Austin
Dispatches
Insider’s Guide to
No. 90 |
May 29, 2006, Final Edition |
Dear Mom and Dad,
The week you picked will be fine.
I look forward to your visit.
I'll still be working my contract at Neutron Technologies. Also, I have one
obligation on Saturday the 25th: an LP district nominating convention,
where we'll nominate candidates for offices whose boundaries extend
beyond the Travis
County line (e.g., Michael Badnarik for U.S. House District 10).
You're welcome to attend, as long as you don't try to vote (prohibited
under party rules and state election
law). It should be a short meeting and you'll have the chance
to meet some of my friends
.
Meanwhile, to help you prepare,
here’s a compilation of my advice on local matters:
I. Reference
Check the guidebooks on
For online reference, I've bookmarked these sites:
Austin City Links (http://www.austinlinks.com/)
Austin History Center Association (http://www.ahca.net/)
Austin Unique (http://www.austinunique.com/)
AustinGoGo.com (http://www.austingogo.com/)
Experience
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce (http://www.austinchamber.org/)
Heritage Society of Austin (http://www.heritagesocietyaustin.org/)
RateAustin.com (http://www.rateaustin.com/)
Texas Almanac (http://www.texasalmanac.com/)
Texas State Historical Association (http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/)
II. Traffic
A. Rule #1
Don't drive around here in a lead-footed snit. You're
going to wind up in an accident.
B. Rule #2
It's worth your while to get a spiral-bound book of local
streets.
C. Rule #3
Austin
D. From the Airport to Your Motel
The quickest way to get there
is Highway 183. You'll either leave the airport from Highway 183 directly
or Highway 71, but either way, you'll end up on Highway 183 (Bastrop Highway). Follow the MapQuest directions.
1. You'll cross the Colorado River
(
2. Highway 183 veers east, then
west.
3. Drive straight through on 183,
past the interchange with Highway 290. Highway 183 becomes Highway
183 (
4. Highway 183 intersects with
5. Take the 183 ramp over I-35.
Highway 183 is now Highway 183 (
6. Highway 183 crosses
F. Other Snarls
If you can, avoid driving between 7-9:30 a.m. and 3:30-7
p.m. weekdays at the following areas:
1. I-35
Also, if you’re northbound on I-35, slow down once you
pass the
2. Elsewhere
III. Touristy Stuff
The references I provided should cover all the touristy
stuff. Also, you may even want to just walk around the neighborhoods
of:
IV. Nightspots
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
213 |
320-8424 |
|
Apple Bar |
120 |
322-9291 |
|
475-6599 |
|
|
236-8634 |
|
The Canary Roost |
|
836-6360 |
Cedar Door |
|
473-3712 |
Club DeVille |
|
457-0900 |
|
453-6796 |
|
|
441-2444 |
|
|
479-5002 |
|
The Dakota |
305 W. Sixth St. |
415-6015 |
|
452-2801 |
|
|
391-7121 |
|
|
473-2279 |
|
612 |
263-4240 |
|
|
473-8544 |
|
209-A |
479-7700 |
|
Momo's |
618 |
479-8848 |
One 2 One Bar |
|
473-0121 |
|
474-1084 |
|
209-B |
478-5120 |
|
Ringside at Sullivan's |
|
474-1870 |
3601-D |
707-9637 |
|
Speakeasy |
|
476-8017 |
|
480-9562 |
|
Star Bar |
600 |
477-8550 |
Tambaleo |
|
472-3213 |
219 |
474-2194 |
|
|
476-7088 |
|
The Whisky Bar |
303 |
481-8599 |
V. Eats
I may have omitted some restaurants
because of faulty recollection.
A. Comfort Food
1. Breakfast
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Austin Diner |
|
467-9552 |
1206 Parkway |
476-1829 |
|
|
835-2414 |
|
Rufina’s Cocina |
|
339-8895 |
Star Seeds |
3101 N. I-35 |
478-7107 |
Six locations |
||
Six locations |
2. Beef
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Dan's Hamburgers |
Four locations |
|
|
477-3173 |
|
Fran's Hamburgers |
Two locations |
|
Two locations |
||
Hill-Bert's Burgers |
Two locations |
|
2000 S. I-35, Round Rock |
828-4300 |
|
P.
Terry's Burger Stand |
404 S. Lamar Blvd. |
473-2217 |
300 |
478-9299 |
|
Posse East |
2900 Duval St. |
477-2111 |
Top Notch |
|
452-2181 |
Wally's Burger Express |
Two locations |
|
Whataburger |
Twenty-two locations |
3. Barbecue
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Artz Rib House |
|
442-8283 |
Cele
General Store |
Cameron Road, near FM 973 |
251-3562 |
Two local locations |
||
Four locations |
||
Round Rock B-B-Q |
1318 FM 620 |
255-7447 |
512 |
477-1651 |
|
Four local locations |
||
18001 FM 1826, Driftwood |
858-4959 |
|
|
480-8341 |
|
|
451-7427 |
5. Southern
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Green Pastures |
811 W. Live Oak |
444-4747 |
|
Two locations |
|
Two locations |
a. Louisianan
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
|
1211 |
472-9622 |
Gumbo's |
Two locations |
|
200-B |
248-2900 |
|
Ms. B's |
|
372-9529 |
6. Delicatessen
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
|
331-1200 |
|
|
Eleven locations |
|
|
482-9090 |
|
Hoody's Sub Shop |
1205 Round Rock Ave., Round Rock |
244-7166 |
618 |
472-2037 |
|
|
467-7402 |
|
|
794-0088 |
|
|
249-1500 |
7. Other
Galaxy Cafe |
Two locations |
B. Gourmet
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
1101 |
476-0728 |
|
|
454-2666 |
|
|
835-0010 |
|
Iron Cactus |
Two locations |
|
|
476-1997 |
|
|
244-7525 |
|
Mesa Ranch Steakhouse |
8108-C Mesa Dr. #100 |
853-9480 |
|
346-7900 |
|
|
236-9599 |
|
Ranch 616 |
|
479-7616 |
9901 Capital of |
343-7977 |
|
|
|
|
300 |
275-9777 |
|
Truluck's |
Two locations |
|
1601 |
377-5252 |
|
7720 Highway 71 W. |
394-0220 |
|
Z'Tejas |
Two local locations |
1. Groceries
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Two locations |
||
Two locations |
C. Latin American
1. Mexican
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
A La Carrera |
|
345-1763 |
2901 Capital of |
306-0857 |
|
Four locations |
||
Three locations |
||
|
457-9900 |
|
El Coral Lozano |
|
352-3728 |
El
Faro Taco & Cafe |
1779
Wells Branch Parkway #108 |
252-3430 |
|
444-6696 |
|
|
444-7770 |
|
|
Two locations |
|
2330 W. |
459-4121 |
|
Jaime's |
|
|
12407 N. MoPac Expressway |
836-6611 |
|
La Parilla |
|
491-9414 |
Manuel's |
Two locations |
|
Margarita’s |
Two locations |
|
Five locations |
||
|
462-9333 |
|
Oaxacan
Tamaleo |
1634 Highway 34 E., Bastrop |
289-9262 |
6513 N. I-35 |
459-9214 |
|
Rita’s |
|
834-0999 |
1206 |
419-7482 |
|
|
454-1980 |
|
Three locations |
2. Carribbean
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Cafe Mangù |
15200 FM 1825, Pflugerville |
990-3121 |
|
|
472-2822 |
Two locations |
3. Other
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
|
478-2520 |
|
Elsi's |
|
454-0747 |
|
|
473-9988 |
D. European
1. Italian
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Al Capone's |
Two locations |
|
Andiamo Ristorante |
|
719-3377 |
|
408-C |
451-1218 |
Baris Pasta & Pizza |
1501 W. Pecan, Pflugerville |
989-1323 |
Four locations |
||
|
477-7497 |
|
Cipollina |
1213 W. |
477-5211 |
|
472-3534 |
|
1701-B |
218-9922 |
|
Hill Country Pasta House |
3519 RR. 620 N. |
266-9445 |
|
252-1444 |
|
Seven local locations |
||
La Traviata |
|
479-8131 |
Milto's Pizza Pub |
2909 Guadalupe St. |
476-1021 |
Rocco's Grill |
900 R.R. 620 S. |
263-8604 |
Romano's Macaroni Grill |
Four locations |
|
1500 Barton Springs |
476-1090 |
|
Taverna |
258 W. |
477-1001 |
Tony's Vineyard |
2828 Rio Grande St. |
476-5600 |
|
907 FM 685, Pflugerville |
989-8833 |
a. Pizza
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Seven locations |
||
Three locations |
||
Five local locations |
||
Four locations |
||
Niki’s Pizza & Pasta |
|
474-1876 |
Three locations |
2. Greek
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
|
480-8418 |
|
|
451-0677 |
|
Pars Mediterranean Supermarket
& Deli |
|
452-4888 |
2701 S. I-35, Round Rock |
716-0100 |
3. French
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
|
479-8117 |
|
Chez Nous |
510 |
473-2413 |
4. Other
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Drakula |
8120 Research Blvd. |
374-9291 |
|
835-1919 |
|
3777 FM 972, Walburg |
863-8440 |
E. Asian
1. Vietamese
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
Hoa-Hoa |
|
|
Le Soleil |
|
821-0396 |
|
|
236-8878 |
Sunflower Restaurant |
|
339-7860 |
3808 Spicewood Springs |
345-1875 |
2. Japanese
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code)
|
Beluga Japanese Restaurant |
255-6454 |
|
Mikado Ryotei |
9033 Research Blvd. |
833-8108 |
Odaku |
2501 W. Parmer Lane #500 |
834-9304 |
3. Korean
Name |
Address |
Phone
(512 Area Code) |
Koreana Grill & Sushi Bar |
12196 N. MoPac Expressway |
835-8888 |
Korea
House |
2700
W. Anderson Lane #501 |
458-2477 |
4. Other
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code) |
|
420-2222 |
|
Hula Hut |
|
476-4852 |
Star of India |
2900-D W. Anderson Lane #12 |
452-8199 |
F. Sweets
Name |
Address |
Phone (512 Area Code,
unless otherwise indicated) |
Eleven local locations |
||
|
490-0081 |
|
211 Highway 281, |
(830) 693-2344 |
|
Dolce Vita International
Bar |
4222 Duval St. |
323-2686 |
Freddie's Place |
1703 S. First St. |
445-9197 |
Three local locations |
||
Ringside at Sullivan's |
|
474-1870 |
Round Rock Doughnuts |
Two locations |
VI. My Schedule
These are just ideas. I have no idea what you're going
to want to do out here. For that matter, even I couldn't get to all
these events in a given night.
A. Thursday, March 23
1. "Noche
Caliente," Miami-style music, The Firehouse
Lounge,
2. Milonga (tango
social), Cipollina, 8-10 p.m.
3. Austin Swing Syndicate, Texas Federation of Women's
Clubs Ballroom, 2312 San Gabriel, 8 p.m.-midnight ($4)
4. Grupo
O'Posotivo, Light Bar, 8 ish (no cover)
5. "Noche de Tango," tango
+ dance lesson, The Copa, upstairs, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. ($5)
6. Salsa dancing, Bonggo's,
B. Friday, March 24
1. Sid's Salsa Social, Footworks Dance Studio,
2. Salsa dancing, The Copa, 10 p.m.
($6)
2. Stereolab, La Zona Rosa, 11 p.m.
C. Saturday, March 25
1. TCLP District Convention,
10 a.m.-1 p.m.,
2. Austin Ballroom
Dancers,
3. Salsa dance lesson, The Copa,
8:30 p.m. ($5)
4. Richie Valdez y Su Orquesta, The Woodward Hotel, 3401
S. I-35, 9 p.m. ($10)
5. Milonga, American Legion
Hall, 2201 Veterans Dr., 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
6. Salsa dancing, Go
Dance, 2525 W. Anderson Lane #530 (in Northcross Mall), 9 p.m.
($5)