Pecan Street Festival

Mason called me yesterday and said "Hey, I found out Pecan Street Festival is today! Want to go? Be ready to leave in 20 minutes!" OKAY!

It was a gorgeous day to wander around a festival!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not pictured are the dozen places where you could buy beer, wine, or margaritas and just walk around the festival with them. Is this legal in other cities to drink outside in the middle of the street as long as you're inside a (free) festival?

We ran into our friend Stefanie manning the booth for the Austin NBC/CW station, passing out gummy rings that say not to text and drive...

And Mason and I both made purchases. I found a ring that he doesn't like but makes me happy (and it's MY finger), and he got a painting of Grumpy Cat to bring him joy!

 

And we stopped by the Google Local booth, where Bryn totally recognized Mason and I from writing reviews and attending Google Local events around town, so she gave each of us one of these rocking cool bags without us having to do anything -- she called us VIPs! Hee!

We managed to walk the whole festival before we burned out, feeling hot and tired and done with strangers bumping into us and stepping on our feet. An enjoyable day for sure!

It's Weird

It’s weird to live in a place where it seems that the entire internet and entertainment communities have converged. While seemingly the entire world is partying in your backyard, you’re just commuting to your job, going to the doctor, and assiduously avoiding downtown. Because the whole world is crowded in there. I asked Mason if he was doing trivia tonight and he retorted “Can’t go downtown during SouthBy”. Oh, right. And then, especially with that downtown avoidance, I’m experiencing SXSW the same way the entire rest of the world is – virtually on my computer screen. Oh, Prince is playing a surprise show within 5 miles of my house? That’s nice, I’ll hear about it on the internet, same as my friends in Chicago and Portland.

It’s very strange.

SXSWi 2013

SXSW (South by Southwest) comes to Austin, and completely takes over the town, every year. It's a multi-headed monster, with an Interactive conference (internet/tech), a Music conference, and a Movie festival. Despite it right here in our backyard, we've never gone and participated in anything. Badges to attend the conference are $1,500, and who can take a week off work all willy-nilly? Plus, Mason has never had any desire to fight any crowds.

But this year, Grumpy Cat was coming to SXSW Interactive. Interactive is the one I'd be interested in anyway. And Mason is so besotted with Grumpy Cat that he was willing to fight the crowds for it. So on Sunday, we headed downtown.

Grumpy Cat was scheduled to be available for pictures from noon-1:00, and at 10:30 the line was already wrapping around the corner. Mason dropped me off to secure position while he hunted for parking. Then we took turns waiting on line while the other one wandered around the area looking for food, bathroom, and the free swag that was being handed out all over the streets. Around 12:30, we finally got our pictures!

After the Grumpy Cat photos, some quick tacos, and running a gauntlet of free swag all over the place, we headed over to Sixth Street. Google was supposed to be running free duck tours with no badge required and no RSVP -- you just find the Google guy on the street and the first 50 people to sign up with him get on. We got on! Free duck tour of Austin dive bars, sponsored by Google, with free vodka drinks on board. Woo!

In the end, I enjoyed myself and felt really gratified to get something for myself, as a local, out of the SXSW circus. It really made me wish I had a badge, though, so I could go to the actual conference and get into all the free lunches and concerts and parties that were everywhere.

Renaissance Faire!