What I Miss About Austin/Why I'm Glad I Left (rent, house)

[MtnLion512]

Originally Posted by eepstein

You're not kidding. People will actually buy ORANGE colored vehicles here to show their support for the Longhorns! Yet another redneck trait of the largest city in the country without any professional sports team. Remember folks, college football, high school football, and pee wee football are all the same thing. Die hard Chiefs and 49ers fan here (yes, it's been a rough many years)

This is silly and untrue, not to mention insulting. You think professional sports fans conduct themselves in a classier or less redneck way? On opening day a SF Giants fan was beaten to a pulp by a group of Dodgers fans. That's pro sports. Sports fans act the fool on ANY level. I agree that UT fans and college football fans can go way crazy, but the notion that it's somehow a redneck thing doesn't make sense.

And college football is the same as high school/pee wee football? DKR Stadium holds over 100,000 people, far larger than the largest NFL stadium capacity. I'm not getting the logic behind this statement at all.

[Rejoicer]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

After 18 months back in Connecticut, I wanted to write a follow up to my "Why I am Leaving Austin" post from about a year and a half before I moved.

What I miss:
1) BBQ. I really miss Rudy's most, and links! Didn't see that one coming, but I tried a BBQ joint up here in Connecticut and almost gagged.
2) No snow. We got the crap beaten out of us this winter with snow. Too many days at home due to the roads being impassible.
3) My friends. I made many good friends in Austin and I miss them.
4) Cheap groceries. The groceries-- along with everything else are more expensive here.
5) The Austin Airport. I travel weekly for work, and the Austin airport was a pleasure with good service. Bradley airport here in Hartford isn't bad... But it's not ABIA!
6) The Austin entrepreneur scene and networking. Business in the northeast seem to form much less of a community and there is not exciting tech start-up scene to be involved with.

Why I am glad I moved:
1) I don't miss the heat at all! I am really enjoying early spring with temps in the 50's and low 60's. Perfect weather if you ask me.
2) The beach is here. Fishing, tanning, etc., much better here.
3) The food is just like I remember it. Tons of excellent mom and pop's serving Italian, Jewish deli, Chinese, Thai, etc.... Much better overall than Austin.
4) The music... My tastes run along 80's power ballads... I have seen in the local casinos: America, Survivor, Lou Graham, Tin Lizzie, and Huey Lewis and the News all for free.
5) Proximity to NYC and Boston: This has been good for both my business and entertainment.
6) All the pro sports... Seen the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Rangers, Knicks all live.
7) Close to old friends and family: I see my niece and nephew each week AND I have rekindled many old friendships...

Overall the move was a win for me. I am incredibly happy in Connecticut, and my business is thriving. I miss my friends from Austin and looking forward to my first trip back this summer.

That doesn't mean I think everyone should pull up stakes and move to the northeast-- It was the right move for me at the right time.

I wouldn't live in Austin, but I had 5 years up in New Hampshire - and believe me, I'm glad I'm back in Texas. I live in the Hill Country - it is hot in the summer, but so what, we have a pool. We had friends that had pools in New Hampshire, and I never went in because to me, it was never warm enough to go in. Most of them were turning blue but claimed it was not cold, yeah!
Also, I took my life in my hands driving to work every day in the winter. The roads were icy and you couldn't see the markings in the road, once I drove off - fortunately it was a ramp into a grocery store. In the winter when I went shopping it was awful - you had to wear gazillions of coats and then carry them in the mall, then you couldn't find your car because of all the brown mountains of snow they piled up in the parking lots! People were not so friendly as they are here - I met my neighbors once, and never spoke to them again the rest of my time there. My only friends were people I went to church with. Nobody invites anybody for dinner - especially in the winter, nobody wants to drive at night!

Enjoy your move - but for me, I'd rather have Texas!

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by eepstein

You're not kidding. People will actually buy ORANGE colored vehicles here to show their support for the Longhorns!

The Aggies are much worse with that, and the maroon vehicles.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Tycho Brahe

You misconception of Italian food as unhealthy is probably because Austin does not have good authentic Italian food. Try finding pepperoni in Italy, especially on a pizza. You won't. Most restaurants serve typical italian-american food, which can be unhealthy. Some meat smothered in a red sauce with tons of cheese on top of some pasta. Italians do not eat that type of food.

Umm, the people that miss pizza in NYC miss the American version not the Italian version. I agree that Italian food is very healthy, but NOT the Italian style that is served in the Northeast. Italian food in Italy is healthy. One exception is Carbonera which has bacon and raw eggs on it in Italy. It's very good but very fattening with high cholesterol eggs and fatty bacon.

Also, the Mexican food served in Mexico is very healthy too. I had some great hard tacos with shrimp and avocadoes (not guacamole) and cilantro in Puerto Vallarta and that is typically what is served down there. Here they cover everything with beans and cheese.

However we were doing a TexMex to NYC style Italian comparison, and they are comparable health wise (both unhealthy).

[J1ndo]

Originally Posted by cBach

Also, the Mexican food served in Mexico is very healthy too.

It can be, but usually it's not. There's a good reason why Mexico is ranked second in the world for obesity rates. And I bring this up for I don't know what reason, considering the subject of the thread.

[artsyguy]

I agree. Football fans from anywhere can act boorish and insane. It's a national problem. Eepstein's post made the matters muddled: then he announces he loves football. Oh well. I would think Austin, Texas would be a football lovers paradise. That is how I see it.

Originally Posted by wag more bark less

This is silly and untrue, not to mention insulting. You think professional sports fans conduct themselves in a classier or less redneck way? On opening day a SF Giants fan was beaten to a pulp by a group of Dodgers fans. That's pro sports. Sports fans act the fool on ANY level. I agree that UT fans and college football fans can go way crazy, but the notion that it's somehow a redneck thing doesn't make sense.

And college football is the same as high school/pee wee football? DKR Stadium holds over 100,000 people, far larger than the largest NFL stadium capacity. I'm not getting the logic behind this statement at all.

[eepstein]

I only watch professional football, you know, REAL FOOTBALL. I have no interest in that pretend stuff (college, high school, pee wee, baby football) etc. The fact remains that college sports are big in many COLLEGE TOWN across the country. Austin is really no different in that aspect.

Originally Posted by artsyguy

I agree. Football fans from anywhere can act boorish and insane. It's a national problem. Eepstein's post made the matters muddled: then he announces he loves football. Oh well. I would think Austin, Texas would be a football lovers paradise. That is how I see it.

[ctgirl36]

Not true. Many people that live in CT, like myself, moved from NY. Many people in Western CT, like myself, still work in NY, have family in NY. I would say CT has a strong Yankee base fan.

[ctgirl36]

The NY Metro area has every kind of food you can imagine. You are stereotyping Italian food as all red and with heavy sauce. There are a ton of Northern Italian restaurants that are not heavy and fattening. When I visit Austin, which is ever 6 months, their Italian is the "mainstream Italian". We have every ethnic food and a ton of healthy restaurants too. I find Austin more of the chain restaurants versus authentic mom and pop places.

Originally Posted by cBach

Umm, the people that miss pizza in NYC miss the American version not the Italian version. I agree that Italian food is very healthy, but NOT the Italian style that is served in the Northeast. Italian food in Italy is healthy. One exception is Carbonera which has bacon and raw eggs on it in Italy. It's very good but very fattening with high cholesterol eggs and fatty bacon.

Also, the Mexican food served in Mexico is very healthy too. I had some great hard tacos with shrimp and avocadoes (not guacamole) and cilantro in Puerto Vallarta and that is typically what is served down there. Here they cover everything with beans and cheese.

However we were doing a TexMex to NYC style Italian comparison, and they are comparable health wise (both unhealthy).

[cBach]

Originally Posted by ctgirl36

The NY Metro area has every kind of food you can imagine. You are stereotyping Italian food as all red and with heavy sauce. There are a ton of Northern Italian restaurants that are not heavy and fattening. When I visit Austin, which is ever 6 months, their Italian is the "mainstream Italian". We have every ethnic food and a ton of healthy restaurants too. I find Austin more of the chain restaurants versus authentic mom and pop places.

Last time I was in NYC, my hotel was located a few blocks from Little Italy. I asked for the best pizza place (I was on expenses) and they directed me to some place that I can't remember now. I had a $45 pizza that was wonderful, but I would not call it low cal. Granted, I've never had a pizza in Austin as good as that place, but let's call a spade a spade. Pasta and pizza dough are not good for the waistlines. But they sure serve yummy Italian food up there, that's for sure.

By the way, I had the same experience in Chinatown. I had an awesome dish, but it was definitely very fatty/heavy as well. That's why I say Mexican/BBQ are no more unhealthy than Chinese/Italian in NYC. Sorry.

The red sauces are not what I have a problem with, it's the rolled pasta that is usually refined and not wheat. That's where you gain weight. The red tomato sauces are an excellent source of lycopene, I have no complaints with them, but they are heavy for me. I would probably only get Italian twice a month even in NYC.