Austin again

Austin is a city that, as a former hippie, I have a great affinity for. I’d booked a room, using Marriott reward points, at the Renaissance. They upgraded me to a corner room that featured a dining/work area, lounge with leather reclining chairs, bedroom with a Californian king bed, and bathroom. It was difficult not to rattle around in it!

Arriving on Friday evening, I checked in and headed downtown to 6^th Street. There was live music in every bar, though much of it was too loud (or too energetic) for me. Finally, I found Maggie Mae’s, featuring a lone singer/guitarist who appealed to me. I suspect he’s unknown at the moment, but, if that ever changes, listen out for a song called “Patience, Texas” that I requested him to repeat. He was the intro for a band that was due to start at midnight – I’m getting past staying up to listen to a band that starts at midnight, though I hate to admit it, so I didn’t get to hear them.

Breakfast Saturday morning was at the Magnolia Café on South Congress (I was collecting typical diner menus for Ben, and this is the place to go for breakfast in Austin). After that, I headed to the Colorado River to see the commemorative statue of the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan. Lunch (because Austin, among many other things, is about eating, and enjoying eating) was at the Shady Grove Café (still collecting menus). I could easily have stayed there all afternoon, but there were people to go, places to see ☺.

After lunch, I went to the headquarters of Wholefoods Market. When I mentioned to the girls behind the cheese counter (after taking a photo that I wasn’t strictly allowed to take!) that my daughter worked at Wholefoods in Bristol, they scurried round the store to collect goodies for me to send to her. They came up with an apron, a “lemur” t-shirt (that even the people who worked in the store fought over), and wrote a lovely note to Amy.

It’s impossible to see Austin in a couple of days – the best you can do is to hit the major sights. “Sights” for me doesn’t necessarily mean the usual tourist locations. So, on to Taco Express, and then to the Broken Spoke (dance hall).

Finally, on the “scenic route” back, I stopped at the Iguana Grill overlooking Lake Travis, and listened to an hour or so of Bo Porter (who struggled to remember “Pancho and Lefty” for me, but did a great rendering), before heading back to the hotel in Dallas.

Put Austin on your list of “places to visit”.