"Austin Weird" (Orange, Clarksville: buy, organic, live in)

[TheHarvester]

Originally Posted by Stevedawg

Yeah Keep austin weird is kind of like support local business but yes I agree as a newcomer I don't really get what is so weird about austin.

It's not a good slogan any more. With cities like San Francisco, Seattle and New York on the map, Austin looks pretty tame. Heck, the naked bike ride yesterday in Chicago was "weirder" than most events in Austin ever get.

We do have Eeyore's Birthday, which is a relic of unique Austin culture, and there's still a strong vibe of "in your face, corporate America" that you can find throughout parts of South Austin, but the downtown scene has completely lost all its uniqueness in favor of upscale trendy development.

Austin Weird is a collection of stories about the 1970s, if you want to cut to the heart of it. I need to remove the "Keep Austin Weird" bumper sticker from my car, it's kinda useless now.

[love roses]

I agree. It's given way to trendiness. Back when i was in High School in Houston, where it's trendy gone amock, We used to come to Austin and you could see and feel the "weird". Now it's not there so much.

[TheHarvester]

This thread is getting depressing. I'm reminded of stories I've heard about the Barton Creek Greenbelt 2 decades ago, when you could swim naked and be alone, the only other people you'd see would be some hippies drumming in the limestone caves or doing tai chi --- the whole city was like that, so laid back, so little traffic, so cheap, so full of refugees from places that don't tolerate weirdness. And then came the economic boom times. Since then, it's all gone corporate and only pockets of the old spirit remain.

[love roses]

I know how you feel...I'm sitting here reminiscing in my little time bubble...

[twange]

You guys are bumming me out

I met a guy from Austin here in Cleveland this past weekend. I told him that my wife and I were moving there this fall...he said "sorry to here that, we've got too many people already". I laughed and told him that we're the kind of people that Austin wants!(musician/composer, massage therapist,freethinkers) After that he was really friendly and gave us his card and offered to help us in any way. I understand the idea of being protective of what you love. People are like that with music; once everyone catches on, it's no longer cool. Well, Austin still seems pretty cool to me and I'm sure once I get situated there I'll join the fray

Actually, I don't think there's much "weirdness" anywhere in America anymore. Only "pockets". People are turning into drones by the millions. The average person's idea of a musician is someone on American Idol. Actually I would call that below average. I go to NYC about 1-2x year and yea, there's some "weirdness" there(mostly 23yr olds expressing themselves) but there are Starbucks on almost EVERY corner in Manhatten so...

As for San Francisco, here's a photo that I took in the fall of 2005. The irony is staggering:

[love roses]

You're right about the pockets of "weirdness". There are still areas of Houston that retain it's essential character. Austin has that too. I guess it's migratory when it needs to be, you just have to keep up with where it is! Last time I visited my friend in NY, she pointed that out to me, plus where all the McDonalds were too. I did like when she took us off the beaten track to places that weren't touristy. We were in Manhattan, and she came and met us at our hotel. She lives in Brooklyn, and says thats more representative of the "real" NY, and wants us to visit her there.

[twange]

Originally Posted by love roses

You're right about the pockets of "weirdness". There are still areas of Houston that retain it's essential character. Austin has that too. I guess it's migratory when it needs to be, you just have to keep up with where it is! Last time I visited my friend in NY, she pointed that out to me, plus where all the McDonalds were too. I did like when she took us off the beaten track to places that weren't touristy. We were in Manhattan, and she came and met us at our hotel. She lives in Brooklyn, and says thats more representative of the "real" NY, and wants us to visit her there.

Definitely. Everybody I know who lives in NY, lives in Brooklyn. This includes artists, musicians etc...But I think they're starting to get pushed around by people with more money. Once it becomes"safe", everyone wants to go there, shine it up and raise the rent!

[OzzyRules]

Things can't stay the same forever. Either a place will remain popular and be invaded by newer companies. Or else it will turn into a ghost town.

Which would you prefer. I choose "A."

[TheHarvester]

Originally Posted by twange

...we're the kind of people that Austin wants!(musician/composer, massage therapist,freethinkers) After that he was really friendly and gave us his card and offered to help us in any way. I understand the idea of being protective of what you love.

I look forward to you being here and welcome all newcomers because it's the Texas Friendly thing to do. But let's face it: Austin is suffering the Seattle fate. We're attracting lots of very creative and interesting people, which will only make Austin MORE appealing and will help spur further growth. As goes Seattle, so goeth Austin.

Originally Posted by twange

As for San Francisco, here's a photo that I took in the fall of 2005.

A picture is usually worth a thousand words. That one is worth millions!

[twange]

Originally Posted by TheHarvester

I look forward to you being here and welcome all newcomers because it's the Texas Friendly thing to do. But let's face it: Austin is suffering the Seattle fate. We're attracting lots of very creative and interesting people, which will only make Austin MORE appealing and will help spur further growth. As goes Seattle, so goeth Austin.



A picture is usually worth a thousand words. That one is worth millions!

Yea, I know that comment was sort of arrogant...regretted it the moment I sent it

That Gap shocked and disappointed me...but it also made me laugh like hell. Maybe we'll just move to Iceland...