Sunday Brunch | Black Walnut Cafe

Living in Houston means I am surrounded by some of the country's most famous cuisine. In 1998, USA Today called Houston the "dining capital in the United States" as Houstonians eat out more than any other city. Houston is proud of that title, and continues to impress visitors and critics alike. More recently, Houston was named America's favorite Food City in 2015 by Travel + Leisure. Around every corner you are surrounded by culinary delights. 

There's no tradition I love more than Sunday Brunch. While there are numerous places in Houston that boast a good Sunday Brunch, a favorite of mine is Black Walnut Cafe. Located across various Texas cities, my local Black Walnut is always bustling with people. The cafe atmosphere is the ideal spot for a relaxing Sunday Brunch, whether you are on your own or with a group of friends.

If your feeling coffee, the vanilla latte is an obsession of mine. However, I personally think a Bloody Mary is the perfect way to start off brunch. I'm a creature of habit, and although I have enjoyed everything I've tried off the menu, the Pico Benedict is my personal favorite. This Tex-Mex twist on Eggs Benedict is unique and delicious!

Do you have any favorite brunch spots??

xoxo

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

One of the most exciting aspects of travel is the chance to see the man-made beauty the world has to offer. Natural beauty is one thing, the world is a beautiful and fascinating place. Man-made beauty is another. Seeing the capacity of human imagination is a wonderful thing. However, I've always held the belief most of this beauty lies in the outside world. Never did I imagine stumbling across something so magnificent in my own backyard.

Picture this: a temple that consist of 33,000 pieces of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone. Surely this building would be in India. Maybe Pakistan. 

What about in Houston, Texas? More specifically, Sugar Land, Texas. 

Yep, that's right. This insanely beautiful Hindu temple is located in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land.  If you are fairly new here, Sugar Land happens to be by home town (you can read all about it here). After moving back stateside, I scoured the internet for things to do in this extremely ordinary American suburb. What could I possibly discover in this town that I hadn't already seen? When I came across BAPS Shri Swaminarayan on Pinterest I was in disbelief. Surely there was a mistake. There is no way a building of this magnetite could be located in my home town. I had never even heard about it. So I pulled it up on Google Maps and headed out there, just to see for myself.

A short ten minute drive from my house and I was pulling into the parking lot. It was fairly early, not even 9:30 in the morning, and the place was deserted. I had never visited a Hindu temple before and was nervous purely because I did not want to show any sign of disrespect. I wore a maxi dress just to be sure. 

Unfortunately the building was under construction the day of my visit so I couldn't go inside (photos inside are strictly forbidden anyway), so I spent the morning wondering the temple's vast grounds. The detail of this structure was like nothing I had ever seen before. I was blown away. 

I plan to visit the temple in the future once the inside reopens. I have so many questions and would love to learn more about this culture that is so different than my own. It's funny, one of the most interesting places I have ever visited sits just a few minutes away from where I grew up.

Happy Monday!
xoxo

Town Center | Sugar Land, Texas

It's been awhile since my last post! Preparing for a move is stressful, especially when you're moving 5,000 miles away to a different country. Since I haven't been doing much of anything lately, I thought I'd share a few photos from my hometown. 

Sugar Land is a suburb just outside of Houston, Texas. Founded in 1959, Sugar Land got its name because of its location around the Imperial Sugar Factory. Now, one of the biggest suburbs in the Houston area, Sugar Land has a population of 81,000, and is home to Minute Maid Headquarters. 

Sugar Land Town Center is one of my favorite places to go when I'm home. It's full of quirky restaurants, cute boutiques, and fun bars. When the weather is nice (which is rare in Texas) it's a wonderful place to just walk around. 

XOXO