Dear Seattle,

For years I have held all other cities up to you and found them wanting. Portland was a close second, Vancouver a third. Other cities had their values, but on whole, they never really compared.

Until now.

Up to last weekend, I had sworn to God I would never set foot in the state of Texas again. (aside from a layover in Houston's skanky airport which was unavoidable, unwanted and unsettling). See, 18 years ago, I got run over by a semi outside of Abilene, spent 3 days in the ICU and 3 weeks in the hospital there. All busted up and uglier for wear.

But as time passed on and silly little things like that fade away, we decided to visit some friends of ours in Austin. I always wanted to see Austin, simply because all of my friends in the music industry in Seattle & Portland went every year to SxSW and said it was the best place ever. Then I spent years reading about the awesome Alamo Drafthouses and the food.

So, after 4 days last weekend, I can honestly say Austin is probably the raddest city I've been to. Understand, I'm getting older (I sprained my knee standing in a doorway yesterday) and crotchetier, so my patience for big cities, long lines and @*#&$^% posers is reaching it's limits. Hence my personal compound I've been building. I'm like a hermit! Not on purpose, but whatever. (I'm sure working at home doesn't help).

ANYWAY!!!! Geez. So I pretty much ate & drank my way through the city: Rudy's, Trudy's, Guero's Taco Bar (from GRINDHOUSE!), Hotel San Jose, El Chilito, South Congress cafe, Shady Grove, Thundercloud Subs, Moonshine and of course 2 screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse: Sicko (which, after seeing this and then Bush pardon Libby, this government can suck it til they die) and Live Free or Die Hard (which was ridiculous and entertaining as well.). And? Two words: Breakfast. Tacos. Rock ON. Why have I never had these in LA? Grr!

Also? We went to the flagship Whole Foods store which may have actually been made by Willy Wonka. It was MAGNIFICENT. Immaculate in every way and anything you could want to eat, hot or cold, in specialty stands. Like CANDY:



And after all of the awesome, awesome eating and drinking (oooh, Mexican Martinis, yum!) then there was the shopping, where you can get awesome clothes & music (think cheap Melrose & Los Feliz & smaller Amoeba's) then they had the local art, like the 70 scattered guitars (seriously, Seattle has pigs, Chicago has cows. Austin? GUITARS. This is one of the hippy-er ones).



In addition to this, I have never seen more tattooed people in my life. Some really amazing stuff, too. And it was CHEAP. Man. Cheap eats and drinks, which was awesome.

The only drawback was the bugs. I mean DAMN. Probably lost a pint to the mosquitos.

All in all, though, what a great city.

So, to Seattle, I'll always love you, but methinks I just might not be able to handle the cold anymore.

But I'll still come visit in October.