What I consider the most amazing thing about Austin: (San Marcos: apartment complex, how much)

[love roses]

especially since they're both transplants themselves. And I guess he forgot how hard he was trying to move back to Austin, as another poster pointed out. I still love Austin, and I do get out of the city and travel to other cities outside of Texas and have lived in a city outside of Texas. I just like Austin and haven't found any other place that trumps it for me yet, regardless of how many different resturaunts, museums, and mountains it has.

[twange]

Not to speak for anyone else but I think "artsy guy" is in school here, not because he necessarily wanted to live in Austin. Originally from Dallas I think?

And SCongress ...well, I think he just likes to be the voice of dissent! In and of itself, an important and useful role but employed too often, can be divisive, gloomy and tiring.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by love roses

especially since they're both transplants themselves. And I guess he forgot how hard he was trying to move back to Austin, as another poster pointed out.

Now this, I find VERY interesting Hmmm....a former transplant trying to dissuade future transplants! Gotta love that! Thanks Love roses for pointing that out to me!

[readymade]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

Now this, I find VERY interesting Hmmm....a former transplant trying to dissuade future transplants! Gotta love that! Thanks Love roses for pointing that out to me!

I've noticed that most of the people on this board who talk about how they don't want anyone else moving there are, themselves, transplants. Also, for some reason it's "OK" if you're a transplant from somewhere else in Texas. Just not anywhere outside of the state.

I have no problem about reading negative (as well as positive) things about Austin. I'm always interested to read about the horrible traffic and the lack of good restaurants, how lame 6th street is, etc... It helps to paint the whole picture and to give me a good sense of the city. But "SCongress" is just all over the board with his/her ever-increasing negativity. Jumping down people's throats, telling people not to move to Austin, berating them for using top 10 lists (or this forum) to help them to decide whether to move or not, and on and on and on. Post after post after post. He/she just seems like an unhappy person with nothing better to do than to spread negativity. And that's just sad. And irritating.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by readymade

I've noticed that most of the people on this board who talk about how they don't want anyone else moving there are, themselves, transplants. Also, for some reason it's "OK" if you're a transplant from somewhere else in Texas. Just not anywhere outside of the state.

I have no problem about reading negative (as well as positive) things about Austin. I'm always interested to read about the horrible traffic and the lack of good restaurants, how lame 6th street is, etc... It helps to paint the whole picture and to give me a good sense of the city. But "SCongress" is just all over the board with his/her ever-increasing negativity. Jumping down people's throats, telling people not to move to Austin, berating them for using top 10 lists (or this forum) to help them to decide whether to move or not, and on and on and on. Post after post after post. He/she just seems like an unhappy person with nothing better to do than to spread negativity. And that's just sad. And irritating.

Excellent post. I agree with you 100%.

[austin-steve]

The takeaway for me here is that we all form perceptions and opinions of a place based first and foremost on our personal experiences. The OP experienced help from strangers in Austin and that has formed an impression about Austin.

Fact is, it could have just as well gone the other way at a different location, or maybe in the same location on a different night, but nonetheless, it happened and it meant something. And I'm sure people in Seattle have experienced kindness from strangers.

Absent personal experience, people form opinions and judgments based on research and reading forums such as this. It's pudent to take the "outliers" with a grain of salt, those who gush endlessly as well as crumudgeons who mainy lament. Everything written, for the most part, is subjective viewpoint. Readers can evaluate and make what they will of the various opinions.

In the end though, the complainers have a place here too. I'm not defending what I sometimes judge to be baiting and trolling for debate by some people, but the forums would be dull and boring if we all just skipped through the tulips (or perhaps bluebonnets) praising the wonderful place that Austin is.

Steve

[S6Sputnik]

I'm one of those idiots with some tools and a little bit of basic car knowledge who help people . I am amazed sometimes with how little it takes to put a smile on someones elses face.

[dporgie]

I guess some of us are easier to impress.

I have been here almost 3 weeks and have stumbled upon much more than the washed-up, jumped-the-shark, town-that-thinks-it's-a-city place these naysayers claim Austin has become.

For culture I have gone to the Texas State Museum, which is free the first Saturday of each month, and learned all about the history of this state. I also plan to visit the Blanton which, i believe, has ART. Last Thursday I went to First Thursday on South Congress and guess what? there were actual ARTISTS there selling and showing their works. Want more culture? Every Sunday there is a free performance outside the Long Center. 2 Sundays ago there was a string ensemble playing Broadway and Classical selections. Yesterday it was big band.

As far as food goes I have sampled everything from street food to high class and the biggest difference I have found between Austin and NYC is the price. Just try to find the quality of Wink or Jeffreys in Manhattan without taking out a loan. Both of these fine places are half the price, have NONE of the attitude and you can actually get a reservation without calling 3 months in advance. At Wink the chef actually came to our table to have a chat. You think this would happen in Chicago, LA or NYC?!?!

Now let's talk about outdoor activities. In the short time I have been here I have hiked the Barton Creek Greenbelt, tubed the San Marcos, walked the Town Lake trail, watched the bats, visited the Zilker Botanical Gardens, attended the Learn To Row open house at the Austin Rowing Club and just plain walked around the downtown areas which, I fine to be very pleasant.

What else have I done in this "terrible, awful place?"

I have had drinks on one of the rooftop bars on 6th Street and actually had money when I left and the bartender was, gasp, friendly. Try ordering a round of drinks in a "real" city and see how much money you have when you get home. I also paid a visit to The Velveeta Room and for a whole five dollars I got entertained and, once again, had affordable drinks.

Yes, there are negatives, no place is perfect. The traffic stinks but guess what? Traffic stinks EVERYWHERE. Where I came from in New Jersey the rush hour goes from 6am to 10am in the morning and 3pm to 7pm at night. Sprinkle in lunchtime traffic and guess what? You can't drive anywhere without traffic on a weekday.

Maybe Austin was waaaaaaaay better years ago but most likely, the people who claim this were just younger and more adventurous. The activities are here, you just have to want to find them.

[scongress1234]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

LOL I totally agree. Austin citizens probably never leave their own city because most all cities have whatever is described in the OP....it's so annoying. It's called get out of your house and out of the city more often...and Austin people pick on people from Dallas too, they think Dallas has a dallitude? Dallas purely republican,etc. Huh, what? I've run into just as much bad attitude in Austin as I have in Dallas....probably more so. The bohemian, liberal, and gay scene is pretty much non-existant. I feel like an outsider because I am a bit of a bohemian myself....oh well :P

Okay, I can just state what I've seen, and I have not seen any saintly acts or anything extra friendly in Austin, city or burbs...actually, I couldn't
even get a hello out of most of the people in my apartment complex, or in most places I went to. I just found it typical of other metros at best per friendliness, but, often, found people somewhat into themselves and standoffish as well. I really did not find it that easy to get responces from folks, and I'm a very outgoing person.....I really find much of Austin's friendly persona as much hype as the live capital of the world stuff....just another city, just another metro, and very typical is all........

[love roses]

An apartment complex is more than likely filled with brand new transplants not quite acclimated to the Texan friendliness thing yet, so they are still suspicious of anyone actually being nice.