Last notes on Democracy Fest

-- Arriving at the campus of Huston-Tillotson a week ago Friday afternoon, I proceeded to the media room and got credentialed, met Charlie of Pink Dome (he spoke at the Blogger's Caucus) and saw Seth of Radnofsky2006 again, who took and then posted a photo of me. On Saturday there I bumped into Jim Dean -- literally.

-- the socializing at Threadgill's Friday night was excellent. I met several of the DU crew, many I knew before, some I was meeting for the first time. Good times.

-- I've already posted about the workshops we attended; here's a couple of good reports on ones we didn't -- "What it Means to be a Progressive" and the Civic Action Networks. Around 2 on Saturday afternoon we took a late lunch over at Scholz Garten, and who should walk in with twenty of her entourage but Carole Strayhorn, fresh off her announcement rally. She didn't come by our table to say hi, and I didn't run the gauntlet of "Team Tough Grandma" t-shirted minions. So no blood was shed.

-- The big party was of course the Progressive Express event at Stubb's BBQ. Tickets were sold for $20 just for this event (and those folks didn't get the buffet like we did) and it sold out also. I don't know how many people were there, three thousand maybe; whatever the fire marshal's capacity for Stubb's is, I suppose. The fifteen or so evil DUers gathered at a table upstairs where we could enjoy some air-conditioning and still see and hear, and when Howard Dean came on we pushed outside. A white-haired lady brushed right past us; I heard Mrs. Diddie say, "Molly Ivins, you are a fountain of wonder!" and looked around just in time to see my wife getting kissed on the cheek by her.

-- The Sunday blog breakfast was a happening also. Getting to meet Kos was a treat.

-- Here's a great list of links that roses compiled. And here's the Austin Chronicle's take.

-- We departed a little early to meet a delightful A2Ker and her family for brunch, and with a few minutes to spare beforehand, walked through the Texas State Cemetery. In less than a half hour, we saw the graves of Tom Landry, Barbara Jordan, John Connally, Preston Smith (there are seven other governors of Texas buried there), Bob Bullock, Stephen F. Austin, and the Confederate Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston (his tomb is on the left in this picture). Jake Pickle, the long-time Austin Congressman who passed away last Saturday, is now interred not far from Connally and Bullock there on Republic Hill.

-- and on the way home we stopped at the Berdoll Pecan Farm and Store for some of their goodies, which included not just the dark chocolate covered pecan halves but also tomatoes and peaches. This place is worth the drive all by itself. It's on Highway 71, just west of Bastrop, and if you find yourself traveling that way, don't miss it.