3 days and two pairs of shoes later, I’m back at work!  Another amazing ACL festival, rain and shine.  Best surprise: Avett Brothers, worst surprise: a company that will remain nameless put hundreds of plastic bottles in the trash rather than recycling.  I’ll let the pictures tell you my story….

The Love Burger from Love Shack (run by Tim Love of Top Chef and Fort Worth’s Lonesome Dove fame)

To see pictures from ACL:

The weekend was finally here!

On Friday, people were running around barefoot on this glorious grass

By Sunday, not so much!

First things first, hit up the food court

A wonderful Austin’s Pizza

Which went perfectly with my $8 24 ounce Lonestar.  Had one of these in my hand the entire festival!

When you have a big group, it is so easy to lose people.  My recommendation is that if no one in your group has a flag, pick someone else’s to use for a meeting place.

I took pics of every band I saw but since I was always so far back, Ghostland was one of the only shows I can recognize today.  Amazing light show and their dancing never ceases to amaze me.

Saturday before the rain….

And after the rain.  RIP my favorite Mexican dress.

While heading to the food court for dinner, I didn’t get an action shot but this young man created his own slip ‘n’ slide.  face first back and forth through the mud.  our own tiny woodstock.

The longest lines were always at Hudson’s and the Love Shack.  Here’s to wishing the Love Shack opens in Austin.  The Love Burger was maybe the best burger I have ever had.  It’s basically a cheeseburger with pickles, special sauce, etc… but was cooked a perfect medium rare.

Here’s the basic cheeseburger

Sunday was beautiful weather

But wet.  Yup, these shoes were thrown away before I even got to my car.

I had two smart friends who went to Academy and paid $20 for great rain shoes.  Interesting choices ladies!

Jesse Woods played the first show Sunday at 11:15.  We are sad he is leaving Austin for LA, but wish him much success

Chopped brisket sandwich from Salt Lick

Cold Pasta Salad from Restaurant Jezebel

When they ran out of Lonestar, Tecate it was then!

Torchy’s Damn Good Tacos

Loved the Dead Weather set.  Alison Mosshart is amazing.

The best thing about having a press pass was the food and drinks in the press area.  Everyday Sweat Leaf Tea Tito’s was available and a red bull vodka happy hour.  Dinner was catered each night by a different restaurant, El Chile, Cannoli Joe’s, and La Condesa.

On Sunday, La Condesa whipped these up these ‘Enlightened Austin Martini.’  This won the Austin Cocktail Throwdown.  I’m always a fan of anything with fresh watermelon.

The delicious La Condesa street corn

And tacos.

Pearl Jam, rocks just as hard as back in the day

Until next year!