Cool for a day

Coolness is not one of my major attributes. I have even, on occasion, been forbidden by my children to use the word.

But, as the saying goes, even a blind pig, etc., etc., etc.

So, for one day last week I was personally at hip-cool central, Austin, Texas, during SXSW! Wooo! Not bad for someone who, just a year or so ago, didn't know what SXSW stood for. [Although I have a ways to go to reach the coolness level of the gentleman who accidentally got into my shot on the left.]

Historically, it was a week of music events in Austin, self-proclaimed live music capital of the world. It's evolved over the years into much more, with all kinds of tech events and game and device unveilings, and, what I went for, movies, too.

As you can tell from the picture below, taken during a 6th Street stroll between films, we had beautiful weather on Thursday. That, coupled with the congenial company of my young 'uns (who aren't as censorious about my vocabulary these days), made for a delightful day in A-town.

We saw a couple of interesting movies (one documentary, one feature), ate some yummy Tex-Mex at Jaime's Spanish Village, had our eardrums rung at The Jackalope (where I found a new beer to like), got some visiting and game-playing in, and—the somewhat un-cool high point for me—got to visit the house soon-to-be-owned by globetrotting son and daughter-in-law.

Of course, there was also some high-level people watching, too, in conjunction with that 6th Street stroll in particular. The street was closed to vehicles (except, as it appeared, for a fleet of beer trucks, which were needed to keep the suds flowing) so it was probably even more of a magnet for...shall we say...eccentric folks having a high time flaunting their eccentricities. Not to mention almost wall-to-wall street musicians like the ones on the right.

What's really weird about Austin, though, is that all this eccentricity happens in a city that's headquarters for one of the most embarrassingly conservative state governments in the country. Having to park quite a ways from 6th street necessitated a walk through the capitol grounds, which was quite pleasant, as long as you make an effort not to remember what goes on inside our handsome capitol buildings.

But I suppose it's a lesson in the dangers of generalization when you realize that the craziness of SXSW is just a few blocks from here.

I'm already looking forward to next year's festival, when, with more lodging options available, I'll be able to enjoy more than just one day of this coolness extravaganza. And maybe take in some uncool tourist attractions like museums and parks, too, while I'm there. Since it really is a multi-attraction city.