The stylish lobby at Origin Austin
Well hello! It's been a while since I've posted to the blog. I'm feeling like more and more focus is going toward fast paced social media content rather than lengthy article, but here we are. This weekend we went to Austin for the first time in almost a year! Time is flying. I was particularly excited about this visit because we stayed at Origin Austin, which is in the up and coming neighborhood, Mueller. We had only done downtown previously, so it was great to cover some new ground.
1825 McBee Street
Austin, TX 78723
Loving the Adventure Kit and Pup Package in our room
I absolutely loved the Origin Austin, a smaller boutique hotel that's very pet and kid friendly. We stayed in a double queen classic room, which was a little tight for the 3 of us in all honesty. But, part of the crowding was due to the Adventure Kit in the room, which was worth the hassle. The hotel can provide a pop up tent and sleeping bag for your littles to make the stay a little more exciting. They also spoiled our fur baby with her own goodies; the pup package provided bowls, dog bed, toy and treat. Those add on's really elevated the stay.
Top of the line equipment at the Origin Austin gym
Outside of the room, amenities on site were fabulous. Although a bit small, the gym was well equipped with free weights, cardio equipment (including peleton bikes) and a TRX. I never had any issue finding space, I was the only one in there mostly.
Loving the drinks and the ambiance at Blue Lacy
We also frequented the on site restaurant, Blue Lacy. They have a very affordable cocktail selection (~$10-14, which is cheap for Austin) and a great all day menu. The meatloaf bowl was the favorite. I especially appreciated the lounge side of the restaurant. Equipped with an arcade game system, giant jenga and card games, it was fun hanging out on this side for a more relaxed vibe.
11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 128 Austin, TX 78758
One of the 12 installations at the Museum of Ice Cream
Located within The Domain (an office, retail, and residential center in northwest Austin) be prepared for crowds getting to and at the Museum of Ice Cream. I'm not big on in person shopping, so the busyness of the shopping district really overwhelmed me, but might be a perk for you.
The MOIC is for all ages, containing 12 interactive art installations, all you can eat ice cream, and even a bit of history. Tickets start at $24 on the weekend, then go up after 12:30. It was a fun way to spend some time on a rainy day, but a little overpriced in my opinion. My daughter would likely argue otherwise.
11410 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 144
Austin, TX 78758
The tuna tower at Blue Sake Sushi Grill
Although I'm not usually into chain restaurants, the Blue Sushi Sake Grill was located just a block from the MOIC and I was craving sushi. I was pleasantly surprised; they had one of the most extensive selections of rolls I've ever seen. I was also into the vibe and decor - all around great meal.
2406 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78722
The wild boar confit at Dai Due was the favorite
Perhaps the most anticipated experience of this trip was our reservation at Dai Due. As major fans of the show Meat Eater, we are in awe of the culinary skill of chef Jesse Griffiths, a frequent guest. At Dai Due, they pride themselves on using regionally sourced ingredients and if not local, they use as much as they can from the state of Texas, including wild game. This consideration makes the menu dynamic and unique. I also love that their entire wine list is from Texas, and excludes producers that use imported grapes. This restaurant really showcases the best of Texas. With that, comes a cost, so be prepared to spend $9 for bread, but it was totally worth it. The wild boar confit was my favorite.
If you're visiting Austin and already done the downtown scene, I highly recommend the Mueller area. Unfortunately we missed out on some of the high points due to the rain, but you can easily spend a whole weekend just in the vicinity of the Origin.
Businesses next to the Origin Austin, and the mural outside Blue Lacy
Next visit I would check out The Thinkery, a children's museum just next door to the hotel. There are also several great eateries nearby, we just didn't have enough time to try - including BD Riley's Irish Pub across from Blue Lacy, Halycon for brunch, Tsuke Edomae for sushi and L'Oca d'Oro for Italian. The hotel is also across from Mueller Lake Park, a 30 acre space with a nice walking path around the lake. The rain also prevented us from using the patio at the Origin Austin, but was another great amenity to note. If you have dogs and kids, this is the place for you!
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