I had a few ideas percolating, but knew I also wanted to be flexible with our time, in case whimsy took me somewhere unexpected. My only stipulation was that I didn't have to drive! I decided to start our day in McKinney, TX. After getting fortified with my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season (free and with an extra shot!), we headed for downtown.
Downtown McKinney is really fun place to walk around and explore. It's a mix of good restaurants and quirky stores, which I adore. I decided to eat breakfast at The Celt, a Irish pub right on the main square.
It was such a beautiful day that we ate outside on their patio area. After having 90+ temperatures most of the week, it felt like my very own birthday gift to have temps up only to the mid-80s. We also got to people watch as we ate, which was also equally fun.
Breakfast is one of my favorite meals to eat out, because I almost never cook it for myself. Throw in the option of a "full Irish fry up," and I will be right there!
After breakfast, we wandered in and out of shops along the square, including several antique stores, a pie emporium, an hipster clothing/vintage shop, and a surprisingly lovely game store.
Around noon, we drove just a little southeast of the square to visit a new brewery that I had been wanting to try out for a while. Tupps Brewery has been open for only about a year and occupies an old historic cotton mill.
I started out with a glass of the Black Ale (which was good), then tried a glass of the Northbound 75 (which was even better!) The Northbound 75 is a "specialty pale ale" that is infused with fire roasted peppers and spices. It has an lovely flavor and heat to it that reminds me a lot of Audacity's Mesquite Smoked Chili Ale. Then, on the recommendation of the bartender and another beer patron, I decided to try the Ale Mary. It's a glass of the Northbound 75 mixed with a bit of Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix. So incredibly tasty!!
In an amazing coincidence, the Tupps Brewery was also having a steampunk event that day. Everyone was dressed up in their bustles, petticoats, and top hats! We listened to several bands, chatted with the man behind Steampunk November (a large yearly festival that we had somehow been unaware of before), and got to watch a steampunk themed belly dance troupe perform.
I may have been persuaded to go up and dance with the troupe for their last performance!
We ended up being at the brewery for almost four hours! Between the good craft beer and the steampunk crowd, we just chatted with some really, really nice people. Four different couples sat our table throughout the afternoon, and we had great conversations about Texas, beer, and many points in between. It was one of the best brewery experiences I've ever had!
Finally, it was time to move on and track down dinner. The husband and I had discovered Yama Izakaya & Sushi by accident a few months ago. According to their website, "izakaya" refers to "casual watering holes" where people can get a drink and share small plates of food. They have the most amazing Japanese menu I have found in DFW so far.
We split an order of takoyaki (octopus balls), onigiri with roe, sashimi, and skewers of bacon-wrapped scallops. The takoyaki had almost a barbecue flavor and was quite delicious. And since I'm an avid fan of Fruits Basket, I "squee" at being able to order onigiri! (You have a great big plum on your back, Kyo!)
Next on the birthday agenda was a trip to Madness Comics & Games, an enormous gaming and comic store at which the husband and I can spend way too much money!
We wandered the shelves for quite a while, but came out fairly easy as far as purchases. I got the newest trade paper of Saga and a new pair of dice for our OKC gaming group.
For our last event of the evening, we headed to the Alamo Drafthouse to catch the new film by M. Night Shyamalan, The Visit. (Which ended up being a delightfully creepy and cheesy movie)
We had a bit of time before the show, so we hung out in the bar and played games. I also got my picture taken with a giant robot hand!
After the movie, the husband drove us back home. We were both pretty tired by the time we pulled up at the house, but it ended up being the perfect birthday! Lots of fun and plenty of places we'll be visiting again!
