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…

4 Days Till SXSW09 – More Cool Places To Go In Austin

Here are additional cool places to buy things, eat, drink, and/or listen to great live music while in Austin over the next two weeks.  Depending upon where you are staying, you may need a cab or car (designated driver) to visit many of these places….

SOCO (South Congress)

Ego’s – Funky bar (with live music) in the basement of office building

Doc’s MotorWorks - Sit outside… great bar, with good food

Amy’s Ice Creams – Austin’s best ice cream…

Jo’s Coffee – Great place to sit outside to watch Austin go by…

Continental Club – My favorite live music venue – Great bands, cool vibe, quality/cool staff, and cold Lone Star beer

The Gallery (above the tattoo parlor next door to the Continental Club) – Has just reopened and I can’t wait to start spending time upstairs…

Botticelli’s – Chicago Italian food and music on their patio in the back… I’m now thinking about the Italian beef sandwich…

Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar – Great seafood and oyster bar with cold draft beer… life is good…

Guero’s Taco Bar – If you have ever read this space, my Tumblr space, or any of my tweets (Twitter), you know how much I love this place.  Great Austin vibe, the best people watching, quality/cool staff, unbelievable margaritas and cool beer, and delicious  food… They also have live music in the Oak Garden… Be prepared to wait…

Home Slice – My favorite pizza in Austin (pies or slice and cold beer) – I love sitting at the bar, eating a couple of slices and watching the talented staff make pizza… Be prepared to wait….

Allen Boots – Everyone needs a good pair of cowboy boots… you really do….

Vespaio/Enoteca – Two Restaurants -  Great Italian Food – call ahead…

Magnolia Cafe – 24/7 – Good Breakfast

Trophy’s – Another funky bar with live music

South First

RunTex – Best running store….

Threadgill’s (Between South 1st and Congress on Riverside) – Comfort food and live music

WHATABURGER – Closest WHATABURGER to the Convention Center (this link is for Merlin Mann)

Jovita’s – Fun Live Music Venue – If you are in town on a Thursday night, please do yourself a favor by going see/hear Cornell Hurd, you will have a great time…

Polvo’s – Great Mexican food

G&S Lounge – Cool (dive) drinking bar

West 5th Street (west of Congress)

Lucky Lounge – Live music, cool cat walk behind bar

Red Fez - Hookahs, cold beer, live music and/or DJ (and sometimes belly dancers)

Antone’s – Home of the blues – great live music venue

West 6th Street (East of Lamar)

Katz’s Deli - 24/7 – Good Breakfast

Wahoo’s Fish Tacos (6th St. and (on) Rio Grande) – Another one of my favorite places in Austin… Fun bar (full bar) and the best food…

Dirty Billy’s (6th St and (on) Rio Grande) – Fun new bar, cool juke box connected to the web can play just about anything…

La Zona Rosa (5th St and (on) Rio Grande, south of 5th) - Cool Live Music Venue

Opal Divine’s Free House on 6th – Good drinking bar, decks, and restaurant….

Mother Egan’s Irish Pub – Fun place

Hut’s – One of the best hamburger joints in Austin… Beer, wine, and shakes… Great rings…

West 6th and Lamar Blvd

Whole Foods World Headquarters – The mother of all Whole Foods store…

Book People – Cool, independent book store…

Waterloo Records and Video – Simply the best place to buy music…

Waterloo Ice House – Good food and cold beer…

Amy’s Ice Creams – Best ice cream in Austin…

Cheapo CDs (a little north of the intersection) - Best place to buy used CDs…

Screaming Goat Tacos y Cerveza – Great tacos and more… daily cold beer specials…

Austin Java (a little north of the intersection) – Good coffee and food…

Austin Land and Cattle Company (a little north of the intersection) - STEAK!!!

West 5th Street (at West 6th and Mopac)

Mean-Eyed Cat - Cool drinking bar – cold draft beer and live music

El Arroyo – Good food, cold beer, and margaritas

Barton Springs (west of Lamar)

Barton Springs Saloon - Funky bar… sit inside or out…

Green Mesquite BBQ – Fun place

Shady Grove – Sit outside, drink cold beer, and eat great food… they have the best queso/cheese fries….

Uncle Billy’s - Cold beer and good food – can you say pulled pork….

Chuy’s Tex-Mex – Pure Austin Fun!!!! Great food and drinks…

East Side

Hoover’s (Manor Rd) – Comfort/Home Cooking….

El Chili Cafe – Great food and drinks…

Vivo – Great food and drinks…

Odds and Ends

Cuatros – Great bar, with good food… sit inside or out… fun bar near UT…

Hole in the Wall – Great bar, with live music… on the Drag – across the street from UT…

Okay, that’s enough for now… I’ll update this post over the next few days (I think I left some fun places off the list)…

Please be safe, and have an insanely great time in Austin…

As always, comments are welcome….

11 Days Till SXSW09 – Quick Post on More Cool Places to Go While in Austin

On Friday, February 27, we went to Opal Divine’s at Penn Field for food and beer before The Gourds show at Ruta Maya.  We were all impressed by both places.  Food was good and the beer was cold at Opal Divine’s.  Don’t know about the other locations, but the Penn Field location is dog friendly.  We arrived late, but were still able to sit outside – Friday night was a beautiful night for sitting outside and drink beer.  Let’s just say, we will go again… Good times!

Ruta Maya is a cool Austin coffee house.  It was our first time to see a show there, and turned out to be a very nice music venue.  Once again, we would all go again!

The Gourds were great.  If you are coming to SXSW09 or if The Gourds are coming to your city/town, they are a must see/hear.  Fun was had by all.  Brought three newbies and left with three new Gourds freaks/fans.

Opal Divine’s and Ruta Maya at Penn Field will require a cab from the Austin Convention Center and downtown hotels.

 

Here are three more cool places within easy walking distance from the Austin Convention Center that we recommend:

Ace’s Lounge (6th St) – I will admit, I have not been yet, but I have Ace’s on my short list.  Then why am I recommending Ace’s?  It’s simple, I like the way Ace’s has become the go to club/bar/venue for fun Austin community meet-ups and charity events.  Ace’s hosted Twestival (Charity: Water) and Pleasure Fest (KLBJ FM), just to name two events.  I can’t think of two more different events, and I’ve only heard great things about Ace’s.  I think the owners get Austin and 6th St.  This club/bar/live music venue has the potential to become a very special place (many say, it already has)…  Looks like Ace’s Lounge owners get Twitter too (http://twitter.com/AcesJason and http://twitter.com/brendankp)   

Iron Cactus (6th St) – Cool restaurant and great drinking bar.  Love the rooftop deck…

Elephant Room (Congress Ave) – Home of live Jazz music in Austin.  Located in the basement of an office building on Congress Ave (downtown).

Please be safe, and have fun.  More to follow over the next 11 days… as always, comments are welcome…

SXSW09 – 20 Days Till SXSW – More Cool Places Near the Austin Convention Center (A Little Longer Walk)

Eddie V’s – Great Seafood and Steaks

Carmelo’s  - Old School Italian

Casino el Camino – One of the BEST burgers in town – go hungry, they’re big – My favorite Sixth St. bar.  Great bar for hanging/drinking with friends.

Enjoy, be safe, and have fun….  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….

SXSW09 – 29 Days Till SXSW – 3 Great Places Close to the Austin Convention Center (All Are Short Walks)

Here are links to three great places all within walking distance (short) of the Austin Convention Center.

Moonshine

Iron Works BBQ

Cedar Door

All three places are very special, and represent Austin in their own unique way.  Moonshine is a cool restaurant, with a great/interesting menu.  Iron Works BBQ serves delicious BBQ and cold beer – enough said.  Last, but not least, the Cedar Door, one of my most favorite places in Austin to drink and visit with friends….and the food’s not bad either.  The Cedar Door is home of Austin’s original Mexican Martini (MM).  The Cedar Door’s MMs = DD (delicious danger).  Friends (bartenders, go figure) from other states tell me it would be illegal for them to serve the MM in their bars.  I think it is appalling that some states have such hatred toward fresh lime juice that they would criminalize its use.  WARNING:  MM are served in the shaker glass, MMs are not a cheap drink, MMs have a time release impact (taste wonderful/so easy to drink…hits like a hammer later), and multiple servings of MMs allow you to do and/or say many stupid things.  Did I say I love this place… Be safe and enjoy…

Take care, and comments are welcome…

SXSW09 – 30 Days Till SXSW – Let the Buzz Begin!

It is now time to begin buzzing about and planning for SXSW09.  I cannot attend this special event the way it deserves because of other commitments, but I do plan to take advantage of every opportunity made available during the 10 days of insane greatness that SXSW brings to Austin, TX, March 13-22, 2009.

Over the next 40 days and nights, I intend to share my planning, experiences, and cool links/resources here on:

planetaustintx on tumblr;

planetaustintx on WordPress.com; and

planetaustintx on Twitter

I want to have a great time during the 10 days of SXSW09, but I also want to help those that take the time to read these posts to have the best time possible (short of getting arrested) while attending SXSW09, in Austin, TX.

Here are the first set of links that I believe will help make for a better SXSW09/Austin, TX experience:

SXSW09

SXSW on Twitter

SXSWi on Twitter

Austin Chronicle

Austin Chronicle on Twitter

Austin360

Austin360 on Twitter

Austinist

Austinist on Twitter

Do512

Do512 on Twitter

KLBJ 93.7 FM

KGSR 107.1 FM

As I learn more, I’ll either edit this post and/or create a new one.  I’ve force myself not to get too excited because their is a good chance I will need to work during most of the fun, but once the SXSWi folks counted down to 30 days on Twitter, I couldn’t hold back any longer.

One last link… here is a link to the Official SXSW09 Showcase Bands

Take care, and comments are welcome…