Austin, TEXAS, December 26, 2005 — What we really like is not hoopla or presents. We don't mind crowds as long as we can slip in where we want to, unmolested. We like to discover a spot early or late or when others have gone elsewhere. We like to drift where things take us, as the spirit moves. Not to arrange to meet people but to meet and talk to them as they come.

Today turned out unplanned and perfect.

I started out with the intention of going to the gym. But FFP suggested a walk to the bakery. A couple of calls revealed that two of the four closest ones were closed. The choice was then between a conventional bakery, close to the richer people to the West or a Mexican bakery closer to the poorer people to the east.

We do live in a walkable neighborhood, you see. We can walk to four bakeries. And two of them are open this Boxing Day. In fact, as we walk toward La Victoria, we wonder if the new Greek Deli is open and I say that Central Market is probably open. We can walk there, too. And have done. We want to move downtown so we can walk to more things but, we must admit, we can walk to things here in North Central Austin.

La Victoria has only a couple of other customers. I eschew the day glo pastries and cookies for a ninety-nine cent taco with chorizo and cheese. The high cholesterol choice sends the eyebrows of the lady at the counter skyward. She asks if I want egg, too, and if I understand that it is Mexican sausage. This distrust of Anglo ordering delights me. It's like being on the East Side. It's authentic but I can walk there. We have coffee (ordinary drip, no French roast, but freshly made and good) and our tacos. I read The New York Times which I brought along and FFP reads a copy of The Austin Chronicle he found there. This is our favorite thing...walking and talking and finding a place for a drink and a snack while reading.

We walk back a long way around, checking out the progress on the newest shopping strip. When we get home, FFP suggests we go downtown for lunch. The taco really filled me up, but I say OK if we wait a while. He suggests we go first to SoCo (South Congress...can't believe I find myself saying SoCo now).

So after a bit we make an excursion to SoCo. We park near Blackmail and Vivid even though they aren't open. (Their windows are cool, though. See below.) We walk up the hill, stopping in Uncommon Objects and Monkey See, Monkey Do. We stop on the patio at Guero's to talk to some people we know. We don't buy anything. Some shops are closed. Mostly I take pictures and just enjoy walking. This is what we like to do in New York. Walk, shop, talk, eat.

Then we head back north to Second Street. We park a couple of blocks from Taverna and walk back. We eat on the patio. We see four people we know and meet a couple of new people when we get into a conversation with them. After we eat (help me! Foccacia bread, wine, a shared risotto, little purse pasta in a cream sauce) we wander through Mercury. FFP buys something on sale. We walk over to Congress and I buy some stuff at Tesoros for decorating for a dinner party we are having in February and a little Christmas thing to give my sister next year for half price. This is 'after Christmas' shopping in my book. These stores were almost deserted while everyone was mobbing the malls and Big Box stores.

This was the most fun I've had all Christmas season. Walking and talking, stopping to eat and drink and shop without much of an agenda. Seeing people we know by chance. It is like we would do in New York. Only it would be lots colder!

I happily spend the rest of the evening reading, watching TV and trying to make sense of some financial stuff. I knew I could enjoy Christmas. If it would just be over and I could have some time to laze around on my own.