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| Keep Austin Weird. |
After two full weeks in Austin, Texas, we're moving our adventure west. By next week, God willing, we'll be in New Mexico. This morning, we skipped the TacoDaily in lieu of Oatmeal (Really?). Then we took a walk for our daily stretch of the legs. We bought some insect repellent and some insect repelling clothes spray for our trip to Honduras at REI. We shopped at Whole Foods to restore the rest of our staples for our journey to the west Texas emptiness. While there, we ran into Cliff, a man who graciously practiced a little push hands with me at the Pit martial arts studio. We talked for a little bit; we invited him to come out to God's country (The Inland Empire) sometime. I doubt he will, but it would be nice to introduce him to my Sifu, Kelly. In the very few minutes I got to spend with Jeff Hughes, Cliff's Sifu, I felt very much like I feel when I work with Kelly. It was really fun, and if I remained in Austin for any time, I would spend as much of it as I could at Jeff's dojo. After shopping, we had lunch at a cool little hole in the wall called the Counter Cafe. It's one of the places mentioned this past year as one of Austin's 38 best restaurants. It's a tiny fifties era diner that seats about thirty, ten of those at the counter. All of the action is visible to the customers, much like it was back in the day when I worked at the Little Cheerful Cafe in Seattle. The Counter Cafe uses high quality locally sourced ingredients. The cooks are skilled, the place is welcoming, and the burger (Their specialty) was exquisite. Judy had a spinach salad garnished with goat cheese, dressed with a balsamic reduction, and sprinkled with fresh strawberries. We also tried a cup of the Tomato Basil soup. It had great texture and a nice bite. We finished our outing with a stop at Starbuck's to replenish the coffee supply, and then we headed back to the trailer. Judy did the wash and cleaned the trailer (She does everything), while I went to refill our backup propane tank. For dinner, we made vegetable beef soup (We used leftover Franklin BBQ for the beef), and those of you who know, realize we're pretty good soup makers. Even for us, this soup was to die for. The only explanation I can give, other than skill, is that the beef ingredient was so superior that it put the soup over the top. If that is true, then the soup will never be reproduced. I guess it is much like the Robert Frost line in A Road Not Taken, and I paraphrase: "Knowing how way leads on to way I doubt that I should ever pass this way again." Before dinner, I took a stroll around the Pecan Grove and took a few art shots of the RV park. I do hope that Robert Frost is wrong in this case because I would very much like to visit this place again, but I also know that no one is promised tomorrow, so for me life is good, especially today.
Bob, the manager (and resident for sixteen years) of the Pecan Grove runs a great park. He tends it like a garden and loves it like a child. We will be hard pressed to make a better stop.
All over the Pecan Grove, the long term residents have dressed their yards in pleasant ways. Even in the midst of winter, they radiate a certain sense of peace and beauty.
Take these fading pink flamingos for example. Their aged plastic has taken on quite a pleasing sheen.
We coerced the waitress to snap a "Bunny" of the "Bunnies".
Stop in if you're in Austin. It's located in the six hundred block of North Lamar.
Spinach salad. Nothing out of the ordinary except that it was perfectly prepared. No small feat.
The Counter Cafe Burger with grilled onions and hand cut fries. Again: ordinary fare done very well. Actually, the beef was out of the ordinary.
Tomato Basil soup. Better than the usual diner fare. The skill behind the counter shows once again.
Later, at the Grove, I found a fish and a pig just keeping' Austin weird.
One of Frac's older cousins, at ease in the park much like a wise old man sitting in the shade.
Another pig and the skull of a steer. What's with the pigs?
Ore car planter. Again, pleasantly weird.
This old timer may be one of the few of his kind left in use.
This boot is made for planting.
This cousin hasn't seen the road in many years, but his light still shines.
Vegetable Beef Soup, Fric and Frac style.
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