What are you looking at? Wipe that face off your head, bitch.

Wow, isn't it great to be back at work. I thought today would fly by. Apparently not so much. D is still off through the weekend, lucky bastard. I think he's attempting to watch the entire Nightmare on Elm Street collection he obtained through me as part of his DVD loot wedding gift. Tough day, you know.

Austin really was a ton of fun. Scholz Garten was the first thing we hit, being a little too early to check-in. It's excellent BBQ, down around all the government buildings (so I was familiar with it from my previous job) nearish campus (on the west side of MLK). Then right over to check in at The Austin Motel, where I've always been so curious to stay. We were in the smaller rooms, which have been around since 1938 (and are actually cozy in that good way). We got settled there and time passed, I'm sure how the time was passed isn't entirely relevant to this blog.

But then, more importantly, was the trek out to Hudson's On the Bend. Again, avoid the 'roo. But D had the lamb and I the venison...both were ungodly incredible. I couldn't finish my venison (with lobster on Bosc Pears, no less) and it was a very sad crime. But damn was it good. And we earned it, too. I totally forgot the joys of driving on 2222 in the pitch black. Bendy, to say the least. We sort of crashed back at the room after that monster of a dinner.

Rose early to walk from South Congress all the way up to campus. Did a pathetic look-around for internet and readily abandoned the search. On our way up Congress around 9am, D pulled me aside to whisper his celebrity sighting. He'd glanced over and thought to himself, "Hey, that looks like a weird mix of Frankenstein and Tarantino." When infact, it was just Tarantino. (Walking some young thing to class, by the look of it). Actually they were just parking their yellow car and feeding the meter. And from what I'd last heard of his size, he seems to have lost all the weight.

But we made it all the way up to campus, did a little shopping on the drag (which has greatly improved since my last visit--they have far more places to eat and cooler little shops rather than the bizarrely expensive ugly "boutiques," and Tower Records has gone for good). D bought me a really cute scarf dress (though it did turn out to be quite a windy and therefore adventurous day) and we ate at Mangia, one of my very favorite old pizza places. There were a couple other pizza places I heard great things about (a place right next to our hotel, infact, called Pizza By the Slice), but sadly time did not permit. Luckily, we had plenty of time for records and Toy Joy, happening upon some really great (read: awful) Christmas presents. Especially for Mark, whose birthday is December 1st. Ok, he doesn't read this: The Avenging Unicorn Set will soon be his.

We trudged back to the hotel and holy balls did our feet hurt. We cityfolk seldom walk anywhere. Certainly not up and down strange cities for the better part of the day. After cleaning up at the hotel we hit the downtown glorious Alamo Drafthouse, meeting up with Canadian Nell and our friend Lonnie, the quiet talker some of you met. Sadly, however, we chose to watch the new Terry Gilliam flick, Tideland. This was the biggest turd I've seen all year. I was downright twitchy toward the end, wishing desperately I could just walk out. Even more embarrassing were the previews beforehand for Twelve Monkeys and Brazil, which suddenly felt to me like a very bad omen. Stay the fuck away from Tideland, that's all I have to say. Though it was minutely better than The Brothers Grimm, which isn't saying much.

And the Austin adventures shall continue in a later blog, but for now...pictures! These are just from the two rolls from my camera, a mere glimpse. I'll post some from Mark's a little later...

The fabulous Veloute and Triana, hard at work on the cakes! With some killer finger cookies and deadly chocolate dipped strawberries (VERY popular with the little ones, as the pictures I've seen demonstrate!)...








Everyone's favorite costume of the evening, Alex (without whom my wig/hair would have been an utter embarrassment)! And Vel and Triana, finally out of the kitchen and in costume!