TEXAS MONTHLY BBQ FEST SEPT 14 2014

Y'all. Today, Sunday September 14, 2014, is the best day of the year. Today is Texas Monthly's Annual BBQ Festival in Austin. But to me, it feels more like Christmas morning. Two workouts, some tummy stretches and meditation are on the agenda for this morning before we head out to the Long Center for VIP access to the meat bonanza. 

But first, what is Texas barbecue? The Marriott came up with this lovely little infographic I'd love to share with you. Know your beef, friends. This thing has some good advice for you fellow festival goers, i.e. DON'T WEAR WHITE. 

Link to original post by the Marriott

Here are a few pictures from last year. This year, our strategy involves more tupperware, labels, a home base and probably some warm up bloody marys. 

Proudest label I've ever had. 

This is the beginning of a meat-coma.

Greasy Fingers

Feeling pretty terrible at this point... 

Link to my first Texas Monthly BBQ Fest experience: http://www.threedietsonedinner.com/2012/09/tx-monthly-bbq-festival.html

These are the joints that will be there this year:

• BLACK’S BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Kent Black
  Rating: 4.25
• BUZZIE’S BAR-B-Q
  Pitmaster: Harold "Buzzie" Hughes
  Rating: 4.25
• CITY MEAT MARKET
  Pitmaster: Gerald Birkelbach (since 1982)
  Rating: 4.25
• COOPER’S OLD TIME PIT BAR-B-QUE (LLANO)
  Pitmaster: Multiple
  Rating: 4.5
• COUSIN’S BAR-B-Q
  Pitmaster:
  Rating: 4.25
• CRANKY FRANK’S BARBEQUE COMPANY
  Pitmaster: Daniel Martin and Glenn Wilke
  Rating: 4.25
• FRANKLIN BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Aaron Franklin
  Rating: 5
• THE GRANARY ’CUE AND BREW
  Pitmaster: Tim Rattray
  Rating: 4
• HATFIELD’S BBQ
  Pitmaster: Kenny Hatfield
  Rating: 4
• HAYS CO. BAR-B-QUE AND CATERING
  Pitmaster: Michael Hernandez; Aaron Hernandez (since 2009); and Omar Serna (since 2012)
  Rating: 4
• HUTCHINS BBQ
  Pitmaster: Tim Hutchins (since 1999)
  Rating: 4.25
• KILLEN’S BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Ronnie Killen and Manny Torres
  Rating: 4.75
• LA BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Esaul Ramos, Francisco Saucedo, and John Lewis
  Rating: 4.5
• LAMBERTS DOWNTOWN BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Zach Davis
  Rating: 4.25
• LOCKHART SMOKEHOUSE
  Pitmaster: Tim McLaughlin and Will Fleischman
  Rating: 4.5
• LOUIE MUELLER BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Wayne Mueller (since 2008)
  Rating: 4.75
• MILLER’S SMOKEHOUSE
  Pitmaster: Dirk Miller and Robert Reid
  Rating: 4.25
• OPIE’S BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Seth Glaser and Marina Sanchez
  Rating: 4.5
• PECAN LODGE
  Pitmaster: Justin Fourton
  Rating: 4.75
• PODY’S BBQ
  Pitmaster: Israel Campos
  Rating: 4
• SNOW’S BBQ
  Pitmaster: Tootsie Tomanetz
  Rating: 4.75
• STANLEY’S FAMOUS PIT BARBECUE
  Pitmaster: Nick Pencis (since 2006) and Jonathan Shaw (since 2009)
  Rating: 4.5
• STILES SWITCH BBQ & BREW
  Pitmaster: Lance Kirkpatrick
  Rating: 4
• TWO BROS. BBQ MARKET
  Pitmaster: Javier Rodriguez
  Rating: 4.25
• TYLER’S BARBEQUE
  Pitmaster: Tyler Frazer
  Rating: 4

AND Dale Watson is playing today! If you haven't heard him perform in Texas, you have to.




The only thing that could make this day better is if the weather was warmer and we had a backseat in this new beautiful addition to our family. Yeah. This happened. Who really needs a bathroom renovation anyway?




















Song of the Day: Fire and Rain -- James Taylor