steppin' and Sanchez

On my Austin bucket list was
1. Going to a honkytonk
and
2. Eating breakfast tacos

And I was able to accomplish both things in 24 hours! Score.

We went first to the Broken Spoke, an old time dance hall where people like Dolly Parton (one of my greatest loves) go up and play a set when they're passing through town.

We began with coffee, since Richard was tired and I was nervous about being an hour behind (I'm on Central time here).

I made Rich n Rach stop for a picture. They are great.


















They have really good coffee here. And the place was great- you got whatever and then could go out to this beautiful lantern-lit back patio area. There were people playing chess, doing stuff on lap tops, just hanging out...

















And then the Broken Spoke! Richard was headed off for drinks and I confessed that I didn't like beer so I was fine but then he came back with this TEXAS SIZED white wine hahahahaha.





















Initially I felt like a total tool drinking white wine at a dance hall- Yankee Yuppie to the extreme. But then Richard was like "No, the only reason I knew they had it is because the three people in front of me in line ordered it!" I felt slightly better. But still couldn't finish it. LIGHT. WEIGHT.

Lara, you're going to hate me, but Jesse Dayton was playing...


















My poor cousin Lara LOVES this guy (and, um, rightly so- in addition to being a ridiculously talented musician, he is DREAMY) and every time she comes to Austin he is supposed to be playing and every time he cancels. And now I've gotten to see him!

Anyway, dancing was oodles of fun. It was a very eclectic mix of people, some of whom were like 85 (and fantastic) and some of whom were my age, all two steppin' away.

And then I danced with a random Swedish (?) guy and apparently had the difficult task of doing my first ever two steppin' to a polka. It was hard! The slow songs were easier but also, uh, gropier.

Then this morning Lara (same cousin) was reading my blog and told Rachel, her sister, that it was crazy that I was in Texas and not having Tex Mex. And I've been stokedy stoked to try the famous breakfast taco.
So we were off to Torchy's, which has expanded to multiple sites due to popularity, but we went to the original trailer:


















I tried to peek in the window. There ain't much. A griddle and a fryer?


















They apparently made the outdoor seating area "fancier" than it used to be, and it actually is ridiculously cute for tables in a parking lot of a trailer park.


















It was fun seeing the people come in for their breakfasts: one guy initially just seemed to be PAINFULLY hungover but then seeing him walk back across the parking lot we were like nope, he's still drunk.
That led to a chat about hangover remedies, and Rach told me about the combination known as the "South Austin Speedball" at Jo's which is a black coffee and a beer. Advil optional.

This is the menu board. Notice anything slightly peculiar?























The Dirty Sanchez! It is apparently (perhaps understandably, given the memorable name- Mom, I'm not explaining it, don't even ask) their most famous taco! And one that out of towners are always told to order because it's so delicious. The contents:


















I got my Sanchez and a bean and potato taco, both on corn tortillas.


















They came with salsa (which I demolished) and a weird boring ranch (which I ignored).


















The bean and potato was delicious, but the Sanchez, oh my Godddddd the Sanchez. Just look at that! Deep fried chile, eggs, avocado, cheese, vinegary carrots. It is one of the best things I have ever tasted in my entire life. The Dirty Sanchez. Eeesh!


















That was 9:45 or 10? It's now 1:30 and I still feel so full that I probably won't need to eat until dinner. Time for Wii Trivial Pursuit!

Love love love love Austin!