Austinique

Things about Austin, the long and short of it:

The traffic is surprising for a city this size, but considering the city in question I suppose it is to be expected. Austin is surely an “oasis in the desert” for counterculture, so you could see why people flock here to be among like minded souls. Perhaps one day the city population and traffic will sync up.

I finally found Austin’s downtown and I must declare that it is The Cutest Downtown I Have Ever Seen in My Life. It was on the way to the Alamo Drafthouse, as it turns out. For the remainder of my time in Austin, every time I drove by or through it, I screamed at it as though it were a basket of baby highland cows, you know the kind you can carry around? I managed to take some lame, gray day pictures, shared here, but Google has plenty of better shots so look at those, too. It’s a major Squeee. Cutest downtown everrr.

I also finally found the “weird” in Austin, though to me it just looked like Brooklyn. Lots and lots of tats, long beards, multicolored hair, and newsboy caps, so many newsboy caps. I’m guessing that fashion sense, the art and music scene, and the far more lefty leaning political sensibilities are the “weird” part, but God willing (YES I SAID GOD DID I STUTTER) it will only get more like that, not less. I dragged 6th street, with its vibrant scene of bars, restaurants, clubs, and noise, even though it was the bright of day and I never intended to Hit the Scene, I just ended up there and everyone was driving 5 mph so, you know, go with the flow, try to look fly in my momcar. It was around this area where I happened to see one of those pedal-yourself-and-drink-beer-trolleys, which made me laugh and then twisted my stomach a little because all I could think was how that constant motion would make all the beer and food in your gut go churnchurnchurn. I wonder how many people hurl after or even during the ride.

Come play wif us, Danneeeeee

The Alamo Drafthouse is worthy of the hype. The South Lamar location had tons of cool old movie posters, funhouse embellishments, and the greatest touch of all: the long carpet of the Overlook Hotel extending to the back wall where a huge print completed the picture. Iconic. I also loved the surrounding area, with 2cool 4school apartments across the street and lovely murals on the way into the parking garage. I am especially glad I saw Get Out there. It was a phenomenal movie and the surreal, mesmerizing aspects were only heightened by experiencing it in a strange place among strange strangers. I’ve been thinking about that movie since I saw it—the effects of which I’ve chronicled to some degree here, but still I turn it over and over in my hands and marvel at it. It’s not the greatest movie of all time, but it is one of those rare movies that nestles into your brain and rewires you a bit, even if for just a little while. This takes a great deal of skill, and Jordan Peele has managed to create something vivid, blistering, hysterical, excruciating, and permanent.

One of the great parts of the Alamo Drafthouse experience is getting to eat real food while watching the movie. It’s not an alien concept at this point, of course, since we have the same services at the downtown Warren in Wichita (and there are similar offerings all over the country), but I rarely go out to the movies and have only experienced this type of movie going experience once (which was a horrifying disaster), so it felt exotic to me. The pricing is completely reasonable, and you get fast service and great food. I ordered the Royale with Cheeseburger and a Dr. Pepper. The fries were yummy but the burger was sublime. I know people love bacon on things, and I don’t exactly disagree, but I am a Fussbudget McFussypants about how it is prepared. I hate the fatty part, but I can eat it if it is almost burnt. This burger featured crunchy smoked bacon, with no fatty or rubbery grossness, cooked well done and just perfect. The burger itself was juicy with lots of flavor. A++

On to San Antonio ever so briefly, then it’s camp-o-rama!

I have no idea what's goin on.