Bites of My Life

Coming off such a great week with family and friends. Claire had her sweet baby boy Jack Morgan prematurely two and half weeks ago. It was a shock and a very scary few days. While he’s growing and getting stronger in the nicu, Kathleen and I spent a few days in Austin last week, getting to hang with the new parents! I won’t get to meet my nephew for a couple of months, but what a day it will be when I finally get to! Unpacked from Austin to re-pack for the lake with my college besties. We’re on year 3 of our annual lake trip, and I’m so thankful for the dedicated time outside of weddings and bachelorette parties that we choose to spend together.

-What a week for television. Millionaires are going to space and the start of the summer Olympics. I’m a Today Show and NBC loyal fan and have always been. Catch me more excited about diving and gymnastics than The Bachelorette the next two weeks 🤣! Pictured here is me multi-tasking an Obé pilates class and watching Jeff Bezos go to space.
-Arrived in Austin on Wednesday and picked up lunch with Claire from Tiny Grocer to eat at home while working and waiting for Kathleen to get in.
-While Claire and Mike visited Jack in the NICU I got to meet up with Mads and baby Ralph for a walk near Lake Austin.
-I’ve coveted Elizabeth St. Cafe for years for their dishes and design. I flipped through their cookbook after spotting it at ByGeorge on South Congress last week
-We then decided to order in from Elizabeth Street that night. It is insanely good Vietnamese-style street food by the always good MML Hospitality.
-Besties unite!
-We rented the cutest lake house on Cedar Creek lake. Dallas is a central meeting spot for our crew, and Cedar Creek is only about an hour outside of DTX!
-I love this trip and these friends so much!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was a nice standard week. One of my last more chill weeks for a bit before a lot of travel, fun plans, and work trips. I get so recharged by spending time at home having the free time for spontaneous plans or spending the whole evening on the couch. While I truly enjoy being busy and having fun things going on, down time really gets my going the most.

-Picked up the most delicious strawberries last week. I normally opt for oranges and apples because they last longer, but I couldn’t resist these.
-You guys know I’ve been on a Cava kick lately. So, I picked up some ingredients to do a Cava style bowl at home. My bowl: cruciferous crunch from TJs, Right Rice, chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, hummus, skhug sauce, marinated tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumbers, and feta.
-A little make-shift charcuterie board for dinner with random fridge finds.
-Finally tried Loro! The guys behind Franklin Barbecue and Uchi brought their Austin spot to Dallas!
-Ain’t no better salad than a Macho Salad.
-Legs up the wall after a long walk is so necessary for me. Especially in this heat. My legs get so sore and swollen from summer walks and putting my legs up the wall for about 5-10 minutes helps rush all the lactic acid out of them!
-A grocery store treat is picking up these spring roll or cucumber-wrapped sushi rolls. I saw on Instagram one time someone post these and she said, “When you need a salad, but don’t want a salad, get this!”
-I had a golf-themed wedding shower Saturday night and channeled major 55-year-old country club mom vibes.
-Two weeks until we are all in Pebble Beach for SC and Carly!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was nice! A relatively chill and a nice slow week after the holiday. Followed by a fun weekend with brunch, drinks, and lots of pool time with friends. In addition, we had some exciting family news hit mid week that has the Tucker’s praying and thanking God!

-Green green and more green after the 4th of July chip bender.
-My “Best Things I’ve Bought on Amazon” post went live last week. Did anything catch your eye? This trucker hat, tank and pop socket are in my everyday rotation!
-I can’t with this picture LOL! Had a private training session with my friend Kate and let’s just say while I love Obe, I feel pretty out of shape for a bootcamp style training….
-Fun pant alert! These are a favorite recent rental. Broke them out for a happy hour with friends!
-Tik Tok pasta chips were my contribution for dip night with friends! Have you seen this trend?
-The new Gossip Girl. I’m here for it, have you watched yet?
-Alamo Club is one of my favorite spots in Dallas and now for brunch! I split a carafe of mimosas and had these delicious chilaquiles all for a $16 tab. Cannot beat it!
-Trader Joe’s soup dumplings!!! Don’t sleep. The pork and ginger flavor are legit. A new staple purchase.
-Sunday spread set up for an afternoon by the pool!

Annie

Bites of My Life

I’m full on family and an unhealthy amount of potato chips. But might I say it was just what the doctor ordered. How great has this year been that our holidays have been able to return to normal? Lake time, cookouts, s’mores (and s’more cookies), and fireworks! I hope everyone had a great 4th of July.

I’m equally thankful that this is a short week. Just a few action-packed work days and then I’m headed to OKC for a full week of major Tucker hangs!

-I love to order the California Turkey or Chicken Salad sandwiches “protein style” at Bird Bakery. I recreated the Cali Turkey last week and it was a great weekday lunch. Turkey meat, red onion, tomatoes, avocado, and gluten-free crackers over arugula. I was missing the raspberry chipotle mayo, but made a little mustard dressing to pour over it all.
-After being damaged in the 2019 Dallas tornado, the Preston Royal Central Market reopened last week. A trip to see the new store doubled as a birthday lunch date for my friend Ellie!
-Whizzed up some frozen banana and frozen pineapple in my mini food processor for a crazy good little ice cream situation. It couldn’t have been easier!
-Have you seen the wave of popularity Crumbl Cookie has received from Tik Tok? Whoever their marketing director is must to be laughing all the way to the bank. The lines at some Crumbl locations are wrapped around the building. The flavors rotate weekly and I couldn’t resist treating myself to the fan-favorite Cornbread Cookie that was available last week.
-A Sonic Happy Hour Route 44 water with mango and blackberry has been a mid-afternoon mood lately! It tastes like a snow cone!
-It ain’t a summer holiday without my S’more Cookies. I even made a Tik Tok how-to because I was feeling sassy.
-Lake time with Baby Joe! My honorary nephew looks more like my child than his parents!
-Big holiday people for these two littles who are proud to be Americans!
-Seriously good 4th of July eats.

Annie

Bites of My Life

I was in Oklahoma City for the second half of the week. It was a quick work filled trip, but great to see friends, fam, and co-workers. I turned right back around once Saturday hit to get back to Dallas. I gushed on it a little in my last bites post, but Dallas just feels really right lately. That being said, I’m hoping to be back in Oklahoma this coming weekend for the 4th, but fingers crossed their rain holds off so I can have a fun lake weekend, and not a wash out. Keep scrolling to the end of this post if you need some holiday recipe inspo!

-Easy and delicious summer dinner: TJ’s Chili Lime Chicken Burger topped with chunks of avocado and tomatoes, pickled red onion, mustard for dipping (always), and a quick pickled Asian cucumber salad.
-Pulled into OKC and quickly found myself taking sips of all the new coffees on The Jones’ summer menu rollout.
-Mom and dad’s new house is IT! My trip was fast and furious, but I can’t wait to be back in Oklahoma soon to spend an extended amount of time in that pool.
-Morning walk with these OKC besties!
-After dinner Homemade Brandy Ices !!
-Trips down I-35 deserve SNACKS! A mix of skinny pop, cheddar bunnies, and almonds did the trick.
-Back in Dallas, for a Bridgeton-themed birthday tea for the queen, Ellie!
-Bonded by espresso martinis and being Dallas transplants.
-End of an era as Royal Blue Grocery closes. So many coffee dates, afternoon work sessions, friend meetups, and bible studies on the patio. Going to miss it, but excited for what the RBG team has up their sleeve.

Annie

My 4th of July recipe roundup from last year still holds strong. Take a peek at the post for some inspo for your holiday weekend. God Bless America!