An Austin style Saturday

Morning

In a dusty little corner of down-town Austin (Texas, US) stands a bit of heaven for brunch-eaters and egg-lovers. We discovered it quite by accident last weekend. It all started with my thirty year old bones refusing to cooperate as I tried to coax them into crank-starting my day in the kitchen. The clock on the wall too chimed in favour of these errant bones informing us that we were well past breakfast hour and way too early for a full blown lunch. What the hour was perfect for however, was that enticing, often elusive meal which can be indulged in only when one has oodles of spare leisure time – Brunch!

After a dozen frenetic Internet searches with two empty stomachs emanating unimaginable groans

and grunts in the background (making for an interesting soundtrack), we settled on a charming little family run bistro called ‘The Omelettry’. An hour later we were standing in front of its unassuming edifice which was buzzing with Saturday afternoon activity. If the name had left any shred of doubt in our mind regarding what the joint specialized in, it was completely expunged by the décor. A rooster perched precariously on the roof and egg themed graffiti covered every available inch of its façade.

By the time a friendly waitress directed us to our booth, my tongue was salivating copiously. Much to my delight, I was appeased instantly as we dug into crescent shaped stuffed omelettes oozing rivulets of golden cheese, spongy buttermilk pancakes doused in maple syrup, sugary slices of cantaloupe and glasses of chilled chocolate milk. A motley mix of people – dishevelled university students, leather clad bikers, merry old couples, the odd lone artist, saucer eyed foreigners like us – strangers of all colours, shapes, sizes and forms in general shared a few hours of relaxed bonhomie.

 
Noon

Polishing off a mammoth meal within minutes has some well known side effects, one of them being an onslaught of giant waves of drowsiness. With drooping eyelids and unresponsive brains it was almost a mini miracle that we made it back home in one piece. Before one could say ‘boo’ we were out like light bulbs, collapsed in heaps on the bed, floating away peacefully in our own individual dream worlds.

An hour or two later, when we finally resurrected from our comatose-like slumber, it was but natural for the desi within to crave a cup of sweet, milky masala chai. Gilt tinted sunshine filtered through the windows casting a spell on us as we sat in silent harmony, sipping tea. In that moment everything seemed bright and shiny. Not a care in the world ruffled our feathers and not a frown creased our brows.

Night

With a hey, and a ho

and a hey-nonny-no,

These pretty country folks would lie

In springtime, the only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding.

Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour,

It was a perfect summer night. A moist evening breeze laden with the above notes along with the scent of wild flowers and freshly mowed grass made Zilker Hillside outdoor theatre the perfect venue for our last adventure for the day. Under a leafy canopy, on a rather large green patch, we stretched out amidst several theatre enthusiasts to experience Shakespearean comedy at its best. The characters of Rosalind and Orlando, Touchstone and Audrey, Oliver and Celia magically came alive as thespians from the Austin Shakespeare Company enacted the famous play ‘As You Like It’ in front of a rapt audience.

As is the case with most theatrical comedies, humour was meshed with a few strands of thought provoking dialogue. Lines like “I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad” and “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool” and “But, O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes!” provided food for thought. After much drama and comedy of errors, the petite, pixie-like Rosalind finally tied the knot with her tall, lovelorn beau Orlando. With a great flourish the curtain came down bringing a great Saturday to an end as well.