Remembering Artz Ribhouse

Z and Art

Today, 9/11 is a sad day for our nation, yesterday was a sad day for south Austin. Artz Rib House, my home away from home most every Monday night for many years, was demolished. It had been a long time coming but it still knocked me for a loop when I saw the demolition taking place while driving down South Lamar yesterday. I cried all the way to my destination.

Artz Rib house back in the day

The Studebakers

Artz Rib house, yesterday

Artz Rib house, yesterday

In the 1990's on any given evening, I could walk from my house in Barton Hills to the corner of Lamar and Bluebonnet to hear music at Artz. Monday was my favorite because I knew that I would see from 10 - 50 of my best friends there to hear Sarah Elizabeth and the Banned. Sarah's mother Sudie, otherwise know as "The Queen Mother" was there every Monday dressed like a million dollars. I have always said I want to grow up to be Sudie. She taught us so much. I remember hearing her say, as she counted the money from the tip jar at the end of the night that one should tip AT LEAST one dollar for each member of the band. I thought that isn't much but on second thought, it is more than most are willing to tip.

Sarah Elizabeth Campbell

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Sudie, Sayra and Vicki

Bill, Marcia, Sudie and Sayra

Chris, Sudie, Karen and Slaid

I was talking about how sad I was to my daughter today and she reminded me that it was a Monday when she went into labor with my grandson Dylan. Needless to say, it was one of the few Monday evenings that I missed Sayra Elizabeth and the Banned play at Artz. Shortly thereafter, Dylan started going with me on Monday. He grew up holding court at the bar, drinking sodas, eating ribs and telling jokes to the big guys. When he got bored he would make his way to the back patio where he played in the dirt with his trucks and tractors. One of the few times I didn't take him, I got home and he came up and hugged me and immediately smelled the BBQ smoke on my clothing and said "You went to Artz without me!"

Rene and Dylan

After about 15 years, SXSW became sort of a joke for local Austinites so Paul Barker put together a great week of FREE showcases called "South By South Lamar" with Albert and Gage usually playing on the closing Saturday bill. I saw some really great music every year, some local and some from far off lands who where just in town for SXSW.

Albert and Gage

Chris, Dave, Sarah

Christine and Christina

The Flyin'A's

Beth and George

Thursday nights during "South By South Lamar" we had Hawaiian shirt contests. 

Marvin and Danny playing Thursday evening
Hawaiian Shirt contest night

Here are some of the best shirts.

Z, Madgie, David, Art and Danny

Danny, Art and Z

Madgie Art and Christina

Madgie and David

Paul Barker, Danny Britt and Winker with me, Christina announcing the winners!

When Artz fell on hard times we had a benefit to raise money. 

Christina, Z and Beth

Rene and Pam

Christine and Pam

Winker

Auction items at benefit

This is one of my favorite posters I have ever designed
and look at the line up of musicians who came out to support Artz!

Art signing posters to be auctioned off

Z and Art

May Birthdays

There was another traditional that began at Artz on Monday nights as well. There were so many of us that were born in May that we started a May birthday celebration, which later led into having a birthday almost weekly for whomever was having a birthday.

Front Row: Sarah, Sherry, Christina Cash
Back row: Debbie, Madgie

Paul, Sherry, Sarah, Cash, Christina

...then there were times Jon Emry and his band played at Artz,

Art being the bass player in the band.

David, Beth, Art and Jon

These times at Artz will be missed but fortunately as I told Sarah Elizabeth yesterday:

 "The good news is that you (Sarah Elizabeth) have a loyal family that follows your sweet soul and beautiful voice around from venue to venue. Thank God for El Mercado South!"

.... and in the words of  my dear friend Sarah Elizabeth:

"Artz Rib House was so generous in having local musicians play weekly. He and Zenobia made it a great place to hang, eat baby backs and kick-ass potato salad and a kind of clubhouse of some real characters. A great place to see your friends. Those years mean a lot to me. It's a big hit, losing that place." ~Sarah Elizabeth Campbell

As the song goes...

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

... In closing... a gentle reminder.... we'll see you Monday night at El Mercado and Donn's Depot!

Some of these photos by Winker. Thank you Winker!
No names have been changed to protect the innocent :)

A Letter to My Daughter, Adriane On Her 36th Birthday

Happy birthday to my angel baby, Adriane Rose. I never could have imagined what our lives would become 36 years ago. When I hear myself tell the story now, it sounds like a fairy tale of a far away place, long, long ago. Reality.... now I live right down the road from where you were born, on the other end of FM1626. Life always seems to bring us full circle in one way or another.

September 3, 1977. It had been a hot day on "Summer Tree Farm," off of 1626 and Twin Creeks Road in Manchaca, Texas. Manchaca seemed like it was way out in the country at the time. The midwives pull up to the wrong farm house in the middle of the night and had a shot gun pulled on them. To top it off, I lost a lot of blood and was the last person in Travis County to have the EMS come to my house AFTER the delivery and NOT take me to the hospital. I don't know why your grandma was so upset that I didn't want to go to the hospital. Ha! Okay, looking back, your dad and I were die hard hippies who thought we were perfectly capable of having our baby at home the way it had been done for hundreds of years. Silly us and Thank God your Grandma was there! She had see her own sister die in a home birth when she was a teenager. I am guessing she was experiencing PSTD during my labor.

We lived in a little 2 bedroom house at the bottom of the hill on Summer Tree Farm. Your Uncle Phillip and Aunt Deborah lived in the big house at the top of the hill. Looking back, it was a great place to live. We had a cow named Betsy, a horse named Carmen, chickens, a garden and lots of parties and music.

Before your were 2 we bought a house in Austin on Robinsdale Lane. 

You had a room full of handmade dolls and toys.

Then your little brother, Christian was born when you were 2 years and 4 months old.

I am pretty sure you were the apple of your grandpa's eye. You used to go stay with your grandma and grandpa and he would let you sit in the front seat of the 1977 Malibu Classic that he gave you when you turned 16. 

Then it seems over night you became a teen-ager and the rest is history.

Fast forward to about a month ago. I got the email I had been patiently waiting for. Seriously! The email finally came! I love this email more than you can possibly know. I always wish mothers a happy birthday on the date of their children's birth because they are actually the ones who gave birth ... and truth be known, children don't experience that magnitude of love felt by a mother until they have a child of their own. So see.... you had no idea that this email is one of the BEST birthday presents I will ever receive.

Here it is, short and sweet:

I need to start meditating. I never thought that I would, but I need to try it. I go back to the ocean sound you used to play when we lived in California. As I get older, I realize I should listen to my mom. It will help. Not that I didn't listen before but I guess I rebelled. So I have come to a point in my life where I think I need to stop... and think. You have taught me great things and I need to act on them. I love you for who you are and what you have become. 

Love Adriane

I sincerely believe every mom would love to receive this message from their daughter. Thank you so very much for the acknowledgement. Happy Birthday to both of us! Remember what your Uncle Mike said on your facebook page today:

"You were the cutest and the sweetest little girl." 

That sweet little girl is still in there Adriane. She really is. Let her out and let her shine! I named you Rose because you looked like a beautiful little rose bud the minute you were born. I love you and I love the beautiful rose that you are becoming. Give it your all and be the best you can be. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back. That is the best gift you could give to me. Live your BEST life.

Love, Mom