Radio Face

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — KUT radio, Austin, Texas, 90.5 on your radio dial. http://kut.org/ Check it out.

This public radio station is the face of Texas. Give it the Yellow Rose, the Lone Star, the Bluebonnet Blue Ribbon for excellence. I confess to being a devoted NPR listener; heck, before I left home I made a list of all the public stations in all the capital cities so I could tune in as soon as I arrived.

KUT has entertained and guided me from Day 1 in Austin. Good programming, enough talk, enough news, and laudy miss maudy there is music music music. It’s not a blues station, like some I’ve loved, or a jazz station; nor does it dote on country, or folk, or bluegrass, or latin. It does everything.

Listening to the Eklektikos show a few days ago while computering, I heard Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash, Bob Marley and Bruce Springsteen, Asleep at the Wheel and The Shins, Alejandro Escovedo and Alabama Shakes, with NPR news at 11 followed by a live in-studio performance by Dr Dog, that psychedelic-indie rock band out of Pennsylvania in town for SXSW,. Dr Dog’s performace was a little off, for which they apologized. “Morning voice, huh?” was the astute-yet-forgiving comment. I felt like they were sitting in my living room. Connection.

KUT is thick in the community, involved and offering opportunity for involvement. It’s been around since 1958, licensed to the University of Texas at Austin, a service of the College of Communication. Committed to supporting civic and cultural life in Central Texas, its mission is simply stated — to create experiences that deepen understanding and connect people. “We are committed to authenticity, craft, context and the unique power of the human voice in all its forms.”

Check it out. And remember, this is a publicly supported station. Make a donation. Become a member. See the little blue button at the top right of their site.  http://kut.org/

Keep Fixing Up the Doghouse

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — When you’re in Austin you expect live music with your Sunday brunch. Threadgill’s North wasn’t too far away, easy choice. Good home cooking, biscuits, gravy, and even those “cheesey grits” Mitt Romney mentioned eating in Alabama yesterday, obviously not up on the subtleties of grits.

Hank & Shaidri Alrich were already singing when I arrived, sweet voices carrying over the noise of hungry people in the middle of Sunday social time. More coffee please, yes, I’ll have the buffet. No brainer — not only cheesey grits, but cheesey eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, french toast, cantaloupe, go back twice. A family place, bouncy kids in high chairs, energy alive.

“Don’t fix up the doghouse, cause this old dog is gone….” sounded clear over the commotion, followed by pithy warnings about not taking wooden nickles either. Don’t even bother taking off your makeup, cause I’ve found a new address, and, bottom line, I’m gone. Two men in dark jackets-over-jeans whipped out their cell phones and started recording, captured and enraptured.

They were SXSW junkies, here from Chicago for face-to-face time, marketing moguls after the hottest trends. “It’s my first time,” the one named Lazarus told me, “but I’ll come back next year for sure.”

I bought a CD (are they still in style?) and chatted with Hank during the break. Hank was an Austin fixture for many years, at one time managing the Armadillo World Headquarters, steering through hard times of the 70’s. “I live in northern California now,” he said. “A peaceful place, the Sierras out my door. When we turn out our lights at night, there is no light anywhere around.” https://hankalrich.com/CarryMeHome.html

This old dog is gone? Not quite. Hank and daughter Shaidri bring their music back to Austin several times a year. Live on, legends Kenneth Threadgill, and Eddie Wilson, and all who keep fixing up the doghouse. That’s Threadgill’s. Dang, it’s good.  http://www.threadgills.com/history.php

Don’t Let the Rain Catch You Sighing

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — Geek chic or the rodeo? Which would you rather experience in the midst of a bodacious Texas thunderstorm? Nobody except the pedicabbers paid the least bit of attention to the weather today as folks crowded in to both events with a fervor.

Governor Rick Perry dropped by SXSW and chatted with CNN’s Peter Hamby, wearing jeans and an arm sling. When asked what he’d do differently next time, he answered, “Well, I wouldn’t have back surgery just before a campaign. I’d start a little earlier and be better prepared.” Chalk it up to live and learn.

A  Twitterer commented later “Why was his arm in a sling? Was it from his fall from the presidential race?”  News knows it was from his February 24 surgery to repair his right clavicle, which did not heal properly after a 2009 bicycle accident.

Speaking of Twitter, the Interactive Hotspot calls Twitter “so 2007” news. What’s trending now is “close friends.” If you’ve got Facebook friends, your phone can tell you which ones are close by. Is this a good thing? Will this replace Lassie?

And speaking of races, the Swifty Swine Pig Races began today over at the Fairgrounds as Rodeo Austin swings into action. March 9-24, http://www.rodeoaustin.com . Little piglets like Kevin Bacon and Justin Bieboar race around Porkchop Downs International Speedway aiming for the oreo prize. Cutester!

I opted for cozy today, watching everybody else’s excitement from the dry side of the windowpane, letting the pizza boy deliver right to the door. A person can choose to be geek-cheeky at home, too, every now and then.

March Madness, Austin Style

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — SXSW, pronounced South by Southwest, that’s the buzz today. Mary and Joseph, there is No Room in the Inn, or even the stable. Every room in every hotel is booked and there are regular posts as to which streets will be blocked, and when. Shuttles and bikes are recommended and walking will get you there faster than your burro. I heard tell that someone rented their couch last year for a thousand bucks! One thousand dollars for a weekend only, no refrigerator privileges.

 The folks in Austin and the media world know all about it but if you’ve been living in a vacuum, check it out. http://sxsw.com/  It begins today and goes through March 18, a festival-conference feast for every lover of music and film and interactive media.  And, for those actually in the business, it’s get-together time. South by Southwest, going now for 26 years.  According to Roland Swenson, Co-founder and Managing Director, “the value of meeting people face-to-face in order to share creative ideas and do business is what makes SXSW invaluable.” He calls it a vital launching pad for creative endeavors.

A Platinum Badge costs you $1,395 (SOLD OUT) and gets you 9 days of film screenings and premiers, 9 days of film, music, and interactive panels and keynotes, 6 days of music festival, 4 days of trade show, 4 days of stage programming, and unlimited networking opportunities. And then there are the parties, awards, mentoring sessions, book readings, and even a softball tournament for a break when you’ve reached sensory overload.

I’ve missed ticket-op time, but I’ll enjoy reading about who’s here and what they are doing during the next week.  Who needs Cannes when you’ve got Austin, Texas?

Choosing Austin

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — Charles Maund Toyota, where everyone is family. http://charlesmaundtoyota7-px.rtrk.com/  That’s where Google directed me for the Scion’s first service appointment in a city unfamiliar to me. Felix took care of me with great efficiency and aplomb, paperwork done in a jiff, coffee in there maam, just have a seat and we’ll get right on it. I asked if I could meet the Manager, I wanted to tell him about the Journey Across America, and why I chose a Scion for the trip.

Felix walked across the parking lot with me, into the main office, knocked on the door of Charles Maund’s Vice President James DiMeo. “Come in, come in” Jim welcomed, listening to my story with appropriate nods, and smiles. “Austin is my first stop in visiting all 50 capital cities,” I explained, “and I really like this city. I can see myself living here.”

Big nod from Jim. » read more

Joyce Kilmer And Me

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas –– Austin trees have character. They don’t just pop up out of the ground and head for the sky. They meander, twist, and turn, taking their time to decide which way they want to grow. Kind of like the city itself. Interesting.

These distinctive trees, many of which grace the state capitol grounds, are live oaks, so called because the leaves remain green throughout the winter. Not actual evergreens, they drop their old leaves when the new spring green comes in. A true Texas tree, they are suited for Hill Country soil and even thrive in the coastal plains.

Seldom over 60 feet tall, their massive crowns may spread up to 120 feet. Known for their longevity and durability, live oaks can live 200 years or more in undisturbed landscapes. Strong wood characteristics, the spreading, low branching habit and a deep root system combine to make this species highly resistant to storm damage.

This may sound like a lesson on gardening, but I’m not an arborist. It’s the poet in me that loves these trees. And Austinites must love them too, nearly every tree I’ve seen has a peaceful-looking person sitting under it. They even offer comfort when you’re stuck in an unforgiving traffic jam.

Susie-Q on Bar-B-Q

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — Every Tom, Dick and Susie-Q in Texas loves barbecue. I googled Austin Barbecue to get some ideas for at least one “authentic Texas” meal. The “10 Best” listed Salt Lick Barbecue at the top. Thirty minutes outside of Austin, no credit cards, bring your own beer, a fireplace for chilly days. Second was Kreuz Market in Lockhart, no sauce, no sides, just belly up to the counter and order barbecued meat; it comes to you on butcher paper. The third listing was The County Line and that’s the one I chose, because, well, the tour guide said his daddy said it was the best barbecue he ever ate. A true word-of-mouth endorsement. » read more

Whistle While You Work

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas — It was a noisy afternoon on the capitol grounds; visitors everywhere, traffic heavy on Congress Street, construction happening across 12^th. Why is everyone whistling, I wondered. Whistling. Shrill. Almost like a musical instrument badly played; a stick pulled along a wire, tightly strung, then back again. The noise went shrilling up, then sliding down.

A black bird lit on the ground in front of me. More birds, in the trees, on the sidewalk, flying past my head, so fast that it was just a blur. A bossy whistle, nothing subtle there. A crow? Couldn’t be a crow, the sound was wrong. Couldn’t be a crow, the color was wrong too. This bird shimmered purple-ish on its head, its eyes were yellow, not black-crow black.

It took an internet search for me to find the name: GRACKLE. Southeast Texas is full of grackles, and the great-tailed variety is in love with Austin. Austin residents are not in accord on returning that love.

You don’t need a permit from the state of Texas to get rid of them, as they are not an endangered species by any stretch. But how? Shotgun blasts may send them scurrying, but they leave their gooey mark behind, and return to poop again. So you are left with the choice of tolerating them, or perhaps, creating grackle art.

A number of Austin artists have been inspired by the grackle; Consider the Grackle, an exhibit put together by Clayworks Studio/Gallery on E 6,^th was so successful they were asked to stage it at Austin Bergstrom International Airport’s Stars of Austin Gallery, where it remains through March 31. http://www.clayworks.net/events.html

Poets have written about the grackle too. Wallace Stevens had a lovely line, “The grackles crack their throats of bone”; Ogden Nash was less lyrical in his Ode to The Grackle:

The grackle’s voice is less than mellow,

His heart is black, his eye is yellow,

He bullies more attractive birds

With hoodlum deeds and vulgar words,

And should a human interfere,

Attacks that human in the rear.

I cannot help but deem the grackle

An ornithological debacle.

Described by some as “machinery in need of lubrication,” if you hear a rapid-fire ki-ki-ki, repeated about 12 times, watch out; a grackle is about to come courting. Look for a black bird, about 18 inches long, with a bit of iridescent purple on his head, making rattling, squeaking, whistling noises, and definitely in charge of things. It’s a grackle, part of the soundtrack of Austin.

The Balcones

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas – Some say it’s where the south ends. On the east side of town is the rich black bottomland that once sustained the cotton economy of the old south; it’s an agricultural haven to this day. But in Austin, that farmland literally runs into a wall. That’s where it meets a bulwark of cracked and weathered rock, the beginning of the Texas Hill Country I’d heard about but couldn’t visualize before today. Now it’s clear to see; we’re west of town, parked at an overlook for a glimpse eastward towards the city; tall buildings rise high in the distance. The hills are sparse with vegetation, yet plentiful in high-end houses, perched and angled for the ultimate view. What once was considered “unproductive” from an agricultural standpoint is the high-dollar ticket for Texas real estate now. The demarcation line, that “wall,” is the Balcones Escarpment.

The Balcones Escarpment, which forms the eastern boundary of the Texas Hill Country and the western boundary of the Texas Coastal Plain, consists of cliffs and cliff-like structures. It is geology’s most fateful mark upon the surface of Texas, extending in a pronounced arc from Waco to Del Rio. The Balcones creates the Hill Country; the Hill Country sets the stage for the High Plains beyond. And that rich black bottomland ends here.

Our tour guide tells how Austin has expanded over the years. In the early 1950’s the land where we’re standing now was cheap. It was used for secluded weekends and church retreats; after all, it wasn’t fit for agriculture, it was more suitable for goats. The few neighbors were squatters, often called “cedar choppers” because they made their living cutting cedar trees for fence posts. By the 1970’s those squatters were being bought out, or forced to leave; thanks to rapid urban expansion.

This is land that is barren and almost devoid of topsoil; the principal vegetation is cactus, cedar, and stunted live oaks. It may not be appealing to a farmer, who judges land by the depth and blackness of soil, but to the Central Texan looking for a homesite, Hill Country is definitely a prestige address. High-tech wealth is splattered hill to hill; Sandra Bullock, Lance Armstrong, and Matthew McConaughey are a few of the celebs who have houses tucked away in here, our guide proclaims.

Urbanization causes controversy, in any city. In Austin, preservation of prime farmland is the main argument against urban sprawl eastward into the coastal plain. But conservation of wildlife habitat and protection of the Edwards Aquifer are reasons not to spread further west into the hills. As for earthquake hazards along the Balcones Fault Zone, geologists assure it isn’t active anymore; the risk for earthquakes is low.

And then there’s that other consideration for the Austin resident – do you want to live in the south, or the west? The Balcones Escarpment is a clear and simple dividing point; or maybe it’s a unifying one, where south and west join together to make a really interesting place to live.

The Gumball Machine

Linda Burton posting from Austin, Texas – “They should name it Austin Over-Tours,” I thought as I called to make my reservation. The Austin Overtures Sightseeing website promised I would “see Austin and the Hill Country in Air Conditioned Mercedes-Benz Comfort” for only $25. For that bargain price I didn’t mind having to drive downtown to meet them; the exercise would help me learn my way around the city. I parked at a meter by Brooks Brothers, just a few blocks off historic 6^th Street (aka Pecan) and walked into the Visitor Center with time to spare. Postcards for sale, tshirts, books; big and little souvenirs of the Live Music Capital of the World and the Big Howdy state of Texas. People lined up on a bench by the front to wait for the promised Mercedes-Benz ; there was quite a crowd. Our ticket-time was finally called; Tour Guide Philip (wearing a jacket of tweed) led us to the curb for our personal Pink Chariot Ride. “Can I please sit in the front with you?” I asked; permission granted. I wish I could remember everything to tell you. But Phillip rattled off so many facts and fictions about Austin, Texas that the inside of my head is like a giant gumball machine – filled with colorful, delicious, juicy bits. Which ones will the quarter bring down the slot? » read more