More Steak?

We noticed that the location of the old McCormick & Schmidt restaurant on Congress was being renovated for a new purveyor. (That steak chain retreated to its Domain location.) I always hope for something more creative than steaks...even if it is seafood and steaks when new joints open up. Like a classic French Bistro??? We already have, let's see, Ruth's Chris, Perry's, Eddie V's, Bob's Chophouse, Rivals, III Forks, Sullivan's, Truluck's, Vince Young and Fleming's peddling basic surf and turf. Not to mention that the format at Trio, Finn and Porter, Roaring Fork isn't far off that mark. But if you come to Austin (or come downtown if you are an Austinite) and want a steak then no worries. The reflection is of your intrepid reporter FFP, in shirtsleeves on a balmy Novemeber day, just before Thanksgiving.

You Can't Make This Up

On November 21 FFP got up a bit earlier than I and grabbed a camera that was by the windows and captured this. We are currently in New York City (I hope) and I'm queuing this up show you while I'm away.

A Different View...Soon to be Lost

I shot this from Brazos street with the construction for the Marriott Hotel in the foreground. When it rises this particular perspective with be obliterated. From left to right: 100 Congress, the Ashton, the Austonian, the W Hotel and Residences and looking small because it's furthest away (it's really taller than any but the Austonian) is the 360 Condominiums (our home).

Shrine

This very nice shrine was spotted in East Austin earlier in the month.

F1 Car

This one was being exhibited at Fan Fest. Those drivers sure have to be skinny, don't they?

Earth Tones

We were walking around East Austin for an art studio tour and I noticed this house all done up in earth tones. It looks like something a child made with spare Lego blocks. Wonder if they will do it in pastels for Spring and Easter?

Million Dollar Car

This car appeared in front of the Four Seasons during F1. We were told that it cost over a million dollars. It is a Hennessey. Cars don't really interest me, but this one was attracting lots of looks.

Pause the Politics

This bus appeared at Fan Fest during F1. I figure that they didn't have time to repaint it after the election.

Dress for Success

Spotted this gent on Congress Avenue during F1. He had a deck of cards and alternated between looking at his cell phone and shuffling them. He tried to engage a couple of passers-by but I just moved along muttering 'so orange!'

Swag

There was some swag for sale at the Four Seasons during F1. It amuses me that they are peddling a book "How to be a Cowboy."

Lamborghinis

During F1, a bevy of Lamborghinis took over the Ballet Austin driveway. (The Ballet Austin Dance Education Center was the site of one of the fancy late night parties.) The air intake in front of the back wheel (I guess that's what it is) fascinated me. F1 and its fantastic car displays are gone. Back to normal Austin weirdness.

Ferrari

During the Formula One Week these Ferraris took pride of place along the driveway of the Four Seasons hotel.

Car Checking In

There is a car racing thing called F1. Grand Prix. Something. Formula One. This has come to Austin with the construction of a huge track and complex near Elroy. Every November for a weekend for ten years this race will come to our area. I don't know much about it, but we live downtown and so have been on the periphery of the hoopla. A couple of days ago we went over to the historic Stephen F. Austin hotel where they had managed to get an F1 car into the lobby through door in the background.

Wildlife Identification on the Walk Around the Lake

I'm not good at wildlife identification and sometimes I just shoot a picture and wonder...what species is that? Especially the one on the right!

Walk Around the Lake

When we do our Lady Bird Lake strolls there are lots of interesting sites. When we are almost directly across from our building on Auditorium Shores there is Stevie Ray and his shadow in the shadow of our tower.

Angry Graffiti Birds?

This is a detail from the ever-changing graffiti on Castle Hill.

Nick Cave Reflection

I take a lot of reflection pictures but usually reserve them for another blog (which I have been remiss in updating). Thought I'd offer up this one here. It was taken at Art House at Jones Center on Congress and the art work in the lobby is by Nick Cave.

Many Pennies

When we were at SoundSpace at the Blanton last month I shot a quick picture inside the installation of a work by Cildo Meireles. You enter this work and the floor is covered with hundreds of thousands of pennies. I liked the way the light played on these visitors and their outfits.

High Glam, High Energy

Last night we attended a high glam fashion show at The Driskill Hotel given by a friend of ours, Stephen Moser, who is terminally ill.  It was a chance for him to show off his designs, a collection which he has been working on for something like nine years.  Here you see some shoes by another local designer who was also showing his creations on the runway.

Coming Down

Lots of Austin's cranes are being used to build things, but the decomissioned Holly Street Power Plant is coming down. We walked over to the east side on the trail one day last month and snapped this picture across one of the playing fields.

Cloud Gate

Yesterday I noticed how the clouds seemed all of a piece with the W Hotel and Residences.

High above

I took this photo on my morning walk yesterday.  Speaking as someone who had a desk job his whole life, I have to admire men who are willing to do jobs like this one, so that the rest of us can have necessities like power and water. 

Circular

I am a sucker for circular windows but this house is so unusual with just these gigantic ones visible. Wonder if they have more on the wooded side or skylights? In South Austin.

Another entry in my "abandoned shoe" series.  I saw this silver high heel on a morning walk to an appointment a couple of days ago. When you see just one like this, you wonder what happened to the mate.

In With the New

We were taking a stroll around East Austin last week and we noticed this lot which had a very modern house on the back and this shell of an interesting stone house on the front. We couldn't figure out what the plan was for what was left of the old house.

New look on a venerable park

Linda and I went for a walk yesterday.  We went past Wooldridge Park, which is a few blocks north of our condo.  Just a few months ago, it was a victim of overuse and lack of watering, so its lawn was brown and the trees were parched.  Thanks to shutting it off from public use for a while, resodding and installing a new irrigation system, it looks wonderful now--the way I remember it from my younger days. I shot this photo with my iPhone through a tear in the green covering on the fence surrounding it. Hopefully, it will stay this way for a while.

The Birds

Grackles are a problem all over town. They congregate in large numbers and they love to scavenge at outdoor food places. The blackboard artist at Jo's on Second tried to warn patrons against encouraging them. That said they can be agressive. FFP left the table at the patio of Trio at Four Seasons a few weeks back and one came and took a half slice of buttered toast from his side of the table while I sat there.

Extra! Extra! Wastewater Tunnel!

Walking around on Halloween we stumbled on press conference celebrating the new Downtown Wastewater [sic, poster has it all one word] Tunnel. It was beside the Long Center on a piece of land that was fenced off and had a big drill for a long while. I think the festivities were just finished and out of sight there are some officials and reporters and cameras. Installing this baby has meant disruptive construction all over downtown. I hope it's done. Look at the size of that sewer tile sample they brought out for the reporters!

Urban Pig

Saw this fellow on a stroll on Second Street Wednesday. I bet he doesn't run with the dogs! He seemed quite regal and self-possessed like he was the only pet pig around.

Water's Edge

It is theme day at City Daily Photo. The theme is "water's edge." I shot this view of the edge of Lady Bird Lake where Shoal Creek empties into it. The little bridge connects the Hike and Bike trail across the gap. See other City Daily Photo interpretations of the theme here.