Possibly relocating, need to get a feel for Austin... can you recommend an itinerary? (centers, license)

[TexasHorseLady]

Not a problem. My son lived in Boston for a year a few years back - I'd certainly appreciated those who did the same for him!

[Paulmmm]

Originally Posted by smittenkitten

Um.....Lots of posts are relocation-related because city-data.com is a place to get lots of helpful information on places you're thinking about moving to. This is a great resource for people who want to move to improve their quality of life, and need a little help to get through the process. I truly appreciate people giving their own time to guide others by lending their personal advice and experiences.

If this forum is too *whatever* for you, then why are you wasting your time and everyone else's complaining about it? GO DO SOMETHING. sheesh.

And please, don't hijack my thread with your personal ranting. Nice people are giving me very helpful information here, for which I am very grateful. I am depending on this information to help guide us in this difficult time of our lives. Please respect that. Thanks.

Great post, SK. If history is any indication, I expect that the person it's directed to will not be persuaded by it, but I'm glad you said it.

Now on to the topic. In addition to what has already been suggested, I always recommend that friends try to take in an improv comedy show at either the Hideout Theatre or Coldtowne Theater. In addition to so much music, Austin also has a ton of talented and creative improvisers, with inexpensive (and sometimes free) shows 7 nights a week all over town.

[WillysB]

Ms kitten, take a look at Austin's Small Planet Guide for some neighborhood info and apartments within those areas. And be sure to send off for your Texas Travel Guide for Texas info in general. It's Free ! ! !

Here's some of what's happening in Austin...
6th Street Austin
Austin Music Hall
Austin 360: Where Austin, Texas, lives on the Web

[TexasHorseLady]

One thing I didn't ask was, what do you do for a living? Since you're looking at the city as a potential place to live, rather than as a tourist (and thus should put off the more "touristy" things for a later trip or until you move here), knowing that might help us point you towards areas where there's a lot of that kind of business to explore and become familiar with.

Basically, you should be looking for the kinds of places/things you'll be experiencing in every day life.

Back before the internet, if I was contemplating moving to a new city, I'd try to get a copy of the yellow pages and the classifieds - they were some of the most informative resources for info on what a city was really like, oddly enough. These days, with the internet, you've, of course, got city-data, but also check out the local craigslist just to see what people are buying and selling and such.

[ladylonghorn2]

Originally Posted by smittenkitten

We would probably prefer to live closer to the city than in the suburbs (which slightly scares my NYC-native fiance ).

Your fiance is right to be apprehensive of the Austin suburbs. They are cookie cutter, more conservative and not particularly pretty. Trust me, I live in one! If you're looking for a uniquely "Austin" experience, keep your search central. I wish I could have but couldn't afford it *and* be near good schools *and* get enough space to make my mate happy.

[smittenkitten]

Thank you so much guys!!

TexasHorseLady, I love your yellow pages idea! That's awesome. As to what we do for a living, I am a grant writer at a Boys & Girls Club and my fiance is a copywriter in the marketing/advertising business. He was laid off last fall and just got a new job, which he starts on Monday. It's a big relief but at the same time now we wonder if we'll be able to move to Austin this year at all, with the recession and job market being what it is and all. The "smart thing to do" might be to hold on to our jobs here in Boston, even though I really, really want to move. Man, I hate the "smart thing to do"!

Hopefully we'll still get to take our scouting trip soon and get to enjoy Austin for a few days, even if we can't make our way down permanently this year.

Thank you guys so much for your excellent recommendations. I truly appreciate you taking the time to help us out.

Peace,
SK

[homeinatx]

OK. You need a car for a reconnoitre trip. First thing - drive to Mt. Bonnell- walk up the stairs to the top, turn left and stand on the concrete picnic table. From there you can see nearly all of Austin that is worth seeing, and you can get oriented - downtown to the south and east - the Capitol, the U.T. tower etc - Westlake and the Hill country to your west, the bend in the Colorado River - Lake Austin at your feet. Then I would drive down to Lake Austin blvd and have coffee on the water at Mozarts, with a map, so you can work out what you have just seen. Suburban Austin bores the hell out of me, though many people like it. I would then embark on a tour of Central Austin - check out Clarkesville - the oldest freedmen community west of the Mississippi - then the mansions of Pemberton near the old Pease plantation, then the largest concentration of Victorian houses in the city in Old West Austin, then down Lamar across the river/lake to South Lamar. If you wanna spend money, have lunch at Olivia (hip locavore restaurant), or if you want good and cheap - Tex-Mex - La Feria, both on South Lamar. Then drive to Barton Springs and walk a bit of the Lady Bird lake trail. If the weather is good have a swim. Then drive to South Congress - walk the strip for casual shopping. Then downtown - check out some new condos and the Bremond historic block on 7th and San Antonio, take a quick tour of the Capitol - walk the historic part of campus - the South Mall and then head north to the Hyde Park neighborhood - have coffee at Quacks or La Dolce Vita on 43rd and Duval, then take I35 frontage road south to east Austin - check out the French legation - the oldest building in Austin - and then the modernist new domestic construction in East Austin, have a cocktail at the Good Knight or East-Side Showroom on East 6th, and then head back downtown to dinner, where you will have tons of options - La Condesa on 2nd for the best Mexican food in Austin, or Lamberts for yuppie BBQ, or Garrido's for a beautiful patio on Shoal Creek with great tacos, or Chez Nous for solid Bistro food and many more . . . That should be a good day for an intro to Austin and then the next few days - you can explore more the areas you liked, and/or head out to Lake Travis, Hamilton pool or any other of the local Nature attractions nearby . . . Austin is not New York or Rome, but it can be a very cool place to live . . . Good luck on your travels and on your decision!

[llkltk]

Come in the summer so you can feel how hot it is.

[llkltk]

Originally Posted by ladylonghorn2

Your fiance is right to be apprehensive of the Austin suburbs. They are cookie cutter, more conservative and not particularly pretty. Trust me, I live in one! If you're looking for a uniquely "Austin" experience, keep your search central. I wish I could have but couldn't afford it *and* be near good schools *and* get enough space to make my mate happy.

Not all areas. SW Austin is close to the city and most certainly has an Austin vibe.

[orbius]

When picking an apartment just realize that in Austin there are no building codes to speak of so its caveat emptor. Which is pretty much the opposite of a place like Boston.
Consider everything like getting stuck in an apartment with a dozen air conditioners outside the window, having neighbors above you can hear every step while they move furniture at 3am, substandard construction where you can hear your neighbors sweet nothings through the paper thin adjoining wall into your bedroom. You have to consider absolutely every possible flaw because apartments here are almost all shoddily built.

So dig through the internet for reviews of apartment complexes with a fine tooth comb. As well as running through every possible negative scenario when you're viewing the apartment.

DO NOT accept an apartment sight unseen and let them show you a model unit. If the people at the apartment show any resistance to showing you the actual apartment you will be staying in walk away right then and there. Because there will be problems with the unit.
Also if you find apartments that seem like a much better deal than all the other apartments I can almost guarantee they have severe flaws.

In fact you're usually better off looking at older apartments. Stuff from the 60's and 70's almost always have higher construction standards than the newer stuff. An old apartment that is clean and updated w/wood floors and new countertops is what I would look for personally.

You see Texans believe in personal freedom, that the big ugly government shouldnt be able to dictate rules and regulations onto people. That its every Texans god given right to screw over everybody in his wake to make a quick buck.