Monday, May 5, 2008

Austin was everything I expected & more....

The drive down to Austin on Thursday was blissfully uneventful and we were able to meet up with Snooty Son for lunch @ Burger Tex, his favorite hamburger joint. That night we had dinner with him at Truluck's and as always, we were not disappointed. After dinner, we went back to our hotel and fell exhausted, into our beds.


At Truluck's I had the Salmon crowned with shrimp & crab, on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. It was divine.


Friday, we arose to a glorious day in the Capitol City and went to lunch at a great place on South Congress called Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill, where we lunched on Chicken Fried Avacados & Margaritas, which were both simply delicioso. Ole'!


Snooty Daughter arrived mid-afternoon, but I was busy shopping while Mr. Snooty was busy napping. SD's friend, The Art Appraiser was picking her up from the airport, so I was able to shop until I found the items that I needed to complete The Summer Plan for The Snooty Primadona Laid-Back-Over-55 Wardrobe, which is coming along swimmingly, I must say. I acquired some wonderful pieces to add to my existing wardrobe, plus several pairs of really cute sandals I am extremely excited about. So, I'm good to go as far as not appearing to be a totally clueless old fart that wears socks & hippie sandals with rolled up jeans & tie-dyed T-shirts with no makeup or jewelry. Hello. I celebrate being a girl. Yes, a GIRL! Of course I'm a woman but there still lies within every woman, the little girl who came before her. She is my new project. To bring back glimpses of the girl without all the dark shit included. Who cares if the wrinkles show? It's the Spirit and the Soul that count most. Tuning in to oneself. That's what the Fall & Autumn of life is all about after all, isn't it?



Back to the weekend... We met up with Snooty Daughter, Snooty Son, Snooty Daughter's Friend (The Art Appraiser & SD's best bud from college & her European trip). She is adorable & smart & we love her too. We had dinner at Fleming's in downtown Austin that night, which is one of my favorites. Everyone enjoyed witty conversation, good wine, and excellent, perfectly prepared food. Not one unhappy camper at the table.







<---This was the Wedge Salad @ Fleming's. The kids were all going out afterwards and although they had asked me to come along, I had to decline. I was still exhausted from the 5 hour drive down. Besides, I had to get a good night's sleep so that I could meet up with KK of The Mid-Life Gals for lunch the following day.




I was so disappointed that SalGal couldn't make it. No problem. Had the tables been turned, I'm not sure I could have done it either. When at home, one has duties and responsiblities, which rearranges priorities on a regular basis, like it or not.


Anyway, I got up Saturday morning and fixed myself up (which I seldom do at home unless there is an occasion calling for it), and I was ready to go meet up with KK for the first time in many, many years. I probably over-dressed but I just didn't want to look like some kind of stalker or something, since KK obviously did not remember me from grade school. Imagine that, lol. Does anyone ever remember the kids who moved away? Not really. So, I wanted to look like someone that anyone might want to know. Not some ratty haired wierdo looking type that draws leery looks from those in passing. I think I did look good though. Over-dressed, but good, damn it. Can't be perfect all the time. Or even part of the time, lol. I'll happily settle for once in a while. Works for me. She who loves fashion and yet has no sense of it at all. Me.


When I finally found Cippolina's, I was 4 minutes late, but I always get lost in Austin. It's kind of my own little tradition now, strange though it may be. When I finally blew through the front doors of Cippolina's, KK was the only customer there, so it was pretty much a no-brainer as to who I was meeting. We hugged and giggled, then we ordered our wines (no mixed drinks at Cippolina's), then we ordered our food. Unfortunately, I didn't see that there was Goat Cheese on the pizza. When it arrived, I took one bite and nearly threw up. Right there in front of my childhood friend. The taste was revolting. The young man who took orders understood perfectly as I whined about not being able to gag down goat cheese. So, he made me a nice Margherita Pizza, which I loved.


Then, KK and I started to talk and talk and talk, as we caught up with the many years since we last met. Naturally, we didn't (either one of us) even scratch the surfaces of our pasts, checkered though they may be. It was fun and KK is very witty and entertaining and has had a very interesting life. She & SalGal still have to deal with the everyday problems & situations involved with caring for an elderly parent or loved one. It ain't easy, but the Gals seem to weave their fine tuned wit & sarcasm & humor into the process of dealing with the profound, as well as the painful parts of it all. It's called survival. The Gals are surviving quite nicely, I might add. But, I know it can't possibly be as much of a breeze as they seem to let on. Taking care of an elderly mother (or parent) is no piece of cake, but they have stuck with it and somehow found humor in it. We should all take lessons from this brave but fun loving pair of twisted sisters.


We got so absorbed chatting about old friends and all the people we know in common, that we lost track of time. Before I knew it, the time was nearly 3:00 pm and I'm sure I'd bored KK long enough (especially since she was doing her best to disguise yawning, lol). I'll bet it was the wine, really. Yet, I felt like it was time to hustle on out of there. We hugged and said our good-byes and I promised to call her when I come to Austin again. Only next time, I will call a week or two ahead of time in order to steal a bit more of their time.


Then, we realized that I had not gotten a single digital shot of her since I'd arrived. Quickly, I employed a young man who had just finished his meal outside, to come and take our picture together. So, it might not be much, but I have at least a picture. Actually, I have two pictures, even though they are very similar. Hey, I forgot like I always do, so get over it. It's the best I could do under the influence of 2 glasses of Cabernet, okay?



KK is so tall that I felt like a real live Circus Midget standing next to her. Once you see the picture, you will, without question, understand why. She must have come from Atlantis. One of the chosen few, no doubt. Tall, slender frame, fair complected, with wide open eyes. Sounds like someone from Atlantis to me. Intelligent, well spoken, well traveled, tall, slender, and fair skinned. Yup, she is undoubtedly from Atlantis, portraying the same beauty the intelligent beings from Atlantis did. I suspect SalGal is the same. Lucky Atlantis witches who are tall and slender. Is my envy showing??? Oooops! No, really, I only say these things in jest. I'm crazy about these two madcap women who make my life a little sunnier every day that I read them. What's not to like?


So, both of us having places to go & things to do, gave one another hugs yet again as we said our farewells. I honestly felt like we had somehow connected or re-acquainted ourselves with our childhood friendship. Sort of. I hope. It's comforting to know someone from childhood, I think. But, don't go by me. I'm from a dysfunctional family, lol.


People you connect with become fewer in numbers, the older you get. Some move away. Some marry & move on. Others pass away too soon. And yet others often just seem to drift away from us, as we drift away from them. Usually for good reason. See my post titled Toxic Friends. However, I've decided that you can't have enough nice friends or good experiences in your life. There's always room for more. KK is worth having as a funny, brilliant friend and although I'm not that funny nor that brilliant, I have learned to be a good friend. I'm now into collecting as many as I can before I leave this earthly world.


Before leaving Austin, we had one last meal with the kids. We met at Torchy's for breakfast. We sat outside as we ate our breakfast tacos, where they have one of the most interesting glass mosaic walls. Which, of course, I had to get a shot of while the kids both groaned & laughed at me simultaneously.

Cheers! ;-)

14 comments:

Pam said...

Thanks for sharing your meeting with KK. I have enjoyed both your blog and KK and SalGal's over the last few months. Ya'll make me laugh, and cry! Please keep blogging.

Mamahut said...

Hi Snooty, it sounds like fun was had by all. I am jealous, I want to go somewhere warm.

Anonymous said...

So glad you had a great time in Austin. The food certainly looks good!

I do remember your post on toxic friends... in fact I was thinking about it yesteday as I pondered friends who become toxic and where the cut off point is....

Hmmm, not a cheerful comment... Time to go get dressed for work! So glad you're back!

Daryl said...

Oh what a wonderful post .. and thank you for all the glorious food photos I think I just gained many LBS just looking .. damn they do look tasty .. I want to see the sandals you got .. I am such a clothes freak and being older than you I am interested in how you plan on recreating yourself .. you look BTW simply wonderful in both photos ... love the belt... and your old friend looks like such a nice person to spend time with .. I am so glad your weekend was filled with so much pleasure! You my dear deserve it ..

:-Daryl

scargosun said...

So glad you had such a great time! Who says you're not funny and witty? If you weren't I wouldn't read your blog. :)

The pics are great!

Mental P Mama said...

What a great post! Thanks for the update.

The Midlife Gals said...

I think I was weaving just a tad to the right when I walked away from my long lunch with Snooty. We DID have SUCH a lovely, long talk about so many different things, and I had a BALL with her! You fans are lucky that she shares like she does because her childhood is straight out of a southern NOVEL! Talk about SURVIVORS! Keep keepin' on...to ALL of us!!

KK (The Midlife Gal sans SalGal)

Anonymous said...

Looks like you had a good time! Thanks for sharing your experience.

That Janie Girl said...

I looooooooooooove Trulucks. Truly, I do. Sounds like your meeting was fun - good on you!

The Guess Who were fun - if you get a chance, go see them!!!

QueenofPlanetHotflash said...

Love, Love, Love the adventures of Ms. Primadona. The mosaic walls were very interesting. Thinking I need to do an interesting trip as soon as finals are fini.Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Glad you're back, I was missing my daily Snooty dose!

Okay, the food to die for! So yummy. But disappointed to heat you hate goat cheese, my all time favorite cheese. But I forgive you.

And your outfit, you are so hip, God I wanted my mother to be hip. She wasn't, your priceless!

How were the bluebonnets or bluebells..the blue flowers!

Snooty Primadona said...

Pam: Glad you enjoy and thanks for de-lurking. ;-)

mamahut: Come on down to Texas. We are looking forward to hair-blower on High Hot with abundant sand the rest of this week. Now, doesn't that sound like fun?

Daryl: You need to get over yourself girl! I'm older than you, aren't I? Anyway, I'll do a post here real soon about that wardrobe subject. The sandals I got are called What's What, which I'd never heard of before. Comfy & cute... I want to meet the person who runs this company and say thanks for thinking of us old gals.

scargosun: Thanks dear! Coming from you, that is a true compliment, because I think you are so smart!

KK: Alright, I admit, I was also a bit woozy. So, I immediately went shopping for the cure. Then, I had to have a nap, old fart that I am.

mwm: Thanks for stopping by.

Janie: Are you saying The Guess Who are here? If not, forget it. I don't do Houston, lol. Except for Hobby Airport on our way to Galveston.

QuEEn: Oh, I'll bet you are so ready for finals to be over. Good luck with all that!

Cathy: Yes, I never actually knew I didn't like the goat cheese until I ate it, lol. I love Cabrito that's been cooked over an open pit. So, I figured I'd like anything goat. Wrong. Give me a Brie or a Gorgonzola any old day.

Sadly, there were maybe 3 Bluebonnets (Texas State Flower) along the way and Mr. Snooty said they weren't worthy of stopping for a *photo op*. Thus, no pictures. He was in a hurry to get home, for some reason.

Treasia Stepp said...

It sounds like a wonderful time. How fun to have met up with KK and rehashed old and talked new times. Glad your weekend went so well.

brneyedgal967 said...

Playing catch up. Woozy and short - you still look divine next to tall KK. Besides, tall wenches have longer legs to shave - remember that.

From your short sistah. *tee hee*

 

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