It is that time of year in Austin where the evenings start getting cooler and it makes it nice to get out and walk. This evening, I started at Ninth and Congress and headed for the loop around Town Lake. There were a few art installations and groovy flowers along the way. On my return to Congress Avenue, there was a flock of tourists anxiously awaiting the bats to begin flying out from under the bridge. And of course, the sunset colors on the city were most beautiful.
My destination was Cooper’s Bar-B-Que, but along the way, I stopped to admire the sights in Downtown Austin. The Contemporary has an interesting rooftop display of Art. There was construction going on. And I made it to Cooper’s just before the heavy rains came down.
Austin is building everywhere. Notice all of the cranes in the skyline? They are even putting up condos just below the Hope Outdoor Gallery. There are rumors that the graffiti gallery will be moving to a new location. For now, there are still nice views to be enjoyed from the top of the hill.
Let this be a lesson to me – don’t be grumpy when you find yourself about a mile away from your car, with the umbrella in the trunk, and you are walking back in the rain. You never know when a magnificent rainbow will pop up out of nowhere to put an exclamation point on your awesome day in Austin. 🙂
The Texas Book Festival is the best time of the year to seek out migrating Monarchs. They typically look for a food source at the fountain on the State Capitol grounds. They are so much fun to photograph, because they don’t stay on one flower blossom for long, but flitter about on their own personal schedule.
Today’s event was the Texas Book Festival at the State Capitol. I attended a few of the book panels, but didn’t fall in love with any of the authors I saw. The sun was mostly hidden behind clouds, so in between events, I walked the grounds and took a few photos of the gray conditions.
How to have a fun night in Austin with a bit of an international theme:
I went downtown to watch some college football this afternoon. Since I hadn’t been to Cooper’s BBQ in a while, I decided to lunch there. I had brisket, jalapeño sausage, cheese, beans, and iced tea. It was all wonderful.
It is that time of year again. Motorcycles are everywhere in Austin for the Republic of Texas Biker Rally. My favorite event is the motorcycle parade that travels from the Rally site in North Austin to Congress Avenue Downtown. It is pretty special to cheer for the bikers as they arrive on Congress. This year I chose a spot in front of the Capitol Building to view the festivities.
Pretty good advice from the graffiti artist / Pac-Man fan. “Never Give Up”. Also, try this Google Doodle if you like Pac-Man.
earthrobert 