The end of summer

The high today in Denver is supposed to be in the low 80s.

The high tomorrow in Denver is supposed to be 50 with significant snow above 9,000 feet.

Autumn arrives overnight.

Wonder what the weather is like in Austin?

Blogging Austin Texas

I'm in Austin for about 24 hours. It is fun to be back. I had dinner tonight at a steak house called III Forks. The food was great. The service was great. The sales pitches were probably more aggressive than what I've experienced in other restaurants. Our waiter pitched pretty hard. For the most part we said no and avoided the expensive items.

We drank Zinfendel and Pinot Noir wine. It reminded me of something I read this week that said diners never order the cheapest bottle or glass of wine on a menu. People just don't want to look that cheap. So, most people order the second most expensive wine on the menu. What this article said is that as a result, most restaurants take a cheaper bottle of wine and make it the second most expensive. The article recommended going for the cheap glass or bottle.

I'm staying at the hotel San Jose. It is a funky, hip fun hotel in the SoCo district. I picked it because it is right across the street from the Continental Club and I liked the idea of having a beer and seeing some live music before I go to bed and there are few spots better in the world for live music than the Continental Club.

Tomorrow it's breakfast with friends, a work meeting, a quick drive past the old house and then a short flight home to Lone Tree.

That's right, you're not from Texas

See I was born and raised in Texas
And it means so much to me
Though my girl comes from down in Georgia
We were up in Tennessee
And as we were driving down the highway
She asked me baby what's so great
How come you're always going on
About your Lone Star State

I said that's right you're not from Texas
That's right you're not from Texas
That's right you're not from Texas
But Texas wants you anyway

That's right you're not from Texas
That's right you're not from Texas
That's right you're not from Texas
But Texas wants you anyway

My girl (from down in Florida) and I saw Lyle Lovett perform at Red Rocks on Friday night. His opening act was k.d. lang. Not a bad pair to go see. Concerts are Red Rocks are great! I encourage everyone who loves live music to make the trip to Morrison, CO to take in a show. The temperature at show time was about 85, there was no humidity, there were no bugs and the entire amphitheater had the feel of a community festival.

One of the things that amazed me was that almost everyone in the audience seemed to run into someone they knew at the concert. That was really fun to watch.

In addition to getting to see and hear some really great music under a Colorado sky, I also confirmed something I've always thought. While I really miss being a Texan and all that conjures up, I do not miss living in Texas.

It was gorgeous in Morrison and great to be in Colorado.

Avoid Cheap Tickets dot com

Cheap Tickets released their list of the top 10 places in America to enjoy bar-b-que on the Fourth of July. I've always liked bar-b-que but I learned a lot about it when I lived in Central Texas for eight years. If you are looking for red meat, then you've got to eat your bar-b-que in Texas, Missouri or the South.

One look at the Cheap Tickets list and even someone from Minnesota would realize that they haven't got a clue. Here it is according to the Memphis Business Journal.

10. Memphis
9. Little Rock
8. Charleston, SC
7. Cincinnati (Chili - not bar-b-que!)
6. Kansas City
5. Dallas
4. St. Louis
3. Washington, D.C. (Crabcakes - not bar-b-que!)
2. New Orleans (Really? I'm going for gumbo.)

and number one is almost too hard to type.








1. New York City

I want to write words that would upset my mother right now.

Here's how you do a top 10 bar-b-que list.

Fly to Austin. Sleep for as long as possible. Get up early, rent a car. Drive to every Central Texas town which has a name starting with the letter "L." Eat at each of the many bar-b-que joints in town. Make sure you get sausage if possible.

As you wind your way through Central Texas stop in Elgin, Gonzales and Marble Falls as well. Actually, just stop every time you see a bar-b-que joint. Finally, stop and pick up a six pack of beer and head for the Salt Lick in Driftwood. I know they've got one in the airport and one in Las Vegas but nothing beats the BYOB, Texas countryside feel of the original.


Finally, if you can't make it to Texas, I'd recommend Sonny's bar-b-que at locations throughout the South. Or you can stop in just about any city from Myrtle Beach to Kansas City and find much better bar-b-que than anything you'll ever find in NYC.

Lady Bird Johnson, 1912 - 2007

"I sometimes look back and almost say to myself: 'Gee, was that really me? Did it all happen to me?' It was a wonderful life. It took vigor and forbearance and a lot of elasticity. But it was an absolutely wonderful life."

To read more please visit the Austin American-Statesman.

Altria Arrogance

The Texas Council on Family Violence is having a fundraising champagne reception on May 9th in Austin.

The event will be "A tribute to Ann Richards." Event tickets are $50 while those wishing to join the tribute circle may do so for $100. Altria is one of the 11 sponsors of the event. So for those keeping score, Altria can now claim --

We addicted her
We employed her
We killed her
We honor her

Identifying with where you are from

I'm in Austin, Texas, a place I called home for eight years. Last May we moved from Austin to Lone Tree, Colorado.

What is interesting to me -- and something I hadn't thought about before -- is that I am still more of a Texan than a Coloradoan. I am completely comfortable in Colorado and I love living there. But being back in Texas reminded me that I am still much more at home in Texas and have a much better sense of who Texans are and how they are shaped by their state.

I'll become a Coloradoan in time but I'm not there yet.

The other interesting item is something I wrote about on this blog shortly after we moved. That is that I love the strong sense of identity Texans have as Texans and Austinites have as Austinites. It is fun for me to be back in the middle of that bravado.

The (legislative) Stars, Sure Ain't Bright, Deep in the Heart of Texas

Every so often I'll see a picture of Austin, hear about a big event in the lives of one of my friends in Austin or see Austin City Limits on TV and I'll begin to miss my former home.

And then the Texas Legislature convenes and someone asks them about global warming and I remember why I had to get out.