Austin, TX without the rose-colored glasses (split from worst places you have lived)

[JNA]

Originally posted by Chet

In case I didn't mention it, I still hate Texas.

Can you really say that until you experienced it like I did - in Snyder. ?
T.G. - I left 25 + yrs ago.

[TexanOkie]

I know far too many people who have similar experiences. I wish y'all could have experienced different parts of Texas than you did, especially Dan. The Dallas-Fort Worth area would probably be the best area to experience "Texas" for those who won't jive with the statewide culture, with San Antonio a close second.

[Veloise]

Originally posted by Dan

... They were competing with serious Lance Burton wannabees, decked out in the gear of whatever racing team they were on. ....

Who dat?

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[DetroitPlanner]

Originally posted by Veloise

Who dat?

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Lance Burton is a Vegas Magician. You need to get out more. I didn't understand that one either.

[Dan]

Meant "Lance Armstrong". I've been sick lately, and my brainpower is running at about 50%.

[MacheteJames]

How does wearing lycra make one a "Lance Burton (sic)" wannabe? Do you have a problem with cyclists, Dan? BTW, I'm a competitive cyclist myself. I expect that crap on newspaper comment boards, but not here.

[Dan]

Originally posted by MacheteJames

How does wearing lycra make one a "Lance Burton (sic)" wannabe? Do you have a problem with cyclists, Dan? BTW, I'm a competitive cyclist myself. I expect that crap on newspaper comment boards, but not here.

There's competitive cyclists, and then there's competitive cyclists in Austin. Two different animals. There's a lot of out-of-context lycra here.

What I'm trying to say is that if you're into something in Austin, you're probably going to be really, really, really into it. For example, competitive cycling is something you do not for leisure or for sport, but rather it's your life, your identity.

[Suburb Repairman]

Originally posted by MacheteJames

How does wearing lycra make one a "Lance Burton (sic)" wannabe? Do you have a problem with cyclists, Dan? BTW, I'm a competitive cyclist myself. I expect that crap on newspaper comment boards, but not here.

In defense of Dan, there are competitive cyclists like you that are perfectly normal. Then there are the one's in Austin that likely have 20 ft. marble statues of Lance Armstrong. They are literally obcessed with bicycling and will go out and read about cutting edge technology in cycling not because they are really interested in finding ways to improve their cycling experience, but so that they can feed their ego and develop a perception that they are THE MOST hardcore when they meet up together at the protein smoothie restaurant. They use this knowledge to act condescendingly toward one another and particularly toward "average joe" cyclists like me. They look down their nose at anyone that spends less than $2,000 on a road bike, and particularly look down on bicycle commuters. They are the $30,000 millionaires of the cycling world, and 90% of them happen to live in one place: Austin.

[TexanOkie]

Originally posted by Suburb Repairman

In defense of Dan, there are competitive cyclists like you that are perfectly normal. Then there are the one's in Austin that likely have 20 ft. marble statues of Lance Armstrong. They are literally obcessed with bicycling and will go out and read about cutting edge technology in cycling not because they are really interested in finding ways to improve their cycling experience, but so that they can feed their ego and develop a perception that they are THE MOST hardcore when they meet up together at the protein smoothie restaurant. They use this knowledge to act condescendingly toward one another and particularly toward "average joe" cyclists like me. They look down their nose at anyone that spends less than $2,000 on a road bike, and particularly look down on bicycle commuters. They are the $30,000 millionaires of the cycling world, and 90% of them happen to live in one place: Austin.

As a case in point, while working on a large 400-acre+ mixed use lifestyle PUD a couple of years ago, I tried to address bicycle parking throughout the development, including outside the residences. The local architecture firm's representative told me that no one would tie up their bikes outdoors. I asked why and said that people do it all the time. The response: no one is going to leave a $3,000 item out in the weather. I nearly spit my coffee out onto the conference table. I told him that most people can't afford to spend $3,000 on a bicycle and that an overwhelming majority of people who use bikes as casual transportation buy them for $100-$300 at Walmart, Target, or any sporting goods store, and that these same people might spend $3,000 on a car, not a bicycle. The owner agreed, and the architect sneared. I was almost offended, as I own and ride a $135 modern hybrid "Schwinn" (really a Pacific Cycle made in China) from Target around town in regular casual attire. It serves me well for it's purpose, as I am not a competitive cyclist, of cheap transportation for things close by my home and the occasional ride through the park.

[steel]

I wonder if all bike store sales people come from Austin. I got a long cold stare from one when I insisted that my new bike needed to have brakes and that the ability to change gears would be nice too. I wonder what would have happened if he knew I wanted suspension as well.

[Dave F]

Great article in the link, Repairman.

To add data to Dan's post (which totally nailed it, IMO), you need to be hardcore about everything to fit in in Austin. This includes picking out where to live, what to eat, what music to listen to and on and on. I've seen the crestfallen facial expressions one gets when they announce that they made a 'lame" choice in such endeavors. The disappointment is palpable from interlocutors in Austin, especially planners, when I tell them in which (uncool) neighborhood I live.

I think this is because people have convinced themselved that moving to Austin is moving away from cookie-cutter lameness--even if what's really been created is a new,"hardcore" cookie cutter in its place.

[The One]

Originally posted by MacheteJames

How does wearing lycra make one a "Lance Burton (sic)" wannabe? Do you have a problem with cyclists, Dan? BTW, I'm a competitive cyclist myself. I expect that crap on newspaper comment boards, but not here.

I've seen Lance Burton in Vegas.....and you sir are NO LANCE BURTON



I really need to visit Austin now

[MacheteJames]

I wonder if this "uber-hardcore-ness" is something endemic to Austin, or if it's something more universal? To me, it sounds like you're describing typical Yupster (yuppie/hipster) condescension, and you can find that kind of attitude in any place where those types congregate. Every affluent major city has neighborhoods with douchey people like this.

[TexanOkie]

Originally posted by MacheteJames

I wonder if this "uber-hardcore-ness" is something endemic to Austin, or if it's something more universal? To me, it sounds like you're describing typical Yupster (yuppie/hipster) condescension, and you can find that kind of attitude in any place where those types congregate. Every affluent major city has neighborhoods with douchey people like this.

I'm sure there are people like the typical Austinite in every major city. However, I doubt they're in as plentiful or as high a percentage, which I think was Dan's major point. In Austin, despite there being people in the area who do not fit this type, there are virtually no social niches outside of this typecast other than the old good ol' boy network and the old hippies (which are more and more scarce).

[Suburb Repairman]

Originally posted by TexanOkie

I'm sure there are people like the typical Austinite in every major city. However, I doubt they're in as plentiful or as high a percentage, which I think was Dan's major point. In Austin, despite there being people in the area who do not fit this type, there are virtually no social niches outside of this typecast other than the old good ol' boy network and the old hippies (which are more and more scarce).

Correct. Austin is not that different from other hipster/yuppie cities, except for the fact that the Austin culture is almost homogenously hipster with a relatively small number of other social niches.

Your comment about the old hippies is right on point. The old hippies are actually becoming victims of gentrification in Austin. Austin has the "Keep Austin Weird" mantra, but the reality is that it has in large part lost that authentic part of its culture. Case in point: the cost to attend South-by-Southwest or Austin City Limits 10 years ago compared to today. Heck, just look at how the composition of musical acts and films has changed in that time at those two festivals!

[Dan]

Originally posted by Suburb Repairman

Correct. Austin is not that different from other hipster/yuppie cities, except for the fact that the Austin culture is almost homogenously hipster with a relatively small number of other social niches.

Your comment about the old hippies is right on point. The old hippies are actually becoming victims of gentrification in Austin. Austin has the "Keep Austin Weird" mantra, but the reality is that it has in large part lost that authentic part of its culture. Case in point: the cost to attend South-by-Southwest or Austin City Limits 10 years ago compared to today. Heck, just look at how the composition of musical acts and films has changed in that time at those two festivals!

In June 1993, I made a cross-country blues road trip with one of my best friends from college. We stayed in Austin for about four days, and had an absolute blast. The music that was dominant: blues, blues/rock hybrid, country-inspired alt rock, and rock-inspired alt country. The crowds on 6th Street were friendly and mellow, and generally bohemian-leaning. Strangers became quick friends wherever we went. We spent most of our time at Joe's Generic Bar on 6th Street (it was my favorite bar in the country, bar none, but of course it's now a tattoo parlor) and Antone's at their original location on Guadalupe, but quaffed down Shiner Bock at many other establishments along 6th. No cover at many places; just a hat that was passed every half hour or so.

We talked a few months ago, and I told her how Austin really didn't live up to the expectations I had when I actually moved here. She couldn't believe it. She was especially shocked -- SHOCKED! -- when I told her I seldom went out to listen to live music. Why? "There's so many great blues bars! You can hear great blues every night! The people are so friendly!" Nope. Her Austin is long gone, and I still don't think she believes it. Those gentle, welcoming bohemian-leaning folks and friendly hippie cowboys are far less prevalent. Hipsters took their place, and brought tens and thousands of their friends along. Yes, you can still hear blues, funky Austin-style country-influenced rock, and glurge-free roots rock-tinged country with shout-outs to Willie and Waylon, but it's getting harder to find. What overwhelmingly dominates the scene here is indie rock for and by hipsters. The scene is now The Scene. Austin is a now a city whose culture is defined by the hipsters and scene kids, not the bohemians and hippie cowboys.

One thing that's wonderful about the cable system here is that there's an independent video music channel that prominently features local music videos. Here's what's playing on it now.

[stroskey]

You guys are way too hard on the built environment of Austin. Sure, it's not San Francisco or Manhattan and the population is annoying but at least recognize that the images in the links Dan provided aren't built anywhere now-a-days. At least they were walkable at one time. The only time you see things like that these days are in "town centers" at the edge of an interstate exit ramp. If you say small neighborhood nodes aren't "urban" then you're missing out on the best places in many cities. For example, the Phoenix area has ONE traditional pedestrian friendly shopping area (Mill Ave in Tempe) out of a city with 4 million people. At least Austin has many of those.

[steel]

Funny. Pick the worst example of a city and say at least Austin is not that bad!

[Dave F]

Originally posted by steel

Funny. Pick the worst example of a city and say at least Austin is not that bad!

Ha! Good point. Anywhere beats that particular strawman.

In defense of Austin's built environment, Austin grew from 250K in 1970 to nearly 800K now. As a result a lot was built in the 70s and 80s, with the attendant use of space that was favored in residential and retail development in that period. Unlike larger coastal cities, the traditional core area built during classic periods in American urban design history is almost non-existent (population of 53K in 1930, after all).

The first effort to undo the damage of the 70s era stuff was to "funkify" the dated suburban commercial development. This is what Dan spoke about, above. Basically the businesses in those buildings are neat, but there's only so much one can do with the architecture. The next step, which is now proceeding pretty well, is to get going on infill and densification. Quite a bit of the dated commercial stuff should come down pretty soon. What will result will be a pretty decent urban environment--but not necessarily meeting NY, DC or SF levels of density or walkability. Still, pretty impressive walkable corridors are starting to be created by creating new pedestrian oriented or urban scale development to link previously-isolated nodes.

[Dan]

From The Austinist: The Peg Your Clique quiz. From the quiz:

Your ideal sexual partner is (men/women)...
1. Paris Hilton/Matthew McConaughey
2. Lance Armstrong/Lance Armstrong
3. That guy/girl practicing Capoeira at the Springs
4. Jenny Lewis / Julian Casablancas
5. Anyone/thing that inflicts pain