Two-Step to Austin, Texas, USA, for INTA’s 2019 Leadership Meeting

Deep in the Heart

Any city that proudly displays a statue of blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn and holds an annual hot sauce festival has got a lot going for it. We’re talking about Austin, Texas, USA. For the first time, this exciting state capital hosts INTA’s 2019 Leadership Meeting, November 19‒22.

Co-Chairs Maria Laura Perna (Cervieri Monsuarez & Associates, Uruguay) and Austin’s own William D. Raman (Fleckman & McGlynn, PLLC, USA) have assembled a stellar program of educational sessions, workshops, and special events that is sure to enlighten and impress. Is it any coincidence that all of this programming will be held in close proximity to some of the best barbecue in existence, a slew of craft beer destinations, and more than 250 music venues? Come to Austin and find out!

Just the Facts

INTA’s Leadership Meeting brings together volunteers and leaders each year to advance the Association’s objectives and goals, while offering registrants an advanced-level educational program and the opportunity to conduct business and network with colleagues from around the world.

The Leadership Meeting is by invitation only to: 2018‒2019 committee members, chairs and vice chairs, subcommittee members, current and incoming Board of Directors and counsel, past presidents and past counsel, current Project Teams, and staff from government intellectual property (IP) offices, as well as incoming 2020‒2021 committee members.

A Word from the Tourist Bureau:

Go to the Visit Austin site to explore hotels, music, restaurants, attractions and things to do, such as taking in the ballet, one-of-a-kind shopping, and Austin’s beautiful outdoor spaces—not to mention Old School Karaoke at Warehouse Billiard Bar, Roaring ’20s Night at Parker Jazz Club, and Texas Radio Live from Guero’s Taco Bar.

Weather-Wise:

Austin averages a daily maximum temperature in November that’s between 50 and 71 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 22 degrees Celsius). Peak travel to Austin is over in September and there are a handful of direct international flights (including a recently added flight from Frankfurt, Germany).

Local Knowledge:

Unfortunately, the famous spectacle of 1.5 million free-tailed bats mounting the sky from under the South Congress Bridge won’t happen in November (the bats will have gone south for warmer climes). Luckily, the resident India Blue and Black-Shouldered peacocks of Mayfield Park will be strutting their plumage. You might visit the Bullock Museum to see treasures and hear stories about what makes Texas Texas.

The world-class Harry Ransom Center for humanities research at The University of Texas offers extensive collections, including make-up stills from Gone with the Wind, unpublished notes from Albert Einstein’s work on general relativity, and one of only 20 copies of the Gutenberg Bible that survives intact.

More light-hearted happenings include Pinballz Arcade, featuring the largest pinball collection in Texas as well as the Zombie Crisis Escape Room Challenge if you’re in the mood for team building. You can enjoy a walk through the city’s Historic District guided by Austin Ghost Tours or try tilting at windmills via Peter Pan Golf, an old-time miniature golf course from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

The 10-mile Austin Hike and Bike Trail passes near the conference host hotel, the Fairmont Austin, and winds through glass buildings, ball fields, and cultural sites. There are golfing opportunities and spas aplenty including Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Wolfdancer Golf Club, Horseshoe Bay Resort, as well as the nearby Caswell Tennis Center, which boasts that it’s been “keeping Austin weird since 1948.”

Music on Tap

Austin’s West 6th Street has its own online guide for a plethora of musical entertainment. Recommended venues both on and off the famous stretch of road include White Horse, Mohawk, Elephant Room, Parish, and Skylark Lounge. And then there’s the Broken Spoke for would-be cowboys and cowgirls who want to Texas Two-Step in a true honky-tonk that has hosted the likes of Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Bonnie Raitt.

For those who partake, well-established watering holes await, like the Mean-Eyed Cat Bar, Texas Chili Parlor, or The Grove Wine Bar and Kitchen. The younger crowd might try Whisler’s, Small Victory, Full Circle Bar, Easy Tiger, and Nickel City.

Come and Get It

While Texas is widely known for barbecue and steak, there’s a diverse and award-winning cuisine to sample. Barbecue favorites include Stiles Switch, La Barbeque, and Micklethwait Craft Meats. If you’re keen to wait in line starting at breakfast for lunch, Franklin Barbeque is the ticket, or fancy driving 20 miles out of town to Driftwood, Texas, to sample fare from The Salt Lick (BYOB), neither establishment will disappoint.

As for steak, check out ALC Steaks, Jeffrey’s, Vince Young Steakhouse, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, III Forks, Dai Due, and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood.

Other diverse dining choices include Otoko, a 12-seat Japanese restaurant, Olamaie, offering five generations of Southern food, Uncle Nicky’s, dishing out Italian specialties, and Matt’s El Rancho for classic Tex-Mex. Additional notable eateries include Sour Duck Market, Chez Nous, Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches, Emmer & Rye, Suerte, Uchi, Laundrette, Threadgill’s, and many, many more.

For those hankering for dessert, head to Amy’s Ice Creams. For late-nightery there’s Deep Eddy Cabaret with the added bonus of having The Magnolia Cafe across the street, a 24-hour restaurant that supposedly serves the best migas and pancakes in town (and particularly useful for those who find themselves overserved). For a serene outing, try coffee on Lake Austin at Mozart’s Coffee Roasters. If you’re looking for something a bit more active, you can test your swing at Peter Pan Mini-Golf.

A big shout out of thanks goes to Bill Raman, his daughter Jennifer Raman, Steven Espenshade (Pirkey Barber, USA), and Zach Roach (Com Laude, USA) for their enthusiastic recommendations.

Whatever your interest, Austin probably has it covered and will likely surprise you with its fun-loving eccentricities. See you in November!

The attractions and restaurants noted in this article purely reflect the recommendations of the author and his colleagues. 

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of items in the INTA Bulletin, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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