week three

I'm going to skip past the work bit and get right to the weekend! And it's a 3-day weekend, so my Sunday spirits are even higher today. By Noon on Saturday I'd already done so much within the four blocks around my apartment. My first two weekends here I regret to say that I'd been so tired, I had spent my Saturday mornings making coffee at home, catching up on the phone with friends, and finally making it out the door in the early afternoon to start my days. Each Saturday I came upon the Austin Farmers Market being broken down around the corner, vendors packing up their trucks and police removing the barricades around the 2-block area where farmers come to sell their produce and goods. I was not going to let that happen again, so I was out the door by 9 a.m. yesterday to explore.

Now, despite the fact that some Austinites choose to drive their cars 6 blocks to work (several co-workers are guilty of this, and it drives me mad), in general Austin is a very earthy, community-centered kind of place. People ride their bikes on the weekends, the city sponsors "I live here, I give here" philanthropic events. And I don't think there's a better way to get a feel for a community than to hit the local farmer's market.


The produce at the Austin Farmer's Market was simply beautiful. I am proud of the restraint I showed by not hitting the breakfast burrito or tamale stands, and instead, tried to be an observer. I bought only one item, these beautiful, miniature Brussels sprouts. Some of them are as small as marbles, and I cannot wait to roast these sweet gems!

I definitely plan to come back again next weekend when my colleague from the Boston office, and good friend, Robyn, will be here. I don't know how she is going to feel about the pace of life in Austin, as another Bostonian we are quite used to moving fast and getting from point A - B in the least time possible. I admit that I am still tightly-wound compared to most people in this town. In fact, I was about 10 steps into the market when an older man asked me (actually he really told me) "In a rush this morning, are we?". I am working on it.