Living in 1,000 sq ft

Living in a 1,000 sq. ft. space may not seem like much of a challenge. There are, after all millions of people around the world (even in the Western world) who live in far less space. The chart below shows new home builds in 2006 for seven western countries countries (Source US Census Bureau).

Average New Build Home Sizes from 2006 Survey

Land is Finite

Growing up in the UK, I can relate to the data. The UK is a small island with a finite amount of land and a lot of people living on it. Optimizing space has been a consideration in the UK and other European countries for many years. Space optimization has not been big a consideration in the US (especially here in Texas). Just look at the below graphic which shows you can fit the UK into Texas with room for a few million acre ranches to spare:

With population growth the way it is and land still being finite (even in Texas) we do have to consider our footprint on the world. To wit, there is a growing trend in some of the more forward thinking cities (Austin, San Francisco, Portland etc.) for more people to live in multi-floor buildings in one central downtown area. With this comes a reduction in the square footage of living space. You can look at Manhattan as the poster child for US space conservation with the median sized apartment being just 550 sq. ft.

My Living Space Experience

Since living in the US, I have lived in houses varying from 1,400 to 3,000 sq. ft. Prior to moving to our condo, my wife and I lived in a three bedroom 2,400 sq ft ranch in West Lake. It was a beautiful house and pretty close to the US average size. When we bought it we actually thought we were being pretty conservative compared to some of the other monster homes in our neighborhood. In actuality the house was at least twice as big as we needed. Aside from a few months when my wife's sister lived with us, the two spare bedrooms were used fewer than twenty times in the five years we lived there. There were two living rooms and we never ended up furnishing the second one. That's three whole rooms we could have done without entirely!

Looking to Down Size

When we started looking at condos, we had a lower limit of 1,200 sq ft in mind. This number was derived from some pretty basic math i.e. 2,400 / 2. We also felt that two bedrooms was a minimum. After all we had to accommodate the four nights a year that we had overnight guests! It was not long into our search that we realized 1,200 was not only a nominal number but also an expensive number. In the end, with some trepidation, we selected a 1,000 sq. ft. one bedroom one-bathroom condo. As we were renting we thought, oh well, it is only for a year and we can buy a larger one next year.

Fast forward six months and we could not be happier living in our 1,000 sq. ft.

Working from Home

I work from home two days a week. There is much written about working in the same space that you live, much of it directed toward advising you not to do it. It is definitely something you need to be careful about. When living in a single living/dining room condo, separating work and home life becomes a challenge. My approach is to use the kitchen/dining table for working at and pretty much nothing else. We were not using it for eating at anyway so at least it gets some use this way. I can then get into my work mind set when at the table and escape when I walk over to the couch. I appreciate that this is a mind trick but it is one that can work for you too.

In our old house, we had a whole room dedicated for use as an office. This was a pretty big waste of space given that I can be fully productive with my laptop, wi-fi and some peace and quiet. My one nod to the office is a large monitor which further limits our ability to eat at the kitchen table!

Our workspace & kitchen table

For the keen eyed amongst you, you will see there are two monitors on the table (not one). The other is my wife's, honest!

Bedroom

The bedroom is the place where you can afford to cut the most square footage. As long as your bed and some side tables fit, that is pretty much all you need. Just as important as separating work from home is separating your sleeping space from your living space. Having a small bedroom helps enforce this and ensure that all you do in the bedroom is relax and sleep.

Living Space

The living room is the one room you should not skimp and the living room is definitely the star of our condo. With floor to ceiling windows at one end, it feels considerably larger than it actually is. It also offers an observation deck to the outside world. This makes you feel connected to the city as opposed to feeling like you are living in a box four floors above it (which is what you are doing). You are going to spend the bulk of your awake hours in this room so make sure you feel comfortable there and that there is something interesting to look at when you look out of the window.

Kitchen

Kitchens need to be clean and functional. Excellent appliances and counter top space are more important than a 10 ft island. Don't get me wrong, the kitchen needs to look good but efficiency is king and a small fully functional kitchen helps reduce your overall foot print as well as cutting back on the amount of cleaning you need to do!

Storage Space, The Final Frontier

Another concern when moving from our house was the lack of storage space in a condo. We had accumulated so much 'stuff' in five years. It was hard to imagine how we were going live without a garage and the extra 1,400 sq. ft. of potential storage space. In fact, it is a very valid concern if you plan on bringing all that stuff with you. The key is not to bring it with you and to get rid of all the 'stuff'. Sell it, give it away or throw it away but go it must. Be brutal, if you have to think about it for a minute then get rid of it, if you have not used it in a year then get rid of it. I will let you in on a secret. Getting rid of all that stuff is a liberating experience like no other. Your whole life seems simpler and you feel much more agile and able to move as and when your life dictates. This is not for everyone and I can see a time when I may want to put down roots again but even then, you really don't need all the 'stuff'.

Whatever you do, don't try and cram all the extra chairs, side tables and armoirs into your one living room condo. The room will feel oppressive and smaller than it really is. You will feel like you are trapped inside an episode of hoarders. 2,400 sq. ft. of stuff is just not meant to fit in a 1,000 sq. ft. condo.

Getting in Each Others Way

My wife and I often struggle to synchronize our lives. When one of us is cleaning, the other is trying to read, when one of us is watching TV, the other is trying to work. In our house this was fine. We could each go to a room and get on with whatever it was we were doing. That sounds great, but the problem is you end up with two people living in the same house but not actually living together. We knew there would be a risk moving to a single room living space but believed it would do us good to be forced into the same space.

It has not been easy and we have had a few challenging conversations (that's business speak for arguments). I have noticed, however, that we do spend a lot more time together and have synchronized a lot of the activities that we do. This not only brings us closer but also streamlines and simplifies our lives.

I did mention the risk we identified before moving. That risk is real and locking up two people used to a lot of space in a 1,000 sq. ft. box could be a disaster so think before you leap.

Conclusion

Big houses are overrated. Yes, they look great but every square foot brings complexity to your life. Even if you are a billionaire, you still have to pay people to look after your house. For them to do that, you have to spend time with them telling them what you want them to do. They quit, the complain about their job and it still adds up to complexity and hassle. If you just get rid of all the 'stuff' and live in the space you need, you will have a lot more time for the things you enjoy. Life is hard enough so make your living space simple.

The Violet Crown, Making Movie Going Classy Again

Movies have moved us and shaped our view of the world for over a hundred years. The movie going experience is engrained in us and we can remember going to certain movies like it was yesterday. For instance, I can remember going to watch Star Wars (the very first one) with my best friend on my eighth birthday. This was in January 1977, more than 39 years ago! I don't remember much else about being eight but I remember that day. Along with the movie goes the movie going experience, if you get them both right then you are in for a real treat. In this post I will describe my experience at The Violet Crown theater on 2nd Street in Austin. Before I take you there, let me take you back to look at going to the movies in Great Britain in the 1940s.

Movie Going in the Early 1940s in Britain 

Pathe News

My mother is 88 years old and I can't count the number of times she has wistfully relayed stories of going to the movies as a teenager during the Second World War. A typical movie experience in Britain in 1940 started with the newsreels. The newsreels were basically propaganda for the British public to paint a positive spin on the war and Britain's progress in defeating Germany (yes America did help out but we basically had it covered). Starting off with a trumpet fanfare and a narrator with the most British accent you have ever heard, their goal was to show that the British Empire was taking care of "Jerry".  Sample News Reel. You can just imagine British people in the early 1940s nervous and afraid having their confidence bolstered by these rousing pieces of propaganda.

After the newsreels, would come the movies. Yes, I said movies, plural. Back then you would get double features an A movie like Gone with the Wind and a B movie like Dr Cyclops. Including intermissions, you would get four hours of entertainment and you would be out in time for dinner. During the war, they only showed matinees because when it got dark all the windows had to be blacked out so that the German bombers could not easily find the big cities.

Bigger and Louder is Better

Fast forward to 2016 and the trend is bigger is better. Create the biggest possible movie screen (preferably Imax) and pack people in like sardines. Don't get me wrong, when I want to watch Star Wars or the latest James Bond Movie I look for the biggest screen I can find and I love it. These kinds of movies are made to be seen on the biggest and best screens. The problem is that there is no sense of it being a movie going experience. You turn up, buy your popcorn and watch the movie. Sometimes you want to make a night of it, feel like you are being treated like a king and immerse yourself in the act of going to a movie.

The Violet Crown

The Violet Crown Street Entrance

Step in The Violet Crown. A small chain with just three locations in Austin, Santa Fe and Charlotsville. In their about page they describe themselves as follows:

"The Violet Crown Cinema is a locally owned and operated cinema with four screens devoted to quality independent, documentary, international, and studio films." 

Now before you switch off, this isn't just weird Latvian animations like "Rocks In My Pockets" it also shows popular movies such as "The Revenant" and The "Big Short".

I went to see the Revenant in January of this year. The experience started with buying my ticket, I was able to buy a ticket on their web-site and reserve a seat. There is nothing more nerve wracking for a Brit than not knowing where you are going to sit and heaven forbid if you are going to get a seat. That is why the Brits invented queues (lines) and why they lead the world in the art of polite queuing. Knowing where I was going to sit a week before I went to the movies allowed me to focus on my my life rather than pitching a tent outside the movie theater to make sure I was first in line.

Come the evening of the movie and we walked over to 2nd street an hour and a half before the movie started. The one thing worse than not knowing where you are going to sit for a movie is being late! This allowed for a quick happy hour at Lambert's and then a relaxed stroll to the movie theater itself. We didn't eat at the theater but you can get anything from tacos to hot dogs or even a salad. I had thought maybe there was a law against green foods at movie theaters but apparently there is not. Anyway, we sat and a relaxed glass of wine where we discussed our expectations for the upcoming movie.

The Main Event

Five minutes before the movie started we were alerted to go over to the screen showing our movie. We dutifully filed over and found quickly our seat as I had already studied the seating chart and the locations of our seats (you can't be too careful). This was the point of my second pleasant surprise. Within five minutes, everyone had come into the movie theater and were seated with phones off before the previews even started. At most movie theaters they have to show threats of ejection and public shaming to get people people to settle down. It was as if the class of the establishment rubbed off on the people attending as well. It was just as well everyone got settled quickly, within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time, the movie actually started. Imagine that, a movie actually starting with ten minutes of the advertised time, no muss, no fuss and no commercials (yes you read that right, no commercials).

As the movie got underway the pleasant surprises kept coming. Not once did the back of my chair get kicked, not once! I really cannot remember the last time that happened to me. I am six foot three inches and go through extreme contortions at most movie theaters to make sure I don't kick the back of the seat in front of me. As this article (link: https://www.the-newshub.com/film-and-tv/why-we-need-to-bring-back-movie-theatre-etiquette-asap) from The News Hub describes, unfortunately not everyone has movie going etiquette. It seems, however, that The Violet Crown attracts people that do have movie going etiquette. Silence was indeed golden, phones were off and there was no talking. This all leads to a sense of relaxation that you can only otherwise achieve when watching movies in your own living room (assuming the kids are asleep and the neighbors are quiet). I really can't stress enough just how much better the movie going experience is under these conditions.

The seats were comfortable, not exceptional but comfortable. There was plenty of leg room and I didn't feel like I was watching the movie with a couple of thousand roaches just waiting for me to leave. You know the feeling you get in some movie theaters, when you just don't want to touch anything for fear of sticking to it.

At The Violet Crown, once you were in the actual movie theater the focus shifted to the movie (where it should be). I love the Alamo Draft House and watching movies there is great fun, but you just don't feel like the movie is the heart and sole of the event. With waiters passing up and down the isle and and the added stress of trying to figure out the tip in the dark, you lose focus on the movie itself. Tipping is stressful enough for Brits without having to do it in the dark.

So how did the Revenant fit The Violet Crown? Although it is a big expansive Western, it felt like the best place to experience Hugh Glass's titanic struggles with nature and the nation of people he and his fellow invaders were trying to displace. Without the distraction from frills and other people you can connect with movies like this on another level. I really believe I like the Revenant as much as I do because I watched it at The Violet Crown.

The End

If you have not been to The Violet Crown, then you really should. Different movies are suited to different movie theaters, so choose well. If you really want to immerse yourself in the story and the heart of a movie, then I suggest The Violet Crown. If you want to be awed by the immensity of space or feel your bones shake in an explosion, then go to your nearest Imax.

Austin's Growing Coffee Obsession (or is it Addiction)

Do you like coffee? I guess you wouldn't be reading this if you did not. But, are you obsessed with coffee? In case you need help, the definition of obsession is "an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind." or, maybe you are just addicted to coffee? "physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects". Alternatively, maybe you just need somewhere to get free Wi-Fi and the fascist coffee shop owner makes you buy a cup of coffee to use their Wi-Fi? If you live in Austin then I am guessing you fit in one of these categories, unless of course you drink tea in which case there is no hope for you.

What Does Coffee Mean to Austin?

A Cappuccino from Caffe Medici

Coffee has long since been more than just a pick me up for many Austinite's. A gallon of the coffee of the day from Magnolia Cafe is no longer cutting it. While Austin may not be up there with Seattle and Portland in the nations coffee obsession, we are getting there. We are also getting more discerning in both the coffee itself as well as the coffee shop environment. Coffee shops have become meeting rooms, birthday party rooms, bars, hangover rooms, offices, first date locations, power nap spots, free public bathrooms, shopping pit stops and much more.

There is Money in Coffee You Know

With the coffeehouse industry said to be worth more than $30 billion in 2015 (up 5% on the year before) more and more coffeehouses are popping up. In this post, I will review four Downtown Austin coffee shops. I did not necessarily select these based on being the best but they are all walkable from downtown Austin and I believe represent where the industry is heading in Austin.

Caffe Medici - 1100 South Lamar Blvd 

Outside Caffe Medici

With their first store opening in 2006 in the Clarksville neighborhood, this location is the fourth edition of Caffe Medici. The other two locations being at 2222B Guadalupe St. and underneath the Austonian on Congress. This Caffe Medici coffee shop is located under the upcoming Lamar Union apartments on South Lamar. Whilst not appearing formulaic it definitely maintains a theme with the other locations. Caffe Medici offers a laid back but cool atmosphere in which to enjoy excellent Cuvee coffee. The coffee is taken seriously at Medici but not to the extent that the average coffee drinker should feel intimidated. The staff are attentive but do have a sense of humor which is keeping with the theme of taking coffee seriously but not too seriously.

Inside Caffe Medici

Very clean but warm furnishings provide cozy nooks and high top tables for quiet chats or getting some work done. The high top bench on the right of the door as you walk in has the feel of an Apple Store including the requisite nerds (sans the blue t-shirts). Having said that, the seats at the high table offer the most commanding views of the coffee shop and provide a great location for people watching also.

I have never seen the place jam packed but there is usually a steady flow of people, especially when movies let out of the nearby Alamo Draft House. I imagine it will fill out once the Lamar Union Apartments come on-line as these apartments seem like they are geared to the Caffe Medici client-el.

The coffee, for my pallet at least, is excellent and a Cappuccino will set you back $3.80 which is about average.

Houndstooth Coffee (401 Congress Ave)

Outside 

Houndstooth is the coffee drinkers coffee shop. Although I would wager others would disagree, Houndstooth probably takes coffee more seriously than any other coffee shop in Austin. Their dedication to the art of making coffee is palpable as soon as you walk through the door. With newer locations on North Lamar and even Dallas (how dare they), Houndstooth is taking advantage of both the market and their coffee brewing skills to grow. The staff are great. I think may not only have gone to hard core Barista training but also hard core Austin fashion training as they have the hats and beards to prove it.

Inside Houndstooth

The inside of the Congress location is pretty spartan with less places to sit than many coffee shops. Again, the focus is squarely on the coffee drinking experience. I do not get the sense this is the kind of place where you would park your laptop for a couple of hours and bear down on writing your latest novel. You could, however, definitely stop here for half an hour and check your email if you are looking for a change of location.

It is also a great spot for people watching. Being in the center of Congress both the bold and the beautiful frequent this place to see and be seen. If I were more self conscious I may have been put off but I am not so I was not.

I am an Americano drinker (or Cappuccino if I need some comfort). The coffee is really excellent (as you would expect).

Jo's Coffee (242 West 2nd Street)

Jo's Coffee / Diner

While some coffee shops are making coffee the star of the show, combining coffee and food (and even beer) is a growing trend. We see Starbucks ever expanding their food menu and making boatloads of money and the smaller chains are following suit. Personally I don't like it, coffee shops are for coffee and Wi-Fi and maybe a pastry but not for a full meal. OK, OK I'll include breakfast tacos in the list of acceptable coffeehouse food but that's it.





To me the name of this place is wrong, it should be called Jo's Diner not Jo's Coffee. It certainly has more in common with a diner than a coffee shop (including the fact they serve burgers and have booths). There is nothing wrong with this as such but then you shouldn't call it a coffee shop. So why did I include Jo's in my coffee shop review? You may ask. Well, it's to illustrate a point that coffee shops are in danger of trying to be too much to too many people and not being great at any one thing.

A Cup of Jo's

Although the web-site is joscoffee.com and you find it on Google using Jos Coffee, almost all of the branding is now just Jo's. This I suspect is part of a re-branding and and attempt to expand from their original coffee shop roots (on-line merchandising included).

With locations on South Congress and on Campus, Jo's is also expanding its reach. It will be interesting to see if these local chains can maintain the same individuality and Austin Cool when they have five or ten locations. I certainly hope so for if they don't, I fear Austenite's will sense the presence of 'the man' and take themselves off to the latest quirky startup coffeehouse.

So how about that coffee? Not as good as Cafe Medici or Houndstooth but a decent cup of Americano for $3.50.

Starbucks (301 W 3rd St)

Starbucks

I can almost hear the screams as I type. "How dare you mention Starbucks when talking coffee shops in Austin or coffee at all for that matter?". "Keep Austin Weird and keep corporate America out!". In response to that I say, it's my Blog and I can mention Starbucks if I want to! Seriously though, for this one store at least, they are trying to fit in with Austin or should I say trying not to fit in.

In the face of increased competition from local coffee shops, Starbucks is upping its game. With the opening of the Austin inspired store on West 3rd street in early 2014, Starbucks is showing that it believes a warm local feel matters as much as the coffee they serve.

Not the Typical Starbucks

The press release on the opening of this store details all of the Austin inspired decorations, far more than I noticed if I am honest. It is obvious, however, that this is not your run of the mill suburban Starbucks which are typically soulless money making boxes with more activity at the drive thru than the counter.

There is plenty of seating with options including leather benches (very comfy leather benches), high top tables for the laptop crowd and regular tables and chairs. While there are no nooks and crannies to hide away in, it does offer a pleasing, clean and well lit environment to drink your coffee.

There is not much point in talking about the coffee, you all know what Starbucks coffee tastes like.

Summary

Coffee is great. If you haven't tried it, drop everything, including your laptop and try some right now. If you have tried it and you like it then check out some of the above locations and let me know what you think?

My Goto Downtown ATX Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Spots

Before we moved downtown, my wife and I lived on the west side of Austin, about eight miles from downtown. We would drive downtown once a month for a special dinner out and visit most weekends to use Butler Trail. We looked on the 'cool' downtown restaurants from afar and relied on Yelp heavily in order to select our monthly dinner spot. Although we enjoyed our visits, we felt like visitors in our own city. Fast forward to today and we have been living downtown for two and a half months. Now we can try out the places that have borderline Yelp reviews and find places we did not know were there because we happen to walk by them on the way to somewhere else. In this post, I will review our favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner spots. Places we keep going back to, time and time again.

Breakfast: Magnolia Café (2304 Lake Austin Boulevard)

Open 24/7

Magnolia Cafe is at the center of the tasty no-nonsense breakfast universe. If you are looking for the basics done very well then look no further, this is your place and it is open 24 hours a day. I almost hesitated to include Magnolia Cafe as I could not imagine anyone who lives in Austin who has not already visited. Given there are hundreds of people arriving in Austin every day, however, I decided to include it just in case. I also happen to be craving pancakes when I put this post together.

The style is fast casual and the wait staff personify Austin in their outlook and style. If you get there early at the weekends (8:30 am or earlier) you can get in, get a cooked breakfast and coffee and be out within 20 minutes. Get there after 9 am on the weekend and prepare yourself for a 20 minute plus wait outside. On a nice day this can be enjoyable as long as you were not already hungry when you got there.

The omelets at Magnolia Cafe are tasty, hearty and come in twelve standard varieties. They come with a choice of two sides which all adds up to what I call 'a big boy breakfast'. My favorite is the Spanish Omelet with fruit and wheat toast, I especially like to Rojas sauce which balances the egg perfectly.

The pancakes at Magnolia Cafe are fluffy, delicious and all you could ask for in a sweet breakfast treat. The trick is to never go to Magnolia alone, that way one of you can get the savory item and the other can get the pancakes providing the best of both worlds! Of course if you do go alone and have an omelet and pancakes you can always hit the trail again for another four mile loop!

Yes that is President Obama

Coffee re-fills comes fast and flow freely. The coffee is not quite Cafe Medici quality but it is perfectly drinkable and delivers the requisite caffeine perfectly well.

On a side note, Magnolia is one of the only places that serve orange marmalade as a condiment to toast. Coming from the United Kingdom, breakfast can not be declared complete until you have finished it off with toast and marmalade.

For me, there is no better way to spend a weekend morning than to take a four mile walk on Butler Trail followed by an omelet, a chunk of one of my wife's blueberry buttermilk pancakes and a gallon of coffee from Magnolia Cafe. If for some strange reason you have not done this yet then please do it this weekend!

Lunch: Whole Foods (525 N Lamar)

Say what? You have got to be kidding me, you can't call Whole Foods a restaurant! I am sorry but the downtown Whole Foods more than qualifies as a legit lunch spot. I look for great food and a lively atmosphere in the restaurants I visit and the downtown Whole Food has them both (in spades).

The food runs the board in terms of choice. They have separate, dedicated mini-restaurants for sushi, BBQ, tacos, deli, bakery, sandwiches, pizza and seafood. In addition, there are all kinds of foods on offer at the buffet and salad bar. Now, variety alone does not make a great place to eat, after all, Golden Corral has plenty of variety. What sets Whole Food apart is the quality of the ingredients they use and the way the food is presented to you. All of the ingredients are natural or organic and as many as possible are locally grown.

The Flagship Whole Foods Store

Believe it or not, the downtown Whole Foods does have a great atmosphere. During the week it is brimming with busy workers looking for a quick bite and there is a hum of productive minds plotting their afternoon assault on the corporate world. At the weekends, the pace is brought down a couple of notches, along with the dress code. Whole Foods is almost as famous for it's concentration of spandex as it's collection of organic produce. The weekend offers a perfect spot to sit, drink coffee, eat a muffin and a green smoothie (smoothie negates muffin) and see how much human flesh can be crammed into a pair of spandex pants. I should warn you that I am not a qualified nutritionist so it may not be true that a green smoothie negates a muffin from a nutritional perspective.

My go-to lunches are the rainbow sushi roll or the chicken fun soup (in the winter). The sushi is fresh and the soup is made to order with fresh ingredients. This brings me to the intangible Whole Foods feel good factor. After leaving Whole Foods, with either a full bag of groceries or a full belly, you feel like you have done good for your body. It's as if the Cinnamon Rolls are made from kale and the Tres Leches cake has the same nutritional content as a fresh fruit salad. Of course this is not the case, but somehow Whole Foods makes you feel like whatever you eat, it is doing you some good.

Dinner: ABGB (1305 W. Oltorf)

Austin Beer Garden Brewing (ABGB) is fast becoming my go to spot for pizza and beer. It is a one and a half mile walk from my condo which is just enough to feel like I have earned some of the pizza and beer I am about to enjoy. Another great example of Austin casual dining, ABGB is a great hang out spot to sit and talk with friends whilst sharing great pizza and fantastic beer.

All the seating at ABGB is bench style and first come first served, so be prepared to cozy up to another group. For a Brit, sitting next to people you don't know is intimidating and certainly takes some getting used to. After a couple of Big Mama Red beers, however, your inhibitions disappear and you wonder why the Capital Grill doesn't have bench seating! It really is a lot of fun. I once visited Munich for work and spent some time in the Bierkellers there. ABGB brings back fond memories of that trip and it seems to me was inspired by these Bavarian drinking halls.

ABGB has five 'Always' beers which run the gamut from light and crisp lagers to heavy weight stouts. In addition, they have the 'Sometimes' list which comes and goes to make sure the beer selection never seems stale. I never did understand people who have the same beer every single time. Beer is something that should be explored, there is always another great beer out there if you keep looking!

ABGB, Hmm Beer Good

The pizza at ABGB, to my mind, is exceptional. After having just said that you should experiment with beer, I should say my outlook on pizza is the opposite. Once you find that one special pizza, stick to it. Mine is the House Made Sausage pizza from ABGB. A crisp but not brittle crust combined with a hearty sauce and killer sausage make for the perfect beer accompaniment. In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say at this point, that I have never been to ABGB without having at least one beer before having a pizza. In view of this, my pizza review may be tainted by beer colored goggles.

And there's more... What else is there but beer and pizza? Well, ABGB also hosts up to six bands a week on a stage at the end of the hall so there is also live music!

A Word of Caution: Alcohol by volume (ABV) of the beers at ABGB ranges from around 4 to 10 or more so be careful what you are drinking, especially if you are going there for a few beers (Welsh for a lot). As always, please please please drink responsibly. If in any doubt, walk or use Uber.

Parting Thoughts

Austin has a diverse and generally excellent restaurant scene. TexMex and BBQ dominate the outside world's view of Austin dining but there is much much more to it than just that. Coming from the UK I understand very well that people tend to stamp countries and cities with a certain style of cuisine. Austin (and the UK for that matter) do not deserve to be stamped with one or two types of specialty cuisines. Downtown Austin offers a plethora of choice for every palette, so go out and chow down Austin.

Hitting the Trail - 10 miles of heaven in the heart of ATX

One of the top three reasons my wife and I moved to downtown Austin is the Butler hike-and-bike trail. I have traveled to and lived in many areas of the US and Western Europe. In my opinion, there are few cities that have anything to compare to this jewel on the Colorado river. In this post I will reflect on my thoughts about the trail (and the people that use it).

What is the Butler Park Hike and Bike Trail

The trail in the Fall

In the heart of Austin is the Butler hike-and-bike trail at Lady Bird Lake, an urban path that meanders along the waters edge passing skyscrapers, neighborhoods, schools and local attractions. With more than 1.5 million visits a year, the 10-mile hike-and-bike trail is Austin’s most recognized and popular recreational area. The trail's surface is primarily crushed granite which makes for a very comfortable walk or run compared to concrete. About the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail

Route Options

With six bridges crossing the lake there are an almost unlimited variation of loops, figure eights and out and backs that you can take. This provides options for couples taking a stroll up to hard core runners training for next weekends race. BTW, there are lot's of running events in Austin. After a quick search of Running in the USA I found that in 2015, there were ninety five 5K races within a 25 mile radius of Austin. You can probably double that if you count smaller events. Add in 10Ks, half-marathons, the turkey trot, marathons, triathlons, the jingle bell run <insert distance, name and cause here> and you likely have three or four hundred possible running races in the Austin area.

Trail Maps and Facilities:
You can find maps with routes, bathrooms, parking, water fountains etc. on the Trail Foundation Website.

My Routes:

On a personal note, my wife and I walk/run a five mile route at the weekends and a two mile route on week nights, see maps below.

2 Mile Route

5 Mile Route

Taking a Breather

If you decide to take on the trail you need to plan your refueling locations ahead of time. Here are a couple that I enjoy:

• Breakfast at Magnolia Cafe. Located on Veterans drive and Lake Austin Boulevard, you will have to take a short detour and walk about 350 yards from the Mopac foot bridge up Veterans Drive to reach it. This place in itself is pretty much an Austin landmark. Suffice to say it is great refueling spot for the hungry and weary.
• Coffee at Alta. Located in the Austin Rowing Club. A great spot serving great coffee right on the trail overlooking the water's edge.

In the heat of an Austin summer afternoon you really do have to be careful. I myself have experienced mild heatstroke in 100+ degree heat, it is not fun and can be very dangerous. Please, if you do not bring your own water then stop at the water fountains frequently to re-hydrate and don't overdo it. Here are some myths about running in the heat taken from a Runners World article How to Run in the Heat

MYTH Only dehydrated runners are at risk.
REALITY High humidity and intense effort can cause heatstroke in hydrated runners.
MYTH Only long runs cause heatstroke.
REALITY Fast, hard, shorter running in 5-K or 10-K races can also cause heatstroke.
MYTH Heatstroke occurs only if the weather is hot and humid.
REALITY Heatstroke can occur in mild conditions if an athlete is over fatigued.
MYTH Heatstroke victims stop sweating.
REALITY Heatstroke also develops in athletes who are still sweating.

My Trail Pet Peeves

I use the trail at least four times a week and love pretty much every moment I spend on it. I love it in the rain, I love it in the wind and I love it in the sun (actually I have to admit to not loving it so much at 3 pm on August afternoons). I have, however, built up a list of things and people that annoy me.

• People who assume the trail is a dedicated veloway and anyone else using it must be lost.
• People who assume that just because they are running they don't have to keep to their side of the trail when overtaking or (heaven forbid) waiting to overtake.
• People who assume the trail is a dedicated dog park. Dogs are great, dogs on leads are better, dogs on leads that are not 20 ft long are even better.
• People who assume the trail is a dedicated children's park. I have no problem with kids on the trail, it's the ones playing chicken with speeding bikes I fear for.
• People who let their kids hold the dog's leash. Have you ever found yourself between the dog and the kid with the leash around your ankles? My wife has. I believe it is how the Welsh tribes used to bring down deer during the hunt.
• Finally, people like me who get grumpy about bikers, runners, dogs and kids on the trail!

Trail Etiquette

On a serious note, the trail is becoming more and more crowded as people keep flooding into Austin. According the the trail foundation web site 30,000 feet hit the trail every day. In order for everyone to continue to enjoy it, we all need to become more aware. The picture below is of a sign recently added to the trail. It describes how each type of trail user should yield to others. It pretty much says it all but I would add that traversing the trail is not a contact sport. For the good of everyone we should all give a little and be polite. Be aware of your surroundings (turn down the headphones), move over a little if you can, don't travel more than two abreast, no sudden changes in direction, use the bell on your bike, keep the dog (and the kid) on a short lease and wait for an opening to appear before overtaking.

Yielding on the Trail

The People

You will see all sorts on the trail. People walking the dog, couples taking a stroll, people out for their daily run, people commuting to work and many more. Everyone loves to people watch and I am no exception so here are some of my thoughts on the types of people you may encounter.

The Wolf Pack:
The serious runners tend to head out early in the morning, if you are out there between 6 and 7 am look out for packs of high school and college kids steaming down the trail at full tilt. If you are like me, a little overweight and a little (ok well a lot) bald, it can be intimidating and even a little depressing.

The Lone Wolf:
These are also impressive specimens, fit thirty or forty somethings wearing the latest running gadgets pushing themselves to beat their personal bests. Woe betide the person who gets in the way of these machines. After their run, they can bee seen in closest juice bar for a cold press wheat grass and kale smoothie. You may also spot them in Whole Foods, did I mention they also wear a lot of spandex?

The Business Meeting:
Groups of two to five men in their fifties or sixties who come out mostly on weekend mornings. Taking it at a steady pace they can be heard discussing the DOW or which Condo development they are about to invest in. I picture them finishing up their run and heading over to the club for a rub down and a steam.

The Family Reunion:
Three generations of the Robinson family gathering in Austin for their annual reunion. They meander down the trail on Sunday morning spread across the trail like a search party looking for a murder weapon. After their walk they head over to Magnolia Cafe and take up half the room while they work their way through a two hour breakfast.

The Dog Walker:
These come in all shapes and sizes. From the military types with the dog running perfectly to heel two inches behind them and to their side to the lady with three Dobermans tied around her waist. The second example is a well placed rabbit away of a complete train wreck. After the walk it's off to the Taurus Academy for remedial training and then on to breakfast at an outside spot where the dog is tied to the table and proceeds to drag it around the patio chasing the birds.

Moms Morning Off:
Every so often you will see a wagon train rolling down the trail. Dad pushing a stroller with little Ellie inside and Trigger tied to the back, Jimmy on his tricycle and Jill in her electric Barby car ride ride point. They are hardly ever seen all together, Jimmy will often be seen careering down the bank heading to the lake while Jill is on a collision course with an angry looking Doberman. After their adventure, they head back to the suburbs and wake mum up demanding lunch.

Conclusion

Coming from the UK, I hate using this word but the downtown Austin Butler hike-and-bike trail is 'awesome'. To have something like this in the middle of a thriving city like Austin is almost unbelievable. The trail is in no small part the reason Austin is growing as fast as it is, so we should all play a part in making sure it continues to thrive. I joke about the people but without them the trail would feel deserted and soulless, so bring it on weird Austenite's let's see what you've got.

And Finally, Views from Butler Trail

A Cold December Morning on Lady Bird Lake

A Nighttime View of Downtown ATX from Butler Trail

A Sunny Saturday on the Trail