21 Comments on “In Austin”

1. While in Austin one should go to Esther’s Follies; ensemble sketch comedy where the back of the stage is a glass store front to the street (the infamous 6th street). They have been doing this for some absurd amount of time (rumor has it it predates SNL).

2. I picked up Zoe’s Tale today, and thus far enjoying it immensely. Thanks for the hard work John.

3. Sorry I missed you. I’ll be at VP this year and would like to have gotten a jump on sucking-up (resulting in your personal vow to publish my half-formed thoughts and unwritten novels). Sadly, leaving town today. Enjoy the city–hot, but fun. If you’re up early or late, and in the mood for exercise, check out the Town Lake Trails.

   If you want food, Magnolia Cafe ain’t bad. Another option, if a sushi person, is Uchi (pricey, but good). If you just want to alter your reality via beer, try the Ginger Man.

   Reading The Ghost Brigades–excellent.

   My harangues have to keep until September.

4. Pfft. Magnolia Cafe? Nay, I say. Kerbey Lane Cafe!

   (This would be the other great food war in Austin. Magnolia is just fine but I prefer Kerbey.)

   Cheers!

5. What, no “view through the hotel window” pic? Oh, wait…

   never mind.

6. A pool view can be nice. Twice when I have had a good view of the pool, I have been treated to observation of late-night skinny-dippers. Good luck.

7. It’s not sunset yet.

   If you want to come over to my house for dinner I have a casual dinner party scheduled. It’s quite informal, just a rotating supper group, but an honored guest is always welcome. :)

8. And I have a panoramic view of I-35!

   We’ll be heading downtown for dinner in a bit, then I’m planning to stick around and shoot some of the lovely neon.

   Hope you get to see the Capitol building at night while you’re here. It’s quite lovely.

9. I think it would be teh funny if absolutely everyone had John sign a packet of bacon at his autograph sesh on Sunday. (Shh. Don’t tell him I suggested this!)

10. Enjoy the nap. I need one, too, but must finish critiques for tomorrow’s workshop in time that I can enjoy a nice dinner out (no decision yet to where). View is of second-story rooftop, but, alas, again I should be working. Glad you’re here.

11. Just out of curiosity, do you know which “Scalzi Facts” the folks at ArmadilloCon settled on? When will they be published?

12. Welcome to town, John!

    (And the original Kerbey Lane Cafe is, indeed, a good bet.)

13. @#10 Speaking of bacon. Maybe someone could get him some bacon salt. Baconsalt.com apparently their mission is to make everything taste like bacon through the virtues of their great product…well I haven’t used it so I have no idea of its greatness, let alone its virtue.

14. Welcome to Austin. I see you’ve brought chances of rain with you. Ta for that!

15. Count me as a Magnolia Cafe partisan. To the barricades! Sigh. I miss Austin. Food wars and all.

16. Man, I just checked out the hotel info for Armadillocon and you’re way north. If you or your handlers (I assume Guests of Honor have handlers ;) have a car, head west just bit on 45 and then go south on Loop 1 (the Mopac Expy). Keep going south, cross the river, and exit on Bee Caves Rd. West on Bee Caves to The County Line BBQ. Good stuff (try the ginormous beef ribs…mmmm).

    Also, same directions, but look for the Barton Springs Rd. exit after you cross the river. East on Barton Springs, thru Zilker Park, to Chuy’s just on the other side of the park for good Tex-Mex & funky decor. It’s traditional to buy a Chuy’s t-shirt that has a fish wearing sunglasses ;)

17. Enjoy your visit! Alas, I’m not able to make Armadillocon this year, so I’ll just wave at the hotel when I drive by.

    My Tex-Mex recommendation is Amaya’s Taco Village; it’s in Capital Plaza, pretty close to the hotel though a bit far for a walk in this weather, and the food is very tasty and reasonably priced.

18. David H: County Line is the traditional Sunday night dinner for the ArmadilloCon crew and any guests who still linger after the con.

    And the con’s not that far north. Granted, when I first came to Austin, the Highland Mall area was the bleeding edge of northern expansion. Today, “Austin” extends through Round Rock and is creeping towards Georgetown. Good local eats in the neighborhood (adjust for varying definitions of “nearby”) include Threadgills and Picilos, though I agree the heart of the city is still 78704.

19. Haven’t lived in Austin since ’91, but Kerbey Lane and Magnolia were already duking it out back then. I say try both. They’re both open 24 hours and have multiple locations, so why not. Give me Gingerbread pancakes and Love migas. My strongest suggestion is the green chile chicken fried steak at Shady Grove.

    As a Texas transplant to Ohio, I can tell you that John’s not getting any good chicken fried steak anywhere in the buckeye state.

20. Brian,

    Agreed. But I was born in Austin in the early 1960’s (78723 zipcode) and back then, going to Round Rock involved a drive to “the country.” :)

    Also yes, Threadgill’s rocks. As does the Eastside Cafe.

21. Good ?dea