TRAVELING TO TEXAS WITH US
Memorial Day weekend 2018 was one for the books, y’all!
It was a weekend full of firsts – the first time y’all traveled to Texas with us; the first time we shared a moment as a thruple; the first time we ate real Mexican and Barbecue this year.
All of these “firsts” centered around celebrating 80-60-50th birthdays and 20-year work anniversaries. Friends and family gathered in Dallas, Texas from all around the country, including New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Arkansas, and Charleston, South Carolina.
We hope y’all enjoyed traveling to Texas with us. Check out some of our favorite highlights of the weekend below!
THURSDAY/FRIDAY
Although we brought our “5 Things to Love When You Travel,” the trip started off bumpy. Three delays and half-way through the flight, a hangry Michael hit his legs against the chair in front of him for the third time. Slowly, Michael turned to Ian and said, “I’m sorry, babe, but I don’t think I’ve ever been more cranky in my life.” Luckily, Ian has almost four years of experience dealing with a cranky Michael, so he quietly watched him navigate through his internal temper tantrum – a side effect of Only Child Syndrome. After stepping off the plane, we were greeted by Michael’s mom, Sheri Berry, with a long, hard squeeze. Michael’s smile returned when she asked him where should we eat dinner.
We have a tradition when going home to Dallas – immediately visit Michael’s all-time favorite restaurant, Mi Cocina. The three of us walked in to find Michael’s dad, Peter, already sitting at a table. Yes, Charleston has a lengthy list of delicious restaurants and food to offer.
But no one will ever convince us the Holy City serves true, authentic Tex-Mex. We felt at home once again after an order of Sunset Fajitas, two bowls of queso and spicy salsa filled our tummies. It was a rough ride, but well worth the wait.
Waking up refreshed and restored, we headed to The Richards Group. It was time to head up to the 16th floor to honor Peter’s 20-year work anniversary. We stood on a bridge during one of the famous Richard’s Group stairwell meetings, which was held in front of 350 people. Check out the video to see a quick glimpse of what it was like standing in front of so many celebrating Peter’s hard work over the years. During Peter’s speech, we both had to secretly look back-and-forth at each other (because yes, we’re, like, in love) to keep our tears at bay. We are so proud to have him as an example in our lives, standing alongside our entire family.
The best way to celebrate such an event is with tacos, of course! We walked to Eureka! down the street in West Village to devour delicious Tacos and the freshest Cobb Salad Ian’s tasted.
SATURDAY
We spent our Saturday with Sheri and Peter prepping for the big night. After a quick salad made-to-order at EatZi’s, Sheri took us to Saint Bernard.
We needed to upgrade our outfits to fit in with their stylish looks. Michael wore all things Bonobos for the rest of the weekend, which paired perfectly with our Naked Eyes Jewelry cuffs and chains. We dressed in our best and headed to 2616 Commerce Street for last-minute decorations.
Y’all – we cannot tell a lie.
When Sheri and Peter told us the theme of the 80605020 party was “cards” (because they LOVE playing cards), and paired it with a black and red color palette, we were nervous. If I remember correctly, Ian’s first words were, “should I steam your Zoot Suit?”
Well, shame on us for thinking such thoughts. Michael’s parents are far more stylish than us, and the party was FLAWLESS. Mini-playing cards decorated each table and blown-up posters of unforgettable moments lined the room. There was an enormous step-and-repeat placed near the front door, as well as a giant, decadent, three-layered, card-themed cake. We spent most of our time on the dance floor (duh) while a slideshow of hundreds of photos displayed on the wall.
The details are endless. Props to Sheri and Peter for throwing an unforgettable party celebrating significant milestones while bringing two families and countless friends together.
SUNDAY
How does one Sunday without brunch? A tad hungover and in dire need of a mimosa, we walked into Paul Martin’s American Grill.
We knew they chose the right place to finish the weekend when our favorite kind of mimosas hit the table – the clear kind. Michael ate Tacos (again), while Ian went with his brunch favorite, Eggs Benedict.
After an uninterrupted nap, we had one last thing to check off our Dallas must-do list – meet up with one of Ian’s best friends from college, Rachel Page. The three of us have a mutual love for photoshoots taken in populated places because we love seeing on-watchers gazing in confusion.
So we met up at Beauty Bar to take a photo against the iconic cherry wall. We didn’t have much time, but there is always time for our friend who travels to Charleston for all of our birthdays. We love you, Rachel!
MONDAY
How do you end a trip to Texas? That’s simple. With Whataburger, of course! The doctor prescribed an order of HBCBs (Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits) to help keep us emotionally together as we said goodbye to the most amazing parents to exist.
It’s nice to be home, solely for our dogs Jackson and Baker. Thank you, Callie and Conner, for taking care of our babies while we were away! To say we missed them is an understatement, considering we checked in on them through our Nest cameras on an hourly basis. Our hearts broke each time we saw Baker laying in front of the doorway awaiting our return. Tonight, we are cuddling with them tightly in our newly decorated den while sitting on our new comfy couch.
This weekend was magical. Ian met the Stettner side of the family for the first time, and Michael fell even more in love if that is even possible. It felt like a pure dream. Did you dream with us? Because I Love That For You.