Austin, Texas

One of my favorite things about going to SXSW is spending the afternoon before the event kicks off just exploring the city. Previous years I’ve walked along Town Lake, ventured down to South Congress, enjoyed dinners at Artz (now closed), Polvos, and other out-of-the-way places that I wouldn’t be able to see once SXSW arrives.

This year we spent the afternoon walking through an unexplored area of Austin, walking west through West Austin, under the interstate, and through the different neighborhoods on our way to Town Lake and Mozart’s.

Once at Mozart’s we enjoyed an afternoon of reading and relaxing outside, watching the people come and go as the sun set across the lake. Only one couple was there longer than us, and they seemed to be locked into a particularly intense conversation, touching on their relationship past, present, and future. Watching their body positions shift throughout the afternoon provided a look into their conversation: sometimes at odds, sometimes in agreement, close together and far apart. I didn’t listen to what they said, but to what they did, and their body positions spoke clearly: something very important in their lives was going on that day.

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More, photos from SXSW.