A Typical Sunday in Austin, Texas

I have been bantering back and forth with a friend in "the great white north".  He says he loves to find dark, little known coffee shops and will always stop the car and dive into one when it appears.  I set off on a mission today to find an off the beaten path, kind of creepy coffee shop in Austin.  How hard can that be?  I zigzaged around South Lamar with just one detour which was to poke my head in Half Price Books to get a copy of The Eiger Sanction, which was unsuccessful. A coffee shop across and a little down from there intrigued me since it was next to a tattoo parlor, so I steered my car into the parking lot, but it had closed at 3:00.

Oltorf Street has potential so I make a right and head toward Congress Avenue.  Nope. No coffee on Oltorf. Ok, so I have failed so far in my quest to find a little known coffee house in Austin today.  The old parts of the city I saw today didn't have anything, and the regentrified old parts were overflowing with trendy places.  I settle for a cruise down South Congress ("SoCo") which is always a cool thing to do.

I park on the circle and walk across Congress crossing the street by Amy's Ice Cream and Joe's Coffee.  The line to Joe's is a block long, so no...no, that's not my idea of a good time.  I should have come earlier today in time for their "Sinner's Brunch" where the morning special includes a breakfast taco, a long neck, and a cup of coffee!

I hear live music coming from Guero's Live Oak Garden so I head there.  This place is just a little garden off of the sidewalk surrounded by a low rock wall attached to Guero's mexican restaurant.  Huge oak trees shelter wooden benches and picnic tables loaded with your typical Austin crowd, which is crazy hippy looking types, a smattering of young people with dreadlocks, quirky hat wearing women, hipsters, young DINKs*, dancing toddlers and lots of dogs.Yea, this is a pretty typical Sunday afternoon in Austin, Texas.  "What are you doing this afternoon?" "Think I'll go listen to some music somewhere. You?"  Shiner Beer, chips and salsa, live music on a sunny January day under the oaks is not a bad idea, ever.

--Sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time--the band sings...

The lead singer says they are going to play one more, then during the break they are going to come out and make love to everyone. How can that line not make you smile?  Keep Austin Weird, I say!!! "Oh and we play at weddings!" he says.  Via Zunica is the name of the band if you have a need.



*Double Income No Kids - a term which shows my age.