Holiday Buffet -- What a Treat!

We always love this buffet at the Headliners Club that takes place just before Christmas. It's a chance to catch up with a lot of friends and make some new ones. The food is always great, too. Unlimited tamales and shrimp. What is not to like?

Room with a View

We were dining in a private room at the Headliners Club (the Green Room) and I just sort of shot this sunset/reflection picture 'from the hip' during the cocktail portion of the evening with my tiny Nikon S01. The lamp, the reflection of the bookcases (which hold books written by members of the club), our building (just above the lamp), the line of traffic on Sixth Street...it really spoke to me about our life in downtown Austin. No retouching done.

Guest at Dinner

We were at the Headliners Club one night in May and while it was still light outside I shot this picture of the Frost bank looming outside the window.

A Little More Christmas

Let's hold that spirit a little more! Last Friday a brass quintet played Christmas carols at the Headliners club in front of the 'flower tree' with the Frost Bank tower looming behind. The company, the Bloody Marys and the buffet were all extra fine.

Some Lanes Closed Due to Cold

We've been having unusually cold weather for Austin. It was around twenty degrees Fahrenheit when I started playing tennis yesterday. Lanes of the (heated) pool had been opened for some stalwart swimmers, though, when I finished. It was probably above freezing then. Just. The rest of the pool was still covered to preserve heat...the other blue on the left.

This is an iPhone photo.

Downtown History

Just east of Congress on E. Ninth (Congress delineates east and west for these streets) is this historic building, wedged between some other old buildings and a rather unfortunate '70's look parking garage. Formerly the Millet Opera House, the building has housed a private club, the Austin Club, since 1981. The private club hosts a lot of events (wedding parties and such) as well as many political sit-downs due to its proximity to the Capitol. During legislative sessions the bar is abuzz with Texas politics. Since the opera house was built in 1878, some legislative sessions were actually held there while the Capitol was under construction.

Blue

This building carries the name of Chase Bank and is a bit west of Congress in the downtown skyline at 221 W. Sixth. A locally famous private club occupies the top floor. It is called The Headliners Club and might have had something to do with journalists at some point. No, I'm not a member. Yes, I've been there a few times.

Today, is theme day. And the theme is 'the color blue'. Or in parts of the world where English is spoken via UK, 'the colour blue'. This building against an intensely blue Fall sky in Austin fits the bill. Good thing there are white and black accents to break up the blue.

Other sites allegedly participating in theme day:
Boston (MA), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Arlington (VA), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Portland (OR), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Arradon, France - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Stockholm, Sweden - Singapore, Singapore - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Toulouse, France - The Hague, Netherlands - Moscow, Russia - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Stayton (OR), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Detroit (MI), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Greenville (SC), USA - Hyde, UK - Radonvilliers, France - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Saarbrücken, Germany - New Orleans (LA), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Forks (WA), USA - Wichita (Ks), USA - Barton (VT), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Joplin (MO), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Inverness (IL), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand - Toruń, Poland - North Bay (ON), Canada - Le Guilvinec, France - Chateaubriant, France - London, England - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Sydney, Australia - Austin (TX), USA - Mumbai, India - Boston (MA), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Paderborn, Germany - Montréal (QC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Orlando (FL), USA - Grenoble, France - Cheltenham, UK - Forks (WA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - London, UK - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Belgrade, Serbia - Paris, France - Shanghai, China - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Montpellier, France - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Auckland, New Zealand - Evry, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Oslo, Norway - Minneapolis (MN), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Trujillo, Peru - Trujillo, Peru - Melbourne (VIC), Australia - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Durban, South Africa - Brussels, Belgium - Anderson (SC), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Wellington, New Zealand - Prague, Czech Republic - Saigon, Vietnam - Ystad, Sweden - Miami (FL), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Hong Kong, China - Melbourne, Australia - Baziège, France - Greensboro (NC), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia