Predicting 2009

Since everyone will be making their predictions for the new year, I thought I'd show you the 'office' of a professional prognosticator. You can also buy a car, I guess. This place is on South Lamar.

Destruction and Revelation

There was going to be a Marriot Hotel complex on Congress. Tesoros Trading moved. Las Manitas closed with a vague promise to reopen in space the owners owned up the street. Even though the hotel is postponed the old buildings they occupied were torn down. My theory is it was a permit or tax issue. (See the bottom part of this collage which shows the old Tesoros mural before destruction.) Notice the interesting old ad murals revealed after Las Manitas is down.

A New Art Work/Memorial

It's important to walk the same paths you've been down before with your camera...in case the light is different or they tear something down or build something new. This work of art or memorial is going up near the Hike and Bike Trail and the Mexican American Cultural Center near Rainey Street. The name 'Perez' is on the arch above. In the background you can see the Milago condominiums and the Legacy apartments. The latter appear ready to take renters, if they haven't already.

Burger Joint

An Austin original, this is Hill-Bert's Burgers. It used to be on North Lamar and has now taken over a former Taco Bell on a little dead part of 35th. The old car (Jetta I think?) towing a burger? Can't explain. Haven't had their burgers in years but used to be excellent.

Tee Shopping

We went to see "Milk" last night. (I highly recommend it, but I'm a little late with a movie review for that one.) That is relevant to this picture because this is the the T-Shirt store inside Alamo Ritz. (Downtown on Sixth.) If you are in town and want a really unusual Tee, stop in the movie lobby and shop. You can get a T-Shirt of something we shot for ADP even.

Lights on the River

FFP shot this walking back across Lady Bird Lake from Long Center the other night. The trees along the newly renovated south shore are lit up and behind the Silicon Labs building the lights in the southern spine of our building stream upwards. We got glimpses of and photographed the building many times before we lived there. (See here and here.) Now it's a beacon to draw us home.

Hope Your Day is Bright

It's a bit dreary out this morning in Austin, but hopefully it will brighten up into beautiful day like yesterday. This is FFP posing with the tree in the lobby of the Chase building. His bright muffler (it was cold and dreary day before yesterday when this was taken) was given to me by a South African friend, hence the colors. (Although given the red and green it passes muster for Christmas.)