T & J at the hitchin' post

October has been all about Texas for us. We just couldn't get enough of the place this month!

We were lucky to get invited back to Austin for Tristan and Jessica's wedding this past weekend, and it was a beautiful, beautiful time. The wedding was absolutely lovely and we enjoyed perfect sunny weather all weekend and lots of terrific company. It was a little bit bittersweet though as the long weekend just wasn't enough time to see everyone and do everything---so we guess we'll just have to come back!


Our excitement about our return to Austin began to stir on the connecting leg of our journey from Houston to Austin when all of the sudden we were part of an eclectic plane-full of Austin residents and visitors. We chatted in line with an older man in Buddy Holly glasses and sneakers who was traveling to Austin to see his son's death metal band, then sat behind a couple of young engineers entertaining themselves with binary operations riddles, and spent the rest of the plane ride trying to ignore a hugely annoying drunk football fan who was harassing passengers and the flight attendants. A pretty good snapshot of Austin, actually, in all its tech boomtown, music-crazy, rah-rah 6th Street glory.

We started off in Austin meeting the wedding gang for dinner on Friday night where we got a chance to see loads of Tristan's and Jessica's family and friends. The restaurant was at a winery out in Driftwood, just outside of town in the famous Texas hill country. We were especially excited to learn that the place belonged to Damian Mandola, one of the hosts of the much-missed PBS cooking show, Cucina Amore, where these two overweight East Texas good ol' boys do fine Tuscan cuisine because they happen to be Sicilian. Fine entertainment, and as it turns out, they now have created a really pretty place to eat food in central Texas.

On Saturday we hopped into our rental car and zoomed over to meet up with newlyweds Aaron and Jennifer at their adorable place in north-central Austin (a house where Sergio used to be a tenant actually!).

Austin is a true-blue island in a sea of deep red.

They gave us a tour of their peaceful garden, showered Ivan with affection (and a super cute food co-op onesie) and fed us some tasty migas.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. De la Lueckegarzameyer!

We had a super time soaking up the morning sunshine on their beautiful deck and catching up with these two before they had to get busy with UT Game Day and we had to go catch a train...the Zilker Park Zephyr, that is.

Often described as the soul of Austin, we definitely agree that Barton Springs is one of our very favorite things about Austin. While we weren't prepared to take a dip in the 68-degree spring-fed pool on Saturday, we did have time to walk around the surrounding park and introduce Ivan to this lovely spot.

Get in MAH BELLY!

The 3 Texas philosphers, Ivan, and some moron.

Sergio's favorite place with his favorite kid.

And then we took him on a train ride. A kiddie train winds through Zilker Park and on this gorgous afternoon it was sold-out. Ivan seemed alternately unimpressed (i.e. sleeepy and/or more interested in chewing on his fingers) and completely fired-up for locomotive travel (i.e. screeching with delight and bouncing in his seat as we sped along). The kid's a mystery. The parents had an unqualified ball.

Baby's First Train Ride Flip-Book:

And then (after the Longhorns' victory over the OSU to remain #1 in the nation) it was off to the main event of the weekend, the Moore-Ader wedding!

These mini-Mozarts handled the wedding march.

A beautiful bride at sunset...

The couple looked the picture of happiness, and we were so pleased to be able to share in their celebrating. There was a great band, too many cool people to count, barbeque and a gorgeous hill country setting.

The traditional father-son dance (part 1)

Ivan was a hit...

...and a raging party-animal!

Ivan's first pair of sneakers, the shortest tie ever and mama-to-be Lara.

Natalie, Scrunch, and Brabby

Derek and his gals.


Lunch bunch rides again

Traditional father-son dance (part 2)

As an added bonus, we got our first family portrait, compliments of a very patient Anne. It's always a challenge to get the little guy to look at the camera but Anne's charms seems to have done the trick.


Perhaps the only bad thing about going to Austin is remembering how much we miss the place. And all the folks that live there.

All the best to the happy couple as they start their new life together.

Thanks for the pickles!

P.S. On our way out of town we stopped for breakfast and found ourselves eating next to Dan Rather, famous Texan newshound and everyone's fave Election Night MC. Just so you know, he's covering this year's election too. For the French!