it was time for another texas trip. not much austin this time -- except a little hangin out of course. it was over 100 degrees most days --- they broke records for april. oh well, i guess that's texas ya'll.

 

nighttime capital

 

antones

 

 

the alamo drafthouse movie theater everyone likes

 

warehouse district

 

the kinda sorta new frost bank tower

 

an old "moonlight tower" in action near the ut campus

more info about these:

http://austin.about.com/cs/architecture/a/moonlighttowers.html

 

 

music in the air at night in the warehouse nabe downtown

 

on the road -- sorry about that window tint

 

 

 

the new texas toll turnpike system, a first for them, is being built from scratch all over

 

 

they looooove showy alpine mountain tall flyovers in texas

 

back to the party -- guero's and south congress

 

 

fresh chips+three salsas+marg=yessss! for sure its one way to beat the murderous heat

 

 

 

doak's drummer in front of the continental

 

the famous continental club afternoon music happy hours

 

it looks like a scene from comedian dave attell's "insomniac" cable tv show on comedy central in back, but its only around 6pm

 

"real texas girl" toni price

 

across the street is home base in austin

 

 

 

 

god bless ya las manitas !!!!

 

they have the best tex-mex breakfast evah: migas especiales con hongos

 

more all new downtown comes online

 

kinda cute

 

mega freshly cut nopalitos at the grocery

 

forget yr ironworks and yr stubbs, etc. in the city --- git yr 'cue downhome style at sam's

 

 

 

*** thats all for austin, as you can see its a great starting place from which to explore texas --

                stay tuned for more historic tex-mex towns to come ***

 

 

 

Austin is certainly lively.

i'll say, even in business too. while i was there samsung announced they will build a new $4.5B chip making plant there w/900 hi-techy jobs. when asked why they said it was because the tech jobs and infrastructure were already in place in the region so it was an easy choice. good for them, but also....hmm:

http://jobs.statesman.com/JOBSWeb/common/viewContent.do?contentScreen=Content&Content=/careercenter/articles/20060414_samsung.html

 

more: the old mueller airport is well known for the city redeveloping it into movie studios. now they are building a new childrens hospital from scratch on that site too. also, in the local news the huge new blanton modern art museum by the capital will open this week.

 

so austin seems to be a happening place in many ways, if not exactly architecturally. it's the kind of the southern alter-ego of columbus (as seattle is to cleveland according to that wash post article and as...well, no one is to cinci -- it stands unique. heh).

Looks like good times!

Nice pics.

 

Austin is one of the most over-rated cities in the country.

^we have been going there for over ten years now for cheap vacations and i know what you mean wimwar, but i have seen that there is a lesson here too, if you hype yourself people will at least take notice (sxsw, dell, film, etc.). as you see above just while i was there samsung bought that hype. so sometimes being overated and talked about at least builds up some international presence and can help economic growth. it prob doesn't hurt that their guy is running the country either i am sure.

I'm not real sure why all of this new growth and youth movement has gone to Austin, TX.  Not to downplay Austinians, but I just dont see what all the hooplah is all about :|

i dk either. its the new seattle. its kinda wrecking my once laid-back vacation vibe. you cant lollygag back and forth across south congress anymore, you have to run!