Spring Break Weekend at Club Lake in Greenville, Texas

Amanda & I are part of a lovely community group in College Station.  It consists of 7 young married couples all within a few years of tying the knot.  Also, all of the couples are currently childless which is why we named our group "Before the Babies Boom".  We decided to take a trip up to Club Lake in Greenville, TX.  It was a swell weekend or as the young folks say "it was lit".  

I made a highlight video of our weekend; it is linked below.   The video portrays the entire weekend as being one day.  There are also some select photos from the weekend as well. Enjoy!

Dallas//Fort Worth

Amanda traveled to the Dallas//Fort Worth area this weekend.  Spent a little time with my brother and ate great food. 

Some of the Notable places we visited:
1. Thompson's Bookstore Cocktail Bar : An amazing speak easy in Downtown, Fort Worth. Be sure to like there FaceBook page to find the weekly password to get in. 
2. Mudsmith : An awesome coffeehouse in Lower Greenville, Dallas. Great Coffee and great vibes.
3. Bolsa :  Great brunch at Bolsa. I highly recommend stopping there if you're in the Dallas area. 

College Station//George Bush Library

On Saturday we had a few friends come to College Station to hangout for the day.  

Per usual, I grabbed my Sony a7ii with my 55mm Zeiss and documented the day. 

 

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I got a haircut at 4.0 Cuts Barber Salon.  Overall it was a pretty good experience. They offered me a cold beverage while waiting for my appointment which was, in my opinion, excellent customer care. 

4.0 Cuts Barber Salon

4.0 Cuts Barber Salon

Wine Saturday

Since moving to College Station we have spent just about every weekend out-of-town. Thats for a flurry of reasons.  College Station is located about an hour and a half drive away from some really fun cities; places we didn't really visit as often when we lived in Austin. 

College Station has a lot of hidden gems. It's not a barren place, when it comes to entertainment; it just takes a bit of looking around to find it and that's exactly what we did today.  

We tried out "Downtown Uncoorked Wine Bar" & "The Village Cafe & Art Gallery".  I had some work to catch up on and "The Village Cafe & Art Gallery" was a great place to grab breakfast and post up with my laptop for a few hours. (also the have pitchers of Mimosas for $12!!) 

"Downtown Uncoorked Wine Bar"  was a great spot as well.  We stopped it for a bite as soon as it opened at 3 p.m.  The wine list is expansive and every wine we tasted was superb!  Definitely a spot to check out if you're in the area. 

 

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An afternoon in the city

On Sunday, January 15th, we had breakfast with dear friends in Annapolis then spent the afternoon in D.C. proper.  We did the usual Tourists things: seeing monuments and the White House.  Unfortunately we were unable to behold some of the wonders, in all their glory, because of the upcoming inauguration.  Many of the areas, including the White House were fenced off and partially out of sight. 

Currently, My favorite restaurant in the entire world is Founding Farmers. It is the absolute best food you can get.  I make it a staple in every visit to the area.  Needless to say, our experience was wonderful; they make amazing food and cocktails.  Before eating, while waiting outside, a group of gals were lining up for a photo and I offered to take it for them.  I proceeded to ask if I could take their photo on my camera.  I admit it, its a little intimidating to ask strangers to take their picture but its a great way to strike up some conversation and interact with a lot of people. 

Annapolis, Maryland

Amanda & I traveled to Annapolis to spend some quality time with folks who care deeply about us.  Its always refreshing be immersed in those types of environments.  I was also taking this time to test out a Canon 6d in hopes of figuring out whether I like the Canon system or the Sony System. 

My Grandfather was known for wearing Flat Caps.  We visited Hats on the Belfry, an amazing hat store in Downtown Annapolis, and they had an awesome selection to choose from.  I couldn't pass up getting a Flat Cap in memory of him. 

We were graciously hosted by great folks and thouroughly enjoyed our time.

A tour of the Naval Academy from Will

Trai + Shawn

Got to spend some quality time with my childhood friends: Trai and Shawn.  Never a dull moment with these two. 

Tribe + Glory

I'm fortunate enough to know, and be surrounded by, great people.  I can do a 360 degree turn within my inner circle and each individual is just awesome. 

One of those folks, Loren Thomas, Co-Founded a
Women's Empowerment Organization: Tribe + Glory

"Tribe + Glory empowers and activates female entrepreneurs to achieve self-sustainability through relationshipcraftsmanship, and entrepreneurship. Our entrepreneurship training model empowers women to live above the poverty line and create for themselves a sustainable income. It is our desire to equip women with the necessary skills to achieve their dreams, and become agents of transformation in their communities." -Excerpted from T+G Website
 

Twice now, My wife & I have been to Zirobwe, where a T+G program operated; once before Tribe + Glory was started and once after.  I'm not exaggerating when I say: Tribe + Glory has made a huge difference in the lives of these women and their families! 

These women are able to earn enough money, through Tribe + Glory's jewelry sales, to pay for food and water, send their children to school, and save for their futures.   

This past week, I was happy to "Join the Tribe" by curating new content for their social media and website.  Click "here"  to learn more out Tribe + Glory and follow their journey as they expand their impact into Kamuli Village, Uganda and beyond. 

 

Christmas

"Oh the weather outside is frightful..." Not in Florida! 

The weather was actually perfect this Christmas.  Temperatures were in the high 70's most of the day.  Me, my wife, and my cousins decided to spend some time at the river before catching a Christmas movie. 

At the movies, we saw "Fences".  It is an awesome film featuring: Viola Davis & Denzel Washington.  An emotional roller coaster, the movie walks viewers through the life of Troy Maxson, the main character.  Troy, the son of a freed slave, struggled as a father and husband and this movie did a great job of showing the repercussions in his family. 

My wife, Amanda

My wife, Amanda

Left to Right: Tadisha, Kymoye, & Lashonda

Left to Right: Tadisha, Kymoye, & Lashonda