4 posts tagged “south congress”

Made it back from San Antonio later than planned (that story will have to wait for another time...too much reality for a Sunday), so I missed most of the day parties and even some of the evening concerts. A co-worker friend and I met up at Auditorium Shores to see Ice Cube, then left early to catch Paul's last set at the Irie Bean. [Cube was good, but the sound setup was of lesser quality than I've experienced at the Shores before.]

Unfortunately, Paul's lead guitarist was MIA and the set was, well, the last set of many over the last several days...he's the first to admit it didn't go very well, BUT Mister Paul has a great voice with lots of range over different genres and I can definitely see him standing up well to some more back-end orchestration. I think keyboards and a horn might be in order...

Anyhow, we got there just after 9, thinking we were late, but the brother didn't go on for another hour and a half during which time the temperature dropped considerably and my friend and I were left to curse our couture. Lucky for us, I remembered I had some jackets and a fleece blanket in my car...so we ruined our look by bundling up, draping the blanket over our laps, and staying through all but Paul's last song when the wind got the better of us.

There were still a couple of shows we could have hit up, but we opted for food, conversation and relative warmth instead, ending the night at Magnolia on Congress.

I'm going to do absolutely nothing today except yoga and laundry, and food and water. I only had a glass of wine and a latte last night, but I think I'm still recovering from Friday...I feel kind of grungy and cotton-mouthed. Ick.

It's SXSW time again. I was out of town last year, but I'm all primed and ready to make up for lost time. And no, I don't do the badge thing--puh-lease, those things are expensive with a capital FU.

Luckily, a friend of mine introduced me to all the side shows a couple of years ago, and that's how I'm hoping to get into the action again this year. Plus, one of my co-workers' has a band that's playing some shows too. So hopefully this coming week will have lots of music and the occassional free drink thrown in for good measure.

l culled my list of possible events from the larger list at austin360.com (this link is now fixed). Pay attention to the venues that say "Free, Open to the Public, Free Drinks."

And if you're in town for this or any other event I HIGHLY recommend a trip to Homeslice Pizza on South Congress. I was there again tonight, and it is just tasty goodness that should not be missed. They have a walk-up by-the-slice window open till 3 am on weekends--a much welcome alternative to the traditional pizza dives on 6th street and in the warehouse district.

tonight on south congress, an evening walking up and down between shops of this and that in search of perfect and unique christmas gifts. giving gifts is one of my favorite things about christmas. i don't do it for quid pro quo - though i certainly enjoy it - to make the holiday for me. instead, it's like there's some sort of internal competition i'm running, this quest for something...something just right...something hopefully needed and wanted...either expressed by the person or in some cosmic way that only i have gleaned from a bit of soul or personality i've witnessed in my friends and family. i hope that whatever i give it can bring a smile to that person on at least a few days other than christmas.

for some people, i have an idea about what i'm looking for...for others, i've no friggin' clue, but inevitably i find it anyway...somewhere along my window shopping path, i stumble upon it. (that's right, i said upon it.)

a pair of carved stone elephant bookends...some painted cast iron bells from japan...beautiful chimes that tinkle so delicately they remind me of harp strings...a tiny soapstone box, carved so finely you can't see the seam between top and bottom...a t-shirt of a tortoise saying in a cartoon balloon "Sloo-oo-ooow it down, man"...a beaten up cowbell from Peru (trust me, for the recipient, this is THE perfect gift)...

and then, walking back down the street toward the capitol, as the lights strung on congress gleam ahead and the stores begin closing...there, in the window, i see it, and it's as if i'm in a movie and the music rises in the background. it's a beauty of a dress...just above the knee, made of charcoal grey knit shot through with silver threads, a high neck collar draped open, unbuttoned over detailed darts and seams...so pretty...i walk ahead to the doors...damn, they're closed! i step back away from the glass to see where i am...thank god they're closed! leave it to me to have such expensive taste. ah well, just seeing it and having it in my memory for some future heroine to wear is enough.

i walk on and head to a new candy shop/soda fountain modeled on those from a few generations ago...i order a hand-jerked (stop laughing) RC cola from the soda fountain and it is soooo good! so sweet and tasty, but a few blocks later i toss the still mostly full cup in the trash since its iciness isn't doing much to keep me warm. night has brought the temperature down a good twenty degrees and the wind has picked up and now i'm walking against it, and it is cold as balls! so i make it to jo's coffee and they've got outdoor heat lamps and can make me a hot chocolate with soy milk. heaven! and lo, there's a big chocolate lab named Charlie sitting with his owner. i pet him (Charlie, not the owner) as i start to write and soon he lays down at my feet. under the heat lamp i write in my little leather journal...the traffic of south congress zips by (does anyone go the speed limit on congress?) and i smile to myself, taking in the postcard picture of both christmas and neon lights dotting the streetscape.

and so, you see, this is why i love giving gifts - the finding of them alone is a wonderful day and a bit of a gift for myself. as for all of the people who complain and stress out about the christmas rush and shopping, blah, blah, blah...well, i say to them, abandon your malls and your endless chain stores (shop online for all that!). instead, seek out the little shops about town with character, and characters, chat lightly with strangers, and in the quick cold walks between stores, think on your loved ones. imagine their faces when they see your gifts and find something they never knew they always wanted. i think it will make both your days!

and on that note, merry christmas and happy hunting!

i've been busy...stay busy everyone says...and i do, i am, but it's not that i'm really trying, it's just that there's so much to do.

i went to nashville, to the mercy lounge...

...then came home and bought a fabulous dress, had dinner with friends, and found a new place to worship...

...i saw a grown ass man happily wear a balloon hat on his fiftieth birthday...

...and then i took a picture of the kind of clouds i like, oh yeah, and a watertower too