Sugar Highs and Long Goodbyes

The last day in Austin is one that is, for lack of a better word, a bittersweet one. During my time in this fair city i can honestly say i truly enjoyed myself. For those of you out there that are strict dieters and never allow themselves a treat every now and again. I can tell you from experience, that is no way to be. I know this because i lived that all throughout college, and since i was here and threw caution to the wind i noticed all the wonderful things i missed out on while at school. Things that i could have savored over the course fo five years rather than cram them all in over the course of a week and a half, but hey... thats what the gym is for.

Today was a day of sugar... wonderful sugar. I got to have a cake ball, something that idnt surface until a year before i moved home to Florida and let me tell you... it is awesome. Most desserts this decadent leave you feeling heavy and not wanting to do anything but take a nap, while these little beauties leave you still feeling light enough to go for a walk with two of the sweetest ladies in the city of austin. This is mostly due to the fact that they are so small, but im not gonna complain on size when flavor is this awesome.

Then we continued the wonder that is refined sugar with cupcakes... out of a trailer! Only in austin my friends. Now, the city of austin raves about these bad boys so i figured i had to try one, and have to say... there is nothing too special about them. I mean, yeah... its reall eclectic to get them from a trailer on the side of the road, and judging from the line i can tell im not the only one, but i have had a fresh baked cupcake before and the taste is not too far off. However, it was a delightful little treat and were definitley well made... so i think tey should be tasted, savored, and enjoyed at least once.

Then... the alamo. Need i say more, this is without a doubt the greatest movie theater ever thought up. Honestly, any place that serves fried pickles before the previews happen has to get the thumbs up. Also, they have a special even called 'Master Pancake Theater' which makes me smile, think Mystery Science Theater 3000..... but with pancakes in the title! Awe-Suh-Ummm! They also made me my favorite pizza which is not even on the menu at the location Jose and I were at! Southern hospitality... i loveth thee.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time or..... oh man, now i have to think about something else to write about. So tune in for that! Until then this is pan-Clay-ke reminding you that diets dont kill people, but thin people die anyway. Whoa... sugar makes me morbid, guess im coming off the high.

A Birthday fit for a King

Elvis would have been 75 today, can you friggin believe it? Neither can I. Granted, there is a hoooooge sect swearing that the King is alive and kicking... but either way, the birth of the King is a wonderful excuse for a small celebration with some close friends.

That being the case, i was off the Whole Foods' little brother... Known to the natives as 'Central Market'. Its nice in the sense that its smaller and more local... although the variety is not NEAR as wide as the afore-visited Whole Foods. In spite of that... i have to say i like Central Market a little bit more. How much more? Well, lets just say when it came time to have a special birthday dinner last year there was only one place on my list and that place, my friends, was the market.

And dont even get me started on Amy's. Think Cold Stone Creamery if they listened to indie rock all day and swore that meditation was the cure to anything that ails you. Well, meditation and ice cream. Im not gonna lie though... this is about the fourth time i visited Amy while i was in Austin. There is something about a place that gives you a freee crush-in when you get a quote from a movie correct. Since that is my greatest talent, after all, there is no other place i would rather get my cream from. That, and i had a stamp card that was 4 away from getting a free T-Shirt. A T-Shirt i may or may not be wearing at the moment.

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for the greatest movie theater ever and the last thing you would expect to find on a stick. Until then, this is PanClayKe reminding you that everything is better when a graham cracker is involved.

The Birth of 'Clay-pe?'

cDThe Austin trip is nearing its end lovers of the cake. Shhhhh, dont cry, i'll be back again next year. Hmmm, is there a reason why i sound like Frosty the Snowman? Oh Yeah... cause it it SEVEN TEEN DEEGREES!!! Fail austin, epic fail.

However, i refused to be taken aback by captain cold this day and i opted to venture out into the world of austin eateries that, ironically, have no indoor seating. 'Sure', he said to himself, 'wait till the end of the rip to go there, money is going to be a bit tighter and its gonna be far along from christmas so the weather will be nice.' Well, at least i was half right... the money is tight. But that didnt stop and outing to P Terrys and Flip Happy Crepes.

Final thoughts were that the burger was perfect! Size, texture, grease:meat: bread ratio... the whole shabang. It was actually kind of allieviating to not have to forgo another massive eat-feat consisting of something else that was 'texas-sized'. The fries were, for lack of a better word.. fresh. You can tell they were flash fried to order beacuase they are hat from cooking when you get them and not just warm from a nice long tan under the heat lamps. And the shake... O-M-G! Just a little knowledge... i never hget a shake when i go anywhere cause i think 'BFD, someone melted some ice cream or made a thicker milk', but this place reminded me why Shakes are awesome. It was not oversly sweet to the point of not being able to taste the chocolate and, even though it was cold outside, did not freeze the mouth over like the ones from McDonalds used to do (from what i remember). Also, the fries tasted better when they were dipped in the chocolate shake which, i dont know about you, is kind of the way i decide whether or not i like the shake or not. So fat the only other place that has passed this test has been Wendy's frosty... but i think we have a new reigning champ.

Lastly, as far as the Crepes go.... i contemplated moving to France if that would mean that i get to have things like this everyday. Seriously, this was light but not without substance, it was sweet but not unpallateable and it was french but not smelly (see what i did there?). Also, those of you who watch 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay' on Food Network may remember when he came to Austin and went toe to toe with the flip happy chefs... and got smacked in his pretentions, herb oil loving, ASS! How do you like Austin now FLAY?!?! Go back to NY and meet your grill.... and count your money.... and say hello to your super hot wife for me. There is, however, a downside to Flip Happy Crepes and that is that their hours of operation are something ridiculous, closed monday and tuesday and closed at 3:15 for the rest of the week after opening at ten (maybe) and only during daylight savings. I dont even know, but what i do know is that a trip to austin would not be complete without a little nutella love, eespecially when its nestled in a fresh... made to order crepe.

Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for the 'other' whole foods and the only way to properly celebrate the birth of the King. Until then this is PanClayKe reminding you that a Crepe is a pancake thats just a little more lazy and therefore decides not to rise when you cook it. Lazy? That IS French!

ASK ME ABOUT MY WEINER!!!

Riddle me this.... what is it that you do on a trip to Austin that cannot be done IN Austin? Give up? Go get hot dogs in Houston. Yes friends, today we find our hero needed in another part of the lone star state to rescuse a parter in crime. The trip to Houston was fun, filled with Glee (volumes one and two!), some flirting with one of the most dense gas station attendants i have ever met (seriously, i used the word intimidated and she replied 'i guess i can be pretty imitated'... only in Texas) and finished off with more Mountain Dew than the nation of Ethiopia posesses. What can i say... i travel hard.

Anyhoo, after the rescue and the drive back to austin (accompanied by the Avenue Q Soundtrack and more Glee) we were then whisked away to the land of 'Leslie' and proceeded to see how much gin could fill seven people in an hour. The answer.... a whole lot + five cans of cherry 7up and a box of ritz crackers. Isn''t science fun........ damental?

Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for something that made Bobby Flay cry and perhaps the perfect way to celebrate the birth of the once and future 'King'. I mean Elvis... not Arthur. Until next time this is PanClayke reminding you that a girl without a 5 syllable vocabulary is what we in the 'biz' call a Deal-Breaker.

Behold... the Flagship!

During my journey throughout the city of Austin there has been many allusions to a 'Flagship'. I guiding light in the ehart of hte city that inspires all who come within 20 yards of it. A place that no Austin trip should go without... and if it does then you definitely have something on your list for the next time. Today... my journey took me to this 'Flagship' with my PIC 'elle-bell' where we proceeded to wander through aisles of foreign and expensive treasures... not to mention some of the best mashed sweey potatoes you have ever eaten!

WHOLE FOODS! You didnt see that one coming did you? Afterward there was only one way to continues the day and that was to cross the street to my favorite record store and listen to all the featured bands that were on display. Sadly though, being one who has HOOOGE buyers remorse... i opted to buy a totes awesome T Shirt (which i am currently wearing) and then finish out the day doing something that can NOT be done in the city of austin... confused? You bet you are!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for crepes out of am airstream trailer and the only way to properly celebrate Elvis' birthday. Until then this is PanClayKe reminding you that eating out of the bulk bins, while not being illegal, is frowned upon.

Pizza... The Final Frontier

Living in Austin, especially on SoCo, there are two names that become synonymus with pizza: Home Slice and Southside Flying Pizza. Being familiar with both of them but never really into pizza i always asked myself the question of who had the better pie. However, like asking a native from philly who has the better cheesesteak, this question is met with differences in opinion ranging from the flavor of the water in the crust to the mood of the cow that made the milk that yeilded the cheese eventually. Our hero has had wnough of the argument and decided to put the question to rest once and for all.

Bottom line.... Southside is the better pie. While homeslice is good the crust id too flimsy and is normally not cooked enough to keep the toppings on the pie. Speaking of toppings, they seem to be thrown on quite haphazardly... however, i think it only fair to assume that the reason for this is because there is normally a line out the door of people seeking a vaccine to their pizza-addiction in the form of a single slice of peperoni served from their pick up window. Southside on the other hand has the quality that comes from taking time to care for each pizza as it is ordered and not before. The crust is also not cooked in a conventional oven like it is at the Slice but rather in a wood fired oven behind the counter. Now... not only is this fun to look at but the smell coming from this oven fills the eatery with something that can only be described as LEGIT.

Well, ladies and gentlemen there you have it. Tune in next time for another EXTREME austin burger, a full pack of rolaids (lol) and the answer to what the 'flagship' is. Until then this is PanClayKe reminding you that its only Amore when the moon hits you like a pizza pie and nothing else. No... not even if its apple, sorry.

Austin: Day 6, Part 1

The six day in austin was pretty low key and full of amazingness. Between one of the ebest hidden coffeeshops in the world and everyones favorite barber... there isnt much bad that can happen if i do say so myself. And i just did.... sooooo, enjoy!


well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for some awesome ice cream happenings and the only cupcakes i know of that come out of the back of an airstream trailer. Until then this is PanClayKe reminding you that this is NOT Calcutta... therefore Bohemia is alive and well.

A Great Big Part of what we Love about Austin...

... They're Thundercloud Subs! Today was more of a Low Key day and was basically just filled with awesome conversation... not to mention enough sugar to light up Las Vegas. Honestly, if today alone does not give me Type 2 Diabetes then I will be very relieved.... but when someone asks if you want a Doughnut with bacon, you get a doughnut with bacon DAMMIT!

Well ladies and gentlemen there you have it, tune in next time for cupcakes out of an airstream trailer and something know simply as the 'Flagship'. What could it be... come back and find out. Until then this is Pan-Clay-Ke reminding you that a moment on the lips equals an afternoon on the toilet. TMI?

Since Emeril Lagasse is known far and wide as a 'Super Chef' i decided to treat him like Levar Burton and 'take is word for it'... however, rather than listen to him concerning a cookbook or a book about cooking i decided to trust him on his choice of burger. The results..... WIN! This burger was legit beyond all reason and when you add the athmosphere and the company.... it was definitely one of the best nights spent in Austin to date... enjoy!

Well, ladies and Gentlemen... there you have it. Tune in next time for the breaking of the Chicken-fried cherry and the answer to the question of who truly does have the best pizza in Austin. Until then this is PanClayke reminding you that you can go twice as high..... take a look, its in a book....... eat Huts Ham-bur-gers!

The Birth of a Legend

This is the ture accound of the birthplace of our hero. Just like a phoenix is born out of ashes and invention is born out of necessity. Panclayke is born out of some e[ic pancake action. And is sometimes met with a free T-shirt.... holla.

Well ladies and gentlemen there you have it. Tune in next time for a walk around one of the most famous streets in austin and some of the most awesome doughnuts in the world. Until then this is panclayke reminding you that Blackberries have some of the highest antioxidant levels of any other fruit.

Hey, remember when I was Vegan

Yeah.... neither do I. Especially after being in austin for about a week and being around some of the greastest BBQ in the world. Yeah... you heard me Memphis, what cha gonna do about it?

Anyhoo, today we find our hero ingesting a Shitload of said BBQ-ed cuisine. Where to go though? Being there is no shortage of places i decided to go for both the combination of Flavor, Atmosphere and general Austin-ness. After all, everybody can go to a Smokey Bones... but not everybody has... The Salt Lick!

*note: a HOOGE thank you to my loves Angelica and Devyn for joining me in all my quest to Devour the World. Needless to say there have been a surplus of rolaids bought and a renewed gym membership.

Bottom Line.... go here. If you already went today then go back!

Well folks, there you have it. Tune in nest time for emerils favorite burger and a walk down the legendary SoCo! Until then this is Pan-Clay-ke reminding you that all you CAN eat and all you SHOULD eat are two very different things.

Austin Trip - Day 2

So its the second day in Austin and I could not feel like im back in college again more if I tried. This is a good thing though, since its all the college but none of the schoolwork. WINNER!

This morning the temp 'roomies' and I met the common aftertaste of the overindulgence of the new year with the hangover... and not the movie. Now, im not a drinker but i have not been sleeping well so i was definitely in need of some R and R. Whatever to do with this need to re-charge the batteries? Looka like teen-nick had the answer to this question by delivering me a marathon of EVERY SINGLE EPISODE OF DEGRASSI EVUHHHHH! So, now im following emma, terry and craig from the beginning. Excited? You bet I am!

So, after about six hours of non-stop canadian middle school drama we all started getting a little stir crazy and needed to go see a movie, the Alamo Draft House Cinema aided the call with their showing of 'Nine' which we answered. We were not the only ones who heard the call, however, so we were met with a sold out movie and hunger for Alamo food that seemed destined to fo unanswered. Until we decided to go to a regular theater for a later showign of 'Nine'... btu what of the hunger. Our questions were answered by the best buffet in Austin... the BUFFET PALACE!!

What did we learn? 1) never automatically turn sushi away just because its seemingly 'haphazardly done' and 2) 5 plates may be a bit too many when it comes to buffet time. There is a reason why i only go here once a year.

Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Tune in next time for some awesome BBQ and some of the best ice cream in the city of Austin. Until then, this is Panclayke reminding you that not every Guido is found on the Jersey Shore.

Austin Trip - Day 1

Well, its official, the year is over... or is it just beginning? Either way its going to be amazing!

My apologies for my lack of postage recently but there has been some shit going down. And not the good kind that Eminem talks about which is really bad but ends up turning you into a better person in the long run, it's... wait, actually thats exactly what it is. BUT! More on that later because there is too much happy today to worry about stupid things that make you sad, am i right?

First off, let me say that i missed Austin a whole lot. I went to school out here and there is hardly a better place when your looking for genuine people, an ecclectic atmosphere and some of the greatest food you have ever had... not to mention the birthplace of my pancake addiction (which i assure you will have a post dedicated to itself). How did i get out into Austin you may be asking... can you say Christmas Present to myself? This trip (plus the Wii i bought on Black Friday and put under the tree) are the reasons why its a good idea to take matters into your own hands sometimes.

Wednesday i flew in, so forgive my lack of video/photo coverage but the nice gentlemen with the rectal-exam gloves said no. Oh, and good news... im finally walking without a limp after a stint with airport security. KIDDING! But seriously, the flight was nothing to report. If you NEED to paint a picture for yourself then find a crying baby and sit in front of it for three hours. I am never having children...

The first FULL day was full of wonderment, and the perfect way to say goodbye to 2009. Woke up late on one of the most comfortable couches in the world and proceeded to go to Round Rock donuts. If you saw the epsiode of Man V. Food where be went to Austin then you know what im talking about and i assure you... his euphoric reaction to the taste of these beauties is on the ball. They were indeed delicious and possibly the biggest i have ever seen. I choose to ring in the year with the consumption of one of the biggest donuts in the world.

(for those of you saying 'man, this is the unhealthiest person in the world' I have already come to terms with the fact that there WILL be a gaining of weight on this trip. Luckily, the gym is going to be in florida when i get back... MAN, did i luck out on that one or what?!)

Anyway, after the eating of pastry-zilla i was escorted by two of the most b-e-a-utiful women in the city to Docs, a restaurant where the sweet potato fries are friggin awesome. I had a lot of orange food today. UT! We then proceeded to ring in the new year drama free, bright eyed, bushy-tailed and ready to make 2010 the best year yet. I believe in the Chinese calendar this is known as the 'Year of the Clay', im guessing thats significant.

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen.. that is all the Austin Adventures i have at the moment... but i assure you there is more to come including a trip to HEB (best grocery store ever? no, but nostalgic) and the biggest steak ever! Until then this is Panclayke reminding you that, other than hamburgers, bigger is SOMETIMES better.

(until then i leave you with some pictorals of the donut outing)

Panclayke likey... Panclayke want Dough dough!!

<-- Ringing in the new year, with the biggest pastry ever!