If You Can't Stand the Heat

I really didn't know what to expect from Austin when I touched down at the airport last week. When I had left DC it was a sunny day with a brisk breeze sweeping through the area. I arrived on time at the airport and as soon as I stepped from the plane into that metal hallway/boarding deck thing I was immediately hit in the face with heat I had not been familiar with in over a month.

I told my friend who picked me up, "I left DC in brisk, jacket weather only to punched in the face with hot fart weather." He chuckled and let me know that this is actually much better than it had been during the summer (duh). He told me that there were long stretches of days where the mercury didn't fall beneath 100 degrees.


A mere 5-10 minutes later we arrived at his apartment, conveniently located about a mile from the hip area of town located on South Congress St. (SoCo to the locals). If you've been, I'd equate it to the Cary Town part of Richmond with its funky little shops peddling their equally funky chotchkies and small hole-in-the wall eateries. I unpacked my things and greeted his sister upon her arrival. We exchanged our hello's before she had to leave for work. Looking for a bite to eat, she suggested a local TexMex joint with good happy hour specials, Chuy's. Instead we hit a NY Style pizzeria cleverly named "Home Slice". Along with cheap beers and cheap pizzas, the restaurant itself was a well designed space with innumerable band postings by their front door, and great artwork everywhere else.

Austin is an interesting town to say the least. Their shirts advise to, "Keep Austin Weird"; but I see it more like "Keep Austin Real". This area seems to be more genuine than the places I frequent. I don't see people feeling the need to put themselves into categories the way the seem to in DC (whether intentionally or not). People just seem to like what they like regardless if some indie kid is supposed to like, or even be aware of the latest release from Taylor Swift. This is apparent at Home Slice as I peoplewatch and see aging hipsters dining with young post punks, emo kids in their skinny jeans eating with hippies in their tie-dyed glory. This phenomena is made crystal clear when we are invited to go drinking at Midnight Rodeo a local watering hole.

The bar looks to be a converted roller disco from the looks of the oval dance floored lined with bar rails. Again, I see an interesting mix of ancient cowboys swirling about the floor with sorority girls there for their 21st birthdays, butch lesbians airstepping with their dates in ways I will never hope to achieve. Another thing becomes apparent. No matter who you are in Texas, you love to fucking dance. And I'm not talking about dancing like the half-assed swaying and nodding your head seen at most clubs with the aloof hipster crowd. I'm talking full on twirly-whirly spin your girl with the most complex kinds of pirouettes one could imagine. And like I said, it's not just the aging cowboys; it's self-styled hip-hop Asian teens, Larry-the-Cable-Guy-looking dudes, hipsters, and butch lesbian types.

All in all what I understand about Austin, is that the people are cool and super friendly. The food is incredible and the support of local business is strong. The local commerce is just as interesting and unique as the people who live and thrive here. All in all the perfect place to call home for a kid caught between social circles as I often was/am. That is, if I can get past this heat...

Stay tuned for reviews of ACL Music Festival.