Love Letters

May 22, 2014

Dear Alamo Drafthouse + Oskar Blues,
You put on a darn good beer pairing dinner and a movie a few weeks ago.
Dear Dumb and Dumber,
I honestly never realized I hadn't seen the actual non-TBS version of you until a few weeks ago.
Does that make me super lame or just kind of lame?
Funniest. Movie. OF ALL TIME.
Dear cheese making kit,
I truly love you.
I made pretty great mozz.
I made some fantastic ricotta.
Dear Texas,
Your italian food has yet to hold a candle to my beloved Monjunis.
Thanks mom, for helping us survive out here in the wild, wild west.
Dear Cedars Social,
Although you don't have a sign outside and you don't allow people to check in on social media, I won't hold that against you.
Your truffle fries and mac-and-cheese made up for your secretive, snooty personality.
Dear Mary,
Happy birthday you old-woman-almost-licensed-architect you.
Dear real live actual one hour lunch breaks,
You are for the birds.
Although I don't really know what you are like, I survive the lack of lunch breaks thanks to Suja and Kind bars.
Dear scrubs,
It's nice sometimes for us to be able to put you aside and actually venture out into the world in real-live normal clothes.
We don't want no scrub.
Dear Buda Juice,
You have turned this veggie hater into a veggie lover tolerator.
I've fallen victim to the juice craze and I can't stop, won't stop.
Dear Texas (again),
It's not very nice that you have such strict laws on the selling of raw goats milk.

All I've been able to think about over the last two months is how much I want to make goat cheese.
WHY CANT I FIND RAW GOATS MILK?
Goats milk soap isn't gonna cut it.

Dear Mckinney,
Quit being so darn cute with your silly little square and your farmer's market, ok?
Dear Craft & Growler,
We're hooked.
The place to go to get any locally un-bottle beer put into a growler (mega bottle) to-go.
Rather brilliant concept and I'm angry I didn't think of it.
Dear Peticolas,
You shouldn't allow Velvet Hammer to be served in growler size quantities.
I'm pretty sure Josh died and came back to life (in the two hour time span that he managed to drink the entire growler).
Dear mom,
I'm so happy you are finally able to retire take a break from teaching after all these years.
Glad to say you can finally become a housewife now (or a full time wedding planner).
I love you so much!
Dear pool + pool weather,
Hallelujah.
This pasty skin wasn't gonna make it much longer.
Dear Nicole,
HAPPY WEDDING WEEKEND!
It's finally time for you to become Mrs. Davidge and I couldn't be more happy for you.
I love you to death and I'm SO pumped for #thedavidgeshow

We're going to Europe!

May 21, 2014

In less than a month, we are heading to Europe!
Other than flying into Paris and taking the train to Montpellier, we have zero plans.
We want to visit places that neither of us have been, so that rules out Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt (darn it).
We will be there for ten days so if you have any recommendations or travel advice I would appreciate it so very much.
Feel free to comment below or e-mail me at emily@dashboarddiary.com

Mother's Day Weekend

May 18, 2014

Last weekend my family came to town to celebrate Mother's Day and my sister's birthday.
Of course when we all get together the number one priority is food.
It's genetic.
My sister Ellie and her boyfriend Eric just finished up their sophomore year at Tulane and they can't seem to find authentic Tex-Mex in New Orleans. 
While they were here we made sure they got their fix (Chuy's and Blue Mesa).
We had brunch at Breadwinners and Whiskey Cake (of course).
After a "quick" trip to Ikea, we grabbed a midday snack at Emporium Pies and followed up a few rounds of Top Golf with Twisted Root burgers.
Nothing makes me happier than being able to spend quality time with these people.
We definitely won the most badass family in the world lottery.
There couldn't be a more perfect Mother's Day card for our mom.
We got spoiled with a good one y'all.
Thanks for tolerating us all of these years mom.
I truly don't know how you did it (or how you kept us fed and clean andddddd turned us into somewhat normal, socially acceptable human beings).

Our love affair with local food

May 14, 2014

Did you knowwwww (according to this one random study) Dallas diners rank number one in the country for most residents that go out to eat?
Plano ranks number three!
. . . with NYC sandwiched in between at a measly number two.
Pshhhh.
When Josh & I aren't busy making another attempt at a semi-healthy lifestyle, we are huge fans of not cooking dinner.
Let's be honest, not doing dishes is the greatest.
We. Love. Food.
I've compiled a list (with entirely too many #foodgrams) of some of our favorite eateries around Plano and Dallas.

We cannot get enough of this pizza.
Although it doesn't compare to the magical, greasy Johnny's pizza from back home, this is probably our all time favorite "fancy" pizza.
Their drinks are top notch as well.
My favorite pizza: 
balsamic roasted chicken
Favorite drinks:
Moscow mule and blood orange margarita
I think that the fact it is walking distance from our apartment is a key factor in our Fireside love affair. 
Also, Fireside just celebrated their 10th birthday with $10 pizzas and $1.10 sangrias.
For realz.

An awesome, shady gathering place in Dallas on Lower Greenville brought to you by the creator of Twisted Root.
The yard has a steady rotation of food trucks each week, but it is also home to a pretty sweet tree house bar, airstream bar, and indoor bar.
The tables and chairs are an eclectic mix of truck beds and lawn chairs.
Oh, and they have pretty sweet brown bag insulated koozies. 
This Plano pizzeria has been slowly creeping up on Fireside to take the place as our favorite pizza joint.
Having Peticolas beer on draft is always a plus in our book.
Oh and their cast iron skillet chocolate chip cookie? Dessert-gasm
Our fav pizza:
The Smokey Pie 
{Sweet tx bbq sauce, local smoked brisket, local bacon, white onion, house-blended mozzarella, cheddar + texas goat cheese}
Oh, and the brisket lasagna is pretty darn good too.
Velvet Taco & Whiskey Cake's newer, fancier, hispanic-er sister (also conveniently located walking distance from our apartment).
The food is great, but can we just talk about the drinks?
Cocktails on draft.
Let me re-phrase that.
Incredible, fresh cocktails on draft.
My personal favorite:
The Grapefruit Paloma
{Milagro Blanco Tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave, Mexican Squirt}
The tortilla soup ranks second place to my previously mentioned  grapefruit lover.
Wanna splurge? Try the Lobster Roll. Well worth the money.
Yet another restaurant walking distance from our apartment (with Peticolas beer on draft).
We've got an addiction and it's called East Hampton's sandwiches. 
This was particularly the go-to restaurant during our three "ice storms" this past winter.
Favorite sandwich: The Balsamic Tenderloin 
{Sliced beef tenderloin + crispy onion strings + bleu cheese + balsamic glaze + rosemary au jus}
Fun fact: This was originally a seasonal winter sandwich but was so overwhelming popular they added it to the full menu)

Initially a popular Dallas market and bakery (that recently expanded to Plano, thank goodness) that carries everything fresh and fantastic that you could ever imagine.
Basically you walk in the door, make a lap, and become overwhelmed by a mega anxiety attack because everything looks too darn good.
The cheese. The bread. The meat.
. . . unless it's a Friday night and you smell the delicious aromas of $10 pizza night.
Oh, and we couldn't forget every taco place ever.
Velvet Taco, Rusty Taco, Fuzzy Taco, Torchy Taco, and Good2Go Taco.
We have yet to have a terrible Taco in Texas.
Just sayin.
Pictured below: Torchy Taco's chicken and waffle taco with syrup and bacon and eggs and magic.
Our favorite food truck:
Easy Slider
Their Sweet and LowDown slider can't be beat.
A slider topped with goat cheese bacon and strawberry jam?
With Zapps on the side?
Yep.
Make it happen, ASAP.
As for our favorite BBQ:
In Plano we recommend 3 Stacks but in Dallas we recommend Pecan Lodge (remember that one time?)
We know you can't forget about Tex-Mex when you are in the area so our recommendation for the best "authentic" Tex-Mex is Mi Cocina. If you are looking for a cheaper, but still really really really good Tex-Mex meal try Chuy's.

. . . but let's be honest here, we all know brunch is probably the most important meal of the day.

By a landslide, this is our top brunch spot in Plano.
We tried so hard to hit it and quit it, but we couldn't.
We fell in love with this place (and their bacon laced chicken and waffles) two years ago when Josh lived right down the road.
Although the chicken and waffles aren't pictured, this banana and peanut butter french toast kinda rocked my world that one time (and then it disappeared from the menu forever).
Since then we have frequented Whiskey Cake almost weekly because the ever-changing menu keeps up coming back for more.
Although we almost quit coming back for more after the great DogfishHead 120 minute IPA incident of 2013.
Most of their menu items are sourced locally or grown in their garden out back.
Even though we think their weekend brunch is better than Chick-fil-a on a Sunday, you won't be let down by their lunch and dinner menu.
My personal favorite sandwich is the quinoa/mushroom/edamame veggie burger and Josh loves their always changing assortment of deviled eggs. 
. . . oh and the bloody mary bar.
Did I mention the bloody mary bar?
If you are sick of hearing me talk about Whiskey Cake, and you need a backup breakfast spot, then there's always Hypnotic Donuts in Dallas.
Not only do they have phenomenal (and creative, Voodoo Donut-esque) donuts but they also have pretty darn good (and humongous) chicken biscuits.
Maui Waui: coconut cream filling with vanilla bean icing and toasted coconut
. . . but you must make quick stop at White Rock coffee for an Adam Bomb blended coffee on the way.
The Adam Bomb is a magical frozen blended combo of espresso, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Of course, you can't forget dessert . . . 
Our favorite local dessert is a two way tie.
Whiskey Cake's Whiskey Cake and Taverna Rossa's cast iron skillet chocolate chip cookie

Emporium Pies is another one of our favorite staple dessert shops.
I don't think dessert gets cuter than a dessert shop (located in an old house) that serves only pies.
Thankfully, they just opened a second location in Mckinney.
I have yet to try a piece of pie that I hated, so get your butt in there and grab a slice (or two).
Doctor's Physician Assistant's orders.
. . . then there's always Sprinkles Ice Cream which is in a league of it's own
Not only do they sell ice cream, but they also have cookies, brownies, and cupcake tops (which you can use to sandwich on either side of a scoop of ice cream!)
I'm fairly certain I mastered the perfect cupcake/ice cream combo:
salted caramel ice cream topped with a s'mores cupcake
Runner up: salted caramel ice cream sandwiched between a banana cupcake
Also, they now offer mini sundaes! 
You can get a baby scoop of ice cream between mini cupcakes! 
If you get the late night munchies, don't forget about the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM, located next to the store, open 24-7!

Our list of places to-eat in Dallas is growing every day.
Let me know if you have any recommendations I may have left unlisted or e-mail me if you are coming to Dallas or the 'burbs and need direction! 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...