When The Universe Speaks, I Listen...

...eventually. This time it has been a nagging feeling inside of me for about a month telling me to go blog. I kept ignoring it. But here it is, June 8, 2015 and I am listening and I already feel better about the feeling going away. Funny how that works.

There is lots going on in our life. Apparently we go big or go home when it comes to life changes. These are exciting changes. Still changes. But they are exciting.

1. Baby Warren is on the way and due October 11. We don't know if we are having a boy or girl which is exciting, strange, makes me think in circles, goes back to being exciting, goes back to being strange..it's interesting to think there is a baby inside of me and I have no idea what it is...none. And honestly, I am scared to have a boy and scared to have a girl, so either way it's still scary.

The baby, that is inside me right now, that is either a boy or girl....you have a 50/50 chance of being correct.

This is not a great picture (at all...) but this is a real blog so I have to show you the not so great moments too. I made Gregg take it last Sunday morning. Let me set the stage for you...I slept too late, was frantically throwing on clothes and make up as he was getting ready to go to work and I was running out the door quickly trying not to miss church...then I decided oh, you are here to take a picture during daylight, I should maybe document today. So there you have it, just a glimpse into what I refer to as "real life marriage." The caption reads "Week 22: Sorry your Mom is still not more creative!" I am also going to start apologizing to my child now that its Mom is so uncreative. Sorry child. Hopefully I will rock it in other areas of your life. 

2. We are buying a house. Or attempting to buy a house. Pretty sure we are buying it but my gosh, who knew buying a house was such an emotional roller coaster and full of punches to the gut out of nowhere. Hopefully next month at this time I am blogging from our new house.

3.  Kristina is getting married this summer. I helped plan the engagement last summer. I then spent the next 10 months helping to plan the wedding. I can't believe we are nearly to the finish line of this and am really excited about my future brother-in-law. He's perfect for her and perfect for our family. As a big sister who was overly protective of my sister in the dating world and overly protective of my family's dynamic, this is a blessing in so many ways.

The future Mr and Mrs Cobb

April and May got a little crazy because of d) all of the above.  It's going to be a fun summer, an exciting Fall and a special end to 2015. I missed blogging, got too busy and honestly couldn't find a creative ounce inside of me to write about my life. But like all things in life, when something nags at you enough and you keep ignoring it and pushing it aside and pushing it aside, you eventually realize that nagging feeling isn't happening just because...it is happening because the universe is trying to send you a message. In my case it was, get back to writing witty commentary about your life...regardless of if anyone is reading it, you miss it. XOXO

Has the universe sent you any messages via nagging your subconscius lately? 

Pack. Unpack. Repeat.

7 weekends. And a day trip. From August 22 to October 10 I was out of town every weekend. Every. weekend. Now, I love to stay busy but I think in my elder age of 30, I now know my limit. And that limit? That would be 7 weekends. And a day trip.

Regardless of the amount of caffeine I consumed over these past 7 weeks to stay awake during the week, I have loved celebrating these people in their big moments and making really fun memories in the process. Here is the cliff notes version of the adventures:

August 22-24
Location: San Antonio
Event: Kristina gets engaged!
Disclaimer: Most stressful experience of my life but we pulled off the most ridiculous surprise engagement ever. So fitting for these two. 

August 29-September 1
Location: Houston > Austin > Fredericksburg > Austin > Houston
Event: LC in town, mini visit to Austin, drop off LC at her friend's house for weekend, head to Fredericksburg for a Bachelorette party for Gregg's best man/best friend's fiancé (got that?), back to Austin to pick up LC, back to Houston. This was ridiculous. But I have said it before...LC and I will do crazy things so we get to see each other, even it means we both plan simultaneous weekend events during an LC visit to Texas. We are insane.
Disclaimer: I will never do this much driving in one weekend again. 

September 6-7
Location: Dallas
Event: Co-host A&M game watching couples shower for Gregg's best man/best friend and his fiancé.
Disclaimer: When hosting one of these, it is nice if the game is not on a rain delay for 2 hours. Oh well, clearly we made do with other entertainment. 

September 12-14
Location: San Antonio
Event: Kristina is a bridesmaid for one of her childhood friends.
Disclaimer: My family loves a wedding. Don't believe us? Wait until Kristina's. 

September 19-21
Location: San Antonio Riverwalk
Event: A's Bachelorette Party weekend
Disclaimer: I may be from San Antonio but I know nothing about the Riverwalk and had to use my GPS to navigate us around all weekend.

September 26-28
Location: Galveston
Event: Hayley's Bachelorette Party weekend
Disclaimer: When you are celebrating one of your college besties getting married with the other college bestie who is 6 months pregnant standing next to you, all of a sudden you feel like it is the end of an era. You also feel old.

October 3-5
Location: San Antonio
Event: Wedding planning with sister-zilla
Disclaimer: Everytime we are home, Kristina somehow gets tricked into doing all this handy work around the house and I manage to avoid it. It's good to be the older sister. 

Surprise weekend event: I'm a MOH!
Disclaimer: I do in fact plan to share all the behind the scenes fun and fighting of the next 10 months of my life helping to plan this. 

October 11
Location: College Station
Event: A&M vs. Ole Miss
Disclaimer: Technically this was not considered a weekend trip because I didn't have to pack a bag and got to spend the day with Gregg. (you may have noticed this husband of mine was absent from the majority of these weekend trips) However, it required driving. It also ended at 2am when we got home. Therefore I am throwing it in as a bonus.

BOOM. This may or may not explain my blogging absence. Not that anyone cares other than my mother but there you go. Even though the weekend trips and events are not over, I do have a free weekend in my future. It might as well be a giant finish line being crossed. I require that every once in awhile to recharge. It could also be called Analisa crawls into a cocoon for the weekend with TV, wine, pizza, pinterest and Chloe. If Gregg is around then that is a bonus too, but not required.

Cheers! 

May Reunion-ing

Since I am heading to see the three lovelies this weekend I figured it is only fitting that I recap our mid-May adventure in...wait for it…The Woodlands. There are few people in life that you will ever be like let's all go hang out in The Woodlands (and be ridiculously excited about it) but these are them.

We planned a quick weekend trip to celebrate Hayley's 30th birthday. After surviving major traffic from all directions, we finally arrived feeling very not-refreshed. We were in need of a day drink and we figured Tommy Bahama at Market Street was the perfect place to pretend we were somewhere tropical with a delicious drink in our hand.  Problem solved.

We had plans to go to the pool, plans to lay out but somehow managed to spend all afternoon catching up at our "hotel" for the weekend and later headed straight back to Market Street for dinner and after dinner wine at Cru. We seriously did nothing but eat and drink at Market Street the entire weekend. I've gotta hand it to Market Street- way to provide a great weekend getaway for us.

The next day was Sunday so Anne left us and Hayley and I had "birthday eve" drinks since Hayley's birthday was Monday…and since kicking off Hayley's birthday involved a 5am airport drop-off, I didn't think pictures were a necessity that morning.

Happy 30th Hayley!

Every time we are together it is like we haven't missed a beat….still the same people just a little older…a few less boy problems, a few more real world problems but the same nonstop talking problem.  Counting down to our next reunion!

My List of Life Parties Continues

I am from San Antonio and I love a good Cinco de Mayo bash. So imagine my excitement when two separate groups of friends invited me to a fundraiser party called Cinco de Bingo. One group was Kristina's friends and one group was a co-workers's friends….when you are invited by two different groups of people to the same event that is a Golden Rule meaning you know it will be a good time!  

The set-up was simple. Pay a fee, walk in and you are handed five bingo cards, a stamper and a koozie. I mean all the makings of an exciting Bingo tournament. 

The prizes are pretty awesome too. Last year this is where SS won her membership to MFAH which has led to Culture Thursdays. We had no such luck winning this year…..but we did have so much fun. 

And now I want to host a BINGO party! Add it to the list:

Lipsyncing Competition Party

BINGO Party

Presidential Election Night Party...I know Husband will love that one someday ;)

Miss America Party 

Clearly I have a long lifetime ahead of throwing ridiculous parties as soon as I have enough room. Who wants to come?? 

Nonstop 30th Weekend of Fun

Here I am still playing catch up on my list of moments worthy of a story in your fanciest local hotel lobby. And now I am even adding some to it…namely my family's recent trip to Las Vegas. But being the particular person that I am, I feel I must go in order: 

• Easter
• Washington DC with LC and JC (not the JC in the sky)
• Culture Thursdays with S
• My 30th Birthday weekend with Kristina in town 
• Friends and Fundraisers 
• Virginia weekend wedding vacation
• Baby Shower-ing
• Mother's Day Snippets
• Chloe discovers a ladder
• College besties reunion weekend 
• Las Vegas 

Kristina was in town for the big #AnalisasBurning30 party but you should know that Kristina never just comes into town. It is never a low-key weekend. It is hit the ground running, go go go nonstop, party 'til you drop and then she leaves. It is not for the weak. She is also like a Hurricane in our apartment. Gregg is still trying to understand all of this. 

Gregg surprisingly didn't have to work the morning after my birthday party so we went to brunch just the two of us while Kristina went to watch her friends in a charity flag football game, Blondes vs. Brunettes. Afterwards we were killing some time and wandered around Hermann Park. It was simple and lame and fun all at the same time. You only have a window of time to wander around a park in Texas and we were flirting with the end of that window. 

Then we met Kristina and her friends at this random bar I have never been to and most likely will never go to again. I walked in and felt like I was straight up at a frat party. Outside it was broad daylight and inside there was music bumping, kegs being floated and absolute frat party madness. It was hilarious for this newly turned 30 year old. 

Sisters with Sister SS who we have adopted as honorary twin sister to Kristina. You may recognize her from Culture Thursdays…this was a LONG way from Culture Thursdays. 

Then we went to a bar in Midtown to spend the rest of the day outside at a picnic table. We went to a bar where you can control the music from your iPhone and purchase songs. Kristina got way too into this excitement purchasing everything from Frozen's "Let it Go" to the Aggie War Hymn. 

Sing it Sister. 

Boyfriend J was busy trying not to die from the spicy crawfish. Disgusting crawfish in my eyes. 

You can notice Sister C singing along next to her. That is our honorary middle sister. 

There is truly only one Kristina. 

And on a rare Saturday off for him, I have to say there is only one guy who could put up with this weekend of insanity- this guy right here. 

Needless to say when Kristina departed on Sunday, we needed a nap. 

Culture Thursdays of Recent

It's Thursday and it is strange that S and I are not heading to the museum tonight. Next Thursday though we'll make up for it. But S and I have had a really fun couple of months exploring and becoming regulars at the MFAH. I have realized this is for several reasons other than the obvious fact that we are friends:

• When we visit on Thursdays we begin with the Thursday night Happy Hour offered right outside the MFHA's front steps. I always quasi feel like I am on a Thursday night vacation. There is music, wine, outdoor seats and the background of the chic Museum District. 
• We have the exact same "art attention span"
• We both look at paintings for the same amount of time. 
• We both have pretty much the same thoughts. 
• We both either get it or we don't.
• And it helps that we both seem to have the same taste. 
• We also both hope to be extremely rich one day and afford great art for our great mansions.Totally happening.

The week of my big #AnalisasBurning30 party, it only seemed appropriate that I kicked off my 30th birthday festivities with a visit to MFAH to see an exhibit we'd been hearing about for awhile called The Impressionists. I would've taken pictures but when I asked if I could I was told no....and then I thought well glad I asked. Basically the entire exhibit made me want to go to Europe. That should be a good enough summary.

At the end of the night S treated me to birthday drinks and snacks at Hotel ZaZa. Our favorite place for post-museum chatter.

It was quite the perfect way to kick off being 30. One minute I am a adult enjoying an evening of drinks, refinement and culture at the museum. And then next evening, this is happening:

Makes perfect sense.

Fast forward to last week and S and I hit up another MFAH evening event at one of their museums which is actually a house called Rienzi. It is basically a house in River Oaks that you probably drive by a million times and never know that it is a museum. It has furniture, china, paintings, decorations just like it used to and you literally feel like you're taking a step back in time. My favorite part though was that it had a ballroom. A BALLROOM! I have never been to a house that has its own ballroom and now I've decided I need one myself.

Pretending we live here with our Chardonnay overlooking the pool

We love a good Twilight Tour

It was during one of those freakishly pleasant evenings a few weeks ago and perfect timing with the monsoon week we have had around here this week. We even made some new museum friends. We've been doing all of this because S won a free MFAH membership a year ago but we may actually now become members. I already feel so fancy just thinking of the card in my wallet.

Wishing you a Thursday full of culture and if you don't feel fancy than pretend!

A Letter of Complaint To Emergency Alerts

Since we moved here a year ago, I guess you could say this is our first "rainy season" in Houston. Whoa. This place does not mess around. Considering I am from San Antonio home of the odd/even water ration days; lived in Dallas which was so hot my last summer there it gave my mover heat stroke (not a joke); and Austin thrown in there with nonstop discussion of drying up lakes and rivers....you could say rain, flooding and water confuse me.

Fast forward to this week which has been torrential downpour central.... 

Last night at approximately 3:57am, Gregg and I are all of a sudden awakened to the sound of blazing sirens. Like I thought the sirens were coming from the sky and the Earth was about to say: This has been a test of the emergency broadcast system. I repeat this is only a test.

Instead I heard expletives, feet being stubbed as Gregg tried to haul to the other side of the room to get his iPhone and blackberry, Chloe jumped off my feet like she was being attacked, I rolled over to shut off my iPhone and just as I thought we were in the clear, it's time for my blackberry charging in the kitchen to wail. Meanwhile, because of the insane lightning, our entire apartment looks like we are at a club with strobe lights flicking on and off. We might as well have been in a hotel room overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.

And what was all that chaos supposed to inform us?

That we need to grab Chloe and evacuate? No.
That we need to grab Chloe and take cover? No.
That the world is literally ending? No.
That we need to somehow avoid the area, which is coincidentally where we live and are currently sleeping, until 6:45am? Yes. 

I am honestly still speechless. And tired. And speechless. But not speechless enough to write a letter of complaint to the Emergency Alert Headquarters because in case you didn't know, I love a good letter of complaint:  

Dear Emergency Alert,

I live here and I am currently trying to sleep through the disco strobe light-lightning show that has taken up residence outside every window in our apartment. So first of all I cannot avoid this area until 6:45am. I literally have nowhere else to go. I also promise I won't be going anywhere because it looks like the apocalypse outside. Not to mention that it is 3:45am on a Wednesday night and I am not in college anymore which means you can guarantee I am asleep. Finally, I planned to wake up at 6:45am at which time it seems the apocalypse will have ended. 

You have now scared my cat, Gregg nearly broke his toe and I am wide awake in confusion trying to figure out if I am supposed to go back to sleep or supposed to stay awake and vigilant through the storm. Unless Noah is around with an ark I am supposed to board ASAP, let's try to not be so dramatic next time. 

Sincerely,
Me

Wishing everyone a less dramatic and more peaceful night's sleep tonight!

#AnalisasBurning30

In case you are new to my blog (in which case welcome) or are living under a rock (in which case welcome back to reality) you would know that I turned 30 a couple weeks ago. 30. Yet I still got carded at HEB for buying a bottle of wine Mother's Day weekend. Sigh.

With my big monumental birthday came the great decision of whether or not to have a birthday party. Personally I was not that into the idea. Not because I don't like birthday parties but because I just moved here less than a year ago and it's not like I know a ton of people or even have favorite places I would want to go. All decent reasons and excuses except to one person…

My sister Kristina. 

Kristina loves other people's birthdays nearly more than her own. She is the ultimate celebrator. She lives to celebrate life events no matter if it's a wedding, a birthday party or even just a Wednesday. Because of this, it actually makes perfect sense that she started an Etsy shop where the motto is "because life's too short to not have party favors"

So what started as my simple "wine and cheese night" of an idea evolved into this:

Glow headbands, glow bracelets, glow sticks galore,
Analisa’s turning 30 – need we say more?

'Under the Volcano' is where it will be,
8:30 pm, please RSVP! 

Leave your dog, your Chloe, and Debbie Downer at home,
Help her turn 30, she can't do this alone! 

Laughing, dancing, and singing she might, 
So click on the 'yes, I'll help light up the night'! 

NOTE: When referring to this event on any major social media outlet, please use the he hashtag: #AnalisasBurning30

My sister is kind of a party planning genius. Kristina turned my descent into 30 into an over the top party with koozies, glow sticks and my signature cookie cake from Great American cookie company. Yes, there is a story behind that but it's another story for another time. 

Official #AnalisasBurning30 koozies with glowsticks 

30 candles. That will definitely make you feel old really quick. Sidenote- I have been known to pitch a fit over my cookie cakes. This one was definitely up to my standards. Again, another story for another time.

Light up Lei. With my fancy drink courtesy of my DC bestie and former roomie LC. There are not many people that would call the bar where your party is scheduled to pre-order a special drink and bottle of champagne for your 30th birthday. LC is one of them. I am kind of really luck to know her. 

Old Pi Phi friends turned new Houston friends. Getting together with them feels like we are back in college. Also a bonus that they all know Kristina too as the little Pi Phi who I introduced during rush week 2005 by saying "she sits at the cool table during lunch" as one of her positive qualities. Kristina also wreaked havoc on her head pledge trainer who is 4th from the left yet still somehow loves her today.  

My Bachelor watching Monday night wine and cheese pal S was in town and celebrated with me too! Sidenote- my head looks like it's on fire.

Of course no party planned by Kristina is complete without Husband-Wife duo shots. Pictures captured by one of Kristina's friends as she watched this insanity. 

We are kind of a mess.
And captured in real life is my official bossing Gregg around face in photos 5 & 6. 

Since he never reads my blog I am putting this photo on here of him.  Love you husband!
Thanks for turning 30 first. 

Such a good sport to put up with his sister-in-laws antics in honor of his wife. And to not kill her for the photo collage she compiled of him partaking in the fun!

For some reason I have zero pictures of all Kristina's wonderful friends who not only came out to celebrate with me but even helped Kristina with some party planning assistance. They are the best! 

I turned 30 and I survived. It was a wonderful evening full of friends both new and old and I felt so loved! Thank you to everyone who came by for sharing this evening with me. On a big birthday where I didn't think it would be very eventful, my sister pulled through and made it oh so special. 

Cheers to sisters!  Love you Kristina!
(Also thinking this may need to be one of our Christmas card pics this year…I mean how many times can you really see us posed in front of the Christmas tree?)

Time for my shameless sister plug: There is truly no one who loves celebrating the big moments in other people's lives more than Kristina. It is so fitting she created an etsy shop to share that joy and help others to celebrate their big moments too. If you need something crafty no matter how big or how small, check our KraftinK. 

Thank you Kristina for a wonderful 30th birthday party! You are the best and you are my best! 

I Have Turned 30 and I am Losing My Mind

In case you missed it, last week, one week ago tonight I turned 30. I also discovered that it was the 10 Year Anniversary of Mean Girls (I really cannot believe such an iconic movie came out on my birthday but then again I was in college turning 20 so you can imagine what I was doing at the time).

Regardless I celebrated the weekend before with a wonderfully fun party my sister threw me that deserves a post on its own and as soon as I have a spare moment I will get to that- but on my actual birthday I knew I would want to do something besides sit at home with Chloe.

No offense Chloe. I do love you and you're still my best evening pal.

However, since Gregg is working some crazy hours lately I took matters into my own hands and planned a Happy Hour with some of my favorite people who were also Pi Phis with me in college. Here's the catch….it was a Wednesday and in honor of the Mean Girls Anniversary I made them all wear pink. Because….

And so we did….

My Pink Wearing Turning 30 Birthday Happy Hour!  

Pi Phi for life. 

Then I came home and Gregg was home so we went and had some late night drinks and snacks too.

He has pink polka dots on his tie so that is the only reason he is even allowed to sit with me. 

My birthday was great and I felt so loved. Here's the problem now though…ever since I turned 30 I am LOSING MY MIND. I have become absent minded, I am messing up schedules, I am messing up plans, MY LIFE IS FALLING APART AND WE ARE ONE WEEK IN!!!!!!

Here is an example of the ridiculousness of this:

Last weekend one of my best friends and our favorite couples got engaged. They have appeared here before but here they are again to refresh everyone's memories:

This is us in Las Vegas last December meeting A&J for drinks. 

Naturally I told A that I had to hear the story immediately and congratulate her in person so we planned a Happy Hour for Monday night. I was all set to leave and at 4:45 I get a call that a local news station is running a story on us that is not "negative" however I believe it has some negative tones. So I got to spend the next 30 minutes tracking people down, getting a crash course in one of our adoption programs and trying to intercept some misinformation. It-was-neat. Especially since at 5:00 it is very hard to track people down.

Fast forward to 5:45 when I was supposed to meet A at 5:30 and I am walking out the door and I text her to say "on my way." And that my friends was the last time I saw my phone until about 9:30. I was en route and digging for my phone in my purse and realized very quickly I didn't have it. I pulled over to search my car because I didn't see it anywhere around me.

Then- here is Example 1 of my newfound 30 insanity- I call my mom from my work blackberry to ask her to call my cell phone because I can't find it in my car and I need it to ring. That is right, I am HOLDING A PHONE I could've used to call my actual cell phone but instead I call my mom to do it. Regardless, it is of no use because it is on silent.

So I decide to drive back to work because as I was getting into my car I heard a noise and didn't think much of it and now I am paranoid I have dropped my phone in the parking lot. But, please see above…A thinks I am on my way because the last time I saw my phone was when I texted her.

What does one do in this situation? Well I respond like a 50 year old woman and call "INFORMATION" and ask them for the number to "J Blacks." And the woman on the other end of the phone is asking me to spell "J Blacks" and I am saying "It is a J and then Blacks" "J-Blacks" You can imagine the OMG FRUSTRATION going off in my head! Then they connect me and then I have to get the hostess to go write a note for A (like it is 1990) to call me on my work blackberry because I literally have zero way to get in touch with her.

At this point I finally get in touch with A and I don't even know what to do and I am thinking oh well, it may be lost but I sorta think it is somewhere in my car but I really just need to continue on with life…and that means heading to Happy Hour. Which was so much fun even though I showed up like a crazy spazz! I am thrilled for A& J and so excited to hear the cute story, see the beautiful ring and be part of the excitement!! 

After I get home that evening I take a flashlight out to my car because I am thinking, okay this phone is in here, I know it.  I search and I search. I am trying not to judge myself by the junk in my car. I nearly admit defeat. I start to walk inside and then a voice tells me to give it one more try. So I do and guess what happens…just as I begin to text Kristina, Mom and Gregg to tell them the insanity and that they would need to use my blackberry…I find my phone. <Insert Hallelujah bells>

Where did I find it? Lodged in some MAPS that are in a little holder thing in the passenger side door of my car. That's right. MAPS. Do people seriously own maps anymore? How long have these maps been in my car?

The truth…because this is a no judgment zone except you can judge me all you want…I am pretty sure these maps are still in my car from when I moved to and from Denver in 2006 and 2008 for grad school and we had to road trip through Texas.

I didn't have much time to process this because I was just thrilled I found my phone. Not that I can't go get a new one and yes in the grand scheme of life, I could've lost something worse, but I do not have time right now to deal with the annoyance of getting a new phone. I am already at quota for dealing with annoying things right now and I don't need a phone to add to the list.

Here's my point though- if this is less than a week after turning 30 I am really worried for the next year. I apologize now if somehow I drop the ball or lose my mind. 

I am officially scared of being 30.  

Ready- Set- Eat!

A few weeks ago I attended an event called Menu of Menus. Imagine a craft fair but with food. That is Menu of Menus.  It is a big all you can eat foodie event held at a warehouse.

I was a little hesitant to pay the $50 for the food ticket because I really wasn't sure I'd get my money's worth. I can now say I was not only wrong but I got more than my money's worth and was stuffed for days. I tagged along with some of Kristina's friends here in Houston and it was delicious.

When you walked in the door you were handed an all in one plate to carry around with you. It contained a plastic fork, knife and spoon, plastic wine glass with holder and plate.

Your personal "Table To Go"

If you think that wine glass looks unstable, you are not incorrect. It may or may not have somehow tipped over onto everyone's plates except one of us at some point during the night. I kind of had a premonition that based on my previous bad luck with wine, I was in no shape to tempt fate. I opted for white wine all evening so when my prediction came true, I was quite calm and didn't have to rush to rush to the dry cleaners the next morning. 

New meaning to the phrase "to go" food.

I am a quite un-adventurous eater. I am on a regular basis referred to as a "picky eater" and people can often predict what I will order everywhere we go because I order the same thing every time. I don't like the risk of ordering something I will not like and being stuck with it and I also don't like a ton of variety in tastes. But this event was perfect for me because I could try different foods and if I didn't like it, I could just throw it away. 

You were also given a little chip to vote on your favorite restaurants and the one at the end of the night the restaurant with the most chips was declared the winner. I know there are many great places I have already forgotten...but some of my new favorites that I intend to try sitting down at an actual table next time are:

Ciao Bello - winner of the night

• They had candy shaped pasta shells filled with deliciousness. 

Fish and the Knife

• I would have never gone to this place because I don't eat fish. Therefore going somewhere that fish is in the title is a no brainer no. 
• Food item that won me over: BBQ Smoked Pork over a Cornbread "Twinkie" with a Jicama Citrus Slaw
• I was wrong and will be visiting at some point in my life and ordering that cornbread "Twinkie" and smoked pork again. 

Fluff Bake Bar

• We nearly missed them in this side room and they shortly ran out after we stopped by
• Sweet tooth satisfied.

Freebirds- I know you are thinking how am I lumping Freebirds into this category. Allow me to explain- 

• Freebirds always stresses me out because I don't know how any of their side options taste so I just stick to plain jane food. So when I tried some new dressings and burrito combos and actually enjoyed them I decided I needed to give Freebirds another chance. 
• Of course leave it to me to attend a giant foodie event with tons of gourmet restaurants and I leave being the most impacted by my surprise love for Freebirds. 

It was a great night and I was still full for days. The restaurants, their set up, it was all very impressive and I am pretty excited to attend next year with this crew and hopefully a few more! Only requirement is you must be willing to stuff your face…and possibly spill wine on your plate at some point.  

This is a "judge free stuff your face zone." These are my kind of people.