2017 Archives - Fearless Captivations

Flavors of the Year 2017

Anita — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 15:47:59 +0000

Flavors of the Year features my favorite dishes and restaurants of 2017!

I’ve never done a post looking back at all my favorite dishes and restaurants in the year but here we go! There’s good, and then there’s oh my gosh, this bite is the best thing I’ve put into my mouth in a long time and I never want this dish to end. This post is dedicated to those dishes that my taste buds put in its scrapbook and the restaurants that impressed me in 2017. New restaurants open every month in Austin and it’s hard to keep up with where to go. If you’re looking for an Austin restaurant to try, here are some I think are worth the visit.

Restaurants

I went to three new-to-me restaurants that stood out from the many I tried this year. At these restaurants, there were many dishes that had me amazed and the service experience also had a lot to do with my favorable thoughts.

Apis Restaurant

We visited Apis Restaurant to celebrate a birthday and every dish had us wide-eyed. From the careful presentation to the creativity, the experience was outstanding. The cherry on top was the focus on local ingredients and the result was obvious in the flavors. There wasn’t a dish I didn’t like. They made “simple” bread and butter taste like it was the best bread and butter I’ve ever had and still think about today. It’s a brilliant restaurant, though the distance is a deterrent to going back. Nevertheless, dinner at Apis was the most special meal for me in 2017.

Quick notes: New American cuisine, shared plates; located in far west Austin near Bee Cave; plentiful parking

Otoko

We invested in this meal at Otoko and were delighted by the experience. The setting was awkward and intimate. The food was familiar yet creative. The service was flawless and friendly. It was a dinner that sought to challenge what I knew about sushi and you can’t find a setting like this in Austin.

Quick notes: Japanese sushi restaurant; omakase (set number of dishes decided by the chef) only; reservations highly recommended; located at South Congress Hotel on South Congress; valet parking available at hotel or park on street; extra time to find parking is a good idea

(Addition: we dined at Otoko again years later and this post shares more about that.)

Kemuri Tatsu-ya

The critics agree – Kemuri Tatsu-ya is the stand-out new restaurant of the year in Austin. I would agree – we ended up going a few times. The fusion of Texas and Japanese cuisine is natural and fun. I love the variety of their menu, and there’s always something different to try. My favorites are the smoked dishes, especially the brisket and the fish collar. It’s also more affordable than you think. The menu ranges from $3.50 to $15 per dish, with most of the dishes being under $10. Quality, tasty, and memorable food for less? It’s easy to see why it’s a critics’ favorite and audience favorite.

Quick notes: Japanese barbecue fusion cuisine; located in East Austin; small parking lot or street parking; I recommend extra time to find parking

(Addition: I’ve visited even more in the next few years and here’s the post about it.)

Best Dishes of 2017

With the aid of all the food photos I took this year (yes, there are A LOT), these are the best things I ate in 2017. These are the dishes that bring up vivid memories. Most of these restaurants are in Austin, so maybe you can go try having the experience yourself!

New Year’s Brisket (Homemade)

My friend Barry made an incredible brisket on the Green Egg on New Year’s Day.

Carnal Pop-Up at Parlor and Yard

In February, New York restaurant Carnal visited Austin and did a pop-up at Parlor and Yard. Well, their pork rib was fantastic! If and when I ever make it back to New York, this restaurant is on my list.

Coconut Mousse at Salt Traders Coastal Cooking

After finishing great seafood courses (raw oysters! fish collar!) at Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, the coconut mousse is the only way to end the meal. Ok, the key lime pie is pretty good too, but the coconut mousse is the must-try!

Quick notes: restaurant located in Round Rock; seafood-driven menu; good place to spend a weekend lunch; sister restaurant of Jack Allen’s

Lox Bagel Sandwich from Rosen’s Bagel Co

This lox bagel from Rosen’s Bagel Co challenged everything I knew about bagels. I’ve always been ‘meh’ about bagels but now every bagel I want to eat is this one. The magic comes from the bagels, of course, and you won’t be disappointed!

Quick notes: located at Wright Bros Brew and Brew

Ice Cream Sandwich at Cold Cookie Company

The soft cookie, the birthday cake ice cream. Of course, sprinkles. Cold Cookie Company has the dessert I crave. It was part of my 30 Cold Treats post last summer.

Quick notes: food trailer located in West Campus; street parking

Peach Pecan Pancake at Counter Café

I know, it’s *just* a pancake. But when you put in the freshest peaches with the crunch of pecans at Counter Cafe, a place known for their pancakes, it’s not just a pancake. It’s the breakfast dish of the year.

Quick notes: two locations, east 6th or Lamar and 6th; both have parking lots

Gelato Pop at Venezia Gelato

Another feature from my 30 Cold Treats post, this gelato pop at Venezia Gelato was a surprise favorite! I don’t hear enough about this underrated gelato shop, and their creamy gelato has me hooked.

Quick notes: spacious shop located off South Lamar and Oltorf; parking lot available

Steamers at The Bonneville and Camp Wannamango from Harpoon Brewery

This one is a twofer! This combo was devoured at a special seafood dinner put on by The Bonneville with special beer pairings from Harpoon Brewery. One, this was my first time having steamers and holy wow, these things are so tasty! Second, easily one of my favorite beers I had this year was Camp Wannamango. This dreamboat pale ale has strong mango flavors with a bit of hops.

Heirloom Tomato Salad at Pizzeria Sorellina

There is no way you would understand how amazing this Heirloom Tomato Salad at Pizzeria Sorellina is unless you’ve tried it. Take everything you know about tomatoes and throw it out the window.

Quick notes: sister restaurant of Apis and located next door

Barbecue Tacos at Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ

It’s sad it has taken me this long to try Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, but this is obviously the best taco in Austin. Where else can you combine the “must-eats” in Austin – tacos and barbecue? Juicy meat with on-point salsa. I want this now!

Quick notes: located in South Austin; food trailer but has plentiful space and seating

My Favorites of All Time

These dishes were not new to me this year, but every time I go back, it’s confirmed that I still love it as much as I do. These are some of the things I’ve eaten plenty of in the last few years and still loved this year.

Pastrami at Pieous

Pieous is so darn far away but whenever we’re in the area, it’s a must-do. I wasn’t sure I like pastrami but Pieous set me straight, and now I’m not sure I’ll find any pastrami better.

Sushi at Tomodachi

I think the proximity has a lot to do with how much I like this place, but the quality, price, and service are all pluses. With the frequency of our visits (and perhaps the sake we share), we’re treated like old friends when we visit and we love leaving our menu to the chefs to surprise us with new and old favorites. I wrote about Tomodachi in this post, and it’s still my favorite place for sushi in Austin.

Honorable Mentions!
And here’s a quick list of some of my favorite restaurants that need little explanation: Via 313, Home Slice Pizza, Ramen Tatsu-ya, Tacodeli, Flower Child, Uchiko, and Barley Swine.

Ok, now I’m feeling hungry. Tell me – what is the BEST thing you ate last year? I would love to try it for myself!

P.S. Check out my full list of my favorite restaurants in Austin HERE!

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2017 Review + New Year Goals

Anita — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 20:20:59 +0000

Happy New Year! The years are flying by as I get older. I hope 2017 treated you well! I like to reflect on “how I’m doing” frequently, but the beginning of a new year always feels like the best fresh start. It’s a good place to wrap things up and kick-off.

My word for 2017 was abundant because I wanted my abundance to overflow to others. I learned there is no limit to abundance and there is always an opportunity to do more. This quote from Jen Sincero is a good summary of what I learned about abundance this year.

“When we trust that we live in an abundant universe and allow ourselves to give freely, we raise our frequency, strengthen our faith, and feel awesome, thereby putting ourselves in flow and the position to receive abundant amounts in return. When we’re in fear, we hold on to what we’ve got because we don’t trust that there’s more. We pinch off the energy, we’re scared to share, and we focus on, and create more of, the very thing we’re hoping to avoid, which is lack. We live in a universe of give and receive, breathe and exhale, live and die, suck and awesome. Each side depends on the other, and each is relative to the other—every action has an equal and opposite reaction—so the more you give, the more you receive. And vice versa.”

My year involved a lot of eating, as my top nine Instagram photos above shows. I accomplished seven of my thirteen 2017 goals while I made a good dent on the ones I didn’t officially finish. With that, here’s a quick highlight reel of my year.

My 2017 in Review

Hosted 12 parties, including Matcha Potluck Party, Cocktails and Appetizers, Pole Dancing Class, Aerial Class, 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil, Wine Tasting at Infinite Monkey Theorem, Galentine’s Party, Boyfriend’s Birthday Luau, Game Night, Miracle Fruit Party, 2nd Annual Shellfishapalooza, Cookie and Cake Decorating Party at Baked by Amy’s
Ate at Apis, Juniper, Otoko, Pitchfork Pretty, and many, many other restaurants (2017 eating recap coming soon!)
Stayed in 5 hotels, including Tin Valley Retro Rentals, Cocoview, and Hamanasi
Took 14 flights
Traveled to Nashville, Marfa, Big Bend National Park, Honduras, Disney World, and Belize
Went to Sherwood Forest Faire, Float Fest, Busby Crawfish Boil, ACL Festival, BE Conference, Tiny Wardrobe Tour, and BlogathonATX
Participated in the Women’s March
Ate good food at (food events ->) Live Fire, CultureMap Tastemakers Awards, Austin Entertains, Pay It Forward, Texas Craft Brewers Festival, and Wine and Swine
Ran the Austin Half-Marathon and 3M Half-Marathon to finish out the Austin Distance Challenge
Partnered with Chocolaterie Tessa, Kellie’s Cookies, SoulCycle, PDQ, Captain Morgan, Enjoyful, and Tiny Pies
Took a photography class
Invested in a fancy, mirrorless camera
Explored Austin by going to Hamilton Pool and Chicken Shit Bingo
Visited 18 new-to-me breweries
Volunteered by baking goods for Austin Bakes for Harvey, Austin Bakes for Natural Disasters, and Girls Empowerment Network
Volunteered with Central Texas Food Bank and Urban Roots
Tried bouldering, liked it!
Celebrated my 30th birthday by going to Belize and enjoying lunch and dinner with friends
Worked out 109 times, including lots and lots of spin classes
Read 53 books
Officially got my advanced open water scuba diving certification and got nitrox certified
Logged 22 dives in Honduras and Belize
Published 90 posts on Fearless Captivations

WHEW. Great stuff, right?! The stats are nice but there’s always the stuff you can’t quantify that mean so much more. Like becoming more comfortable in my own skin and getting clearer about how I want to support what I’m passionate about (local food, environment, giving back are some things). This includes growing my relationship and friendships. And finding clarity about what I want my life to look like and seeing examples of how we (the world) are all in this together.

Hello, 2018!

I’ve been thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2018 for a while. I think my last few years have encouraged me to cast my net wide and try many new things. This next year I want to go deeper into the things I enjoy. I think overall goals are about achieving happiness and living your best life every day.

I know I’ll be traveling, connecting with friends, and eating my heart out, so no need to make those easy goals. I don’t have one word picked out for the year but I know I want to make relationships, personal development, and giving back priorities. Overall I want to love harder, whether it’s being kinder to myself, doing my part in saving the environment, showing compassion to strangers, and being present with family and friends.

Here are a few of my goals for 2018:

Journal daily gratitude
Practice monthly with my camera
Read 50 books
Volunteer 24 hours
Take a professional development or creative class every month
Complete six craft projects
Learn more about Chinese culture (not sure what this looks like yet)
Finish the Spanish and Italian Duolingo programs
Grow a garden
Aim for zero food waste at home
To make: black forest cake, bread pudding, kanom sai sai, Danish pastry
Donate 5% of my income to charity
Do yoga at least once a month
Work out at least three times a week
Make four new recipes monthly
Meal plan weekly
Collaborate with bloggers on two blog posts
Do five in-depth food/culture blog posts (more info coming soon!)

I’m using a Passion Planner again this year to keep track of my progress. I love the format of the planner and the reflective pages after every month. How do you keep track of your goals?

I think it’s going to be a GREAT year, and I’m hoping for big things for you too!

What are some of your goals for 2018?

P.S. Curious about my past goals? Here are 2017, 2016, and 2015.

Keep up with me! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post 2017 Review + New Year Goals appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Captivations v.42: Saving the Earth and Preparing for 2018

Anita — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 11:57:16 +0000

Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me. Take a look at all the things captivating me lately.

Hello!
Well, we made it! Can you believe it’ll be 2018 soon? I spent half of this month sick with a cold but there were plenty of great days too. Like celebrating my birthday with friends, seeing the new Star Wars movie (I liked it!), visiting my family in Dallas, celebrating the birthdays of friends, and going to a few holiday parties. In Dallas, we saw Kusama’s pumpkins exhibit (pictured above) at the Dallas Museum of Art. Forty-five seconds is way too short to experience the beauty of this exhibit fully! (I liked the previous Kusama exhibit we saw more.)

Saving the Earth
Hopefully one day soon we will all agree that climate change is real and global warming is happening. I’m sure you’ve seen the viral video of the starving polar bear. Or maybe you’ve read about how climate change is impacting communities in Peru. What can be done? Here are a few things.

Keep politicians in check.
Patagonia is doing it. Shrinking protected lands means destroying the earth and native’s historic grounds for unnecessary measures.
Buying less stuff.
Less stuff bought means less stuff produced and less stuff in a landfill. Instead, think about these gift ideas. It’s what many people want anyway!
Support slow food.
Eating sustainably grown produce grown by your local farmers means getting rid of chemicals in the ground, overconsumption of the earth, and food waste. Local means the food travels a shorter distance to your plate. Learn more about slow food and take the pledge!
Support organizations and media fighting for change.
This documentary about the state of our oceans and the beautiful creatures that live in them is currently only available in Australia and New Zealand, but you can find plenty of documentaries on Netflix. (I recommend Chasing Coral.) Donate to organizations that do research and conversation, like these marine conservation nonprofits.

Privilege
If you’re reading this right now, you’re in the 51% of the world with internet access. In that 51%, I’m sure there is a percentage that has online access for a limited time period per week or might have logistical access but not financial access. #Gratitude

Getting Unstuck
These seven questions are very helpful to come back to when you’re feeling unsure about your purpose in life or feeling stuck where you are. I recommend coming back to them frequently to stay on track.

What You Eat When Everyone is Starving
This article speaks for itself and it’s a good read. This year, 3 million Nigerians struggled to feed themselves every day. The number soars to almost one-third of citizens during periods of poor rainfall or the lean period between harvests. Even having food on the table is no guarantee of good health. Diets lacking in nutrients mean nearly 73% of the country’s population under 5 are anemic.

Welcome to Hell
Have you seen this Saturday Night Live video?

Hospital Bags Around the World
This feature on hospital bags around the world was very interesting! It shows what expecting moms pack.

Marriage
Marriage involves intertwining your life with someone who will find you at your best and your worst. They’ll encourage you to be better for the sake of yourself and your relationship. Sometimes that means facing the demons and pain that you keep hidden. Being vulnerable to allow someone to see you at your worst isn’t easy. From everything I’ve read about marriage, it all comes back to communication. This post by Hannah illustrates it clearly.

If you’ve read my blog regularly this year, you might have noticed I talk about marriage a lot. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it and be ok with the unknown five or ten years down the line in marriage. You have to feel the fear and uncertainty and be ok with it, and I’m trying to be ready for that. Bad things might happen, or maybe they won’t! Here are a few other interesting articles:

13 Questions to Ask Before Getting Married
5 Things I’ve Learned from My Almost 10-Year Relationship
4 Things That Kills Relationships (and other helpful tips based on research)

Now Listening: Music

Criminal by Lindsey Ell
Craig by Walker Hayes
Wolves by Selena Gomez and Marshmello
Perfect by Ed Sheeran ft. Beyoncé

Good Thought

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbMlRo9B91b/?taken-by=thegoodquote

Being “Man Enough”
Actor Justin Baldoni (you might know him from the show Jane the Virgin) is on a mission to change the conversation about being a man. His TED talk (below) is about what being “man enough” means and how that is good/bad for society. He has also started a web series to go deeper into the subject.

Best Movies of 2017
Need a movie to watch? Check out this list from New York Times. Looks like I’ve got some movies to watch. I’ve only seen Get Out and Wonder Woman from this list. Also, have any of you checked out the website goodfilms? It’s like Goodreads for movies.

Book Recommendations
Need a book recommendation? Check out what Bill Gates is reading. You can also check out what I’m reading through my Goodreads account. I am open to all suggestions so if you’ve read a good one lately, let me know!

Politics
I didn’t use to be “political.” That meant I didn’t make the time to think critically or learn about what was going on in the world of politics. That meant I was so privileged that policies didn’t affect me and I didn’t care who it ended up affecting, positively or negatively. That meant not being empathetic and turning a blind eye. But being involved is a privilege and maybe if we could fix the system, it wouldn’t be about buying politicians. Some policies might not affect me directly but sometimes the indirect effects are worse. Because who knows, maybe one day new policies will have a big affect on my life and I’ll be hoping others will make time to help me fight them.

Simplify Your Life
As we coast into 2018, think about simplifying your life. Here are 18 ways to do it.

We’re ready for you, 2018.
I can’t watch this video without choking up. There was a lot of hurt, fear, and hard times in the world this year. This video reminds me we have so much to do to make this world a better, safer, friendlier place.

Forget Legacy. Do Work That Matters
I’ve talked about legacy before. I’ve wondered what I want to be known for. But what if the motivation isn’t what people think about you but about doing what matters? This article inspired me.

What’s captivating you lately? What are you hopeful for? See you in 2018!

Keep up with me! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Captivations v.42: Saving the Earth and Preparing for 2018 appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Happy 2017! + New Year Goals

Anita — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 13:17:10 +0000

Happy New Year! I know we say this every year, but 2016 flew by! To quote Charles Dickens – “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” We lost some wonderful celebrities, and we watched our world react to the refugee crisis, the election, and too many careless deaths. But 2016 also gave us the popularity of Hamilton, something about Lemonade, many babies born and announced among my friends, and countless other accomplishments.

For me, there were lots of good things in 2016. (The photo above shows my nine most popular Instagram posts of the year. You all really liked my Thailand trip!) I strived to be connected, inspired, and grateful, and accomplished 10 out of 15 of my 2016 goals. Here are some of the things that made 2016 shine for me:

Read 12 books.
Hosted 12 parties, including a baby shower, Shellfishapalooza, and a holiday brunch.
Traveled to Costa Rica, Fredericksburg, Charleston, San Antonio, Houston, and Thailand.
Completed a Whole30 Challenge.
Went to the R3 Summit and learned all about how to improve my health.
Partnered with Dove, Ozarka, Austin’s Pizza, and HEB for blog and social media content.
Completed all the coursework for my Advanced Open Water Scuba Diving Certification. Only two more dives before officially getting it.
Signed my first self-procured social media client.
Created new videos for my YouTube channel: Spain and Greece.
Tried virtual reality games – it was so cool!
Stayed in 13 hotels.
Drank lots of beer, including hosting our own brewery crawl.
Survived a weekend at the Austin City Limits Festival and saw Mumford and Sons and Willie Nelson, among others.
Saw Ellie Goulding, Randy Rogers Band, and Turnpike Troubadours in concert.
Sparked my exercise routine by visiting many workout studios around town. Tried aerial silks, boxing, Crossfit, and rowing.
Took creative classes, including watercoloring, Make It Sweet, and shibori.
Endured the tough UT football season but loved football season overall.
Co-hosted two ATXBloggerMixer events with my friend Jesse.
Celebrated the graduation of my Little Sister of Big Brothers Big Sisters. (We’ve been matched for 5 years!)
Completed a 12 item cooking/baking list (things I’ve never made before) – many during my Whole30 Challenge.
Visited 12 new restaurants/coffee shops – This goal was too easy. I definitely exceeded it!
Indulged at many amazing restaurants, including Barley Swine, Nahm, Oxheart, Mixtli, Husk, FIG, Emmer & Rye, Launderette, Dee Dee, L’Oca d’Oro, and VOX Table.
Ran 8K, 10-mile, and half-marathon races.
Met and got to know so many wonderful bloggers in Austin!
Published 98 blog posts on Fearless Captivations.

In 2017, I want to be abundant. I want life to be overflowing of good things so that I can pass along abundance to others. To be abundant, I want to connect with friends and family, to show compassion, and to challenge my skills. This is the year to dream bigger and do more. Here are some of the goals I want to accomplish:

Host six thoughtful events
Spend time one-on-one with a friend every month
Volunteer at least two hours a month
Learn about investments and start investing
Invest in a fancy camera and take a photography class
Make two new crock-pot meals a month
Make two new cast iron skillet dishes a month
Work out three times a week
Read 24 books
Complete as many items off my Life List as possible (grow a garden? raise a dog baby?)
Create a video every month
Partner with three brands
Collaborate with five bloggers

What do you want to accomplish in 2017? Tell me your ideas and/or link your goals blog posts!