Austin ABC

A is for Art: we ambled on up to AMOA where the Christo and Jeanne-Claude exhibition was running with an informative little documentary. We came out of there just itching to wrap something – anything – up in saffron fabric and a bit of old string…

B is for Barbecue!At last! I have been initiated. On the recommendation of a local gal working the AWP registration desk, we walked behind the convention centre to the Ironworks, which provided authentic and delicious Texas barbecue with all the fixin’s. Perched over a creek (where we spotted a jumbo turtle – snapper? – and three smaller ones frolicking, or perhaps terrorizing one another) with plenty of autographed testimonials on the walls, it had lots of selection for carnivores and even a good little salad bar and tasty beans for the vegetarians. A couple of locals gave me some guidance for choosing my meat. “In the south-east,” she drawled, “they *think* that barbecue is pork. But in Texas, it’s beef.” And so it was.

C is for the fabulous, the legendary and the conveniently local Continental Club, where we attended happy hour and the musical stylings of blueser Gary Clark Jr. Lanky is one word for him. Limber of plectrum are a few more. To these old ears he proved that good things come in threes: “Shame, Shame, Shame” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” were among his repertoire. Best of all, he was playing for tips at an hour we could manage (7pm). There are two late night shows, 10pm and midnight. If we have the stamina for a return visit post-conference one night, he’s playing again on Friday, and the Seatsniffers from Belgium (?) are on tomorrow.