Things that Austin Doesn't Have (so don't ask) (Houston, Atlanta: buying, organic)

[tongpa-nyi]

Originally Posted by eddy2010

We can't wait to move to Austin to get AWAY from the whiny annoying people who suffer from an exaggerated sense of entitlement. Thanks 4Horsemen for reminding those who suffer from such an ailment that Austin is not for them!!!!!!!!

While I agree that people in Austin are less whiny and entitlement-minded than in some other places, they're certainly not absent from this area. I encounter plenty of them, almost all from other regions (including my west coast friends who have moved here.)

After I had lived here for several years and adopted the local mannerisms of politeness and gratitude, I went to lunch with a pair of friends from California (one from Sonoma County, one from Santa Barbara) and I wanted to put a paper bag over my head because they were SO whiny. Nothing was right, the service was horrible, everything had to be sent back, it was incessant and I ended up apologizing to our waitress for their rude behavior. I left a good tip as neither of my friends thought one was merited.

Now, what makes the above story funny is that we weren't exactly in a high-end restaurant where one pays through the nose and expects quality service. We were at a freaking Black Eyed Pea!

So, eddy2010, I join you in reminding whiny people with a sense of entitlement that Austin is not for them, while warning you that you cannot escape them by moving to Austin. They're already here and their numbers will surely grow.

[woodinvilleguy]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

- Trader Joe's

We got Whole Foods & Central Market, who needs Trader Joe's?
- Good pizza
Go check out Home Slice

- Delis

Are you talking about subs? We got Which-Wich, Thunderclouds, Deleware, Subway, Tex Sandwiches.. ummmm

- Bagel shops

einstein brothers bagels, Hot Jumbo, Rockstar Bagels

- Good or efficient public transportation

No comment

Have you ever been to a major metropolitan city? NY/Chi/LA/Toronto? Then you would understand the deli thing (the stuff you are mentioning are just better sub shops) Bagel shops that make their own bagels, I think they use something special because they are rare even in big cities.

Now Austin does have (IMHO):

• Great BBQ
• fun pro sports(Hockey, Baseball, Basketball) that are cheap and easy to see (all minor league)
• Lots of friendly folks
• Great bike riding just outside the city
• The SUN!
• reasonably prices housing (to me...)

[CarnivalGal]

I just thought of another thing Austin doesn't have - butcher shops. Not the meat department at the local grocery store, although Central Market's and Whole Foods are pretty good. I mean a store that sells nothing but meat - and every imaginable cut of meat. And they will fillet, grind, butterfly, whatever for you while you wait. I would add Fish Monger too, but to be fair, Austin is not near a coast, so that sort of makes sense.

And I don't want to imply that Austin doesn't hae some great things or things that are unique to Austin. I created this post as a sort of tongue-in-cheek response to the same questions that get posted over and over again.

[homeinatx]

Originally Posted by mm57553

I just thought of another thing Austin doesn't have - butcher shops. Not the meat department at the local grocery store, although Central Market's and Whole Foods are pretty good. I mean a store that sells nothing but meat - and every imaginable cut of meat. And they will fillet, grind, butterfly, whatever for you while you wait. I would add Fish Monger too, but to be fair, Austin is not near a coast, so that sort of makes sense.

And I don't want to imply that Austin doesn't hae some great things or things that are unique to Austin. I created this post as a sort of tongue-in-cheek response to the same questions that get posted over and over again.

OK. This is fun.

For a reasonable, but not fabulous butcher, try Longhorn Meats on MLK. Quality Seafood is also almost a fishmonger! I ditto the deli absence, will extend the lack of decent pizza to all Italian food, and don't send me to that horrifying yuppie parody of Italian food called Vespaio. The city also lacks a respectable fine arts museum for a city of its size, and generally high culture amenities are weak but getting better. Could not care less about bagels or pro-sports, or Trader Joe's - a granola version of the produce section of Costco or Target - as far as I am concerned. ABIA needs to lose the I - we lack direct international flights to anywhere. There are also many things that I am very happy Austin lacks - real winters for one, real traffic for another, consistently and reliably rude people (the rudest Austinites I have encountered have been on this forum, I find occasional rudeness invigorating, but it must stay occasional) $20 Martinis, used needles on sidewalks - not so happy about the lack of sidewalks. I have lived in NYC, Chicago and L.A. They have very many things that Austin does not. Some good, some bad, but the people complaining about grocery options here are crazy in my opinion - much better produce options in Austin all year round than in those much bigger cities. L.A, not bad, but if I never see a Key Food, a Gristedes or a Dominicks again, I will be very happy.

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by Runemaster

It's hard to explain what a deli is to someone who has never been in one, but that's a valiant effort. Comparing Subway to a deli is like comparing Circle K to HEB.

A sandwich is just something a deli makes, not what a deli is made for. After living all over the country, I'm convinced real delis only exist in the central and northern east coast urban/suburban areas.

Don't get me started on steak & cheese either. Man, I miss those...

You said it, man! I went to college in Boston and lived several years of my life in Long Island (and I have friends and relatives in New York City) and know what a real deli is. I'm afraid that Little Deli is about the closest Austin will get to an East Cost-style deli, but even that is a stretch.

[hoffdano]

This pizza thing always amazes me. I have eaten pizza in the northeast many times. It is usually thin crust, widely available, relatively thin in sauce, and tasty. But it isn't orgasmic in some way. It seems to me that we have pizza of similar style and quality in Austin. But it isn't served by a small neighborhood pizza parlor or Italian restaurant. I think THAT is what Austin doesn't have for pizza.

I like Einstein bagels on their own merits. But I will agree they aren't like a made-in-store deli. The Einstein bagels are softer. Perfectly edible, but perhaps not as genuine. I could care less that it is a chain.

What we do have for regional food is BBQ and Tex-Mex. Most places away from Texas don't even have good corn tortilla chips. They are too thick, too much like unflavored Doritos. And salsa! The choices here are incredible and there are so many good ones.

[knrstz]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

This pizza thing always amazes me. I have eaten pizza in the northeast many times. It is usually thin crust, widely available, relatively thin in sauce, and tasty. But it isn't orgasmic in some way.

NY pizza is more overrated than the Oklahoma Sooners in a BCS bowl. Chicago deep dish is where it's at. Sorry if I derailed the thread.

[mark311]

I guess the reason I feel at home here then is most of the things that are "missing" from Austin according to this thread, San Diego doesn't have either. San Diego doesn't have basements, delis, bagel shops (other than Einstein's), East Coast style pizza, efficient public transportation, etc.

I guess it has Trader Joe's, but I've never been a big fan. It was always way too crowded and I'm not a huge fan of chocolate, nuts, or wine. It had some good stuff, but nothing that made me want to make a special trip there and fight the crowds.

[mickey65]

In & Out Burger

[bobbatoo]

Home Goods