f13.net

I can't really begin to describe this drive. Think of it as a mix of OLD Egypt and Concept Art for Fallout. It's a damned wasteland. Every last bit of highway is just brown. There's no real way to describe how completely and utterly barren it is. Every 50-100 miles, there's a handful of gas stations and rednecks chomping at the bit to get their hands on some city folk just so they can show off their accent. The road is littered with trash and the border patrol think it's high time for a lynching. We actually had to drive through the border checkpoint so they could look in the car and make sure we 'weren't too brown.' Or at least, that's the look the guy gave me when he was trying to figure out whether I was Mexican, Wexican, Jew, or Terrorist.

The food on the highway is nothing like a drive from Virginia into the deep south or even West Virginia. No White's Truck Stops on this route! Best hamburger in the world? It's about 1800 miles thataway. We only have overcooked hotdogs and moonpies. I hope you like calories, chubbs. I can't say I'd trust anyone along this particular stretch of land to cook raw meat correctly anyhow. Suffice it to say, I opted for moonpies.

Speaking of moonpies, if you're ever making this drive, I suggest getting a DC Converter, a toaster, and lots of cheese and bread. You do not want to have to stop to use the bathroom. I think the truck drivers chose the hot dogs over the moonpies. Fat, slovenly, drool-stained bastards. Oh, on the topic of animals; what in the nine hells? Dead deer on the side of the road? Frogs? Beetles the size of silver dollars? What the hell is this?

Needless to say, I did not like the first 700 miles (yea, we did 700 miles in like 10 hours. Woop. 70 steady the whole way cept El paso). It only rained for about 18 minutes but it was rain like I hadn't seen since the British Isles. It doesn't just Rain in Mexico and Texas, it's a free high-powered (god-powered?) car wash. I swear, they weren't drops, they were damned streams.

Anyway, we finally hit some remnant of civilization. The 'folks' here call it 'the mid-point.' That's fancy speak for halfway between El Paso and San Antonio. Considering that's only a 400 mile drive, I can't believe this many people stop here. Every hotel except for one was full. So what started as a $350 day turned into $150. Feel free to donate as the ONLY benefits I got out of this were a smoking room, a queen sized bed, and the ability to make this post.

Oh, right, and this post only got made because the fucking cable is out. THANKS TEXAS. Seriously, can we get to firebombing everything outside of Austin? Ugh. I'd rather be in Darfur.

BTW, I didn't say to donate because I want the money. I would consider a firebombing a donation as well.

Other way around, right?

There's only one cool thing in West Texas, and that's Big Bend National Park.

I've driven similar distances in one day across basically the entire south, but never across West Texas because there's nothing that direction I would ever want to visit.

I meant $350 turned into $500. Ugh.

Paelos, National Parks can eat me. That crap is for old folks and hippies. The only National Park I care about is the National Park of Concrete Jungle.

FUCKING KIDS! ARRRRRRRRRGH!

God, I remember those bathrooms, I don't think I shit once from Dallas to Vegas, although I'm pretty sure I did on the way back.  I must have loaded up about 50 of those sani-seat covers over that shit, I almost emptied out the stall next to me after I ran out in mine.

God I hate truck stops.

Edit:

WELCOME TO TEXAS MOTHERFUCKER! YEEHAW!

I've done the California to Texas and back again drive multiple times along I-10.  It is a vast wasteland of pretty much empty nothing-ness.  If you were halfway between San Antonio and El Paso (Ozona?) I'd have said just keep on driving to Austin.  It's only another 5-6 hours of driving.

Why even get a hotel?  Shit, I used to make the 20 hour drive from Colorado to Michigan (and back) in one fell swoop.  Don't stop for anything but gas.  When you buy gas buy some soda and piss in the empty bottles while driving.  If you get sleepy roll down the windows and turn up the stereo.

Hotels are for pussies.

my favorite part of texas is that everyone has a side arm.  its a little unsettling to see 3 rednecks with pistols and cowboy hats at the local green burrito. 

We probably could've, but we were running on empty really. For the last 72 hours I had only had about 5 hours of Good Sleep. This was necessary.

looks like someone forgot to warn you, I take the north Route specifically to avoid the splendor that is west Texas, it would be a slight detour from Phoenix but probably worth it. 

lol. EXTREME

We have roughly 373 miles left to go today. We'll be able to knock that out right quick. Gonna pack up here shortly, don't burn the place down thx.

Dude - less posting and more driving.

Last time I had a major move I stayed up for 72 hours straight (not even naps). That was the longest I'd ever been up. I was actually hallucinating while driving -- the bushes and trees looked like animals. It was actually kind of cool since I knew what was going on.

Sure thing boss :drill:

lol reminds me of my last Austin to CA trip, made the wife drive it straight through in shifts.  Good times!  Everytime she piped up about my speeding I just said "oh good yer awake, your turn to drive." This method had her driving about 18 of the 26 hours.

I don't think she has forgiven me yet.

You should have sold your car and flown.

went to edit and hit quote instead.   forum 1, Sal 0

Dude, it's TEXAS. What did you expect?

I once drove nine hours through Texas to San Antonio with an icechest full of beer to keep me awake.

So, have you said Yall or YEEEEHAW out loud yet?  :grin:

People will wonder what the fuck you're up to if you say Yeehaw. In a city at least. All of the yeehaw shit is in the small towns, like Lubbock and Midland, and this oil pumped wasteland Schild is driving through atm. The rest of the cities are huge, badly planned, spread out urban areas. Lots of suburbia and city life. Square acreage wise, I don't think cities get any bigger.

The vibe you'll get from San Antonio is some weird amalgam of suburbia, military, and Tejano. You might be able to pull off a "AAAIIIHAIIIHAII" with a sombrero hat on here. Maybe. Austin's unofficial motto is "Keep Austin Weird". I mean, that city was the birthplace of Psychedelic music (Roky Erickson), not country. Houston is just packed and dirty as fuck. Something that can almost put Jersey to shame. Dallas has a proper skyline and big urban vibe, but I'd say it's the most Yeehaw of the bunch. Go there if you want to be an urban hick.

Dallas is pretty urban hick. It's a common past-time in the richer areas to act like you're a redneck. I did not associate with these people much because they were idiots.

This has nothing to do with Texas, but for 10 days everyone in Calgary says yahoo and wears cowboy hats and I HATEHATEHATEHATE it.

The drive across 10 or 10/20 is horrible from Phoenix.

17N to 40E is much better, mountains, indians, decent food, clean gas stations. Then you get to Texas and it all goes to shit. I always used to fill up at the last stop in New Mexico, then see if I could make it all the way to Oklahoma without stopping.

West Texas is...empty. Nice place for windfarms, which is really taking off. But it's mostly empty -- remnants of oil land, ranch land, occasionally places where someone is managing to grow shit despite minimal water (it's dry out there. Panhandle is the same way).

East Texas -- along the border -- is worse, because it manages to combine the worst of the West Texas attitude with the casual racism of the deep south.

The cities aren't too bad. Austin, as noted, is weird. UT's there, there's a thriving tech industry, and there's a good indy music scene. Dallas is -- Dallas is old-style money, mostly, and you don't get more "White Flight" than some of it's north suburbs.

San Antonio isn't bad -- a lot more Mexican influence there, kind of a southwest city thing.

Houston is -- sprawled. REALLY sprawled. That's slowly starting to reverse (it's too fucking expensive to drive) but that'a s decades long project. A decent fine arts community (decent museums, opera, shows, that sort of thing). Good food, and suprisingly varied. It's dirty, though -- refineries along the east side, the port proper, and years of neglect cause problems. But as noted, the city is starting to gentrify and ever since Tom Delay got shitcanned, actual plans for transit have popped up. We may actually get our first real zoning around the airports (there's some lawsuit there) -- otherwise, Houson is COMPLETE unzoned.

Which has led to the Homeowner's Associations From Hell.

Lot of rednecks, though -- the Rodeo is held here, after all. Lots of immigrants, though, so the racists are having a hard time of it. Then again, White Flight was pretty big here and it hasn't ever totally left. City I live in had a sign warning blacks not to linger past sunset up until the 70s. Gone now, thank god.

But West Texas -- the area that Schlid drove through -- is just an empty wasteland. It's starting to boom -- I'm not kidding about wind power being huge there -- but right now, it's desolate.

You all are forgetting about all the telescopes! It's an amateur astronomer paradise in west Texas.  Seems like every 3rd house (aka every 15 miles) some guy is packing a scope large enough to require a building with a retractable dome.

True, no light pollution. :). There's several decent observatories in Texas. McDonald's is a UT-affliate out in West Texas, and I think SFA and Sam Houston have one apiece.

Too low for the really great telescopes -- but real science is real science. :)

Of course, JSC is in Houston -- where astronauts are wrapping up training to go upgrade Hubble for the next decade. (Which, I admit, took some serious fighting. The shuttle schedule is tight, but Hubble is important).

I drove from Indiana to Sacramento California. Quit'cher bitchin'. Also yes there is not a goddamn thing in 70%+ of Texas. It's dirt and scrubbrush for all of eternity.

70% of anywhere is nothing. Even New York has it's hicks. Only possible exception may be Cali...there's shit to do even in the deserts there.

Unh... sorry to interrupt this thread with complete randomness but if you scroll up to replies #24 and #25 you'll see that Paelos avatar is dancing almost but not quite in time with murdoc's avatars clapping and it's breaking my head!




Er... on-topic... hmmm.. OK, I've been to San Antonio once, I liked it! Except the downtown Holiday Inn we stayed in was the first genuinely roach-infested hotel I'd ever experienced O_o

Cali has plenty of hicks.  The entire 'Inland Empire' is pretty much nothing but shit kickers.

weird thing about Texas is that even though it has a shitload of barren wasteland someone thinks it's worth something enough to own it.  Fun Texas fact #382 - Texas has the lowest percentage public property of any state (2% or so).

Of course I don't actually give enough of a crap to actually confirm this by checking the numbers in other states but I've heard it said a few times and considering the size and quantity of state parks in TX it feels like a true statement.

edit: guess I was wrong I did find this map covering federally owned land http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/map-owns_the_west.jpg (http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/map-owns_the_west.jpg) then again if you don't look at it in percentages but go by sheer land mass TX would win hands down.  Still not sure what the break down on state owned land would be.

Don't buy cowboy boots.  They look stupid on men.

They're also not really practical even for riding a horse.  Not only do you frequently have to get *off* the horse to totter around on your man-heels, but a working Western saddle has stirrups plenty large enough for size-12 steeltoe work boots.

--Dave

having a heel helps though...

I wouldn't consider it critically necessary but then again I only go riding when the wife forces me to.

Watch this movie. Ray Liotta is awesome.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v723/plaxico81/SomethingWild.jpg)

I don't trust anywhere with no trees.

Well, the actual reason they're built the way they are is so they slide *out* the stirrups easily, so you don't get your foot caught in the stirrup if you fall and get dragged by the horse.  But that's not an issue with a good saddle, anyway.  Or a good horse.  Anyway, nobody wears their snakeskin/crocskin $1000 fashion statement on an actual horse, or even in the vicinity of one if they have any sense.  Bunch of fucking posers, most of them have never even been on a horse.

--Dave

Just to emphasize.  Grab some of his CDs if you can.  I don't think he still plays professionally, but if you see him around Austin, check him out. 

Everyone's at least heard his best song (You're Gonna Miss Me). High Fidelity kicks off with it, and there were those Dell commercials that jammed it awhile back.

He still plays. And if you bring him a sixpack at his house, he'll even chat with you (then again, who wouldn't?).

My workboots (http://www.constructiongear.com/caterpillar-holton-work-boot-steel-toe-honey.html) have a heel. What kind of crazy ass "work boots" are you buying that don't?  Of course, Work boots have the added feature of lugs just in front of the heel at the ball/ toe region, making the whole "Sliding your foot back out so the horse doesn't drag you" thing mildly impossible, I imagine.

Texas is so incredibly flat too. In central Texas around Midland there's a place where there are some mountains, but even those are flat on top (mesas.)

I drove end of last July 1800 km one way in CDN to move my girlfriend to a new job.  Then back (+). Then I got a job in WA 10 weeks later.  So I went back (+) up and brought her back to our house (+).  So, ~1800km x 4 in <10 weeks.  Total that shit up.

The first time I drove back I did ~1800km in 20 hrs.  Never again.  The woods are way too dark at 3am when no one is about.

That's why I've been away.  Partly.  Moving sucks.

When I was in college Freshman year there was a group of us going around introducing ourselves, saying where we were from, etc. One girl from California didn't want to say where she was from, for some reason, and another California guy (from Sacramento) said, "what are you from Bakersfield or something?" and she *was*! :awesome_for_real:

Edit: in

The workboots I wore the summer I spent on a small ranch had lugs on the heel, but not the ball of the foot (if you didn't want to pay somebody to sole them that way, you took them off with a grinding wheel or sander, leaving some under the toes so you didn't lose all your traction).  This was common practice in that part of Montana, I can't speak to how it's done in other parts of "cow country".  Cowboy boots aren't good for dismounted work anywhere, but especially not in an area that can get snow 9 months out of the year.

--Dave

I must admit, that is probably the best description of Houston I have ever heard.  The other half wanted me to move there to be closer to her family.  I said not only no, but fuck no.  She talks about moving back... she can go without me.

That makes good sense.  Horses are filthy, evil creatures who are not to be trusted.

Austin isn't flat though ;) 

Theres a reason they call a section of Texas "hill country"

On a completely big (and dorky) sidenote, Robert E Howard based Cimmeria on the Texas Hill Country (where he grew up).

Ahem, so... Perhaps that can make it more exciting for you. Just imagine Subotai and Conan running around in that shithole. Maybe it'll make the trip cooler.  :oh_i_see:

My work boots have a heel, too!  Which corner are you on, hon? :drillf:

Are you people just visting the industrial areas and wards?  We have as many nice neighborhoods as bad ones.

There are "Keep Austin Weird" t-shirts.

There are "Keep San Antonio Lame" t-shirts.

..and there are "Keep Houston Gangsta" t-shirts.

I'm going to second both parts of that.

First, from experience (both mine, my wife's, and especially my father-in-law's, who used to amuse himself doing rodeo-esque sports) you REALLY, REALLY don't want your foot caught in the stirrup if you fall. Proper cowboy boots are pretty good for long-term riding (if you sit correctly -- something I have never gotten the knack of, to be honest) and sensible footwear for someone who works primarily off the back of a horse.

If you're getting off the horse to walk around a lot, there are probably better choices -- assuming they pass the critical "don't hang up in the stirrup" test.

But you can easily tell the difference between "Check out my boots" boots and real ones. The real ones have rather specific wear patterns and are well broken in. They are not shiny, colorful, or made of expensive materials. They're rugged leather that's been cared for but has actually been used to protect your freakin' feet.

Although if we're going to rag on the expensive boots, do bear in mind that SOME people actually dance in the bloody things -- which means they're effectively dress boots. You don't go work in the yard in your dancing shoes either. :)

Pot, kettle, black.

I don't get it. :headscratch:

Sacramento, despite being the state capital, is hick country-lite.  So, a guy from Sacramento saying, "What are you from, Bakersfield or something?" is the the pot calling the kettle black in regards to middle-of-nowhere-hickville (or, more generally, a place that you don't want to explicitly say you're from).

I'm the same way though, I always say I'm from Los Angeles if anyone that doesn't know the area asks.  Partly because it's easier that way, but also because South Gate is pretty :awesome_for_real:.

Of course, there's the not-so-slight chance I've fallen into a sarchasm, but oh well.

Yes Sacramento is hick country-lite which makes it even more amusing since even they can look down on Bakersfield people.

They are all the same!  ;-)  Actually I have to visit Pearland\Friendswood on the rare chance I go back anymore.  It's... decent.  Pretty crowded and traffic stinks (I'm from California, if *I* say traffic is bad it is ;-) ).  It's awfully close to Pasa-get-down-dena and all of their wonderful refineries and smells though.  Then there is the area near Hobby with all of the ladies of the night on Telephone road (grandmother-in-law lived down there so we got to visit every other day or so, the other half's aunt regularly "conducted business" there too).

Downtown had some pretty neat areas - Montrose had charm and character, UofH was nice (but not AROUND it), Rice, etc.  But... the wards and industrial areas are all along the freeways and when you have to drive through some special places only to get stuck in traffic on the freeway, you watch the scenery.  I honestly haven't been back there in almost 3 years (more because of the M-in-law than any outright hate for Houston, but it doesn't help itself out).

Greenspoint was nice until Allison.  Then it turned into Gunspoint.  So that could be thought of either way.

I live at the edge of the Montrose and Museum districts.  Those are nice as you say.  I was in the Med Center previously, next to West U, Bellaire, and Rice which are ritzy.  UH is trying to develop the surrounding land.  Eastwood is restoring itself, and the edges of downtown are so different you wouldn't recognize them now.  Pearland is turning into the next Clear Lake.

There is a lot of revitalization going on in the inner city.  It might be the one positive of having the nation's worst public transportation system.

Once Tom Delay got the boot, Houston actually got federal funds for something more than "busses". All the arguing over rail line placement is pretty stupid, but it's just haggling over details. The general map is the same -- and it's going to be nice once it's up and running.

Compared to a real transit network, it'll suck, but I'll be thrilled to take rail from Clear Lake to the Theater district. I hate driving downtown.

Yea Maggie Mays on 6th. its nice to be in austin.

There's already pics of Schildy in his new digs:

(http://www.roflcat.com/images/cats/270917403_1ae736f6c5.jpg)

Wow schild has lost a ton of weight!

Edit: he needs a shave, though.

He should take up smoking cigars.   It would suit him.  Don't you think so?

I'm about as rabidly anti-smoking as you can get so I would say no.

What if he started smoking something that wasn't bad for your health? :drillf:

When Righ and I talk about Schildy, we call him Mr. Whiskers.

1. Stopped smoking cigars years ago. Still have a few hundred left.
2. Mr. Whiskers? ugh.

I HAVE INTERNET.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted :awesome_for_real:

God help us all.  

I mean congrats sir.  Welcome back to the world as we know it.

Aroga aroga. Flood torpedo tubes. Fire all porn.

And for whatever reason I'm getting 15MB down. I am _ok_ with that.

18,332Kb down, 1337Kb up (lulz).

who is the provider?

Time Warner, I expect to be throttled within days.

Edit: I'm only supposed to have 2.2MB down, but this 15+ is stable from ehhhh, some large download sources.

Are you in your house or are waiting for someone to invite you to live with them?  If a really rch elderly woman invites you to live in her pool house, say yes.

Apartment. I'm near Lum. I haven't unpacked the highpowered binocs and night vision yet though.

ooooo.   (http://www.invision.smileyville.net/smilies/fear%20(6).gif)

You're stalking Lum?  Does he know of this?

Will you pay to not send him a PM with a link to this admission?

I'm fairly confident he knows this thread exists.

As long as you're stalking him, you may as well find out what he's working on.

true dat!  oh wait isn't the KotORMMO...


edit: nm thought he was at Bioware for some reason, probably the Austin connection.

Maybe he's working on Raph's areola in secret.

Ew.

Y'know what's funny? I just KNEW that schild would move to Austin eventually. Like 3 years ago I knew.

Well, it was inevitable, obviously. It was a matter of when. The other option was Portland. But avoiding Winter is key for me.

global warmingis on your side!  The winters in Austin can be vicious but lately they seem to only last a few weeks.

Well I hope you find yourself at home here, man. Make the best of it, and you'll probably never want to leave!

Kerbey Lane alone is enough to make me never want to leave. 24 hour diners with good coffee are my greatest weakness.

Kerbey Lane is great. I stayed in Austin for a few months. Great city.

I'm just trying to figure out how many times I can go before they catch on. I've been there 8 times in 6 days. >_>

The other good thing about these diners is that you can come in your underwear if you want, or any other kind of freakish wardrobe (or lack thereof), and no one's going to give a shit.

I'd really like some of their waitresses to work in their underwear. I'm not so sure about the patrons though.

Kerby Lanes' kitchens can be absolutely disgusting, so buyer beware.

If you're worried about being "caught for repeat business" or whatever(not sure why that's a huge deal), Jim's is a similar kind of 24hours establishment.  If you are lusting for late-night chinese, Wan-Fu is open till 4am(though sometimes they close early).  Downtown is also supposed to have a couple hole-in-the-wall places for thai and whatnot that are open pretty late, haven't found those yet though.

If you want to get drunk in a hurry go to Baby Acapulco's (but call it Baby A's if you want to start blending in).  Their food is terribad, but the purple margarita's are made with everclear, and they have other decent flavors.  As my most regular hangout, it's hard for me to not recommend Trudy's, especially on tuesdays as their premium mexican martini's are house price, and they have an okay selection of other drinks.  If you like beer I recommend trying fireman's #4 and shiner black, best if draft.

while this may seem like a good idea to some, all the flaws are revealed the 1st time you run into leslie.

Avoid any type of contact or near contact with Leslie if you value your hygiene.

I forgot to add, some people recommend StarSeeds cafe for latenight dining(they are 24hours AFAIK), but every time I have gone there(three times, with each ending with us leaving before ordering) the air smelled like a toilet bowl full of dookies.

Yes the closest you should get to him is his fridge magnet set (http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/oop/click_ord/detail.html?sid=3401&deptid=OTHER&catid=&itemno=1199327689&list=MM9).

I don't understand this  sentence.

Also, are you still in Austin? I can't keep track of people very well.  Time to look up the location on some of these places. I'm in the northwest and our Kerbey Lane seems to be incredibly clean and constantly busy. So, yea, ymmv most likely - as with any diner.

Ok.

Starseeds is a little Nowhere Near me At All. So that's crossed off.
Both Wan-fu locations are a trek. Obviously the airport one is nowhere near me.
Jim's is 5 minutes from me, will go.

I'm not 'worried' about being caught for repeat business so much as it won't be long before I've had everything on their menu and I don't want to burn out in the first couple weeks I'm there.

...

How do you get caught for repeat business?  What's the catch?


(teehee, I made a pun)

Ahh, that Kerby Lane is usually actually clean, but I would never trust the southernmost one.

Yeah, I still live here, but I'm a southie, so northern austin frightens and confuses me.

Also, I've had like 6 different waiters there, and seriously, best waiting staff I've ever had the joy of experiencing outside of Four Seasons in New York. Shockingly good. I've been tipping like 25-30%.

Yea, I wanted to move to South Austin but given that I gave myself 3 days to find an apartment and still somehow managed to get my roommate to look at like 18 places, I'm happy with what we got. It's small (just under 1k sqft) but it works. And it's 2 blocks from that Kerbey Lane - that said, they're moving one block closer. Heh. Bastards.

I think I'll go to Jim's in a bit I suppose. I know there's a lot of f13ers in Austin, but I don't know if they read Gen Disc.

Jim's is OK. Mostly food that's horrible for you. But they have this cinnamon coffee that's the shit. Migas are good too. Waitresses fall in the washed up single mother category...Nice thing is, they are motherly, and will take care of your drunk ass.

Good advice, I'll save it for when I'm drunk.

I think I'm going to let Urban Spoon or Chow decide for me. Problem with Austin is it seems to have about 5x as many restaurants as Phoenix. So it's total sensory overload. I'm awash in good food. Make it stop.

Yeah, there are a ridiculous amount of really cute waitresses/servers and hostesses in this town, and often they are actually really sweet.  There's also an astounding number of well-off white guys trying to act like thugs here.

I second the Migas at Jim's.

Welcome to Texas.  YEEEEHAAAAWW

Yea, there's absolutely nothing that says 'yeeeehawww' in Austin. It's nice. But I knew that before coming here. And yea, I was eyeing the migas on the menu. /yum.

I think I need to make a map of restaurants. Project for tomorrow! Now I just have to find something to do for 12 hours. Job hunting is done for today.

sweet yer up by me, I thought you decided on going south.  Okay here is the rundown of decent restaraunts in the area besides KL:

Pacific Star - total shit hole on 183 Northbound frontage (just past Anderson Mill Rd) Despite trying to throw you off with the asian communist looking logo/name and being owned/operated by mexicans (same staff as long as I have been going anyhow) it has some pretty good louisiana style soul food.  BEST OYSTERS I HAVE EVER HAD, don't know where they get em and I don't want to know I just want another tray.  Their crawfish etouffe served in a hollowed out french roll with a side of shrimp fried rice is also friggen awesome.  cheep beer and food!

Midori Sushi - tasty yet decently priced sushi, shopping center SE corner of 183 & anderson mill rd.

Tomo - best sushi in town - near Cool River on the south side of palmer lane.

Jardon Corona - Hole in the wall mexican food, 183 exit anderson mill go east then south on pond springs road (it will be on yer left).  Good mexican food is really really hard to come by in Austinthis is one of the few places that has it.

Cool River - Not my bag but I guess the yuppie techie types like it, big steakhouse/bar on palmer lane between 620 and mopac.

Nearest Delaware Subs - Chicken Philly with hot peppers FTW! Anderson Mill Road West of 183 (it's in a shopping Center on yer left after the 2nd light).

Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse - yer movie of choice with a bucket of beer and real food!  The dining tables in place of every other row of seats also makes it more comfy.  Lake Creek parkway and 183.

There is also a Waterloo Icehouse at 360 & 2222 (not their best location but same food/beer).

BBQ - There is a Rudy's near Kerbey Lane and if you are in the mood for beef ribs that would put the flintstones to shame you can head down to the county line (360 & 2222) they also have awesome sausage (chicken roughly the same as Rudy's but the brisket isn't even close).

Also, be sure and head out to Oasis for some drinks while the sun goes down (take 620 south past 2222 you will see signs on the right directing you), Iguana is a little further south on 620 but best Queso ever (along with the worst chips) awesome view as well.

Pff, http://www.yelp.com/c/austin/restaurants (http://www.yelp.com/c/austin/restaurants), there you're done.

Yelp is great for california, but personal opinions and forum style (liek Chow) works better. But thanks for telling me what you know I've already done, sucka!

I once had this chick send me a spam email listing about 150 "awesome cookie recipes", I sent her back a link to a google search for "awesome cookie recipes" and pointed out that if she hadn't cooked any of them there isn't a damn bit of difference...

edit: For example - Tomo is way better than Uchi, Uchi is #5 on the list while Tomo is 38.

I think I'm just gonna go to delaware subs, it's the only place I know the location of without resorting to writing down a map. I live off Pond Springs Rd btw, right next to 183. I can spit and hit Kerbey.

Delaware is pretty much take out.  you could eat there but you wont want to.

you can sit outside (with a few hundred stray cats) and enjoy the heat with a cold beer at Pacific Star sucking up the exhaust from 183!  it is closer, they have inside dining too but it lacks the ambiance.

I don't want takeout. Blurgh. I'LL FIND SOMETHING. I LIKE EATING AT A REAL TABLE.

Seriously, this city is total overload. Can not function.

Delaware is only worth a damn for the italian sausage sub... IMO. Thing is, it's only available on fridays or some shit. Err...or at least used to be.

Umm...things to do in the next 12 hours. Make it a blockbuster night maybe? Rounders is playing the Road Warrior. You could have (great) pizza and watch the greatest action flick ever. By yourself.  :awesome_for_real:

when's the f13 gettogether? I'd come visit.

plus the crawfish etouffee is almost like a crawfish etouffee philly (just close yer eyes and trust me on this)...

that isn't bad but the chicken philly is damn good.

Rounders? Also, the first couple weeks in a city always feels like a vacation. i walk around half-terrified and half-curious.

It's a pizza place downtown. Go there...eventually at least.

That's out of range for a simple lunch trip.

Or dinner. I don't even know what time it is anymore. My apartment is dark and cold, I like it that way, but it's a bit of an altered state.

There is a conans pizza a lil closer you should hit that up while yer still playing the game.  Awesome pan pizza + conan artwork + Signed U2/Bono endorsement hangin by the register + me telling you it's good = how can you go wrong?

I'm not playing the game. I hope the pizza has a solid framerate though. But I had pizza a couple nights ago. I'm a hard case. I should pay one of you to pick me up and surprise me with delicious food. I'll wear a blindfold, but no funny business!

Yeah, I'm just saying. Good place if you're downtown with friends though. Also, they have old school games built into the tables and shit.

I would give you nothing but Taco Bell, America's Fast-Food-branded laxative, and then scamper into the shadows while cackling maniacally.

If you would have stated this on Saturday you would have ended up at ski shores eating a good burger and having some beers.  It's a lil bit of a drive for a quick hop out but it's kind of fun being able to be in the center of Austin while at the same time being in BFE.

It would be kind of funny to come get yer ass right now and take you to kirby ;P

If it can wait 45 minutes i'll come kidnap you, can't be gone for more than a few hours though (wife kids and such).

Funny? you mean delicious.

45 minutes it is, I can fire up a game, incoming PM.

you mean email... ;P

No, I mean a PM. Look at the top, You have 1 message.

Don't just leave us in suspense like that!  I must know how this story ends!

it was a cajun fiesta only to be paralleled in fun by casa bonita & we met satans cat.

the end!

Schild is not an explorer.

Take the risk, start eating at the closest restaurant and work your way outward. Keep notes on why you like or dislike any. Enjoy learning about your new surroundings.

pics please, I checked my time warner speed at home yesterday because I was jealous and the rat bastards are only giving me 512 each way.  Fortunately I have my work connection to console me.

(http://www.speedtest.net/result/300224781.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

(http://www.speedtest.net/result/300314620.png)

I think some of the download was throttled by.... other things. But whatever, you saw my speed yesterday. :|

Like what other things?

I'm sorry to inform you it isn't porn.

Riiiiiiiight.   :wink:

Why won't you tell me what it is?  I really want to know!

What is this "repeat business" idea you guys are referring to? Some kind of rule?

It means that if peopel see that you are coming back again and again they think you are a sad internet nerd with no life who comes to these places as he had no real friends and the wiatresses are the only company you will ever have.  :oh_i_see:

But if you tip well, who cares?

Wait a minute. I was reading World War Z at my table today. Yea, so what if I've been there twice in 16 hours. Definitely fucking B-String waitresses tonight though. Hell, B-String waiters also. Everyone except the girl up front was... not up to par. So far, I've crossed Tuesdays (kids night) and Thursdays (hot chicks off night) as days to avoid Kerbey Lane.

I think Schildy is going to get laid by hot chicks with hick accents wearing aprons!

You've never been to Austin.

Oh yeah, Kerbey Lane.  I didn't make the connection when someone spelled it "Kirby".  Nice place.

Try Chuy's too, not the Hula Hut weirdness but the real Tex-mex.  I'm such a fanboi of that place I embarass myself.  Get the creamy jalapeno dip (it's free but you have to ask).

Yep yep. We went to Chuy's many times in Phoenix. I know how good it is :)

Most of the waitresses probably come from Amarillo.

So, what you're saying is, you've never been to Austin.

Maybe.  Maybe not.  I won't tell you.

There's one in Phoenix?  :ye_gods:


fake edit:  are you sure?  Chuy's site says Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio   http://www.chuys.com/location.html (http://www.chuys.com/location.html)

Either the Chuy's in Dallas sucked, or I just don't get the obsession. Mi Cocina was my favorite in Dallas, probably closely tied with Javier's.

Schild, do you like 311? You can hit me up at a show if you like next week.. It's at the Backyard (which, I believe, is closing soon..). There will be...umm.. plenty of girls there.

Pretty sure there is more than 1 Chuy's franchise going on.  I went to one in CA and it wasn't even close to the one here in Austin.  Plus the 2 in Austin are owned by the same people that own hula hut and they just don't strike me as the big corporate franchise type of restaraunt ppl.  Maybe schild can go and confirm this.

A 311? Show? As in "Down" 311? As in 15 year old girls? What kind of shows are you going to?!

Also, I have very little money, concerts are kinda out right now. Generally I go to a bar on Saturday, get one drink and listen tot he free band.


It might be owned by someone else and MAY be total coincidence. But they have the same list of salsas. Bar looks the same, ambiance isn't though (from looking at the pictures). I should just Go and find out.

Hey, they're not at the top of my list either. But it'll still be fun either way. There won't be any 15 year olds there, I assure you.

The kind of shows I'd normally go to is some alt country stuff or shitty punk bands at Emo's.

I'll be honest, the only shows I go to anymore are generally synthpop, super hardcore shit, or hard punk. Once in a blue moon I'll make exceptions for folks like Bowie or Murphy or Billy Joel. Because I'm old! No, because they're awesome. But otherwise it's kept to one genre. The last show I went to was Dropkick Murphys/Maximum the Hormone, and the pit was my home.

311 is a decent band. Their singer owns an island in florida. Persistence ftw.

Pits are passe.

Billy Joel makes girly music!   :ye_gods:

Billy Joel? Are you serious? is this one of those lame attempts to make contact with the Reagan age or some such? Nostalgia for a decade you were barely consiously sentient in? Iwanttostranglethingsnow.

Scuse, just catching up on recent threads of interest. My inner music nerd requires me to comment:


He's an important innovator, not a progenitor. I'd love to visit Austin though.

Eh? So, you're not angry that I love Bowie and Queen - whose best stuff came from an era I didn't exist in. But Billy Joel does? Señor, I submit that I am not the one with the problem. Also, I reckon I knew Billy Joel music better when I was 6 than you do now. Remember, jewish parents.

...I like Billy Joel, he's on myspace right now...

If you get a chance, go see Pong live.  Their recorded stuff is "eh", but their live shows are a lot of fun.

Signe, almost nobody in Austin has a distinctly-texan accent, at least not that I've seen.  Maybe it's just because I try to avoid any shitkickers at all costs?

Eh.  Amber was one of THE most boring songs (and whatever album it was on was too) ever.  They used to play that entire album in the weight room in college when it came out and NO ONE felt like working out when it was on.

Austin is burdened with the reputation that falls upon Texas. And now that I'm here, I appreciate it. Simply because it keeps people far the fuck away from ruining it.

Nah man! That guy's the top dog. He even coined the name for his tunes, "psychedelic rock". That was the band Janis almost joined before she was anybody, before the Beatles moved away from pop tunes, and one of the only contemporary bands the stones copped from (the gurgling sound at the end of 19th nervous breakdown). If he's just an innovator, then I'm at a loss as to who first started moving in these directions. Because he predates even Zappa to boot. Frank or Capt Beefheart didn't even have proper bands of their own until after him....and I'm not sure I'd even classify them as psychedelic anyways. Just experimental/jazzy shit.

Queen and Bowie are classics, by just about any standard. Known world wide. Billy Joel, on the other hand, although widely known in the US, isn't very famous outside the English speaking world and although I can't assert it with any conviction, I venture a guess that he's not very well known outside the US period. Very different animals.

And I certainly have no doubt whatsoever that you knew and indeed, still know Billy Joel better than I ever will. Do not blame it on your parents, however. My mother infested me with Joan Baez, but you don't see me munching organic alfalfa whilst fondling my inner birkinstock, now do ya!?!

hmm? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC5IZKsx4nQ

I'm pretty sure Billy Joel is reasonably well known worldwide.

You will have to exuse my vitriol re Billy Joel. At the tender age of 11, I was stuck on a tour bus for 5 days with a bunch of middle aged american tourists  travelling through southern Spain at the height of summer. They did Billy Joel sing-a-longs for hours. And hours. To me, Billy Joel represents the bovine existence of the american middle class that plagued the 80s that brought us Iran Contra, Bush as CIA director, ketchup as a vegetable and the mullet. He is part of the nexus of evil that was America during the 80s.

And I don't know how that bothered you, he didn't start the fire. GOD I SLAY ME.

Edit: You know, I dislike We Didn't Start the Fire as much as you obviously do. I was subject to many singalongs like that also. But Pianoman? Early 70s. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant? Just awesome.

Oh no you didn't.  :ye_gods:

I did.

Oh dear.   :ye_gods:

Hey, we all have our guilty pleasures.

I thoroughly enjoy Point Break, for example. Probably seen it 50 times.

Guilty pleasures? Shit, I wave my Billy Joel and A Knight's Tale flags high.

Hey!  I liked We Didn't Start the Fire, even if it was overplayed!

Explain to me how a movie of pure win like Point Break is a guilty pleasure.  EXPLAIN!

For example: Bed of Roses would be a guilty pleasure of mine, though I guess admitting I like that movie makes it somewhat less guilty.

So is Billy Joel coming to Austin? I'm not sure what's going on here?

I know it's hard to follow, but do try to keep up. /snarl

For some reason it seems right that you would.

Woah!

Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, 50 times? Is there anything you want to get off your chest bud? Or did I miss the memo?

Dude, it's like a 2 hour mountain dew commercial. I can't pull myself away.


Yeah... Definitely.

I think that was enough to get off one's chest in one sitting.  Anything more would probably require more therapy than we're allowed, by law, to offer.

You need to hit Bert's Barbeque off of Far West and get the Turbo Tman.  Next door to Bert's is El Arroyo which is good TexMex. 

Austin is full of good food. 

I always liked going to Katz's when I'd visit my brother.  24 hour deli for the win. 

We went to the Clay Pit last I was there, freaking awesome food.  It's really hard to go wrong, so many good places there. 

If you're liking wings, check out "Pluckers" - really good.

Although they didn't have them when I was in Austin, they appear to have some Dr. Pepper flavored hot wings - I lay awake some nights thinking of this.

Pluckers is good late night after the drinky, and for Trivia. The Fried Pickles are pretty rocking. Don't do the hottest wings, they will melt your ass.

What you do with the Fire In the Hole wings at pluckers is get an order of 5, and then get an order of 25 of something like medium buffalo.  Mix those together and don't tell anybody.  Don't have any ranch or bleu cheese anywhere near.  Convince people they aren't the spicy kind, just the flavored.  Hilarity ensues.

Katz's has great food, but avoid the corned-beef hash if you want to live through your meal.  It was tasty, but I about died halfway into it due to excessive sodium intake.

Don't they have the wheel of fire there? A sampler plate of all their wings, all unmarked. 1 wing on the plate is the stupid hot burn your tongue variety.

Yeah, but it's no fun when everybody knows they might get burned.  It's like telling everybody that one of their drinks had a drop of habanero juice put into it, where's the fun in that?

There's a rule in Virginia, if you're going to get Wings at a new place, you have to get the hottest wings offered. You only have to eat one. But you have to eat at least one. It helps make you a man. Also, being from hicktown is fun sometimes.

VW3's on 6th street has an awesome selection of beers and wings and it doesn't feel like a soul less chain.  There is also fowlers just north of anderson mill lane (make a right) on 620 it has some pretty hot wings (fairly stron late night crowd).  Remember part of keeping Austin wierd is the unwritten promise to not eat at national chain resteraunts!

I assume you mean BW3s? Yea, their HOT HOT sauce is blurggggggggggggggggggggggggggh not hot enough. I'll try Fowlers.

ya BW3's been a few years. 

Fowlers hottest wings are kind of fail, they pretty much just said lets just make these fuckers as hot as we possibly can and not really give a shit about flaver.  So yeah they are macho hot but personally I like flavorful hot stuff.

I prefer flavorful as well, but at the hottest levels you have to put aside that want and feel the burn (that is, if you're outside of north/south carolina or georgia.

Edit: Btw, went back to pacific star, had their catfish nuggets and the oyster sandwich. SO GOOD. SO F'ING GOOD.

ya pac star has to be one of the best bang for the buck places to eat in Austin. 

I've only been to Austin a couple of times even though I live in the same state, but a place I do remember that had pretty tasty sammiches down Austin way is Thundercloud Subs.

However, if they've gone to shit in the last few years or something, I take no responsiblity.

no they are still okay.

I love clams and mussels, but I hate oysters.  They're just nasty balls of snot.

Also, since you're obviously all settled in your new place, here is what I would have bought you for a house warming gift if I were inclined to buy you a house warming gift!
(http://www.mcphee.com/pixlarge/10972.gif)

It is (http://SO) you.

I become Kobayashi if fried oysters are in front of me. Regular oysters though, not so much.

Why do people actually like chicken wings?

Ugh yeah. I don't know. Not much meat on them. Always pisses me off... and then I grab another. And another. I'd happily take a wing-spiced chicken leg instead. Why doesn't anyone sell that?

Buffalo Chicken Fingers should've eradicated the wing. But really Buffalo Wings are the only way to eat the wings. So, yea.

Don't eat at the one in Houston.  They used to be good, but it's become expensive slop. *gag*

I go with their Spicy Garlic.  Bit of heat and lots of flavor.  Yum.

Katz is New York crap. Turkey is dry, doesn't matter how much they pile it on. Pure, unadulterated crap. Really, New York has no damned clue how to make a sandwich. Truly, they are sandwiches fit for New Yorkers.

This is not a pastrami sandwich:
(http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6847/pastramisandwichwo7.jpg)

This is:
(http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3162/pastramits3.jpg)

And even then, that bread is questionable. Not nearly juicy with meatjuice yet.

Are you out of your mind? The point isn't really the meat, it's the sauce. Nice crispy skin and some franks red hot + butter. That's my kobayashi food. I fucking love chicken wings. I create wing bone graveyards that make chicken from miles around squawk in fear.

Buffalo sauce on chicken fingers is ok, but chicken fingers fill you up quickly. Too much meat to sauce ratio.

I won't comment on the idea that one restaurant in NYC somehow means the entire state doesn't know how to make a sandwich :) Bread is too small in both photos, though.

No, but the classic new york deli makes shit sandwiches, was my point. The Four Seasons makes a killer turkey sandwich.


Yes. Hence why I said the bread was questionable. And it still needs meat juice.

I prefer a medley of complementary ingredients in my samiches, a pile of meat between 2 peices of toast isn't my dream samich either.  Other than a delaware chicken philly I haven't really found a samich in Austin that i'd rave about.  Busters BBQ used to sell an awesome one called the garlic h-bomb (smoked pork butt stuffed with garlic and jalapenos i think) but they messed it up when they switched to a different bread.  There are a few people I know who swear by firehouse subs (around the corner from you in cedar park).

I live in a shithole town, better stuff comes out of my own kitchen than most restaurants. The only reason I even bother eating wings at a restaurant is my fryer bit the dust a couple years ago and I haven't replaced it.

Not a big firehouse fan. Not a big delaware fan either (just the italian sausage as I said earlier). Wherever there's a mom and pop italian place though, I'm happy. Which is why I'm gonna have to call bullshit on NY not having good sandwiches. That can't be true.

I guess I'll chalk this one up to never having had wings with good sauce. It just seems that there's always several things on any menu that I'd rather have.

BTW, on the lower end of the totem pole, you might want to check out Taco Cabana -- but only when you have a hankering for fast food (else you'll be disappointed). The Mini Chimi's are awesome. Like a Truck Stop Burrito, but spicier.

Oh geez.  Taco Cabana... talk about bottom of the totem pole.  I think the only place I would go there over is the place that has roaches delivering food to your table and bumming smokes from you.

Dude. Mini Chimis. Try em.

Also, I could just be saying this because Truck Stop Burritos have been banned in my area lately, for some reason. I even made a post here about it some time ago. Dairy Queen and Texaco used to have them, but now, no dice.

speaking of burritos Rudy's chop breakfast burrito is tasty!

I was in Austin in April for a VMware class and made it to Rudy's but not to Countyline.  Man that was good food.  I went to the one on Research Blvd. and told them I was a noob and they lined me up with samples of nearly everything before I ordered.  Get the cream corn.  I normally hate the stuff but that shit was manna.

Guilty Pleasures? The band Orgy, for me.

Yeah, pretty bad, I know. :grin:

Psychedelic rock was alive before Erickson got around to giving the media a label to hang on the sounds. Even the (now) terribly well known Pink Floyd were incorporating psychedelic sounds into rock music a couple of years earlier. It came largely from the folk and blues scenes, it was practiced first by a number of bands who never even saw a record contract, and it was adopted by many of the more experimental rock bands of the time. Erickson was one of those, and his music is important, but neither he nor The Pink Floyd started it. Even if we stick to purely to American bands who released records that got significant distribution, Kim Fowley was ahead of Erickson. You can't just credit the invention to somebody who put the term psychedelic in an LP title first - besides, that would give the honor to a fairly unknown Philly band called The Deep. Erickson was a part of something that was exploding at the time, and his music is one of the more important parts of that (because it survives, its good and it was influential) but he didn't dream it all up.

Countyline is worth it just for the experience of feeling like yer in a flintstones episode as they deliver you a full rack of beef ribs.  I always have to resist the urge to shout whilmaaaaaaa as I see em hauling my beef laden plate from the kitchen. 

I think I'm going to Thundercloud tomorrow. Pretty sure there's one next to Alamo Drafthouse.

Also, there are 2 really cute chicks who work at Kerbey Lane during the graveyard shift.

Undertakers, body snatchers or zombies?

Too cerebral and unfunny: Error: Can not parse.

(I think they're more likely to just want sex in a graveyard. Just sayin.)

(they're normal chicks)

A hot gothy zombie chick would so suit you, though!

Ok, I'll give you Syd. But not Pink Floyd.  :wink:

My main issue though is you relegating Erickson to merely an innovator. Which is the wrong word.

So when is the Austin f13 get-together? ;D

Don't trust Lantyssa!  She will steal the hot gothy zombie chick right out from under your... umm... you know!

Did Signe just make a pass at you?

I AM NOT NOT NOT A ZOMBIE!

How do you people come up with this stuff?

:vv:

Some people are gold diggers.  I'm a grave digger. ;D

Make it shallow, so I can feel the rain.

Freed from the chains, I am keen to attend.

Hell, given the proper planning I'd probably go too.

That's funny, because given the proper planning, Sigil might've actually made a game. HAR. /clever

Breakfast in Austin

Try The Magnolia Cafe (http://www.cafemagnolia.com/) some what similar to Kerby's, but more urban Austin.
Austin Java (http://www.austinjava.com/) has good coffee and generally great food.  Pancakes do not stack against Kerby's though.
Now, for that morning after, the perfect spot is The Omelettry (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-omelettry-austin).
For old school 50's type of diner, then a little drive up to Georgetown to The Monument Cafe (http://www.themonumentcafe.com/html/cafe.htm) is the best, at least in my book.

Outside of that, try the The Salt Lick (http://www.saltlickbbq.com/) or Rudy's as mentioned.  For really good (though expensive) North Italian food, I would suggest Siena (http://sienarestaurant.com/index.htm).

I love Siena and the salt lick would actually be a decent F13 get together spot as it is BYOB so we could roll up with a keg ;)

I am so God Damn in.

there is even a salt lick at the austin airport so you can go for a salt lick triple header!  BTW - something else that hasn't been mentioned yet, between Amy's Ice Cream and the Salt Lick the Austin airport actually has pretty decent grub ;)

I'm eating Shin Ramyun.

Those were banned in the UK for radiation or sommat.  You weren't planning on ever having kids, were you?

I had a whole post here about what you said being crazy. Totally hinged on Shin Ramyun being a brand of ramen, not the company that makes it.

But then I found this:


http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-4426607_ITM

Not quite radiation!

Oh.  I just very nearly kind of sort of almost remember the BBC story.  I guess I accidentally made up the bits I didn't remember. 

PS  I'm glad you're not going to die!   :-)

We're all going to die.


*insert debbie downer emoticon*

I've seen things... you people wouldn't believe... attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate... all those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain...

I like that little kid from "What About Bob?"

He was always saying that.

We have an Amy's in Houston.  Yum!  Eat a light meal before getting anything here.

Amy's is awesome, try the guinness ice cream.   It is surprisingly tasty.

White Lightning is my favorite.  I'm such a lush.