Good to know!

We like to eat and stay in places that are inclusive. Here you see the outdoor sign at the Austin Motel.

Another good thought

I couldn't work this one in at the first of the month -- but yeah.

Amuse bouche

This amuse at Wink Restaurant the other night was tasty and the harbinger of a terrific meal.

Austin icon

Here you see Eddie Wilson, the father of the famed Armadillo World Headquarters, seling the book he co-wrote with Jesse Sublett.

Merry Christmas to me!

This coat and tie combination was part of my Christmas. Linda and went back and bought me the tie after we bought the jacket. I love clothes.

Fried chicken -- easy to get Fixe-ated.

I'm sure that we have posted a shot or two of this fried chicken at Fixe in the past, but it's hard not to keep cackling about how good it is.

Full house!

We went to Parker Jazz Club the other night, expecting a light crowd - wrong! Glad to see that Austin is catching on to this venue.

Balloon madness for Boxing Day

One of the party-goers' dads is a balloon master-- he made this tree and a Santa to go with it.

Out of the box costume for Boxing Day

Our friend Kate can be counted on for a festive costume at her parties.

Dip buffet for Boxing Day

This holiday party featured a dip buffet -- which we heartily enjoyed. They had make-your-own Frito Chili Pies as well. Always fun to visit at other folks' houses.

Austin icon at the Bazaar

Here you see Eddie Wilson, the former owner of the Armadillo World Headquarters, touting and selling his book by the same name at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. He co-wrote it with Jesse Sublett.

A blast from the past

Here's a look at the Armadillo Beer Garden, from around the time Linda and I were dating back in the mid-1970s.

More jazz! Holy smoking!

I caught this shot the other night at Church on Monday, with Eli Haslinger on sax wailing away.

Accident waiting to happen

The photo says it all. If this truck backs up, one less scooter. Hallelujah!

All that jazz

Always fun to hear our friends play at Parker Jazz Club. That's the owner of the club on tenor sax.

Flamingos galore

We tried out a new restaurant on the Eastside the other day. This wallpaper in the restroom was striking, to say the least.

Fun dinner at Fonda San Miguel

We had a nice dinner at Fonda San Miguel restaurant last month with some old friends. You can see the lady in the background making tortillas.

Worth a try

I love signs that are posted to help with public health.

Smarty pants scooter riders

We told these youngsters that riding scooters on the Capitol grounds was illegal. It took the state troopers they were riding towards to enforce the law. I wish they'd gotten a fine.

Resolution Idea

Yeah, a new exercise machine -- great idea! I'll go right out and buy one!

Holiday party buffet -- "unbearably" delicious

We love the Christmas party at the Headliners Club in downtown Austin. This year's buffet was lavish as always and the bear in the middle is a visual treat.

Christmas Surprise

My Christmas surprise. The beautiful and soft winter scarf shown was my Christmas surprise. Each of us surprised the other with one present.

A Christmas Present we Received

We are getting old, but we are still so far from 100 that we can't imagine it. My niece gave us this book for Christmas.

Winter Sunrise

Occasionally we still get a nice sunrise even though we are being hemmed in by buildings. This view is over some shorter buildings and toward the lake and Rainey Street and East Avenue. Appropriately, there is a crane in the view.

There Goes the Capitol View

A rather large building is going up across from a club we belong to on Sixth Street (The Headliners). I think the Capitol Dome may disappear behind this one.

A Wise Place to Plug In?

This odd painting was for sale at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. As realistic as the sockets look, they were painted and quite large.

Fancy Boots

These were on offer at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar.

Handcrafted Things for Your Wall

These were for sale at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar where we almost always go on Christmas Eve.

Living Under A Bridge

Near our highrise, there is a pedestrian bridge over Shoal Creek. There are apparently homeless people living underneath it. Among the mess is a rental bike. If a hard rain comes, this camp would be in some danger, I think. It's a shame people have to live this way.

Eyes on the Prize

I was walking in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood when I spotted this century plant and thought, at first, that it had Christmas balls on its spines. But no, "here's looking at you kid." That's different!

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Here is a combustion engine truck delivering battery-powered scooters that have been charged off the grid. When people ride these (often dangerously and not really to use for transportation but for fun) is that really reducing harm? When we dodge these things, both at rest and in motion, we ask a lot of these questions.

Photo of the Year

On a brisk February morning, I was at the Farmers Market which happens each Saturday, one block from the 44-story tower where we live. I had walked over to buy a couple of tacos and was taking some random photos when I saw this little girl skipping along. I clicked at just the right instant to catch her mid-air. After some discussion, we decided to choose this shot as the Photo of the Year for 2019. It symbolizes the human touch of joy and play among the high-rise swath of buildings where we make our home. Have a Happy New Year! Click here to see the photos of the year from around the world. Click here to see the ones we chose from on this blog for 2019.