Art?

My friend Jackie went to an open house at the new UT Visual Arts Center. The old art building that housed the Blanton collection before the Blanton Museum was built is now a teaching and experimental art space. In this picture Jackie shot a work involving T-Shirts piled about twelve feet high, artistically arranged by color. Gap gone wild or art? I vote art.

Goodbye, Dad

My parents moved to Austin in 2000 to be close to us. Dad loved our city. He enjoyed the wildlife near his home in North Austin. My mother died in 2002. My dad celebrated his 94th birthday this month and died on Monday. This picture was taken in 2002 when he was 'only' 86. He made a good Austin resident with his own brand of weird.

Two Stories to Go

I think when the Federal Courthouse is finished it will block the Capitol view from our balcony. I think that's the sixth story of eight they are working on. Yep, it just keeps rising. Compare to here.

Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon shined brightly Wednesday night beside the Frost Bank Tower.

Only Five Weeks until Halloween!

Get your pumpkins now and practice up for carving. Halloween is almost here.

It Must be Fall

As evidence I present an iPhone photo of a display of decorative fall produce. I won't bore you with the aisles of Halloween candy, paper turkey stuff and Christmas toys. Fall is officially upon us in spite of the high temps still flirting with (or entering) the '90's (Fahrenheit) every day.

Outstretched Arms

More from the street festival on Nueces. The photographer from the sculpture picture mimics the hands over head gesture of the giant chalk skeleton.

Giant Canvas

During the street festival on Nueces they made a giant canvas of the street with chalk. These festival goers stroll by the head of a skeleton some swell managed to sketch that was almost a block long. Shooting people from ten stories up is an interesting perspective, don't you think?

Get That Photo

This was taken from our balcony during the Nueces Street festival. I liked the way the photographer's tats and hat looked while he got his picture of the sculpture turning in the wind.

Lifting Mighty Beams

The steel beams for the pedestrian bridge required two portable cranes for lifting into place. The storm clouds did dump a couple of brief rains but hopefully the work wasn't interrupted too long. Thanks again to our friend Jackie for this picture.

Spanning Cesar Chavez

The Pfluger Bike and Pedestrian Bridge is being extended across Cesar Chavez. My friend Jackie took pictures of the work Saturday. When the span is complete bikes can avoid the light and zoom across and around to the Lance Armstrong bike way. There isn't really a proper and safe pedestrian way on this side of the street so pedestrians will have to be more adventurous! Unless they live in the Gables Park Plaza Apartments...then this looks like a multimillion dollar entrance to their place. I understand more money will be lavished on some way to more safely walk to our area of downtown. And I've just been told that the sidewalks under Third Street on Lamar have been improved. Have to check that out. You may remember that I walked over to the park in this area to take a picture of an artwork that looks like a table from Alice in Wonderland. If you are south of the river you can use this elaborate bridge to go there and have a picnic. Let's meet there on a cool, crisp day when the bridge is complete and have some cake.

Artful Car Reflection

Remember when I showed you this 'art car?' That same day I shot this one and decided I really liked the reflection of the suburban neighborhood and the 'natural' decorated interior.

Are We Disappearing?

Wondering if I'll continue to find time for Austin, Texas Daily photo. Especially since I've resorted to a shop window reflection photo again. Anthropologie, W. Sixth.

Triathlon Crowd

There was a triathlon on Labor Day. If you look closely at the crowd on Auditorium Shores you'll see that there is a sea of bike racks.

Storm Clouds

Took this when Hurricane Hermine was sending threatening clouds our way.

Reflection

I usually don't impose shop window reflections on Austin, Texas Daily photo, but today I could find nothing better than this one, shot on W. 6th Street and including your intrepid photographer.

Football

The University of Texas team is ready to snap at last Saturday's game against Wyoming. Repeat scenes like this until Christmas. Add bowl games. That's fall/winter in the football-obsessed U.S. About the time it is over there will be a big tennis tournament down in Australia that I care about. FFP is not quite so indifferent to football, though.

Football Season

Football season is underway all across the U.S. Austin is no exception with its University of Texas Longhorns. FFP got to see the Wyoming game from a club box. He enjoys seeing the band as much as anything. This is the half-time show with the U.T. logo.

Seaholm Light Show

The Seaholm Power Plant was transformed Friday night for the last leg of Ballet Austin's Party of the Decade. Even the decommissioned exhaust pipes (which will remain as an architectural element when the property is transformed) got in on the act.

Beginning of a Big Evening

A magnificent fete put on by Ballet Austin kicked off their season and, really, the entire social season for Austin. The VIP swells gathered in the Long lobby of the Butler Dance Education Center for cocktails. We then had a fabulous Four Seasons-catered dinner in the Armstrong-Connelly Studio. A tribute to Stephen Mills' decade of artistic direction followed in the Austin Ventures Studio Theater with video and live ballet. Still not satisfied we were transported to the Seaholm Power plant which was transformed into a fantasy land of ballet settings with food and drink and where we were treated to a fashion show by Neiman Marcus that was stunning.

Roasting Chiles

It's that time of year when everyone goes crazy over Hatch Green Chiles. Here a Whole Foods Employee roasts some.

Roaring River?

The 'river' in the foreground is the normally somewhat dry and meandering trickle known as Shoal Creek that cuts just west of our condo building (background) on its way to Lady Bird Lake. We've had lots of rain as a result of hurricane Hermine pushing ashore on the gulf coast. The creek also went out of its banks at the low point at Tenth and Lamar night before last and sent water into some of the businesses there.

Under Construction

From our tenth-floor balcony we can see the Capitol Dome. For now. The Federal Courthouse has grown taller between us and the Capitol as seen in the foreground. Here is the lot cleared for the courthouse, a view from another angle, and our view in January. At the moment the Capitol Dome itself is surrounded with scaffolding for renovation.

Odd Reflection

The Frost Bank usually takes the lead in clever reflections of the sunset but yesterday I liked the way the Bank of America Tower was reflecting the light and the image of One American Center. Lots of interesting clouds around last evening with a promise of rain coming from the hurricane.

Austin's Own Easter Island

Actually this figure is only about four feet tall and it's in a yard in Old West Austin (this is, after all, Austin, Texas Daily Photo). I see they have a light on it for nighttime viewing. First time I've seen this figure around here. I have seen those Xian warriors...and I know one person who had a life-size one sent home on a boat from China as a souvenir. One wonders if this was purchased at one of those concrete yard art lots along the highway or was an actual souvenir.

The End of the Rainbow

Our friend Oliver was strolling across the Pfluger pedestrian bridge when he caught the skyline under a rainbow. We use this with his permission to celebrate being back in Austin after a road trip through the western U.S.

Really Awesome Pickles

Nothing like some homemade style okra pickles. Okra actually makes great crisp and tasty pickles. At the downtown farmer's market, of course.

Big Melons

Melon purveyor at the downtown farmer's market in August.

Market Squash, Peppers and Eggs

Forrest shot this back in August when we were preparing for theme day. This fellow had some great looking squash, peppers and eggs at our downtown farmer's market.

Olive Oil at the Farmer's Market

Karen Lee has an olive ranch in Carrizo Springs down near the border with Mexico. She was in Austin one summer Saturday providing tastes of extra virgin oil, infused oils and infused balsamic vinegars at the Farmer's Market in Republic Square. Stunning and made in Texas. Today is theme day on City Daily Photo and the theme is Open Air Market. This downtown market is only a block from our condo and has been featured before. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in this theme day.