Not so Traditional

This is a regular (and colorful) entree at Corazon: roasted chicken enchilada suizas. Our friend Steve had this for Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving Meal

Our friends Jackie and Steve had Thanksgiving dinner at Corazon. They were thankful for a place with such delicious food on the day. This was Jackie's meal and her description of it: "turkey dinner a la Mexicana, with Oaxacan black mole sauce and a delicious cranberry sauce complementing the turkey breast, mashed potatoes, perfectly cooked green beans and a masa-wrapped corn pudding." Yum. Have to go to this restaurant again soon. It's a short (half mile) walk from our place. Tomorrow...you will get to see Steve's Thanksgiving entree.

Holding up the Bass

The Corps of Cadet sousaphones form an attractive line and provide the booming bottom for the Texas A&M Band on their march down Congress on Thanksgiving.

Mascot

Texas A&M has one of my favorite mascots. A collie named Reveille. Here he marches with his Corps handlers. Magnificent dog.

Rivalry

There is a tradition of a very long-standing rivalry between the University of Texas (Austin) and Texas A&M University. Originally A&M was all-male and all ROTC (students set to become soldiers). They still have a large ROTC contingent and when the rival football teams play in Austin the Corps of Cadets and their band march up Congress Avenue to the Capitol. Yesterday was that day (UT lost the game) and this picture FFP took captures the scene as a UT fan in a burnt orange jersey snapped a picture of Corps members at parade rest. We'll run a few more of these pictures in the coming days.

Paving the Way for the W

Even the city crews have been busy getting paving done around the about to open W Hotel. Thanks, Jackie for the picture. I love shots almost straight down into the street. Different perspective. In this case showing the new paving and the gray of the W facade as coordinated parts of a painting.

Mermaid

There is a bar at Second and Trinity called Submerged. This is a mural outside. Jackie shot this. I've walked by dozens of times but don't think I've ever posted a picture of it. Nice. And, no, I've never been to the bar.

Sand Box

Yesterday Forrest and I were remarking about how close the Green Water Treatment plant deconstruction was to being finished. FFP shot some pictures but I'm showing you one Jackie shot from the AMLI a few days ago with just the curves of the last two tanks to remind of the plant amid all the piles of dirt. More than ever it seems the giant machines are just playing in the sand.

This plant hadn't been decommissioned when we moved downtown. Then in the summer of 2009 the tanks were emptied and they quit using the plant. Last November Jackie caught a beautiful sunset with the plant's water tower still upright. A few days later they felled the tower and it looked like things didn't go according to plan. Then work stopped for quite a while and some safety violations were addressed. Now it looks like it won't be long before the ground is leveled. It is fun being a construction supervisor from our vantage points in high rises around town.

W Rising

The W Hotel actually rose to its full height long ago but a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving it is due to open to the public. They seem to be working on it day and night and Sundays. My friend Jackie shot this picture from her balcony in the AMLI on Second. This is the hotel pool, ready for guests with the addition of a few chaises. Yesterday it was 80 degrees so don't scoff at pool use in November. Could happen! Here are some construction pictures from this pool.

Christmas Shopping, Winter Wear

Monkey See, Monkey Do is your go to place for silly stocking stuffers and gifts. And, honestly, that crime scene tape muffler? Priceless when the temps plunge to, um, well it's seventy degrees outside. I kind of want it!

Welcome, Come In

This elaborate porch on South First no longer has a house or business to go with it.

Open Door Policy

This is the yard (garden?) entrance of a house on Annie in South Austin.

What is Art?

There is a great little shop, a longtime tenant on South Congress, called Yard Dog that constantly poses that question, both with the battered letters spelling ART and the outsider artists they exhibit. I don't know the artist for the monumental head (they weren't open) but I liked it. Taken last Sunday on our walk.

Uncommonly Second Place

One of the most fun places on South Congress, Uncommon Objects, had a clever window display when we walked by last Sunday. Sad little vintage paintings of, um, questionable quality were 'awarded' various vintage second place ribbons. Priceless.

Abandoned Shoes

I've always said that when you walk you see the world a little differently. On our walk to SoCo on Sunday we saw these Chuck Taylors neatly arranged in the fallen leaves. We did no posing or setup. FFP shot with iPhone and I did a slight crop. Unlike the shoes in this photo, there is no indication of why they were abandoned.

Architectural Bit

FFP took this shot of the logo of an organization on Third Street with the Chase Building as a background. Here's a shot from over two years ago of the same sign taken while walking west on Third. That shot, if repeated today, would look different.

New Faces in Downtown

The W Hotel in the foreground will be open soon. The Austonian Condos in the background is open to residents and has a bee hive of activity to open restaurants and bars by Chef David Bull. FFP took this with the bulk of the W in the foreground and the skyline-dominating Austonian in the background.

Gypsy Food Mob

Last weekend someone had the bright idea to take a batch of those food trailers and converge on Auditorium Shores and offer specials to one and all. Our friend Jackie took this shot of the crowd from her apartment. She reports trying to attend the event but the lines were too long. Local American Statesman pundit John Kelso wrote an article about attempting to attend and giving up. It will be interesting to find out how they handle this gathering if it repeats. Maybe a small admission fee that goes to feed the hungry? Food from trailers is becoming more and more popular but I'm kind of a sit down and eat person at heart.

Ready for the Parade

My friend Jackie caught these Austin Police bagpipers preparing for the Veteran's Day Parade yesterday. Handsome, talented and protecting our fair city!

Stuffed

Our locally-owned Ruth's Chris Steak House is one of our favorite hangouts. We sit in the comfy bar and watch people go by on W. Sixth and, usually, just eat appetizers (see here) and have drinks. Sometimes we venture into the regular menu, though. This chicken stuffed with herb and garlic cheese and finished beautifully with high heat is the most succulent chicken around. You don't have to order the wonderful beef at this place to have a super entree.

Great Costume, Ben

Another from the Rally to Restore Sanity. Her sign is a quote from Ben Franklin. It is a fact...the calm, productive folks don't garner much attention. Thanks, Jackie, for these great pictures.

The Family That Stays Sane Together...

My friend Jackie shot this family at the Rally to Restore Sanity. I like the idea of trying to 'protest' to come back to calm discourse. Our politicians could use some lessons.

Neighborhood Fauna

Near where my dad lived a buck grazes on the native grasses of a neighbor.

The Avatar Moment

OK, Halloween is over but I couldn't resist showing you the costumes the stylists wore at my friend Jackie's salon. Besides...that 3D Avatar craze is still going, right? I was so lazy about getting Austinite costumes this year I thought I'd offer this pictureup. And Austinites do love costumes as this shows. The stylists are (front and center) Stella Amaker and (reflected in the mirror) Cindy Candeles. Isn't that a great tail? Thanks, Jackie, for being our eyes around Austin.

It's Only a Movie

You can tell it's only a movie because the waitress is so calm...and the tracks for the camera are in view. Shot Thursday by FFP.

Spy Exchange

FFP shot this from the parking garage yesterday. Gosh...wonder what was going on at Royal Blue? A movie was being shot, of course. Right on Nueces Street by our home.

American Icons are a Little Battered

Local Rally to Restore Sanity participants taken by our friend Jackie. Jackie got some great shots of people's calm and reassuring signs, too, but today I thought I'd show you this couple looking like a happy and resilient (bloodied but unbowed) Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam. Jackie didn't get your names, but if you want to be identified and see this, let us know! Thanks for posing. I think this is the perfect metaphor...Americans have never really been given to calm discourse but they keep coming back. The idea of a demonstration for calm discourse? Priceless.

Another Sunrise

It's not today's sunrise. In fact it's still dark as I post this. Instead this one is from October.

Good Morning

The days are getting shorter and they haven't returned the hour they took in the spring so we see a lot of sunrises getting up at our usual time. This one showed the Frost Bank doing a close-up in October at dawn.

Theme Day---Public Transportation

Today is theme day for City Daily Photo. The theme is public transportation. These pedicab drivers chatted while waiting for fares on Fourth Street last night. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.