This was my first time visiting Texas, and I was excited to start with a city like Austin. I heard about the food, music, and art culture that makes Austin different from other Texan cities – as it wants to be. My first stop fit right into Austin’s city slogan: Keep Austin Weird. The Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint in town, The Little Longhorn Saloon, is known for their live music that they have throughout the week, but on Sundays, the crowd arrives for a different show altogether. For over 20 years the bar has been hosting Chicken Shit Bingo. The floor of the large cage has been broken down into 40 squares.  Once the chicken is placed in the cage, the crowd cheers and encourages the chicken to do its business on their designated square. The winner is whoever ended up with the chicken’s first plop. While the event is usually over pretty quickly, the whole afternoon has a great energy. It was a weird and fun event that was a perfect initiation into the city. 

I visited the city in February, which while warmer than my homebase in Massachusetts, wasn’t quite warm enough for a proper swim in Barton Springs.  However, because the water is fed from four underground springs, the crystal clear aquamarine colored water maintains a year round temperature around 70 degrees. Thus, there were some people wading in the water looking for the the Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum) that can only be found in this body of water. The area is divided into a three acre concrete swimming area and the natural creek section. Located in the larger Zilker Park, the grassy hillsides on either side of the springs provide space to sunbathe and find shade making this a perfect place to spend an afternoon.

No matter what city or town I visit, if there is an indie bookshop, I can’t help but stop in and browse. While the size of BookPeople’s store makes it seem like a chain store at first, as soon as I saw the handwritten recommendation cards along the shelves, I knew that I was in the right place.  I also love the marquee on the outside that advertises their upcoming author talks as if they were movies. 

South Congress is the shopping destination in Austin.  From the names and designs of the store signs to the creatively curated spaces inside, there was always something that grabbed my attention. 

Austin is known for its murals, and while most are accessible from the main shopping streets around the city, the HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere) Outdoor Gallery is home to a more transient group of murals.  What was once a planned condo development has been turned into the only art park in the country.  When I visited, I was able to walk around and appreciate the completed works as well as watch new ones being painted. It’s a vibrant and chaotic scene that made me smile.

** I visited when the Hope Outdoor Gallery was in its original location. As of 2023, it is now located across from the airport **

Later that night I attended a much quieter and contemplative art experience.  The James Turrell Skyspace is an immersive light show – but not one with lasers and lights, instead the sky is the artist.  Titled The Color Inside, the circular skyspace is plain white in the middle of the day but comes alive with color during sunrise and sunset.  For about an hour during these times, the light plays off the walls and cycles through the colors of the spectrum. As the show ends, the circular opening returns to blue color of the sky as the interior space returns to white. The artist Turrell explains his vision behind the space: “I was thinking about what you see inside, and inside the sky, and what the sky holds within it that we don’t see the possibility of in our regular life.”

Austin is the capital of Texas, and the massive capitol building (taller than the US Capitol in Washington DC) captivates the city. Constructed with Texas “pink” granite, the Italian Renaissance inspired architecture provides intricate details from both outside and inside the building. While others might be drawn to the sculptural details of plaster work and ornate custom made bronze hardware, it was the star designs that fascinated me.  I’ve always been a fan of stars – if I was to get a tattoo, it would be of a star. From the floor of the lobby, light fixtures, backs of the chairs, ceiling of the dome, and fence posts, the stars were everywhere. 

Austin is also the home of Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential library. The library tells the story of Johnson’s time in office as well as his legacy. His focus on education, civil rights, and environment are highlighted alongside his challenges with the Vietnam War. The floors of red bound books behind glass on display in the Great Hall showcase the depth of information collected here. The tour also includes a visit to the oval office replica, decorated as it would’ve been while he was in office.