Don’t Mess With Texas

I spent the past few days in the great state of Texas. I have to admit that part of me doesn't really want to like Texas. The oil biz, the SUVs, the traffic, the egos, the belt buckles, the implants – everything may be bigger in Texas, but none of it works with my admittedly leftist leanings.

However, when I actually go to The Lone Star State and interact with the people, frankly they make it pretty darn hard not to like Texas. In the spirit of North Dakota nice, I set aside my pre-conceived notions and instead offer my appreciation to the following Texans for making my visit a memorable one:

1) The InterContinental Hotel staff in Houston, for their incredible attention to detail, including the beer and cheese that greeted me in my hotel room. I have never before seen cheddar in the shape of a state. I can now check that off my bucket list.

2) The nacho lady at Minute Maid Baseball Park, for refilling my massive Coke cup after its contents spilled all over her counter. Oops.

3) The guy behind the counter at Amy’s Ice Cream in Austin, for happily giving me a new ice cream cone when my first lick of coffee ice cream turned out to be hazelnut coffee, and meanwhile eating up my rejected cone, licked spot and all.

4) My friend Brandi, a Texan in training, for encouraging me to eat with my elbows on the table while introducing me to Colombian food and the best damn falafel.

5) Little City coffee shop in Austin, for the 84 cent happy hour iced coffee. You have no idea how happy it made me on that triple-digit degree day.

6) Whole Foods Market in Austin, simply for being Whole Foods and all the wonderfulness that entails. I miss you already.

No worries, your regularly scheduled Rhubarb & Venison programming will return this week.