Austin or San Antonio

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

Fiesta a joke? Try over 3.5 million attend the 100 plus events. Musuems a Joke? The first Smithsonian outside D.C., and a San Antonio Art musem that houses the largest Asian collection in the southwest, is far from a joke. Plus the city has three downtown arts districts and the largest downtown theatre district in Texas, with four restored vaudeville theatre palaces.
San Antonio has the edge with it's number of festivals but it's close though. The Riverwalk is in a league of it's own, where no Texas city can touch, can't help that out of town visitors flock to it. Locals enjoy it as well.
San Antonio terrain is just as green, it is the only city in the country that sits on four different named terrains, it has so many different looks. Of course the drought has taken a lot of the green away.

Yes I personally find Fiesta nothing to brag about. The Riverwalk is a tourist trap and the river itself is disgusting all but maybe a month out of the year when they clean it. The other times it's filthy with beer bottles and lord only knows what else in there. And the terrains, hmmm? As I've said I've lived there for about 30 years and it is flat and not impressive. I personally like hills and water, neither of which SA can offer.

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

Man you living under a rock on this one. there are tons of perople outside of Texas who relocate to SA. This has been going on since the end of WWII. t Austinites are the only one that believe that Austin is the superior city

That is most certainly not true! I promise I'm not blowing smoke when I tell you I had multiple friends jealous when they heard I got a job up here and was moving and neither of them or myself are local Austinites. Now I'm not saying jealousy is warranted, but it is what it is. They had a hard time getting a job up here and also the housing market was a little more than they can afford. Not only that I know two people that moved to Austin from SA in the same month I did. I constantly see out of state plates here as I'm sure SA residents do. So people move b/w both, but let's not act like SA is the end all be all city of TX.

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

San Antonio has the same amount if not more night spots, however, i won't dismiss Austin as not being vibrant with lots to see and do. Downtown San Antonio is alive all week long. Can you say Austin is lively all week long?

San Antonio has the more european feel to it compared with the rest of texas. I have heard Paris used as a example several times by the media. I guess the River and all the alfresco dining and historical charm give it that feel.

San Antonio does have a 12th annual Reggae Festival.
Reggae Festival Guide Online [2006 FESTIVALS]


Your concert list, which doesn't show just one San Antonio concert but actually three, take another look.

Why yes it does. My office is in dt on Congress and when I leave at night, it's packed. It's vibrant 90% of the time by working professionals and college kids both. I can't tell you how many times the Riverwalk was empty during the week--so apples & oranges. And since when does SA have a European feel to it? My German mother would laugh at that. It's hispanic-nothing more, nothing less. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but Paris. Oh God, I'm dying laughing.

[tekka-maki]

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

Downtown San Antonio is alive all week long. Can you say Austin is lively all week long?

Yes, unlike downtown San Antonio. Probably one of the only places in Texas that consistently gets good performances 7 nights a week. Are you being for real or am I am in the Twilight zone?! Even my San Anton friends would posit they don't go downtown that much; I couldn't even drag my friends when I lived there! And with most San Antonio residents always trying to get further and further way from the city (1604 tract city and beyond), well I'm not sure what you mean. Everybody knows there's more nightlife in downtown Austin. The traditional S.A. argument is always, 'well, we're spread out'... you're just bucking the trend eh, all out there in right field by yourself! Good for you. If you keep thinking it, maybe it will become true.

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

San Antonio has the more european feel to it compared with the rest of texas.

In other news Wichita has a more urban metropolis feel to it than many other parts of KS.

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

I have heard Paris used as a example several times by the media.

Well if the media says it, then it must be so. That's my measuring stick of truth for sure! But in the real world, S.A. looks a lot more like Mexico City through and through.

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

San Antonio does have a 12th annual Reggae Festival.
Reggae Festival Guide Online [2006 FESTIVALS]

Website updated in 2004 check. San Antonio 2004 link pointing to an empty domain check, http://www.bobmarleyfestival.us/

You're really only hurting your credibility more at this point... my toy store has more going on this that link you just posted, lol.

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

Your concert list, which doesn't show just one San Antonio concert but actually three, take another look.

Not my concert list, thee 101x concert list which actually pales to the dozens, if not hundreds of top indie performances here on a weekly basis
But yes, 3 our of 42 performances at the ATT center which is more to do with economics related to venue size vs. ego of Coldplay and Metallica... oh wait... well, I shouldn't say that Metallica did play a very intimate venue of around 1500 people at the Stubbs Ampitheater during SXSW... more up close and in person than you could ever get at the ATT center. As well Coldplay played at the cozy ACL studios to an audience of 200, for free... hopefully they come out to ACL Fest, as so many other great bands are rumoroed to appear at.

But yeah, you got me 3 out of 42... San Antonio sure does get all the fun. I'm so jealous...

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

My parents have lived in SA since 1975 and I went to one year of high school in SA. I have lived in SA, Houston, and the Austin area since 1984.

SA and Austin are radically different in my view. Yes they are both good sized Texas cities. But they "feel" much different. San Antonio has its rich Mexican heritage and culture - you choose how much is a good thing. San Antonio has a long military history. I was a lifeguard at Lackland AFB a long time ago.

Austin feels much younger. It is far more educated and tech oriented. Neither city sets any standards for high brow culture (museums, opera, etc.) but SA might win. SA has one pro sports team but that is a negative for me. Austin has a bigger ego than it deserves where SA seems to have none (and should). SA actively fosters a tourism industry (Riverwalk (oops canalwalk), Six Flags, Sea World) where Austin does not. Austin relies on music and UT as attractions for visitors.

I used to think SA drivers were the worst (they drive ridiculously slow) but Austin may be as bad now. So many Prius and Camry's in the left lane. San Antonio's road system is clearly better.

I strongly agree except for the sports thing. I do love my Spurs regardless of where I live. IMO only of course, the one thing SA has over Austin is the huge attractions such as Fiesta TX and Sea World, but one can't do that stuff daily,unless you work there of course, so that doesn't make it a great place to live. I think when deciding in which city to live in, decide what you would like to have on a daily basis. I love the vibrancy and beauty of Austin, which I get to see on a daily basis. The theme parks and SA will always be there if and when I decide to go to those places.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by tekka-maki

Not my concert list, thee 101x concert list which actually pales to the dozens, if not hundreds of top indie performances here on a weekly basis.
But yes, 3 our of 42, at the ATT center so as to support the egos of Coldplay and Metallica... oh wait... well, I shouldn't say that Metallica did play a very intimate venue of around 1500 people at the Stubbs Ampitheater during SXSW... as well Coldplay played at the cozy ACL studios... hopefully they come out to ACL!

And they were upstaged by Jane's Addiction playing for the first time in 17 years to a 1500 person or so audience... what other city in the world, I wonder, could you see Metallica, Devo, and Jane's Addiction in small intimate venues all in the same week?

Although I'll be the first to admit Austin isn't like SXSW year round. And San Antonio does have hills, and much of the same stuff Austin has. Plus it has things Austin doesn't -- particularly an NBA team and real amusement parks. Austin is marketed much better, and I prefer it, but the more I have visited SA the more I appreciate it... possibly the only other city in Texas that I would live in.

[tekka-maki]

Originally Posted by atxcio

And they were upstaged by Jane's Addiction playing for the first time in 17 years to a 1500 person or so audience... what other city in the world, I wonder, could you see Metallica, Devo, and Jane's Addiction in small intimate venues all in the same week?

Although I'll be the first to admit Austin isn't like SXSW year round. And San Antonio does have hills, and much of the same stuff Austin has. Plus it has things Austin doesn't -- particularly an NBA team and real amusement parks. Austin is marketed much better, and I prefer it, but the more I have visited SA the more I appreciate it... possibly the only other city in Texas that I would live in.

I dunno, I would think Metallica would play small cozy venues in San Fran more often, it being their stomping ground. I was just glad they played a lot of the old stuff!

Speaking of Jane's Addiction, they're coming back shortly with NIN on the Ninja tour. But what about the great Indie bands... Band of Horses, Okkervil River, MGMT, Calexico, Beach House, Spoon, man... I have ACL fever! Looking at possibly Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, Fanz Ferdinand, and dozens more, can't wait!

I can of feel like LookingToLeave, the amusement parks aren't a day-to-day or week-to-week attraction for me. I've been to Seaworld once in my life in San Diego and was never even remotely interested in visiting the one in San Antono the year that I stayed there. Same with Six Flags, Great America, getting too old to wait in line for rides, so I don't really feel as though I'm missing a thing, except for the Paris/Japanese/German infusion of course!

[SweethomeSanAntonio]

Will you quit already, Hah, I don't know if your kidding or really feel that way.

San Antonio has the same hills and and is apart of the Hill country as well. The Riverwalk disgusting? Give it a rest.... i can understand the jealously of one of the most magnificant sucessful urban waterways on the planet.

A glance of San Antonio's hispanic Riverwalk, people would laugh with that comment. And don't get me wrong San Antonio's hispanic roots give the city it's sizzle.

Here is a example of the all the hispanic dining options on the hispanic themed Riverwalk, in San Antonio the all hispanic city,
Mad Dog's British Pub,(Owner from Hong Kong) Jim Landings(Jazz show brodcasted nationally), Dirty Nelly's, Boudros, Pasinos, La Reve French Cusine(Rated 6th best in the U.S number one in Texas) Biga on the banks, Pat O Briens, Palm Restraunt, Little Rhein Steak House, Fig tree, Michelino's, River Wok, Zen, Zinc, Hunan River garden, Mortons of Chicago, Sze-Chuen, Naked Iguana, Dicks last Resort, Schilo's German Deli, Republic of Texas, Citrus, V-Bar, Guenther House, Sandbar Cusine, LUCA- Ristorante Enoteca,. I will stop their, I can easily add another 100 non Mexican food eateires downtown-Riverwalk .


A San Antonio downtown jazz nightclub of the 1930's(Riverwalk U.C.) on todays Riverwalk.
http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12519.jpg (broken link)

Riverwalk Jazz Club, one of several.
http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=jazznotes_eastcommercestomp

http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home_template