Being an empty nester has its perks. For one, when your kids live across the country you have a good excuse to travel. For another, when you arrive, you have your own private chauffeur to meet you at the airport.

Such was the case on our recent trip to Austin, Texas, a city we’ve had the privilege of visiting twice since our son moved there two and a half years ago.

After loading up our bags, Jared drove us to his workplace at Indeed and gave us a tour of their new office building. It’s a fantastic example of resources available to the tech industry. Specialty coffees, teas, delis, and cafeterias provide an endless supply of free food and drink for employees…and their guests (we enjoyed a delicious breakfast!). There are also gorgeous views through large windows and recreation areas available on-site. The only thing preventing these young professionals from living at work is the absence of sleeping quarters.

After the tour, Jared went to work and gave us the keys to his car (gotta’ love free car rental!) so we could set off on an excursion. During our initial visit to Austin two years earlier, we spent one day of our adventure in San Antonio (an hour and a half south of Austin), taking in the sights, sounds and delicious smells of the River Walk, and enjoying a projection light show on the San Fernando cathedral.

On this our second visit, we opted to drive an hour north instead, to Waco. The town seems to have put its infamous past and the tragic massacre of the Branch Davidians behind itself. Instead, it’s now famous for Magnolia Market at the Silos. The home of “Fixer-Uppers” Chip and Joanna Gaines, it draws over 2.5 million visitors annually to Waco. Fans come to roam the shop or get something to eat at the Silos Baking Co. or one of the plethora of food trucks.

I was surprised to find Magnolia a bit underwhelming. Maybe because I’ve never been a huge fan (since we never had cable I rarely had the opportunity to watch the show); or because I found the shop items to be lovely, but overpriced; or because we were still full from breakfast so had no desire to eat while we were there. Whatever the reason, we stayed only an hour. Still, it was a lovely day to be there with the blue sky, sunshine and mild temperatures. The outdoor party atmosphere was contagious and left us in a happy mood.

From there, we moved on to the Dr. Pepper Museum (yep, you read that right!). We learned that Dr. Pepper (my soft drink of choice) was the first flavored soda water (who knew?). Created by pharmacist Charles Alderton in 1885 in Waco, Texas, this is where pop began. The museum was fascinating and we easily spent a couple of hours browsing through the exhibits. We also enjoyed free samples of Dr. Pepper made the old fashioned way by mixing syrup with carbonated water.

Our next stop was an early dinner at “Taste” by Kissing Tree Vineyard. The steaks were tender and full of flavor and paired perfectly with a bottle of KTV’s Sangiovese in the rustic, but romantic atmosphere.

The rest of our evening was spent browsing through the shops at Spice Village and driving around Baylor University’s pristine campus as the sun set. All in all, Waco has plenty to offer and we only scratched the surface in our one-day visit.

Back in Austin, we checked into our Airbnb, which just happens to be owned by our son (another awesome perk!). We stayed in his studio apartment, which was clean, comfortable, and conveniently located in East Austin.

After a lazy morning on day two, Jared took us to “Snooze” for a late breakfast. There was quite a wait, but it was worth it for some of the best breakfast tacos and burritos we’ve ever had.

Our afternoon was spent at the Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas’s campus. We took our time exploring the many rooms, with masterpieces by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the contemporary artists of today. After a short stroll around U.T.’s outdoor art exhibit and the library, we spent some time writing (me), reading (hubby), and coding (Jared) while drinking coffee at Caffe Medici.

Next was supper at Salty Sow. The atmosphere, with its outdoor patio and strands of incandescent lights, was mellow and the fare, including duck fat fries topped with pulled pork bites and beer cheese, was oh, so satisfying.

After dinner, Jared suggested we find some live music. He knew of a good place but warned us it was a dive. I didn’t realize he seriously meant: a dive! When we arrived, I questioned whether he thought this place was safe. He replied, “C’mon Mom. Don’t judge.” Not wanting to come across as a judgy old lady, I held my tongue.

The parking lot was basically a dirt alley. We pulled up along a rickety-looking fence and as I exited the car I had to duck to keep from getting caught in barbed wire. We entered through the side door of a ramshackle building with the corrugated, rusty tin roof I had grown accustomed to seeing all over Austin.

Once inside the Skylark Lounge, we paid our cover charge, ordered drinks, and found an empty table near the stage. That’s when I really started listening to the band. And I must confess, I judged.

I judged this group of four men–playing drums, bass, trumpet, and keyboard–to be one of the best blues bands I’ve ever had the privilege of hearing live. I was especially impressed by the trumpet player who wailed on his instrument (being a trumpet player myself, I know he was outstanding), and the pianist whose fingers moved in a blur up and down the keyboard like a virtuoso’s. I later learned the name of the artist was Oscar Ornelas, winner of “Best Artist” in the 2019 Austin Blues Society Awards. I wanted to take back my earlier comments and felt ashamed of my tendency to judge based on outward appearances.

This darker side of my nature showed up again the next morning, as we worshipped at Sunrise Community Church, a.k.a. “the weirdest little church in Texas.” I knew this church’s mission was to reach out to and enfold the homeless, which I consider a noble mission. And yet, I found myself listening to the speakers and singers and looking around at the people in the pews who didn’t look like myself, and wishing for the comfort of the usual, more formal liturgy and less casual atmosphere of my home church.

By the end of the service, as we sang words of the beautiful hymn “The Love of God,” my heart convinced my head to think again. I wanted to hear the stories of those around me and I knew whatever they had suffered, I was only spared from by the grace of God.

The rest of the weekend was picture-perfect. With sunshine and 75-degree weather, it was a far cry from the cold and Michigan permacloud we’re used to in mid-February. On Sunday afternoon we drove west into “hill country” for wood-fired pizza and beer at Jester King Brewery. As we parked in the dusty lot, the rusty tin roofs signaled to me that this place was authentic and real. I was not mistaken. It was also delicious. The grounds, the farm trail, and the antics of baby goats climbing, standing and hopping on and off their mothers added even more pleasure to our stop at Jester King.

Driving farther into the hill country we located my cousin and his wife, who we had learned (via Facebook) were near Austin for the weekend. They showed us around their lovely future retirement home and property, while we chatted and caught up on each others’ lives of the past few years.

We had one more opportunity that day to experience the wonders of the great outdoors in Austin. We stopped at Mayfield Park to hike a short, rugged trail and be entertained by the peacocks the park is known for. After Yelping “Tex-Mex” and finding plenty of options, we settled on Eldorado Cafe for its high ratings and great reviews. We were not disappointed.

Monday morning, after saying good-bye to Jared, we drove to SoCo, a.k.a. South Congress Ave., to spend our last two hours as tourists. We had been to this eccentric street two years previously, and looked forward to revisiting its unique blend of whimsical gift shops and eateries. Our last chance for authentic Mexican cuisine in Austin, we had lunch at Guero’s Taco Bar. Our menu choices were full of flavor and reasonably priced, and we enjoyed the added bonus of chips and a salsa bar.

With our Lyft to the airport, our four-day weekend in Austin came to a close. As I waited to board the plane, I reflected on the sights and events of our visit.

At first glance, parts of Austin appear gray, rusty, and run-down. With corrugated tin, aging houses, and chicken wire fences in abundance, it’s easy to make unfavorable assumptions about the area. But further exploration reveals so much more.

Brightly-colored graffiti-like art. Flare and flavors of Mexican influence. Food trucks and barbecues. Spices, brews, crafts and cacti.

Austin has an energetic essence, tantalizing tastes, and copious creativity. Talented musicians, artistic crafters, and tech-minded entrepreneurs live alongside the hard-working poor, the displaced, and the homeless. And yet, there is harmony and a sense of community.

With each visit to this Texas town my heart grows fonder. I love its vast landscape and diverse people and look forward to my next visit to awesome Austin!

I love this place. Finding awesome in Austin, Texas