Judge ( EDNY ) Melanie Cyganowski ( Class XXV ). Debbie and Melanie , now joined by Dion Hayes ( Class XXVI ) deserve our thanks for making sure we go to press .
To plan your busy day in Austin , here are a few must do ’ s .
Best Thing to do First Thing in the Morning : Stroll over to the walking / running path surrounding Lady Bird Lake . It is literally one block from the Hotel . The path goes on forever and a handful of bridges span Lady Bird Lake so you can extend your walk or run from short to long and enjoy the scenery along the way .
Best Breakfast Taco Close to the Hotel : After your walk or run , amble up Congress to Tacodeli . Tacodeli is two short blocks from the Hotel . Grab one or two tacos and you will be well prepared for your day . I recommend the Barbacoa Madruguera Taco .
After your morning meetings , you are going to need lunch . The two primary food groups in Austin for lunch are Tex-Mex or BBQ . Fortunately , there are an abundance of choices . Two of my favorites are :
Best Tex-Mex Food : Matt ’ s El Rancho . You can ’ t come to Austin without enjoying Tex- Mex . Matt ’ s El Rancho on South Lamar , a tenminute car ride from the Hotel will reward you with Authentic Classic Austin Tex-Mex . Any Texan will tell you that Tex-Mex has numerous genres but Matt ’ s is the classic Austin variety . Matt ’ s El Rancho has been around since 1952 . Try the Chile Rellenos with Texas Pecans and raisins .
Best BBQ : The problem in Austin is not being able to find great BBQ , the problem is can you get into the restaurant to eat great BBQ . Franklin ’ s BBQ is legendary but the three-hour line to get in is daunting . Your solution is to walk two blocks from the Hotel to Iron Works . Great BBQ but seldom a wait . Try the mixed plate with brisket , sausage and ribs . Add a slice of pecan pie to reward
yourself for all of your hard work .
After lunch it is time to see the best of Austin . Some of my favorites include a visit to :
Best State Capitol : The Texas State Capitol and Surrounding Grounds . The Capitol is a mere ten blocks from the Hotel and is well worth a visit . The Capitol opened in 1888 and you guessed it , it is the largest state capitol building in the United States and the Texas Capitol is taller than the United States Capitol .
I worked at the Capitol four years during college as an Assistant Sergeant at Arms in the Texas Senate . ( Don ’ t be impressed , it was the title given to a bunch of college students whose daddy , or in my case my sister , got us a job at the Capitol running errands .) Last year when the Governor demanded that Senate Sergeants at Arms go arrest Democrat members of the Texas Legislature on their sojourn to Washington , D . C . to deny the Legislature a quorum , I smiled . The closest that I and our group of Sergeants ever came to arresting a State Senator was rousting them back in the Capitol from nearby bars to vote on pending legislation . I was successful in retrieving Senators back to the Capitol on several occasions but only after enjoying a courtesy cocktail .
Best University of Texas : At the risk of angering Melissa , our Chair and a fighting Texas A & M Aggie , I ’ ll point you a few blocks north of the Hotel to the campus of The University of Texas at Austin . If you visit , don ’ t miss the LBJ Presidential Library ; continued on page 22
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