Day 36 - Austin: Terry Black's BBQ, Broken Spoke, Rainey street, Geraldine's

It was a cold snap and now I know the meaning of it. It's freezing outside and it happened all of a sudden. We didn't go out all day. Except Albert texted us again, wondering what we were going to do.
The plan was to go to the movies in a really warm place and then maybe check out a honky-tonk bar, since it was our last night in Austin.
So we all went to see 'Vice' in a movie theater that served food. I loved the movie but I was ticked off when a waiter walked up during the movie to ask us if we wanted anything...really? What the heck! Get out of here. I am sorry, but I am old fashioned about movie theaters...no food.

Next, Bill and I were going to throw out of the window all our good intentions about cattle and...pigs. We went to a Texas BBQ, Terry Black's. It was the real thing with all the bells and whistles.
The line was long and we were waiting outdoors in the cold, but it went really fast and soon we were taking our trays covered in double paper, grabbing all kinds of side dishes like potatoes salad, baked beans, coleslaw, pecan pie, peach cobbler. Finally we get to the meat bench. We picked a spicy sausage, ribs, and briskets, and they slapped the piece right on the paper. Awesome!
We devoured everything in minutes and washed it down with Shiner Bock beer.

Then we got a tour of the pit. The briskets are first cooked 8 hours and then smoked for another 8 wrapped in paper. The fire is on 24/7. They have three shifts to cook meat all day long.

At this point, we had to find a place where to burn off all that goodness. So we went to the Broken Spoke, where we had the chance to meet the owner and try out our two-step skills on the dance floor.

Albert decided that the Broken Spoke was not alone representative of the Austin night scene. We didn't go to Sixth street. We went to the better alternative venue and the most frequented by Austinians, Rainey Street. Leave Sixth street to the tourists.
Rainey street is lined by small houses that have resisted the city redevelopment of the last ten years. The homes house various night clubs, pubs, food trucks and a lot of music. They are wedged in between high rise buildings. It's quite a sight and a lot of fun.