Scottish football fans and the city of Boston: A match made in heaven (if heaven were a pub)

Most of my posts are on Austin, but I couldn't resist sharing this one about my old home base of Boston (the "other half" of our blog's title, From Boston to Austin). I've been enjoying the 2026 FIFA World Cup. So have Scotland's fans, who showed up in force for the team's first two games in Boston. Only problem is that the whole city seems to be running short on beer now, according to ESPN.com. Boston Beer Company, maker of the now-iconic Samuel Adams beers, claims that Scotland's Tartan Army supporters organization "drank four times what the company normally stocks during a typical four-day holiday stretch like the Fourth of July." Popular bar the White Bull Tavern said the Scottish fans drank "pretty much everything." Sheesh! It was a long time ago that I lived there, but when I did, Boston had a reputation as a drinking town, and in my experience it seemed pretty deserved. As with most things in life, no matter the endeavor, there always seems to be someone around to "son" you.

Tartan Army on the way to Fenway Park for Scotland Day Red Sox game. Credit: Bob Dechiara-Imagn Images; source: ESPN.com

The Scottish team has one more game before moving on to Florida for the third game. But next Tuesday the English arrive for their second game. Good luck keeping the lager flowing!

 When I started skateboarding in about 1985, Tony Hawk was (or was about to become) the biggest name in the sport. It's 2026, and not only is he's still skating, his status as the biggest skateboarding celebrity ever is about as cemented as that bowl at your local state park. I noted his status as a legend here way back in 2008, when the Art on Deck exhibit came to town.

Tony's also always seemed like a pretty classy guy to boot. The latest example came up the road from us in Waco. Seems Tony was jonesing for some skating, so he rolled up to a park in Waco, TX and had a session. After that, he signed a deck, which he left in the park for a fan to find. Finder? Soledad Najera, a Facebook follower of Hawk's who reacted quickly when he saw a post about the artifact. Good job!

Earl Sweatshirt FTW

 

Earl Sweatshirt. That's all.

F-ck this shit!

 

The Changing BBQ Scene in Texas

The New York Times just came out with an article about the ongoing changes to the Texas barbecue scene, proclaiming Texas barbecue is "the best it's ever been." It is a bit oversimplified, like a lot of journalism, but no doubt things are a lot different from late 2007, when we fist moved here. 

Offering from Kreuz Market, November 2008

The pit at Cooper's in Llano, March 2009

I wrote about Texas BBQ before we even moved here. At the time, the barbecue was all old-school, and most of the places in Austin proper were kind of lame. You had to haul yourself to Taylor or Lockhart or Smithville to get the good stuff. Then Aaron Franklin started smoking briskets along the I35 access road, and Texas 'cue hasn't been the same since. Now it is hard to imagine Austin without Franklin, La Barbecue, Valentina's, Stiles Switch, Interstellar, and (my personal fave) Micklethwait! Change can be a good thing. Given the changes that have taken place in the last 15 years, I'm looking forward to seeing where things are in 2037.

Finding Myself (on Google Street View)

Went out for a run the other day and the Google Street View car drove past me a few times. The new Street View images went live the other day, and yes, I found myself! Not the most interesting picture, like the Wayne Coyne bathtub one, but that's me on the corner of Treadwell Boulevard and Shoal Creek Drive West. I don't know why it's satisfying, but it somehow is, just a little bit.

Your author getting in his steps