In a word: COLD (w/ Year of Rabbit Bonus)

As the title indicates, it was capital cold in the capital city today. Roughly 25F with wind chills that ripped right through you. Undaunted, this being our last day in Austin, the Astrals headed out for some indoor action, two museums that we noticed but has not gotten around to visit: the Austin Museum of Art and the Mexic-Arte Museum. Both Museum were on the small side but both had some interesting items. The Austin Museum of Art did not allow any photography and featured mostly contemporary pieces from predominately regional artists. Their current focus was on print-making and they had a fine exhibit of that craft. After the two museums, we had a fantastic lunch and hustled back to the hotel for some warmth.

We didn't catch any of the local live music

scene. Shame on us! It was too cold to

go out at night is our only lame excuse.

Here's the entrance of the Mexic-Arte Museum.

This museum focus mostly on ceramic folk art

so there was no Kahlo, Rivera, or Orozco or

anything like that. Nonetheless, I dig ceramic glazes

so I enjoyed it immensely.

You're not going to find a table like this at Ikea.

Most of the exhibits had the pre-firing drawings next

to the finished tiles, which was interesting in terms of

understanding the process.

Here's Astral Wendy in the airy, open exhibit space.

For lunch we popped in the Roaring Creek bistro, a tony downtown 

place that, when we entered, I thought maybe I'd need a tie. No

problem, though, we were seated in a friendly manner and the

service and presentation were top-notch. A very definite Astral

Nomads recommendation.

The menu was really inviting and it was almost hard to choose,

but Astral Wendy went for the Carnita sandwich, topped with

a sriacha flavored cole slaw and a side of fries.

Me, I went for the combination of a bowl of
green chile pork stew and the saute'd brook trout
served over garlic mashed potatoes and spinach.
Yummy!

I have no idea what this is all about, but this woman is

obviously very enthusiastic about firing this cannon.

Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought 
As doth eternity. Cold Pastoral! 
      When old age shall this generation waste, 
            Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe 
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, 
      "Beauty is truth, truth beauty"---that is all 
            Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.*

We passed this groovy tree while maneuvering back to the hotel. Astral

Wendy was all over it.

-----YEAR OF THE RABBIT ALERT---------

Since today is the first day of the New Chinese Year

and it's the Year of the Rabbit, here's some bonus

material of Otis Redding Rabbit living the high life.

Belly full of carrots, this hotel carpet makes nice pillow.

Hello Ladies!

I'll just make myself at home. What time are the cookies being served?

Guard rabbit at the door. Enter at you own peril.

This shot was taken in Galveston and indicates an Astral ideal.

Tomorrow we're heading down to South Padre Island, which is about

as far south as we can get it in Texas, still searching for some warmth.

Eventually, it has to become spring.

*John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn