I attended South By Southwest this past weekend and was so jazzed at the convergence of innovation and new ideas at the interactive and film conferences. Some of the quick highlights:
- Opening Night film was KICK-ASS and it was, well, kick ass! One of the best comic book movies ever and totally no-holds barred. Chloe Moretz as HIT GIRL is a starmaking performance. The countless fanboys in attendance vowed to save themselves until the 11-year old turns legal.
- Other highlights were COLD WEATHER, a mumblecore detective story, BEIJING TAXI about three laborers living in China leading up to the Beijing Olympics, and A SERBIAN FILM, one of the most fucked up midnight movies I have ever seen. Catchphrase from that film, “newborn porn.” Yeah.
But aside from all the tech geeks and fanboys who populate SXSW for the love of film and technology, especially seeing the two mediums converge with the new paradigm of indie film distribution, the best reason to be in Austin is Texas barbeque. Yeah, baby. If you love meat, this is the place to be.
Take a load of this:
This is from Kreuz Market, an amazing and famous BBQ joint in the Capital of Texas BBQ, Lockhart, which is about 30 minutes away from Austin. There’s other places like Smittys, the Salt Lick, Rudy’s Country Market & BBQ, but I think Kreuz is choice. Why? Let’s take a quick tour:
You walk down a loooong corridor to a huge ass room with gigantic iron furnaces/ovens. It’s something out of a Fritz Lang movie. And then in the center, is the depository of meat and you just order by the pound. They cut it up and put it in butcher paper and just hand them to you. 1 pound of brisket? I then ask for utensils and the 80 year old lady said, “Sonny, you eat it with white bread and sop it up.” And then she proceeds to give me a half loaf of white bread.
Since it is so smokey in the order area, the restaurant is segregated from the smoke. I carried my 1 pound of brisket, a pork chop and spicy sausage link to the restaurant, had my fixins’ and here’s how to eat it.
Now, white bread in Texas is a whole different experience. So soft, so chewy, so white, so good. I was able to pack it all in. Peering down at the aftermath, made me realize that although it was so good, I shouldn’t be eating this everyday. And let me tell you, I did. Having the meat sweats and literally having a zen moment feeling my arteries getting clogged.
Eating salad for the next week or so. Must fast. But next time you’re in Austin, hit these places up. Thank heavens I don’t live in Austin, or I’d be competing against the lady who wants to be the heaviest woman in the world.
Hmm, “Beijing Taxi” sounds very interesting. Looking at that picture of Moretz as “Hit Girl” reminds me of Natalie Portman in the movie “The Professional”.
So, dude, are you one of the fanboys counting down the next 7 years?
Oh yeah, baby! Texas barbecue!!! Look forward to KICK-ASS…just finished reading the trade collection of the comic. It was pretty bloody awesome.
Ha ha! Fanboys “saving themselves”. As if they have any choice.
That BBQ looks mighty tempting.
a lot of meat can make one sweat that’s for sure.
btw…your meat picture looks like a TRex shat on a plate
luv BBQ….and extra sauce please.
just Re-Read your post. that was really a fine tour of texas meat you took us on. though that opening shot could have passed for a human butchery.
no go eat some salad!
[...] GETTING THE MEAT SWEATS AT SXSW [...]
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