Austin experience: bore, expensive and ... (Dallas, Brownsville: college, living, stores)

[southwest1230]

BTW, here are the only cities in the USA that can fairly compare with NYC...as follows..
Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington , Miami metro, Philadelphia,
Houston, Dallas metroplex, and Atlanta........that's it.........all other comparisons beg categorisation

[southwest1230]

Austin isn't Lake Tahoe, but it's not Newark either.

One of the classic lines of all time....said like the great borscht belt comedians in the catskills.Henny Youngman would be proud!

[southwest1230]

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

Come on now San Antonio has more than theme parks and the Riverwalk.San Antonio's economy is very diversified.Seven fortune 500 companies call it home.You probably can't name the two historic arts districts or it's world class cultural venues.How about the new Smithsonian downtown?If your an art buff San Antonio does have a respectable scene.I would say more so than Austin.The Riverwalk is being expanded for 12 miles, connecting inner city Suburbs,musuems,cultural venues,new housing,retail.The Riverwalk will be the largest urban linear park in the country.

It's great living in South Central Texas, you have San Antonio and Austin to enjoy.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm going back to south texas, supposedly to Austin, but you may have convinced me to check out SA instead. I like how it has major league sports, amusement parks, and an actual loop in their
interstate. Austin's freeways are like spaghetti strings with open ends, randomly all over, no rhyme or reason....also heard SA is even friendlier
than Austin, which is important to me.

[TomCTX]

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

Come on now San Antonio has more than theme parks and the Riverwalk.San Antonio's economy is very diversified.Seven fortune 500 companies call it home.You probably can't name the two historic arts districts or it's world class cultural venues.How about the new Smithsonian downtown?If your an art buff San Antonio does have a respectable scene.I would say more so than Austin.The Riverwalk is being expanded for 12 miles, connecting inner city Suburbs,musuems,cultural venues,new housing,retail.The Riverwalk will be the largest urban linear park in the country.

It's great living in South Central Texas, you have San Antonio and Austin to enjoy.

OK, you got me there.. When I was younger, (MUCH YOUNGER) I realized that, not only do they serve adult beverages in many establishments along the Riverwalk, but the undeniable, irresistible romantic ambiance of the Riverwalk at night was held in astronomically high regard by the ladies (all ladies). From that moment, I never really found it logical (quite silly in fact) to go anywhere else in SA. And, some years later when I had children (a natural result I suppose, of the affore mentioned thought process) I discovered that they had also had Sea World and Fiesta Texas, which were held in equally high regard by children (all children). Twas then that I discovered that I could kill two birds with one stone as it were... Hero to the kids, romantic devil to the wife. What could be better?

I'm sure that as you say, SA has many fine qualities and economic diversity and blah blah... However I believe it was Albert Einstein who once said "The definition of insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting a different result". Ergo, when I go to San Antonio, I take the kids to Fiesta Texas and Sea World and they love me for a week in advance and a week afterward. We go to the Riverwalk for dinner, bring the (completely worn out..) kids back to our adjoining rooms at the Hotel (Marriot Courtyard is quite comfrtable and half the price of the Riverwalk Hotels. two rooms for the price on one ) put 'em to bed and park a hotel screened sitter with 'em, then we go back out where they still serve adult beverages and the ambiance is still held in astronomical regard by the the Mrs. and we're Newlyweds for a week in advance and a week afterward. (All I can handle in my advanced years)

In other words, although I do admit, that perhaps they have built other attractions in SA in recent years, I have discovered the formula that produces my desired result. I ain't gonna change it. That would be insane..

[fil]

I agree with wisemommaerts.

After a year in Austin, it is a comfortable big town disguised as a city.

It's just a pleasant place to live.
If it exists in Austin, it's a close drive and the activity is accessible (you can do it).

Austin has really grown on us.

[white rob]

Originally Posted by southwest1230

BTW, here are the only cities in the USA that can fairly compare with NYC...as follows..
Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington , Miami metro, Philadelphia,
Houston, Dallas metroplex, and Atlanta........that's it.........all other comparisons beg categorisation

Please enlighten me: how is a comparison of NYC and Dallas fair while a comparison of NYC and Phoenix requires categorisation?

[Mom2Feebs]

~a small prayer~

Lord, please let Austin stay just like it is. I wouldn't want it to be a bit like NYC, or LA, or Miami, or any other town where the locals there feel it needs to change to be more like them.

Amen.

[dallasmaverick]

buy a car. just go ahead and do it, even if you don't want to. get a cheap little used car. you won't see very much of austin if you ride the bus. you can very easily find a nice apartment to rent or condo or small house to buy for at or below $1000 a month. just try to be within 5 miles of where you work so your commute won't take more than 15 minutes.

[twange]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

~a small prayer~

Lord, please let Austin stay just like it is. I wouldn't want it to be a bit like NYC, or LA, or Miami, or any other town where the locals there feel it needs to change to be more like them.

Amen.

No place stays "just like it is". That's simply unrealistic. Try to manage the change in a positive manner.

Your's truthfully,
Lord

[tx_spirit]

Yea when Mom2Feebs stated "please let Austin stay just like it is" I was thinking not today's Austin. I would have asked for Austin pre-1990 if I could make a wish and have it come true!