Doughnuts and Longhorns

As most of you know, I love food. I really like trying places I haven't been to but have been recommended to me by other people, such as Casa Rio in San Antonio. Another place people told me to go was Round Rock Doughnuts. The description given to me was, "It's like Krispy Kreme, only orange." With that description in mind, Mads and I headed out to Round Rock, Tx which is about 20 min north of Austin. Round Rock Doughnuts is a little hard to find even for our GPS. This is also the second time Mads has tried looking for this place. The first time, she failed and had to drive all the way back (about 45min) to Marble Falls with an empty stomach. RRD is on this little street in the middle of two 5 way intersections at the ends of the block. Kind of confusing. We finally arrived and this little, chalet, of a building stood before us with a few picnic tables outside. We walk inside and there is a glass counter with the doughnuts available for purchase, a cooler with vitamin D whole milk, or chocolate milk, and a cash register. That's it. This place has been around for decades and that's it. The person who gave me the suggestion did not lie, they look exactly like Krispy Kreme doughnuts but they are most decidedly orange, actually a burnt orange (since we are in Longhorn territory). They also have a "Texas-sized doughnut", which is made using a bucket as a cutter and the regular doughnut cutter to cut the center out. It looked like it had ER written all over it. Mads and I both got an original RRD doughnut and I got an apple fritter while Mads went with the Eclair. Everything was soo flaky and delicious. The only difference I could find, other than color, between the RRD and the KKD, was the RRD actually had some doughy flavor to it as opposed to the nothing you get with a KKD ( I feel like I am some secret agent using all these acronyms, like maybe this is what got Bush confused about WMDs and stuff. His agent was asking if he wanted dessert or something).

After we had our fill of soft gooey doughnuts, we trekked back into Austin. This, it seems, would be easier said then done. Now let me say that, in Texas, spring break happens on the same week for everyone. Guess which week it started? That's right, today was friday and the coming week was spring break for everyone. Not to mention that South by Southwest (SXSW) was starting today and everyone was in town for that who wasn't leaving for another warm weather town. Driving and parking were a nightmare but we were able to find a public garage to park the car which was not too far from the UT bookstore I wanted to go to in order to buy some Longhorn swag.

Walking into The Co-op, UT's official bookstore, it was like walking into an orange factory. Everything was burnt orange!! Sandals, sweatshirts, socks, underwear, summer dresses, bikinis, you name it, it had orange in it. I wanted to get a hoodie (which I like to collect), so we set off to find one for me and Mads. I found mine right away and of course it was...Orange. We went upstairs to the woman's section and found a white one with an orange longhorn in the center. Mads and I both thought that white was not a good color for a hoodie since it would probably turn black or dark brown after a couple uses outside for her job. I, the unassuming tourist that I am, asked if they had this hoodie in the opposite colors, maroon (ooops as it turns out) and white. The woman's face turned from smiling to a look like I ran over her dog in an OU wagon. She looked at me and in a serious (too serious if you ask me) tone said, "You're joking right? Please tell me you're joking". I stammered and said I was sorry but I have my alma mater's colors stuck in my head (telling her I went to SIU which she had no idea what that meant). She laughed and said I had better not say anything else inside here or else things would go bad.

I really wanted to ask her why people here get so worked up over a college and it's colors. I mean, I know this is all that people who enjoy sports in Austin really get to see, but come on really? I know you don't have a professional sports team but you are in a college town, people from outside of Texas, heck Austin, will be stopping by not wearing burnt orange with a cow's head on the front. I guess living in a town up north with multiple sports teams, I just don't get the intense love them or die mentality that is bestowed on these citizens of Austin.

So I bought a hoodie, burnt orange soccer socks with the longhorn logo, and a fitted hat of the same ilk in hopes of not getting burnt (orange) at the stake for my insolence. Mads and I got some lunch at a place called Which Wich, WHICH is a pretty cool place for sub sandwiches. You get a paper bag at the front with the meat you want on the sandwich and then using a provided marker, check off what other things (cheese, condiments, extra hot sauce) you would like on the sub. Then hand it to the cashier, she rings you up, and you wait for your name to be called. Simple, fun, and delicious. While eating, Mads really wanted me to see the King's Speech with here while I was down there and today would be a perfect opportunity since SXSW is starting so a lot of people would be going other places to watch movies. We found times and a place called The Alamo Draft House had it showing at a time that we could make. Alamo Draft House, is similar to a Hollywood Blvd., in that you can buy food and drinks there while watching the movie. What makes it a little different is that their beer selection is OUTSTANDING!!! I had some amazing beers that I could not get back in Illinois and they were very reasonably priced. While waiting for them to seat us in the theater we noticed that they were getting ready to host a premiere for SXSW. They had about 6-10 of red carpet next to a huge backdrop and signs outside directing the shuttle busses for each venue. I must say, from what I saw, just that little bit, SXSW seems very well organized and easy to get from venue to venue. ANYWAY, we noticed that the movies for SXSW officially started while we would be in the middle of our movie. So I jokingly said, wouldn't it be funny if when we walked out, we ran into some famous people, that being what happens at SXSW so I hear. Mads dismissed it as usual haha and we enjoyed our movie. Upon leaving the theater, we saw a huge hub bub going on near that red carpet. We had to pass it to get to our car and we heard someone say, "There's Danny Devito!" I looked and couldn't see anything, then I looked down (Bah-Dum Ching!) and there he was. All 4'9" of him. Walking up behind him to join in the interview already in progress was Rosario Dawson and Carla Gugino (Watchmen, Sin City) they were all there premiering the movie they were in together. Pretty crazy! I took some photos from inside the movie house (they were outside being interviewed) and we left. It was a pretty uneventful ride home although we called our family members to brag to them that we were within throwing distance of celebrities.


I bet all of you can't wait for our exploits tomorrow. I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I am re-living all these wonderful moments. Tell your friends!!