Austin City Limits - Nashville Live!

We really like the show Austin City Limits (when we can find it on PBS) and we thought we'd check out the concert venue.  While we are here, we chose Nashville in Concert.  These are some of the musicians/actors from the show Nashville.  

 

 

They played several songs from the show as well as several songs of their own.  Brandon doesn't watch the show (I do) and he enjoy very much.  It was a lot of fun being in this very prestigious venue for a concert.

Austin Segway Tour - Day 2

So, I mentioned that when we don't have a lot of time in one place, Brandon and I look for food tours and Segway tours.  We did the food tour on Day 1, so Segway tour is first stop on Day 2.  It's been awhile since we've been on a Segway, but it's a lot like riding a bike and it will come back to you very quickly.

I took this picture for the kids.  This is the Center for Mexican-American Cultural Arts.  The grounds were quite pretty, but this sidewalk was bricked to pattern a Mexican milk snake.

This art is titled "Hurlyburly" and is made from recycled lobster rope.

  

The next stop as The Driskill hotel.  It's a gorgeous hotel that is supposedly haunted, and it costs a lot of money to stay at.

Next up, the capital.  This building and the grounds are very beautiful.  We were warned that fire arms are allowed in the capital, however, pocket knives are not.

Looking up into the dome.

This is looking down at the floor on the main level.

The house is currently not in session.

This is a view from the backside of the capital.

This is a newer addition to the capital.  

 A small replica of the Statue of Liberty.

The state flower is the rose and they were starting to bloom.

The grounds have a statue of the 10 commandments.  People have complained that it is against the separation of church and state, so the tablet can only be seen if you walk around it, or drive the wrong way down a one way street. 

This is the govenor's mansion.  It is right across the street from the 

This is statue of Angelina Eberly is placed in the exact spot where she fired a cannon shot that saved Austin as the capital of Texas.

Austin has a lovely skyline.

We got to take our Segways straight up a hill to find this at the top.  It showed the distances between different Texas towns and it's capital of Austin.

Austin has quite a bit of green spaces as part of it's downtown area.

Austin Day 1 - continue

 

After eating our huge brunch, we headed to Emerald Tavern Games and Cafe to check out and play some games.  They also make a mean smoothie and coffee drinks!  We love this store and would go to it frequently if there was one in Des Moines.

If the bathroom had gaming jokes on the door!

  

After that, we drove around Austin a little bit and happened by this huge art space.  Artists are allowed to come and graffiti this space.  It looks kind of crazy, but was really cool in person.

Austin Eats Food Tour - Austin, TX

Brandon and I have found that if we don't have a lot of time in one place, we like to do a food tour and a segway tour.  First up, food with the Brunch and Brewery tour from Austin Eats.  The first stop this morning, a chorizo breakfast burrito from Pueblo Viejo food truck!

Next stop, Searsucker.  This pork belly hash.  There was also a great biscuits and gravy.  Of course, Brandon also had a beer and I had a large mimosa.

 

The third stop this morning was Pinthouse Pizza which is a brew pub.  Since I do not like beer, Brandon got to drink all of this himself!

I did order a Hawaiian pizza, as the tour guides highly recommended trying the pizza that was not included in the tour.  It was great!

 

The next stop was Tiny Pies.  These pies might be tiny, but they were not tiny in taste!  Brandon and I both agreed that my key lime pie was the greatest!

 

Last, but certainly not least, was Freedmen's Bar and Smokehouse.  These two large trays of food were shared amoungst  4 or 5 people.  It was A ton of food, but oh so yummy!  Of course, Brandon had a local brew here.  We would highly recommend anyone checking out any of these places.  It was great!

Des Moines Bound

  

We decided to get some pool time in this morning before heading back.

Daddy also wanted to stop at Miniature Market again this morning....I don't think we can drive and play a game like he'd like to.....

Memphis - Day 4

Aiden hasn't been able to put his Harry Potter books down at all over Spring Break.  This is him at breakfast.

Guess what the boys wanted to do again today...it's a good thing that we became Memphis Zoo members on the first day when we realized that we wouldn't see everything the boys wanted to see.

Back for another round of Pandas.

Last photo until we leave the zoo for the third day!

 

This afternoon, the boys wanted to do play some miniature golf. The place we went to also had a large arcade and a great deal on playing miniature golf AND arcade games.  As you can tell, the kids had a great time!