2 Weddings and a SXSW

So you know when you're at that age where all your friends are getting married? Yeah. I'm right there. Thankfully, a few of my friends from Texas decided to get married the same weekend (different days) and when SXSW was happening just to accommodate my travels. Or so I'd like to believe ;)

Flew into Houston Friday right after a presentation at work, got picked up by my high school besties Kristy and Clare, in time to make it to the rehearsal of our wonderful friend Emily and Max in Galveston. This church was built in the 1840's (that's OLD for TEXAS) and is actually considered a "museum" now. Very neat place, with rickety old stairs that I foresaw my possible plummet to death on. After the rehearsal, to the best Mexican place in Galveston for dinner!

Kristy, Clare, and I stayed at the Springhill Marriott Suites, which, to our hopes, had a hot tub! Travel tip: always, ALWAYS, pack your swimsuit no matter where you go. The night ended with hot tub, wine, running into some of the groom's party, and good conversation (wine always leads to good conversation, doesn't it?). 

Saturday was the big day. We were treated to a brunch, then off to the Manor to get the bride and her party ready! Again, another beautiful old place. Emily and a few others got styled by this new age hippie stylist woman, the rest of us had the luxury of Rizzy knowing her way with our hair. Oh! Forgot to mention, this was a SCOTTISH themed wedding, so groomsmen in kilts and us ladies got some authentic Texas tartan sashes! While I know you're thinking "in 20 years you're going to look back to these pictures and realize how ridiculous you looked", this was actually neat! Aaaand I will bet it'll still be awesome 20 years from now.

I couldn't have been happier to see these 2 get married. Everything was beautiful with a very tongue-in-cheek twist to it (the whole Scottish theme complete with bagpiper, Beatles vows, the "museum", etc.) Exactly what fits these 2. The reception was a hoot too -- Texas BBQ, open bar, galore of "guncles" and other fun fun people. 

After the reception, us bridal party peeps drunkenly decorated the honeymoon car. And then ended up back in the hot tub. With more wine. Until we got kicked out. So we took it to the hotel room and played Cards Against Humanity (best game EVER!).

Sunday we drove back to Austin in time for me to make it to Wedding #2: Sean and Elia. More awesome people getting married. While it had been pouring the last few days, it cleared up to blue skies and perfect weather just for them (and good thing too, since the wedding was outside). More beautifulness. Followed by another funtastic reception with so much dancing. And good friends. Great to see them again :) And a margarita machine! Sigh.

Weddings, check. Now on to SXSW. For the first time, I experienced the "free SXSW method". Granted, takes a lot of waiting in lines for wristbands, but it's all sooo worth it. Free music, free food, free drink. And all day every day. Oh and I saw my friend's band The Pinstripes from Cincinnati! More friends, more catching up. This was my schedule from Monday to Wednesday.

Thursday was my flight and I "worked from home" during the day. Getting up at 7am? Tough. Very tough. Got to get lunch with my mom before heading to the airport. Getting home at midnight and work the next day? Also very tough. In fact, the moment I got on the plane, I felt like absolute crap. My body had the shakes, but my face was red hot. I left work early the next day and spent 8 hours on my couch before transferring to my bed. Then I got these weird bumps on my fingers... they spread to the rest of my hand. Then on my feet! Then to the rest of my body...

...So apparently my body was going through alcohol withdrawal. How. sad. is. that. I realized I pretty much drank straight from Friday to Wednesday... apparently that's how fast dependency can happen? Wow. Which led to my body being dehydrated and developing a heat rash. Needless to say, I took good care of my body that weekend and spent all of it recovering. Moral of the story? Take good care of your body, children.

#2 Mardi Gras feast in the USA

....iiiiiis St. Louis, Missouri! Who knew? I def didn't... until I visited there last year -- so a mission to come back for Mardi Gras was in cahoots.

Kelly and I left Cincy around 5, hit some traffic, but finally made it into Soulard (the prime spot for Mardi Gras shenanigans) close to midnight. We stayed with fantastic couchsurfers (as always!), Nate and Kim, who graciously let us crash with them even though they invited friends from out of town too and held their own MG party the next day. They just moved to St Louis so this was their first Mardi Gras there... they weren't quite sure what to expect but were prepared fo' sho'.

Prepared? 175-jello-shots-and-a-keg prepared! We pretty much lucked the hell out and stayed with the best hosts in St Louis that weekend :) Super fun people and great friends. So the day started at 9am... with shots. and then beer. and then jello shots. and then beer. and more beer. There was a parade in there somewhere too that we saw, but nothing all too memorable except for the Back to the Future float. There were beads everywhere (surprisingly, not many boobs... I saw one side boob). Streets were filled with beer vendors and the masses. Bars closed at 10pm b/c they knew what was good for them. Dance parties with awesome laser lights back at the house. 15 hours of drinking, people. I'm not sure if my liver had ever met its match at that level...

...but thankfully it forgave me the next morning. No hangover (what WHAT! "Liquor before beer..."). Grabbed brunch at Sqwires with our amazing hosts and then parted our ways. Headed to the Arch, which Kelly had not been to yet, took the 60's capsule ride to the top of it and got our touristyness in at the museum. Kelly had seen a St Louis episode of Man vs Food of this delish ice cream place that makes shakes and malts. Made it our mission to be the last stop, but fate was they closed doors right in front of us... :( Next time. As reconciliation, we got Wendy's Frosties on the drive home... same thing, right?

 Another fun weekend trip. I'm a fan of these. Let's do more! (Asheville for Easter weekend???)


OH! And I finally gave in to the pressures of the 21st century and got myself a smartphone, whiiiiich of course has an awesome camera in it. So my posts will hopefully become more colorful(/interesting) again :) ...I'm not allowed to lose this one though...