When you document your life, your memories, the everyday moments, it forces you to view those "events" through the eyes of a tourist. How many times have you gone on vacation and when you returned, gushed about all the places, people and things you got to see and do? Well, if you could, pretend for a moment, that you are on vacation - but this time - imagine it's to your home. To your own town or city. And it's the first time. The first time you got to see your family in action, doing the crazy little things you do together. Or the first time you got to experience one of Lori's (from Lori's Eats and Sweets) Red Velvet Cakes. Or the first time you took your little guy to Tater Town Barbershop. It's not pretend vintage. IT IS VINTAGE. From the cracked and worn floors, to the smell of real barber products, to the smile that Mr. Louis always has on his face.
If I could do anything, I would encourage everyone to find a way to remember. To document. To tell your story.
This weekend I took Rusty to Dallas for a night. It's an early birthday present. And he is THE WORST PERSON to buy for. He has everything he wants - and there isn't much that he longs for. Me, I'm easy. I can spit out LISTS of stuff I want, in fact I do it often on this here blog. Does that make me superficial? I'd like to think no. I'd like to think it makes me a lover of life. I want to squeeze everything out of it.... Ok - it makes me a little superficial.
But I have figured out that one thing you can do for picky present people is to give them an EXPERIENCE. A back massage, scuba diving lessons, you get the idea. So I booked a room at the NYLO - got a sweet deal on hotels.com. I love to travel. I love hotels. I love trendy hotels. If I need to stay at a Holiday Inn - fine. But why stay there when you can stay somewhere EXCITING and COOL and UNIQUE for basically the same price? Some would say it's so you can get a good night's sleep. (Apparently cool hotels = cool people = very noisy at 3 am hotels....). But who needs sleep right? Right? Wait - I do. All the same, we had a great weekend!
One thing that I always look forward to on trips is the drive. I think it might be because growing up, my mom and I always had our best talks when we were in the car. Even now, once I get going, I can get so far off route because I'm so into my conversation.... Is it because we are forced to focus on our words? I know there is radio and iPads, earphones for that matter. But what better time can two adults talk, especially two married adults with lots of kids... Of course, if you are angry with said adult, a long car trip could be a nightmare. But none of us ever disagree right? :)
We ate lunch at one of our favorite Dallas restaurants - Picasso's. Everything there is good. Everything. And just because it has "pizza" in the name, don't be afraid to try their salads, steak - or Gorgonzola bacon cheeseburger.
We had time to kill so we did a little shopping. Here is our drill, Rusty drops me at the front door of one of my favorite stores and reads in the parking lot while I shop. I think he actually enjoys this very much. He likes time by himself - and he loves roasting in the afternoon sun. By the time I open the car door, I feel like it's an oven on wheels - and he is as happy as can be. Until I crank up the air. There is nothing worse in my opinion then being hot. I sweat - all the time. It can be 50 degrees outside and this girl can soak a shirt. Ok - that's TMI.
Back to the hotel. (That's an actual song - from the 90's....) The inside was way cool. Very modern with exposed brick walls, funky fabrics, metal air ducts suspended overhead.....lots of fun.
Of course I also wanted to get a picture of someone IN the chair, but the hubs was a no go. So here I am, can't keep my mouth shut, being bossy, telling him what to do with my camera.
And here I am, actually explaining why you NEVER pose a woman this way. See on the left? My thigh looks 4 feet wide. On the right - my thigh almost looks normal sized. Photographers take note! Much better yes?
Of course someone spied the tech room and had to get all "Go Go Gadget" on us.... Need to send an email communication? Well you can do it in style at the NYLO....
This was the hotel library - just off the restaurant/bar. Complete with books and pool tables. Because what library is complete without pool sticks right?
The hotel had lots of neat little cozy nooks all over the place.
Fitness center - which we fully intended to use...however, please note, that my thighs in fact ARE NOT 4 feet wide. Thank you.
Now the room was great. I have a feeling that some of you reading this post might have an obsession with New York as does your dear author. Throughout the 90's I LOVED the television show "Friends." I lived vicariously through Rachel and Monica and Phoebe.... I've never been to New York, but when I do - yes - not IF, WHEN, I will love it and it will love me back! If you want to feel like you are in a New York loft, just check in at the NYLO. I bet the paper thin walls at 3 am are just as realistic as the real thing!
I would have loved to show you more....but the room was super-narrow, and this girl still needs to buy a wide-angle lens - the next on her list of goodies!
Probably THE best thing about a quick trip to Dallas is just getting to sleep late, waking to a plethora (wide assortment) of yummy breakfast options. La Madeleine is one of our favorites. And we actually got a table by the fire - a first!
We always get their fresh fruit parfait. And of course a croissant. And who can beat a greeting of "Bonjour Ya'LL!"
Just a bit more shopping and we headed home. On the way, we stopped here:
And ordered this:
Just trying to make those 4 foot thighs a reality.....YA'LL.
2 comments:
lol, you better get to the gym with those four foot thighs girlfriend! Just kidding, folks, she's right, they aren't big in the least - in fact, they are only big enough to fly like a g6! Now I want to go to NYLO! What part of Dallas is it in?
Just came from Zumba! NYLO is in Las Colinas - just take a fan for some white noise or you won't get any sleep! Maybe we can all stay there for the Grapevine Run (Glass Cactus....ahem)!
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