New Apartment, Now Featuring Furniture

We have been in Austin for a little over a month now and have settled into a nice rhythm. We have explored a lot and there's still so much to see. We've kept busy and are living a much healthier lifestyle than we were in New Jersey. Lots more walking, hiking, biking and, gasp, even some jogging. As hard as it is to believe, the fitness in this town is contagious.



We've also outfitted our apartment nicely, at least we think, and have created a comfortable home in our new town. Here are some pics to show our progress:

Keep Austin's Festivals Hot

We have partaken (partook?) in so many free events in Austin that we felt it was time to give back. So we volunteered to help with the Keep Austin Weird Festival. The bonus was that we would get free admission and receive stellar staff shirts. The anti-bonus would be that we would have to actually do stuff and be friendly about it. Nothing is truly free right? So we man up and prepare to do our duty, give back to the people and support our lovely city.



We arrive and don our spiffy staff shirts and are sent back to the hospitality tent. There we sit for a while, trying to appear hospitable, until we are reassigned to the runner's village. In this unshaded area we find that roughly 6,000 t-shirts need to be folded and placed into 6,000 bags with 6,000 samples of runner candy.

Me and my handy work

(Yes, another photo used without permission)

After a few hours of prepping the bags the runners started pouring into the area. Mayhem ensued, but in the end the job was completed without too many casualties. We spent the final hour of the festival sitting in the grass and watching Alejandro Escovedo. Afterward, we went to Pluckers on South Lamar and had the finest buffalo wings in all the land.

The Crit Is The Shit

Always on the look out for free entertainment, we decided to check out the criterium (crit) bike race downtown. According to the article I read: "Crowds will be packed along the downtown streets as racers fly counterclockwise down Guadalupe, past Austin City Hall and through the 2nd street district, around the corner at Colorado, and down 4th street toward finish line on this fast 1k course." Sounds exciting right?

So we made our way to the location in time to see the women's pro race and were floored. They move fast and take the turns so tight that if you are watching from an inside corner, you could reach out and touch them. I kicked myself for not bringing my camera and shot the above photo with my cell phone. It doesn't do the race justice.



We watched the men's pro race and then made our way to the finish line to see a little of the celebration. We then headed south over the pedestrian bridge and stumbled upon a party complete with drinks and a band. We gathered that it was either a birthday party, a summer solstice party or a combination of the two. Like most things we have seen in Austin, no one seemed to mind strangers joining in. We sat and enjoyed the sights and sounds for a while.

Now imagine this bridge with a party all over it.

Oh yeah, and it's dark

...and solsticey

Got it? Pretty sweet right?

Third Thursday At The Blanton

There are so many free things in Austin that depend on the day and time of month, you need a dayplanner to keep up with the first this and third that and what's where and where's what. Lucky for us, we've kept it pretty straight thus far. So we chose this day, being the third thursday, to visit the Blanton Museum of Art. While the Blanton is free on EVERY Thursday, the THIRD Thursday they also stay open late. Got it?

According to my good friend Wikipedia (which is ALWAYS right cuz it's freakin' Wikipedia man), the Blanton Museum is the largest university museum in these United States. The 155,000 square foot facility houses over 17,000 works from Europe, Latin America and the U.S..

In layman's terms, they feature a whole lotta art from a whole lotta periods in a whole lotta space. It is quite an impressive spread and worth a look to broaden one's horizons.

Bikes Versus Dykes?

What looked to be a recipe for disaster when the largest biker rally in Texas was scheduled on the same weekend as the Gay Pride Festival was loudly extinguished when both sides came together in the Pride Parade. A gaggle of large, mulletted lesbian bikers cruised the parade route on their Harleys and like most things in Austin, everything worked out in the end. Perhaps we can all get along after all (Note: I did not take the following photos and I used them without permission. Gotta love Google image search!)

Guess which group they represent

Bike Repair, Indy And The Gift Of Books

Busy, busy, busy. Fitness is definately contagious in Austin. After many a walk on the hike and bike trail downtown and on the greenbelt, we decided it was time to tweak our old bikes. After some online research, I finally found a repair shop that didn't seem to snub it's nose at bikes that require a 5 year loan. J.B. at South Side Bicycle Shop is nice, knowledgable and does not think less of you if your bike is from Walmart.



After dropping off my bike, we headed over to the Alamo Drafthouse to catch Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. For those who are unaware, the Alamo Drafthouse is the coolest (and only) place we will ever see a movie in from now on. As you watch the movie, the great staff serve you a nice assortment of food and drink that you choose from an extensive menu. They have devised a system involving little slips of paper that you fill out with your order and then stick in a rail. This allows you to order at will without uttering a word. The servers have little alleys behind each row of seats that they patrol and with the theatre utilizing stadium seating, this allows them to move around without blocking your view. Innovation at it's best.



Following the movie, we headed to the Manchaca branch of the Austin Public Library system and became card-carrying citizens. We stopped at South Side Bicycle Shop afterwards and J.B. had turned my cheap, crappy bike into a sleek trail-eatting machine. We'll take Heather's bike on Friday and hopefully by next week, we will join the fitness craze.

Austin Zoo

We visited the Austin Zoo today which is located waaaaaaaaaay in southwest Austin. While it is more of a wildlife rehabilitation center and a sanctuary for unwanted or rescued animals, it is still a good place to get up close and personal with big cats, monkeys. turtles and birds.

Live Comedy Goodness In The Live Music Capital

Last night we paid a visit to the Velveeta Room on 6th Street. Located near the Red River intersection, it shares a building with Esther's Follies. For a $5 cover charge we were entertained by featured performer Seth Cockfield and headliner Eric Krug. Both guys were very funny, the drinks were cheap and the room was intimate. Eric recently won the Funniest Person In Austin battle royale for 2008 and showed why with his self-effacing humor. We really enjoyed the Velveeta Room.



We followed our night out with a stop at Austin's answer to the Jersey diner. The Kerbey Lane Cafe is open 24/7 and offers four locations scattered around the town. We went to the South Lamar location and had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. Around midnight we secured our spot and I had the migas while Heather had a burger with sweet potato fries. Head to head, I'd say the Austin cafe is right up there with the famed Jersey diner, definately less greasy.

First Saturday

More free entertainment in Austin! On the first Saturday of each and every month, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum has free admission from 2pm to 6pm. The museum tells the story of Texas with three floors of interactive exhibits, a special effects-laden movie, a gift shop and a cafe.



The museum serves as a great primer for us wanna-be Texans and is a great way to spend a few hours on a hot summer Saturday afternoon. The first floor features a special exhibit area that changes every few months. Currently, the "Dallas: Power & Passion On Primetime TV" exhibit is on display. On October 18th, the "Cowboys And Presidents" exhibit will begin.



There is also an IMAX theatre located at the museum. The only IMAX in Austin plays both 2D and 3D movies and the schedule is always changing with a mix of documentaries, educational and Hollywood blockbusters (that are released in the IMAX format).



On Friday evenings, there are free concerts in July and the first Friday in August. "Music Under The Star" runs from 6pm to 9pm and features Atash, Ray Wylie Hubbard, El Tule and the Austin Nights Brass Band. Admission to the museum is also free during the concerts.

Learn To Row Day

So today was National Learn To Row Day. The Austin Rowing Club held an open house so we stopped by to check it out. After a brief tour and some work on the rowing simulator to teach us the basics, we were off to learn the difference between sculling (two oars, one in each hand) and sweep rowing (one oar on only one side of the boat). Then it was time for the actual boat. We got into an eight person sweep and set out under direction from the coxswain (cok-sin). Try to imagine the photo below with 8 awkward amateurs instead of a finely tuned team and you will have a partial idea of the situation.

It was a great experience and given the time and the money, I'd join the club in a second. You can't beat the views and it's always sweet when exercise is fun.

Greenbelts For Everyone

Last time we hiked the Barton Creek Greenbelt we went north towards Zilker Park. Today, we decided to head south to see the sights. It is amazing how dry the creek is. So much of the riverbed is exposed. Look at the photo to the left and then try to picture it covered in water.



We came upon a local and he thoughtfully posed for me while I snapped the shot on the right. Being from Florida, I have seen my fair share of lizards but the ones here look more like iguanas than their smaller southeastern cousins. Very cool critters here in Texas.

  

First First Thursday

We went to our first First Thursday tonight. For the uninitiated, First Thursday is a monthly event held on the first Thursday of each month. On this night, shops along South Congress stay open late and additional markets set up in assorted parking lots and the artists sell their goods. There are also plenty of live music performances and even a demonstration of capoeira, which is a blend of martial arts and dance that originated in Brazil.

Most of the shops along South Congress are eclectic, one of a kind stores that sell everything from clothing, antiques, collectables, relics, artwork and one place that sells candy and old fashioned soda-jerked drinks.

So we walked south and enjoyed the sites, turned around at Magnolia Cafe and headed back on the other side of the street. About half way up we got some Amy's Ice Cream and enjoyed it the rest of the way back. We have found so many free things to do here and this is yet another fine example of free entertainment (minus the ice cream of course) in Austin.

Remember The Alamo, Forget San Antonio

The first reaction when stepping foot on the famed riverwalk in San Antonio is "Wow, this is sooooooooooo nice." It is an idyllic setting. It is both peaceful and lively, serene and spontaneous. Then you start to notice something terrible... The awful truth? The chains have taken over. Hooters, Howl At The Moon, Joe's Crab Shack, Rainforest Cafe and Starbucks to name a few. The worst offense? A gaggle of poorly-executed faux-mexican restaurants serving dreadfulness that even Taco Bell would be embarrassed.

As if the lack of original food is bad enough, try taking the riverwalk boat tour. This cheese-whiz filled trip is enough to make you want to jump off the boat and wade over to the nearest TGI Fridays for an "authentic" margarita complete with a gummy worm in the tequila bottle.



The Alamo, on the other hand, is sobering. The vibe inside the mission is eerie and the bravery these men displayed was amazing. People always say that they are surprised by how small it is but I think they somehow miss the fact that the famous part is just one building and there is an entire fort which is still pretty much in tact. It was very cool to see such a famous Texan and American landmark.

  

  

Courtney's Consummate Crepes

Our birthdays happen to fall 2 days apart. Heather's is June 2nd followed by mine on the 4th. We usually try to make a weeklong celebration or trip out of it but since we have just arrived at our new home we decided to stay close and further explore the area.

On June 2nd we went tubing on the San Marcos River. The tube rental and taxi service is operated as a fund raising project by the San Marcos Lions Club. For $7 you get a tube and unlimited rides on the taxi. Most of the river is slow and relaxing and the water is a constant 72 degrees. At the end of the run there are 3 chutes on the Rio Vista Dam. An exciting end to a relaxing and scenic ride.

For dinner we went to Jeffrey's, located a little west of downtown Austin. Heather began with Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with Baby Mushrooms, Balsamic and Dijon. I started with their signature Crispy Oysters on Yucca Root Chips with Habanero Honey Aioli. I am drooling as I write this as I am reliving the tastes, sights and smells. Good stuff.

For entrees, Heather had the Duck Ravioli with Summer Vegetables and White Wine Butter Sauce and I had the Wagyu Hanger Steak with Pommes Frites and Chimichurri. While not quite as exciting as the starters, they were both very nice and the homemade yellow ketchup was a nice addition to the frites.

While I had the Valrhona Chocolate Intemperance, the signature dessert at Jeffrey's, the winner of the night goes to the Caramelized Crepes with Butter Pecan Ice Cream and Citrus Confit. Pastry chef Courtney McBroom deserves much credit for creating such a wonderful piece of art.

Dogtown USA

Dogs, dogs, everywhere. One of our favorite places in Austin has become Auditorium Shores which is the park south of Lady Bird Lake between Lamar and South First. It is home to many festivals and is a designated off-leash area for dogs.

Since we do not yet have a dog of our own we like to come here to get our doggie-fix. It's great to see the variety of animals and to see them all interact. They are always so excited and act like little kids on a playground.