Look What You Missed

Austin. Wow. While you were sitting in your air-conditioned apartments, I paraded around a 14+ acre park with tens of thousands of music fans in scorching heat. Here's why you need to get your tickets to Austin City Limits 2008.


1. Heat. 95 degrees, limitless humidity. Gray tank tops turning black. 8 hours in this was ... there are no words.
2. Bob Dylan opening with "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35." Unfortunately, he sounded like someone was stepping on his vocal cords the whole time. But it doesn't matter. It's Bob Dylan!
3. A car. You need one of these to get around. Especially if you want breakfast. Otherwise, you'll end up having brunch at the 4 Seasons since you can't find anything else.
4. Tom's Shoes. Every time you buy a pair of these totally comfy slip-ons, "Tom" donates a pair to shoeless children in Argentina. And they're cheap. Buy a pair!
5. Marley. Ziggy. Stephen. Wow. Too bad Damian didn't show up out of nowhere, but more unbelievable sets.
6. Fire. No, not a bonfire but an actual fire! Flames and billowing smoke were a sight to see after a trailer caught fire during Pete Yorn's set. Thankfully no one was injured. But... wow.
7. Some unbelievable funk/jazz/alt-country coming from the WaMu tent. My top two - Railroad Earth and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
8. Katie had to leave early to work yesterday. Boo.
9. $3 cocktails! $3 cocktails! I have been living in NYC too long.

10. KNITTING! That's right!

Thanks to Allena, I made the $30 cab right to The Knitting Nest and picked up a sweater's worth of Peace Fleece, one of Allena's project bags and a few skeins of Kathmandu Aran in a delicious heathered green. Stacy was one of the nicest women. We chatted about yarn, ACL and NY knitting shops for a while. She has free WiFi, a great selection of yarn and fiber project bags and will print projects for you. I will definitely be returning.

So much more to talk about - big floppy hats, Pat the coolest cab driver, dumb-as-rocks "concierge" at our hotel.

What a concert. What a town.