Sam goes to spend a weekend full of music in Austin, Texas!
Friday night: Southern Converse Avenue is full of tattoos, neon and hot rods. It looks like you stepped back in time to the 1950s. Sam hits the Continental and gets to go upstairs to meet the artists. She meets a local blues legend, Gary. Sam tries to jam with him but can’t keep up. Sam wonders how he can be able to really play the blues at such a young age but he says he can.
Saturday morning: Sam goes to Jo’s for some coffee and music. Sam meets Kinky, another local music legend. He says he’s been performing in Austin since Christ was a cowboy. They get some breakfast and enjoy the house band. Sam then hits Sixth Street and walks into a…tattoo parlor? Oh, she’s just getting a henna tattoo. Sam notices hula hoops, which the owner keeps it out so people waiting can keep entertained. She also teaches hula hooping. After a quick lesson, Sam gets a henna tattoo of the lotus. She tells Sam her tattoo means whatever she wants it to mean. So what does our girl decide on? “Buy me a beer.” That’s our Sam!
Coming up: Sam takes a dip.
Saturday afternoon: Sam decides to spend some time outdoors and goes to Lady Bird Lake. Sam joins John at the Barton Springs, an Austin institution according to John. Sam gets in and it is cold. Rather than a morning jog, some people take a morning dip in the springs. John does a cannonball into the springs, causing Sam to laugh.
After getting out of the springs, Sam goes to Lockhart to eat at Smitty’s Market. It is Texas barbecue, complete with giant fire. She meets the pit master, who is the grandson of the founder. San is surprised the Market still accepts checks. Sam eats with two locals, though one is a vegetarian. He says he comes for the cole slaw. Sam gets a food coma and learns the vegetarian is the designated driver.
Coming up: Bats.
Saturday night: Sam stands by the Bat Signal, leading to the Bat Bridge. There’s an audience. Bats moved in to the bridge once Austin redesigned it. And as the Ride of the Valkyries plays, 5.5 million bats fly out of the bridge. It’s a swarm and the creatures of the night inspire Sam to hit the town rather than hit the hay. She goes to Broken Spoke to experience some honky-tonk. Many have stopped by the place and the owner shows her pictures of Willie Nelson over the years. He even serenades Sam about his place. Sam gets to be apart of a tradition—she pushes the wheel to get the party started. She gets a private lesson on the two-step and dances the night away.
Coming up: Cars and Chickens?
Sunday morning: Sam goes down to an annual Austin festival celebrating cars. Like his club, the festival founded by the Continental owner are inspired by the 1950s. He introduces her to Sweet Nadine and gives her a spin in the Black Dahlia.
Sunday afternoon: Sam spends her last hours in Austin in Little Longhorn. You can drink, dance, listen to music, play dominoes and ever tailgate in the parking lot. Sam joins some of the Austinites outside. But the real draw on Sundays is Bingo. And not just any type of bingo. You put money into a pot, pick a number and if a chicken poops on your number—you win!
Eww.
Sam doesn’t win and she grabs her bags to leave. But first, she gets waylaid by some friends of the tattoo artist who gave her her henna tattoo. Turns out they wrote a song for her because she saved them when they were stuck in a blizzard. They play their song for her and Sam says “adios” to Austin.
Sam’s weekend in Austin looked like great fun. If I go, I’m not going in the summer—too hot! But it seems a car ride across the US is in order.
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