Mark L. Van Name's Blog, page 18
July 26, 2017
Quick and tasty dinner time
As chance would have it, our company had quite a few folks in town this week, so most of us gathered today for an informal dinner at a local Shake Shack. This particular Austin installation of the franchise offers a burger with sausage in it, which I, of course, tried. It rocks; eat it if you're in Austin.
For dinner, we all bopped over to Amy's, where I enjoyed their honey vanilla ice cream.
This nice, low-key dinner with friends and colleagues was a great break in a very long work day.
July 25, 2017
Crazy day in heat-town
The high each day here in Austin is over a hundred, so I am enjoying the conditioned air whenever I can get it.
The day was crazy busy and culminated in a large and very enjoyable client dinner we sponsored. I can't talk about the details, but the meal was at my favorite Austin restaurant, Counter 3 . Five . VII, so you know the food was great. The companionship and conversation were equally good.
As I was working late last night, the hotel's Internet service went out and stayed out, so I was able to post this blog only today. I do not heart this hotel.
Back to it!
July 24, 2017
Getting smarter in Austin
And doing it the fun way: by eating great barbecue.
Click the image to see a larger version. Specifically, this is the meal we shared tonight at Cooper's in downtown Austin. Nothing makes the IQ soar (temporarily) like great barbecued meat!
July 23, 2017
The beach movie report, 2017
With three weeks in the beach house, we were, of course, able to take in more movies than usual. We also watched multiple UFC events, so the area with the big TV was a hopping place.
As you can tell from this photo, we watched films of every sort.
Click the image to see a larger version.These films are in no particular order.
The one box that glare obscures is season one of Killjoys. We made it through all of that season and half of the second (box for it in the lower right).
As you can tell from our consumption of 15 TV episodes and 34 movies, we clearly devoted a noticeable part of our evenings to viewing. That's a tradition I'm happy with.
The most surprising film of the batch is War On Everyone, which is foul-mouthed, politically incorrect, extremely violent, and ultimately both hard to predict and laugh-out-loud funny. If you have the right sense of humor, I recommend it highly--but don't blame me if it offends you.
I could happily watch two movies a day most days, given the chance.
July 22, 2017
Home for a little while
I'm home from the beach and must unpack, settle in, process the mail, and so on.
The problem is, I leave Monday morning for Austin, so I also have to pack for a very different sort of trip.
And, I'm tired.
So, it's to bed for me.
July 21, 2017
The last night at the beach
is always odd, a time of mixed feelings, of increased appreciation of this place and of sad realization that it's time to return to the real world. It's also a period of change. Some folks have already left, while others, including me, hang on until the morning mandatory departure. We return the house to its original state, in the process undoing all the little customizations that play key roles in our traditions. We skip the late second movie due to the early morning wake-up time. We load cars and empty cupboards. We make ready to leave this lovely part of the world.
Beach life is fleeting life.
July 20, 2017
The mighty fall
The mighty BobCakes, that is, because today our beach team took down both the massive chocolate BobCake
Click an image to see a larger version.and the second of the CaBobCakes.
Beach life is dessert destruction life.
July 19, 2017
National Hot Dog Day extends to the beach
Of course it does! Why would it not? In keeping with this day of tube steak celebration, my lunch from my favorite local sandwich shop was their "Two Dogs Done Right."
Click an image to see a larger version. The dish was definitely messy, but it was also quite tasty.
The beach trip is winding to a close, and so, too, are the BobCakes. The main BobCake is still standing, but it is now far the worse for wear.
The second CaBobCake is going down more gracefully, but it is nonetheless going down.
Beach life is food life.
July 18, 2017
Apes and dogs
Kyle and I headed today to the only cinema in the area to catch War for the Planet of the Apes, the latest (and pretty good) installment in this franchise. The theater is a hot mess, but it's the only one in easy driving distance, so we visit it at least a couple of times each beach vacation.
On the way, we stopped for lunch at a drive-through hot dog stand, where we each enjoyed a bottle of water and two of these creations.
Click the image to see a larger version.Meet the pimento cheese bacon hot dog, truly a feast of rare beauty.
Beach life is animal life.
Today's BobCake update shows that we are not making very good progress against the mighty cakes of Bob. The BobCake is resisting us,
while the second and final CaBobCake slowly succumbs to our attacks.
Beach life is dessert life.
July 17, 2017
Cloudy day
Every minute of today that I was outside, clouds in every shade of gray covered our world. The air was a bit cooler than usual, and we had a very slight breeze. From time to time, it gently rained.
We still managed to get in our usual two-mile walk, lunch out, and lunch errands, plus some splashing in the pool and other common beach activities.
Beach days are sometimes cloudy days, but I love them, too.
