How much can three girls possibly pack into two short days in Dallas, Texas? Apparently, A LOT!
After our Mexican lunch/shopping/sight seeing extravaganza on Friday afternoon, we got gussied up and headed to Sambuca Restaurant for some appetizers, drinks and live music!
Sambuca is in the Uptown area of Dallas, and features an eclectic menu with goodies like savory beignets, funky drinks like lavender martinis, and live music 7 days a week!
We nestled into a booth in the bar area to listen to the band, nosh on some appetizers, and cheers to friends and our first evening in Dallas with some cocktails.
We stayed at Sambuca for awhile, then hit the town to explore my friend’s new neighborhood, and show Dallas how Iowa girls like to vacation! ;)
The next morning we headed straight to Bread Winners Bakery & Bistro for a nice, Saturday brunch!
My friends had received several positive recommendations about the restaurant, and it did not disappoint.
The inside looked like a charming old home, but we learned from our waiter that the building had actually started as a Chinese pharmacy in the 50s.
Since then, it had been everything from a Neiman Marcus factory, to a laundromat, before becoming the present day bakery & bistro. It was so charming, unique and absolutely gorgeous on the inside!
The bakery up front provided drool-worthy eye candy at every turn. Tray after tray of freshly baked cakes,
pastries,
(omg!)
and racks of freshly baked specialty breads tempted us at every turn. There was no need to panic, though, because they bring samples of pretty much everything to your table for FREE to nibble on as you ponder what to order!
Their signature banana bread, cranberry sour cream loaf and whole wheat bread was promptly DEVOURED as it was set down at our table. Sweet and moist – the banana bread even had the sugary, crunchy strudel topping that all banana breads require. Simply spectacular.
Everything on the menu looked insanely fresh,
but I settled on some of their homemade granola. Because, hello! Homemade granola?! Yes please!
My homemade, still warm granola came topped with fresh, ripe strawberries and a sliced banana. Plus a cup of cold skim milk.
So. Amazing. Crunchy, sweet, filling, light – I was so impressed!
I also slammed this fresh orange juice. Perhaps the tastiest, most refreshing OJ I’ve ever had?!
So content in this unique little eatery!
The day was HOT but gorgeous, so we headed outdoors to walk off our breakfast on a fabulous trail running right through the middle of the city.
One thing that impressed me so much about Dallas is how GREEN it is. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but I was so pleasantly surprised to see such lush trees everywhere we went!
The trail was bumpin’, despite the choking heat and humidity. We were seriously dying, but a nice long stretch of our legs felt amazing.
Besides, we knew what we’d be cooling off with AFTER finishing our walk… PINKBERRY!
Pinkberry is a frozen yogurt shop that’s uber trendy on the West Coast.
All three of us girls have been dying to try it for years, so we semi freaked when we spied it while out shopping on Friday!
I chose a swirl of coconut and pomegranate yogurt, plus fresh mango, raspberries, mochi and fruity pebbles for toppings – oh yeah!
Oh, plus a little side of strawberries that the girl working gave me for free, because it wouldn’t fit in my cup and she could tell I desperately wanted it. ;)
It was everything I could have hoped for, and more! Fruity Pebbles = key. LOVE Pinkberry!
One shower, makeup application and dress later, we were off to the 24th annual Taste of Dallas for dinner!
The Taste of Dallas brings small plates of food from the area’s top chefs and restaurants to one place, so everyone can get a taste for a tiny little price. Think a small plate of ribs from one of Dallas’ best BBQ joints for $3.
Most major cities have events like this, and we couldn’t pass up on opportunity to go and taste Dallas’ finest!
I was on the hunt for some ‘Q.
I found it at Dick’s BBQ where I got a pulled pork slider for just $2!
MMMMM – tangy, tender and juicy. It was incredible!
The event also had a ton of free nibbles that we enjoyed as we strolled – people watching and seeing what the culinary community in North Texas had to offer. Yum!
Afterwards we headed back to my friend’s place to kick back on some super comf couches in her complex’s community area.
What a nice area to come and relax to!
There were even outdoor fireplaces for those cool, Texas evenings in the Fall. SO cute.
We brought out some tunes and kicked back with some Corona’s and convo ’til the sun went down.
Then rounded out our final night in Dallas with a couple sips at the oh-so-English, UK themed bar – the Londoner,
and rockin’ tacos from Rock ‘n’ Taco!
This is a new taco joint in my friend’s neighborhood, and we just thought it was too funky to not check out!
Cool huh?
I am SO GLAD we did, because I had the best carne asada tacos I have ever had in my life. Hands down. Dallas folks – you’ve got to try them!!!
The following morning, we may or may not have not gone back to Bread Winners for a quick brunch of banana bread, MORE granola,
and THIS gigantic, warm cinnamon roll before heading out of town…
Ok, we did!!! That place called to us!
Two short flights later, I was home and climbing into the waiting car of IBE! :D It never ceases to amaze me how you can be in one part of the country in the morning, then be in a completely different part in the afternoon. Love it.
Overall, I am so impressed with Dallas. Like I said, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as I haven’t spent much time in the South besides vacationing in New Orleans, Florida and quick pit stops in hot airports. The dusty, desolate land that I’ve seen in parts of Mexico and south Texas couldn’t be farther from what I experienced in the city.
It was clean, walkable, very new feeling and packed with fun shopping, nightlife and restaurants. One would certainly never go bored living here!
Plus, how can you not love those sweet Southern accents? Gets me every time. ;)
Dallas gets 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up from me. I can’t wait to go back and am so happy that my friend can now call it home! :)
Be back tonight with your regularly scheduled programming! Have a wonderful day and start to your week!!
~~~~~
What part of the country do you live in? What are some of your favorite parts around the country?
International friends – where do you live?
I, obviously, hail from the Midwest but have a special place in my heart for all parts of the country. The South for its uniqueness, the West Coast for being the West Coast, the East Coast for its history, and the north for its beautiful land. Maybe I should become a nomad?!
Oh my. HANDS DOWN. Pinkberry has to be the best thing in existence.
Wow, it looks like you had a fab time and Bread Winners looks amazing.
I’m from the UK and think the States is fabuloso!
you have the cutest dresses!!!
i live in boston which i will never move away from…love it too much! i would love to visit more places in the country though. i’ve never been to texas or the midwest. hawaii and alaska would be cool to visit too!
Love love love those dresses you wore! Do tell us where they came from. Looks like you ladies had a fabulous weekend. That brunch place looks amazing. I don’t know how you were able to choose.
Welcome home!
I live in Southern California, but was raised in Oregon.
Oh.. Pinkberry is popular in So. Cal, but so is Yozen Frogurt. Next time check it out.
So glad you had a wonderful time, I have been to Dallas, but for business only.
You make everything look and sound so good! ;-)
I love that you mention the Katy Trail! I currently live in Kansas, but grew up in Columbia, MO. Everytime I go back home I make sure to go for a run or walk on the Katy Trail. It is one of my very favorite places!!! There is something so peaceful about it.
Im from South Korea and I live in New Orleans :)
(We have the bestt food :D)
Looks like you had a wonderful time with your friends!
I am from the South, but just moved to Des Moines three months ago for a new job. I LOVE to travel anywhere and everywhere, but some of my faves include NYC (but, of course!), San Diego, New Orleans and any and all mountains!
First off, I love your hair short and both of your dresses were adorable! I am a southerner who has just moved to the northeast for my husband’s work but my heart will be in the south foreva!!!
I love your pink dress but I think I love your Pinkberry more! I’ve only tried it once (on a trip to LA) and I can honestly say it’s a big part of the reason I want to go back…
Love it!
I live in Altanta, but I love to visit Colorado (especially Telluride)- it so beautiful! East coast is where the heart is though- can’t beat the history.
I’m from Georgia, but I don’t know that I would call myself the typical “southern girl” both of my parents are from NY so I definitely feel like I have a little bit of the southern & northern mentality. I really love going to NC & SC though…and I’m so jealous of your trip to Pinkberry, they just opened one in ATL and I’m DYING to go!
Ooo….where did they open that one in Atlanta? That’s where I live!
That’s cool that you walked on the Katy Trail. The Katy Trail (nickname for MKT trail Missouri, Kansas, Texas) is the trail that I bike on. I live in Columbia, MO.
I grew up in Minnesota but now live in Alaska. I really like the WA and OR–as well as the upper Midwest. I would love to spend more time on the East Coast.
I’ve lived all over but currently reside in the Berkshires of MA for work. I miss living overseas though. I loved Spain and Germany so much.
I love with little cafe/bakeries give samples. They usually help me choose the best of the best.
Love your blog! I am an ‘international reader’… I live in Edinburgh, Scotland! :)
Looks like you gals had a blast! Glad you got to experience Pinkberry! Now if only the gazillion of self-serve froyo places out here made its way to IA, you’d save me from all the Peanut butter cup, taro, lychee, passionfruit flavors I eat every week! ;)
I’m born & raised in SoCal and live in OC. Moved to Royal Oak, MI for 3.5 years for nursing school and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had to live in snow, appreciate the seasons, and see what the midwest had to offer. But we love the sun & beach so much that CA was calling us back. But if I’d ever have to settle on a new city, Chicago is where it’d be. Love that place! I can’t wait to do travel nursing so I can experience Hawaii, the deep south, NY, DC, Seattle, and more!
Welcome home!
Kristin, your outfits looked so cute! Especially loved the red/pink? dress you wore Fri. night.
I like your dresses too. I think it is very hard to find dresses that fit, so I generally don’t wear them.
I went to Pinkberry for the first time in San Diego and LOVED IT. I wish we would get one in Des Moines.
Looks like a great trip! Friends trips are the best!
You definitely have a cute body to pull off all those cute summer dresses! The orange one looks stunning on you!
Again, read this while hungry–mistake! XD The Bread Winners Bakery sounded delightful! Homemade granola…. I probably would have gotten the same thing!
I’ve lived in Utah for a vast majority of my life (besides a 1 year stint in Cali when I was 2/3). I’m not sure whether to call it the West or the Midwest. Either way–I want out! Haha. No, it’s nice here. I love US big cities like New York, San Diego, Boston, and Las Vegas. But my ideal place to live? Out of the US. Europe preferably. The history over there is so much more fun and there’s a much bigger variety of cities/towns/villages to explore.