Mark Harrison plays drums in Capybara, a band based in Kansas City, but has been living in Austin for  the past six months.  The distance between the two cities is about 12 hours and while the rest of the band is getting ready to make the long drive, Mark is enjoying the sun and eating as many tacos as humanly possible.  Mark gave us his thoughts on where hungery travelers should head if they want tacos, coffee, a sugar rush, magical elixirs, and more.

Capybara

Capybara just released their second LP, will be playing a showcase during SXSW, and you just might be able to meet them in one of Mark’s favorite spots to hang in Austin.

The next segment of the post was written by Mark Harrison.

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Hullo!

I am Mark, drummer for the band Capybara.  A couple of weeks ago, in our four days of winter, I took shelter from the harsh sub-40-degree conditions, sat next to a fire, and came up with this list of noteworthy places to hit during SXSW. Of course you are going to chug a couple bacon bloody mary’s at Frank, but when you are ready to take a break from the lines, I hope this guide points you in the right direction. Here are a few of my favorite things, by category:

COFFEE:
Definitely the go-to coffee shop off the beaten path. Features local Cuvée roast, incredible service with super-knowledgeable staff, and a beautiful outside deck to enjoy the calm before the storm. Grab a “Rockstar” rosemary & salt bagel or walk to the end of the driveway and order a few tacos from the El Primo truck, and then come back again to unwind with a beer. Can’t recommend this place enough, but if you need some coffee in the downtown area, then snag a spot in line at Caffé Medici on Congress between 2nd & 3rd.

Once Over Coffee
2009 South 1st Street
Austin, TX 78704

TACOS:
You can’t hit a bad taco stand in Austin, but if you find yourself on east 6th past Cheer Up Charlie’s, I definitely recommend the vegetarian “Verduras” taco from “El Tacorrido” (on a corn tortilla, of course!) Get it with the green sauce, and prepare to dream of this taco until you plan your next trip to Austin. Check out El Milagro a little closer to I-35 for insanely cheap and fresh tortillas, and if you happen to see Tacodeli listed on a menu anywhere, go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

El Tacorrido
multiple locations
Austin, TX

El Milagro
910 E 6th St
Austin, TX 78702

COOL OFF:
If it gets too hot and you’ve got a mouth full of sweet tooth’s like my girlfriend, you end up getting to know some pretty incredible dessert options in Austin – there are an overwhelming amount. Handshakes is definitely one of my favorites, located in the back lot of Cheer Up Charlie’s, a truly significant treat made with care and respect for the art of the milkshake. Try the “Panshake” (Pancake Shake) or the “Good Morning” (Oatmeal, Vanilla, Cinnamon), maybe even the “Texas Popper” (Vanilla, Jalapeño) if you are feeling particularly sassy – you won’t be disappointed.

Handshakes at Cheer Up Charlie’s 
1104 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78702

CURE ANYTHING:
Home of the place with more ingredients than you can pronounce, with magical abilities that can cure just about anything that you wake up with if you party a little too hard. When you need to recover, come snag a smoothie, walk along the lake, and don’t forget to try the “Medicine Man.” Seriously. You’ve never had anything like it.

JuiceLand
1625 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704

SANDWICHES:
If you find yourself up near campus for any weird shows or simply fighting the urge to discover a new sandwich, do yourself a favor and go to Foodheads– The Pork Special and Gypsy Grove are impossible to choose between, so make sure you drag a friend with you to split halves. If you are South, and a fan of the Vietnamese Banh-Mi sandwich, check out the choice Poached Shrimp/Hard Boiled Egg on House-Baked Baguette at one of Austin’s newest additions: Elizabeth Street Cafe, which happens to also be the only place in town where you can find Stumptown coffee. If you can’t find time to fit this in, try to meet somebody who lives in Austin who is willing to ship you one of these sandwiches the following week.

Foodheads
616 W 34th St
Austin, TX 78705

Elizabeth Street Cafe
1501 South 1st Street
Austin, TX 78704

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Capybara just released their second album, Dave Dursky, last month and the rest of the band is headed down to meet Mark in Austin for SXSW!  You can stream Capybara’s new album, and buy it too, off bandcamp…and make sure to check out the beautiful live video for “Neighbor Crimes” too!

They will be in Austin this week for SXSW Music, and they will be playing on March 15th, 2012 at 9pm on the 18th Floor of the Hilton Garden Inn. This show is only $5, and not to be missed…check out the rad poster below!

live at SXSW!

After SXSW you can keep up with all of Capybara’s adventures in these places:

- twitter
- facebook
- bandcamp
- soundcloud
- blog
- and of course Capybara.com