Tesoros on the Move

This montage shows, on top, the sign for Tesoros Trading Company, a shop selling imported stuff from all over the world. They have lots of things from Mexico and Latin America given the proximity but also deal in stuff from Africa, India, etc. They have moved into the old Rue's Antiques location on South Congress. (Which leaves a void in my knowledge about where to get inexpensive 30's and 40's wardrobes and dressers.)

On the bottom is the mural on the side of the old building Tesoros still occupies downtown between Second and Third on Congress. Eventually a hotel will go there, but I think Tesoros is keeping two locations until then.

Peaceful Downtown Feeling

This was taken through a window in an eighth floor corner suite at the Four Seasons Hotel. We had a great suite but it didn't have a balcony. I'm not complaining you understand. We bought the night's stay and a massage treatment in a charity auction. And management gave us a suite, to boot. Project Transitions, one of my favorite charities, got the money. We got a relaxing evening and this great view of Lady Bird Lake. (This used to be Town Lake and I'm having trouble adjusting. Same lake. New name.) So we woke up Saturday morning to this view of boats and the Congress Avenue Bridge.

Friday night, by the way, we saw Ballet Austin's original production: Cult of Color: Call to Color and if you are in Austin you should definitely see it. Unbelievable!

One View

People are also asking us what our view will be like when we move downtown. This isn't it. This is one view from the south side of the 16th floor of the new AMLI across to the Palmer and Long Center. Enlarge to see the little people on the hike and bike. (By the way if you followed the AMLI link to the mystery structure picture...it is a light thing we think.)

Transportation

What looks like someone's very cute old bike is really an ad campaign for a downtown condo project. They chained these antique-looking bikes around with baskets of brochures. Clearly it's something that some clever ad man thought of...it's a bike, who is going to keep them from chaining it up even if it has ad brochures? Haven't noticed them since this was taken several weeks ago so maybe a guerrilla tactic? I intentionally shot it when the Segway tour was going by. Taken on Second Street in front of Jo's. The ads weren't for our future home (the 360) which is said to have a long waiting list of buyers. Rather, they were for a project called Spring which is at Third and Bowie, across Shoal Creek from our the area where we will live. This project hasn't topped yet but you can notice the red cranes if you are in the area.

Coffee? Or Something Stronger?

On Fourth Street at the northeast corner of Lavaca there is a Coffee/Bar (and /Lounge it would seem). Meaning they don't just have coffee, but a full bar. And you can lounge. They have free Internet, I think, though I've never used it there. They recently remodeled and shrank the inside dimension to give over space to another bar but I was assured that the panini plates wouldn't change and they are stellar. This stretch of Fourth Street between Lavaca and Colorado is a lively one with several bars (Cedar Street is an outdoor stage) and restaurants. This is definitely 'warehouse district' as the Halcyon and other businesses on that side of the street are ten feet above street level on old loading docks. The name Halcyon gives them lots to live up to, but I think they succeed!

Spring is Full Blown

We are pretty far south and by April spring is pretty full on here. This is a wisteria vine on an arbor at the Hotel San Jose on South Congress taken two weekends ago. The vines bloom according to size or the sun or some schedule in each plant but at the moment almost all are blooming or already have. The Redbuds have pushed away their colorful blossoms and are just adorned with heart-shaped leaves. The live oaks have pushed off old leaves for new and are throwing off their pollen to make green dust on everything. Looking across Lake Austin yesterday there was a green dust cloud on the west side. The pollen gets in my head and throws off my equilibrium but at least I'm not coughing and sneezing.

The thing about spring here is that it doesn't last long. Time to check out the air conditioning against the grueling heat to come.

Water Feature

Soon the water features in our lives will be: (1) a sliver of Lady Bird Lake glimpsed from our balcony; (2) the pool down one floor on the other side of the building; (3) walking down to the hike and bike for better Lady Bird Lake views; and (4) the gentle (we hope) sounds of the Austin chilled water plant on top of the garage across the street. Currently though we are like most home owners and have heard that 'water features' are selling points. The one bird is supposed to recirculate the water into the pond but we frequently have trouble keeping that mechanism unclogged and keeping the GFI from tripping. Another simpler bubbler in the center of a concrete ball in another pond works better but is less dramatic.

Water is the theme for today. (No fooling.) Here are some sites that are participating. Some may have forgotten, some may not have posted yet and some may be into tomorrow but sail around the world...looking for water.

theme day id=13

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Bibi, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Paja, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix - Bostonscapes, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Cypress (TX), USA by Riniroo, Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), USA by A Wandering Soul, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lake Forest Park (WA), USA by Azure, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Nancy, France by yoshi, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norman (OK), USA by Chad & LaCresha, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Odense, Denmark by ania odense, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Eric, Paris, France by Gordio, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Pont-à-Mousson, France by Tintin-j, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portland (OR), USA by NWgal, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Shanghai, China by Jing, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Nathalie, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Toruń, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn