jimithegreek: May 2008

TEXAS TWO STEP

PART ONE, FIRST STEP

HOW Y'ALL DOING?

WAY BACK ON APRIL 25TH, ME N THE MRS WENT TO AUSTIN, THE HILL COUNTRY OF THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS FOR THE NEPHEWS WEDDING. NOW LET ME TELL YOU, YOU AIN'T BEEN TO A WEDDING TILL YOU GO TO A TEXAS BBQ WEDDING AT THE SALT LICK IN DRIFTWOOD TEXAS!!!

WE TOOK OLD RELIABLE JET BLUE ON A DIRECT FLIGHT FROM JFK TO AUSTIN. JET BLUE IS MY FAVE AIRLINE JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE DIRECT TV OPTION AND YOU CAN WATCH ENDLESS ESPN,CNBC,TNT N STUFF! THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL WHICH MEANS GREAT!

WE LANDED AND WENT TO GET OUR RENTAL CAR AT ALAMO. ALAMO CAR RENTAL WHICH SHOULD REALLY BE CALLED WESOSTUPID CAR RENTAL. THE IDIOT AT THE DESK TOLD ME THAT I WAS UNRENTABLE? IT DID NOT MATTER THAT I HAD A RESERVATION & CONFIRMATION NUMBER. I WAS UNRENATBLE? OK, OK I SAID REMAINING CALM. I WILL GO TO NATIONAL NEXT DOOR. OOPS THEY ARE OWNED BY SAME COMPANY....MORE IDIOTS. SO I TOLD THE TOP IDIOT I AM GOING TO HERTZ. HE THEN SAID ,OH? WE CAN RENT THE CAR TO YOUR WIFE UNDER YOUR RESERVATION NUMBER. I GAVE UP AND THE MRS DID THE RENTAL. LATER ON CALLING ALAMO ABOUT THREE TIMES TO CUSS THEM OUT THEY FINALLY FIXED IT AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I EXPLAINED THAT I KNEW THE REASON WAS THEY THEY WERE FRIGGIN IDIOTS AND I WOULD NEVER RENT FROM THEM AGAIN!! THERE RESPONSE WAS "OK, THANK YOU FOR CALLING ALAMO CAR RENTAL". APPARENTLY WE WERE NOT THE ONLY CITIZENS WITH A BAD EXPERIENCE AT ALAMO CAR RENTAL AS THERE IS A WEB SITE CALLED ALAMO CAR RENTAL SUCKS. HOW TRUE, HOW TRUE!

WE GOT TO OUR VERY NICE AND VERY FREE HOTEL, THE AUSTIN MARRIOTT SO

UTH AIRPORT HOTEL. LOVE THEM MARRIOTT POINTS. WE SETTLED IN AND SPENT THE DAY EXPLORING THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I FOUND AUSTIN TO BE THE NICEST, MOST COSMOPOLITAN & DIVERSE CITY IN TEXAS. YOU CAN ACTUALLY WALK AROUND AND SEE/DO STUFF IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. IT IS THE CAPITAL OF TEXAS AND IT HAS A GREAT MUSIC SCENE WITH DOZENS OF CLUBS, BARS RESTAURANTS FEATURING LIVE MUSIC FROM HUNDREDS OF BANDS. THE AREA WHERE MOST OF THIS WAS HAPPENING IS KNOWN AS 6TH STREET. SIXTH STREET IS A NEAT, ALMOST SKETCHY , FUNKY, MUSICY, ARTSY PLACE WITH LOTS STUFF GOING ON. SORTA LIKE A GREENWICH VILLAGE/HAIGHT STREET KIND GROOVE GOING ON. WE ENDED UP GOING BACK THERE FRIDAY NIGHT FOR DINNER...... AND WHAT A DINNER IT WAS!

WHAT INITIALLY ATTRACTED US TO THE PARKSIDE WAS THE OLD SCHOOL TYPEWRITER TYPE MENU. THAT AND CAUSE THE MENU LOOKED DARN GOOD. NOT ONLY DID IT LOOK DARN GOOD BUT IT WAS EXTRA DARN GOOD. WE

ORDERED A BOTTLE OF AUSSIE WOLF BLASS GOLD CHARDONNAY. A VERY TASTY, CRISP, INEXPENSIVE & UNDERRATED AUSSIE WHITE WINE FIRST INTRODUCED TO ME BY MY GOOD FRIEND, THAT CRAZY CHINAMAN. WE DECIDE TO JUST GO WITH THE TASTY SOUNDING APPETIZERS SO WE STARTED WITH THE CEVICHE; THIS WAS A WONDERFUL DISH OF COOL, FRESH, FLAKY WHITE FISH (STRIPED BASS), SHRIMPS, SCALLOPS, ONION, TOMATO, CILANTRO, LEMON, LIME, GARLIC, & JALAPENO. THE SILVER BREAM; A GLISTENING, FRESH SASHIMI STYLE FISH DISH WITH FRESH GREENS, LEMON ZEST & CRISPY ALMOND THINGYS. WHOA THERE COWPOKES, NO MEAT HERE (WHEN DINING WITH THE MRS ANYWAY). WE THEN HAD THE ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE & TASTY PISTACHIOS ALONG WITH AN EXCELLENT TRIO OF DELICATELY FRIED SARDINES & GARLIC AIOLI. FOR DESSERT WE HAD THE TOP QUALITY SASHIMI TYPE SALMON WITH BLOOD ORANGE SECTIONS ALONG WITH A DECADENT SMOKY ALMOST MEAT LIKE ROASTED MUSHROOM DISH. ACTUALLY I HAD A REGULAR ESPRESSO FOR DESSERT! A TRULY EXCELLENT MEAL.