The big city lights, shopping and music scene were flirting with me. It had been a while since I had pounded the pavement popping in and out of boutiques, stopping for midday cocktails in the warmth of the winter sun. Austin being less than a 90-minute flight away kept enticing me for a weekend in the city. I had purchased tickets to the Texas Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards Show so there was a little extra motivation to make the jaunt to Austin. Occasionally a girl needs to window shop and get a little big city living, and Austin was just the ticket with a direct flight on Southwest coming in under $130.
Austin has a plethora of hotel options from boutique to low-high end chain hotels. My first choice The Ella, was fully booked due to the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame Weekend, so I selected The Fairmont Hotel which had a central location that made most of Downtown Austin walkable. The Fairmont is one of my favorite chain hotels to stay at as they usually have a great bar/restaurant, spa, fitness facility, pool, top notch customer service, and rooms are clean and elegant with a nod to the location. Since this was a weekend, and it is a business/conference hotel, the room rate for a King with a superior city view came in under $235 a night and included a complimentary welcome cocktail since it was my first time in Austin. I have to admit Austin had a mini-Los Angeles vibe going on (complete with the homeless population). There were a few times over the weekend I felt like I was back in Los Angeles but then someone with Texas attire and a southern drawl would swagger by and I remembered I wasn’t in California anymore.
Our first stop was Bill’s Oyster on 3rd Street. There’s something about an old school neon sign with black and white tiles in a restaurant that lures me in. I felt so chic and big city to be sitting there in on the bustling sidewalk slurping oysters and drinking bubbles in balmy 80-degree weather. It’s possible the life I was meant to live was not that of a woman climbing the corporate ladder, but rather that of one that gets to enjoy leisurely 2-hour lunches followed by some light shopping as aerobic exercise. Now that we were slightly inebriated and satiated, a stroll downtown to explore the boutique shops of Austin was in order. Fortunately, for me, the shops did not appeal to my sense of style and who I am as a person who is not 20 something and my wallet was happier for this newfound resolve. I did find a handful of locations that looked great to stop for a drink or to return to for a meal on a future trip – 48 hours doesn’t allow a lot of time to explore the culinary scene, especially when you’re traveling with someone who doesn’t exactly enjoy food (not entirely sure how that friendship happened).
I’m a firm believer that every trip should include at least one “special” meal that will give you a sense of place. For this trip Lonesome Dove by famed chef Tim Love was the selection. The cuisine is described as “Urban Western Cuisine” which may actually be the perfect description for anyone with country background who loves to indulge occasionally in the urban life. Lonesome Dove Austin features both classic and new tastes, with Austin-inspired dishes that showcase Love’s creative use of bold flavors, wild game, and signature wood-fired cooking techniques and has an excellent wine selection. The setting is definitely urban western chic, and I kept waiting for Bud from Urban Cowboy to come in and buy us a drink. Alas, Bud never showed up, but the manager was quite exceptional at providing us recommendation to get the full Lonesome Dove experience. We started with the Rabbit-Rattlesnake Sausage, Manchego Rosti, Crème Fraîche which was an exceptional combination of flavors. For my entree I indulged and ordered Elk Loin, Hen of the Woods, Swiss Chard, Salsify Puree, Candied Blueberries. One of my restaurant guidelines in this situation is to order something I would not make at home, and I have never attempted elk at home. This dish did not disappoint. The meal was finished off with the bread pudding of the day which was a great note to end the meal on.
The next morning, we met in the coffee shop at the hotel, ordered two coffees with croissants (it was vacation after all, and carbs are 100% allowed) and watched the men’s soccer team that was competing at the stadium prance through the hotel. When did professional athletes get so young? My friend Anna is a huge soccer fan, so she was in 7th heaven, and I was indifferent because they all looked 12. A plan was made to participate in retail therapy at The Domain wandering the upscale stores and the staples like Zara, Anthropologie and Dillard’s. After a first round of shopping and identifying potential purchases, it was time to provide a little nourishment and Plank Provisions had an enticing patio with our name on it. This is a terrific little seafood spot, and my logical brain said Austin was closer to water than Santa Fe, so seafood was in order. An order of beignet style hushpuppies started off the festivities with two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. I ordered the daily seafood special simply grilled with vegetables which was the perfect bite to get through the remainder of the afternoon shopping.
Vince Young Steakhouse was a short walk from the Fairmont and seemed a feasible feat that could be accomplished in the Aquazzura stilettos and La Fuori dress I brought out of retirement since moving to Santa Fe. It’s got that classic city steakhouse vibe which demanded a dirty martini be ordered. The heat must have been getting to me because I did something completely out of character and ordered a steak salad. The steak salad was large enough for two to share and allowed me to try the steak without committing to a full steakhouse meal that might have me in a coma for the show.
If you’ve never been to Austin City Limits to see a performance, it’s a must for the music lover. The setting is intimate, not so plush but you are definitely there because you love music. The seats I purchased were my usual best (I have always had great luck at spending money on good seats) and unbeknownst to us, we found ourselves in the row with Jack Ingram’s family who was one of the songwriters being honored and quite frankly was the reason for the spur of the moment purchase since he writes with Miranda Lambert. If you are a fan of lyrics and beautiful songwriting, the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards Show is a must do. It is a weekend filled with activities (which if I go again, I will make sure to plan for) and since it is not a festival there is a quaint, family like charm to this show. I’m still in awe of the performances and talent that we saw and it’s on my 2025 list of travel.
Sunday morning at home is normally spent leisurely reading with coffee and music. This was no different in Austin, except it was followed up with an indulgent spa morning including a manicure with the world’s best manicurist Ni Saletta. Unfortunately, she has relocated from the Fairmont but has become an entrepreneur and started her own business so if you visit Austin you will still be able to enjoy her quality manicures and pedicures. The spa at the Austin Fairmont is definitely a great way to spend a day. Your services include complimentary bubbles, access to the pool and private sauna. We topped the day off with an afternoon at the pool (the only one I have had since moving to Santa Fe), a quick bite at the hotel and off the airport for an early evening flight.
Austin is a great weekend escape. You’ll find top notch shopping, great food, music just about anywhere you go. It’s also a college town, so don’t be surprised if you’re downtown on a weekend evening wondering why everyone looks like they are in high school. There’s more to this music city than meets the eye and it’s definitely worth a return trip to venture out and discover more spots to enjoy!
Great article! Austin was not on my bucket list but you’ve enticed me to add it!