Pretentiousness in Austin? (Dallas, Paris, Bridgeport: real estate, renter, hotel)

[centralaustinite]

Yes, one of the things that I like best about 78704 is the wide variety of incomes! I know that not everyone does but it gives me a sense of security, if I win the lottery, I can still live in 78704 and even if the worst happens, and I lose everything (including my health, sanity, and family), I could always haunt my old neighborhood and live in the park. The shiny neighborhoods require a certain income level, and if you fall below that . . . you are out!

Anyway, I love south Austin and I loved even when it was a very blue-collar place with auto parts and auto body shops on every corner! There are iconic clubs: Saxon Pub and the Continental Club. One of a kind places like Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds. I could write a novel or maybe an epic poem about the south congress HEB! Great breakfast tacos everywhere you look. Plus Curra's and Matt's El Rancho, the Soup Peddler, Sweet Leaf Tea. Great places to walk: Stacy Park greenbelt, trail around St. Edwards, through the streets in Bouldin, Zilker Park, playing in the water below the dam at Barton Springs. We have art: Umlaf sculpture garden, a couple of galleries, and more yard art than any other part of Austin, hands down. The Travis Heights Art Trail is a highlight of my entire year.

Anyway, I could go on. There are great places in Austin north of the river: Hyde Park, Rosedale, and Allandale are full of interesting businesses (they've got the Poodle Lounge, we've got the Horseshoe Lounge) and interesting people.

But I will also freely admit that the charms of south austin are not always easily seen. They require time and effort and patience to discover and a tolerance for old, dirty, and different helps. I'm kinda glad to hear that it remains hidden for some, maybe that means that it will last.

ca

edited to add: Masloff, we posted at the same time. I haven't given you a two weeks of activities but it could be done. Probably wouldn't satisfy you in any case. Different folks have different tastes. I hope it all goes well for you in CT.

[TexasHorseLady]

Long Center for the Performing Arts

Zilker Park everything from visiting the Botanical Gardens to playing soccer to swimming to attending Shakespeare to watching movies to listening to live music to going to the Nature Center - whatever's going on at the time

Sunset Valley Farmers Market every Saturday morning.

Mary Moody Northern Theatre

The Broken Spoke (eat, drink, dance, take dance lessons)

Central Market Westgate has various events from music to food-related.

Go see exhibits or take lessons at the Dougherty Arts Center.

Palmer Events Center - various events, sometimes two at a time.

Carnaval Braseiliero

Ruta Maya

Saxon Pub

Green Pastures

PlantEscape Gardens- not just plants, but art

First Thursday on South Congress (http://www.socodistrict.com/1stthursday.html - broken link)

Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar (http://www.originalalamo.com/Default.aspx?l=4 - broken link)

Zilker Park Boat Rentals

Zilker Park Kite Festival (http://www.zilkerkitefestival.com/Webpages/gallery.php - broken link)

Blues on the Green

Continental Club

City Wide Garage Sale

Peter Pan Mini Golf

Casa de Luz - restaurant and various events and classes

There's a whole lot more, particularly in the restaurant and clubs and arts category, that I'm not putting down here because, frankly, I don't have time to look up things you should have been finding for yourself if you thought there was "nothing to do" in 78704 during the time you lived there. Some of these are annual or monthly events, some of them are going on on a regular basis. This also doesn't count those events/venues that might be a block or three outside of 78704 but are certainly close enough for someone who is motivated to find something to do to get to easily.

Again, if you couldn't find more than two weeks' worth of things to keep you busy in 78704, it's because you weren't looking, not because the opportunities weren't there. That's what I mean by wanting your entertainment spoonfed to you. It doesn't always walk up to your door and knock and come in to where you're sitting on the couch - you have to spend at least, oh, five minutes googling or open the Chronicle to the events section or be proactive in some way to find something to do.

[readymade]

There's also the Smut Putt and the Cathedral of Garbage. I once spent an entire day at both places and didn't feel like it was enough time (the guys who "run" those places are super interesting to talk to as well). There's a few interesting gallaries too (Yard Dog, etc...). Seeing a movie @ the Drafthouse. Doing a tour of Neverlandia. A day at Barton Springs. A show at the Long Center. My husband & I often just drive around 78704 to check out some of the interesting houses & yard art. Those are just off the top of my head.

I'm moving back east too, mlassoff, but not because of the "lack of things to do" in Austin.

[sliverbox]

I think what you're observing is basically a general gentrification of the typical US city. During the 60's-the early 90's there was "white flight" and everybody wanted to live in the burbs. But first the artists moved back, cleaned it up a bit, then the yuppies came in. I'm not saying that necessarily a wonderful thing. But it is happening everywhere.

As far as Austinites poking fun of Dallas, I heard a lot of that when I was there. They hated San Antonio too. But I also met people from San Antonio who loved it there. It made me actually want to go visit San Antonio since because its not "cool", its probably a lot cheaper. The funny thing is that I grew up in TN and we in Knoxville always poked fun of Nashville and Memphis. Memphis was referred to as a crime-ridden hole. Nashville was full of holier then thou rich musicians and politicians. They made fun of us too. We were the hick town that was too small to matter.

Out here in the bay area, people love to poke fun of Sacramento. By what they say you'd think its this awful pit. But its really close to the Sierra Foothills and honestly I think the area is one of the prettiest in the state and the people who live there are a lot nicer. Of course people in Sacramento think people from SF are all a bunch of snobs. It goes both ways.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by readymade

I'm moving back east too, mlassoff, but not because of the "lack of things to do" in Austin.

Just to be clear, I moved because of the lack of things I LIKE to do. I don't drink, dance, hate music that isn't from 1980-1989.

I also moved because I never felt at home in Austin and more comfortable with the people and lifestyle back East. I just think Austin needs to stop selfaggrandizing and give people a realisitic picture.

"You could have an action-packed two weeks in 78704" is exactly that type of hyperbole... You probably could if you consider sitting in dive bars "action-packed."

To me a two week vacation-- Maui.

[Moonlady]

Don't forget the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture (http://www.samopc.org/interior.htm - broken link)

I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to vacation in my backyard, I just want to live here and there's plenty to do for me on weekends or whenever I want entertainment.

This whole argument about Austin's pretentiousness is silly. It's been going on for over 20 years. Doesn't anyone remember when they had the North Austin vs South Austin tug of war? The north side was represented by "wine drinking yuppies" and the south side was the typical south Austin bubba. The whole north end of town was criticized for becoming "just like Houston". That's actually funny if you think about it since we're now being compared to Dallas. Any influx of wealth be it from outside or home grown is going to cause a change in the area.

I used to live in Temple 25 years ago. Know what? it hasn't changed a whole lot. Yeah, they have more stores there now, but essentially, the town is about the same. There hasn't been near as much growth there as there has been in Austin. As much as I bemoan the loss of the "old Austin", I'd rather see change than stagnation. I can't say it's been all bad even if some of it includes west side mansions and more luxury cars.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Just to be clear, I moved because of the lack of things I LIKE to do. I don't drink, dance, hate music that isn't from 1980-1989.

I also moved because I never felt at home in Austin and more comfortable with the people and lifestyle back East. I just think Austin needs to stop selfaggrandizing and give people a realisitic picture.

"You could have an action-packed two weeks in 78704" is exactly that type of hyperbole... You probably could if you consider sitting in dive bars "action-packed."

To me a two week vacation-- Maui.

Did you even LOOK at the list of things I provided? Given this "I don't drink, dance, hate music that isn't from 1980-1989," it looks like you didn't - there are a lot of things in there that don't fall into that category, in fact, most of the things that are in there aren't clubs. So, once again, did you read the list and, if so, how do you justify that comment?

[austin-steve]

To me a two week vacation-- Maui.

I've been to Hawaii for a week once. Talk about over rated. I'd just as soon spend a weekend at Padre. So, I'm agreeing with you that it's different strokes for different folks.

But since you called BS on me regarding the two week vacation in 78704, I'll grant you the fact that it wouldn't be an itinerary that everyone would find desirable. Yes, you'd have to like live music, food, outdoor recreation, shopping, walking, site seeing, swimming, theater, dancing, people watching, etc.

But I do think such an itinerary that would appeal to a wide variety of people could easily be put together such that every morning, afternoon and night would be filled with places to go and things to do.

Steve

[TexasHorseLady]

I spent two weeks in Maui. It was fun, and I'd go back in a heartbeat for a vacation, but limited in variety for me at that point in my life.

My husband spent an entire summer there in college, working on a tuna fishing boat. Same for him (except he didn't get to do as many things as I did, because of work).

Doesn't mean I couldn't find two weeks or two months' worth of stuff to do there if I lived there, just as I easily can in Austin.

mlassof, you've told us what you DON'T like to do. Let's start from a different angle, what DO you like to do?

[readymade]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Did you even LOOK at the list of things I provided? Given this "I don't drink, dance, hate music that isn't from 1980-1989," it looks like you didn't - there are a lot of things in there that don't fall into that category, in fact, most of the things that are in there aren't clubs. So, once again, did you read the list and, if so, how do you justify that comment?

Um, nothing I posted had anything to do with drinking or dancing. And I saw Leonard Cohen at the Long Center where he performed a lot of stuff from "I'm Your Man" (which was recorded in the 80s) - I really REALLY like 80s music too.

I will agree with you on Maui! I would definitely rather vacation in Hawaii than Austin, heh. Sorry Steve, but I didn't find Hawaii to be over-rated AT ALL! It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to, and I had probably the best time I have ever had there as well... Where else can you watch a sun rise from the top of a volcano & then bike the 45 miles down it?

That being said, I still wouldn't want to LIVE in Hawaii.

OK, maybe I would .

In any case, comparing Austin to one of the most beautiful places on earth really isn't fair.