- March 2, 2015
- 9:51 am
- Quinlan Ramble
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Quinlan Ramble to Texas
On Saturday, February 28, 14 undergraduate Quinlan students, marketing professor Stacy Neier, student services graduate assistant, Allison Davis and student services coordinator, Alex See embarked on the Second Annual Quinlan Ramble. Launched in 2014, the Quinlan Ramble provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to get an inside look at corporate titans; connect with Loyola alumni; and see what it’s like to be a part of the business community outside of the Chicagoland area. This year we are excited to visit the cities of Austin and Dallas, Texas.
Each day we hope to share our ramble with you. Welcome to the 2015 #QuinlanRamble to Texas. We will also be posting on social media using the #QuinlanRamble.
– Alex
Itinerary
Saturday – 2/28
Chicago -> Austin
Saltlick BBQ
Sunday – 3/1
Mass at St. Austin
LBJ Presidential Library
South Congress Ave.
Austin Detours
Reflection by Kamila Kroczak (Quinlan ’15) and Elisabeth Lenhart (Quinlan ’16)
DAY 1: Early mornings are never a college kid’s idea of a fun time. However we all knew what we signed up for, “Ramble to Texas”. We heard that everyone had a great time last year in Seattle, but we didn’t know what exactly was in store for us. Our first stop in Texas was to a restaurant called Saltlick. It is a famous Austin restaurant that serves over 6,000 guests on an average Friday or Saturday night. This place was something none of us have ever seen before.
We went into this large room with picnic tables that had a crazy resemblance to a dining hall at summer camp. I was getting a little nervous having flash backs to half cooked hot dogs, until I saw the PIT. (see image for amazement and try not to start drooling!)
The answer is Yes! Yes, we did eat way too much, and yes it was super yummy. It was all you can [m]eat! The Saltlick was quite different than any place in Chicago. The locals were carrying buckets of Texas beer they bought next door to their table to enjoy with dinner. We all could quickly tell we were in for a trip we would never forget.
Day 2: At first glance our itinerary for this not so sunny day reminded all of us that this is clearly a school trip. Our first stop was at a ,ibrary, that’s right, the place where we all spent way too much time last week (mid-terms). As we tried to set aside our lack of affection for libraries, we tried to carry on with open minds. The LBJ Presidential Library is an exceptional experience, (especially since we all have been geeking out watching the new season of House of Cards). We all learned so much about LBJ, his struggles, and accomplishments. The museum showed how complex of a person he truly was. He was a hard worker, focusing on using his power for the betterment of all people. Although many remember him for the Vietnam War, he signed many pieces of legislation into laws that have bettered many Americans still today.
Once our group was set free to roam around South Congress (SOCO) Avenue, we all had a lot of fun adventuring into the random and crazy looking shops (we were definitely not at Water Tower Place anymore)! What we thought would be typical souvenir stores were actually funky antique shops, and wild looking costume stores. In Austin, everyone is “keepin’ it weird,” and we had no problem seeing why. We all made sure to stop by Allen’s Boots Shop to check out the hundreds of unique leather boots, including floral patterned, bedazzled, or imprinted with the Texan flag! Yee-haw!!
After 3 hours of wandering around SOCO, it was time for our next adventure with Austin Detours! Our two amazing tour guides (Elizabeth and Jason) picked us up at our hotel and drove us around showing us the highlights of Austin! Our first stop was the Texas Capitol Building, which was enormous, and very beautiful both inside and out. Texans are very proud of this building…as well as everything else in this state. The people here are in love with their restaurants, their communities, the star on their flag, and even the shape of Texas itself!
“Keep Austin Weird!”… a phrase we hear quite a lot during our stay here. Our drivers took us to Hope Outdoor Gallery, which was an outdoor park full of murals where anyone and everyone can come spray-paint the walls with their wild ideas and artwork. We even saw an empty detergent container with a baby doll hand sticking out of it just hanging off of a pole… creepy! Everyone in Austin is encouraged to express themselves in every way… and they truly do.
Tonight for dinner, we all got to experience the signature Texan food trucks! Yup, people prepare food in their trucks for you.. and all you have to do is devour it! We had a variety of tacos: avocado, chicken and beef from Torchy’s Tacos, alongside mountains of tortilla chips and salsas.
Overall, today was a lot of fun and made us all fall in love with Austin!