Monday, June 18, 2007

Sometimes I sing and dance around the house in my underwear. Doesn't make me Madonna. Never will.

Back from Austin! My neck is delighted to be back...that much driving never used to bother me, but ever since I drove to Vermont my neck has never really been the same on trips...would have been ok had I not driven there and back within two days. (Just a good future excuse for longer trips, if you ask me).

We got to Austin and drove off along 2222, which is incredibly hilly and gorgeous.



A very drastic change from North Texas. Hit The County Line and sat by the lake with a bucket of Negro Modelo watching an obscene number of turtles paddling around. Had a nice early BBQ dinner a little while later and went in search of the hotel.

My usual Austin spot, the Austin Motel, had already been fully booked (apparently not unusual) so I had booked the La Quinta on 11th...it's almost exactly next to the Capitol. It was a decent rate considering the location and the fact it was the weekend. However, I was extremely unimpressed with the valet-only parking, for which it is $6 daily or $12 overnight. Fuck you and your downtown location. If you're paying over a $100 for a room and it's a goddamn La Quinta? Come the fuck on. Anyhoo, paid it like a little bitch (read: silently irritated) and then we walked downtown.

We hit The Ginger Man, and yes, I believe there is one in Dallas but I had never been and each one would (presumably) have local its own local beer and microbreweries. (It's a beer place, over 250+, etc.)



Played a little pool until another couple asked to join us and there was no way my pride could take playing pool with total strangers. I suck quite enough without needing to have others watch. We relinquished the table and finished our beers outside before departing for The Alamo Drafthouse, at what was presumably my last-ever screening there.



They are shutting down the downtown location and moving it over to the old Ritz (just on 6th, so it's still going to be downtown, it just won't have that historic little place in my heart). The very last night is on my birthday, a triple feature, and they are selling the tickets in batches of three. The first batch of tickets includes a wrench, which you are to use to take your seat home with you. Nice.

The next day we walked around the government buildings (Sunday morning, deserted) and over to the UT area, had a nice leisurely lunch at the new (huge) Mangia location with stuffed pizzas and a bottle of wine. Piddled around for a bit. (I showed Drew my old video rental house, I Luv Video. That may sound weird to you, but once inside you'd understand. The staff leave comments on some of the boxes, ranging from passionate praise to openly obscene berating. Often hysterical. Plus, it's mostly organized by director, cult categories, and is brimming with obscure titles).

Also went to Spider House, which I become a little more addicted to each time. It has a giant garden with oddly mismatched iron furniture, swings and fountains, and they serve food, snackies, coffee, beer and hard liquor. (We had coffee and tea, thank you). I try not to think about how I used to live a twenty minute walk away from this place and very seldom went.



And then it was home time. Hit Addison for a good yuppie vibe, where D met up with us at the Flying Saucer. Tired and achy, headed back to Arlington for some spa time.

Today is Relaxation Day, with nothing but films, margaritas and two 3-lb pork butts slowly cooking in the oven for 7 hours. Pulled pork BBQ, roasted corn and rosemary potatoes for dinner!

In the meantime, snackies...

8 comments:

The [Cherry] Ride said...

Did you have queso?
I've only been to Austin once, but loved it. Stayed at the Radisson along the river, right next to that bat bridge.
Went to some bar called the Ranch 9-something (?).

Why I feel compelled to tell you this, I don;t know. Ignore me.

SkylersDad said...

Wow, great trip! Thanks for the pics and the details, it was fun to read.

MacGuffin said...

Just how many turtles does it take to be obscene? Must been alotta fucking turtles or is that turtles fucking? Don't mind me, I'm just envious you actually got to see rolling hills and trees, plural. It's just blah here. As always.

Triana said...

Great pictures and neat memories! I didn't know the Alamo was letting you take a seat home, that's awesome. I'm kinda sad their moving, but then I can't stand trying to park for the downtown one and don't go now, so I suppose it doesn't ulitmately change my life much. Esp. since they opened the south one and that's where I live now. I don't know what we're going to do when we move, I guess never see a movie in a theater again.

Ellen Aim said...

CRide: Yup, queso at the Alamo! *Always*

I don't know the Ranch 9-something, but I know the bat bridge! You know, I used to live there and I don't think I ever saw the nightly mass exodus. (It was only a year, though).

SkyD: Glad it was enjoyable...I'm never sure what's going to be dull as shit for reading...and they aren't my pics, I swiped em off the net. My camera is still regular film, sadly. (And I'll get them transferred to CD, but too lazy to have done it this fast...)

MacG: It took that many. they were multi-sized, too! And since there were some babies I guess that makes them fucking turtles! (I'd say about fifty?)

LOTS of huge hills. Not downtown, but NW Austin is ridiculous. The driving is so curvy it always kinda freaks me out.

Tri: I never thought parking down there was that bad (usually). Trying to park in downtown Dallas the other night was so much worse since I just don't know the area. I'm ok with a little walking if I know the area. (And if it's SAFE, unlike Dallas...)

Is the South one the one on Lamar? I went to that one but the queso was atrocious. (They had The Science of Sleep during our honeymoon).pipkin

Blancodeviosa said...

that's what i hate about staying in san antonio. if ya want to stay near the water you have to surrender you vehicle to some guy who barely speaks english.

MacGuffin said...

Hey, by the by, I started posting pics of film posters I either own or like(or in some cases, my friends would like). I thought it might interest you being something of a filmbuff yourself.

Ellen Aim said...

Blanco: I've never felt comfy with valet, just goes against twenty years+ of being told not to trust strangers and now bam, here! Here are my keys, bye!

MacG: Cool! I had no idea you were posting those! I need an extra room in my house (and a lot more money) to buy all the ones I want.