Pierogis for you!

Now we have these tasty treats at the Farmers Market which happens on Saturday mornings a block from our place.

Tats!

This lady's tattoos are of a Mexican game of chance. I forgot the name of it.

Cake balls!

We went to a party not long ago and saw these gorgeous cake balls-- what artistry!

Sidewalks!

By the time you see this entry the sidewalk being poured here will be in place. I hope. This is looking straight down on the street below us.

Surround sound at University of Texas

About a month ago, we heard a fantastic concert at The University of Texas by the UT Symphony. Magnificent!

Austin Music Hall

I took this shot about a month ago of what's left of Austin Music Hall. Making way for another office building, by our tower where we live. Linda posted a photo of this a few weeks ago, but this aerial view gives you another perspective on it.

Rain coming from the West

Another from Jackie's balcony.

Sunset

A panorama from Jackie's place.

Shiny Skulls

These shiny beauties are available at Tesoros Trading for your shopping and Day of the Dead or Halloween pleasure.

Storm's Abrewing

This panorama was taken from our balcony at the 360 when a storm was coming.

Heads or Tails

These guys were part of the celebration of Puppy Mill Awareness Day.

Into Every Life....

Halloween is coming. Skeletons aren't having a bit of luck.

Bottle Tree

This East Austin bottle tree appears to be of the wine species. Frequent grafting has produced a hodge-podge of colors.

What Lurks Beneath?

Mural artist on the East Side has an interesting take on what might lie beneath Lady Bird Lake! Great imagination.

Morning View

Sometimes I enjoy the morning sky without getting out of my easy chair. The sun's reflection was bouncing through the gap between the JW Marriott and the W.

Commentary or Just Graffiti

This mural on an abandoned strip center on the east side was defaced. Was it commentary or just putting the wall to use for graffiti?

Monkeys

Self-portrait in the window of UrbanSpace Interiors on West Fifth Street. Me, the monkey and a barely visible FFP on the right.

What'll It Be?

This mural on an east side street portrays that classic dilemma: coffee or cocktails?

It's Going Away

Our building's neighbor, The Austin Music Hall, is being torn down. Large pieces of steel were being loaded into a dumpster. A office building with ground floor retail will occupy this lot.

The Skyline from the Boardwalk

About a third from the leftt you can see our building and the new 500 West Second being built as well as the recently completed Northshore Apartments.

Amazing Philanthropists

Sarah and Ernest Butler (right in picture) at the Ballet Austin Fete after establishing a three million dollar endowment for developing new work. Stephen Mills (artistic director) and Cookie Ruiz (executive director) are also shown. The Butlers have a knack for placing their donations for the arts in places where they can do enormous good for the community's cultural life long after we are all gone.

Ninja Mural

I like how this mural in East Austin seems to have been painted before the purple-framed windows were installed.

Neglected

This is a detail of a large, neglected house on West Lynn. This month's theme has me looking for abandoned structures and things.

New Hotels Rising

Congress Avenue is getting two new hotel properties in one footprint: the Aloft and Element are going up at Seventh Street.

Dressing Up Abandoned Storefronts

A strip of store fronts on Congress has been abandoned for a long time. Someone recenly dressed up the boarded-up first floors with a mural.

Bucolic Scene in the City

The wading bird waits for some breakfast near a boat stowed for later recreation.  Joggers, walkers and bikers pass nearby on the Lady Bird Lake Boardwalk. All in the middle of our high-rise city.

It's That Time of Year

Halloween brings those special themes to shop windows. Blackmail on South Congress is always one of the best.

Sunset

Never gets old. We should all be so lucky as to have the view that Jackie does and her skill and serendipity in capturing them for us.

Sun is Set

Never get tired of the view from Jackie's apartment.

Oops!

This vehicle went flying out of a downtown parking garage but was caught by the restraining wires. The Fire Department needed an hour or two to get it down. They succeeded!

Elvis Has Left the Building

It's the first of the month and readers know what that means: theme day. The theme is 'abandoned.' The 6th Street Cool Store on the east side has, unfortunately, been abandoned and it looks like from construction next door that it may be part of some new gentrification. In spite of the broken window and padlock on the door, the Our Lady of the Guadalupe and Elvis remain. It is interesting that Our Lady's spot was once occupied by dolphins in an earlier picture on the blog. Click here to see how others have interpreted the theme of abandoned.