THANKSGIVING GETAWAY

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we headed to the Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop for a quick, much-needed break.  The magnificent giant longhorn was there to greet us:

 

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Although the gardens were not filled with colorful flowers this time of year, there was still plenty of brilliant color from the beautyberry bushes and yaupon holly bushes:

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IMG_3112Sitting on a wooden bench under a vine-covered arbor, looking at the clear blue sky on a crisp autumn day, was a peaceful–if brief–respite from the frenzied work and school schedules that dominate our lives.

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The next day we dined at Hudson’s on the Bend for our Thanksgiving meal, a very special restaurant in the hill country just outside of Austin.  In the parking lot, my son discovered his dream car, a Hot Wheels camaro:

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I’ll buy it for him, right after my Barbie Ferrari arrives.  In the parking lot, we also stumbled across a local bar association meeting (I only get to say this because I’m a lawyer):

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Vultures waiting for their next meal

Outside, Hudson’s on the Bend boasts a lush herb garden and charming patio:

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There’s also a smokehouse, where the beginnings of some great meals are created:

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The dining room is cozy and charming:

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Among the highlights of our meal:

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Coca Cola baby back ribs with chipotle BBQ sauce and mango jalapeno cole slaw

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Smoked Duck Diablos (duck breast, jicama, jalapeño, and figs in balsamic, wrapped in applewood bacon with red chili glaze and dipping sauce)

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Rosemary-crusted smoked beef tenderloin with jalapeño hollandaise

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 Pecan-smoked duck breast shingled with seared diver scallops, with bourbon praline sweet potatoes and cranberry chipotle sauce

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 Ancho-cured pecan-smoked wild turkey with wild boar corn bread stuffing and gravy, bourbon vanilla pecan sweet potatoes, and peppered cranberry relish

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 Mixed grill — axis venison, rabbit tenders, pecan-smoked Bandera quail with honey cilantro ginger glaze, achiote-marinated buffalo, and spicy game sausage

IMG_3092The Wild Turtle (caramel pecan pie dipped in Belgian chocolate)

The last time we dined at Hudson’s on the Bend was about 5 years ago, and we took this picture of the kids sitting on the wooden bench in the garden:

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Can you guess what the picture is taped to?  Our friend and astronaut Danny Olivas brought the photo with him into space and took a picture of it taped to a window on the space shuttle Discovery (STS-128).  (We had the coolest Christmas card that year!)

Our little getaway turned out to be shorter than planned because we had to return for a high school football playoff game, and what would turn out to be my daughter’s last high school marching band event (i.e., the team lost).  But it was a gorgeous day, an exciting game, and all in all, a pretty nice way to spend a November afternoon.  No complaints here.  🙂

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Hopdoddy Burger Bar on Urbanspoon

Hudson's on the Bend on Urbanspoon

4 thoughts on “THANKSGIVING GETAWAY

  1. Looove your posts! Keep it up as I live vicariously through them while sitting at my very stationary desk. 🙂

  2. An occasional trip to Lost Pines (with a stop for kolaches and jerky) is the next best thing to having a ranch or vacation property (which it seems most of our friends have), without the hassle of ownership and maintenance. Bastrop is booming, now that Austin is busting at the seams.

  3. Man I think I’ll leave my husband and go on the road with you guys. You know how to roll! So funny to think of someone going to stay in Bastrop for enjoyment. When we lived there, although a nice little town, there was NOTHING to do but drive to Austin. It is a wonder what 18 years will do. Loved reading of your adventure.

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