Sing Songs About Texas

I love listening to Texas country. Listening to a live band play at a local dance hall while everyone two steps is something I really miss about Texas. Surprisingly, something I don’t miss so much anymore is the food. I had no idea I felt this way until this trip. Previously, John and I were concerned about our budget for eating out once we got back to Texas, because we were afraid we would want to eat out all the time. However, after a few meals out during our trip, we were both dealing with upset tummies and bodies. Don’t get me wrong, Texans can make a great steak, but most of the food you get when you go out to eat is so loaded up with fat, salt and/or sugars that it’s plain disgusting.

We experienced one particularly sad example of this during our second trip to Austin. On Wednesday, a few days before our departure, we headed up to Austin to take care of some school paperwork for John. We were able to stop in San Marcos at the outlet mall and get some good deals at GAP (new swimsuit for me!) before heading into Austin for lunch with John’s sister Sarah. We were in the mood for Trudy’s, which is the restaurant John and I met at (the second time around) when he was my waiter. When we got there, it was closed. Closed? The restaurant that is open from 5 am until 2 am?

John went to investigate and was able to speak with a manager who was inside at the time. The manager said that as of two weeks prior, they had changed their hours and didn’t open until 2 PM, at which time they would served drinks and queso. The kitchen would open at 4 PM. I don’t think I can convey how incredibly mind-boggling this was for us. Trudy’s has 3 locations, so we decided to try their location up north, which purported to be open (according to their website). We got there and were seated, but when our waiter came up to us, he said “have y’all been to Trudy’s for lunch lately?” He then proceeded to tell us that they were doing things a little differently. Their full menu would also not be available until 4 PM, but we could have a shot at their lunch buffet for $8.95/person. Buffet? Sigh.

Since we were there, we decided we would check it out. It was all I had feared it would be and more. Everything was the same color because it was all fried or smothered in cheese. I actually couldn’t tell what any of the dishes were without looking at the labels. Would you believe that they were also serving funnel cake fries? They were. It was that bad.

Needless to say that although we were incredibly hungry by this point, we did not want to spend our money at Trudy’s. We drove back near the UT campus and ate at Vivo’s. Aside from a rusty hanging basket stabbing John in the head and drawing blood (Yes, he’s current on his tetanus shot. Thanks in advance for the concern.), it was a good lunch.

(Also, before we went to lunch, we got to see Sarah’s dorm room. She has a great view of the Texas capitol building. I’m jealous!)

After lunch, we did our errands for John’s paperwork, dropped by to see a friend of his and then picked up my brother for dinner at Hula Hut. After dropping him off around 9 PM, we were on our way back to San Antonio.

I focused on Wednesday in this post because a) the rest of the days were just filled with family visits in SA and b) I wanted to draw attention to the food nastiness. I feel like I’ve shortchanged both our family experience and the attention I was hoping to bring to the food situation. So, with regard to the food, do you, as residents of the US or people who have visited the US, find the food there on average to be gross?

 With regard to the rest of our week and our time spent with family, I hope all our family knows what a great time we had with each of you and how excited we are that we will get to see you much more often in just 12 short months.

Wrapping this up, our last day was (fortunately) low-key. I woke up with an awful stomach ache and ended up sick most of the day. I have never felt like that before in my life. Smells made me so nauseous, and the smell aversion lasted for 2-3 days (no, I’m not pregnant). Sitting right next to the lavatory on our flight from San Antonio to Chicago on the way back was torture. A week later, I’m finally starting to feel good again, but you k now what would really help me? Some vitamin D. It’s been rainy and COLD since we got back. Right now it’s 44 degrees and it’s the afternoon. Ack! What is this weather? It’s May for heaven’s sake!

Thanks for bearing with me through all this. I have some photos to share, and I know that’s everyone’s favorite part. Unfortunately, I can’t upload them from this computer, so look for a big photo post on Monday!