Summer Solstice Ride
The first day of summer was officially yesterday, but it’s been summer in Austin for quite a while now. In celebration, a bike ride was hosted. After we rode around the east side for a while, with the requisite stop at a park to drink, we headed to Scoot-Inn for free skee ball, slip-n-slide, and kiddie pools. 
Bike Month Closing Party
Bike month officially ended when May did, but for some reason the closing party was this Sunday. It was HOT. Probably the first day this year where I’ve thought, oh yeah this is Austin in the summer. I met some friends down there and proceeded to sweat for several hours. It was a good time though. Lots of tents were set up with local bike shops and orgs giving out free shit. There were kegs of free real ale for all and thundercloud sandwiches. Several bands played, the highlight of which was Minor Mishap Marching Band.
Your Mom’s Burger
A new burger joint opened up on Cesar Chavez and it’s been getting good word of mouth from cyclists because they give discounts to those of the pedaled persuasion. We had tickets to the Thin Man double-feature at The Paramount so we stopped for burgers beforehand. It’s a small space with a counter inside and a patio to the side. The flies were rampant outside so we sat at the counter. They make stuffed burgers with the cheese on the inside. Lauren got the Norma Jean a classic american cheeseburger and I had a Frida Khalo. A burger, stuffed w/ chorizo and pepper jack, and topped with a fried egg and avocado. It’s a heart attack waiting to happen but it would be tasty heart attack. The only let down were the onion rings. I don’t think they had the fryer grease hot enough because they were soggy and soaked with oil. In conclusion: 10% off for cyclists + BYOB + artery clogging creations = awesome!
The Jalopy
A mack truck painted with murals has set up shop across from Lauren’s school. They call it The Jalopy and they sell rotisserie chicken sandwiches. We stopped by on Saturday after Frankenbike to eat some lunch. The guy taking orders, I assume he’s the owner, was super friendly and chatty. He gave us free Jalopy Mimosas (orange MD 20/20 & tonic). It was actually much better than it should be but it still pretty foul. I’m not usually a fan of hot sandwiches but these were pretty good. The onion marmalade and demi-glace on the “original” were awesome. The “caprese” was good too, but it’s hard not to like anything when it’s covered in pesto and cheese.
Odd Duck Trailer
The trailer scene is blowing up in Austin. It seems like I hear about a new trailer every week. Most are disappointing. A few gems do turn up though, like Naranja Mobile. Odd Duck is definitely in the success category. They use local farms for their seasonal menu ingredients and emphasize whole animal usage. Two things I highly support. The results are fantastic. They make a variety of small plates daily so we tried an assortment. Also, BYOB!
Pictured below:
green beans with tarragon crema, pork loin and sweet corn ricotta
slow cooked rabbit leg on ciabatta, capers, parmesan and grilled squash
grilled quail with salad of potato, cheddar and arugula
pork belly slider with pickled onion
grilled zucchini bread with grilled peaches and salad with goat cheese
