Crawfish boil, etc. this week at Sambets!!

Hey everybody!

Thanks so much to those of you that came out last weekend for the first
official crawfish boils of the season!! What a great time!! Those of you
that weren't there missed out on a heckuva bon temp!! (good time) But the
good news is we're doing it all again this weekend!! Friday night Jean
Pierre & the Zydeco Angels will be bringin' down the house again, and
Saturday night Double 'r Nuthin' will be playing. Many of y'all saw them on
our "stage" the last few years. They play a mix of Texan, Cajun, country,
and it's always a party when they come out. So, come on over- We'll provide
great food and spicy crawfish, and you bring cold beer and wine (no hard
stuff please!!) and plenty of hungry friends!! A good time will be had by
all, I guarantee!!!

Still having computer problems, so the menu will have to be a surprise!!!
Hope to see y'all!!
Catherine and Doug

Daylight savings time (DST) begins on March 11 and ends on November 4.

FYI: In August of 2005, the U.S. Congress passed an act that changes the start and end dates of DST.

The law goes into effect this year, and will cause DST to start 3 weeks earlier than before and end 1 week later.

West Austin Park And Wading Pool

This dog park is on W.9th and Pressler St. Friendly neighbors and the dogs who love 'em! Makes me feel squishy inside. I just love this park. "Poop factor" was low when walking in the grassy-area. Park lovers seem to pick up after themselves and their dogs, here.

Joe Ely to Perform at the Harry Ransom Center

In conjunction with the Harry Ransom Center's installation, "Joe Ely: Bonfire of Roadmaps," Joe Ely will perform three concerts at the Ransom Center on Saturday, March 31, at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and on Sunday, April 1, at 3 p.m. The concerts will feature stories and songs inspired by "Joe Ely: Bonfire of Roadmaps." More information can be found at http://eupdates.hrc.utexasedu/site/R?i=VtDQYXsmST8Qx5JTgDcTKA.. .

The concerts are free, but reservations are required for each performance. Starting Wednesday, March 7 at 8 a.m., call 512-471-8944 to speak with someone to make a reservation. You will receive a validation code for your reservation that you will present when you arrive at the show. Seating is general admission.

Reservations will NOT be accepted over the answering machine.

Unclaimed seats will be released 10 minutes before the show so please arrive early.

There is a limit of 2 tickets per person.

Ely's music combines rock, country, folk, and Tex-Mex. In addition to his solo work, he is a member of the Flatlanders and has performed with Bruce Springsteen, Los Super Seven, James McMurtry, and the Clash.

"Joe Ely: Bonfire of Roadmaps" is an installation of Ely's verse, sketches, and paintings drawn from his road journals. Running through April 2, the installation can be viewed at the Ransom Center's second floor Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from noon to 5 p.m.

The Impact of SXSW

Austin is billed as the "Live Music Capital of the World" and this claim is validated by the annual South-By-Southwest Festival/Conference/Trade Show starting Friday, March 9 through Sunday March 18. Should your workplace be located right in the middle of the event, I thought it would be a good idea to look at the ways it might affect you.

Although the Film and Interactive programs will be popular and probably affect us as much as any other event at the Convention Center, the Music program, which begins on Wednesday, March 13, will be HUGE. Although we don't anticipate much impact in the mornings, we'll certainly see pressure on local parking around lunchtime and longer lines at area restaurants as convention-goers attend seminars and explore our city. There are also many official parties and unofficial events that take place during each day.

In the evening, madness reigns. The Convention Center, Sixth Street, the Warehouse District and South Congress will be filled with bands and people who want to see them. Officially, music programs begin at 6:00 p.m. each day and many businesses that don't usually host live music - will. Prior to this, the streets will be filled with iconic white vans with trailers and double-parked tour buses as bands load-in and sound check. It may be wise to avoid these areas when leaving the office at the end of the business day (unless of course, you’re lucky enough to have a coveted SXSW wristband)!

http://2007.sxsw.com/

Ahh- The Kite Festival!

Hope you had a chance to make it to the Zilker Park Kite Festival this past Sunday. The sky was dotted with all sorts of colorful shapes & sizes. I've never seen such a wide display of kites. Most of all- it was all in the name of kickin'-ass good-time fun in Austin! Makes you focus on this town's wealth of young families. The scene was surreal-reminded me of a reversed puppetshow, with the string going up instead of down.

The Year Of The Crane

Gadzooks! These giant cranes are attacking downtown Austin- and will continue to do so until Austin transforms into the "urban mecca" it's set to become. Let's welcome the cranes (just please don't feed them) as a symbol of progressive urban migration.