101 Austinism You wish Someone Had Told before You Moved There (Burnet: buy, theater)

[milytaylor]

Qamar:

I'm in the Pecan Springs neighborhood. I haven't had any problems and I've been in and out, day or night.

The amenities are lacking but they are improving. The area is still developing so you have to be diligent when new businesses want to set up shop.

I looked around for homes to buy in all areas of town. It seems like the east side is one of the more reasonable areas that is just a few minutes from downtown.

Traffic isn't nearly as bad in other parts of town. It's easy to get to the north, west, and south side of towns. If you need to get the SW side, it's a little difficult. It's also a short trek to the downtown airport.

I would avoid east side areas that require taking the highways into downtown.

Hope that helps.

[qamarfaiz]

Originally Posted by milytaylor

Qamar:

I'm in the Pecan Springs neighborhood. I haven't had any problems and I've been in and out, day or night.

The amenities are lacking but they are improving. The area is still developing so you have to be diligent when new businesses want to set up shop.

I looked around for homes to buy in all areas of town. It seems like the east side is one of the more reasonable areas that is just a few minutes from downtown.

Traffic isn't nearly as bad in other parts of town. It's easy to get to the north, west, and south side of towns. If you need to get the SW side, it's a little difficult. It's also a short trek to the downtown airport.

I would avoid east side areas that require taking the highways into downtown.

Hope that helps.

Thanks a lot. Which areas should I visit in the Pecan Springs neighborhood in order to get a general idea of the place?

[cBach]

Taco trailers: Don't be scared of them, some of the best food in Austin can be found at them. It's an easy way for a budding restauranteur to invest minimally in infrastructure yet produce excellent food and have the option for a permanent place should the trailer be a smashing success. It is something that is found "only in Austin"!

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by cBach

One of the problems that I've found with most people is that they wear clothes totally inappropriate for the climate. Cotton shirts are horrible for active outdoor wear in the summer. They get soaked and while that can keep you from getting heat exhaustion, it is quite uncomfortable.

Linen is actually the best type of fabric to wear in this environment. However cotton is king in the south and linen is rather expensive, hard to take care of, etc... So, the only choices really are the newer synthetic mixes of polyester and other fabrics for strenuous outdoor activity or working out. I have polyester outfits that never ever get wet regardless of how hard I workout. They transport the moisture off the skin and into the air quickly. The only downside is they also absorb smell, so they need to be washed frequently, and in hot water regardless of the color. So they definitely couldn't be used "on the job".

If you're in A/C all day, it doesn't really matter what you wear.

If you go back and forth between the two, lightweight cotton works okay but I would really suggest you invest in linen. It was what the ancient world (Egypt, etc...) wore for centuries before cotton was "discovered" in America. Northern Europe had their wool (which is the best material for cold weather) and Southern Europe had their linen and silk, which both are great for hot climates. Silk is prohibitively expensive though.

As a sailboat owner I have spent a lot of time out in the sun. I have found cotton shirts, both tee and camp shirts to be the best thing to wear in the heat. I intentionally dunk them in water or poor a cup over me from time to time and they remain cool for an extended period of time. Sort of like wearing a swamp cooler. This was a trick I learned years ago when working as a land surveyor in the Arizona desert. It works even better there where the air is so dry. The evaporation really does cool one off. Our survey crew used to carry two large buckets of water, one for drinking and one for dunking our shirts in.

[milytaylor]

Qamar:

//www.city-data.com/neighborhoo...Austin-TX.html

I considered the areas around Airport, Manor, 38 1/2 street but it was a little too pricey for me.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

As a sailboat owner I have spent a lot of time out in the sun. I have found cotton shirts, both tee and camp shirts to be the best thing to wear in the heat. I intentionally dunk them in water or poor a cup over me from time to time and they remain cool for an extended period of time. Sort of like wearing a swamp cooler. This was a trick I learned years ago when working as a land surveyor in the Arizona desert. It works even better there where the air is so dry. The evaporation really does cool one off. Our survey crew used to carry two large buckets of water, one for drinking and one for dunking our shirts in.

Totally agree, cotton shirts function like a swamp cooler, especially in dry weather. However, I think the question was how not to be totally soaked when going into A/C. I've done that before, and by the way, you can actually catch a cold if you have a soaked cotton t-shirt and then you enter a cold office building! Air wicked clothing solves that issue.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by qamarfaiz

Hello,
I am also looking for a house and IMO the east side aint that bad at all. While some areas close to Rundberg/I-35 can be rough but they should not be the basis for the stereotype east of I-35 gets. Could you please tell me where in the east side did you end up buying?

Thanks in advance!
Qamar

The Rundberg Lane area had 200 aggrevated assaults in the area last year. The Pecan Springs area had 141, making them the second and third highest crime areas in the City. Second only to E. Riverside Drive/Rivertown area.

//www.city-data.com/forum/austi...l#post18219735

I used to live in the Pecan Springs area. It has gone significantly downhill since that time. There is no way I'd move back there or invest in owning property there.

[JohnHenrySDM]

Originally Posted by sinking

Expect to unexpectedly end up sitting at a light in a turn only lane that had been a straight traffic lane for miles.

lol, that does happen often.

[LolaIsMyPuppy]

Ah such good advice! After 1.5 years, here's my advice / warning to newcomers:

1. Yes, traffic is as bad as everyone says. But long springs & falls make for great biking! I live on the east side and work on Mopac / 183 and it honestly takes me the same amount of time to bike home as it does to drive. There is little more liberating than passing gridlock with the wind blowing through your hair (and helmet

2. In traffic, two things I've noticed to be aware of: A blinker / turn signal is taken as a sign of weakness on the highway, often resulting in drivers speeding up to not let you in. Likewise, don't assume that people will change lanes to the left (even if it's empty) to let you in when you merge from an on-ramp. I've been run off the road this way.

2. In summer, embrace the sweat! Everyone around you is sweating, it's not gross or weird or some socially debilitating disorder - it's hot! What better excuse to not wear makeup or do your hair or wear your bathing suit all day and play in the river. Don't fight it because it'll make you crazy trying. You'll figure out which shirts show the biggest sweat stains, and you'll wear those in the winter.

3. Also in summer, bring a hoodie everywhere. Say whaaa? Texans are OBSESSED with air conditioning. Walk into a grocery store or bank in July, and you'll feel the sudden shock of the sweat turning to ice on your skin.

4. YES - eat from food trailers (If you're a lover of good coffee - try Patika on 2nd & Congress, best espresso in town!)

5. YES - explore the east side! Preferably by bike so you can unearth rare, hidden gems not obvious at 25 - 40mph, and also so you can high-tail it out of the sketchy parts without getting hassled

6. I like the advice that the scorpions, brown recluses, coyotes etc are not everywhere. It's true. I shook my shoes in a violent paranoia for about a month when I moved here. Still haven't seen a single one.

7. Plan ahead! Concert tickets, dinner reservations, all that. People are in the know here, and leave their houses often, so no waltzing into that Mr. Heavenly show at the scoot inn, because everyone else heard about it too and they all bought tickets and now it's sold out.

8. Why has no one addressed the rental system here? I think it was the biggest pitfall of my moving here, and now that my lease is about up, I'm lamenting going through a similar experience.

I'd like to get more opinions on this (and maybe there are other threads to search) but beware of apartment locators and Realtors - or at least do your research. I got taken BADLY because I didn't have a clue of how this system works, and I trusted my apartment locator when he sided with the owner's agent and reassured me that the outrageous clauses in our lease were "totally common" in Austin. (Side note: If you want the slum lord's name and some cautionary tales, PM me and I'll gladly provide.)

Anyway, I wish I had more information about the rental system to share, but maybe others can weigh in. There are some forum members here that are Realtors and usually have good advice. Allz I'm saying is there seems to be a certain class of bottom feeder apartment locators that make a living cheating the flux of unsuspecting newcomers. So watch out!

[spelrod]

Originally Posted by LolaIsMyPuppy

Likewise, don't assume that people will change lanes to the left (even if it's empty) to let you in when you merge from an on-ramp. I've been run off the road this way.

Every near-accident I've experienced in Austin has been people just merging whenever they feel like it right into the side of me. I'll get over if at all possible for you and even adjust my speed for you but you can't just cut the wheel and hope you don't hit me. It's your responsbility to yield, not mine.