We’ve now been on the road for two solid years. During that time we’ve...
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Texas Wildflowers
Bluebonnets along back country roads in Fredericksburg, TX.
Nature didn’t exactly cooperate with us while we were in Austin. First we stopped by the Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk to watch the nightly flight of the roughly 1.5 million bats who live there. Only the bats didn’t appear until after dark, which is to say they didn’t really appear to us at all.
The following day we drove to the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center; a huge mistake. Notwithstanding wildflower blooms everywhere along roadways, and a claim on their website that over 20 flowers were blooming at the center, we paid $9 each to see this:
Money well spent. The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX took $9 each to see this scrub.
I don’t blame the bats for being tardy, or the flowers for not blooming on schedule. I do blame the humans who work at the Wildflower Center for charging full admission without warning when they know perfectly well there is nothing to see.
Our advice? Skip the Wildflower Center altogether. It’s expensive, unpredictable, and, most importantly, you can see fabulous wildflower displays along the back roads for free. Ask at a visitor center for the best routes, which is what we did once we arrived in Fredericksburg where nature didn’t disapoint.
Everything is Big
In keeping with Texas’ well known slogan its State Capitol building in Austin is indeed the largest in the country. Despite its size, the interior isn’t as elaborate as many other state buildings we’ve visited, although the several stories of space under its giant dome is quite impressive.
We also found all of that real estate, 360,000 square feet of floor space and nearly 400 rooms, mostly empty – except for us visitors of course. That’s not really surprising considering the Texas Legislature only meets every other year and then for only 140 days in regular session.
Is regional cuisine still relevant?
Ever since the dawn of the spice trade, the work of traveling merchants has helped homogenize world cuisine. Migrants, too, bring along traditional recipes and infuse their new homes with tastes from the old country. The effect is a wonderful variety of constantly improving food, but at the expense of regional and national distinctiveness. In America, where people move freely and trade aggressively, the forces of homogenization are stronger then we often realize.
When we set out on our Great American Road Trip, we expected to be wowed by “authentic” regional cuisine. We thought, for example, we’d find the best chicken and dumplings in the Deep South, and the best Mexican cuisine along the Mexican border and throughout the South West. When we rolled into Texas, we felt like we entered the home turf of America’s all-star barbeque team, and had expectations to match.
The Magic of Marketing
On some level, we all understand the power of advertising. We know that corporations spend billions each year selling us stuff. Presumably, they wouldn’t do that if they didn’t get some kind of return on their investment. If you’re like me, you tend to think of advertising as mostly informational. For example, I know that Axe body wash exists only because I’ve seen its T.V. commercials. Presumably that brand recognition makes me more willing to throw the product in to my cart.
On a deeper level, I understand that Axe isn’t really selling body wash at all. They’re selling mythical love potions that claim to make hot women lose their minds and their pants. We might know those claims aren’t true (they’re not true, right?) but they’re supposed to create favorable impressions of the product in the minds of the targeted audience. Even if we don’t think the product attracts lusty women, we’re reminded of lusty women when we think of the product.
But are we really all that gullible? I mean we know what the marketers are up to. We understand we’re being sold. So how effective can all of these marketing dollars really be? Judging from a recent trip to Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts, pretty darned effective.
A Slice of Home
This article by Travel and Beyond on Lombardi’s in New York City reminds me of one of the things I miss about home – some of the best pizza anywhere. In a city of great pies, Lombardi’s ranks supreme; according to me at least.
The genius of this pizza starts with the crust, which is black and crispy on the underside (with pleasant, slightly bitter overtones), but gives way to a wonderfully soft, yeasty interior. Signature toppings like pepperoni and home-made meatballs, along with the restaurant’s famous clam pie, keep locals and tourists alike coming back. ~ Lombardi’s Pizza
Unable to sink my teeth in to a nostalgic meatball pie from Lombardi’s, I’ll have to satisfy myself with a new upstart and contender for the crown. Not a small mom-and-pop traditional pizzeria, but a chain. Mellow Mushroom’s non-traditional pies, particularly its Magical Mystery Tour, give a whole new meaning to the word pizza. It’s not even like the same food. So when we stop in this Saturday for some Mellow Mushroom, we won’t really be cheating on our favorite from home.
Relive our first taste of the Mellow here: Don’t Judge a Pizzeria by its Drug Culture Cred
