jo's (coffee shop)

after a 4 mile run around town lake, i joined my friends for dinner at jo's, a coffee shop downtown on 2nd street.

why my friends suggested a coffee shop to eat, i have no idea. though i couldn't deny the opportunity to try something new and review it for you all.

the food selection is nothing out of the ordinary. burgers, salads, soups, sandwiches, hotdogs are the standard you can commonly find at every american restaurant on every corner of every block. even the jo's famous burger lacks originality. so the food selection didn't appeal to my taste for adventure.

being the idiot that i am and craving protein to refuel my body from running, i ordered a vegetarian bbq sandwich (recommended by my cashier). worst. choice. ever. the bbq sauce was overpowering and sported a spicy flavor. in the end, i set aside the buns and picked at the meat to get my money's worth. even then, i felt bloated from the heavy marination. the item i ordered correctly was the pint of blue moon to mask the bbq flavor and wash down every bite. on the bright side, all foods are affordable (~$10).

the ambience and service is, unlike their foods, comforting. the cashiers, though he recommended a dish he probably didn't know enough about, provided excellent service and tended to us well. the lighting and furniture was nice. the live outdoor music gave it that extra umph in creativity and added nicely to the shop's character. not to mention the prime location in the heart of downtown.

bottom line: when in doubt, stick to the restaurant name; order coffee and beverages at jo's coffee shop.

jo's

242 west 2nd st

austin, tx 78701

rating: 1 out of 5

Paris, France

Generously provided by madamemoiselle Sarah P. -Merci beaucoup

Bargain finds

• Pay a few euros to meet local Frechmen and see how they work
• Bar de Famille - cheapest beer in town! Left side on Rue de Lappe, bastille metro stop
• Cheap pasta place called Casa Joe on Rue de Ka Roquette... the pesto est tres bon!
• Delicious typical French food right by the Bastille... can't remember the exact name but Bastille is in the name. Moderately priced with the best location to people watch and get a vibe of the area
• Hidden treasure restaurant off Rue de la Bastille on a very very very small street (you will be able to find it). On one side is the more upscale restaurant and there is a cheaper version on the other side of the steet. Famous for its fresh seafood. Both are pretty expensive though (ya know, by college student standards)
• Latin quarter boasts cheap lunch food and fixed price dinner menus. Careful for tourist trap places though!
• Berthillion on Rue St. Louis en L'ile serves up the best ice cream in town. Suggested rest point on your way to Notre Dame.
• Night on the town - Queen Night Club on Champs Elysees
• Paris night city view on top of Notre Dame or Arc de Triumph instead of the Eiffel Tower for a cheaper alternative

Free things to do in Paris

Free Concerts

• Friday free fashion shows at the mall. Email them to confirm a date
• Classical and world music, Wednesdays 19h - 20h and last Saturday of the month @ 20h30. 46 Rue Montorgueil, Metro Chatelet Les Halles
• Eglise Saint Eustache, Sundays 17h30. Has the largest organ in Europe. Metro Chatelet Les Halle
• Notre Dame organ concert, Sundays 16h30. Metro Cite
• Bagdad Cafe for French and Gypsie music, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 21h. Requires beverage purchase. 22 Rue au maire, Metro Arts et Metiers
• Chouchou Bar, varied music. 15 Blvd Saint Martin, Metro Republique
• Lisard Lounge. 18 Rue du Bourg Tibourg, Metro Hotel de Ville
• Funky Bar, Wednesdays 22h15. 16 Rue de La Verrerie, Metro Hotel de Ville
• Who's Bar, live music every evening 22h15. 13 Rue de Petit Pont, Metro Saint Michel
• Cafe Universel, jazz. 267 Rue Saint Jacques, Metro Luxembourg
• Le Caveau des Oubliette, Sunday blues, Monday hard bop, Tuesday swing, Wednesday latin jazz, Thursday jazz funk, Friday and Saturday concerts 22h. 52 Rue Galande, Metro Saint Michel
• Le Limonaire, French music every night 22h, and 19h Sundays. 18 Cite Bergere, Metro Grands Boulevards
• Bocca Chica, salsa. Monday and Tuesday evenings. 58 Rue de Charonne

Free Dinner (with beverage purchase)

• La Cordonnerie, couscous. Saturdays 21h. 142 Rue Saint Denis, Metro Etienne Marcel
• Les Fontaines, couscous. Friday and Saturday evenings. 152 Rue Saint Maur, Metro Rue Saint Maur
• Le Grenier, couscous. Saturday 20h30. 152 Rue Oberkampf, Metro Menilmontant

Free Sports

• Sundays 9h - 12h, 1hr of running and 2hrs of free gynmastics with a teacher. Location: 12 spots in Paris including Jardin du Luxembourg, rendezvous at the Pavillion des Gards, Statue Blanche de Castille
• Chinese gymnastics, Saturdays and Sundays 9h30. Jardin du Luxembourg at the Marie de Medici statue
• Beginners rowing and kayaking, Saturdays 9h - 12h and 14h - 17h (45min session). 21 Bis Quai de La Loire intersection with Rude de Crimee, Metro Laumiere or Riquet. RSVP one week prior for rowing, bring two photos, ID, and proof of housing 01 42 40 29 90
• Beginners roller blading tour, Sunday 14h45. Esplanades des Invalides at Alexander III's bridge
• Pere Lachaise cemetary

Free Misc

• Hidden treasure garden - Place des Vosges. Look out for Victor Hugo's apartment!

packing essentials

living out of the suitcase is an art that allows you to live on the edge, act spontaneous, and go on a whim.  no matter your travel duration, traveling light is the backpacker's code.  the rules of packing is to follow airport security; keep it simple and travel-sized (ie: max 100ml for liquids & gels).

le baggage.

always pack at least 1 bag that fits in an airline's overhead cabin.  most people will opt to make this their personal/day pack in addition to their check-in.  i prefer and normally just travel with this 1 bag to save time with checking in and baggage claims.

packing recommendation.

1. travel hygiene bag/ziploc bag - toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, sunblock/moisturizer, optional accessories (eg; styling gel, makeup, fragrance, grooming accessories, shower+body gel, deodorant)
2. shoes - flip flops (for showers), walking shoes (primary use; can double up as dance shoes at the disco).
3. bottoms (minimum) - 1 pair jeans, 1 pair shorts (that doubles as swimwear)
4. tops (minimum) - 2 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt; 1 of these doubles for disco dress code (eg; polos or button-down)
5. underwear (minimum) - at least 1 pajama (unless sleeping in your underwear isn't a problem), 1 pair that doubles as swimwear (ie: girls' bikini+bra; guys' briefs/speedo), optional undergarments (eg; thermals, tank tops, etc)
6. accessories (optional) - watch (with alarm), hat, sunglasses, umbrella, first aid kit
7. outerwear (optional) - jacket (preferably that doubles as windbreaker & rain protection)

most of the optional packing items depend on your travel destination and its weather+season.  

the key to packing is flexibility in minimal variety.  that is, each shirt can mix/match with either pants creating multiple looks rather than having 10 different outfits.  i find that it's easiest to pack around - matching everything with - your primary walking shoes.  layers are also you best friend; they're light and don't occupy too much luggage space and you can rotate them around looking different every day.

most backpacking virgins have trouble packing because they plan for every imaginable case, good and bad.  i always under pack, reasoning that the less you pack, the more you can spend abroad for souvenirs that can substitute one of your outdating clothes.  haha.  bon voyage!

South American Pairings

wholefoods market has come to occupy my saturdays with weekly events that give new meaning to grocery shopping. combined with organic services and whole trade values, it's rather an enjoyable place to spend time at... even if it's a picnic or reading a book on the outdoor patio.

WholeFoods Mkt hosted South American Pairings last saturday. i got there later than i had wanted but at least caught the last bit of it. South American Pairings featured side dishes, center plate foods, and wine tastings. i missed the center plate foods, but tasted an asparagus side dish, with chilean white torrontes (white) and argentinian malbec (red) wines.

i personally am fan of dry red wines. i find most white wines are too sweet for me that naturally, i gravitate towards reds. the chilean white torrontes caught me off guard; a dryer white with a neutral palate suitable for accompanying meals. it was a unique white; not the stereotypical whites like chardonnay and rieslings...

the argentinian red malbec carried a heavy smoked oaky/woodsy scent. i like odorous wines as it is comforting and adds a new 'tasting' experience similarly to the french saying

you feast first with your eyes,

except of course in this case, it's your sense of smell that's doing the feasting. initially, the malbec starts with a dry taste (which i absolutely love). but the after taste is rather flat that leaves you smacking your lips at the end. i don't necessarily like it, but i can see it becoming an acquired taste. hands down, the chilean torrontes won this south american taste test.

this was also where i met a lovely and beautiful wfm team member, rachel w., who shared with me more insight on wines. we even diverged to cheeses since she loves cheese whereas i am lacking in the culture (but am learning). rachel's favorite cheese is blue cheese (which i automatically thought of Roomie and Stilton). unfortunately, i am not a fanatic on blue cheese; the tastes are generally too extreme for me. so rachel gifted me cashel blue for starters, an introduction into the [blue] cheese culture. i didn't have to buy anything, but i enjoyed her company that i splurged and bought her recommended white dessert wine le dauphin guiraud 2004 sauternes (that she swears is perfect) to compliment the cashel blue. insider secret--rachel--, this is a temporary/seasonal item at wfm, so grab this luxury while it lasts.

cashel blue has that typical blue cheese taste. but softer (both palate and texture) rather than pungent like its family class. normally i resist blue cheese, but i find cashel blue a good introduction to the blue culture. thank you, rachel!

next, i can't wait to judge the foodie fight this weekend. find what events are happening at your nearest wholefoods market.

houston RODEO

business conduct got me 9 concert tix to the RODEO.  so i invited a few coworkers + guests and off to the carnival we went.  granted none of us were interested in trace adkins, much less country music, we went mainly for the carnival and livestock show.  we arrived at 11:30ish and left before the concert started.  we fulfilled our samaritan deeds and gave our tix away to random people before leaving.  

for many of us new to the houston area in the last year, we went to the Rodeo to engage and familiarize with the houston culture.  i admit, i was most excited for the food and hoped to see some real cowboy action like bull riding, etc.  unfortunately, we were retards and couldn't find the cowboy action (or maybe there wasn't any competitions that day?).  so we found the next best thing: livestock showcasing bees and poultry, to rabbit cattle... er, rabbits and cattle too. 

it's been ages since i last went to a carnival with fair food, so i cared less about diet and indulged remembering my youth begging and dragging my parents to chaperone me to the visiting carnival where i enjoyed cotton candy, hot dogs, rides, games, acrobatics, and elephant shows with my brother.  

except this time, i strayed away from the costly rides and games where winning is as rare as winning the lottery.  instead, i paid for a fat turkey leg that fed 6 of us with enough to spare to feed the entire africa.  ok maybe not, but safari scavengers would be grateful nonetheless.  

i had intended to post pics of the foodage we stuffed our faces with here.  but i lost all my pics when my computer died on me and after reinstalling the OS.  here's a taste:

• tender turkey leg that melted with every bite full of flavorful tryptophine juices
• corny corn dog with more 'fluff' than wiener
• bud light and beer galore
• spiced sausage-dog marinated in grilled bell peppers and onions
• savory corn on the cob flavored with salt and sauced with a drab of tabasco
• smoked sausage 

overall, it was fun times.  even more so sharing it with great company.  i don't know if i'd go again next year (unless some uber popular mainstream artist debuts, or i just get another set of free tix), but it's definitely worth a visit if you've never been before. 'tis a great introduction to houston and the typical texan culture (as portrayed in world media).

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Rating: 3 out of 5