I got a fortune cookie when I ate at First Chinese BBQ last Thursday. Fortune cookies lack balls these days and usually say something stupid like - Time is not measured by a watch but by moments. So it seemed odd to me that this one was more specific.
Yesterday (Monday), I went back to the same restaurant and got the following:
When I returned to work yesterday, I got an email from our CEO saying our Director of Engineering and our VP of Engineering had been fired.
I watched a documentary on RAAM not too long ago. One of the featured riders was Juric Robic, a Solvenian who just seemed invincible and super human. Sadly, he was neither, and he was both.
Tough week with a difficult client. So Friday arrived none too soon. Happy hour first at Little Woodrows up North. Did you know they still allow smoking in that bar? I didn't.
Afterward, Pete drove me out South to Giddy Ups to see his law partner's band play. This was a true South Austin redneck bar. Their website confirms it. It was a friendly, albeit older, crowd. A woman walked up to me at some point, extended her hand to shake mine, said her name and welcomed me to Giddy Ups. I wonder how she knew I wasn't a regular. PS - they also allow smoking at this bar.
Saturday, I stopped by my local spirit shop to pick up some sulfite-free wine for John's birthday party. Saw this contest banner hanging up at Spec's. Impressive - usually, breweries give out crappy bikes as prizes. This, however, was a custom-sized Seven carbon bike. The only thing crappy was the brewery-inspired paint scheme.
I didn't really know anyone at the b-day party, so I didn't stay long. Instead, I headed East to meet some friends for a drink at the East Side Showroom. If you like pretentious and trendy, this would be your spot. If I were you, I'd skip this place and go immediately to Justine's. Really, it was painful to be there. Watching Saturday Night Live at home was infinitely more enjoyable.
Katy Perry was the musical guest on SNL. In case you missed it, her latest controversy is the segment she taped for Sesame Street. I liked the clip, but I understand some people complained about her revealing dress, so Sesame Street pulled the segment.
This weekend I also ran into a friend from Houston I hadn't seen in 20 years. He was moving into the neighborhood, so I helped him a bit Sunday morning. AJ is a great guy, with an encyclopedic knowledge of wine - which makes him a great wine buyer.
Later in the morning, I had a nice and relaxing lunch with Alison at Hyde Park Grill (their Belgian waffles are excellent). Dinner followed at the Landry-Vasquez house where Eric's sister gifted me with a cruiser she no longer rides. This would be the 2nd bike I've gotten from LeeAnne. And like the first, I'll fix it up and pay it forward. Anyone need a bike?
Went for a bike ride this morning with Pete and Glenn. There was some discussion regarding road closures near the low water crossings on the Spicewood Springs loop. We were feeling adventurous, so we headed in that direction.
Sure enough, the road was closed to traffic. The warning sign was to the point:
The first bridge had been washed away by the recent floods. Now, all that remains is the original wood bridge underneath:
Adventurous also describes my diet this week. Had dinner with Kate at Foreign and Domestic and ordered the Roasted Octopus and Maine Scallops - served with crispy potatoes, peppers, chorizo, and squid ink. The squid ink looked really cool - all iridescent like. It made for a great picture, but unfortunately, my camera was not cooperating.
However, I did manage to capture my meal at Dart Bowl on Friday - enchiladas with over-easy eggs on top. The Pearl beer was a bad pairing. I switched to PBRs later.
Saturday, I had dinner at Pei Wei with Maurie and Julia. Their Thai wonton soup is actually pretty good.
Sunday, I went to a reading of Gregg and Charles' new screenplay over at the New Movement Theater on the East side. Beers and brownies followed.
Btw, did you know drinking diluted vinegar alleviates acid reflux. I tried it - it works.
Saw The American last night. It's a polarizing film - you either really liked it or didn't. I guess I must be pretty pretentious, because I thought it was great. It reminded me a lot of A Single Man. If Tom Ford were to make a film about assassins, this would be that film - with beautiful locations, impeccably dressed actors, a haunting soundtrack, and stylishly sparse sets. Sparse also describes the dialogue. It's no Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, but it is pretty quite. Then again, that can be appropriate.
As I rehydrate this morning, I'm seriously questioning my beverage of choice last night - beeritas. They seemed so benign. But then again, what did I expect from a toga party hosted by Kelvin and Colten. The things I endure for a friend's birthday...(credit to EmSue for the photo)
Albeit moving a little slower, I'm managing to work on my bikes while re-watching Formosa Betrayed. If you're not familiar with Taiwanese politics and the martial law that ruled my birthplace from 1947 to 1987, the movie provides a dramatized introduction. Many think of Formosa/Taiwan as a democracy, but few realize that it didn't become so until recently. I'll just leave it at that.
I spent this past Labor Day weekend in California visiting friends. I admit this is a long post, so I'll give a short synopsis option also. As always, photos expand to full size when you click on them...
Short version: Flew out to San Jose Thursday. Good coffee, good seafood, good music, good friends. Returned to Austin Monday. Exhausted.
Long version: I've been in need of a vacation and a break from the heat, so I thought I'd spend the weekend visiting friends in California. I arrived late Thursday night in San Jose and was greeted by Mr. Meow. He gets up very early. Very, very early...
Friday, we loaded up the car and made our way towards the beach in Santa Cruz. A little detour first to Phil's Fish Market in Moss Landing for some excellent sea scallops. We were also in the middle of artichoke country, so I couldn't pass up the shrimp and crab stuffed artichoke.
Next up, a short stop in Pacific Grove to check out the Harbor seals in Monterey Bay. They have very expressive faces and just seem so darn happy.
Pacific Grove probably also has the nicest hike and bike path I've ever been on.
We arrived at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz around dusk. My family used to visit Santa Cruz when I was a kid growing up in San Jose. It really hasn't changed a whole lot since then - at least in my mind.
Had a surprisingly good halibut dinner at the Ideal Bar and Grill near the boardwalk. Surprising only because it was near the boardwalk, so I naturally figured it would be crappy tourist food. But it wasn't.
After dinner, we strolled over to the beach to catch The Tubes concert. The show was a bit surreal - a stage on the beach, with surf crashing behind the stage and the lights of amusement park rides dancing in front of the stage. Fee Waybill also sang a few songs in his Quay Lewd outfit.
Saturday, we took BART into the city (San Francisco) to catch a ferry from Embarcadero to Sausalito. The old streetcars along the pier always make me smile.
Had some amazing coffee from Blue Bottle Coffee while we were waiting on the next boat. I'm not sure when it happened, but the Ferry Building has gone very upscale. My favorite sign - "Tasty Salted Pig Parts"
We were there mostly for the 80's flashback of bands: Modern English, The Fixx:
and The Bangles:
But the art was also pretty interesting. If I had a loft apartment, I totally would have come home with a crate of these life-size wire frame sculptures:
Dinner was in the city at Fog City Diner. I remember the food and service being better before, but the restaurant is still a nice one. And they make a decent vodka martini.
Sunday was a day of errands - including a requisite stop at In-N-Out Burger for a cheeseburger (animal style). Afterward, we headed into downtown San Jose for some decadent Philz Mint Mojito iced coffee. Downtown SJ sure has changed from when we lived there. The new city hall is pretty hip and the streets are nicely groomed.
Then it was over to the Japantown part of San Jose for my mochi / manju fix. I was told the Shuei-Do Manju Shop is one of only two places in NorCal to get fresh mochi. Thankfully, Japantown hasn't really gentrified.
Sunday night, we headed to Santa Clara to see Brandon for his birthday BBQ dinner. Brandon, Belinda, and I all worked together at MW Kellogg back in the day (1991-ish). Just a quiet gathering of a handful of people. But it was a typical gorgeous Calif evening outside, so we stayed much later than we should have - given that I had to be up at 4:30 to make my flight back to Austin. Got to sleep around midnight. Cat woke me up at 3:30AM. Arrgh.
And just what souvenirs did I bring back from California? Mochi, chocolate, and coffee. Only the necessities.
