Hi everyone!
This week has been flying by so far. I can’t believe Christmas is next week already! I’ve already got all my shopping done and presents are wrapped, except for Nick’s present. I’m still deciding what to get him, hopefully I’ll decide soon!!
This past weekend, Nick’s company paid for a two night, all-expenses paid trip down to Travaasa Resort down in Austin, Texas for a company Christmas party. They were allowed to bring their significant other so along I went! I took a bunch of pictures and I’m excited to show them to you today!
So the first night (Friday), we all piled into two buses (60+ people) and drove down to Austin. There was definitely beer on the bus on the way down. Apparently it’s legal to have open containers when you have a charter bus with a driver! Who knew!
When we got down to the resort, this is what we pulled up to. A canyon filled with trees and a very spa-like resort with tons of trees and plants.
The spa was set up with a series of bungalows, with about 5 rooms per building. Here’s the view from our room!
On Friday night before dinner, we had a cocktail making competition. We were given blackberries, blueberries, lemon, lime, rosemary, sage, jalapeno, and an assortment of liquors and juices (cranberry, pomegranate and lemon), and simple syrup or agave.
Our group made a drink we called the “Devil’s Sugar”– cranberry juice, muddled blueberries and jalapeno, with simple syrup and vodka. It tasted alright. Let me just say that after this competition I have a new-found respect for bartenders/mixologists.
Saturday morning consisted of a hearty and delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and probably the BEST pancakes I’ve ever had. They. were. amazing.
After breakfast we had planned to do something called a “Challenge Course”, which on the description said nothing about it being 35 feet in the air. When we got down to the course I totally chickened out and didn’t do it. Nick did however!
First, you had to climb up the netting, walk across a board bridge, a log bridge, and then a tight rope. Then you zip-line down. All 35 feet in the air. Yea, no thanks. Deathly afraid of heights over here.
Here’s the group before the challenge! Nick is second from the right.
After we Nick completed the challenge course, we headed over to lunch. I had some type of Asian pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes, bacon stuffed deviled eggs, quinoa cilantro salad, couscous salad with lentils, grilled portobello mushrooms, honey cornbread and a jalapeno-bacon-cheddar scone. Yep we ate pretty well.
After lunch, we headed over to a cute little farm to go horseback riding.
It was nestled in the valley and it was the perfect day to be outside! 75 degrees and sunny. Mind you this is December. Two weeks before Christmas. And this is why I live in Texas.
Overall the horseback riding trip wasn’t very exciting. It was a little boring to be honest. The guides just took us up into the hill and there was barely anything to see except for dead trees. And my horse went rogue and ran into some bushes and totally scratched up my arm.
Nick’s horse pretty much behaved himself. It was funny, because we told the guides that I sometimes have problems with horses not listening to me, and they told me they gave me the tamest horse. Hmph.
View from the top of the mountain!
Nick’s company had us do an Instagram contest (grand prize: a 7-day all expenses cruise to where ever you want) all day on Saturday so we had to run around the spa taking pictures of various things. If you follow me on Instagram that is why I was posting random pictures of statues and buildings and bulls, not because I’m going crazy.
The spa had a gorgeous infinity pool. If we had known that it was going to be 75 degrees we would have brought our swim suits.
I’d totally come back just to swim in this!!
A tiny baby pomegranate (or persimmon or something else I’m not sure):
There was definitely plenty of nature to soak in!
One of my favorite pics from the weekend. I want this blown up on canvas.
The rest of the weekend was spent at a private two-stepping class, lots of cocktail hours, dinners, and dancing. We packed up Sunday morning and headed home.
Overall it was a great experience! I would definitely go back again. The resort had so many daily activities to choose from like yoga, massages, cooking classes, alcohol tastings, etc that you could spend all day with a pretty booked schedule.
Did you do anything fun this past weekend?
Are you ready for Christmas?? I AM!
Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!