Austin Trade Show

I attended my first trade show over the weekend. It was for the NPA SW (Natural Products Association). Another first for me was the trip to Austin, TX. All I can say is that it was a very long weekend.

For the trade show, we had lectures starting at breakfast and for a couple hours after at the hotel, then to the convention center for the actual show with all of the booths and everything. I think a lot of people go to see how many free products they can get and how many prizes they can win. Well - without even really trying - I won a prize with the ONE ticket I entered into the drawing on Saturday and also won 1 of the 2 grand prizes with another contest I participated in!! The prizes are the stores anyways, but I think that it was rather amusing that the only 2 tickets that I entered with my name on them both won a prize!!

Our hotel stay started out interesting. When we got there to sign in - they told us that they did not have the room we had reserved in JANUARY. They told us that all they had was a king or a queen (keep in mind - there are 3 of us). We had reserved a double with a lake view - they told us that they don't really honor the specifics of the reservation, just ensure that there will be a room for us... In the end, we ended up with a suite (had a king & a fold-out sofa) with a street side view. Oh well - at least we had a place to stay!

(this is the view from our room - definitely not lakeside)

Austin itself is a beautiful city! We were going to try to see the Capitol Building sometime on Sunday - but spent the whole day at the show (again). I got to see it though when we came into town while trying to get around traffic & make it to our hotel. We went out to eat with one of our vendors on Saturday night to this great Mexican food place. My dish wasn't all that great - I decided to try something new - but everything else was very good! The weather was great and we sat on the outside patio for a few hours until a short rainstorm drove us back to the hotel (where we finished up the night with dessert - the ultimate brownie!).

(progressive shots getting closer to the Capitol from the truck on the way in - it's as close as we got)

The first evening we got there - before all of the commotion - we were able to go outside & take a little look around. We watched the batflight from the Congress Street Bridge and walked around the path for a little while. I think I will eventually visit Austin as a tourist sometime in the near future.

(Renee & Sherry) (Me)

Bats under the bridge - very dark shot... and the bridge - different camera setting

The big blur just above the horizon is all the bats making their way our from under the bridge.

All in all - it was a very eventful weekend. I am still tired - but recuperation is coming along slowly.