72 Hours in Austin: Day One
There are places that you visit, and the moment your feet touch the solid ground, you feel like you’re breathing real air for the first time. I have a few places that make me feel like that: New York, London, my college town, and Austin. I like the idea of Texas, but I love Austin. I had been saying for years that I would go to Austin City Limits, but the timing was never right. When tickets came on sale late this spring, everything lined up perfectly.
I woke up so early. It was basically the middle of the night, but I wanted the whole day in Austin. My flight touched down at 9:30 AM. As soon as I dropped my bags off (and maybe sat around on the couch for a while) I went to grab a quick lunch on the UT campus before getting started.
I have a few things that I do in every city I visit if I get the chance. I’m sure they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they do the job for me. Since I’ve been to Austin more times than I can count, on this trip I only did one of them. I visited the Blanton Museum of Art.
The first day of a trip can be very tiring and, in my experience, there is no better way to slowly get into the groove of a trip than to wander around an art museum for an hour or two. Blanton was definitely a treat. Not only did it offer respite from the heat, the art that is featured was amazing to view.
Piece by Ramona Sakiestewa
I have a great appreciation for this piece by Fletcher Martin, especially in light of what is happening in America today. The piece is meant to depict two men who are obviously not on a level playing field. It’s from the 1930s, but I believe it accurately reflects race relations and the inequalities of today as well.
Piece by Sonya Clark
Considering Madame C.J. Walker’s legacy, the use of combs for this installation is so fitting and creative.
After I left the Blanton I had a relaxing afternoon resting up for dinner and a night at ACL. There is nothing better than gabbing with your best friend over a great dinner. When she told me that Launderette was her favorite restaurant, I took one look at the menu and said, “Yes, please!” It did not disappoint. The Brussel sprouts were so good that I could eat a whole bowl of them on their own and the fried oysters were crispy and perfectly complimented by the coriander dressing. Launderette will be on my hit list the next time I’m in Austin. We finished off dinner with birthday cake ice cream sandwiches and that needs no further explanation.
After dinner, we headed to Zilker Park to watch Jay-Z’s ACL performance and he delivered. The crowd hype, on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown. I guess not everyone knows the words to Dirt off Your Shoulder.
