DOES IT GET ANY BETTER?

As much as I love my "Fortress of Solitude" nature walks, I do occasionally crave a bit of people-watching. For that, there is no better place to go than the walking trail around Ladybird Lake in downtown Austin. That's where Hubby and I headed Sunday morning, while it was still cloudy and cool enough to be pleasant.

Not only do you see all kinds of interesting people, you get to enjoy some of the best scenery around as well!

Afterwards we decided to try someplace new for lunch, and selected something from Austin Monthly's recent "Cheap Eats" issue.

We chose Cafe Malta, one of those wonderful little Euro-style cafes, where you can actually talk to each other without having to yell. On Sundays they serve a brunch menu but, fortunately, it included the Brisket Ravioli Hubby was dying to try.

I opted for a porcini fettucini and a wonderful kale salad with juicy apple and blue cheese bits. Then we shared this bad boy -- chili chocolate creme brulee!

As if that weren't enough, we ended up browsing the aisles of a nearby Barnes & Noble and a World Market, which once was a weekly occurrence, but is now a very special treat. I didn't feel the need to buy anything, but it was fun just to browse.

It was a very good day.