RODC's 3rd Gig

Renegades of Disaster City's performance was awesome! Jeff got the audience extra jazzed when he did his quirky and fun dance moves while singing and playing guitar (wow, multitasker! it's like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time!). And thanks to all of you who came and showed support, they got a headlining spot in late October!! Yay! 

It was a great way to start out a fun weekend. My half-brother Chris flew in late that night after Jeff's gig to attend Austin City Limits with me (read Austin City Limits Festival 2008 entry for more on that). 

Austin City Limits Festival 2008

My half brother Chris came out from San Diego to attend the Austin City Limits Festival this year. Historically we haven't kept in touch with each other as much as I wish we would have, so this gave us a great opportunity to catch up and spend some great one on one time together. After three full days of attending shows at Zilker Park together, it gave us plenty of opportunity to be ourselves and I felt innately comfortable around Chris, as if we were always just brother and sister.  Chris has great patience, kindness and is a joy to be around. Chris was easily welcomed and liked by Jeff and my friends and vice versa. Festivals can be somewhat chaotic, but being with Chris was a piece of cake! Love ya Chris and thanks for coming out!

Day One

Chris and I met up with my friend Kara and her friend Lindy, who came out from Atlanta for ACL, at a local restaurant Shady Grove, which is a great Austinesque place. From previous experiences, getting to and from Zilker park (where the festival is) was hectic, so we heard that Shady Grove offered free parking if you ate lunch there. It's also about three blocks away from the festival entrance. Why not go there then? So, that's what we did. Unfortunately, the parking situation was deceiving because you couldn't actually park there all day, just up to three hours if you ate there. So, we had to pay $25, but it wasn't the end of the world. Afterall, it gave us a great opportunity to sit outside (oh, and we got to sit on their stage area, which was cool!) on their great patio, eat great food, and chat with Kara and Lindy before walking over to the festival.

Our first show was Vampire Weekend. It was a wonderful way to start the day. They were upbeat and fun. Chris caught part of Louis XIV, which overlapped Vampire Weekend and he said they were good as well. I stayed with Kara and Lindy for a few minutes while he went to see them, but this was the only time Chris and I separated for the weekend. We found that for the most part we were interested in the same music. Otherwise, we'd decide what our priorities were and compromise willingly. 

We stayed with Kara and Lindy for a good part of the day. They shared similar energy and were very easy and good company. I think Lindy and Chris shared a lot of musical taste and interest together as well. 

Chris and I realized we didn't eat anything all day from when we had lunch until about 10:00pm. I think it was the heat perhaps that we just weren't hungry. We decided that we just needed to eat regardless. So, I took Chris to see the infamous Sixth Street and to get a slice of Roppolo's pizza there. Then we met up with friends Joseph, Sandy and some of Joseph's friends at a club. We had a fun time, but didn't stay that long. I was slowly losing my voice after recovering from a cold and yelling over loud music the night before at Jeff's show and all day, so Chris and I called it a night. 

We also decided to try a plan B for transportation into the festival the next day. When we got home we pulled cobwebs off Jeff and my bikes and decided to try to tune them up. I knew nothing about bikes and Chris knew slightly more than me I gathered. Yet, he patiently and methodically attempted fixing the brakes and pumping up the tires. I was so impressed by his willingness to do so, especially after such a long day. And, he did a great job in doing so! We tested them out and they were ready to go! Went to bed around 3am.

Our lineup for the day was:

• Vampire Weekend, overlapped by Louis XIV 
  
• Del tha Funky Homosapien
• M. Ward
• Gogol Bordello 

They had great energy, very enthusiastic and was a fun performance. We met up with friends Katy, Paula, Claudia, Julie then as well

• Slightly Stoopid  
  

Good. Reminded me of Sublime. Chris and I shared great conversation during this time about relationships, etc.

• N.E.R.D. 
  

Okay by my standards. I guess I wasn't that into it. We also saw Joseph and his friends.

• The Swell Season 

Chris let me see them over G. Love & Special Sauce. Thanks Chris! It was much appreciated. They were soo good. Probably one of if not the best of the weekend. Glen Hasard and Marketa Irglova's voices were just as beautiful together as in the movie Once that they starred in.

• The Mars Volta 

Headliner and wow, they really put on a show! I'm not usually one for guitar solos and hard rock jammin, but I found a new respect for it after this! I wished Jeff was there, because he really would've enjoyed it.

Vampire Weekend

Swell Season

Mars Volta

Day Two

After staying up until 3 in the morning, Chris and I slept in. We had a few change of plans that we wanted to implement. That was to bring in folding chairs, sneak in some snacks and to ride our bikes. But first we had to make a stop at Target to buy a chair, snacks and a bike lock. Evidently, having ACL and a UT football home game on the same weekend, everybody and their mothers were looking for folding chairs. We found one randomly hidden in Target, after assuming they were fresh out. Yes! We thought we might've had to brawl with a few people who kept asking us where we got the last chair. It was as if we struck gold, and we weren't ready to give it up! So, after our pit stops at Target and fast food, we got a late start for day two. But, it was worth it. The chairs, snacks and bikes were all life savers. 

Holy crap! There were so many people there on Saturday! There were seas of people. It was the festival's sold out day and it was very evident. I'm glad I don't get claustrophobic and thank God for the folding chairs, which bought us some personal space, and a place to veg out during and in between shows. 

Our lineup for the day:

• CSS

Soo much fun! The leader singer was dressed in a skin tight floral body suit with her hair swooped on top of her head and pinned back to look like she had huge aerodynamic bangs. She'd dance and roll around the floor and get the crowd really excited. I loved this show!

• MGMT

They were one of Chris' favorites and I thought they were also really good. They put on a great show.

• Mason Jennings

Check out the dancer in the video at the end of the blog. The old guy dancing was in his element. hehe

• The Black Keys
• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Chris and I were the youngest people in about 100 yards of us watching this show (well, maybe I'm exaggerating). But the two of them were a powerful couple performing together, and something we probably won't be able to see again, unlike Beck (where all the younger people were during that time). 

One of Chris' finest moments was when he got bike grease all over his one white shirt and then had to shotgun his energy drink that fell and busted on the side. Chris is such a trooper!

After the festival ended Chris and I tried to get into a Stubb's aftershow, starring The Butthole Surfers. Unfortunately they were sold out. However, it wasn't a total bust because we saw David Grohl from the Foo Fighters (ACL's main headliner) walking out of Stubb's as we were walking in! We could've and perhaps should've gotten his autograph, but I just stood there dumbfounded as he walked right past us. And, of course, we ate wonderful BBQ at one of Austin's best spots, and we still got to sneak a peak at The Butthole Surfers through a back side entrance. 

MGMT

Day Three

Chris and I woke to spend part of our morning with Jeff. Unfortunately Jeff didn't join us to the festival, so this was our last opportunity for the three of us to hang out before Chris left the next day. The three of us had a breakfast for champions at Sonic. ;)

By day three we managed to get our operations in order and it was smooth sailing! We got to the festival around 2:30 in time to hear Boston-based Massacoustics. They were Chris's pick, and one I was happy to have seen. They comprised of two brothers, one the lead singer and guitar player and the other was the drummer and bass player! Wow, talk about talented, and coordinated. 

My friend Erik got a one-day pass for Sunday Day Three, so we met up with him at the stage where Against Me! played and the three of us stayed together for the rest of the day. 

We checked out the retail tents when we had a gap between bands and stopped by one that Amy, now pregnant and glowing, and her boyfriend Tim were operating. Amy is the daughter of one of my mom's closest friends and she lives in Denver, so it was nice to see an old friendly face. However, in response to the dry summer and third day of crowds trampling the grass into dirt, she was wearing a bandana around her mouth to keep from inhaling the dust - so really I only saw part of her 'old friendly face'. :) In Amy's case (pregnant and also having asthma), I could understand the use of a bandana or mask, but Chris and I both couldn't help but question and laugh that there were all these 'bandits' taking over the festival. The photo to the left illustrates the dust in the air that night.

Our lineup for the day:

• Massacoustics
• Tristan Prettyman
• Against Me!
• Silversun Pickups
• The Raconteurs
• Tegan and Sara
• Band of Horses
• Foo Fighters 

I have to say I'm not necessarily an avid fan of the Foo Fighters. To my surprise, while watching them, I realized I knew almost every song they played and generally liked all of them, and they performed great. David Grohl was also very funny and got the audience really involved. I'm glad we stayed until the very end of the festival to see them.

Summer's End at Schlitterbahn

Jason and Xochitl generously gave me two free passes to Schlitterbahn this weekend. It was the final weekend at the water park, so fortunately I was able to take advantage along with my friends Joseph, Erik and Kristin.

One of my favorite pastimes was going to Water World, the water park in Denver where I grew up. I've always loved anything and everything that had to do with water, so I was soo excited to be able to go. Schlitterbahn was/is just as much fun as Water World. Jeff and I went for our anniversary a couple years ago, when we first moved to Austin. We had a great time then as well, but waited in horrendously long lines for all the new rides. I learned my lesson this time and we went to all the other rides first and got the popular ones in at the end of the day when there weren't as many people in the park. 

I'm glad to have had Joseph, Erik and Kristin to share it with me. Poor Jeff was sick with a cold, but nice enough to let me go and have fun without him. I caught his cold the next day. I guess that's what I get for leaving my sick husband at home. ;)

I forgot how great that feeling is when you've had a long day of good clean fun in the sun and come home, plop yourself down on the couch and pass out. What a great way to end the summer!

House Party!

Jazz hands!

I had a spur of the moment decision last night to join Paula, Julie, Sandy and Tania at a house party, which happened to be about 2 blocks away from my house. Walked in, scoped out the place, and asked where the keg was... just like I was in college again. We had such a blast, dancing all night. Thanks for letting me crash the party with you guys! Ha!

Longbranch Inn

I met up with Joseph, Kara, and Sandy at the Longbranch Inn on Saturday night, while Jeff went out on a boy's night with his friend Chris. Erik and Joseph's two friends both named Sean met up with us as well. Sandy and Joseph were hilarious. We had a great time! Always a fun and energetic crowd. 

Brunch with Chandra, Nathan & Alex

On Saturday Jeff and I went over to Nathan, Chandra and Alex's house for a long overdue brunch. We (ahem, I mean Jeff) offered to make the food if they supplied the place. So, Jeff made an awesome frittata with croissants and avocado with fresh-sqeezed GoodFlow orange juice (so sad that GoodFlow is getting shut down. It's the best juice ever! Damn that FDA!). 

We had such a nice time hanging out and catching up. Alex loves horses and demonstrated how to use a rein (so cute!). Nathan and Chandra are always a joy to be around. It was a great way to start the weekend! 

Time For Some Campaignin'

Check out this hilarious video about the Presidential campaigns. Jib Jab does great stuff! (click on the title above, not the image)

JibJab has these videos that you can superimpose you or or your friend's face in. They're hilarious and worth checking out. www.jibjab.com

Post Nike Human Race

Shown above: Lance Armstrong, myself, and friends Erik and Joseph

Shown above: Friends Paula, Joseph and Erik and myself standing for the National Anthem before the race at the start line

Shown above: Lance Armstrong and myself

Shown above, clockwise: Team Party - Sandy, Joseph, myself, Joseph, Erik, Paula, Kara

Shown above: Ben Harper and Joseph

Shown above: Matthew McConaughey after the race

Shown above: Matthew McConaughey's head (hehe), friend Erik, Lance Armstrong

Wow, what an amazing experience the Austin Nike Human Race was!! 

As explained in my previous blog entry, several of my fellow running friends and I got VIP status at the race. I had anticipated having some luxuries that I'm not normally accustomed to like free beer, free food, free bag check, nicer restrooms and such, but as it turned out it got us even more! As you can see from the photos, we got to line up at the start of the race with Lance Armstrong, followed by his buddy Matthew McConaughey, and then Ben Harper! 

I felt like I officially got initiated into Austin at that moment. Matthew reached across me to shake hands with Ben Harper and I resisted as much as I could from pinching his butt. I mean the thought of pinching his butt! Ha! I have to say, as I'm sure most people would agree, that he's not the best actor around and I almost avoid seeing movies he's in because of it. However, after seeing him in person, I now have a new appreciation for him. I guess you could say he's good-looking. ;) And Jeff, you know I'd let you pinch Cameron Diaz's butt if you could, right? hehe. 

As for Lance and Ben Harper, that was pretty exciting too! I always thought Ben Harper was good-looking but he's more average-looking in real life than I would've expected. My friend Erik, whom you can also see in the photos, made polite small talk and shook hands with him. My impression was that he seemed comfortable being immersed in a hoard of everyday people, making eye contact with people, etc. Perhaps this was because he wasn't preoccupied about actually trying to get a good race time like Lance and Matthew. Even though he had a race shirt on, I couldn't find Ben Harper's race results online, which leads me to believe he didn't finish. I also read a quote saying he was "thinking about running".  Lance, on the other hand, looked nervous, but he was definitely put on the spotlight a lot more than Ben Harper, being that he was wearing a yellow Livestrong jersey shirt amongst a sea of red shirts, and announced when he walked onto the start line. 

Olympic swimmers Aaron Piersol and Brendon Hansen also spoke at the podium in front of us at the start of the race. I was definitely star struck!

Well, needless to say, I was all amped up at the start of the race, not only because of all the training runs leading up to it, but now I'd have to race against Lance Armstrong! As soon as the shots were fired, I was sprinting as fast as I could. I was gonna show the world how fast I could go! Ha, that was a joke! It lasted about a mile or so and I just about died of heat and ran out of breath, while almost getting trampled by sub-8 minute-milers (show offs!)! Then all I could think was, "how the h#ll am I going to get through the rest of this race!?". Just at the point I 'hit a wall' I was looking up a huge hill, one of many to come. So, at this point, all I could do was finish, and that was what I did. I ran most of it, but definitely walked a lot of it as well (mostly the hills). Live and learn: next time don't sprint like there's no tomorrow, even if you do have Lance Armstrong alongside you - er, in front of you. 

After the race I walked back to the VIP pavilion like a zombie, half aware of what was going on around me, downed a bottle of water in a minute, stretched, found my friends, drank a beer, ate a little something (even though I felt nauseous), and later went to meet Jeff down the street to join in on the post-race festivities. After changing clothes and sitting down for awhile we all drank beer and had a great time long enough to close down the bars. 

Thanks to all my [running] friends for being such a great team and support group to keep my ass in shape to commit to it. We looked so smokin' hot in our red headbands and wristbands! Ready....(hands in)...GOOO....PARTY!!