The week leading up to Easter my team at work and I traveled to Houston for a convention last Monday-Wednesday for the Petroleom Users Group of the Environmental Sciences Research Institute (ESRI). I have been to Houston a few times and, other than its moderately impressive skyline, there's not much I like about the place, and this trip proved no different. It's as hot and humid as New Orleans but without the personality. I would much rather spend a summer in Phoenix than in Houston without a doubt. However we did find a very good Mexican restaurant downtown with arguably the best salsa I have ever had. If you ever venture downtown, go to Gudalajara del Centro at Dallas St & San Jacinto St and indulge in the salsa. Mucho gusto!
Following the convention I flew straight out of Houston for Phoenix, where I spent the rest of the week, enjoying Easter with the family. I also got to see a lot of my friends back home as well. This constituted my third trip back home since I moved to Austin, and for some reason this time it was the hardest to return to Texas. I want to make it clear that Austin is a great place - ask anyone who's been there - it's a special place, and I am VERY MUCH enjoying my time here in the "ATX", but it's not home.
If home is where your heart is, then I left mine in Arizona. And just spending a few days back there felt so great. Those who know me well are familiar with my affinity toward the Sonoran desert and the state of Arizona. It is arguably the most beautiful place on this planet in my biased opinion. And as much as I'll probably talk about AZ, this blog should be called "Everything's Bigler in Arizona", but then that doesn't quite work.
So back to the trip back home. Easter Sunday means a nice Easter dinner at Mom's house, but it also means the Deviled Egg Throw-Down. Our family does a deviled egg competition every year, and this is its third year. I proposed the idea three years ago when I was frustrated that there was never enough deviled eggs. Now that we have this competition, there is always plenty, and we get to try some interesting variations on the theme.
This year I prepared "Rising Sun" Deviled Eggs - a Japanese inspired version that also cleverly references my Arizona State allegiance. Water chestnuts, pickled ginger, wasabi sour cream and seaweed all were involved, and in my opinion they turned out really good - almost like a piece of sushi. If you don't like sushi, then no, it didn't taste good at all. As a part Japanese descedant, I thought this approach would play to the heartstrings of my family. Well, it didn't. I didn't win this year (like I did in the first year), but it's still fun eating the deviled eggs. Martha and Spencer won with their bacon inspired version. Jenny won last year... I think there was bacon involved then too. Hmmm... maybe there's a pattern starting. Note to self for next year: use bacon. One day we plan to put all of the recipes into a book of sorts, so keep your eye out for that.
I got back to Austin on Monday, and on Tuesday night I attended the "Railroad Revival Tour". This was a unique concert experience featuring three bands: "Old Crow Medicine Show", "Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes" and "Mumford and Sons". THe groups toured on railroad cars from California to New Orleans, playing shows along the way. It was a real southern hippie fest - beards and banjos, and it was a great time with some tremendous music.
If home is where your heart is, then I left mine in Arizona. And just spending a few days back there felt so great. Those who know me well are familiar with my affinity toward the Sonoran desert and the state of Arizona. It is arguably the most beautiful place on this planet in my biased opinion. And as much as I'll probably talk about AZ, this blog should be called "Everything's Bigler in Arizona", but then that doesn't quite work.
So back to the trip back home. Easter Sunday means a nice Easter dinner at Mom's house, but it also means the Deviled Egg Throw-Down. Our family does a deviled egg competition every year, and this is its third year. I proposed the idea three years ago when I was frustrated that there was never enough deviled eggs. Now that we have this competition, there is always plenty, and we get to try some interesting variations on the theme.
This year I prepared "Rising Sun" Deviled Eggs - a Japanese inspired version that also cleverly references my Arizona State allegiance. Water chestnuts, pickled ginger, wasabi sour cream and seaweed all were involved, and in my opinion they turned out really good - almost like a piece of sushi. If you don't like sushi, then no, it didn't taste good at all. As a part Japanese descedant, I thought this approach would play to the heartstrings of my family. Well, it didn't. I didn't win this year (like I did in the first year), but it's still fun eating the deviled eggs. Martha and Spencer won with their bacon inspired version. Jenny won last year... I think there was bacon involved then too. Hmmm... maybe there's a pattern starting. Note to self for next year: use bacon. One day we plan to put all of the recipes into a book of sorts, so keep your eye out for that.
I got back to Austin on Monday, and on Tuesday night I attended the "Railroad Revival Tour". This was a unique concert experience featuring three bands: "Old Crow Medicine Show", "Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes" and "Mumford and Sons". THe groups toured on railroad cars from California to New Orleans, playing shows along the way. It was a real southern hippie fest - beards and banjos, and it was a great time with some tremendous music.
It was a hot and humid day, and during the concert a large cloud formed and grew in the East. Austin doesn't get monsoons like we have back in Arizona, so the sight of a billowing thunderhead was a new thing and the bands kept commenting on it as they faced it. The crowd spent a good amount of their time with their backs to the stage to watch the formation in the heavens.
I thought it was beautiful, but at the same time I wasn't agast by it having seen many incredible thunderheads back in the desert, but I wasn't about to be THAT GUY, who mocks those who haven't had the blessing of seeing such a site on a yearly basis during monsoon season.
It was still an impressive sight, and having been back one day from Arizona, it was like a friendly hello from back home. We didn't get any rain out of it, except for a few sprinkles, and the cloud soon moved abruptly to the east as night fell.
One thing (among others) that I really enjoy about this unique place called Austin, TX is the friendly communalism. Add some great music and it makes for a thumbs up experience.
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