Please give me 10 reasons why NOT to move to the Austin area. (Spring: places to live, restaurants)

[TheHarvester]

I agree with Austin-Steve and Twange --- No two places are the same, that's absurd. Anyone who is incapable of seeing the differences between cities is not qualified to opine on the subject. That's like saying "all humans are the same" based on our crude similarities.

You have to get to know a place or a person, both are very complex. Cities cannot be reduced to simplistic statements about the quality of certain restaurants and the intensity of traffic any more than people can be accurately described by the color of their skin and the political party they belong to.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by TheHarvester

I agree with Austin-Steve and Twange --- No two places are the same, that's absurd. Anyone who is incapable of seeing the differences between cities is not qualified to opine on the subject. That's like saying "all humans are the same" based on our crude similarities.

You have to get to know a place or a person, both are very complex. Cities cannot be reduced to simplistic statements about the quality of certain restaurants and the intensity of traffic any more than people can be accurately described by the color of their skin and the political party they belong to.

But at a quick view I can see the posters point. I travel all the time. I seehe same chain restaurants everywhere. I see bad traffic almost everywhere. I see those same sign about Builders everwhere (in LA I laugh when I see thats sign (from the low 1,000,000s). Everyone says they have the best mexican restaurants (sorry texas but every state serves up our south of the border cuisine). The Cookie cutter developement have uglied up nearly every town.

The Difference that I see:

Austin: More friendly, Good job out look, State flag, like most of texas is every place. I was just up in my state of Washington, and I swear I could not find our flag. I had to look it up on the internet. So to me I don't really get it, but Im not saying I think its a bad thing. Texas Stars everywhere. From what I understand, you have a better chance of selling your house if you have that star on your house somewhere. These are the good: About the only bad I can find with Austin thats not like every other place is the muggy air. I am not sure if I can every get used to wet air.

What I want to know from you folks...probably should ask Love roses or Austin Steve, is what time I should come back for a visit: I left already but have friends here. Im talking weather wise. Does the muggy weather ever go away? Is there a good asian restaurant in all of Austin? Why is that star everwhere?

[jwb123]

If I could give austin-steve more rep, I would. Excellent post!


I have never lived in a place like "the Austin Metropolitan area" (don't want to upset a few here). It's absolutely unique, while yes, still having the same big box stores you have in many other place, but hundreds upon hundreds of stores, restaurants, locations, scenary, people that you wouldn't find any other place but here.

1) Vibe.
Austin has a vibe that is hard to describe or quantify. Different people will "feel the vibe" to different degrees, some perhaps not at all, but it's there and it's real. I feel it.

2) Things to do.
Even if you live in Pflugerville, Manor, Leander, Buda, etc. - outside Austin in the "bland looking suburbs", you're within a 30 to 40 minute drive to a wide selection of events, activities and special unique places and things to do. Should you care to go out and avail yourself of such places and amenities, life in Austin will be much different than similar looking places you came from that don't have what we have.

I could think of a few more but you get the picture. The quality of life a city offers cannot be measured or judged by the appearance of its suburban strip centers.

[love roses]

If you don't want muggy weather, I'd visit during the winter months. I was going to say October may be good as well. This has varied for me year to year though. The star is everywhere, because it represents Texas, and it's on our flag. It's a "Texas Pride" thing. Plus, where I'm at, you not only get the star, but you also have the hippos as well. So you always get double whammied by it. As far as visiting in the winter months, there are lots of little festivals all around for Christmas (or holiday) depending on your preference. Lots of Halloween things as well. It's never boring around here.

[b. frank]

Huh? What hippos? I know I couldn't have missed them on the flag, since the TX flag can be seen from every possible vantage point in the state.

By the way, the single (lone) star represents the fact that Texas was once it's own sovereign nation - The Republic of Texas. Texans are very proud of this.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by b. frank

Huh? What hippos? I know I couldn't have missed them on the flag, since the TX flag can be seen from every possible vantage point in the state.

By the way, the single (lone) star represents the fact that Texas was once it's own sovereign nation - The Republic of Texas. Texans are very proud of this.

I don't see hippos even after Ive had too much to drink.....what hippos. DId the old flag have hippos.

Yeah...you cant miss the Tx Flag, sometimes I see it bigger than the USA flag.

I did not know it was its own country. I suppose I could just as well google the history.

Thanks for the info.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

A neat story about Texas....I was visiting London, England back in 2000. I was on one of those double decker bus tours and we pass this building that is flying the Texas state flag! The tour operator said that when Texas was it's own nation, The Republic of Texas, this building was designated as the Texas embassy! The Texas state flag still is waving proudly overseas at it's once established embassy.

[jwb123]

Texas is the only state that is allowed to fly it's flag at the same level as the American flag...

Re: The hippos.. The high school mascot for Hutto is the Hippo - and they are all over Hutto. Every store has a Hutto Hippo statue, decorated to fit in with the store.

[love roses]

Sorry, Rose speak to English dictionary needed here. I live in Hutto. Hippos are the high school mascot. Big deal out here. Lots of homes have them in the front yard, as well as local businesses. Some homes here also have Texas stars somewhere on them. Hence, the double dose of Texas stars and Hippos. Many, Many, Many, Many years ago a circus came to town and the Hippo escaped and went into brushy creek. It took a long time to remove it, but it endeared itself to the town anyhow, and they made it the town mascot.

[imaterry78259]

Ok Austin is really full of itself. What a massive ego. They said the same things about LA about fifty years ago