(Community Matters) Billy Calve and I took our sweet time getting here yesterday – nearly 9 hours. Slow leaving Austin (couple of errands and wrecks on every overpass because of the ice). Billy’s first time to Marfa. Unfortunately, Steven traveling between Houston, Baltimore, Chicago & Traverse City while we’re here.
Took it slow until reached Johnson City where the ice hadn’t reached. Of course stopped in at Coopers BBQ in Junction City – always a treat to see Mark Cooper (a grandson of George Cooper who founded the Cooper BBQ dynasty in Mason in 1959) and his wife. They were worried about the ice and driving in Austin since both sons attend UT.
Dinner last night with Garrick Stephens at the increasingly world famous Pizza Foundation – omg, Ronnie O’Donnell makes one of the best pizzas in the country. (Best Pizzas in USA – the Daily Meal and 46 American chefs, restaurant critics, bloggers, writers and “pizza authorities”missed this one. Graham Reynold’s insights into this list). Spent the evening chatting with Ronnie’s wife, co-owner Saarin Keck, who’s supposed to be flying to DC tomorrow but back up staff sick. Garrick & I were joking about coming in to man the counter and bar – would be way fun, though Ronnie is temperamental and might stuff us in the ovens if we screwed up. As much as I’d love to do this, Paul Boskind & Greg fly in today, we have plans to attend Paula Buhrdorf’s birthday party, then dinner with Julie & Fran. But, might just have to do this if no other way to ensure Saarin able to make her trip – after all, her word for 2014 is TRAVEL.
Breakfast with Emily Keeton, coffee with Ginger & Tim, Judd and Chinati tours, and a Marfa Public Radio board meeting also on today’s agenda.