Katie's personal trainer Abel joined us in our venture to Austin for New Years. We stayed in my beloved home away from home, the downtown Residence Inn. It really felt like coming home getting to see all my receptionists and valet drivers. And with complimentary memosas at the front desk, how can you wrong? We had a few memosas, then enjoyed the hotel happy hour with my friend Adam before heading up to the hotel room to pop a bottle or two of champagne. We grabbed a quick bite in the hotel restaurant and bar, Champions. I was doing under cover runs back and forth from the memosas at the front desk into the restaurant. Then I decided to kick it up a notch, and brought down an entire bottle of champagne pre-corked of course into the restaurant under my jacket. I am oh so discreet. We got a great jump on the evening before making our way to Antone's.
Katie and Abel kick on at Antone's under the Bob Schneider poster - an Austin legend and the main act of the evening. We were feeling pretty smug as we'd purchased our tickets before they doubled in price and sold out. Well done us! Plus we got complimentary 'best hits' CDs upon entrance - gotta love those completely unexpected party favors.
This was our annual sister New Years celebration. We kicked off with Las Vegas in 2004, New Orleans in 2005, New York City in 2006, San Francisco in 2007, San Antonio in 2008, and now Austin in 2009. We're thinking maybe the Florida Keys next year.
Katie, Cyndi, me, Michelle, and Jackie all met up at Antone's.
Bob Schneider even dressed up for the occasion.
The lead up to the new year was so Schneider style - very low key and practically non-existent. He stopped playing a song, said there's 10 seconds until 2009, everyone counted down 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, then 'Happy New Year!', and he played another song. Funny.
We walked 'home' via 6th St which was hopping. Party girl Katie shows the way.
