Why Can't I Quit You, Austin?

[landman 559]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:40 AM, utee94 said:

I have an idea!  Why don't we leave both the preemptive thread-shitting and the reactionary thread-shitting to the doomsayer threads like ___ what the f is wrong with you and the great enshittification thread, and leave this one positive, as it was designed and intended?

I'll go again--

I grew up going here as a kid in the 70s/80s, and my kids have grown up going here as well.  And it really hasn't changed all that much, aside from 1/2 of it becoming an antique mall...

 

Antique mall is closing next month and Playland is expanding!

[KaiserSoze 998]

Fun day in Austin. Hit breakfast at  at El Borrego De Oro with @Longhorn_Fan68  and then walked from Barton Springs to Eeyore's with our usual Band of Miscreants.

Eeyore's was fun and scenic as usual- excellent music (Greatful Dead tribute band, drum circles, randos playing music,) and great beer options, etc.  with your typical top-notch people watching.

We got lucky with cooler-than-forecast temps + clouds and a nice breeze.

Eventually we bar hopped back south across the river (with beers at Tavern + beers and food at Shoal Creek Saloon along the way) and now I'm finishing a beer at Barton Springs Saloon before walking the rest of the way home.

Good times 

[KaiserSoze 998]

Also, as is tradition, we chilled with  @MissingInAction & Luna for a while.

[texasdago 7554]

35 minutes ago, KaiserSoze said:

Fun day in Austin. Hit breakfast at  at El Borrego De Oro with @Longhorn_Fan68  and then walked from Barton Springs to Eeyore's with our usual Band of Miscreants.

Eeyore's was fun and scenic as usual- excellent music (Greatful Dead tribute band, drum circles, randos playing music,) and great beer options, etc.  with your typical top-notch people watching.

We got lucky with cooler-than-forecast temps + clouds and a nice breeze.

Eventually we bar hopped back south across the river (with beers at Tavern + beers and food at Shoal Creek Saloon along the way) and now I'm finishing a beer at Barton Springs Saloon before walking the rest of the way home.

Good times 

Holy smokes, no pun intended, but I imagine the smoke from Eeyore's must have been visible for miles

[Wally Pryor 5261]

46 minutes ago, KaiserSoze said:

Fun day in Austin. Hit breakfast at  at El Borrego De Oro with @Longhorn_Fan68  and then walked from Barton Springs to Eeyore's with our usual Band of Miscreants.

Eeyore's was fun and scenic as usual- excellent music (Greatful Dead tribute band, drum circles, randos playing music,) and great beer options, etc.  with your typical top-notch people watching.

We got lucky with cooler-than-forecast temps + clouds and a nice breeze.

Eventually we bar hopped back south across the river (with beers at Tavern + beers and food at Shoal Creek Saloon along the way) and now I'm finishing a beer at Barton Springs Saloon before walking the rest of the way home.

Good times 

 

El Borego De Oro is such a great place. 

[MissingInAction 24979]

2 hours ago, KaiserSoze said:

Also, as is tradition, we chilled with  @MissingInAction & Luna for a while.

Good times. Great to see you. 

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

On 4/26/2024 at 11:34 AM, utee94 said:

I can't quit Austin and I can't quit Conan's.  It's amazing to me that the Anderson/Burnet location is almost identical to how it was when I was in high school decades ago.

 

 

 

Conan’s on The Drag was my go to place almost every time I came to Austin from SA for a game (or anything) in the late-70s. Glad to know there’s still a location open. 

Edited April 28 by ImissWallyPryor

[Longhorn_Fan68 33857]

4 hours ago, KaiserSoze said:

Also, as is tradition, we chilled with  @MissingInAction & Luna for a while.

It's not Eeyore's until you see @MissingInAction, as they say

[mchookem 16305]

haven't gotten through the whole thread yet, but wanted to say...

i lived there for exactly 34 years (to the month). the vast majority of my life. 

i loved life there, i knew the city like the back of my hand, i never got sick of it, i had a front row seat watching it grow into a big, messy, crowded city around me and was still happy to live there, and i was very sad to leave it. 

if Austin wasn't in Texas, i would have stayed put forever. 

i tell everybody here that asks, "i broke up with Texas...but Austin is still my heart!"

 

this thread almost made me cry lol 🧡🤘

[mchookem 16305]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:13 AM, HenryJames said:

amore! 😄

[texasdago 7554]

24 minutes ago, mchookem said:

if Austin wasn't in Texas, i would have stayed put forever. 

I get this, my man.  I totally get this.

[mchookem 16305]

k i was moved to actually find some pics. these are mostly the last few years before we moved, but some are obviously older. i really got into hiking local parks during covid lol. 

i think this was a ksu game? not sure... but obviously we won 🤘

my backyard:

my back:

obviously:

view out my office window last five years before i retired:

shoal creek:

Hoover's...before Mack lost the plot lol:

and this is a 3-D printed map of Austin. friends got us one of Denver as a housewarming gift and i loved it so much i got one of Austin. they hang directly opposite each other in my dining room...

Edited April 28 by mchookem

[utee94 15779]

8 hours ago, mchookem said:

if Austin wasn't in Texas, i would have stayed put forever. 

i tell everybody here that asks, "i broke up with Texas...but Austin is still my heart!"

Eh.  I love Austin especially because it IS in Texas.  It's part of the character of the city.  If you dropped it into any other state it wouldn't be the same.

[MissingInAction 24979]

9 hours ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

It's not Eeyore's until you see @MissingInAction, as they say

 

[BurntEyes 5940]

14 hours ago, KaiserSoze said:

Also, as is tradition, we chilled with  @MissingInAction & Luna for a while.

I know this is going to put my sanity into question but he, @Brisketexan, @immamac and @utee94 are four of my favorite things in Austin. 

While I may not miss living in Austin I miss people and places in Austin. 

To switch back, a place I miss and love (granted not IN Austin but...):

 

[BurntEyes 5940]

Another outdoor place I haven't seen mentioned:

[HenryJames 65971]

3 minutes ago, BurntEyes said:

I know this is going to put my sanity into question but he, @Brisketexan, @immamac and @utee94 are four of my favorite things in Austin. 

 

[BurntEyes 5940]

6 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Hah! It donned on me that I actually only met 1 of them here the first time. If they are gay I'm a little disappointed none of them ever hit on me. I haz a sad. 

[texasdago 7554]

Hey today is Free Day at Zilker Botanical.  We swung by for 15 minutes before the second round of rain...

 

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

4 hours ago, utee94 said:

Eh.  I love Austin especially because it IS in Texas.  It's part of the character of the city.  If you dropped it into any other state it wouldn't be the same.

If it wasn’t in Texas, what would Austinites pretend to be?

Edited April 28 by ImissWallyPryor
Sorry for not keeping with the spirit of the thread.

[Deej 76738]

I've lived here all 55 years of my life. As much as Austin irritates the ever living fuck out of me now, I can't imagine anywhere else. 

[BurntEyes 5940]

1 hour ago, texasdago said:

Hey today is Free Day at Zilker Botanical.  We swung by for 15 minutes before the second round of rain...

 

Love that place and at the right time/weather you can avoid a lot of crowds. 

[texasdago 7554]

18 hours ago, BurntEyes said:

Love that place and at the right time/weather you can avoid a lot of crowds. 

That's what it was like yesterday just before 10 AM.  Maybe 5-6 people thanks to the weather. 

[closetohumping 17429]

Special special place.  This thread is making me  happy and sad at the same time.  May be time to move back. 

[closetohumping 17429]

On 4/27/2024 at 11:44 AM, HenryJames said:

Bluebonnets are gone.

[Jiggy-Z 3432]

Mentioned before, but Barton Creek greenbelt for the climbing.

Hey, it's not Smith Rock or Red River Gorge, but there are some cool routes in there and so close to everything.

[irishtexan 11480]

How many of you had mugs at Showdown? I did from like 99 till I moved in 2002 and they held on to it for me for a few years after but then it got bequeathed to a new regular around 2005. Getting honored with a mug was a highlight of my 20s. 

 

On 4/27/2024 at 7:02 AM, Biff Tannen said:

I have never once been here. 

In reference to Sandy's - it's the same food at Short Stop with an expanded menu and more dessert/custard options. We try to hit it up when we're in the neighborhood and the weather is nice. 

[Sleep off ugly 279]

Y’all are slipping. Deep Eddy Cabaret, still going strong since 1951. 

[MAUFRAIS 6607]

Definitely can only day drink at deep eddy now. Credit cards and mixed drinks moved the star bar crowd west.

[Deej 76738]

The Draught House. Opened the year I was born. Mom has photos of me there with a Schlitz in my hand at about 3 years of age.

(They serve mixed drinks now, too)

 

[MissingInAction 24979]

I was nearly run over in the Draught House parking lot by drunk frat boys more times than I can count.

[Jiggy-Z 3432]

55 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I was nearly run over in the Draught House parking lot by drunk frat boys more times than I can count.

New year's eve 2003, wife and I and another couple closed the place down. When we got outside, some dude and his girlfriend tried to sell us a bunch of scented candles. So random. Wife bought like $50 worth.

Probably should cross post to the wives thread.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11817]

On 4/28/2024 at 12:10 PM, texasdago said:

Hey today is Free Day at Zilker Botanical.  We swung by for 15 minutes before the second round of rain...

 

Both my kids ended up getting capped at UT for their preferred degrees, and went to St. Ed’s instead.  I gotta say the view from that campus is fantastic as well.  

[Judge Roybeanbag 11817]

On 4/28/2024 at 12:10 PM, texasdago said:

Hey today is Free Day at Zilker Botanical.  We swung by for 15 minutes before the second round of rain...

 

Both my kids ended up getting capped at UT for their preferred degrees, and went to St. Ed’s instead.  I gotta say the view from that campus is fantastic as well.  

[BurntEyes 5940]

6 hours ago, Deej said:

The Draught House. Opened the year I was born. Mom has photos of me there with a Schlitz in my hand at about 3 years of age.

(They serve mixed drinks now, too)

 

Okay, maybe I've lost my mind, but didn't they have free pizzas on like Tuesday or something?? 

And I recall then being pretty tasty.

Speaking of free food, it's gone (sorry Dago) but free hotdogs at Blackcat on Mondays I think, which is also where I discovered $1 PBR and Sister Seven, then Little Sister and not infrequently a joint being passed through the crowd.

[BurntEyes 5940]

Speaking of cheap/free food and booze.

2 for $5 chopped beef and $3 6 packs of Pearl Lager or Mickeys, your choice: 

To keep it current, below is the bar I probably frequented the most during my last stretch in Austin:

Edited April 30 by BurntEyes

[texasdago 7554]

On 4/29/2024 at 10:36 PM, BurntEyes said:

Okay, maybe I've lost my mind, but didn't they have free pizzas on like Tuesday or something?? 

And I recall then being pretty tasty.

Speaking of free food, it's gone (sorry Dago) but free hotdogs at Blackcat on Mondays I think, which is also where I discovered $1 PBR and Sister Seven, then Little Sister and not infrequently a joint being passed through the crowd.

What's wrong with free food? I'm down with that. Well, I guess it depends. But if we're talking about free food, absolutely go to the Sahara Lounge for Africa night where they feed you a really tasty buffet and it's free. The buffet is free. Tickets are 10 bucks.

Speaking of music, just saw this list of Summer festivals...

https://www.kvue.com/article/entertainment/events/austin-outdoor-concert-series-guide-texas/269-b7ca1ac4-3050-4169-b36c-cd5429c13386

 

 

 

[texasdago 7554]

These wrestling shows are pretty damn funny and Central Machine Works is just a great place to hang out...

[High Plains Drifter 11018]

On 4/29/2024 at 8:37 PM, Judge Roybeanbag said:

Both my kids ended up getting capped at UT for their preferred degrees, and went to St. Ed’s instead.  I gotta say the view from that campus is fantastic as well.  

 

I lived a few blocks from St Eds while in high school. Swam in its pool for swim practice more than a few times. Used the track quite a bit as well. 

It really is a nice campus with a view. 

 

[jimmyjazz 45844]

20 hours ago, texasdago said:

What's wrong with free food? I'm down with that. Well, I guess it depends. But if we're talking about free food, absolutely go to the Sahara Lounge for Africa night where they feed you a really tasty buffet and it's free. The buffet is free. Tickets are 10 bucks.

My (now defunct) dad band played there during SXSW this year.  I had never been.  Cool bar -- the "crowd" was half old lesbians and half Black regulars who were clearly thinking "why are these middle-aged white dudes playing loud garage rock in our bar?"  

I gotta swing by for an Africa night, that place has a great vibe.

[texasdago 7554]

16 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

My (now defunct) dad band played there during SXSW this year.  I had never been.  Cool bar -- the "crowd" was half old lesbians and half Black regulars who were clearly thinking "why are these middle-aged white dudes playing loud garage rock in our bar?"  

I gotta swing by for an Africa night, that place has a great vibe.

Africa night is interesting because it is a really mixed crowd and from what I saw, no "group" stuck out... it just a melting pot of ages, races, etc. and everyone really digging the music.  I took my Scottish client for Africa Night when he was visiting Austin and he thought it was fantastic.  Went one time with my wife and we spent the first 15 minutes trying to avoid talking to the local conspiracy theorist.  He eventually latched onto the lady taking cover at the door.

[texasdago 7554]

I don't want this comment to devolve into a blah blah blah not enough Austin police blah blah circle jerk... But I drove into Houston today and on one stretch of I-10 there were six speed traps. Cops pulling people over left and right. Say what you will about Austin, man. I've never seen that.  I'm going to chalk that up as a positive. Not to mention that miserable smokey weather looks prettier in Austin than it does in Houston.

[blacklab 11926]

Sitting at the bar at Maudie's in Bee Cave next to two old ladies.

I ordered the grandpa special, two tortillas filled with beans and taco meat, covered in gravy and cheese.

One of the ladies asks me if it's ok to take a picture of it, and I tell her to go ahead. She explains the other lady is from out of town and doesn't know what Mexican food looks like so she's taking a picture.

I tell them what it is and then she says her husband always gets that and adds a fried egg on top, and a couple of weeks ago when he got his colonoscopy they came here at 9am and that's what he got. I tell them that I had a colonoscopy last Thursday and came here and ate chips and queso, 2 pete's, and  migas. 

The lady from out of town exclaims "Is this what you do in Austin? Sit around and discuss your colonoscopies with total strangers at a bar?"

Me: "Yep, that's Austin"

 

[texasdago 7554]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:03 PM, blacklab said:

Sitting at the bar at Maudie's in Bee Cave next to two old ladies.

I ordered the grandpa special, two tortillas filled with beans and taco meat, covered in gravy and cheese.

One of the ladies asks me if it's ok to take a picture of it, and I tell her to go ahead. She explains the other lady is from out of town and doesn't know what Mexican food looks like so she's taking a picture.

I tell them what it is and then she says her husband always gets that and adds a fried egg on top, and a couple of weeks ago when he got his colonoscopy they came here at 9am and that's what he got. I tell them that I had a colonoscopy last Thursday and came here and ate chips and queso, 2 pete's, and  migas. 

The lady from out of town exclaims "Is this what you do in Austin? Sit around and discuss your colonoscopies with total strangers at a bar?"

Me: "Yep, that's Austin"

 

LOL... that's funny.  You know, I've noticed old people love to talk about their health problems and procedures.  I've noticed it too much unfortunately.  Don't get old

 

But, hilarious that someone would want to take a picture of that.  We go downtown/South Congress a lot - I just like the vibe.  We hear the funniest things from tourists when sitting on a front table at Guero's.  I'm trying to figure out how some of these people haven't seen Tex-Mex before.  Then again, I remember being in Southern California for two weeks my senior year in HS and this girl from Iowa would keep taking pictures of touching palm trees.

[HenryJames 65971]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:03 PM, blacklab said:

Sitting at the bar at Maudie's in Bee Cave next to two old ladies.

I ordered the grandpa special, two tortillas filled with beans and taco meat, covered in gravy and cheese.

One of the ladies asks me if it's ok to take a picture of it, and I tell her to go ahead. She explains the other lady is from out of town and doesn't know what Mexican food looks like so she's taking a picture.

I tell them what it is and then she says her husband always gets that and adds a fried egg on top, and a couple of weeks ago when he got his colonoscopy they came here at 9am and that's what he got. I tell them that I had a colonoscopy last Thursday and came here and ate chips and queso, 2 pete's, and  migas. 

The lady from out of town exclaims "Is this what you do in Austin? Sit around and discuss your colonoscopies with total strangers at a bar?"

Me: "Yep, that's Austin"

 

Worst. Penthouse Forum. Ever.

[Orange&White 5521]

1 hour ago, texasdago said:

LOL... that's funny.  You know, I've noticed old people love to talk about their health problems and procedures.  I've noticed it too much unfortunately.  Don't get old

 

But, hilarious that someone would want to take a picture of that.  We go downtown/South Congress a lot - I just like the vibe.  We hear the funniest things from tourists when sitting on a front table at Guero's.  I'm trying to figure out how some of these people haven't seen Tex-Mex before.  Then again, I remember being in Southern California for two weeks my senior year in HS and this girl from Iowa would keep taking pictures of touching palm trees.

My buddy and I used to take his '64 Chevy C-10 down to Congress for the Lone Star Roundup Hot Rod show every year. He had a gun rack in the back window and he'd put a Daisy Red Rider in it for the car show.

Inevitably, every year, for like 7 years running, a group of foreigners would be walking down the sidewalk and shout "OMG...he has a shotgun right there in the window", which would be followed by how crazy America is.

[Armybrat 40803]

Crossposting 

Top pic I took in the Summer of 1959 at the northbound frontage road of I-35 & Elmhurst Drive. Riverside Drive bridge over the Interstate visible in the background.
(Cousin Joanne was sweet) 
 

 

The same view as of May 2019 as found on Google maps street view (RIP Cousin Joanne)

 

Edited May 13 by Armybrat

[royiv 9193]

2 hours ago, texasdago said:

We go downtown/South Congress a lot - I just like the vibe.  We hear the funniest things from tourists when sitting on a front table at Guero's.  I'm trying to figure out how some of these people haven't seen Tex-Mex before. 

To be fair, they’re not looking at TexMex if they’re at Guero’s.

[texasdago 7554]

13 minutes ago, royiv said:

To be fair, they’re not looking at TexMex if they’re at Guero’s.

That's not all they're talking about

 

27 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Top pic I took in the Summer of 1959 at the northbound frontage road of I-35 & Elmhurst Drive. Riverside Drive bridge over the Interstate visible in the background.
(Cousin Joanne was sweet) 

Sometimes I'm glad I can't see the Capitol Building any more

[HenryJames 65971]

28 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

(Cousin Joanne was sweet)