FROM JODI
Building back up again; that’s what we’ve been doing at our firm this past Spring, and I am happy to feel the change of season to Summer. There is a great sense of accomplishment at getting through the first hardest hurdle of rebuilding, the initial 3 months. They are behind us. We survived. We reset the boat, and we are on our way. We call each other the Core Team. We feel it. We may be lean, but we are all of the same mission, in service to the client.
We have learned the lesson of focused, consistent hard work. We have learned to ask for more time. We have learned that you get grace when you give grace. We have learned that even through illness and displacement and one-surprise-after-the-other, when we focus on the client and work smart, we succeed. We have learned to identify exactly what we want and accept no less.
I often use rowing for examples in my pursuit of a well-set professional team. Rowing is eight-people trying to get one perfect in-sync stroke, stroke-by-stroke, for hundreds of strokes per stretch. Each stroke, you reset. I get on the water two mornings a week, the weakest rower on the crew, and I take a lot of correction, and try stroke-by-stroke to do my part. And when you get it right, it’s magic.
I am grateful for this journey.
Be Stellar,
Jodi
@lazarlaw
FEATURING AUSTIN
By: Aubrey Rosenthal
One of my newest favorite restaurants in Austin: is Aba. Aba is a Mediterranean restaurant with a Californian twist. Based on the cooking of Chef CJ Jacobson mixed with influences from Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece, you will be eager to try all the dishes on this menu. Aba is located on South Congress, so it is always busy, and reservations need to be made well in advance to guarantee a table. Aba has both indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor seating may seem like a daunting concept for the hot Texas weather, but the patio is kept cool with misters. When I walked into Aba, the interior made me feel like I had left Austin and landed right in the heart of the Mediterranean.
Aba’s menu is made up of dishes intended to share at the table. Each dish is brought to the table when it is ready, so each dish comes out at the perfect temperature. They even have a whole menu dedicated to gluten-free dishes. We started our meal with a cocktail. The lavender gin and tonic was not only delicious but beautiful to look at. All the cocktails are so visually appealing. After much deliberation, we agreed to start with the whipped feta and the lamb ragu hummus. Both the hummus and feta were served with Aba’s house bread. We could not get enough of these dishes.
The main entrees we agreed on were the chicken kebabs and the crispy pork belly. The chicken kebabs were perfectly cooked and served with sweet peppers and a yogurt marinade. Accompanying the kebabs was a heaping portion of basmati rice. The crispy pork belly is making my mouth water as I write this. The pork belly was so tender and perfectly seasoned. With the pork came a cooked honey crisp apple dipped in harissa honey and coriander. Although more than enough food was ordered, we were not going to be able to sleep unless we tried the crispy potatoes. The crispy potatoes were hot and fresh and served with rosemary and a scallion crema. The decision to add the potatoes meant that we were passed full and had to skip out on dessert. Although I do regret not trying the coconut rice pudding or the flaky almond tart, I saw served at the table next to us.
Aba is also a great location to host events or large get-togethers. They have several large group dining spaces, a mezzanine level, and a full outdoor patio. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. When I have guests come visit Austin this will surely be on the list of my favorite places to take out-of-towners.
1011 S Congress Avenue
Building 2, Suite 180
Austin, TX 78704
FEATURED BLOG
HELP! My Ex Won’t Follow The Rules
When a co-parent doesn’t follow the custody orders, we know it can make you want to rip your hair out. All that work to get to a custody order, and now it isn’t being followed. We know how frustrating that can be, but if you have a written court order, then you have what you need to get started.
