Another New Restaurant!

No. 63: A New Restaurant!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. In our house we 200% get stuck in a rut when it comes to eating out. One of us doesn't like change, leaving the area, anything unfamiliar.

So usually I have to depend on the kindness of friends to adventure out to new restaurants. 

And I did just that last week. 

Been trying to reconnect with a friend from junior high/senior high for a while. She doesn't live that far but we are both busy and it just hadn't happened. 

But finally! 

And we went some place new to both of us... Cedar Creek Bar and Grill. It's in the Heights area of Houston, an area near where I spent the first five years of my life. My grandmother lived in the Heights for years until she passed away at the age of 100. It was an area that went into decline but has since reimagined itself. I love that kind of story.

The sign says Austin, Texas but I promise we were in Houston. 

Cedar Creek is one of the four "Creek" restaurants owned by the same group. It's got a fabulous patio (but no dogs allowed-we aren't in Colorado-although there is  Onion Creek which does allow dogs outside) and a funky bar/restaurant inside. The sign says "Welcome to the Hill Country" even though the actual Hill Country is a good 100 miles away. But it's got that Austin vibe which is not a bad thing.

A great patio for lingering.

I had crab balls with chipotle dip, my friend had a sandwich. Food was good.

Me with Tricia....older, wiser and better looking. 

And my friend?
Tricia found me in 7th grade when I was as homely and awkward as a kid could get. Huge glasses. Short hair. (NOT a good look for me.) Braces. Shy.

Seriously. 

How did she manage to see past this to want to be my friend? 

We had gone to different elementary schools so she was a whole new experience. I was so amazed that someone so fun and so crazy wanted to be friends with me. She opened me up to a whole new group of kids and a whole new kind of fun. I spent four years of my life practically living at her house. (Except when she was at mine.)

Tricia at my house learning to macrame.

1974

And what happened? Why did we lose touch?
What do you think?
Boys.  (sigh)

One friend ran off with another's boy and there was a domino effect of girls switching guys and guys switching girls and I don't even really remember anymore exactly what happened but typical of girls that age....friendships were damaged. 

However....

Years later there were apologies and water under the bridge and we all ended up getting ourselves guys that were more reliable (and not as likely to dump you for your best friend) and we realized that guys come and go but a true friendship weathers. 

So Tricia and I spent about 4 hours "having lunch". Such a fabulous afternoon. 

I hope we can do it again soon.

And if you need to "waste" away an afternoon chit chatting with someone dear, try one of the Creeks.