an honest review of austin (West, Howe: live, price, food)

[Piper909]

Y'all check the weather records for 2011. Look at how many days of over 100 degrees F we suffered through then. That was unusual, but it was not beyond comprehension. It was a record and a harbinger of what's to come.

Face it, with climate change and global warming, shrinking lakes and rivers, dying trees, the Northern Mexican deserts are moving up into Texas and will eventually swallow this region up.

[Piper909]

Hmm, I should have also mentioned how another city Austin now apes is Indianapolis. We spent $29 million in state and local subsidies to bribe Formula 1 racing here, which snarls up traffic, consumes resources, and caters to 80$ outside visitors. This is part of the problem of Austin becoming a playground for the rich and the outsiders, while the natives are priced out of their homes and compelled to avoid their usual roadways or eateries or recreational venues. They keep telling us that Formula 1 "brings money into the city." How, exactly? I keep seeing increases in my tax bill despite this largesse. Where's MY rebate or share of this bounty? Or does it just mean that the minimum wage workers in the hotel and restuarant trade get to work even harder during these weeks? POnce again the residents subsidize benefits for the well-to-do.

There is something very sad and yet very metaphoric about how Austin, once priding itself on being Green and eco-friendly and progressive, has chosen to sponsor an activity that consists of cars burning gasoline, creating exhaust fumes, going round and round a track, as fast as they can, making noise, creating traffic jams of spectators, getting nowhere, achieving nothing.

[RoadWarrior12]

Originally Posted by Piper909

Hmm, I should have also mentioned how another city Austin now apes is Indianapolis. We spent $29 million in state and local subsidies to bribe Formula 1 racing here, which snarls up traffic, consumes resources, and caters to 80$ outside visitors. This is part of the problem of Austin becoming a playground for the rich and the outsiders, while the natives are priced out of their homes and compelled to avoid their usual roadways or eateries or recreational venues. They keep telling us that Formula 1 "brings money into the city." How, exactly? I keep seeing increases in my tax bill despite this largesse. Where's MY rebate or share of this bounty? Or does it just mean that the minimum wage workers in the hotel and restuarant trade get to work even harder during these weeks? POnce again the residents subsidize benefits for the well-to-do.

There is something very sad and yet very metaphoric about how Austin, once priding itself on being Green and eco-friendly and progressive, has chosen to sponsor an activity that consists of cars burning gasoline, creating exhaust fumes, going round and round a track, as fast as they can, making noise, creating traffic jams of spectators, getting nowhere, achieving nothing.

Hilarious. Must be rough living somewhere you hate so much.

[ATX Wahine]

I went to the F1 races last weekend. And met a ton of people there who were also from Austin. We certainly didn't feel like outsiders. We felt lucky and proud as hell to have this beautiful world-class facility in our own backyard.

Haters gonna hate!

[north2south.]

The weather- again.. Coming from where I'm from I'll take an April to October summer all day. Yes being over 90 would be considered hot up there but it doesn't really feel much warmer.. It just stays sooner and lasts longer- which is fine by me ��. The one thing I miss a little is the more defined seasons.. Fall colors and leaves-smell of burning leaves in the air and everyone playing football outside, winter I'm guessing I'll miss the big city lit up-the houses all lit up with snow covering the ground and dead trees, but quite honestly I can't deal with extended winters. It's the bitter cold more than anything else.

Bugs- yeah can't stand them but what can ya do.

It's been too long since I've been on here to remember what else was said. I will say I have never seen a place so opposed to literally everything... Improving public transportation, big city amenities ( zoos and museums),pro sports, new food places from other places and so on.. Lots called change and progress.

[texan2yankee]

As a recent transplant also, I'd add as positives: polite people, friendly neighbors, lower density, slower pace, lack of pretentiousness, positive attitudes of residents, and lower cost of living.

[rekab23]

Yes, you are going to see more bizarre and larger species of insects, due to the temperate climate. In more Northern and colder climates, these creatures cannot survive. I have heard that Florida is far worse with the huge, scary bugs. I think the creepiest bug I saw was, what was called a cicada killer. We were sitting in the back yard one day this summer, and saw this thing flying around. I went inside to look it up online. It is a HUGE wasp looking thing, that feeds on the cicada beetles, I had never seen one before...I just saw that sucker flying around my foot and I was airborn....lol.

[Eastcoasting]

I like Austin.

Piper where looks good to you?

Are you going to trade in heat and bugs for cold and higher taxes or are you sitting on a nice little pile of gold that will allow you some nice digs San Diego, St John or the South of France?

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by Piper909

There could be more, but I'm out of time for the moment -- later, maybe. But that's some of the lowlights.

Sounds like it's time for you to move out... or did you just have a bad day?

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by blakely

Count me in for close to 6 months of summer: May, June, July, Aug, Sept, October. It was into the 90s until the end of October this year, and that's not uncommon.

Yes, and that's a good thing. I hate cold weather.