del frisco's grille & magnolia cheese co. // foodie post pt. two

As I mentioned in my previous post, my husband and I kicked off his birthday weekend at the fabulous A F + B. The food (and drink) shenanigans did not stop there, though! For his birthday brunch on Saturday, we went to Del Frisco's Grille in Sundance Square with a bunch of our friends. I had tried lunch there a few times and heard rave reviews about the brunch. Let me say it did not disappoint! Everyone loved what they ordered and repeatedly told me what a great choice it was for brunch.

I am usually on the fence when it comes to eating something savory (i.e. bacon, omelette, toast, etc) or sweet for brunch, but on that day I decided I wanted to give the mascarpone stuffed French toast a whirl. Whoa baby it was good.

The rest of our afternoon was spent at Rahr with some cold ones and awesome live music, Put a Cork In It for wine tasting, patio drinks with neighbors, and a Rangers baseball game (we won). Quite a busy, whirlwind of a day but we enjoyed every minute!

For Easter brunch the next day, the hubs and I rode our bikes over to Magnolia to meet my Mother-In-Law at Magnolia Cheese Company. Again, this is another place I'd heard only good things about and still hadn't been! I knew the quaint, eclectic atmosphere would be the perfect setting for a casual Easter brunch. I'm absolutely obsessed with the whole farm-to-table concept.

We started off with a cheese tray before our main dishes arrived.

I loved the variety and uniqueness of the cheeses, jams, nuts, etc. included in the tray. Most, if not all, of the items are sourced locally, which I think is pretty cool! Our favorite cheese had mustard seeds and something kind of spicy (I think it may have been called the Red Dragon??), such an unexpected flavor!

For my meal, I picked out the French toast cakes. Yes--French toast again! I usually don't like to repeat meals but the server convinced me that they would be a good choice since they were an Easter special and not on the normal menu.

I was so excited when my plate came out and I saw the fun spin they put on their French toast. The cakes were spongy and bursting with lemon flavor. The berries and berry drizzle on top complemented the lemon flavor well while also adding some pretty color to the dish! The hubs got a grilled cheese option called "The Classic" (I know he was quietly wishing I picked a restaurant with more substantial "man food"--oops!) and my MIL ordered the frittata (no pictures, sorry!).

So if you're on the market for some good brunch spots in Fort Worth--definitely check out Del Frisco's Grille and Magnolia Cheese Company for some yummy options! Del Frisco's is best for larger groups since the restaurant is roomy enough to seat a lot of people. On the flip side, Magnolia is great for couples or small groups due to its small, quaint interior. 

What are your favorite Fort Worth brunch spots? xo.

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A F + B Fort Worth // foodie post

The time finally arrived last Thursday when I got to try one of the newer restaurants on the Fort Worth foodie scene: A F + B. This hip spot on West 7th is brimming with character owing to its unique Prohibition-esque atmosphere. From the corrugated ceiling and patterned tile floor to the industrial-style exposed brick walls and utilitarian pendant lights, it was love at first sight!

I chose to take my hubs here to kick off his birthday weekend extravaganza, thinking it would be fun to go somewhere neither of us had been to before! We started with drinks at the bar--a beer for him and a delicious pomegranate flavored cocktail called the Jack Rose for me.

For the main dish, I chose gnocchi and the hubs ordered the duck pot pie. Our meals were excellent. The ingredient quality was obviously top notch, and the flavors were both unique yet familiar. Needless to say we both cleaned our plates and were left wanting maybe just a bit more? (Small-ish portion sizes, contrary to my preconceived notions).

Overall, A F + B is the perfect spot for date nights, celebrations, and special occasions.

We finished off the night by splitting a yummy mini cheesecake from J. Rae's. If you haven't tried these yet, you must. I'm not even a "cheesecake" person but I can't resist the fluffy texture of this cake and its sugar cookie crust. Heavenly.

  PS: I'm still drooling dreaming about that melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi!

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spring bucket list

via

I recently started up a spring bucket list in my iPhone Notes app so that when I'm looking for something fun to do on the weekend, my ideas are literally at my fingertips. Some of these activities are things I've done before, while most are things that I "have always wanted to do" but tend to forget about once I get some free time. I'm looking forward to trying new things and going new places in the upcoming warm weather months. xo.

In no particular order...

1. Kayaking at Panther Island Pavilion // already been once this year. Will be returning on the reg. Such a fun way to soak up some sun and take in the beautiful Fort Worth skyline views in a peaceful environment!

2. Go to a Fort Worth Cats game // went once last year and looking forward to attending more this season!

3. Check out the Fort Worth Vaqueros (new minor league soccer team)

4. Segway tour // might see and learn things about the city I didn't know!

5. Host a Cowtown Cycle Party pub crawl

6. Try my hand at the driving range // it's been a while...

7. Go to at least one Rangers game // fulfilled this item on Opening Day (3/31)! Some sweet friends had extra tickets and invited the hubs and I to join. So much fun!

8. Fort Worth Zoo // Check! I went a few weeks ago for my mom's birthday. So fun seeing all the baby animals!

9. Host a wine and cheese party // obviously this involves staying home rather than going out, but I'd love to make it an al fresco get-together to at least enjoy a warm evening on the patio with candles, music, and yard games!

10. Find a new place to hike // I've already researched a few local gems to try out, namely the Fort Worth Nature Center and Eagle Mountain Park.

11. Run at least one 5k and/or half marathon // already signed up for a 5k in April and looking into possibly doing the Chisholm Trail Parkway half in May!

12. Spend an evening under the stars at the Coyote Drive In // the hubs and I went once last year when it first opened and have been planning to return now that the weather is just right!

13. Concert in the Gardens // nothing says "warm weather is here!" more than a picnic, best friends, and live music

14. Friday on the Green // a free version of the above. food, drinks, friends, music... perfection

15. Central Market weekend concerts // love these! such a good spur of the moment activity to do with the hubs and/or friends. I usually buy a bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers inside and then enjoy them while listening to the free performances!

16. Go on a picnic // dying to sprawl out under Trinity Park's massive oak trees with a picnic basket and the possibility of a siesta in the afternoon sunshine

17. Get a bike and take it on a spin // I want to make more of an effort to get from point A to point B on two wheels instead of four--step one, get a bike!

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