D’oh :smack:, you’re right it’s west not east. I’ve been there several times, so should have known.
Trudy’snear UT has kick-ass dirty Mexican martinis. (Basically, a margarita with olives.) Hoover’shas the absolute best Southern down-home cooking. (Oh, shit: and apparently, a second location up north.) Those people can chicken-fry a steak like you wouldn’t believe.
Say “hi” for me. I love that city.
Yeah, don’t bother. Not the same.
So how was your trip?
It was fun. Thanks for asking!
I stayed at Hostel International. Not the best place in the world, but hey! It was an experience and it was cheap.
Rented a car and drove out to Hill Country. Climbed the Enchanted Rock (thought I was going to die on my accent, but I made it!). Then I drove over to the Longhorn Cavern State Park and was sufficiently impressed. Then I drove over the Khrause Springs. It wasn’t quite hot enough to go dipping (and I’d forgotten to bring my swimming suit), but I was still glad I went.
The next day I went to the Pecan Street Festival, which was cool.
The highlight of the trip, though? Well, I had two. One was having lunch with Hippy Hollow! He is as great as I imagined, and we spent half a day together, just chitter-chatting. We did take a picture to “prove” that we had met each other. I’ll ask him if he minds me posting it. And then the other highlight was going to the Whole Foods. I made the mistake of going there on my last day. That should have been my first stop! It was amazing.
I waited on the Congress Bridge to see the bats fly out. I don’t know if the drier weather had confused them or what, but they just swirled around and never made a grand exit. Lots f people were disappointed, as was I. But I got to see a peak of how many bats there were, and I was satisfied.
I didn’t eat as much as I should have. I didn’t get any BBQ, for instance. And I should have bought something from a taco stand just to say that I did.
Overall, Austin is great. I like the music and the people were nice. I could see going back one day, definitely.
Yeah, come back sometime when we are not having a record heat wave. In a few years, when the lakes fill back up, you can check them out too. Glad you had fun.
Awesome, I made the list! 
It was great to hang with monstro - every bit as impressive and brainy as she is in cyberspace, folks… I recommend conversating with her when she comes to your town.
Post that picture!