Vacation Planning

One mistake I made this summer was waiting until August to travel. Summer in Austin is like being on vacation in your own town, but 43 days above 100 degrees has made it harder to "chill."

I just got off the phone with the good folks at The Kawanhee Inn in western Maine. Somebody had just cancelled a reservation on the nights we needed, so we score. Carrie usually takes more of the lead in planning trips, but this one has fallen to me. Something about me having more spare time. Four nights with my sister, Julie, and Ken on Deer Isle was easy enough to arrange. Nights in Portland and Boston came pretty easily, too. But a weekend at an inn, or cabin, with lakes and mountains was proving tricky, especially since I had waited until a few days ago to begin my search in earnest. I was afraid that I was going to have to Priceline a dump in Bangor, just to find a bed.



So if all goes well, activities will include, but not be limited to:

Sea kayaking.

Going out on a lobster boat.

Hiking on Deer Isle and at Acadia National Park.

Seeing the Maine coast, and the mountains.

Seeing a Red Sox game at Fenway Park.



Many of these activities are dependent on having the weather cooperate. The lady at The Kawanhee Inn told me that it had been hot and muggy up there in the past few days. When asked to clarify, she said it was around 80 degrees for the highs. If that's the worst weather we face, this is going to be a great trip. We leave Monday.

Peace,

JS4

Running Talk

I woke up early, before the alarm went off this morning, with some nervous energy about the run I had planned for the day. In the past week, I had run 30 miles for the first time in months. Last year at this time, I was pushing 50 mile weeks, but I had already laid the groundwork for an injury that I am still dealing with. I trained through the injury (osteitis pubis, if you want to google it), and ran two marathons last season, including a PR in Austin in February. In short, I was running while developing what soon would have become a stress fracture in my pubic bone. After the marathon, I turned myself in for treatment, got officially diagnosed, and have been getting physical therapy ever since.

The first step in treatment was 8 weeks of no running, while trying to rebuild some serious muscle weakness in my left hip and glute. Apparently, you can run a marathon while major muscle groups are totally misfiring. Pieter the physical therapist, and his minions, have built me back up slowly, testing me first with water running, then progressing to what is now 5-days-a-week with one run being what I call a "speed test." Pieter wants to know what happens when I go for a faster turnover, to see how the injured area responds.

Mile repeats, and hill intervals weren't enough for Pieter, so today was the day for some 400 meter intervals at the track. Running faster than 10K pace is more stressful on the body, especially a 42-year-old body. When I start training for another marathon, I don't plan to ever run 400 meter intervals, but for Pieter, this kind of run is good data. Overall, I was pleased with how the run went. Every time I have done a "speed test," I've felt good during the run, and then tightened up in the hip later in the day. I've had less of this tightness today, though enough to remind me me that I'm not "cured." I see Pieter tomorrow, for the first time in four weeks, and am looking forward to to assessment of the situation.

It is frustrating to not be able to make any real running plans (for future marathons, and the like). I was talking with Carrie last night about how I planned to schedule runs once school started again. I might be back in marathon shape for the winter, or I might still be struggling. Meanwhile, Houston (January) is sold-out, and the chance to be ready for San Antonio (November) is gone. It may be a year of half-marathons, if I can't start training for a full in time.

The subtitle for this summer's blog includes "running less." Well , I'm tired of running less, and would like to get going again. But pushing too much, too soon, is what got me into this mess, so I have to be patient.

At least I am able to run around the trail at Lady Bird Lake, with views like this:

Peace,

JS4

Long Post, Maybe Too Long.

When restaurants change location or close down these days, what moves in seems to be a less fancy, more affordable option. Starlite is my best example. When they moved from 34th street, Salvation Pizza (quite good) moved into the old house. Now Starlite has closed their downtown location, and a hot dog joint has moved in. It may be gourmet hot dogs, but that is a pig you can't put lipstick on. Maybe Starlite should have stayed put.

What used to be Basil's at 10th and Lamar has changed a few times, and is now the unfortunately named "The Screaming Goat." It is a classy taco place, but a big step down for the cute house that used be one of Austin's "special occasion" restaurants. The tostada I had at The Screaming Goat was impressive, not only for the fresh, quality ingredients, but because it held together while I ate it, rather than crumbling onto my lap at the first bite. Worth a return visit.

Over the weekend, Carrie and I ate out several times, and each time were impressed with the quality of service. Local restaurants as diverse as Hoovers Home Cookin', Mirabelle, and Kerby Lane Cafe have staffs that make you want to return. We're pretty forgiving on the rare occasions when we get bad service, but Austin seems to have an abundance of waitstaff who take pride in their work. Always appreciated.

I'm not a jazz fan, but I had a pleasant surprise last week at Kat Edmonson's in-store. Two drummers and a bass player provided enough rhythm to keep the music from wandering off into indulgent jazzland, and Kat knew how to get out of the way when her awesome trumpet player had a solo. Her vocals had a nasal quality that took some getting used to, but fit really well with he music. Someone in the crowd said she reminded them of Madeleine Peyroux, if that helps. (That comparison did not provide me with a useful frame of reference.) Carrie did not care for the sample of Kat Edmonson's music that I played for her when I got home, but she may still agree to see a performance at The Elephant Room downtown, where we have never been, in all our years in Austin.

Trailer food, way beyond taco stands,has become big business in Austin, especially on trendy South Congress. High class Hudson's on the Bend has brought their food to the masses with The Mighty Cone, a quality wrap with a choice of chicken, shrimp, or avocado. They are wildly popular at the Austin City Limits Festival, and I must admit it was very good, but at $6.00, it was pretty indulgent for street food. I did like the custom cone holders on their picnic tables, though.

Speaking of indulging, since the cone was not a full meal, I decided to supplement my lunch with a chocolate cupcake from Hey Cupcake, on the same gravel parking lot as The Mighty Cone. Nothing phenomenal, and I'll get my empty calories elsewhere in the future, but I do love the giant rotating cupcake on the top of the trailer.

I also like that this collection of trailers is right across the street from Vespaio, one of Austin's finest restaurants. As South Congress goes more and more upscale, it is nice to know that doesn't mean exclusive. It's still Austin, after all.

Hey, I just thought of a new slogan for

Austin:

No Velvet Ropes,

Just Velvet Ruts.

Okay, this post is long enough, 'cause it just got lame.

Peace,

JS4

Birthdays

Sometimes, the celebrity birthday list in the paper catches my attention. Some days I don't recognize any of the names. Today (Thursday) the list falls into 3 categories:



People whose work I totally respect:

Phillip Seymour Hoffman is 42.

Allison Krauss is 38.



People I have no use for at all:

Don Imus is 69.

Slash is 44.

Monica Lewinsky is 36.



People I'm on the fence about, or not sold on:

Justice Anthony Kennedy is 73.

Woody Harrelson i 48.

Nomar Garciaparra is 36.

Daniel Radcliffe is 20.



Carry on,



JS4



P.S.

On Spellcheck, both Nomar and Garciaparra get highlighted. And I think Carrie may not like that I put him in the "iffy" category.

Bonus Track

I was trying to upload video directly to this post, but the best I could manage is a youtube link.



Bob Schneider 40 Dogs (Romeo and Juliet)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w5Y05f0Lig&feature=PlayList&p=E0A9B3C5128DEF49&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=19

On my run today, this song came on the radio, which is the most used feature of my mp3 player.

If you live in Austin, you may be sick of this song. Not me, it always makes me smile, even if I'm in a funk, or running in the humid 80 degree weather. I think I violated the "No Singing" rule when it came on this morning.



I don't know if this song is getting any run outside of Austin. The album is not even out yet. If you haven't heard it, listen, and then listen again. It's that catchy.



There is another new blog post below.

Health Care

Okay, I still agree with the argument that the U.S. is a "Center Right," generally conservative country. The health care debate is a classic example. War resolutions, and sweeping tax cuts are easy to get bi-partisan support on. Health care for all Americans is altogether different. When you have a broad majority in the House, and 60 Democrats in the Senate, this should be doable. We're not even talking universal coverage, or a single-payer plan here.



If you ask people what they think about the educational system, most say it's screwed up. Ask parents about their kids' school, or more specifically, their kids' teachers, the opinion is much more favorable. The same goes for the health care system. People say we need reform and broader coverage, in the abstract. But most people have insurance, and most of those people are basically satisfied with their health insurance. People are afraid that what is coming is going to disrupt their place in a flawed system. It is the perfect environment for fear-mongering.



A few weeks ago, I said to Carrie, "You know what Obama needs to do with the health care debate? LEAD." It was bad strategy to do the Energy Bill first, then leave the country, then come back and try to impose an artificial deadline on Congress. Obama is afraid to level with people about costs, you know, taxes. Yes, it is going to cost more to cover (nearly) everyone. Can we afford it? A wealthy and powerful country can afford its priorities. That we have gone so long without ensuring that people have access to affordable health care says something very troubling about our nation's values and priorities.



I still think they will get something through Congress, and I hope that it works out to be a good plan, or something that can be made into a good plan going forward. A lot of people, including me,

voted for Democrats to lead on this issue. Their job is to lead, even when the public gets squeamish about the details and the process. If they fail to get this done, it will be a monumental failure of leadership. Credit for success can be shared, but if Pelosi and Reid can't get a bill through, it will be their failure. And even more so, President Obama's.

Al Pastor is the type of taco that we used to get at Taco Sabrosa. Now, when I drive past their location, all I see is a red blockade bar across the parking lot entrance, and a sign that says, "Closed for Renovation." Longest renovation ever, so I've been looking for a new Al Pastor taco place. A few months ago, I read about a place on East Riverside, close to where people get shot in Austin. Yes, people get shot in all parts of town, and we have a very low murder rate, but after midnight, I would not go to that area.

But the name of the restaurant is Al Pastor. So if you are looking for Al Pastor tacos, it's worth looking into. I went there with Julie and Ken when they were visiting Austin in April, and was impressed. The entire back page of the menu is full of their Al Pastor options, which means pork sliced off a slow cook rotisserie. The quesadillas were great, and the tacos were very good. The tacos came without cheese, an ingredient that made the quesadillas so tasty.
When I went in yesterday, I ordered the tacos with cheese, so this would be the true test. They were better than before, but still not perfect. The cheese wasn't fully melted, and there were bits of the pork that were too fatty to eat. So close. Close enough that I will get Carrie to try them, but really, the quest goes on.

In-store yesterday with Telegraph Canyon, which sounds like a wine label more than a band name. They had all the instruments I like (except the accordion), fiddle, mandolin, banjo, etc., but they never seemed to connect, and put it all together. Their sound was a little like Neil Young, but they had no stage presence or notable performance style. They had loaded in an enormous organ that the guitarist played some, but it did not help enough, nor did having a female fiddle player in boots and a skirt. Just something missing in all of it. Sadly, the most impressive thing was that someone loaded in that giant organ.

Peace,

JS4

Circumstances

Circumstances led me to Dallas on Tuesday of last week. I was reluctant to blog about those circumstances, but they are why I haven't posted recently.

My Dad had heart surgery at Baylor Medical Center in downtown Dallas. Thankfully, everything went well, and he is set to be discharged on Monday, the 20th. Once I knew he was all right, I started thinking about what I could eat besides hospital cafeteria food. In all honesty, the food at the hospital was better than I ever expected, but I could not resist the Metro Diner. It was across the street from the hospital, and completely surrounded by parking lots. Once I was inside the diner, I was relieved to learn that they had won the Dallas Observer's award for "Best Greasy Spoon" in 2004.

On Thursday night, I had breakfast for dinner, with pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage. If you ever find yourself in East Dallas, and I hope you don't, this is a great breakfast or burger joint. In the foreground of the picture is a 70's Ford Fairmount, but as I was leaving, I noticed a high dollar BMW in the parking lot as well. It was an old school diner, and a welcome respite.
Before I left Austin to go to Dallas, my friend Tara asked if I needed to borrow some CDs to listen to on the drive. I declined the offer, but started to think about the kind of music one might listen to on a road trip to see a family member through heart surgery. The list included, but was not limited to:
Dr. John
Dr.Hook and the Medicine Show
Heart
Restless Heart
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Okay, you get the idea. Add to the list if you wish.

Too many people to thank for their part in helping my dad, me, and my family through this event. Just know that I am grateful. Very grateful.

Peace,

JS4

Comfort Food

Comfort Food. That's what Hyde Park Bar and Grill is all about. Whatever else is going on, I know we can get a great turkey burger or chicken fried steak just down the street from our house. Today it was the turkey burger and fries for lunch, at the "fork in the road." Carrie and I have been going here since 1992 or 1993, and it is still in heavy rotation, as anyone who visits us knows.

Flashback: Thanksgiving 2008.
We are hosting and everyone begins to arrive for a late lunch festival of Thanksgiving. From all over the state of Texas, relatives are bringing their assigned dishes, making for a great meal. My Dad arrives with fresh-baked pies that his wife Brenda has baked. Carrie catches me alone in the kitchen and says, "I don't think your dad brought in the gravy." I pause for just a moment, and respond, "Well, that's because I forgot to ask him to bring the gravy." Oops. We have to feed more than a dozen people Thanksgiving Dinner in about an hour, and we have no gravy. And it's my fault. Whom do you turn to in a moment like this? Hyde Park Bar and Grill, of course.

We had eaten there with Mom and Jim the night before, so I drove up there, confident that they would come through for us. The same woman who had seated us on Wednesday was hosting on Thanksgiving Day, so I approached her, saying, "Here's my situation." I explained my dilemma, and asked if she could sell me a quart of gravy. Her response could not have been more perfect.
She said, "I can give you some gravy. Wait right here." When she returned, she said simply, "Happy Thanksgiving." I thanked her profusely, as she turned back to her overwhelming holiday duties.

I drove home, eager to tell Carrie how awesome the people at Hyde Park were, knowing that she would not be surprised in the least. Thanksgiving Dinner was perfect, and we had more than enough enough gravy for everyone.

Hyde Park Bar and Grill.
Comfort, Indeed.

Peace,

JS4

Deer Tick. Seriously Having Fun.

I knew we were in for an unusual show at Waterloo when a member of the band strolled in wearing a long red shirt (up close it looked like a modified bed sheet) with a giant yellow "A" on the front. Yes, Alvin, of Alvin and the Chipmunks was the look he was going for.

He played much of the show on his own, bringing up his band-mates to harmonize for a song or two at a time. When it was time for another guy to play guitar, Alvin just gave him his guitar. Aside from the one guitar, the only other instrument used was Alvin's harmonica. Somehow, this totally worked.

As they played, I was thinking their major influences were Springsteen and Steve Earle. Covers by the Boss, (Nebraska) and John Mellencamp (Authority Song, to close the set) somewhat supported this notion. The lead singer may have been drunk, or he may have just been in character(Drunken Chipmunk, I guess), but if he was, his performance did not suffer from it. He was funny, technically sound, and decent on vocals. He called his friends up to the stage with the lure of beer. As he put it, "Nothing tastes better right after you've brushed your teeth, than a cold beer." Their semi-gruff harmonies rounded off the edge of the songs they shared.

I ended up buying a CD, which is pretty good. Deer Tick, from Rhode Island, is traveling around in an old, short school bus with an atlas on the front dashboard, and some funny bumper stickers on the back. My favorite was their spin on a patriotic theme.

I did walk over to Amy's for a dark chocolate cup of ice cream with fresh strawberries mushed in. Yummmm. After beer and ice cream, it was time for dinner.

I went to Shoal Creek Saloon for a big bowl of Cajun gumbo. Duck, sausage and more in a dark roux. It was just cool enough to sit out back on their patio by the creek. Another good day in the Summer of Jay.

I think the strawberries in my ice cream may have been my only fruit or vegetable of the day. Oops. I'll have to try to do better today.

Peace,

JS4

What I Will, and Won't Do

The weather is taking it's toll. The other day we had a relatively cool, high temperature of 97. It was a welcome respite from 105 days that we have had otherwise. The "average" for these days is @ 94, so 97 was still up there.
There are things I will do, and things I won't do when it gets like this:

I will pay $7.00 to park downtown, right next to Manuel's, when we go there for happy hour appetizers and frozen margaritas.
I will not walk four blocks to get there, even if the parking is free.

I will get up as early as 6:00 to go run before it gets too hot. Mind you, it is already too hot at 6:00, but it's all we've got.
I will not run on a treadmill at the gym, because treadmills are horribly boring, like all stationary exercises.
I may have to amend this one once school starts, because at that point, it will still be hot, and 6:00 does not allow for enough time to get ready for work after a run.

I will return to the Daily Juice Cafe for "raw food" enchiladas, because good, cold food is a good idea on days like this.
I will not go to some restaurants without taking a long-sleeved shirt. I love air-conditioning almost as much as anybody, but in some places, the contrast between outdoor temps and indoor temps is just too much.

I will turn off the air-conditioning in the house first thing in the morning, and see how long we can go without turning it on in the afternoon. Right now, at 1:24, it is a pleasant 81 degrees under the ceiling fan, but it is warming fast.
I will not do this to the point of being uncomfortably hot. We have air-conditioning for a reason.

I will do outdoor chores, walk the dog, clean out the storage closet, etc.
I will not do any of these things after 10:30 A.M.

I will sadly miss out on some great live music.
I will not see Marcia Ball playing Blues on the Green for free. I'll miss any number of Unplugged at the Grove shows, and stuff at Republic Park. None will hurt like missing Marcia Ball bang out the blues on her piano, legs crossed and kicking to the rhythm.

I will not use the heat as an excuse for not going to Waterloo Records, for as much free music as I can get, and a Shiner or two to help cool down.
I will go there today, in fact, to see a band frighteningly, and unfortunately, named Deer Tick. I think they are going to be really good. Bloody good, if you will.

I may, or may not go to Amy's Ice Cream after the Deer Tick show, for a big frozen treat.
But I probably will.

Peace,

JS4

Undeniable Talent

Large crowds are seldom quiet for in-store performances, but it is not typical for a musician to go solo for a record release, as Sarah Jarosz did yesterday. The crowd was not just being polite, they wanted to hear every note that she played and sang. There has been plenty of local buzz about this 18-year-old from Wimberley, who has already played the Old Settlers Music Festival, and The Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Without a full band, there were only hints of Bluegrass, as she played four different instruments, including the banjo, and a big 8-string mandolin, that she referred to as an "octo-mando." Self-possessed and confident, she made it look easy, as though writing, recording, and performing all this music was as natural as breathing.

The Statesman called her perhaps the next Alison Krauss, but she reminded me more of Gillian Welch, without the overdone "Appalachian Orphan Girl" sound of Welch's early material. Per a request from Waterloo's owner, she closed with a cover of Gnarles Barkley's, "Crazy," which she nailed on the mandolin, and sang with the gusto of a recent high school graduate. Already talented beyond her years, the unlimited potential rolled off the stage with each note. She may never be a huge star, but she can always pursue the safe backup plan of a career as great musician.

Peace,

JS4

Birdies

I did some tree trimming a few weeks back, which revealed, but did not disturb, a birds nest. We had seen two broken, empty white egg shells shortly before that, but had seen no signs of the babies. From the couch, where I now blog, I have an unobstructed view of the nest out my front door. Last week, I noticed two tiny bird heads poking up, and I have been watching them as they have grown very quickly. I've taken a bunch of pictures of this little dove family, but most of the images were poor. At least in the shot below, you can see the mom and the head of one of the babies. By now, they are so big that their heads are almost as big as the mom's. They are not flying yet, but it has been fun to watch so far. I think Sydney has been watching them too, from the front window, a perfect viewing spot for an indoor cat.

Peace,

Jay

Waterloo

I know just enough about the band, The Cure, to know that I don't like their music. And if a band reminds me of what I think The Cure sounds like, I'm not inclined to think highly of them, either. New Roman Times is such a band. A four-piece, local group, they sang with floaty, fake British accents, to songs that all sounded the same to me. It may have also been the loudest in-store I have ever attended. There was not much of a crowd, so the noise, er, music took over the whole store. At least the bass player had interesting hair and a nice smile, and the beer line was short.
Some of the parents who brought their kids knew what to expect, volume-wise. Many of the youngsters were wearing head phones to shield them from the din. To be fair, some in the small crowd seemed to really like the band, especially the 3-5 year-olds. I like to see kids at live shows, as they enjoy the music in such an uninhibited way, and I applaud their parents for giving them a taste beyond traditional children's music.

Peace,

JS4

Burger Wars and Raw Food

I am a fan of Hillbert's burgers. Their no-frills, Burger-Chef-conveyor-belt-grilled burgers really hit the spot. The fries and a chocolate shake make for a filling, tasty lunch.I wrote about them last year(with a picture of the sign), after a visit to their Lamar Street location.
http://jaysummer4.blogspot.com/2008/06/3-lunches-and-in-store.html


Well, the P.Terry's people really wanted that location, across from the hospital and big lunch crowds. They offered the property owner a huge increase over what the Maldonado Family (owners of Hillbert's) was paying to lease the land. So it was good-bye to Hillbert's. By all accounts, the P.Terry's people are not evil; it was just business, and business in good on North Lamar. They tore down the old building, and put up their trendy-yet-retro new digs. I've liked P.Terry's when I've had burgers from their other location. It's good value for a quality, fresh burger. I have yet to eat at the new location, out of some sense of loyalty to Hillbert's.

The Maldanado's aren't naive about business, and they have two locations other than their new flagship store on North Burnet Road. I wasn't even sure where the new place was, but yellow is their color. I knew that if I drove north until I saw a garish (I write "garish" with the most positive of meanings) yellow building, I'd be in the right spot. I stepped inside, and it was just like visiting an old friend. The A/C works better in the new place, so you sweat a lot less. And the decor is like visiting an old friend who can't afford to upgrade the mustard yellow couch that they had in college. The burger and shake were as good as ever, but in a nod to "healthy eating," I passed on the fries.

A major upgrade has occurred at the corner of 45th and Duval. No longer a car repair place, it is the home of Daily Juice, which as you might guess from the name is a juice bar. Usually, I get my juice in a smoothy at home, or in canned concentrate from the HEB, and I like bars to have sudsy beverages on tap. But the Daily Juice is also a cafe, which drew me in for lunch last week.

Interestingly, they follow a style of food preparation that allows food to be heated to only @120 degrees. This is something I've heard called the " Raw Foods Movement." So cooked meat is out. It's all veggie and fresh, and served at room temperature. But it's not all cold sandwiches and salads. They have enchiladas which I'm dying to try, and tacos, and more that I can't recall. I had a taco with walnut chorizo - that's a fake chorizo created out of walnuts. I don't know how they do it, but it was awfully good; kinda spicy with guacamole, sprouts, and other fresh veggies.

As you can see, the exterior still has the look of an old gas station, but the interior is colorful, clean, youthfully hip. It sort of makes neighborhood favorite, "Mother's Cafe," look stodgy by comparison. Sometimes on the weekends, Daily Juice has what appear to be Hula Hoop Festivals on the patio/parking lot area. A fine addition to the neighborhood.

Hope you all had great 4th of July.

Peace,

JS4

Dexterity Skills

Joel Guzman was late starting his recent in-store, and it turned out he was waiting for his wife, Sarah Fox to arrive, because she gets co-billing on their new album. The beer line folks were growing impatient,too. He finally started without her, and she joined in after the second song. They played nearly a full hour set, which, honestly was a few songs longer than I needed of Conjunto music. Very talented, high energy and fun to watch, just not a style that holds me rapt for that long.

I have to confess that I genuinely like the accordian as an instrument. I think it gets a bad wrap, and is too often dismissed. Watching a skilled player is visually pleasing, and Joel Guzman, who often plays with Joe Ely, has a flashy accordian, and a physical style that is easy to appreciate.

On a different note entirely, I went to get a massage yesterday. I must say, that if you need a massage, and if you need attention in the hip and groin areas, it is best if you have a very professional masseuse, and one that your spouse has complete trust and faith in. Just sayin'.

Thanks for the gift certificate, Carrie. You're the best!

Peace,

JS4