Live music, great restaurants, a hip art scene, and welcoming atmosphere; the city of Austin is the perfect girls getaway or romantic hideout because there's something for everyone to enjoy. It is currently becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the country—probably due to its eclectic vibe and the fact that the food scene has become increasingly popular over the years.
I recently found a two-day, mid-week flight and hotel package for two people at the four-star Lakeway Resort and Spa for $600. And since there was so much to experience, we rented a small economy car to make the most of everything the Texas State Capitol had to offer.
Here are some of Austin's must-see spots:
Eat at Salt Lick Bar-B-Que
Courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole
Austin is no stranger to great barbecue; some of the city's restaurants boast lines that are hours long. And please believe me, a drive to Salt Lick Bar-B-Que (located in Driftwood, TX about 35 minutes from Austin) is well worth the wait and the drive!
The meat is smoked over a giant pit that greets visitors upon entering the establishment and the menu assortment (including the mouthwatering beef brisket) is surely something to write home about. I suggest you have a Y.O.L.O. moment like I did and splurge on the $25 dollar "all-you-can-eat" option that provides a little of everything on the menu (plus sides). The restaurant is BYOB and is conveniently located next door to Salt Lick Wine Cellars so that you can experience some delicious Texas wine to pair with your meal.
Tour of the City’s Food Truck and Art Scene
Courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole
Austin is no doubt what I like to call "food truck country." You can't turn the corner without seeing one. From tacos to Thai food, the scene is about as diverse as the residents. The city is also known for some of its cool neighborhood street art, and for $35 dollars, you can explore both!
Austindetours.com provides visitors with an up-close look at some of the coolest local landmarks, graffiti art, and food trucks. Visit the state capitol, check out the "Greetings from Austin" mural and more! They also offer a variety of other tours that include wine tasting and music crawls.
Listen to Live Jazz at Elephant Room
Terry Hagerty Photos
Dubbed one of Austin's most popular jazz bars, The Elephant Room has been serving up sexy smooth grooves from both local and national acts since 1991. The small, narrow room that sits below street level gives the feel of a speakeasy (which I love) and is the perfect vibe for a date night. There's nothing overly pretentious about this club, as patrons are allowed to show up in jeans and enjoy a delicious craft beer while listening to the music. Wine and cocktails are also available.
Enjoy the Restaurants and Shops on South Congress
South Congress (or the "SoCo" shopping district) has some of the hippest shops and restaurants that Austin has to offer. Before burning through your wallet and purchasing those cool retro threads at one of the many boutiques or grabbing the perfect accent piece for your home, stop and have brunch at the South Congress Cafe. It'll give you all the fuel you need to shop till you drop! The short rib hash with two eggs, fingerling potatoes, red bell and poblano peppers is highly recommended. This dish is large and decadent enough for two to share. But the popular carrot cake French toast with cream cheese pecan syrup is the show-stopper. Be sure to wet your palate with a glass of their froze' (frozen rose).
Enjoy Some Down Home Cooking at Hoover’s
Courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole
Located in East Austin, this black-owned establishment is sure to make you reminisce about your grandmother's kitchen. Hoover's Cooking draws crowds from all walks of life and has been serving up mouthwatering southern delights for two decades. The biggest dilemma you'll have at this establishment is which dish to order. Whether it's the pinto beans, fried okra, crawfish etouffee or the golden flaky catfish platter, each and everything on the menu is a hit! Be sure to wash your meal down by ordering a "glass" of lemonade that is actually served in a mini pitcher with a straw.
Have a Purple Margarita at Baby Acapulco
Courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole
What exactly is in a purple margarita? Who cares if it puts you exactly where you need to be, right? This popular Mexican chain serves up a deliciously strong frozen purple concoction that they say is as mysterious as the Bermuda Triangle! The fact that they only allow two per customer says it all. And for those of you who are unable to decide which of the many other flavors on the menu you'd like to enjoy, the frozen margarita flight is the perfect solution. One flight is equivalent to a regular-sized drink. Salud!
Visit Desert Door, The Only Sotol Distillery in the U.S.
Courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole
Also located just outside of Austin (in Driftwood) is a must-see operation—America's only Sotol distillery, Desert Door. The brand was started by three military vets who met at the University of Texas and is a distilled spirit that is affectionately nicknamed tequila's "crazy little brother" and mezcal's "cousin" because it is made from a plant similar to the agave. For just $10, you can receive a tour and tasting of this one-of-a-kind distillery and get a first-hand look at how the spirit is prepared from start to finish. Tequila lovers BEWARE! This 80-proof concoction is NOT for the faint of heart! Luckily there are cocktail recipes on their website because a straight shot of the stuff might have you dancing on the bar!
Check out more pictures from my trip below!:
Courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole
Salt Lick Bar-B-Que
Featured image courtesy of Tiffany D. Smith for xoNecole.
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RELATED
So, today? Today, we’re going to tackle how sex impacts us when it comes to our energy fields. What (mostly) inspired this is once reading a science-based article about how it is a fact and not a myth that just like plants can absorb energy from other plants, humans can do the same thing by being in the space of other human beings. And when you stop to really think about it, doesn’t that make all of the sense in the world?
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be terms out here like “peer pressure” and big grown folks wouldn’t be out here trying to look and act just like some of their favorite celebrities or IG influencers (and yet, on that point, I digress).
So, since energy impacts us in some pretty significant ways, let’s take a few moments to see how it goes down when it comes to copulation — just so that you’re (even more) aware of what you’re getting yourself into when you “do the do,” as far as your personal energy space is concerned.
Energy. Revisited.
GiphyOkay, so before we get all up in how energy is exchanged during sexual activity, what is energy as it relates to human beings, in general? Well, in some ways, it all depends on who you ask. For instance, the famed Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that energy is about having the capacity to do something. Some medical experts say that energy is all about how something impacts you on a mental or physical level.
For instance, negative energy tends to be very heavy and draining while positive energy can increase feel-good chemicals throughout your system which makes it easier for you to do things like be creative and problem-solve. Something else that I think is important to keep in mind as far as human energy goes is it’s impacted by a myriad of things including a person’s stress levels, how healthy a person is, what their life choices are (as far as how their decisions influence them) and even what their sleep patterns are like.
And if all of this is true, then something else that Aristotle once said about energy would be beyond accurate: “The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”
Energy is life. Whew, so if this is indeed the case, does this mean that when you choose to have sex with someone, you are sharing your life force — whatever state that may be — with someone as they are doing the same to/for/with you? YES.
What Does It Mean to Exchange Sexual Energy?
GiphySince I grew up in an entertainment industry household, I think that’s probably why I’ve ended up with some close friends who are in the industry as well. That said, I will never forget when I was talking to one of them one day about a particular artist. When I expressed how much sex appeal that she had, my (male) friend simply said, “Yeah, I’ve been in her presence a few times before. She has some really dark energy. I didn’t even hug her.”
Now from a scientific standpoint, dark energy is simply what causes the universe to accelerate in growth over a certain period of time; however, when a person is described to have dark energy, that usually means that they have an evil and/or negative and/or heavy and/or draining aura about them. And y’all, here’s what’s semi-wild about what he said: did you know that science backs that hugs do indeed transfer energy?
Yep, research reveals that a hug from someone can literally alter your brain and body chemistry — so you definitely need to be discerning about who you let up into your affection space. Straight up. And so, since a hug has the capacity to do that, how much more can SEX?
To further emphasize this, let’s begin with an article that I read on Healthline’s website entitled, “Do We Really Exchange Energy During Sex?” After checking it out, one of the main things that I appreciated was when a doctor who was interviewed for the piece said:
“Every sex act is an exchange of energy [because] every sexual act raises or lowers your energy level…Therefore, a sexual relationship isn’t a purely psychological or physiological, mechanical act…Rather, it’s an energetic action. When we have an intimate relationship with someone, the two energies merge.”
Okay, so according to science, when two people have sex, energies merge. Well, according to Scripture, when two people have sex, oneness transpires (Genesis 2:24-25). Let’s keep going.
There was once a Physician-scientist by the name of Wilhelm Reich (who actually died in prison, in part, because of his radical beliefs on sex and orgasms during his time), who once said that having a healthy sex life (which, to him, including orgasms and is what he referred to as “orgastic potency”) is what played a huge role in one’s emotional health and well-being. That’s because, to him, without the release of sexual energy, neurological disorders would be come to be.
My takeaway from this is when you think about the fact that things like serotonin, dopamine, and the “the bonding chemical” oxytocin are all released during sex (and most certainly during orgasms), and also since sex (and orgasms) reduce stress — you need to tend to your sexual energy for the sake of your holistic health. Let’s continue on.
After reading an article on sexual energy on Cosmo’s website in which one of the sex therapists said that “our sexuality is our power" and then reading an article on the same topic on Well + Good’s platform where another expert stated that, “Many belief systems believe sexual energy is an expression of the soul's connection to the cosmos and the rest of the universe”, I thought about the word “power” and then “soul connection.”
At the end of the day, power isn’t just ability but the capability to influence and even take authority over something or someone. And a soul connection? Several years ago, when I penned a piece for the platform entitled, “I’ve Got Some Ways For You To Start Pampering Your Soul,” one of the things that I made sure to emphasize is your soul IS also your life. This means that soul connections are life connections.
And so, it would appear that sharing sexual energy also means that you are making a life connection with someone. And that type of connection has the power to influence you in ways that you couldn’t even begin to imagine. That is how deep exchanging sexual energy is.
What You Should Always Keep in Mind Before Sharing Sexual Energy with Someone Else
GiphyNow are there degrees to this whole sexual energy thing? Of course. The type of connection that a husband and wife of 20 years can make via sex is very different than a one-night stand. However, it would appear that science believes that it doesn’t really matter what you tell yourself about sex with someone (or even how many condoms you may use during sex) — potent energy is exchanged regardless.
That’s a huge part of the reason why I will forever roll my eyes about how ridiculous “casual sex” sounds to me, because, although I do believe that it is very possible to engage in coitus that has no real purpose (casual is purposeless, by definition), what isn’t possible is for there not to be a significant connection made from a scientific standpoint. Because again, if a mere hug can alter you (shoot, a handshake too), do you really think that allowing a man’s penis into the sacred space known as your vagina will not? After reading all of this…do you really?
When it comes to energy, author T. Harv Eker once said, “Energy is contagious: either you affect people or you infect people.” With all that was just shared about sexual energy, each and every person you choose to “engage” with, they are either going to affect you or infect you — just with their energy alone.
Knowing this, if there was ever a time to choose wisely, this would be it.
Your energy is your power. Who you exchange power with? CHOOSE WISELY.
EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON.
And because energy can shift…be cognizant of what you’re doing…EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
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Featured image by Giphy