Well, it looks like traffic to my blog is hopping so I thought I should get to it and make another entry.
I’ve lived in Austin, TX for about a year and a half, moved from NYC, I hated it when i first moved here. I hated- wait,”hate” is a very strong word that should not be used loosely so I’ll say I “strongly disliked”- that all the houses were so quaint and old, I strongly disliked that most of the people I’d see walking down the street looked as if they hadn’t showered in days, I strongly disliked that everything was all about organics and buying locally, I strongly disliked the traffic (I still do), and I strongly disliked the bratty and loud University students.
A year and a half later, I’ve grown to be pretty fond of Austin and have found so many things about Austin that are awesome and so charming. Here’s a tidbit of what I love about Austin not in any particular order…
1. Barton Springs. Right smack in the middle of the city is barton springs pool. 3-acres in size, its fed from underground springs and is on average 65 degrees year round. Its FREEZING and almost impossible to get in unless you jump in. Its also a topless park which I think is pretty awkward considering the fact that it IS a family friendly pool.
Barton Springs. Image courtesy of www.home.austin.rr.com
2. Juan in a Million. The cheapest and best hole in the wall Mexican restaurant in Austin not only because of the play on words in the restaurant’s name, but there is a huge outdoor patio area and its always packed, open only from 7am-3pm. I love eating outside so when we go there, I’ll be outside enjoying the famous “Don Juan.”
Owner, Juan in front of Juan in a Million. Image courtesy of www.utexas.edu
3. The Nightlife. I love that any day of the week you can go somewhere and there’s always something to do. Bars may close at 2am but hey, they’re open and there are usually always people out and about every day of the week. And for all the music lovers, there’s always live music.
6th Street. Image courtesy of www.activerain.com
4. Townlake. A lake right in the middle of the city. When I say right in the middle, downtown is just a few minutes away. There’s a Hike-and-bike trail that runs along the lake with water stops, you can canoe or kayak on the water, you can watch the thousands of bats fly out from under the congress bridge, among other things. Townlake’s my running track so maybe I’ll see you out there sometime!
5. The Capitol Building. Its just pleasing to the eye. A very gorgeous building. Proud to be a TEXAN!!
6. Trudy’s. A local restaurant chain here in Austin. Serves everything from Tex-Mex to the southern comfort foods like chicken fried steak. The only thing I’ve ordered there is the Stuffed Avocado. Its just a big plate of stuff that could possible give me a heart attack- Shredded chicken inside a huge avocado and then deep fried and served with queso on top. Mmmmm so yum!
7. Kyoto. I love Happy Hour at this local Japanese restaurant. Its only from 6pm-6:45pm so the line to get in starts forming around 5:30 or so. They’re super strict about the cut off time so even if you have been standing in line waiting to get in for 30 minutes, right when the clock strikes 6:45, the happy hour menu is gone and you get the dinner menu. Hah! better get there earlier next time! Appetizers and Rolls start at around 2 dollars during happy hour. Kyoto is probably my favorite sushi restaurant in Austin. Reminds me of the sushi I would have in NYC.
8. The weather. Its almost October and it is still on average 96 degrees every day. Need I say more?
9. Game Day. Even though I still am annoyed at the amount of obnoxious college students there are in Austin, I must admit that Game Day is pretty awesome. There’s just a sea of people in burnt orange around campus, current students, future students, alumni, and just fans of UT. The whole city gets into it. It is a sight to see!
10. TC’s Lounge. Best dive in bar in Austin. Monday night is the best night to go. Its a hidden gem really. Tucked in the East Side of Austin where many don’t venture out to, TCs is a blues bar with a killer live blues band that is only there on Mondays. There is a cover charge of 5 dollars, but it is definitely worth it because you can Bring you own Alcohol. Beer isn’t allowed because they sell it in the bar for cheap anyway. There isn’t air conditioning inside so be prepared to get super sweaty and its usually packed every Monday so don’t get grossed out if someone happens to swap sweat with you. My friends and I make our way over to there occasionally for some good music, dancing, and for a very good time.
TC’s. Image Courtesy of www.austinchronicle.com
If you’ve never been to Austin, you should plan on making a trip down here sometime. Its sure to be a great time. I’ll even show you around!
i love sleeping!!!
