If you're planning to move to Austin (especially from a bigger city)... (Houston: low income, insurance)

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by berg1002

It seemed everyone hypes up Austin. s

Well, that's because a lot of them do.

Kudos to people who share the real story instead of sugar coating it.

[blondeeebuckeye]

What sucks about Austin:

1. Maybe you should try somewhere that isn't directly off the highway. I think San Antonio has way more chains than Austin.
2. I'm from ohio, so yes, buckeye pride is as bad as texas pride. hell, ive seen ohio tattoos in austin and texas tattoos in ohio. whatever.
3. well maybe if all these big-city bad drivers would go away, people wouldnt be so agressive.
4. has austin ever had a republican mayor? no, seriously? i dont really know the history, but i cant imagine they have. also, a lot of people don't smoke. i am very liberal, but am also a public health professional. it's not your right to blow your disgusting nasty smoke in my face. get off the cancer sticks and spend the excess income on your overly expensive housing.
5. we dont have fancy award shows and premiers, but who really wants all that mess around? have you ever thought of opening the paper to see what kinds of events were around?
6. Again, I'm from Ohio and I know a ton of people like that. I also know people who think its awesome they haven't left NYC in years. Ever seen the sex in the city episode where Miranda dates a guy who hadn't left Manhattan in 10 years? Yeah, they are everywhere.
7. at least property values arent plunging to their death like in parts of california.
8. we don't have to pay our students for performance like NYC does. that should count for something.

What Doesn't?:

1. North Austin --well no wonder you think the food sucks. a lot of the stuff right off of the highway is CHAINS. maybe explore the area a little bit. and why is 90% white people a good thing?
2. the socially retarded thing confuses me. im a people-person and i think people here are generally nice, helpful, and actually have some tact. up north (and in LA when i was there), people ignore you on the street, don't move out of your way, and pretty much just pretend you dont exist while walking by you. im not someone who wants to have a conversation with everyone around me all the time, but i don't feel isolated here. i was in nyc for just a few weeks and thought it was awfully isolating.
3. i gotta agree with you on this, coming from a state with those taxes.
4. ummm yeah im a fairly attractive girl and had no problems getting dates here. i joined online dating when i first moved here and was BOMBARDED with emails from decent looking, educated guys. austin is one of the best cities for singles! theres so much to do when youre dating (and one would think married..) that you don't get bored, ESPECIALLY if you like music. all my friends who have visited me have noticed the same thing..its much easier to meet someone here because there are a lot of singles. i think the tech industry helps that many of them are educated. you're on crack if you think its hard for women in austin generally.
5. it would be even better if people like you stopped moving here! i work with someone from the east coast who is down here for three years and it drives me crazy to listen to her constantly talk about how awesome it is. nobody cares to here about how things were done in LA or NYC so **** or go back there. im sure many people here would like to have your job.
6. then **** and go back there. tell your friends not to come either.

[nomore07]

Originally Posted by blondeeebuckeye

What sucks about Austin:

1. Maybe you should try somewhere that isn't directly off the highway. I think San Antonio has way more chains than Austin.

There are many great stores and restaurants in Austin scattered about town in various neighborhoods. I-35 chains are for quick convenience and tourists passing through

Originally Posted by blondeeebuckeye

2. the socially retarded thing confuses me. im a people-person and i think people here are generally nice, helpful, and actually have some tact. up north (and in LA when i was there), people ignore you on the street, don't move out of your way, and pretty much just pretend you dont exist while walking by you.

I've seen far worse behavior from some Dallas transplants. Strangely no one seems to mind because "at least they're from Texas"

The big city life might be easier to find in Houston, San Antonio, or even that other place. Austin has many great things, but can't be compared to major cities that are 4-5 times the population and size. It doesn't help that the city is overmarketed like a late night infomercial. People should have a fair opportunity to see Austin for what it is (good and bad), not some rosy memory of 20 years ago or exaggerated sales pitches.

There are plenty of sites in Austin that wouldn't be found in larger cities anyway... Hamilton Pool, Lake Travis, the Hill Country, the Oasis, Hippie Hollow, Barton Springs, the Stonehenge replica, Mayfield Park, Zilker Botanical garden... most of the best things to experience here are not in the tourist areas (I-35 or downtown), but tucked away in neighborhoods or less than an hour's drive away.

[peppermintpatti1]

*snicker* I did a search regarding tattoos and cities and this thread came up.
Did I miss something here?

In response to the OP:
You trash Mexicans in Texas.. wth did you think was in Pasadena and L.A.?
I obviously missed something here.. I had to pay to valet park my car at the Taco Bell in Beverly Hills.. most of the restaurants ARE chains in L.A.
PASADENA?! HELLO! ROSE BOWL PARADE.. hmm... ROSE... PARADE... as in based off the Mexican heritage.

Yes I've seen tattoos of California.. and they are all gang related, they even tattoo their area code.
Come on now.. did you REALLY live in CA?

OP you seem like the typical "transplant" that has turned Central Florida upside down and ran all the natives out.

That being said.. yes there really was a question following my rant:
Is Austin really as tattoo friendly as they say? How about the burbs and surrounding cities?

Has anyone had experience with Autism programs in the schools?
Any recommendations for home schooled meet up groups?

I saw something about NW Austin... I thought as a whole from what I'm reading.. the only area to stay away from was East of I-35.
Are there any other very bad areas?
I'm a mom with a single income and a child looking for a laid back place that is tattoo friendly and .. well.. friendly.
Having a tough time finding affordability though

[Runemaster]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Maybe a little less football and a little more academics? The highest paid person in the school system should not be the football coach.

To many, football is just a game. But to those who understand it, it's far, far more. You're welcome to not like it, but never make the mistake of underestimating what football does for young men. It teaches character, integrity, teamwork, sacrifice, loyalty, perseverance and how to cope with adversity. While it might not be the most important thing in education, all those qualities are sorely needed in this country right now, more so than trigonometry, journalism, computer science, early western civ or several other subjects of academia.

While everything needs to be done in moderation, writing something off as too much, without a proper understanding of what it is, is an equal disservice.

[TexasHorseLady]

Actually, MOST of east of IH35 is just fine. There's a small part that's perhaps not as nice as the rest of Austin, but some folks just really really really need those railroad tracks to be on the "right" side of, and if they don't exist, they'll make them up.

[SpreadingTruth]

Originally Posted by blondeeebuckeye

What sucks about Austin:
1. Maybe you should try somewhere that isn't directly off the highway. I think San Antonio has way more chains than Austin.

Tried that, no luck. Just cheeseburgers, mashed potatoes and tacos. Nothing fun.

2. I'm from ohio, so yes, buckeye pride is as bad as texas pride. hell, ive seen ohio tattoos in austin and texas tattoos in ohio. whatever.

You grew up around that, I didn't and neither did alot of people from the NE, NW and W. It's annoying.

3. well maybe if all these big-city bad drivers would go away, people wouldnt be so agressive.

I was recently talking to a Texan, born and raised. she driver's her daddy's truck and enthusiastically exclaimed, "Shoot, I just change lanes! I don't even put my blinker on!". Promptly she was asked why the hell she does it, her response, "all the other cars are behind me anyway!".

I've seen more accidents in this city than I've seen in my lifetime.

4. has austin ever had a republican mayor? no, seriously? i dont really know the history, but i cant imagine they have. also, a lot of people don't smoke. i am very liberal, but am also a public health professional. it's not your right to blow your disgusting nasty smoke in my face. get off the cancer sticks and spend the excess income on your overly expensive housing.

If you don't like smoke being blown in your face then how about you help create a city ordinance that states all people should drive around on those retard-o cars. You know the ones I'm talking about... they look like they've been bunched by the hulk from behind. Those itty bitty 10x10 cars.

You may not like smoking, but people have been doing it for hundreds of years and it's well within *my* right to judge you for having a stick up your ass. I'm not following you around and blowing smoke in your face, I'm having a chill conversation with a mate on a Friday after work.

You know what annoys me? A 27 year old manchild who's been nanny-grown for so long that he doesn't know how to drink like an adult. So when I go to a bar for some good conversation with a mate, he gets up like he's on PCP and starts yelling at the bartender for more beer... even though he's only had one so far. It's distruptive and annoying, but that's how it is and I deal with it. No sense in ruining his good time.

I don't give a crap about your preference on smokers. I believe that if a bar feels like allowing smoking, they should have that right.

I make it a habit to pull my cigarrete behind me when people are passing by me so it doesn't get smoke in their face. If my smoking is hitting someone elses face and they ask for me to put it out, I'll do it happily. But when some jackass is sitting 20 feet from me with the wind blowing my way and he's getting in my way out of principle -- that's bull****. Have some flexibility man.

5. we dont have fancy award shows and premiers, but who really wants all that mess around? have you ever thought of opening the paper to see what kinds of events were around?

I've been to most of the big ones here. I'm saying that even though cities like NYC, Philly, LA, etc have a lot more worldwide acclaim they aren't even half as "prideful" about where themselves. I'm ok with having pride about where you live -- after all, it's your home -- but it really gets ridiculous at some point and is certainly not welcoming at all to newcomers.

And by the way, without us newcomers, your city wouldn't have the budget to spend 700 million dollars on a new website.

6. Again, I'm from Ohio and I know a ton of people like that. I also know people who think its awesome they haven't left NYC in years. Ever seen the sex in the city episode where Miranda dates a guy who hadn't left Manhattan in 10 years? Yeah, they are everywhere.

Yea, OHIO. Although the rare breed of individual does exist that was born and never left NYC, it's a huge rarity. The fact is that in larger NE cities (and to an extent in the West), there are people from such diverse range of cultures that there isn't enough room to even think about where you are, but more about the people who are there with you.

That is to say, I was 10 minutes into a conversation with someone about Turkey only to realize that they though Turkey was in southeast asia. Granted, there are stupid people everywhere... but people who are planning to live here should know that, on average, they will meet more people who have no idea where Malta is -- do you?

7. at least property values arent plunging to their death like in parts of california.

It's not the point. CA and NY have a history of screwing themselves financially (like all big cities do). On the flipside, small cities are known for being cheaper. Austin is not as cheap as many would expect.

Property values here are OK, so is rent. Other expenses like food, car insurance and entertainment can be a hasle.

8. we don't have to pay our students for performance like NYC does. that should count for something.

Meh. I've heard bad things. The NYC public school system sucked as much as any other, but it was safe and we all got out in one peice.

What Doesn't?:

1. North Austin --well no wonder you think the food sucks. a lot of the stuff right off of the highway is CHAINS. maybe explore the area a little bit. and why is 90% white people a good thing?

I've explorered a whole lot more than you think. I call it "Small Town Hopping" and it's kind of fun, but it takes the whole day. A fun trip is to hit Round Round to Hutto to Taylor and then head North, stopping in small towns along the way. Some great Czech food to find. Not everyone has the time and persistence that I do to find these things.

It's as much about my sentiments as I can make do with what I've got (I have no other choice anyway), but those people who are considering the move... they should know the truth... they'll find their list of things to do very limited despite what they're told.

2. the socially retarded thing confuses me. im a people-person and i think people here are generally nice, helpful, and actually have some tact. up north (and in LA when i was there), people ignore you on the street, don't move out of your way, and pretty much just pretend you dont exist while walking by you. im not someone who wants to have a conversation with everyone around me all the time, but i don't feel isolated here. i was in nyc for just a few weeks and thought it was awfully isolating.

Maybe because in LA and NYC people generally break into their clicks. They have a group of 10-20 people they frequent and everyone else is like a prop for the city -- nothing to pay attention to.

Here I've had people get on my case for the dumbest crap, like walking in front of them while they're looking at peanuts at the supermarket. It's stupid and it goes to stupid proportions.

3. i gotta agree with you on this, coming from a state with those taxes.

It's a breath of fresh air, huh?

4. ummm yeah im a fairly attractive girl and had no problems getting dates here. i joined online dating when i first moved here and was BOMBARDED with emails from decent looking, educated guys. austin is one of the best cities for singles! theres so much to do when youre dating (and one would think married..) that you don't get bored, ESPECIALLY if you like music. all my friends who have visited me have noticed the same thing..its much easier to meet someone here because there are a lot of singles. i think the tech industry helps that many of them are educated. you're on crack if you think its hard for women in austin generally.

"Fairly attractive"? Yea...

Anyway, perhaps your standards are different than the women I know. I've seen men do some stupid.. stupid.. STUPID things here. It's like they're asking not to get laid.

5. it would be even better if people like you stopped moving here! i work with someone from the east coast who is down here for three years and it drives me crazy to listen to her constantly talk about how awesome it is. nobody cares to here about how things were done in LA or NYC so **** or go back there. im sure many people here would like to have your job.

Like I said, without us you guys would still be riding to work on horseback and having to scoop up the horse's poo into a little patch or the horse police would give you a ticket. Hehe, J/K

Seriously though this exactly what I'm talking about. The reason why people from NY annoy is because.. hey.. they can't stop talking about how great is the place where they're from. And guess why? Because people have been doing that crap to them ever since they moved here.

Oh, Austin is the music capital of the world (bull). Oh, Austin has a million things to do and its so diverse (bull). Etc, etc.

The fact is Austin is a nice town, but that's not enough for some of the locals here. No, they have to compare themselves to the major league towns in this country -- and people take it seriously only to find that it's bull.

So yea, I don't blame your coworker for missing bar hopping in Greenwhich Village.

6. then **** and go back there. tell your friends not to come either.

[sarcasm]Nah, I think I'll stay and prod you with the reality stick for a little longer.[/sarcasm]

You should learn how to take constructive criticism (notice how I did it with the school system). You acknowledge what sucks -- or at least acknowledge what sucks to a degree.

What you think? Everyone is going to come in here and praise this wonderful city in the sky?

Personally I'm comfortable here (for now), but I felt it's important to fight back these ridiculous claims that people make about Austin. It's all coming from people who lived in Kentucky and Ohio, not people coming from LA, NYC, Miami, etc.

[shaxs]

SpreadingTruth. I really wish you would just leave. Not just the forum, but this state as well. You are a pompous *******.

[alan777]

My question is why would anyone WANT Austin to be like NYC or LA? I have not been there yet but I all ready know it is not like those cities at all. I don't want it to be. I would not think of moving there if it was. I have been told to visit both LA and NYC but to never live in either place.

[DeadInSuburbia]

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

I'm a little pissed about the false information people are spewing so it's time to drop some knowledge

Depends on what city you move from. Let's add to the knowledge

If you're moving to Austin, here's what you need to know:

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

If you're lucky enough to find some good Cajun food, the place will probably be closed by 10pm anyway.

I'm a NOLA native, who just moved here from metro Atlanta (population >5 million). I've already found Sambet's Cajun near my apartment, and this beats any Cajun places i ever found in ATL. ANY.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

There is little diversity. There are a few gems here or there, but it's nothing close to what you can get in LA, Chicago, NY, Philly, or DC. My best experience with food here was a French restaurant that's $100 per person... and it wasn't as good as a tiny French restaurant in LA.

Given, even Atlanta has a better international restaurant district (Buford Hwy) than can be found in Austin. North Austin on Lamar is interesting but isn't quite there yet.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

2) Texans think that Texas is a country. Have you ever seen someone with the shape of the state they live in tattooed on their body? Have you ever seen someone from LA with a tattoo of the state of California on their body? Me neither, until I moved to Austin. And frankly I can't figure out why.

I'm a NOLA native as i said, and I was used to having great pride in the place one lives. In ATL for 18 years, everyone I worked with or became friends with hates the city--in fact, they go to great pains to avoid driving inside the ring highway. So I'm happy to be back in a place where people actually take pride in their home. This is NOT a drawback, even if the tats are a bit weird.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

3) Drivers in Ausin, Texas are worse than drivers in LA If you currently live in LA, you will understand how horrible this is I'm not even going to elaborate here because I'd end up writing a whole essay about this.

Atlanta has horrid traffic. When Austinites complain about traffic, I chuckle. It's bad, but not nearly as bad as they believe.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

4) When they say Austin is liberal, they mean it has a bunch of college kids. In other words, most adults over the age of 35 that you see will not be liberal. There are a few social groups here like any city (goth.. really nice ppl btw, musicians, etc) but when you roll it up as a whole... it's Texas. It's the southern region. This is not a golden city in the middle of a swamp if you know what i mean.

I've been happy to find open-mindedness here, though it's more libertarian than liberal. Incidentally, I'm over 35 and liberal, so I have boosted our population by one!

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

5) There is nothing else to do besides eating, shooting guns at the range and watching movies. We've exhausted every possible option of doing something interesting. We've headed North/South/East and found nooooooooooooooothing. West is the only option where you will find Fredericksburg. You can only really go there for the food because the quaint little town has been so commercialized that it's nothing but gift shops and restaurants. The food is WORTH IT though!!!

Hiking, cycling, camping, archery, ... yeah, nothing to do.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

6) There are people here that were born in Texas, lived in Texas their whole lives and will probably die in Texas. They have never been out of the state. Just keep that in mind.

Reminds me of New Orleans. A little inbred, but good for the soul.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

8) ALLERGIES. Many people that move here suffer from Cedar Fever in their first year. It really depends on how well your body handles allergens. Once you get it... you'll know it... and you'll hate it. Google for "Austin allergies" or "Cedar fever" and enjoy the read.

Had bad ones in Atlanta, no worse here so far. Atlanta is also in the middle of what was once a forest, so plenty of trees, yellow cars for 3 weeks in spring, etc.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

9) Public Schools Sucks. Basically my theory is that republicans run this state which is why they it's not bankrupt right now. They're good with business but they suck with social programs. The result is one of the largest high school dropout rates in the country, terrible conditions of the public schools, teachers that abuse their students, etc. If you have a kid between the ages of 8 and 16 and you're planning to move here... start looking for a private school or some sort of way to home school your child.

How is this different from anywhere else?

WHAT DOESN'T SUCK

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

2) If you're a people person and enjoy the energy of others around you I promise that you will find the people here socially retarted and they will bother the hell out of you. Most people that I've come across don't understand basic etiquette. Sorry

Are you sure you're not referring to Austin Minnesota? I'm not seeing this at all.

Originally Posted by SpreadingTruth

Austin will make you appreciate the places you lived before.

Not quite..i can't tell you how glad i am to be out of Atlanta. What a boring, unhappy, overly conservative place.