keeping Austin weird

Sights from my months spent living and working in Austin with my aunt Nancy and uncle Bill above Lake Travis. This was my first sight as I walked in the door:

And five minutes later, I found the scorpion was captured by its prey - a little house spider!



Dia De Los Muertos. My abuela Kay Keehn, who learned and loved unceasingly.

Don Dickson, 63, sifts through the remains of his home of 19 years on Canyon Road in Steiner Ranch, where a fire broke out five days earlier and destroyed more than 20 homes. "We start building new memories today," he said. Texas has endured the worst drought in history, with over $250 million in damages amid the Bastrop wildfires that displaced thousands.

Eric Odom, 17, and Nina Gomez, 16, talk and eat under the Banister Ln. bridge as an Amtrak train rumbles overhead Saturday in Austin. "We just had the munchies so we came down here," said Odom. He said they spend several hours together under the bridge every week.

How to start the morning, with fresh grapefruit juice.

Covering the UT Ballroom Dance club

I worked in the bakery at HEB and eventually the night-shift of donut frying and baking! I would make my own pizzas to get me through the night.

Beautiful way to end shift, 6 a.m.

Jason Salas, husband to my bakery buddy Malinda and former executive chef of Green Pastures, prepares spaghetti in the humble kitchen of their apartment in South Austin. "Being a chef consumed all of my time," said Jason, who literally began "at the bottom" cutting vegetables in the basement at The Driskill hotel for six months, before eventually cooking for Bobby Flay, who offered him a job. "I turned him down, because I met Malinda," he said. Jason is looking for another day job while remaining faithful to his craft and "true love, a family."

Of all countries to choose from, my palate stayed at home with this delicious burger.