Two Hours on South First and Graffiti

Torchy’s

On Fridays St. Edward’s school day ends at two. Which means Friday morning classes are spent watching the clock slowly creep toward the weekend. Cynthia and I made plans for after Friday classes, and those plans included going to Torchy’s. I also wanted to finally see some iconic street art (or at least one famous mural).

Usually when I eat at a place I’ve never been, I ask the waiter or the person behind the counter what their favorite plate is on the menu. I did exactly this but the taco the guy recommended was The Brush Fire which he said was really hot. I actually like my taste buds undamaged so I ordered The Independent (fried portabella with refried black beans and roasted corn, topped with an avocado and ancho aioli) and The Democrat (shredded beef barbacoa with an avocado and wedge of lime).

You know when you’re eating a meal and already thinking of what you’ll order the next time you come in? It’s that good. Yeah, that’s Torchy’s, and I’m ashamed that it took so long for me to get there. Their queso is pretty good also.

Afterward Cynthia and wandered further down South First Street. These are just a few of the things we saw including the yummy tacos we ate. Wish I had more time to spend. Honestly, South First is where you go for either good food or a tattoo. A lot of the boutiques are closed and I think if it’s an interesting shop you want to browse in, you’re better of a few blocks east on South Congress. Word to the wise: don’t call it So-Fi or SoCo. Just don’t.

On a serious note…

One of the websites I use to find interesting things to do is TripAdvisor. I plan on checking out East Austin in a few weeks and wanted to know about the must see places there. I was very troubled with a post warning people to avoid the area because it was dangerous. I wonder if posts like this perpetuate this belief that East Austin is a shady place where dangers lurk in the shadows.

My childhood was spent in East Austin, and I don’t think it’s significantly more dangerous than any other city. People should take precautions no matter the neighborhood they are in. Travel in groups, carry pepper spray, take a self-defense course, and be aware of your surroundings. Use common sense, the power of intuition, or your Spidey Sense to avoid a bad situation.

I watched a TED Talk by Steven Pinker where he claims that the rate of violence has been on the decline since the Sixteenth Century, partially because of a new social awareness and the speed in which news now travels. My point in all this is that if you’re too afraid of what could happen to you, you’ll never know of all the possibilities that come from experiencing something new.

San Antonio

The reason I wasn’t able to spend more time on South First Street was because I decided to head to San Antonio to enjoy the holiday weekend. My sister, Alicia, and her fiancée, Erin signed-up for a 5k. The Graffiti Run was held at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Few things about throwing an event like that is to have a blasted coffee tent for the spectators. It’s not an outrageous expectations. It was early in the morning and cold. I guess all the runs I’ve been to in Austin have spoiled me.

The thing about the Graffiti Run is that runners were given color packets. I tried my hardest, I really did, but I was unable to escape the festivities unscathed. I thought for sure it was going to be my sister who would be the one to douse me in color, but it wasn’t. I was there, minding my own business when I felt this chilling snap on the back of my neck and registered the shocked look on my sisters’ faces. Some old biddy got me good—magenta color all down my collar and into my Germany tote. Vicky was not amused. But it was just color and the girls and I had a good time.

Tomorrow we’re going to the Alamo because the last time I’ve been there was probably when I was in 2^nd grade. We’re also going to check out the River Walk and BiblioTech, the library without any books. Stay tuned!