Welcome to Austin, TX HOW Design Conference Attendees – June 24-27, 2009

Quick post – The HOW Design Conference is in town this week from June 24-27…  If you are attending the conference, please remember to pick-up a copy of the Austin Chronicle… A new edition will be available tomorrow and will provide the best listings of live music and all the clubs…  Also feel free to search this site for bar/live music/food recommendations, as well as a few other suggestions on enjoying your time in Austin, TX…  Again, welcome to Austin, TX… Be safe and have fun!

The Place to be this Weekend in Austin, TX – The Republic of Texas (ROT) Biker Rally 2009 – June 11-14, 2009

Another special weekend in Austin, TX… The Republic of Texas (ROT) Biker Rally 2009 comes to town June 11-14, 2009.  If you love the big bikes and live music head over the Travis County Expo Center for a great time…  To all the bikers in town, please have a great time in Austin, TX and ride safe… and to all my fellow local drivers, please drive extra safe around town these next few days, and be extra aware at all times of our cool biker visitors… We want everyone to have a great weekend…

The Place To Be This Weekend In Austin, TX – The Lonestar Rod & Kustom Round-Up – April 17-19, 2009

If you love custom cars and trucks, and live music, then the place to be this weekend (April 17-19, 2009) is the Lonestar Rod & Kustom Round-Up at the Continental Club(SOCO), Trophy’s Bar, Jo’s Coffee, and the Travis County Expo Center…   Check out the ad in the last week’s Austin Chronicle…  Tons of fun all weekend long….

2 Days (more like 1 Day) Till SXSW09 – Still More Cool Places to Go While in Austin

More links to cool places… Same as the other list, you’ll need a cab or car (designated driver)….

Near City Hall

Lamberts – Downtown BBQ and Live Music…

West 6th St and (on) Nueces St

Ranch 616 – Cool Austin vibe, great food and bar… live music too…

West Lynn, North of West 6th St

Galaxy Cafe – Cool place to eat…

Near UT on the Drag  (Guadalupe) 

Texadelphia – Austin’s own Cheese Steak (no, it’s not Pat’s or Geno’s, but they are damn good)… 

Kerbey Lane – 24/7 Breakfast

Dirty Martin’s (Dirty’s) – Classic Austin burger and beer joint…

Mangia Pizza – Austin’s own Chicago Stuffed Pies…

Boomerang’s Pies – Meat and veggie pies and beer from down under – I live on these pies during ACLMF…

Triangle (45th and Lamar)

Galaxy Cafe - Cool place to eat…

Mandola’s Italian Market – Great Italian, enough said…

Flying Saucer – Beer, beer, beer, food, beer, beer….

North of Downtown (central city – west of Lamar, on Burnet and/or west of Burnet)

Kerbey Lane - 24/7 Breakfast…

Draught House – Beer drinkers’ wet dream…

Blue Star Cafeteria – Very cool place – great food…

Billy’s on Burnet - Great burgers and beer…

Fonda San Miguel – Special place – great interior food and drink…

Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon – I love this place (cash only, no liquor) - cold beer and live music six days a week – 42 on Mondays  - Sundays are very special…

 

Please be safe, and have a great time…

As always, comments welcome…

The Best (FUN) Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon–Especially if Monday is a Holiday or if you are in town for SXSW09 (25 Days till SXSW09)

I my opinion, there is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Austin, Texas then going to Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon from 4PM-8PM for Live Music (usually Dale Watson), cold beer (Lone Star and Lone Star Light are both on special), free Ginny Dogs (free hot dogs made with love) and Chicken Shit Sunday.  Yes, I said Chicken Shit Sunday!!!  Here’s the deal — Ginny’s has a small pool table which they put a 4×8 foot sheet of plywood on top.  The sheet of plywood has squares, numbered 1-55 (I think) painted on it.  They then bring in a cage and place it over the numbered squares.  Sometime around 5PM, 6PM, and 7PM, the band will announce it’s time to line-up to make your $2 donation for a ticket.  The tickets are numbered 1-55 or have a line written on the back.  After the tickets have all been distributed, a live chicken is brought into the bar and placed inside the cage, a little bit of feed is spread across the squares, and a large number of drinking and non-drinking adults watch and cheer for the chicken to shit in hope they will win ~$100+ dollars — that is, if the chicken shits on their number or line.  It’s truly a sight to see.  Each time we’ve gone, I thank God for Texas, Austin, and Ginny’s.  It is one of those unique silly life events you must experience.  Talk about “Keep Austin Weird,” I think Ginny does it every Sunday.  Free live music, dancing (limited by space), free Ginny Dogs. cold beer, lively conversation with good friends/strangers, the best people watching in Austin, and a chance to win $100+ dollars — what more could someone ask for on a Sunday afternoon… Locals from across the Austin area bring friends and family visiting from out of town to see for themselves — because seeing, is truly believing, and why living in Austin is so special.

To best enjoy your Chicken Shit Sunday experience here are a few suggestions… Ginny’s opens at 2PM on Sunday’s.  If you want to sit at the bar or a table, get there early.  Ginny’s is not a big place, in fact it is very small for the number of folks that show-up for Chicken Shit Sunday.  Many (and those who smoke), will need to sit or stand outside, usually out back near the chicken coop — yes, the chicken lives out back of the bar.  If you own a pick-up truck and plan to stay till closing (9PM), then get there early so you can park your truck in the back and sit on the tale gate (which is very cool).   For those that don’t own a truck, just bring some collapsable chairs or plan to stand.  If the sun is out, remember to bring suntan lotion, sunglasses, and/or a hat, there’s not much shade out back.  If it is raining or very cold, plan to get there between 2PM-3PM or you will never sit.  Also, if you don’t drink cold beer, malt beverages (Bacarti something???), or jug wine, you might what to bring a bottle/flask of your favorite liquor.  Ginny’s will sell you a set-up of soda or juice, cups, and a small container of ice for a buck or two.  Ginny’s is CASH ONLY; however, there is an ATM.  Bathroom warning:  both bathrooms are one man and one woman stand/sit — plan accordingly, the lines can get very long on Sunday’s – don’t wait till you have to go.  I also recommend eating before coming to Ginny’s, unless of course you like hot dogs, or don’t mind a little walk (ThunderCloud Subs is across the street, Arby’s is down the street, and Hey Cupcake and Phil’s Icehouse are up the street).  One suggestion is to eat a late lunch at Billy’s on Burnet, then head to Ginny’s around 3-3:30PM, you might even see Billy himself enjoying a Lone Star Light at Ginny’s.  

This has been a difficult post to share.  I have experienced first hand the effect of John Kelso’s (Austin American-Statesman) story had on the number of folks coming to Chicken Shit Sundays — let’s just say it wasn’t/hasn’t been pretty.  Also, if every reader of this post (not that there are many) follow my suggestions/recommendations, it will make going to Ginny’s Little Longhorn on Sundays just a little more difficult for me.  So, why did I share this post?  Because I want to stand by behind my words about giving back to the City and those who have been kind to my friends and me.  I think the world of Ginny and Sharon, and I enjoy going to Ginny’s on Friday and Saturday nights for live music and cold beer.  I love they remember what we drink when we walk in the door.  I loved when Don (Ginny’s late husband) would  come over to where we were sitting to shake our hand and visit about our week or new music/band he heard.  I think Dale Watson and his band mates are incredibly talented musicians, I love their music (when Dale is on the road, Ginny and Sharon always make sure a great band takes his place), and most importantly, I respect Dale for his love/care for Ginny.  Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon and Chicken Shit Sunday are just too much fun to keep secret.  Lastly, as I said earlier, Chicken Shit Sunday is a unique Austin event, and needs to be experienced at least once.  Please be safe, have fun, and I hope the chicken shits in your square or on your line….

Take care, and as always, comments are welcome…

In case you were wondering, the answer is YES, I have won once at Chicken Shit Sunday….