Yeehaw! Austin, Texas

(Originally posted March 2017)

Straight from the airport, we dragged our roller bags to a small food truck park known for some of the best BBQ in town. The line was long and only halfway in the share. Other diners knew to come with their six packs, easing into the weekend early. That was Thursday afternoon and we kicked of our ladies weekend in Austin, Texas. Why Austin? More like, why not: midway between Minneapolis and Guadalajara; comfortable weather; enough food, drink, music, life and personality to explore for a long weekend with the girlfriends.

Austin has a lot going for it. The state capital is blue bubble surrounded by the rest of red Texas. Known for its music scene, outdoor areas and Tex Mex cuisine, we were busy soaking up the neighborhoods and downtown streets. We loved the backyard and neighborly locales, filled with picnic tables for communal seating. Everywhere we went, it was common to share a table with anyone that came along: from a stylish Thai restaurant, to the breweries, to the cafes and hamburger stands.

There was live music everywhere! And considering that the city is still recovering from SXSW, that’s an impressive amount of music. We enjoyed live music at four in the afternoon at a dive bar, a honkytonk band in the evening, late night cocktails and more live bluesy-jazz music on Rainey Street and everything in between.

Austin is not for dieters. We ate well. BBQ is a must, but so is everything else. A highlight of the trip was an East Austin food tour. A mix of local and tourists gathered for a five-stop happy hour expedition around the up and coming neighborhood. While the law of the land is Tex Mex, food trucks and trailers are a huge part of the gastronomy culture along with a worldwide mix brought in on immigrant waves over generations. At each stop we had a typical cocktail and samples of a few dishes. We ate empanadas and drank caipirinhas at an Argentine café. We sipped palomas and ate sopes con lengua at a restaurant run by a chef originally from Mexico City. Other stops included an Asian-inspired bar, a Brazilian food truck and an ice cream shop with boozy milkshakes.

Also while in Austin, we had brunch with my cousin, his wife and their three-year-old daughter. The sweet darling even wowed us with a dramatic reenactment of Frozen. Other highlights included the State History Museum, hosting a cattle auction right in the lobby area. Be careful not to raise your hand while the auctioneer is fast-talking or you’ll accidently buy a cow. While in Austin, take the time to enjoy a nice waterside stroll. Lake Bird Lake, which is actually a river, skirts around the Austin downtown with a picturesque boardwalk and view of the skyline.

Lastly, our crowning event was a visit to the Rodeo Austin. We scored tickets for the finale evening with the championships of the classic rodeo events. The arena was how I imagine classic Texas: full of cowboy boots, belt buckles, cold beer and plenty of “God Bless America” all around. Before jumping into the main event, the announcer asked everyone to remove their hats and bow their head in prayer: “God bless this livestock, and may the Lord grant us green pastures.”

We watched all the standard rodeo events of bareback and bull riding, eight seconds of holding onto the bucking animal while gaining style points from the judges; steer wresting and roping, jumping from your horse onto the cattle to either lasso or tie up the feet; barrel racing, the only cowgirl event; and best of all, mutton bustin’. This children’s event straps a helmet on their heads while they hold onto sheep for dear life as the animals chute across the arena. Clearly, this is a crowd favorite.  After all the rodeo event were won, a tractor pulls out a stage for a Texan country singing favorite, Kevin Fowler with a hit song titled “Hell Yeah, I Like Beer,” among others.

Yeehaw, Texas.