Raphael Brion

Let’s Not Forget These Other Austin Eats (Torchy’s Tacos, La Condesa, Takoba, Barley Swine, Perla’s, Banger’s, Walton’s, The Counter Cafe, TacoDeli & Elizabeth Street Cafe)

The day that I flew to Austin, I was coming from Los Angeles in the most convoluted way possible. I started on Sunset Blvd., where I was staying, then drove up to Topanga Canyon, where I left my car with Craig’s aunt and uncle, then took a car service to the Long Beach airport which was about an hour and a half away. By the time the plane touched down in Austin, I was so hungry and tired I could barely move. But I made my way to a cab which took me to the Doubletree Hotel (my first hotel there) which was nowhere near anything that I heard was worth eating. So then I took a cab to South Congress, specifically to Torchy’s Tacos which many of you recommended on Twitter. It sounded perfect.

A Fresh New Look

For the past few weeks, my fearless website designer Raphael Brion has been slaving away trying to make this site look even better. And, if you look up, look down, look left, look right, I think you’ll have to agree: Raphael hit this one out of the park. My blog was the dowdy girl with glasses at the beginning of a makeover movie; and now it’s Olivia Newton John at the end of “Grease.” What exactly did he change? What’s different? Let me break it all down for you.

The New & Improved Amateur Gourmet

It’s 7:45 AM and I can’t contain it anymore. I laid in bed last night, jittery and nervous, anxious and excited. In just a few hours the new version of my blog, the blog I’d been writing for the past six years, would be launching. And now–standing before you in all its glory–is the new & improved Amateur Gourmet.

Take a moment to soak it in. Why does everything feel so clear and open? What’s that revolutionary new feature on the right? The Amateur Gourmet Community Blog? Don’t ask questions yet, just absorb the beauty and the brilliance of Raphael Brion’s vision. Got it? Ok, now for some explanation. There are three things to be very excited about here.

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