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….

Update: Various Topics #1

The purpose of this post will be to provide a brief update on various topics previously shared on this blog. So, let’s get started…

I have a new (to me) tasty drink treat to share – Bacardi Razz (Original Raspberry Rum) and cranberry Juice.  This wonderful combo makes a nice cocktail or delicious chilled shot. The young men at Wahoo’s Fish Tacos – Austin have perfected this outstanding mix. Over the Christmas Holidays I was introduced to a new (to me) beer – Czechvar (Premium Czech Lager). Very tasty and way too easy to drink. Lastly, I bought and tried a new Austin produced rum – Treaty Oak Platinum Rum. Again, very tasty.

There is a new burger joint in town. We first tried these burgers and fries in the VA/DC area, based on a recommendation from our ACL buddies. Five Guys Burgers and Fries opened in early November and is located on Guadalupe. I recommend the burgers, cajun fries, and the bacon-cheese dog. Lastly, it was sad to hear that Mars (restaurant) on South Congress has closed. It is our understanding that a seafood restaurant will take over the location. If this is true, then I hope they serve a variety of oysters on the half-shell; it could make for a fun Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Renewed our love for La Zona Rosa and live music by going to hear The Sounds and the Black and White Years – Great show… Tons of fun… Already have tickets for Susan Tedeschi and James Hunter on February 7, and we are even thinking we may need to consider Adele on March 12 (I know, I know she is one of the many UK divas that have disappointed us by not showing-up at ACL, but something tells me she will deliver the goods on March 12).

Also renewed our love for the Mean Eyed Cat for drinking cold draft beer. Went to the Barton Springs Saloon for the first time. It was an interesting visit. Huge biker looking dude walks up to the bartender and asks for a shot and a beer. After consuming both drinks, the huge dude asks the bartender to please call the police because he has outstanding warrants and wants to turn himself in. So the bartender calls and a petite female officer arrives. The officer talks to the huge dude, calls-in on the warrants, calls for back-up, and puts the cuffs on the big man. The whole time this was happening, the huge dude was compliant, courteous, and even laughed a little when he was cuffed. Big man must have needed a place to sleep. Went to Nasty’s for the first time. We heard Bear and the Essentials, the Horton Brothers, and Benny and the Fly by Niters. Good drinks… great music… good times…

I know I said this post would be brief, but I have two last topics for future posts. 1) I feel bad I did not write a post about/before the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar.  I love this event and will write something next year around October-November (cool crafty crap, drinks, and live music). 2) I also need to share my thoughts on a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Austin, TX, especially if Monday is a holiday.

Okay, that’s it… I’m done for now… Please be safe bringing in the new year…

As always, comments are welcome…

A Great Way to Spend a Saturday Afternoon in Austin, TX

For the first time in several months we went to the Continental Club yesterday afternoon for the 3PM matinee show. Redd Volkaert usually plays these Saturday shows, but yesterday James Hand played. James sounds like the second coming of Hank Sr. – James is very smooth. We forgot how much fun these afternoons can be. If you are ever in Austin over a weekend (and have the time), please do yourself a big favor and go to the 3PM matinee show at least once. To do the matinee show well, you need to plan lunch and maybe dinner around the matinee show timeframe. It is always a good thing to establish a food base before drinking. The doors of the Continental Club open at 3PM and the band generally start at 3:30PM. The bands play until 6:30PM (sometimes 7PM), and take at least two breaks. If you need/want a seat, we recommend that you get to the club early (between 3PM-3:45). If you like standing, then when you arrive doesn’t matter so much. Also, if you like to dance the matinee show is made for you; all the bands play music that will allow you to have some fun. The club even has a big jug cooler of ice water at the end of the bar near the dance floor so after scooting and twirling, you can cool down without bugging the waitress or bartenders for water.

Again, we recommend eating before and/or after the show. There are at least eight-ten places to grab a bite to eat within easy walking and parking distance from the club. Here are links to several of the restaurants:

Doc’s Motorworks

Zen

Moved to 6th St El Sol y La Luna

Jo’s

Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar Mars

Guero’s

Home Slice Pizza

South Congress Cafe

Historically, we have gone to Home Slice Pizza for a pitcher of Lone Star and a couple of slices. It is so cool to sit at the bar (drinking and eating) watching the guys hand toss the pizza dough, and the guys working the big oven. Yesterday we started at Wahoo’s for cold drafts, queso, and guac, then on to Home Slice Pizza for a pitcher of beer and slices. Later, after the music, we went to Billy’s for a pitcher/burgers, sat on the deck to watch the game (UT – TXTech), and enjoyed the beautiful Austin evening… This was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon…

We hope this post is helpful, and if you’re ever in Austin over a weekend, you’ll give the matinee show a try…

As always, comments are welcome…

ACL 2008 – Great Thursday!!!

We did it all baby! Wahoo’s, Mellow Johnny’s, Cheapo Discs, Cedar Door, Continental Club, and Guero’s – ACL 2008 is off to a great start…