Lynsey Sleeps and eats in Austin...

A recipe inspired by a fabulous brunch spot in Austin!

By now you have all seen what I put in my suitcase for a recent wedding I attended in Austin! Maxi dresses and some western flair felt just right for a weekend in that charming Texas city.  With that said, putting on fabulous clothes wasn't the only thing I experienced in hip cowboy country.  Austin has undergone a culinary transformation and would be a great destination for any foodie looking for casual, indigenous fare.  And as a very featured side note, Austin has brought the American concept of a "food court" up to speed—forget about drab malls serving hot dogs on a stick and sad chinese food.  Instead, round up the wagons, or should I say a half dozen sleek Gulfstream Silver Bullet RVs set up in a semi circle dishing out fresh mex, sushi and gelato. With such inventiveness and imagination in its culinary arena, no wonder all of Autin seemed to be out dining! I arrived there on a Saturday around lunch, and the restaurants were packed!

Aside from the outdoor food courts that are scattered throughout the city, Austin offers an array of restaurants serving up local dishes.  One of those spots that we stopped by for brunch was Perla's, a seafood inspired must.  As we pulled up to Perla's I thought: "I could be very happy in this city"! Painted picnic tables and beach striped cabana chairs dotted the darling outdoor patio. In fact, it was so inviting that even though the thermometer read 105 every picnic table was filled...with a wait list to boot.  I ordered the crabcakes benedict and picked at my boyfriend's banana pancakes, which were perfect. And his sister's waffles looked divine! I have to admit, most weekends I prefer sleeping in, but Perla's made me fall in love with brunch again. 


I love to travel for many reasons. But, more than anything, I love being inspired by the places that I visit. And, because I love to cook, and especially love cooking in the summer, below is my recipe for sugar free strawberry lemonade inspired by the heat and charm of Austin and something I think Perla's should put on the menu.  I ordered for lemonade and they offered Country Time—a fabulous place like this should have something fresh squeezed!


Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade in my favorite new canister from Pottery Barn!

Needed:

Directions:

Needed:

* 3 bottles of Pellegrino

* 10 Lemons

* 2 Packages of Strawberries

* 2 Tablespoons Truvia

* 10 packets of Splenda

* 1 Tablespoon Honey

* One fabulous cabana striped drink dispenser from Pottery Barn

1.  Take that fabulous drink dispenser and pour 3 bottles Pellegrino into the dispenser.

2.  Squeeze 10 lemons into the dispenser. Cut each lemon in half after they've been juiced and drop them into the canister.

3.  Clean and cut all stems off the strawberry's, cut them in half and drop them into the mixture in the canister.

4.  Pour 10 packets of splenda, 2 tablespoons of truvia and 1 tablespoon of honey into the mixture. 

5.  With a metal kitchen mallet and a large slotted spoon, crush the strawberry's and lemons in the mixture and stir everything together. 

Lynsey Eats, Sleeps and puts on some incredible outfits in Austin!!

Forget about where to sleep in this post! I can't give you the run down of charming digs in Austin, my room was newly renovated and modern and had one big thing going for it, it had a view of the Four Seasons across the river! I can, however, give you the run down on what to pack if your hitting up this toasty Texas town in the near future.  

I had two very fast days in Austin and one was spent at a wedding.  I packed every possible gorgeous outfit I thought I might change into, I wore every one, and I wouldn't change a thing!

The Must Pack List:

On Arrival: (Left to Right: Lucchese Cowboy Boots, J Crew Orange Dress, Louis Vuitton Trevi GM)

Rehearsal Dinner: (Left to Right: Tory Burch Miller 2 Sandal, Milly Caroline Maxi Dress)

Wedding Day: (Left to Right: Fendi Raffia Pumps, Tommy Hilfiger Deja Pleated Gown)

Stay tuned for my next post, a fabulous brunch spot in Austin!

I Dream of the Places I've already Been! The British Edition!

A Night in the English Countryside, a very sweet dream...

The Cliveden  (Berkshire, England)

Wanna head out to the English country side, but not venture too far out of London? Then go to the Cliveden, the ultra fabulous former country house of the Astors'! 

The backdrop for my experience at the Cliveden was a party.  And while it was a ridiculously glamorous event, it was still just a party, not a proper overnight.  With that said, it's easy for me to day dream about what a stay here would be like:  A romantic evening spent under the canopy of an antique four-poster bed, Frette Linens, Molton Brown toiletries, a breakfast on the balcony—overlooking the perfectly manicured gardens—and a picnic lunch packed by the hotel for a boat ride down the Thames.  Not too bad for a stay in the country!  Now, let's make this dream a reality.  Can someone tell my gorgeous boyfriend that there is an idyllic weekend in the english countryside lingering in his future?  And can you tell him to throw in a massage and facial at their day spa while he's at it (he won't do a couples massage, i've already talked him into that once)!

Bottom Line, the Cliveden is the perfect setting to place the images you conjure in your head while reading a Jane Austin novel... an incredible mix of stately and romantic!  And if you just close your eyes, you can almost imagine the interesting characters who must have paraded around this estate when it was owned by the Astor's.  

To wrap it up: Stay at the Cliveden, take your significant other,or just yourself, and fall in love!

To stay at this incredible property, or to find more information to send to my boyfriend so he can take me there, follow the link below:

http://www.clivedenhouse.co.uk/

I Dream of the Places I've already Been!

-Since it's summer, I thought my first post should pay homage to a hotel located on that little island off the Amalfi Coast; Capri, Italy.***** LNH

The Quisisana (Capri, Italy)

The Quisisana is the Grande Dame of Capri.  Walking down an old cobblestone lane flanked with gelaterias and glamorous shops, the Quisisana emerges in all its glory! The lobby drips with such luxury—you almost forget you're on an island where you're supposed to be sporting swim suits and flip flops. Upon checking into my stunning suite, I noticed that the "spare" fridge—the room had 2 refrigerators—had been stocked with what appeared to be an entire fruit farm.  I thought it was my welcome gift!  Fast forward about 12 hours.  I settled in poolside, ordered a margherita pizza, and realized I had forgotten my book back at the crib. (side note, the best pizza I have ever had in my life, is down a narrow ally way off the main drag in Capri, its called Aurora. Ask a local, they'll point you in the right direction!)  So I made my way back to my room, slipped the key into the door and walked in on the maid service cutting into a cantaloupe.  Thank goodness I didn't have a midnight snack, or Maria would have missed lunch.  For some, this might have been a deterrent, but when you're in Capri, you throw caution and expectations to the wind.  Heaven forbid the women cleaning the rooms enjoy some fruit on a sweeping balcony that overlooks the sea.  I didn't blow the whistle.  I just considered brushing up on my Italian and applying for a job!  

To wrap it up, don't miss Capri, don't miss the Pizza on Capri, and don't miss the Quisisana!!  Just remember to pack your most glamorous beach attire!!

Want to visit the Quisisana? or just dream of going there? Follow the link to their website below:

http://www.quisisana.com/  


Check out a video of the hotel on YouTube!