Just in case you were wondering…
Archive for the ‘Austin’ Category
What It’s Like in Austin Today
Sunday, August 28th, 2011Just In Case You Thought I Was Exaggerating About the Weather
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011I wasn’t.
How Hot Is It, Johnny?
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011Here in Texas, we’re pretty much used to it hitting 100º for several days running in the summer. What we’re not so used to is it hitting 105º every day for weeks on end. Lately it’s been about 95º when I went out to walk my dog at 10:30 at night.
This is, to say the least, unpleasant.
We’re also breaking power-consumption records.
This is the hottest summer I can remember, and the drought is even worse. Not only is it worse than any I can remember, it’s the worst since they started keeping rainfall records. In 1895.
If you need visual confirmation, this graphic should do the trick:
100% of the state is under drought conditions, and 75% are suffering from D4 exceptional drought. Maybe they need to add a D5 level: “It’s dead, Jim.” Yes, it’s worse statistically than the Dust Bowl. (Thank modern agriculture, irrigation and lack of wind for not picking up the topsoil and dropping it on other states.) It also threatens record agricultural losses.
I fully expect it to be cooler in Reno for the Worldcon than it will be in Austin.
One consolation: So far, it doesn’t look like we’ll break the all-time record for the hottest day in Austin history, which was 112º on September 5th, 2000. That was not fun. (I was out riding my bike the day before, when it only hit a temperate 109º…)
Best Potato Chips Ever
Saturday, July 2nd, 2011By serendipitous chance, I have stumbled across the most delicious potato chips I’ve ever tasted.
You’re probably thinking “Oh, they’re probably truffle-flavored French potato chips you found at Central Market, and they’re $20 a bag.”
No. I found them at a convenience store in a combination Chevron/ McDonald’s in Cedar Creek on Highway 71 between Bastrop and Austin, they’re roasted garlic flavor, and they’re 79¢ a bag. And they’re made, of all places, in Detroit.
Behold Uncle Ray’s Roasted Garlic Potato Chips:
They taste like a really good slice of garlic bread, except saltier and crisper.
I don’t often eat potato chips (for all the obvious reasons), but if Central Market did have these, I’d definitely stock up for my next party…
Lawrence Person’s Library: Reference Books (Part 2: Oversized Books)
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011And here’s the second part of my series on my reference library. The last installment dealt with the books I reach for most often. The reference works listed in this post share only size, being too big for most of my other shelves, which is why they’re filed here. Some of these (the Nevins, the first two Bleilers) get a lot of use, while others almost never get taken down (things that have been superseded by both the Internet and the two Clute encyclopedias).
(Click to embiggen.)
I’m not going to do a full run-down of publication dates, etc. for everything, but here’s a general overview of what’s here:
The Sun Wants to KILL YOU
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011Some nice turns of phrase (pathetic fallacy division) from the inimitable James Lileks:
At the center of every solar system, perhaps, there’s not a benevolent disc that paints the world with light and heat, but a raging devil shouting its hate wordlessly across the void….Every civilization that has ever, and will ever, exist in this galaxy or the millions of galaxies in the heavens, revolves around a suicide bomber.
I just thought that was a nifty turn of phrase and, being in a part of Texas suffering from one of the worst droughts ever, it struck a certain chord…
Water Falling From the Sky
Thursday, May 12th, 2011Attention Austinites: That wet stuff falling from the sky is called “rain.” I know you may not have seen these in some time, but it’s a naturally occurring phenomena.
It should also help ease our extreme drought.
In celebration, here’s Ladysmith Black Mombazo with “Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain.”
Brownout Fixed
Friday, May 6th, 2011I guess it was local to my house. And I now have a concrete casement previously covered with dirt in the corner of the backyard I never realized was there before…
Serious Brownout in Austin
Friday, May 6th, 2011Home waiting for FedEx. Serious brownout has rebooted my computer a couple of times. Currently offline.
By the way, blogging from an iPhone SUCKS.
Dear Renaissance Austin Hotel: Please Make Up Your Freaking Mind
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011A while back there was an announcement that “Blue Ribbon Restaurant opened in the Renaissance Austin Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd.” Indeed, the corporate mothership mentioned the Austin version yesterday while crowing that the same menu will be trotted out to different Renaissance hotels around the country.
Fine. Dandy. Except for the fact that Renaissance Austin Hotel doesn’t seem to have ever heard of it, and it isn’t found on their list of restaurants. Calling the Renaissance and asking for the restaurant gets you Banderas-A Texas Bistrot, which I’ve eaten at before, and which I found most notable for its glacial serving pace. And when I called the Renaissance to ask if they had a Blue Ribbon Restaurant, the girl answering the phone said no.
Anyway, Blue Ribbon Restaurant sounds like the sort of place I would like to try, especially since Armadillocon will be in the Renaissance again this year. But only if it, you know, actually exists.