoyed some delicious beers the bartender recommended based on our preferences. DJ likes more of a sour- I used to like sours but now enjoy IPAs more.

We reminisced a lot and reflected on how much has changed since we moved just a couple years ago.

After enjoying some awesome live music at Banger’s, we walked through downtown noting several new restaurants and shops and then crossed the Congress bridge onto Ladybird Lake trail. The smell of the bats took me back 😅.

Ahhh I miss this!

If we weren’t so darn stuffed, we may have stopped into Aussie’s, one of our favorites, for old time’s sake!

After reliving our youth, back to the hotel we went.

I can’t wait to share about our next day here!

<3,

Mackenzie

Hello hello! Wooooooo-eeee. This month has been non-stop. All good stuff, but let’s just say I’ve upped my caffeine intake a bit 😅. I can’t wait to catch you up on everything though!

Starting with…. Part 2 of Chicago!

We woke up Father’s Day morning and drove to Kasama as soon as they opened. I had a feeling there might be a line given this Michelin starred Filipino pastry shop’s popularity. I underestimated just how popular this spot was! The line when we arrived (before they even opened) was all the way down the sidewalk (I’m guessing at least an hour wait). It was a warm and sunny morning, and there was no way Quinn was about to chill in that line for that long. We didn’t want to give up on this restaurant we had so been looking forward to trying, so we put an order in online for pickup. It was still going to be about a 45 minute wait. We found a McDonald’s parking lot, sat in the AC in the car and entertained Quinn with toys, books and some home videos to get us through the whole 45 mins.

Finally it was time!! *Said in the voice of Rafiki*. I picked up our order and couldn’t wait to dive in. It took everything in me not to peak in the box and nibble on them before we got back to the hotel. At least I had an iced matcha to tide me over.

Now for the GOODS! We started with their cardamom kouign amann. This is one of their most popular items. It was great, and I don’t even particularly enjoy the taste of cardamom, but DJ said this was his favorite of everything we had.

Next up- the black truffle croissant! Listen to this description: this croissant is “laminated with 82 percent European butter and filled with black truffle and Delice de Bourgogne cheese, topped
with honey and truffle oil and fresh shaved black truffle”. It was a true mouthful. I love anything truffle and my taste buds exploded with this. It is so rich in flavor, it was almost overwhelming! I wouldn’t say it’s the type of croissant you’d just want to sit and eat on its own- it’s a great thing to have a couple bites of though.

Alrighty. Time for the foils gras danish with blackberry-cherry jam, pistachio, almond, and foie gras ganache. Truly one of the most stunningly unique creations I have ever tried. It was delicious!!!

And we also grabbed a chocolate croissant for good measure.

To cut the sweetnesss, we also tried their breakfast sandwiches. I loved these. Perfection.

The one thing we didn’t try that we were hoping to was their staple Ube and Huckleberry pound cake since they ran out. I think we had our fill though 😄.

Overall thoughts: Incredible bakery. When it comes to individual items- still nothing tops the Koignn Amann from B. patisserie in San Francisco and nothing yet tops the croissant from Arsicault also in SF. I’d say the star for me was the foie gras danish or the sandwiches. DJ says for him it was the cardamom kouign amann.

After the spectacular taste testing (with no crumbs leftover), we headed out to explore the city more! We walked past Millenium Park again and then a few more blocks to Shedd Aquarium.

This was such a fun activity that DJ suggested!! Quinn enjoyed it very much. This aquarium was epic.

They even had a dolphin viewing area.

Here are Quinn and DJ looking at some Beluga whales. It took everything in me not to start singing Babyyyy Belugaaa.

We fed Quinn her lunch we brought along in one of the cafes they had. Then time for dessert! It was a scorcher of a day, so nothing sounded better than ice cream. Lucky for us, there was a Chicago favorite, Rainbow Cone, right outside the aquarium.

Rainbow cone is known for their Original 95-year-old classic Rainbow Cone stacked with five flavors (sliced not scooped): Orange Sherbet, Pistachio, Palmer House, Strawberry, and Chocolate.

While a fun concept, I played it a little safer (and less messy) with a half scoop of chocolate and half scoop of strawberry. Of course, Miss Ice Cream Queen helped herself to a few tastes. She had a death grip on the thing 😂.

We started the long haul back to the hotel, but the ice cream made it much more enjoyable! (Ghirardelli’s is better from a flavor and creaminess standpoint, but we had to try something so fun and local!). While we went to the food truck, they do have other shops around the city!

On our way back, we stopped to splash in the Face Fountains.

We all took a little afternoon siesta and then it was time for dinner! We had originally booked a hotel that had babysitting services offered, but they cancelled their contract before we had our trip. Originally, we were going to treat this dinner as a date night, but Quinnie joined us. When all was said and done, we were so glad the babysitting services fell through because we had such a ball with her (per usual) and she loved the food. What dish in particular? You may be shocked to find out- stay tuned!

The dinner spot, a Chicago favorite, was The Purple Pig. Side note- we had a hard time actually finding the restaurant, so if you do go, it’s inside a bigger building on Michigan Ave.

This restaurant has received Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand awards since 2011, so you know it must be good!

The menu is diverse and extensive, truly something for everyone. It was a tough decision! We started with a bold and delicious glass of Cabernet and the crispy pig’s ear with kale, pickled Cherry peppers and a fried egg. YUM!!!!!!! A must try!

Next up were the mushrooms three ways with pickled onions and a truffle and mushroom three ways. I loved this.

Then with the hopes that Quinn would nibble on this dish, I got the roasted baby squash with ricotta cheese, pesto, almonds and lemon. She didn’t care for it. It was definitely good, but the least impressive of everything we tried.

When she started fussing and all other toys/efforts failed, we set up Ms. Rachel very quietly so we could continue to enjoy our conversation. We joked that Ms. Rachel was our fill-in babysitter.

For his main dish, DJ had the pork belly with ginger glaze, carrot, espresso and frisee. This is the dish to get!!!! It was SPECTACULAR.

I had their squid ink pasta, because I have a hard time turning it down if I ever see it on a menu, but it was just ok. Definitely should have ordered the pork belly.

But you want to know who was all about the pasta (“it’s not about the pasta!”) (sorry can’t resist a VPR reference)- QUINN. This girl could not get enough. It was hilarious the way she shoveled that pasta down- I was quickly googling to make sure squid ink pasta was even safe for a toddler lol.

And of course we had to get a family pic to remember this Father’s Day, celebrating this absolutely amazing Dad. DJ is the most selfless man, he makes Quinn laugh more than anyone, brings the fun and goofiness to our home, has such a steady temper and never complains (I mean never, it’s kind of incredible). He sacrifices a lot of time and energy for us, which may not always be shown here, but I just have to take a minute to express my gratitude for the stellar Dad and partner he is in life and in this parenting journey! Quinn adores her Daddy! And she definitely said Dada before Mama 😆.

The next day we had to get up bright and early to hit the road. We quietly ate our room service breakfast near the door so we didn’t wake Quinn. I ordered salmon lox and DJ ordered some memorably tasty pancakes. Side note- it was tough to eat this quietly; there were a lot of dishes to accidentally “clink” lol.

When Quinn woke up, we shared some of the pancakes with her. She was all about em’!

Then it was time to hit the road! The ride back was much smoother than the ride over.

Questions for you:

– What are you watching/reading currently?

– Are you on any food kicks right now?

<3,

Mackenzie

Hey, everyone! Finally, I am getting out this long overdue Chicago post. It’s 445 AM, I have a hot cup of frothy Nespresso in hand and oatmeal on board, so let’s dive in! We decided to go to Chicago over Father’s Day weekend since it’s a relatively short trip, and we were itching to travel! The evening of June 16th we hit the road.

Quinnie was less amused by the construction getup photo-op at a rest stop than I was 😅.

It was a rough trip. Quinn’s a light sleeper and would wake up with every bump in the road 😣. We realized gone are the days of driving through the night. Day trips are going to be the way we roll for now!

We arrived in Chicago around 1130 pm central time. We took in the fantastic views of the city before eagerly catching some 💤s.

Quinn has started pointing at everything, and it was adorable how she eagerly pointed out the window when we woke up.

“Mom, look! It’s Chicagahhhhh!”

I was feeling the cobwebs in the morning and needed to get caffeine on board ASAP. Once we got ready, we headed out to breakfast around 830 AM.

We went to brunch at a restaurant called Terrace 16 that promised the best views in the city. It did not disappoint!

DJ and I started with mimosas, and I didn’t turn down the opportunity for another cup of coffee. We didn’t realize the only option for mimosas was bottomless, and the guy looked at us funny when we said we were good after one- when we got the bill we understood why 🫠.

Time for food! I ordered their vegetable frittata with asparagus, wild mushrooms, spinach and Gruyère. Every bite was spectacular!

For Quinn I ordered a parfait bowl with berries that she didn’t touch, but DJ and I happily enjoyed some.

Deej had their Croque Madame. I had a bite and woah, so good. A great savory option.

Whoopsies another portrait mode fail lol.

After brunch, we decided we better change since it was getting warmer out. We also applied a bunch of sunscreen and then headed out to explore the Windy City!

I made a mistake with the spray sunscreen- I tried to apply it to my hair part, but sprayed too heavily and it turned my hair white. Good times, haha.

I love being among the hustle and bustle of a big city. The energy of Chicago was electric on that Saturday morning. Many people were exercising in various forms- running, bicycling or doing yoga in the big green space of Millennium Park. I tried to catch the names of coffee shops displayed on paper cups of people we passed “just in case” I needed another ;). Tourists fought for a spot around The Bean and various street artists performed beautiful melodies, a soundtrack to accompany the gorgeous day.

We then ventured over to Maggie Daley park to explore the three acre play garden for kids. This place is epic. I can’t wait to bring Quinn back here when she’s a bit older. That day we just enjoyed the sights and the bucket swings :).

While walking back to the hotel, we saw a surprising amount of people sporting Orioles gear. DJ is a huge Orioles fan (I am a fan now too by proxy, except when they’re playing the Guardians 😜). We checked to see if they were in town, and sure enough they were! We didn’t have a strict agenda that day and decided it’d be fun to take Quinn to her first baseball game!! I just happened to have an Orioles hat on me and one of DJ’s old Orioles shirts I wear as a night shirt I lent back to him- so we were accidentally prepared 😄. I should have just played this off like I planned it as a Father’s Day gift haha!

Parking was a bear (pun intended), but we made it to the stadium with plenty of time to spare.

I was thrilled at the opportunity to go to Wrigley Field!

Is there anything better than a baseball game in the summer?!

Quinn fell asleep on the walk over to the game and grabbed some snoozes in my carrier while we waited for the game to start.

We haven’t been to a game in ages, and I was impressed with the QR core option to have food and drinks delivered to your seat!

Chillin’ on her Dad’s lap enjoying the game! DJ was in heaven I’m pretty sure.

Early into the first inning, DJ goes, “oh noooo”. I look at him frantically as a litany of scenarios run through my mind in a second- what’s wrong?! Is she choking?! No, ok phew. Did she lick the seat? Spit up on the people in front of us? Lose a shoe? Did DJ order food to the wrong seat?!!!! He pointed to Quinn’s hat and, I realized it had a little bear cub on it. It was worse than I thought. The betrayal by your own daughter… hard to put into words 😭. I thought we raised her better!

Anywho- back to the food! I don’t know if I’ve actually ever tried Cracker Jacks, but they’re pretty good.

I was also craving a cheeseburger and got a soft pretzel to share with Quinn after we walked around the stadium for a while. She enjoyed the cheeseburger most!

Family pic 🥰.

After the game, we navigated the traffic, parked our car and then headed on foot to Navy pier.

Navy pier is much more of a little amusement park than I expected! It’s adorable and has fantastic food options too.

She fell asleep as we walked around the pier.

We walked along the river and then decided ice cream sounded like a great appetizer before dinner.

We saw a Ghirardelli store and a rush of amazing memories flooded back from San Francisco ☺️.

We were even greeted by a Painted Ladies photo while waiting in line.

Seriously some of the best!!!

We put an order in at Lou Malnati’s, a famed deep dish pizza joint in Chicago. I have had Giordano’s in the past (the other famous deep dish), but I didn’t love it. That was over 10 years ago though. I’ve heard from others that don’t love Giordano’s that Lou’s is where it’s at. Do people call it Lou’s? Some local Chicagoan is probably rolling their eyes at this whole paragraph, hah!

The line for the restaurant seating was crazy long, so we just ordered food to go. We still had a 30/40 minute wait for pickup, so we killed time running around with Quinn in the area outside the restaurant. She was having a ball, pointing at the tall statue nearby, waving, making friends. It was golden hour, a violinist was playing nearby, and people seemed to have an extra pep in their step. At the end of the trip DJ asked me my favorite part, and for some reason this simple memory stood out 💕.

Food’s ready!!

We went back to the hotel to eat. I ordered Quinn chicken tenders and fries – she didn’t eat much of the chicken, but fries are this girl’s jam.

Pizza pizza pizza! 🍕 DJ ordered their deep dish Malnati classic with sausage, mozzarella, vine-ripened tomato sauce all on their trademarked buttecrust.

I had the Deep Dish The Lou with basil, garlic and onion seasoned spinach, mushrooms and Roma tomatoes on garlic buttercrust.

The verdict? Definitely better than I remember Giordano’s being! I liked DJ’s more though. Mine felt it was missing something, adding sausage would have made it perfect I think! Now on a whole, nothing has yet topped Via 313’s Detroit style pizza in Austin, TX.

Hopefully I’ll get to Part 2 soon!! Thanks for visiting the Windy City ‘with us’. If you know Chicago, I’m open to more recs too because we would love to go back when time allows! It’s a fairly easy weekend trip!

Oh oh oh ! And I forgot to mention we are officially moved into our new place! Been a whirlwind of a couple weeks but so worth it!

Questions for you:

– What style of pizza is your favorite?

– Any summer travel plans?

<3,

Mackenzie

Goood morning and welcome to our last day in Clearwater, FL! We agreed this trip was the perfect length of time.

For our final day of fun, we woke up in time to watch the sunrise. It was beautiful & my Nespresso coffee made it all the more vibrant as the caffeine rushed through my veins.

DJ enjoyed the gorgeous morning with Quinn while I got ready for the day.

Then we headed out to the rumored best breakfast in Clearwater- Lenny’s !

Looking over their menu my mouth was watering, and I couldn’t wait to dig in.

The local favorite is located near the Phillies winter training area, and we saw some Phillies art on their building while walking in.

According to Lenny’s website, Lenny’s “has a great New York Jewish diner feel to it”, and we found this held true!

One of the best parts of a meal at Lenny’s is the free danish basket. I couldn’t actually partake in it due to the butter, but I sure do love that they serve them! (Also side note: as I write this I think we’re in the clear on dairy! Feeling hopeful!! I’ll give more of an update in a future post!).

For Quinn, I ordered toast, tomatoes, avocado and eggs. She wanted nothing to do with the eggs or avocado but gobbled up the toast and tomatoes.

DJ had their chicken waffle Benedict, which he liked but wasn’t blown away by.

I had their garden omelette which was good, but there are many other things I would have tried if I could have had dairy at the time.

I also got a side of their potato pancakes which were soooo yummy. They served them with a side of applesauce which was the perfect compliment to the crispy delicious potatoes.

After breakfast, we strolled outside while Quinn slept in the carrier.

Then we enjoyed the pool one last time before deciding it was time for some ice cream.

We’d passed a place on the way in that had dairy free ice cream advertised, so I had to try it! It was called Ice & Cream Creamery – no secret what they serve, huh? 😄

Very happy with my cone!

We walked along the strip while we savored them as long as the heat would allow and then headed back. By that point, Quinn was ready for another nap, but it was too hot out for her to do a carrier nap outside. I walked around the lobby and halls while she slept, and I caught up on the latest episode of Vanderpump rules with my headphones in.

Then it was time for a little snack while we all got ready for dinner! We decided it’d be fun to give Quinn a view with the snack. DJ fed her a Little Spoon meal while I got ready for the evening.

We then headed to our final stop of the trip- Palm Pavilion.

This was such a last minute, nonchalant choice – it was within walking distance and had a good looking menu. And it was awesome! It was super casual and one of my favorite meals. It has a great vibe and had blissful views of the ocean too.

We started with some creamy and fresh guac and chips.

I had a hot chicken wrap with lots of veggies and fries that hit the spot.

We then tried to get to bed early for an early wake up time for the airport.

During our layover, I found the nursing room at Charlotte’s airport, and it was awesome!!! It was quiet, relaxing and spacious, a nice respite during a busy travel day.

Tired girl ready to sleep on the second leg!

Thank goodness because she was a ball of energy and wore us out on the first haha.

Then we were home! Thanks for reading and following along Quinn’s first beach vacation with us!!

<3,

Mackenzie

Happy happy weekend!! Y’all it has been so (good) busy, but I’m taking forever to get these vacation posts out. I suppose it just prolongs the reminiscing on such a special time, yeah?!

Today I will be sharing our third day in Clearwater, FL! Quinn got a great night sleep and woke up with a little extra pep in her step.

Quite literally.. this girl was enjoying practicing her walking all week long!

We met up with my mom and Pete in the lobby and then walked across the street to Clear Sky Beachside Cafe.

Photo op!

We picked Clear Sky out of convenience, but the local dive boasted as a Yelp “Top 100” brunch spot in the USA!

We sat on their patio, which enclosed us from the threatening wind that morning. We put in orders then entertained Quinn with books and the little table creamers while waiting for our food.

I had the crab Benedict sans hollandaise because of the dairy. It was tasty, sure, but not the best benny I’ve had. (Of course, the sauce could have been a game changer!).

My mom had their avocado toast, which came out with a nice presentation!

For Quinn, I ordered scrambled eggs (which she barely ate), and mixed some of her kite Hill yogurt with fruit and a little peanut butter. She did enjoy that!

It was a solid breakfast overall, but maybe a bit surprised in top 100 in USA? All depends on what ya order these places too.

We headed back to the hotel, an easy walk back across the street.

I went for a run while my mom and Pete watched Quinnie. Unfortunately DJ wasn’t feeling 100% after getting a little sun poisoning, so it was nice he was able to just sleep for a bit while I ran.

It was a great run!! I got in 5 miles, which I rarely ever have the time to do anymore.

After my run, I got ready for the day, went back to my mom and Pete’s hotel room and nursed Quinn.

Then for her nap, we did the same thing as the day before! My mom just had Quinn nap with her, while DJ and I lounged at the pool. I had a glass of rosé that was very refreshing and yummy.

I continued to read my thriller, Flicker in the Dark, SO GOOD. Then for lunch ordered this scrumptious hummus and veggie wrap. I usually don’t care for chips (if French fries are an option I usually would rather have those), but these chips were soo good!!! Why does food taste even better after sitting in the sun and poolside? 😋

Then DJ and I went for a short stroll on the beach together.

My mom and Pete came down after Quinn’s nap and lunch, and we took over so they could enjoy a lunch poolside too.

Making sure to stay hydrated, I refilled my water frequently. The lobby had two big dispensers with fruit infused water- this was such a treat! I always forget just how refreshing fruit-infused water is.

Back to the hotel to get ready for dinner!

For dinner that night, we went to the Original Frenchy’s Cafe. My Uncle Pat recommended this place, and it also falls on pretty much every list of best places to eat in Clearwater.

There are a couple locations, but I think going to the Original was the best decision!

It has an old school diner feel, which I always am drawn to. The staff was exceptionally friendly too.

Quinn was a bit fussy (it was creeping close to bedtime), so DJ took her outside to walk her around in the fresh air before the food came. At one point, he walked back and forth across the window with Quinn, and she was very entertained by us waving to her through the glass.

I had to take the opportunity to grab a pic with my mom and Pete!

Ok ok you’re saying get to the foooood. First things first- Frenchy’s Garlic Crab fries with garlic butter and parsley, garlic aioli, old bay seasoning and snow crab 🦀. I couldn’t have these for obvious delicious reasons (I’m looking at you garlic butter!), but those that did said they were very good.

Another appetizer shared was the smoked whitefish dip. This dip was good, there is no denying it. But I’m convinced no smoked whitefish dip will ever be better than Apache Trout’s in Traverse City, Michigan!

For Quinn’s meal, I got her some of her favorites: black beans and tomatoes. This girl could eat probably beans and tomatoes for every meal. They’re my sure fire way to get her to eat something if she’s being picky.

One happy camper.

Photo fail! I tried to get a pic of DJ’s Cuban sandwich (a staple of Clearwater cuisine), but I didn’t realize I had on portrait mode and ended up emphasizing the black beans instead. So here’s another close up of some beans 🤪.

Ok so now for one of my favorite dishes the whole vacation- this Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich. Oh my lantaaaa.

I paired it will a Heineken 0.0 and it came with perfectly crisp French fries… I don’t think I left a crumb behind. I was tempted to go back the rest of our time there to get this whole meal again.

As we walked back to the hotel we were struck by the beauty of the sunset that evening. We stepped out to the beach side of the resort to get a good look before heading up to bed.

Oh also just a fun tidbit from that night- My mom and Pete stayed out a little after us and texted us – “Did you all see Hulk Hogan?!” . Apparently he was at his bar which was right next to Frenchy’s!

And maybe by our next vacation I’ll get out Day #4 🤪. It’s just an extra busy time! I have a bunch of continuing education credits due this year on top of hospital mandatories, Quinn had her bday last weekend (can’t wait to share about that 🥰), I worked a bunch this week & just trying to be present while keeping the house afloat every day is certainly a juggling act. Entering into these toddler years I can feel a shift in our already *non-existent* routine haha and things are changing. Oh and Quinn is walking now, so there’s that 😄. My emotions are ALL over the place. More than they have been since early postpartum. Any other moms have this happen around a year?

If you still read this blog, I just want to take a minute to say I appreciate you & the fact that you want to pop in to see what my lil’ fam is up to. I’d love to hear what’s going on in your world.

<3,

Mackenzie