I have felt just overwhelmingly busy for the past few weeks. School entered the frantic breakneck pace that always comes during the last month of school and I couldn’t even justify reading for pleasure on the bus. I had to study and let my library books wither and die in my book basket and the free on-bus wifi go to waste! (A lot of good it did me too, when I got an 80% on my final exam. Also, look at how mature I am about admitting that I totally flubbed it on the final – this may be a breakthrough for me. Fortunately, the test was worth far less than the other two and so, assuming she gives me the extra-credit points I turned in, I’ll still get an A).
The craziness of the last few weeks has been compounded by two back-to-back weekends of company and also returning to work full-time. I’m hoping by tomorrow I will finally have pulled myself out of the deep pit of work, work, work that is piled up on my desk kindly left for me by the girl who took my job and than untook it.
Landen and my dad were here this weekend and we had a glorious time. Landen and I did all sort of Austin-y things that I hadn’t done yet.
- We rode the ‘Dillo (the free trolleys that run all around downtown)
- Explored the stores in SoCo (and now I know what SoCo means – South Congress!).
- We had lunch at this adorable market/deli/coffee shop.
- We went to Book People, an independent book store in Austin, widely considered one of the best independent book stores in the country and the largest book store in the state of Texas. We spent a good two hours there while I completely geeked out in the childrens/YA department and marveled at how well organized the store was. Don’t think you will come to Austin to visit me and not get dragged there. You will. And you will like it. Or I will leave you on the side of the freeway, far from a free ‘Dillo.
- We tried to go to Flip Happy Crepes (supposedly better than French crepes. Also, sadly, I was notified about this awesome place by Jennifer who does in fact, not live in Texas, but apparently knows my state better than I do). Unfortunately, they close in the late afternoon, so our little visit was for naught. But you’d better believe we’ll be back. If you come visit and I make you spend a whole day at Book People, I’ll try to repay you by buying you a Cinnamon sugar crepe with toasted coconut and cream cheese frosting. Or, if you prefer, a lemon curd and blueberry dressing. Or a brownie crepe with chocolate sauce and cream filling. Friends??
- We went to the Lyndon B. Johnson library (my fourth trip there) and it just keeps getting more awesome every time. I’m just so very interested by those nerdy nerdy kinds of things.
- We went to an Austin original restaurant called TGI Fridays (oh, you’ve heard of it? Wait what? It’s a chain? Whatever – we had a gift card).
On Saturday, we drove down to San Antonio to meet up with my dad and we visited the Alamo where we enjoyed it three times as much as we had the time before, since the grounds were crawling with costumed reenactors. We had a lovely lunch on the River Walk to celebrate Bart’s birthday and then we came back to Austin and took naps before we went to see Iron Man, courtesy of my Dad to complete the birthday celebrations.
I absolutely loved Iron Man – it was just a really phenomenal movie. I’m a big sucker for those comic book movies and this one did not disappoint (of course, I had no expectations, so I wasn’t hard to impress). The theater was jammed with people, so much so that we couldn’t even all sit together and had to ask people to move together in order to even let us sit in TWO groups.
(A little side note: I mentioned to my boss this morning that we’d seen Iron Man over the weekend and he gave a little laugh of shock and said “What in the world? That movie just came out? Did you really pay full-price to see it?” Ah, yes, you know you are perhaps too much of a cheapskate when that is your boss’ automatic response).
After church and a little birthday dinner on Sunday, my Dad and Landen took off for home (sob!) and we came home and I made Bart a chocolate chocolate chip pound cake with chocolate frosting, which we took to Band Ralphie’s house where Brian had decorated up the whole kitchen. We all sang to Bart, he opened a very excellent present from them, and then we ate and ate and ate until we were in a chocolate coma (when I say “ate and ate and ate,” I mean we each had one small piece because this cake? It was lethal).
And then we got up this morning and went to work again. Frankly, I need a weekend to recover from my weekend, but oh how fun it was and oh how I wish my family lived closer so that we could party all the time.
Melanie says
All of that, from the crepes (or would be crepes) to the bookstore to the chocolate chip pound cake (recipe please) sounds lovely. For years I’ve harbored a desire to live in Austin, and now that desire has been augmented.
I know exactly what you mean by nerdy pleasures. I’ve spent one of my first days of post-semester freedom reading a history book–and absolutely reveling in it!
Earl & Vickie says
Tell your boss if he paid you better you could go to see MORE movies and pay full price……..
I mean he asked you back, right?
Stacy says
Hmm….this post seems to talk a lot about food. I think that much yumminess in a 2 day span deserves a long post! 🙂
Noelle says
How fun to have family in town. And celebrating two birthdays in one weekend? That definitely calls for some indulgence. 🙂 I’m quite jealous of the crepe excursion.
Jen says
I loved Iron Man too!! I was kind of skeptical about the idea of Robert Downey Jr as a superhero, but he was so AWESOME!
Kristy says
Fun! Soooo can we have the recipe for that fabulous-sounding cake?
Sheyenne says
Okay- I’ve done NONE of those Austin things, and I’ve lived here almost 4 years!
Becca says
I love San Antonio 🙂 oh, and you have now inspired me to see Iron Man. I have been skeptical to, simply because of the name. Hello? They might as well name it “Big Macho Man Movie of Much Grunting.” Whatever. Now I’m excited. 🙂
My husband will be thanking you, since of course he’s been begging me to see it.