I was always a little meh about South Padre Island. I thought it was all spring breakers, crowded beaches, and run down hotels. And it is kind of all of those things, but in a completely charming way during the off-season.

Never again will a road trip be complete without a stop at Buc-ees.

Though I could probably navigate the Texas Tropical Trail without two GPS systems and a fuzz buster.

I’m pretty sure you fall off the side of the earth when you reach the end of the island.

The view from our room at the Pearl Hotel was so lovely I don’t think anyone would believe it was Texas (no offense, Texas).

My first time though border patrol was exciting. I felt like Nancy Botwin. (Specifically, season 4 episode 2. Prius? Check. Iced coffee? Check. Broken tail light? The only thing missing.)

Oh, and a dog jumped through my car window.

Ever go somewhere you weren’t expecting to like but end up really liking it? Yeah. That.

If there weren’t witnesses, no one would ever believe this story.

On our drive home from South Padre Island this weekend, we stopped at a Dairy Queen in the middle of nowhere. I rolled down the window, placed our order, and started to pull forward to pay when I spotted a big, friendly looking mutt outside the front door of the restaurant. Being the dog lover that I am, I said hello to the pup who cocked his head and perked up. I thought he must be waiting for his owner inside, but no; he wasn’t on a leash so he jauntily ran towards my open window. He jumped up to say hello and was as sweet as pie so I gave him a scratch behind the ears. He circled my car and came back to the my window where I gave him some more love and looked around for his owner.

That’s when he proceeded to launch himself through my open window and onto my lap.

Not a lap dog. But a damn good cuddler.

By the time he made it through the window I was in panic mode, hoping he was friendly as I judged him to be, when he places a paw on each of my shoulders like he was giving me a giant hug.

(At this point, I feel like I shared a bit of a moment with the pooch, so I’d like to refer to him as Herbert from here on out. Herb for short.)

Herb wasn’t a small dog and I honestly don’t know how he fit through the window in the first place, but when he did, he knocked my car into reverse, got tangled in the seat belt, and honked the horn with his tail. I was able to open the door while my friend got out, ran to the other side, and coaxed Herb off of my lap.

Thankfully, he just wanted to give me a hug and not maul my face off. Unfortunately, none of us had the wherewithal to snap a photo until after I regained control of the vehicle. And rolled up my window.

But now I can’t stop thinking about Herb.

He looked well taken care of and was clearly used to someone loving on him, but his collar had no tags, otherwise I would have contacted the owner and waited for them to come pick him up. Hell, I would have given Herb a lift home. I told the restaurant manager what happened and she said that he had walked in and out of the restaurant a few minutes earlier and they were calling the animal shelter for help finding his owner. When we pulled away, he was laying safely in the shade in the patio area.

Thanks for the memories, Herb. I hope you found your way home. Your owners will never know what a day you had.

xoxo

By noon today, I will be sunning on the beach in Cancun. No. Cancun sounds too MTV Spring Break 1997. I’ll be sunning on the beach in Playa Del Carmen.

No email. No Twitter. No working knowledge of the Spanish language (the only reason I didn’t graduate from high school with honors).

Just a stack of books, SPF 70, and unlimited margaritas. See you next week!

Of course this image would have no attribution on Pinterest.
If you know where it’s from, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.

Packing for vacation is so hard. (First world problems, right?) I do really well fitting everything into a carry-on until the very last minute when I panic that I didn’t pack enough shirts/shoes/pajamas and suddenly I can’t zip my luggage. Delightfully Tacky has a great post with 10 tips for traveling well, which includes how she travels carry-on-only-style. I need to keep rereading that post from now until takeoff.

With four days until I leave for Mexico, everything still fits in a carry-on with room to spare.

Sidebar: I’m still going to have to check a bag in order to take sunblock because I refuse to pay $20 a bottle at the resort. I appreciate the need for national security, but don’t find my brand new, sealed, bottle of Coppertone to be a threat. Especially considering these TSA statistics.

All this is to say, here’s my preliminary vacation packing. (Old Navy is clearly my go-to for vacation clothes). Am I forgetting anything? Will I regret these choices? What item of clothing do you always take on vacation?

Clockwise from top and spiral around
Old Navy Mixed Print Tank $19.94
Old Navy Cropped Linen Pants $24.94
JCrew Market Tote $45 (my mom picked this up at the outlet for a steal)
Old Navy Cuffed Denim Bermudas $24.94 (I buy these every year in every color)
Old Navy Smocked Crochet Tee $22.94 (bought this last year in several colors so I was happy to see they brought it back in new colors)
Old Navy Linen Shirtdress $25 (grabbed this in-store on clearance for $8.99)
JCrew Chambray Tunic $59.50 (similar to one I bought a few years ago)
Old Navy Drawstring Hem Tank $24.94
Mossimo Fedora $12.99 (which my mom is sure to make fun of)
Lands’ End Beach Living Halter Tunic $55 (already had matching bottoms)
Old Navy Tunic Coverup $39.94 (I ordered the plus size for length)
JCrew Enamel Elephant Sold Out
Sperry Top-Siders $90 (bought last summer)
Banana Republic McKenna Leather Thong $44.50
Warby Parker Mabel Sunglasses $95 (gifted to me though a Klout Perk during SXSW)

If you’re from the Chicagoland-area, you’re familiar with the term “The Region” used to refer to anyone that isn’t from Chicago proper. Specifically, those of us from Northwest Indiana. I hate saying that I’m from The Region because it makes me feel like a townie and really? Who wants to be a townie?

So, I’m from Chicago. And that’s where I visited last weekend.

If you’re in Chicago, you’re kind of obligated to eat at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. Best pizza in the city. Guaranteed. So good, in fact, that I had my wedding reception there and even now that I’m divorced I’d still shank someone for a pizza pot pie.

(And if you’re in Austin, you’re kind of obligated to eat at hopdoddy Burger Bar.)

Not pictured: Garrett’s Popcorn and Lincoln’s Bunny Girl. I need some veggies, stat.

My partners in crime as we ate our way through Chicago. Jenn, Toni, Julie, and Michelle. Bitches gotta eat.

Whenever I’m home, I always end up in the basement rummaging through old photos. If these snaps don’t sum up my fashion philosophy, I don’t know what does.

And what trip home is complete without a trip to see grandma, babies in beer goggles, and a wicked game of foursquare?

Quality time was spent with Mister Floyd (aka “The Original Gangsta” per my sister) and I may have Skyped with Ollie who spent the weekend back in Austin. What? I missed him.

Visiting home is exhausting.