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Engagement Photos!

Of course, the day after we send out the hotel update, we get our photos!  

We took these pictures at the beginning of December (quite chilly that night) at several locations here in Austin.  Brio, our photographer for the wedding, took our engagement photos and they are spectacular.  All in all, it took us about 3 hours and over 17 different "scenes" but we loved every minute of it!  We're really looking forward to working with her on the big day and can't wait to see what those look like!

You do have to sign in to see the photos, but it allows you to select favorites and see other peoples' favorites.  www.pictage.com/571793

If you have any problems, email us at lemburn2009@gmail.com and we can try to troubleshoot or resend it to you.

Hotel Update (Finally!)

Merry Christmas Lemburn aficionados! We thought we'd take the time to
send out a little update as to what we're up to and, of course, give
out the hotel information.

After a very long and arduous 9 1/2 years, Margaux has received her
Doctor of Audiology degree from UT and will be starting her new job
here in Austin in late January. Woohoo! What exactly is that you
ask? Well, Margaux is now officially an expert in ears and hearing and
can talk your ear off about hearing aids and that pesky ringing in
your ears after a concert. On to wedding news.....

We've blocked rooms at the Embassy Suites in downtown Austin, which is
conveniently located just across the river from the reception! We've
also blocked the rooms from Thursday night until Sunday morning at the
special rate for those who were planning to make it a long weekend.
The rates are $169 for a double, $159 for a king sized bed. The
link is: http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/AUSLKES-LCW-20090416/index.jhtml

Thinking of staying longer with a group of friends or family? There
are a lot of nice vacation homes in the Austin area that are available
for a reasonable price. If you're considering renting a house, let us
know and we can give you an idea of the area it's located in and the
distance to events and attractions. Keep in mind, it's likely that
you will need to rent a car as the homes are not likely right
downtown, but in general, most are close.
Vacation Rentals by Owner: http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/texas/hill-country/austin
Homeaway: http://www.homeaway.com/search/texas/austin/region:7116/keywords:austin

We look forward to updating again soon with our engagement photos! We
hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and can't
wait to see you all soon!

Love,
Margaux & Aaron

The Big Joe Polka Show!

Back in February, well before all of this wedding business, Margaux's Aunt Mary and "Unkie" Dale came in from Los Angeles for a trip to Round Top, TX to see their favorite television oddity, The Big Joe Polka Shoe, live at Polka Fest with Brave Combo as the headliner for the evening.  

Of course, Aaron and I were game, we weren't quite sure what to think or expect but we know it was going to be good.  I even got to wear my "I Love Polka Music" tshirt that I had stashed away (see photo).  So Mary and Dale arrive in Austin and we venture 2 hours east to the bustling metropolis that is Round Top, Texas (population 3).  

We pulled up to the Big Red Barn and saw motor-home after motor-home, Buick after Buick and realize that we are entirely underdressed.  Most of the attendees were wearing their competitive dance uniforms, each team with their own king and queen and all of them could dance circles around us.  

The majority of the evening was spent listening to traditional polka music... and the interesting thing is that the show has maybe 4 or 5 of these 'fests' around the country and obtains footage for an entire year of programming, so you'd be cheering for Christmas which was still 10 months away.  This was the case in this photo, captured by Mary and Dale while we were all rocking out to Brave Combo.  It's not the most flattering photo I've ever seen of myself, but at least I'm on national tv....rfd-tv that is.  Thanks to Mary and Dale for diligently watching Big Joe every weekend to nail this shot, 10 months later.

PS-Brave Combo is actually really cool, we ended up catching them the following night in Austin!

wedding page update

October 18 marks a mere 6-months until the Lember-Colburn extravaganza here in Austin!  We hope that you all are getting as excited as we are for the big day!  Some of you may be wondering, "So what's there to do in Austin?"  Well, this entry will attempt to give you a reason to stay a little while and explore the area.  Austin is located pretty much smack-dab in the middle of the state; about 70-miles north of San Antonio and 2-3 hours from both Dallas and Houston.  

Austin's airport (airport code AUS) is located about 15-20 minutes east of downtown and caters to most major airlines.  Most of our wedding events will be held within about a 2-mile radius of each other in downtown Austin, so while you may have been wondering about renting a car during your stay, it is not necessary.  Austin has a decent public transportation system ( http://capmetro.org/ ) as well as readily available cabs (and pedicabs at night!) to help you reach your destination.  Another nice thing: the 'Dillos!  (Yes, like an armadillo)  These trolley buses cater to all of the sights downtown, run every 5-10 minutes and....they're FREE!

Sights to see in (or near) downtown Austin:

The University of Texas at Austin:  Home to Aaron's other love (UT football) and, come December, Margaux's second alma mater.  About 48,000 students attend UT, and you can see the Tower from almost anywhere in town.  In addition to the football stadium and tower, there are some neat statues and even a turtle pond.  Also home to the LBJ library/museum.  Approximate distance from downtown:  2 miles

      

Texas State Captiol:  another freebie here in Austin.  Margaux took the tour when she first moved here and learned it's the only pink capitol building.  

       

Museums and such:

Bob Bullock State History Museum

Dell Children's Museum

Blanton Museum of Art 

Zilker Botanical Gardens

When you just want to relax and people watch:

South Congress Avenue:  Hip and eclectic-but also very casual.  Shops, restaurants, and of course, live music at any given hour.  

Some of our favorites are Mars, Boticelli's, Guerro's, and anywhere that you can sit outside and enjoy an ice cold beverage

Zilker Park:  Home to a hike-and-bike trail that circles Lady Bird Lake (that river that runs through Austin, check your save-the-date) 

as well as Barton Springs pool (68-degree spring-fed water) and the Zilker Zephyr, a mini train that takes grown-ups and kiddos around parts of the park.

When hunger strikes....

Torchy's Tacos:  the best taco you've ever had out of a trailer...seriously.  They've opened up trailers and restaraunts all over central Austin.  With crazy names like "Trailer Park", "Dirty Sanchez" and the ever popular "Democrat" and "Republican", we're sure you'll find one you love.  Margaux's favorite:  Green chili pork taco  Aaron: Brushfire (caution-not for the faint at heart).

The Oasis:  this one will require a car or deep pockets for the cab.  Located about 20 minutes outside of downtown (without traffic), it is said to have the most beautiful sunset in Austin.  Be prepared for a long wait!

Hula Hut:  Mexinesian food (a blend of Mexican and Polynesian) with a great view of Lake Austin and less than 10-minutes from downtown.  Be prepared for a long wait!

219 West:  The best happy hour ever....M-Sat until 9pm enjoy half-price appetizers and great drink specials; a great way to dine on the cheap!

Walking around downtown, you'll be hard pressed to find a bad restaurant!

Ahh the nightlife....

6th Street:  (in)famous for it's college crowd and mardi gras-esque atmosphere, be prepared to find yourself in another world of dollar beers and shots.

West 6th Street/Warehouse District:  A great area to relax and enjoy a good drink and dinner!  This area caters to everyone from young professionals on up!

Elephant Room:  An Austin classic.  Think brick walls, basement, mood lighting, 20 tables and a jazz band.  Wynton Marsalis named it one of the top ten jazz venues in the country.  315 Congress Avenue

Outside Austin

Hill Country Wineries  Take a scenic drive on Highway 290 west of Austin into the Hill Country and visit one of the best wine destinations in the country (Second only to Napa!).  Aaron and I (and our parents) have taken this trip on at least one occasion and it is a great time.  Some of our favorites are Becker Vineyards, Sister Creek Vineyards, and Torre di Pietra.  Visit http://www.texaswinetrail.com/index.html for more details!  

San Antonio  Sea World, the San Antonio Zoo, the Riverwalk, and the Alamo!  A great day trip!  

Weekend of Celebration...

So here is a recap of the great weekend of celebration we had after our engagement. We started off on Thursday at Gueros with some margaritas and a delicious lunch with Margaux's parents, Bob and Andrea. Then we walked around south congress area...






Then Thursday evening there was another surprise for Margaux. My very good friend, Jessica Meyers, cooked an incredible dinner for our families, who got to meet for the first time. The "rents" all got along great and we had a fantastic time celebrating together.

Now, Jess isn't just a fly-by-night cook ladies and gentlemen, she's a culinary school graduate. She's a pro! She went all out and I can't thank her enough for all her efforts. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! The entire family was floored with the luxurious meal. We started off with a fresh salad with some delish fruits and a champagne citrus vinaigrette...


From there we moved on to the main course, Mushroom Fillet en Crute, or maybe better know as Beef Wellington. I had never had the privilege of tasting this dish, it was awesome. It's a cut of fillet mignon pan grilled, then topped with mushroom and herb cheese mixture, wrapped in pastry and then baked. To top it all off, she had our initials monogrammed into the top. Unreal! That was accompanied by asparagus & potatoes au gratin.

For dessert, we had her favorite, creme brulee. Home made, torched in my kitchen, with some fresh fruit on top. It was ridonculously good.

Of course, we had to pair that up with some delicious champagne and wine. We didn't hold back there either, with some California Ridge and some Veuve Clicquot. A big thank you to my parents and sisters who came through with awesome selections...


We followed that up with a small friends get together on Friday night at our place. Thanks to everyone who helped with that. It was great to share that with everyone who could make it. We also got to debut the new landscape lighting at Casa de Lemburn, which we installed with Magaux's Dads expertise. Thanks again Bob, the yard looks awesome and it'll make those discs a lot easier to find during our midnight rounds of disc golf.






Saturday we drove the Lember rents around the better parts of Austin (i.e. Scenic Dr., 2222, Tarrytown, etc.) and took them over to Mt. Bonnell...





On Saturday, we took both sets of rents again and piled into my parents Odyssey for a wine tour of the hill country. We stopped for lunch at the Silver K Cafe in Johnson City, which was really good.



Then we headed west and hit up Becker Vineyards first and then Grapecreek Vineyard. Both were good, but we then hit up our favorite, Torre Di Pietra. We finished off the afternoon tour there sharing a bottle of Red Flirt on the patio with some Jalapeno Quail sausage on asiago cheese crackers. Heck yea!


Last, but certainly not least, we gathered at my parents place Saturday night for another awesome dinner. We had some huge Ribeyes grilled by my dad himself. Along with that, my mom cooked one of my favorite dishes of her's, the frittattatta. Yes, I know that's not right, but that's what I like to call it... =) We then finished off diner with a really nice port wine the Lembers had picked up at Becker Vineyards and a fruit plate artful enough to be served at the Four Seasons. Nice job mom!!!!

We weren't done on Sun. We took the Lember rents to one of the best brunch spots in Austin. Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill. Those of you who have been there know how awesome it is. If you haven't been there, go this weekend, really, it's the shizzy I tell you.

Ok, so we probably gained 20lbs each, but come on, it's not often you get engaged right. Actually I'm told it should only be once... =)

Aanyhow, it was a fantastic weekend. Thank you again to everyone who participated and contributed to make it such.

Inagural blog...exciting news...I'm getting hitched!!!

So, I've begun my blogging career here with some fantastic news. As of about 8:30pm on the evening of Wed April 2nd I am no longer a free man, sorry ladies. I've taken the plunge and gotten engaged to my beautiful girlfriend Margaux Lember. Here are some photos of the great evening we had out at the Lakeway Resort and Spa.


It was a complete surprise for Margaux and I had some great accomplices. Thanks to everyone that helped and also to those who knew for so long and were able to keep it a secret.

Thanks to Sandro & Nancy Romano for the initial cover! I told her we were going out there for a Mystery Shopping job, which the Romano's do on a regular basis, but were unable to complete because one of their kiddos was sick. This involves going to a business and doing an evaluation/survey of sorts. They give you certain tasks to perform or questions to answer and then pay for a certain portion of the visit. Of course these usually do not include dinner and a free nights stay at 4 star resorts... =)


Anyhow, we got there and checked in. We headed down to the bar and had a drink till our reservation at 8pm. The whole time we were sitting on the patio, I was communicating in secret with the staff, who I had met earlier in the day on my scouting mission.

Right before our table was supposed to be ready I asked her to walk down to see the sunset. As we kept walking further away from the restaurant she hesitated, but I told her I knew where I was headed. As we turned the final corner to the deserted patio she saw the candle lit table for two and a waiter standing by. She said to me, "oh, Aaron, we can't go down there, someone is having dinner there". Again, I reassured her I knew where I was headed. As we approached the table and were greeted by the server, she finally realized it was for us.


At this point, she still did not know what was coming. As the waiter turned on the ipod I had set up for him earlier, we sat down and music began. Only problem was that it was some random country song. Doh! I tried several times to mouth to him that it was the wrong song, but I finally just had to get up and change it. Finally, I got the Old 97's playing a song I've loved for a long time. The song is called The Question. Hear it below if you'd like...



As the song ended, I got down on one knee I told her how much I loved her and asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. What do you know, she said yes, whew....


We celebrated with a dance to Ray Charles singing in the background as our delicious dinner was cooked. We started with some crab cakes and some delicious bread with calamata olives in it.


For our main course, her Filet Mignon and my 20oz Bone in Cowboy Rib-Eye were both amazing. Yea, we were living the high life... =) We also drank a great bottle of red wine to go with it.


After dinner, we headed back to the room where I had arranged a secret delivery by the staff of some supplies I had dropped off earlier . They had set up several bouquets of tulips, a bottle of champagne and tea light candles spread throughout the room.



We were so excited, we tried calling as many family members as possible before finally crashing at 11:45pm. The next morning I was woken up by Margaux at 5am. She was just too excited, and wanted to tell everyone...=)

I surprised her one more time, with breakfast room service. We sat out on the deck and enjoyed the view. It was beautiful and peaceful even though it was cloudy. We had another delicious meal as we polished off the rest of the champagne making mimosas.


We really had a fantastic time! The staff at the resort were great. They were excited about the whole event and were very helpful and accommodating.

Here are some pics of the resort I did not take myself...