I LOVE Austin (and area) (Nash: living, cost of living, cities)

[tongpa-nyi]

Originally Posted by nomore07

I wish people would give more serious consideration than "I spent a weekend in Austin, I'm moving there". There have been many who move here and are either disappointed, or try to turn it into the city they left (DFW, LA, etc.). It has had a drastic impact on the area.

I wonder if some of that "drastic impact" is evidenced by the recent uptick in complaints about code violations that have forced people to put up fences around boats and extra cars.

Suburban "planned communities" (my favorite oxymoron!) are the place for uptight neighbors to rat each other out for code violations. Central Austin used to be a place where you could live your life as you chose without being pestered by someone who knows better how you should manage your yard. How long until we see a South Austin ban on couch sofas and yard art?

[love roses]

I was still living in Houston at the time, but I remember they ran a story on our local news about people moving into the neighborhoods near campus and complaining about the frat house noise, porch couches, music, etc....I think a few of the frat houses closed as a result? This was 10/11 yrs. ago maybe.

[TexasHorseLady]

Oh, no, really? How sad! (And I'm not all that crazy about fraternities, but what kind of nimnull moves into a college neighborhood and doesn't expect noise and frat houses?) Back in the day (like when the people built the house overlooking Campbell's Hole and then complained about people skinnydipping there like they'd been doing since the 1800's), they would have been laughed out of town on a rail.

[intmd8r]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Oh, no, really? How sad! (And I'm not all that crazy about fraternities, but what kind of nimnull moves into a college neighborhood and doesn't expect noise and frat houses?) Back in the day (like when the people built the house overlooking Campbell's Hole and then complained about people skinnydipping there like they'd been doing since the 1800's), they would have been laughed out of town on a rail.

Ugh. That stuff REALLY bothers me. So many people move somewhere, well aware of something around them (and maybe even get a reduced price on their house in that area) and then complain about it and try and change it once they move it.

IT WAS THERE BEFORE YOU AND YOU KNEW ABOUT IT!

That's one of my major pet peeves... sorry...

[tongpa-nyi]

Yes, and we can always re-visit the topic of people who move into condos across the street from music venues and then try to get the music stopped.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Austin Motel is a really neat location. Was it too loud?

Hopefully you found some cool things to do on your extra 3 days of visiting. Any of the suggestions pan out for you, as far as things to do?

It was loud when I was trying to sleep, I could hear some loud booming music (i'm late 40's and more into quiet these days).

I loved the gluten free cafe in West Hills, Wild something???

I also enjoyed the city tour I took from the vistors center on 6th street, it really summed up the city and was well worth the $25 for someone with limited time on their hands.

[adventuregurl]

I'm not preaching for any of them....I'm self employed (and do not commute further than my computer) and while I believe the summers might be brutal in Austin, I live in AZ with a different variety of brutal in the summer....I have lived in the PNW and had to get out, that weather is NOT for me....to each his own

Originally Posted by DCTony

Austin has almost surpassed all the hype that Seattle and Portland got back in the '90s for being the putative coolest U.S. cities. I was in Austin in the summertime years ago and ironically found myself daydreaming of the Pacific Northwest because it was unbelievably hot and humid. The traffic was bad then--'03--and I can imagine it's gotten much worse with all the people moving in there. Reminds me of the Husker Du song (title escapes me)--"the sun belt's overcrowded and there's nowhere left to go" and that was '84. I guess I admire the optimism of transplants, but there's no way Austin and cities like it are ever going to live up to their hype. Although I do admit that Seattle is a very pleasant city and I'd live there any day over Austin.

[adventuregurl]

Love it!!!

Originally Posted by tongpa-nyi

yeah, that's a genius observation. I was at the summit of mount washington one january and "ironically" found myself wishing i were in miami because it was so cold and windy.

[adventuregurl]

If you're referring to me, I didn't say I'm moving there but rather that I think I could move there; of course to uproot my whole life I would come back a few more times to really be sure. I really still love AZ so it would be a hard call.

Austin has some wonderful things to offer though!

Originally Posted by nomore07

I wish people would give more serious consideration than "I spent a weekend in Austin, I'm moving there". There have been many who move here and are either disappointed, or try to turn it into the city they left (DFW, LA, etc.). It has had a drastic impact on the area.

[Cole831]

So if you had to choose between Austin or Seattle, what would it be? I know that it is a tough question since they are both so different. Its just that Im trying to decide myself. (Cost of living aside... I lived for 3 years in Manhattan, but am from Nashville, TN)