It was a little drizzly off and on Friday, and without a lot of morning sessions on the schedule that left downtown Austin with a shortage of venues for the 30,000+ visitors. Despite the rain, there was still plenty to see, learn, hear and enjoy:
Nom nom: The day got off to a great start thanks in part to the Taco Shack’s breakfast tacos. Eggs, potatoes, cheese, chorizo, jalepenos…all in a convenient portable package.
Libations: We parked close to Rainey Street (a street of abandoned houses turned to bars and restaurants, which deserves a post of its own) so after the long day it was great to see that The Bungalow has DogFish Head’s 60 Minute IPA and a local brew called Stash on tap. Always delicious.
Celebrity-ish Sighting: There are A-list celebrities and then there are the B, C, and D-list celebrities. Take a look at the photo below and you’ll agree that our first sighting of the day was undeniably “A-list.” Later in the day and shortly after our stop at The Bungalow, Jon received a text invite to the Bun B concert. “Celebrity-ish,” indeed.
Through the lens:
Grab Bag: There’s nothing better than getting to a session late and realizing you know one of the sponsors. Jon got us into the 2:00 Emerging Technologies session when there was a line of 100 people or so outside. Its good to know people… (Thanks, Scott!)
Free Stuff Rules: Oreo’s activation at the conference center included an interactive, green screen photo booth. If you could name the location Oreo chose for you, you won a Power Shot smartphone battery and a gift certificate. We’re happy to say that we won both.
Overheard: “This session is full. Go enjoy our city.” ~ The not-so-polite session worker at one of two early sessions. Many attendees were less-than-thrilled with the festival’s start.
Number of steps taken: 13,000
Hours of sleep: Jim: 6. Jon: 7.
Caffeinated beverages consumed: Jim: 5. Jon: 5.
Number of connections made: 29 and counting.
~Jim Licko and Jon Woods
