Had I been "doing the Waste" for fifteen years instead of only the last two, you would have noticed a pattern. And that pattern would be that every Christmas for around fifteen years a group of friends and I would meet in Las Vegas. Mainly because
somebody recognized that the faithful tend to not be in Vegas around Christmas. Or, to be exact, Vegas would be empty leading up to and including Christmas Eve, and then the night of the 25th and after the city would again flood with people.
The Vegas Christmas is one of those special traditions that grew stronger as guys got married. The last several years Vegas Christmas has featured couples from Los Angeles, Seattle, and Texas. But this year, the Seattle couple moved to Austin, Texas. Since many of us had been getting tired of Christmas in Vegas, we thought that maybe this year we would switch things around and visit the new home of the Seattleites, who are now Austinites.
And now you understand why on Christmas Day, the day when something like two-fifths of the people on Earth believe that their savior was born, and when people like me note that we have just passed the Winter Solstice that was a pretty critical date and holiday for early mankind, we flew to Austin.
But before we leave Los Angeles...
The monkey says, "Merry Christmas," to all of our friends who celebrate it.
In the town car on the way to the airport, I grab a shot of yours truly, Barbie, Bryna, and Steve. One thing I know abut substituting Austin for Vegas; I will not have to constantly medicate myself against the effects of cigarette smoke. This is a good thing.
Driving to the airport on Christmas Day, one notes that the freeway is crazy empty.
If you asked me to explain why I take many pictures of signs, after I said, "Well," and thought for a while, I would probably ramble on about signage being our society's way to communicate to itself. And you would reply, "Hmm."
The airport, she does not look exactly crowded on Christmas day, does she?
Barbie is in the spirit as we hop out of the town car.
In all seriousness, when Barbie travels she is in fact collecting data on travel that she needs for her business. In this case, she chose to access some rather current data and said to the TSA agents, "I would like the pat down." She needed to know the procedure personally, and not pay attention to the media and anecdotal reports.
There stands Barbie, seconds after her pat down. She found it to be not at all intrusive. Then again, she lives with me pawing at her all the time.
Airport Self Portrait, December 2010.
Still in the spirit.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When at LAX, eat Burger King.
Los Angeles International Airport Rushing Travelers Candid. December 25, 2010.
Barbie at Gate 40. Instead of just walking to the plane, yours truly stops, turns, and takes a picture like this for you,
you, the intrepid Waster. How else will you feel like you were there?
Airport shot. I imagine that, even when stuck working on Christmas day, the gentleman who is walking alone surrounded by massive jets feels a certain sense of uniqueness and individuality.
Los Angeles take off. As a kid I recall people claiming that LAX is less safe because you take off over the ocean. Forty-ish years later, not only can I not name a single plane ever ending up in the Pacific, but I also adore that the last view you normally get of Los Angeles is the beach.
From above the Pacific, here one sees the clouds and snow peaked mountains that share the space above Los Angeles.
If you want to make a two and a half hour flight go quickly, and if that flight has WiFi, then turn on a laptop, connect it to the Slingbox connected to the DVR in your bedroom, and start watching the NBA games that your wife planned ahead and recorded that began earlier on Christmas day.
Hello Texas.
Hello fringe of Austin. I failed to get a good picture of the river from the plane. This is a shame because it would have been a great opener for me to mention that Austin was settled by pioneers in the 1830's on the banks of the Colorado River, who named their new city Waterloo. Considering that the Battle of Waterloo had taken place in 1815, I think that the people knew exactly what they were naming this city after; a military dictator's defeat. (Note that at the time of Waterloo, he went by
Emperor Napoleon. The title
Emperor should never have anything but negative connotations.)
In 1839 the city of Waterloo was chosen as the capital of the new Republic of Texas, and renamed after the Texas's founder, Stephen F. Austin.
There you have it. The city originally borrowed the name of the Belgian city where Emperor Napoleon got his behind kicked, then was renamed after the man whose name would later be borrowed by the writers of
The Six Million Dollar Man.
Even in the relatively young city of Austin, there is history.
Austin airport.
Austin skyline.
Sixth Street, home to the nightlife of the city. Of course, on Christmas night, everything is closed.
State capital building.
Tonight's plan, dinner and a movie at the Alamo Draft House. I had never heard of this place until a friend of mine facebooked about the licensing deal he did with them to reproduce their posters. This lead me to look them up, and learn that this actually a very cool theater chain that shows new movies as well as retro favorites, and the theaters are custom designed so that you can drink and dine inside the theater.
It is quite ingenious. Behind every row of seats is an aisle for the waiters to take your order before the movie and then deliver the food during. There is even a note system to order more. Think about it. Everywhere else a restaurant gets the profits from your dinner while the theater gets the profits from your movie. Alamo Draft House gets the profits from both your dinner and your movie.
Some B-movies will never be forgotten.
Very cool vintage animation greets you as you find a seat. The arrows point to the counter in front of you for your food and drink. For the record, we saw
The King's Speech and it was excellent. It is sure to get some Oscar nominations, and probably a few wins.
Checking in at Embassy Suites.
The Embassy Suites has swans.
Swans!
I will miss the Santa hat tomorrow, when it is gone.
From in front of our room's door on the second floor, the swan is THERE.
After settling into the room, we headed over to 37th Street with couple who moved to Austin earlier this year, Josh and Alexis, to check out a block or two in Austin known for supercool Christmas lights.
How about a Robo-R-Rex Christmas display? Is that original enough for you? Look closely, and you might note that the T-Rex's body is a guitar. Definitely not your average Christmas display.
Josh did not slow the minivan enough for this picture to be great, but you get the idea.
More of the same.
These people did better, lighting up a Harley. Do you see that Harley?
It is right THERE.
More of the same... which only makes the following picture cooler.
Ladies and gentlemen, please note that this is a Sock Monkey Nativity Scene.
I simply
had to get out of the car for this one.
Sock Monkey Nativity. Coolness supremacy achieved.
After this, we returned to the Embassy Suites.
Until now, I could not have told a child how a swan sleeps. Now I can.
They actually turn their neck around and rest their head across their own body. And that is how you sleep while floating. Nature = Cool.
The swan is asleep, and so shall I be. Good night.
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