Hitting the Spot

One of the best parts of hosting out-of-town visitors - aside from helping them search for stolen luggage - is going on a barbecue pilgrimage to Lockhart (Kreuz, Smitty's, Black's), Taylor (Louie Mueller's) and/or Llano (Cooper's).

We didn't get out until 1pm yesterday, and knowing Louie Mueller's shuts down when they run out of meat, we figured Lockhart would be the best bet. Kreuz and Smitty's are the two main contenders there for meat alone, but Kevin was also in the mood for sides, so we chose Black's. It hit the spot. We each had a quarter pound of brisket and a sausage link along with a whole mess of beans, slaw and potato salad.

Since we were only 17 miles from San Marcos, we decided to hit the outlet stores to further replenish Kevin's wardrobe. He bought two pairs of shoes, some Gold Toe socks and a pair of running shorts. I got in on the action myself with a pair of Steve Madden loafers - a highly unorthodox impulse buy for me - but Kevin goaded me into it and I'm glad he did.

Upon arriving back in Austin, we caught up with David and Rachel for an early-evening pint at Billy's on Burnet before hitting the Hole in the Wall to see the Fighting Brothers McCarthy. They hit the spot with the same accuracy as Black's BBQ when they broke out their cover of "S.O.S." by ABBA.