The next few days in Austin passed quickly and were filled with good company, good drinks, and dare I say, greater food. It was the end of May and to quote the band America, "the heat was hot". Thankfully it was a dry heat, at least to someone used to swimming around NYC streets in 96% humidity. The sun being hot as hell makes absolute sense, but the air? Not so much.
After waking up in our cute tiny home airbnb, we hit the sizzling pavement and walked a short distance down Manor (may-nor!) Rd. and sat down to breakfast tacos at Mi Madre's, a no frills local tex mex spot. We sat outside where industrial-sized fans were blowing and ordered two coffee drinks that were served to us in 32 oz clear plastic cups. G was excited and nostalgic for breakfast tacos so we ordered four based on our server's recommendation.
When our tray arrived, we realized exactly why our airbnb host suggested we order one each. They were huge, not the paltry hand-held size we were used to in Brooklyn. Laden with soft potatoes and sausage, fluffy egg and crispy bacon, we spooned homemade hot sauce and salsa over everything and struggled to finished what our eyes had started. When the check came I was shocked. For two people bursting at the seams in Austin, we paid the price of one person still mildly peckish in NYC.
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| I was deeply shaken. |
Feeling bloated but giddy we avoided the direct sun by skipping from shadow to shadow until we found a couple lime scooters to take us all the way down from Cherrywood to East Cesar Chavez. I'm not really a beer person but G enjoys sampling the local fare when traveling so we stopped at two breweries (you could also consider it research since he's passing his Cicerone later in the year). The first place was Lazarus, a huge space we'd come back to later in our trip simply because it was so laid back. People there were using it as a co-working space, meeting friends, or just enjoying a beer while being misted by fans installed along the eaves. Personally, it was my first time seeing such a contraption and it blew my mind a little. Not sure it would work in Brookyn's swampiness though.
I don't remember what I ordered but it was crisp and refreshing in the heat. We sat facing the road and watched not just one but several bachelorette parties pass us on those little shaded wagons where everyone can pedal to help the driver but no one really does. Every group was wearing bright pink shirts, cut off jean shorts, and an array of cowboy boots and the hats to match. All of them. We sipped our beers and I tried not to stare.
I'd never been to a bachelorette party let alone a friend's wedding before. I mean, that's why we were in Austin, our friends Claire and Andrew we getting married, and technically Claire is Gordon's friend. I don't think I would have been invited otherwise. It's not that I look down on any of these traditions, it's just that they are all very foreign to me. There are no pictures of my parents at their wedding– they never had one. They just went to city hall and got their paper signed, and even of that, there are no photos. I never dreamed of marriage or what I would wear or anything like that. I know a lot of people do as the norm but I've always been on the outside of of it all. Love is enough for me, but as a Capricorn I guess I can see the value of a tax break as well.
After a few beers, we walked to Zilker a block away on E 6th which was cozier but just as nice. People were in here in large groups and on dates. There was a spicy smelling food truck parked on the premise selling what looked like fried chicken and I slightly regretted eating all those tacos for breakfast. We sat inside with our beer hoping to cool off but there was minimal to no AC. Thankfully our cold drinks staved off most of the sweatiness.
Afterwards, we crossed under the highway to what I guess is the financial district but has a lot of the well known venues. We checked out a few places like Barbarella and The Green Jay (which used to be Beerland) but all of them were still kind of opening up for the evening. A quick herbal drink at Cheer Up Charlies in the shade and then we headed out to meet our fellow wedding attendees at UT Austin's Seminary. I had no idea Claire's family was religious up until that point. Her friends certainly weren't. The bunch of us were joining from all over the country. You could tell who the New Yorkers were because we were dressed in black, even in the vicious heat. Yes, myself included. I noted the presence of another goth sipping on a beer, whom I would later talk to for hours that night while doing shots of Espolon until 4am, but that's a story for another time.
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| I will insist that wearing black was not the problem, it was not cutting my hair before the trip. |
After a couple hours of shooting the breeze, we split off into three groups. Some were going to the rehearsal dinner, some were going to Barton Springs to swim, and some were going to join G and I at Empire Control Room. A band I liked, Slaughter Beach, Dog, was on tour and coincidentally was playing a show there. I'd bought tickets for us while we were still in Brooklyn. Four other people tagged along and bought tickets at the door. Turns out the opener, Trace Mountains, had a member G knew but I can't remember how anymore. They were really good, and all in all, I think everyone enjoyed themselves.
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| Trace Mountains |