I was in Austin for New Year's Eve, and unfortunately lots of stuff was closed for the holidays, though I did poke around the outside of the LadyBird Johnson Wildflower Center, and even this time of year and from the periphery, it was beautiful. Mrs. Johnson founded the National Wildflower Research Center as an organization dedicated to the preservation and re-establishment of native plants. Now it's a seed bank, and has several native gardens. Along the highways through Texas Hill Country wildflowers have been planted, and springtime is supposed to be just amazing. Locals predict the splendor of the blossoms by rainfall, etc., but I imagine if you've never seen them, you'd be impressed regardless. I'd like to go back to this area in the springtime, when the flowers are in bloom

This picture is from the path along Town Lake. Not only are the flowers in bloom in the springtime, but the bats return to their roost near Town Lake. Every night people gather to watch the 1.5 million bats head out into the nighttime. These critters not only chose one of the trendiest spots in the country--as they hang under Congress Avenue Bridge--but Austin is also home to Bat Conservation International, so they chose a safe spot as well.

Here are some airplants that are ubiquitous in this area, but not free in NYC. I found a few clinging to branches scattered on the ground and gathered them for gifts.

So we had no wildflowers or bat viewing, but there was still B-B-Q and Tex-Mex, not to mention music, dancing, bike routes and friendly, attractive men in Austin.