September 2021 - 10

Keepin' It Weird
For years, the slogan " Keep Austin
Weird " has been used by residents of
the Texas capital to promote its one-ofa-kind
small business culture, especially
the dining and entertainment
scene. Now, ACBL members can enjoy
the weirdness for themselves as Austin
hosts the Fall North American Bridge
Championships, Nov. 25-Dec. 5.
Most attendees will come to Austin
for the fun of tournament bridge,
of course, because the NABCs offer
games for all levels of players. (See the
schedule on pgs. 12-13.) But there are
other things to see and do in Austin.
The following list is just a small sample
of the away-from-the-table fun.
South Congress is a shopping district
stretching down South Congress
Avenue from downtown Austin. This
area is home to coffee shops, eccentric
stores, restaurants, food trucks, trailers
and festivals. Locals attribute its
enduring popularity to the magnificent
and unobstructed view of the Texas
State Capitol.
The Rainey Street Historic District
is a neighborhood in downtown
Austin consisting mostly of bungalowstyle
homes built in the early 20th century.
Since the early 2010s, the former
working-class residential street has
10 | Bridge Bulletin | September 2021
turned into a popular nightlife district.
Many of the historic homes have been
renovated into bars and restaurants,
many of which feature large porches
and outdoor areas for patrons.
The former Seaholm Power Plant
is a local attraction in the downtown
area that is home to many restaurants,
as well as a Trader Joe's supermarket.
Austin is also home to more than a
thousand food trucks. The food truck
scene has been the subject of many
articles and videos.
Austin's first food hall, Fareground,
features a number of local food vendors
and a bar in the ground level and
courtyard of One Congress Plaza in the
downtown area.
As Austin's official slogan is " The
Live Music Capital of the World, "
the city has a vibrant live music scene
with more music venues per capita
than any other U.S. city. Austin's music
revolves around the many nightclubs
on Sixth Street. The concentration of
restaurants, bars and music venues
in the city's downtown core is a major
contributor to Austin's live music
scene.
Austin boasts more than 50 microbreweries
where patrons can sample
a dizzying array of craft beers. (And
across Congress Avenue, in sight of
host hotel JW Marriott, is a Belgian
beer bar named Mort Subite, owned
by Austin players Rick and Barbara
Clemments!)
Also, Parker Jazz Club, just a
couple of blocks from the playing site,
is owned by local player LySa Nguyen.
(Both Mort Subite and Parker Jazz
Club offer specials to players who
simply show their ACBL convention
card as ID.)
The Oasis Restaurant, aka the Sunset
Capital of Texas, is a popular spot.
Oasis is a wonderful restaurant built
into the side of a hill on Lake Travis,
facing west, thus the sunset fame. Players
would need to travel by car to enjoy
this attraction.
Museums in Austin include the
Texas Memorial Museum, the George
Washington Carver Museum and
Cultural Center, Thinkery, the Blanton
Museum of Art, the Bob Bullock
Texas State History Museum across
the street, The Contemporary Austin,
the Elisabet Ney Museum and the
galleries at the Harry Ransom Center.
The Texas State Capitol itself is also a
major tourist attraction.
September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2021
