TEXAS TWO STEP
PART DEUCE, SECOND STEP

OK, THE NEXT DAY APRIL 26 (WEDDING DAY) WE WENT FOR A DRIVE ABOUT TO LOOK SEE WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND AUSTIN. THE DAY BEFORE WE SPOTTED THIS SIGN/TRAILER OFF HIGHWAY I35. NATURALLY IT PIQUED MY CULINARY INSTINCT. SO IT'S ABOUT ELEVEN AM WHICH MEANS IT'S TIME TO HAVE SOME BBQ! I SWERVE RIGHT TO GET TO THE EXIT AND PULL INTO THE GAS STATION WHERE THE LITTLE TRAILER IS PARKED. THE RESTAURANT CONSISTS OF A LITTLE TRAILER WITH 5 PLASTIC TABLES & CHAIRS AL FRESCO. THERE ARE ALREADY ABOUT 6 PEOPLE WAITING FOR FOOD. HAD A PLEASANT CHAT AND THE KIND FOLKS SUGGESTED THE CHOPPED BEEF AND BURGERS. THEN THEY FOUND OUT I WAS FROM NEW JERSEY AND KINDA LOOKED AT ME FUNNY. WHEN I TOLD THEM I WAS JUST KIDDING I WAS REALLY FROM TORONTO, CANADA THEY REALLY WARMED UP TO ME!

HAD SOME TIME TO CHAT UP WITH THE OWNER/COOK/BBQ MASTER/SOUS CHEF/MANAGER, WALLACE BRANDYBURG. A REALLY NICE BIG DUDE WHO WAS A TRUCK DRIVER IN HIS FORMER LIFE. HE HAS BEEN SERVING UP SOME FINE BBQ SINCE 1999. HIS PLACE WAS VOTED ONE OF TEXAS' TOP 50 PLACES TO EAT BBQ. THE GREAT STORY BEHIND THE NAME IS THAT AN OLDER LADY HAD ASKED HIM IF HIS BBQ WAS TENDER ENOUGH FOR HER TO EAT EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD NO TEETH. HE GAVE HER A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE AND THE REST IS HISTORY. I HAD THE CHOPPED BEEF (WHICH IS BASICALLY CHOPPED BRISKET!) A NICE TASTY SANDWICH ON A SOFT BURGER BUN WITH ONIONS, PICKLE AND A SPATTER OFF BBQ SAUCE. DARN TASTY INDEED AND ONLY THREE & A HALF BUCKS! IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO DRINK YA GOTTA GO TO THE GAS STATION AND BUY IT THERE. HE ASKED THE MRS JIMTHEGREEK IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO TRY SOME, BUT SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS A VEGETARIAN. OLD WALLACE SEEMED TO HAVE A GOOD CHUCKLE ABOUT THAT. WELL OFF TO VISIT WITH SOME OF THE MRS' COUSIN BUT FIRST GOTTA STOP FOR SOME COFFEE AT AUSTIN'S OWN KICK BUTT COFFEE!!

YES, KICK BUTT COFFEE, A QUIRKY YET NIFTY LOCAL COFFEE CHAIN. THIS COOL JOINT NOT ONLY HAS GOOD COFFEE BUT THEY SERVE IT UP WITH SOME HUMOR, BOOZE, SMOOTHIES AND FOOD! THEY ALSO SEEM TO BE BIG FANS OF CHUCK NORRIS, WHICH IS OK IN MY BOOK! ALL RIGHT NOW WE WERE READY FOR THE VISIT WITH THE RELATIVES! IT TURNED OUT TO BE A PLEASANT AFTERNOON CHAT IN THE YARD OF A QUAINT HOME AND THEN WE WERE BACK TO THE HOTEL TO CHANGE AND GIT TO THE SALT LICK BBQ FOR THE WEDDING!





AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR DRIVE FROM AUSTIN, WE GOT TO THE PLACE. THERE WAS A NICE SIMPLE WEDDING CEREMONY IN A PLEASANT GARDEN. THE SALT LICK BBQ IS ONE OF THE MOST UNPRETENTIOUS, REGULAR TYPE KIND OF PLACES THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. IT IS BASICALLY ON AN OLD FARM WITH PICNIC TABLES AND A REAL FAMILY STYLE KIND OF PLACE. BRING YOUR OWN BEER N BOOZE, HAVE A GOOD TIME, GOOD FOOD WITH THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ALL AT A REASONABLE PRICE. I WOULD SAY THE ONLY DRAWBACK IS IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN OR DO NOT EAT ANY MEAT. THEN YOU ARE STUCK WITH THE "VEGETARIAN PLATE" OF COLE SLAW, POTATO SALAD & BEANS. MAYBE YOU CAN GET SOME BREAD TOO. THAT'S ABOUT IT ON THE NON -MEAT MENU. OH, AND DON'T BRING YOUR CREDIT CARDS CAUSE IT IS CASH ONLY! THE FOOD WAS GOOD.

THE WEDDING WAS A NICE HAPPY AND FUN EVENT. IT WAS GREAT , FOLKS IN SUITS AND FOLKS IN JEANS AND COWBOY BOOTS. YOURS TRULY WAS THE ONLY GREEK COWBOY IN THE HOUSE. YES, I HAD DUSTED OFF MY OLD BOOTS, PUT ON A BOLO TIE AND WAS STYLING! IN FACT I MAY HAVE BEEN THE ONLY GREEK COWBOY EVER TO VISIT! A GOOD TIME HAD BY ALL. AFTER THE WEDDING , STOPPED BY THE COUSINS HOUSE TO HAVE SOME NIGHTCAPS AND DO THE USUAL SLIGHTLY INEBRIATED TALK ABOUT POLITICS, LIFE AND THE YANKEES!

THE NEXT DAY OFF TO THE AIRPORT. AN UNEVENTFUL DROP OFF OF THE RENTAL CART AT THE EVIL ALAMO CAR RENTAL RETURN AND ON TO JET BLUE TO GET HOME. IT WENT SMOOTHLY UNTIL WE GOT TO JFK AND THE IDIOT CAR SERVICE DRIVER COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JET BLUE ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURE AREAS. FRIGGIN HALF HOUR WAIT! OH WELL GOOD TO BE BACK IN GOOD OLD NY!