new fans

Posted on March 18, 2017 by is there any more pie?

An afternoon at Lucy’s Fried Chicken means lots of new music and hours of people-watching, along with margaritas and chicken tenders, of course.

This sign is everywhere!  The Bullock Museum gift shop had it on pot holders and t-shirts.  Here it is at Lucy’s:

 

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I thought the symbol was a telescope, but it’s a cannon.  The Texans refused to give it back to Mexico during the Battle of Gonzales, the first battle of the Texas Revolution.

She sang harmony and played the fiddle AT THE SAME TIME.  Can you imagine how hard that is to do???

 

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Half of The Mastersons, a husband-wife duo from California.

 

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Talented cutie pies!!!

The Peterson Brothers started performing at ages 11 and 14.  Now they’re 18 and 21!  Oh, my goodness!  The Funny  Grandson and I sat close to the stage, on bales of straw, so we could see the two (two!!) drummers up close.  These boys never stopped smiling.  And neither did their parents, who were under the tent near our table and selling cd’s.

Guess who bought one.

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We’re going back again later on, to hear James McMurtry play at 6 PM.

Saturday there’s a “Women to Watch” day show at Opa’s Coffee and Wine Bar.  I hope to hear some new artists and some new songs.  I don’t think any of the guys are going to join me, so I’ll be drinking coffee and munching away on Greek pizza for the afternoon.

Will keep you posted.

And to read more about the Peterson Brothers and hear their music, go to:

http://www.petersonbrothersband.com/

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king of texas blues

Posted on March 17, 2017 by is there any more pie?

 

Stevie Ray Vaughan:  He’s a hero, a legend and a much-loved musician here in Texas.  And on Tuesday morning Son #1, the Funny Grandson and I went to the “Pride & Joy: the Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan” at the Bullock Museum.

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The Bullock Texas State History Museum, on 1800 N. Congress in Austin, is right downtown, at the edge of the campus and near the State Capitol.  It’s huge!  And we love going there.  Over the years it’s become a “must visit” spot every time we’re here in  Austin.

To read about the exhibit:  http://austinot.com/stevie-ray-vaughan-exhibit-bullock-museum

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The iconic guitar.

FG playing along:

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Trying out some Stevie Ray Vaughan songs:

IMG_2537There was also a “make a guitar” workshop for children, which taught the little ones about vibrations and sound.  FG was fascinated.

IMG_2526There was an exhibit for “Grandma”, too!  It was all about the “concert experience” and had footage and photos from famous concerts, including the Newport Folk Festival, Woodstock and Austin City Limits.  FG could have watched the films of the rock concerts for hours.

 

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Muddy Waters’ guitar from the 1967 Newport Folk Festival, plus other memorabilia.

Check this out.  I was there!!

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I don’t think the Funny Grandson had any idea what I was exclaiming over, but my sons have always been impressed that I was actually present at a historical event.

It might be the only really cool thing I’ve ever done, historically speaking.

Even meeting  Willie Nelson in an elevator in Las Vegas isn’t as big as the Dylan performance in Newport.  My two friends and I (aged 14) played our guitars and sang for our fellow ferry passengers on the trip home.

So.  Much.  Fun.

We also saw a 16-minute documentary about Texas history, but that’s another story.  I will tell you I screamed.  Loudly.  Because the theater seats were rigged to simulate rattlesnakes.

Yes, they were.

Oh, those Texans think they are so funny!

 

Posted in austin, family, music | 2 Comments

habaneros and sxsw food

Posted on March 16, 2017 by is there any more pie?

If you’re hungry for Mexican food, there’s a little place on W. Oltorf in South Austin that has the best!

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This is Will’s favorite food in Austin (aside from where he works at Terry Black’s Barbecue, of course!).  Banjo Man and Son #1 love it, too.  And now my daughter-in-law is a fan, having had breakfast there after the “crane operation” yesterday.

You know how much I love taking food pictures, so here is what we had for lunch on Monday after yet another adventure in Home Depot.

I loved my crispy flautas and Banjo Man thought the bean soup was the best he’d ever had (the smoked ham pieces really gave the broth a delicious flavor).  Will had the combo plate with tacos and an enchilada.

If you want to check out the menu, here’s the site:  http://www.habanerocafe.com

Over the years of SXSW I’ve learned to make giant crock pot meals and let everyone eat when they want.  Forget planning sit-down meals!  Often there is not enough time between music venues to make dinner and having something to heat up in the microwave is the best option.  Dining out can mean waiting in long lines and gets expensive, so we don’t rely on restaurants for our meals.  So far we’ve had Italian meat sauce with spaghetti and Asian beef with rice, along with lots of salads and fruit and cheese.

Tuesday afternoon Banjo Man, Will, Son #1, the Funny Grandson and I walked down the street to Hopdoddy, the ultimate South Congress hamburger restaurant.  We waited in line–of course!!!!–but it was worth it because we wanted really good burgers and Son #1 had never been there before.  They use fresh and homemade ingredients (they even make their own rolls) and the French Fries are so, so good.  The FG had an Oreo milkshake, ambrosia for a 6 year old.

This afternoon we are all heading over to Lucy’s  Fried Chicken for music, margaritas and fried chicken snacks.  I have two roasts crammed into the crock pot for beef sandwiches later,  and Banjo Man inexplicably bought a watermelon.

I thought watermelons were for August, but what do I know?  He is pretty excited about it, but he is also excited about painting the bathroom this morning.

It’s going to be an interesting day. 

 

 

Posted in austin, family, food, texas | Leave a comment

our own crane

Posted on March 15, 2017 by is there any more pie?

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If you are six years old and your grandparents are having a new air conditioning unit installed and that involved hiring a crane then you put on your hard hat and your construction vest and you watch the show.

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The crane operators were really nice guys and went out of their way to say hi to the rather short volunteer on the sidelines.  They even gave him stickers for his hard hat.

The Funny Grandson was uncharacteristically speechless.

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This new unit cost as much as my last used car.

So it was an exciting morning, starting at 8 AM and ending at noon.  This is an old apartment complex that was converted to condos 9 years ago, which is when we bought ours.

We’ve been making a few other repairs ourselves, such as new blinds in the living room, courtesy of blinds.com, which I absolutely love to do business with.

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And some new paint in the bathroom.  Will and I finally decided on a color last night after Banjo Man nagged us for three days.

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We settled on a very pale shade of pewter.

The condo looks great, as Will always has new and interesting prints on the walls.

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We’re heading to a day show at Opa’s Coffee and Wine Bar for the afternoon.  I’m not sure who we’re going to see, but we should probably celebrate having air-conditioning again!

 

 

 

Posted in austin, family, just for fun, texas | Leave a comment

seen around town

Posted on March 13, 2017 by is there any more pie?

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We assumed this was a taxi, but then realized that in Austin this could be a personal car.  Or a donut delivery machine.

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Lovely painting on the side of the corner gas station.

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Free advertising for Teddy.

Posted in austin, texas | 2 Comments

scenes from sunday

Posted on March 12, 2017 by is there any more pie?

 

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The Purgatory Players Sunday Gospel Brunch has moved from the Strange Brew Coffeehouse to El Mercado, right around the corner from us on South First.  It was our first time at this venue and we had a great time at 11 AM on a Sunday morning.

It’s a cool Mexican restaurant with a large dining room and stage.  The Purgatory Players raise money for the local food bank, a worthy cause, and it’s a popular venue, especially with the locals.

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Then we picked up Son #1 and along with Will we went to the Alamo on Lamar for the 1:15 showing of “Skull Island”, the new King Kong movie.

We ate pizza and had a great time at a wild movie.  In case you didn’t know, King Kong really hates helicopters and bombs and giant lizards.

 

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They were thrilled to have their picture taken in the lobby of the theater.

Back home we ate Cheerio peanut butter bars and warmed up with hot coffee (it was 48 degrees here and I didn’t bring warm clothes!!!!)

Tonight Banjo Man and I went down to the Continental Club, but that’s a story for tomorrow, because there was tequila involved and I have to go to bed now.

Good night from a dancin’  fool.

 

 

Posted in austin, family, movies, music, texas | Leave a comment

texas heat

Posted on March 10, 2017 by is there any more pie?

It’s snowing in Rhode Island, but we’re in Texas!  My friend Barbara just called to find out where I was.

“We’re having a little blizzard here,” she said.  “You should be happy to be in Texas.”

I am.  Very happy.

The Funny Grandson has been sick and needs some quiet, restful days, so I am presently helping out with that.  We have played many games of Candy Land and Match.  We watched the movie “Moana” two times this morning, along with Finding Dory”.

I have bribed him with root beer floats and the medicine has been swallowed without complaint.  We have read books and shopped for tool belts on Amazon.  He has played the drums for me and I have made several batches of blueberry pancakes.

Such fun!  And I think he is improving.  Hopefully he will be able to hear a little music next week.  In the meantime he’s making his own.

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Posted in family, texas | 2 Comments

centuries of television

Posted on March 7, 2017 by is there any more pie?

Sunday night was an epic night on the Giant Couch.

First up?  The 1600’s, with King Louis XIV, in “Versailles”.  If you are watching that series, check out this website, http://partylike1660.com/, which gives all sorts of historical information about the Sun King and the various characters in the show.  Fascinating.  We watched the final episode of Season 1.  We both loved this show!!!

Next was “Outlander”, in the 1700’s.  Claire and Jamie are now trying to prevent the Jacobite rebellion and the decimation of the Scots (and their way of life) at the battle of Culloden.  It’s an amazing series and we are trying to make it last.  We still have three episodes until the end.  And I’m hoping there’s a season 3 in the future.  I think there has to be, but I haven’t googled to find out.

Here’s the Amazon link to the season 2 dvd:

At 9 PM we switched to PBS, to watch the finale of “Victoria”, set in the 1800’s.

By 10:00 we were exhausted.

It has been a historical winter.  The Medicis in Florence, lovers in Scotland, Victoria, King Louis XIV…and we still have Season 2 of Marco Polo to enjoy.

I’ve had to enforce a new rule here on the couch which I call “Movie Manners” and prohibits  the rustling of Dorito bags, crackers, etc.  Banjo Man has to put his CONSTANT SNACK FOOD in bowls so the CONSTANT RUSTLING of bags doesn’t distract from the show.  We’ve all been in the movies when the guy behind us has the crackling potato chip bag or the rattling box of candy and it is so annoying, right?

So we use bowls and it’s lovely, though Banjo Man thinks it’s silly.

Since he is not King Louis XIV I pay no attention to him.

This man doesn’t eat on the couch.

 

Posted in just for fun, rhode island, television | Leave a comment

packing to party

Posted on March 6, 2017 by is there any more pie?

It’s that time of year again, when musicians and music lovers from all over the world descend upon Austin, Texas.  We’re packing up and flying down to join them.

Over the past ten years my focus  has slowly shifted from finding fiddlers and bluegrass shows to spending time with my grandson at “day show” music venues that he would enjoy.  The kid loves to watch the drummers.

 

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The Funny Grandson is growing up.

Last week on the phone I asked him if he wanted to come to the condo next week for a
“Root Beer Float” party.

All I heard on the other end of the phone was heavy breathing.  Either he didn’t know how to respond to such an overwhelmingly terrific invitation or he was stunned that his grandmother could ask such a stupid question.

I had to repeat it before he finally spoke.

“Yes,” he said.  “I’d like that!”

“Okay,” I assured him.  “We’ll plan on it.”

He also likes to walk over to Lucy’s Fried Chicken to eat chicken fingers, drink lemonade and see the shows.  Guero’s outdoor patio is another one of his favorite venues, along with Opa’s coffee house (he likes their pizza).  The kid marches down the sidewalks like he owns Texas and is completely at home in the wonder and chaos of SXSW.

It’s a good place to be.  We can’t wait.

 

 

 

 

Posted in austin, family, grandmother stuff, texas, travel | Leave a comment

in search of an asian sauce

Posted on March 5, 2017 by is there any more pie?

I’ve made some pretty bad Asian meals lately.

The chicken broccoli dish with the cashew butter, sriracha, tahini and vinegar hit a new low.  Spread out on a cookie sheet and broiled (I’ve read this is the latest trend in meals), it was a crunchy disaster and pretty disgusting.

Banjo Man ate some of the leftovers (he wasn’t home the evening I made it) against my advice and then tossed the rest into garbage.

I’ve done broccoli and beef in the slow cooker, but I sliced the flank steak too thin and it crumbled, though the flavor was good.  I made an Asian chili-chicken dish that was pretty simple (once again in the slow cooker) but though it was tasty it didn’t have the depth of flavor I was hoping for.

And then I found this recipe on Pinterest:

http://carlsbadcravings.com/baked-sticky-pineapple-ginger-chicken/

It was your basic sautéed chicken chunks (coated in corn starch before sauteeing) tossed in the pineapple sauce.  The second time I made it I tripled the sauce and used three huge chicken breasts.

Pineapple Ginger Sauce

  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons pineapple preserves (I used my own peach preserves)
  • 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed  (next time I’ll try it with a little less sugar)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger  (I used minced ginger from the produce section of the grocery store the second time I made it)
  • 1-2 teaspoons Sriracha/Asian hot red chili sauce  (you might want more!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

The garlic and ginger are sautéed in a little oil first, then the rest of the ingredients go into the pan, stirred, brought to a boil and then simmered (stir!) until it thickens nicely.

The cooked chicken chunks were put into a bowl and the sauce poured over it and mixed in.  I served it over rice.

I steamed broccoli to go with it, but did that in the microwave.

Banjo Man and I both had second helpings and there was plenty for another dinner last night.  He thought I should bring the recipe to Texas and make it again there, but after cleaning up the pots and pans he changed his mind.

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I love this picture.  I have a similar apron–don’t we all!!  I wonder what year this was taken and what state.  Love the cabinets.  Is that a chalkboard or a mirror on the wall between the windows? 

 

 

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