Last year I wrote about traveling to Austin for oral argument in the Texas Supreme Court, in a case that came out of the Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo. Well, the Texas Supreme Court didn’t do us or anyone else any favors, and remanded it back to the Amarillo appellate court for further proceedings consistent with its long-winded and confusing opinion.
This week my partner (law partner, not life partner) John and I traveled to Amarillo for what we’re hoping is second verse same as the first (we won the first time in Amarillo — all was good until the Texas Supreme Court felt the need to change the law).
Amarillo, which, as anyone who ever took seventh-grade Spanish knows, means yellow, is located in Potter County. Originally called Oneida, it was renamed Amarillo after the yellow soil along the creek banks and/or the yellow wildflowers that bloom in the spring and summer. With a population of roughly 270,000, Amarillo is the 14th most populous city in Texas. It lies at the midway point on historic Route 66, and is the cultural and business center of the Texas Panhandle.
We stayed at the Embassy Suites in Amarillo, conveniently located across from the courthouse. The hotel is only a few years old, and is very nice and comfortable, with a pretty lobby, including an awesome plant wall:
By the way, that bar was rocking the night we arrived. The hotel is located within walking distance of Hodgetown, Home of the Sod Poodles (a made-up name for prairie dogs, which we saw all over the place), an Arizona Diamond Backs Double-A affiliated baseball team. A “Red Dirt Rivalry” baseball game between Texas Tech University and the University of Oklahoma took place that evening, and the bar was packed with post-game revelers.
The suites are spacious and comfortable:
But something was definitely missing:
We had dinner with one of our clients at OHMS Cafe & Bar, a favorite of his:
This was a lovely restaurant, and the food and service were excellent. We enjoyed an addictive appetizer of Crispy Sweet Chile Broccoli, described as tempura broccoli with a sweet chile garlic sauce — step aside Brussels sprouts:
For entrees, we had Seared Organic Elk Tenderloin with local mushroom ragout and herb risotto:
Beef Filet au Poivre with black pepper brandy cream and roasted garlic mashed potatoes:
And Surf and Turf with beef tenderloin and shrimp skewers, poblano romesco, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes:
If you guessed that we left room for dessert, you would be wrong.
Oral argument was at 9:00 a.m. the next morning, and we appreciated the hotel’s complimentary breakfast that gave us time for last-minute preparation over coffee and omelets:
Your omelet is ready
The court of appeals is located in the Potter County Courts Building, a modern-style concrete and steel building built in the mid-1980s:
The courthouse won’t be around much longer, though — in March, Potter County broke ground on a new Potter County District Court building, which should take about two years to complete, after which the county will tear the current building down and, as the song goes, put up a parking lot.
I was able to sit at counsel table for the argument (there’s not always room for me), next to a very nice young sheriff:
Don’t you just love a man in uniform?
This is the view from the podium — pretty intimidating, if you ask me:
The justices were engaged during argument, which was predictably unpredictable, and asked a lot of questions. My partner did a great job arguing and fielding questions. Now we wait and hope for the best.
We had time for lunch before our flight back to Houston, and our clients granted my wish to go to The Big Texan:
The Big Texan was established in 1960 on Route 66:
The restaurant is huge, and everywhere you look you’ll find kitschy fun:
Quick — what movie was this featured in?
The Big Texan is famous for its 72-ounce steak challenge, which includes eating not just a 72-ounce steak, but also a salad, baked potato, and shrimp cocktail (I think it’s about a thousand points on WW, if you’re keeping track). Anyone with a sufficient lack of self-respect that desires to attempt the challenge gets to sit on a stage in the middle of the dining room, where the action is live streamed, and you have one hour to complete the meal. The record holder is competitive eater Molly Schuyler, who in 2014 finished the meal in 4 minutes, 58 seconds, and then ate a second meal, eating both in 14 minutes 57 seconds. (Wonder if she also holds the record for most Tums consumed in under an hour?)
No takers on this day
We shared an appetizer of Fried Mushrooms with Ranch Dressing:
And Mountain Oysters, which as the menu advises, “If you think it’s seafood, go with the shrimp” (I’m sticking with the shrimp):
Not gonna go there
Several of us opted for the tidy little side salad:
And big ol’ burgers:
If you guessed that we left room for dessert, you would be wrong.
Although today Amarillo is a modern city, it’s surrounded by working ranches and still has an Old West feel. It’s a panhandle cowtown, where cattle ranching is still a significant source of income. In fact, one of our clients is a two-time reined cow horse world champion — check out these photos of him in action:
Color me impressed!
After lunch it was back to the airport to head home. I wish we’d had more time in Amarillo — so much we didn’t get to see, including the Cadillac Ranch, the Palo Duro Canyon, a bunch of museums, the Second Amendment Cowboy, Historic Route 66, and the Helium Time Column Monument. I hope to be back again one of these days when I have more time to spend, just hopefully not on this case (really hoping third oral argument is the charm). UPDATE: Third time was not the charm.
