So last weekend my wife and I were in Austin, Texas; I was there for a very informal conference but we got there a day or so early. Two friends with deep roots in the area met us and showed us around one of my favorite cities. We drove into downtown Austin on Saturday night in the middle of SXSW, found a parking place (something of a miracle) and had a meal at Chez Nous, a phenomenal French restaurant. We then wandered into the heart of SXSW, soaking in the music and ethos of the night. In particular, we listened to the music of a band from Norway with the intriguing name of Deleted Waveform Gatherings. They were excellent, and you can find them on myspace if you want to know more.
The next day we made a circle around Austin, starting with lunch at Chuys and wading across Barton Springs, and then a drive through Fredericksburg and by Luckenback. The hill country is beautiful, even if the bluebonnets were not quite in bloom. The evening ended with dinner at County Line BBQ. It was a great day to be in the hill country, to eat some amazing food and to think about the incredible music that flows out of this area.
