Austin TX this week

[LFADAM]

Im headed down to Austin on thursday for CWS Nationals. Im super pumped for the event and being in Austin. Any locals care to shed some insight on:
-Decker Lake (venue for the competition)
-any good concerts this weekend, this is the live music capital of the world right? (I just saw Im missing slightly stoopid and tiesto by days...)
-good places to go downtown
-winch spots
-other fun facts/info


Thanks

[savage3221]

LFADAM, stuff man, I'd hook you up with a pull immediately, but alas, I'm not back for summer yet (I'm positive you'll be able to get a pull from others if you want to). Decker is a cool lake for an event. It's small, surrounded by a park, and typically has good water conditions. Relatively nice beaches for the shore too.

I'm not sure when you are going to be there, but here is a pretty solid list of each day and some of the shows that will be played on that day. It's by no means complete, but it should be pretty solid. (http://www.last.fm/events?place_id=254&place_type=40)

"Good places to go downtown" as in food or bar? I'm best versed in the food since I've only turned 21 in the last year, but hit 6th street for bars, just wander around. For food, damn, how much time do you have? I'll just toss up some names of some of my favorites and you can decide what you'd like. I've made sure to limit my suggestions to the more immediate downtown area.

- Hut's Hamburgers/Frank & Angie's Pizza (next door, owned by same people, both freaking fantastic)
- Taco Cabana for cheap-ass, fast-foody awesomeness that is cheap mexican food.
- Threadgills for some good home cookin'
- Sandy's for custard and burgers
- Fran's for burgers
- Magnolia Cafe for just about anything delicious and it's open 24 hours. Probably one of the best establishments in existence.
- Kerby Lane cafe is similar to Magnolia, and just as loved, but IMO it's not as good.
- Torchy's Tacos, they're in a trailer in a trailer park with several trailers for food.
- Whataburger is a killer fast food burger place. Started in TX, and only in TX I believe. Better than Burger King and McD's by a longshot IMO. Open 24 hours usually.
- Ken's donuts. Cheap as stuff donuts that are fantastic. 24 hours.
- Austin Java Co. is a coffee shop that actually has really awesome food. Cool people, cool place.
- Mozart's is a coffee shop on Lake Austin. It's sweet, the back deck is very pleasant usually.
- Hula Hut is a highly popular mexican place right next to Mozart's (mainly for their drinks/location, though the food is by no means bad)
- Cain and Abel's on the lake is in between Hula Hut and Mozart's. It has an awesome second story deck that serves as its bar.

I didn't get to many, but there is a good selection of solid places to go. I know that other Austinites will chime in with things I missed or don't know about. It'll be a blast.

Also, I would make sure to eat some BlueBell ice cream. Any flavor is amazing, their Vanilla is unstoppable IMO.

If you feel like dancin' go to the Broken Spoke, it's a two-steppin' place that's really fun.

Let me know if there's any other specific questions, and I'll try to be checkin back in, but I have pretty limited internet access currently, so I may be out. But have a Bubb Rubbing blast in the 512!

[jt09]

^^^ pretty solid recs.

as for bars - you are in college, so just go to 6th street and walk into as many bars as you can until you find one you like. there's eleventybillion of them to choose from.

[LFADAM]

savage3221, jt09, thanks for all the info. We'll be there thursday night-sunday afternoon. I just checked the schedule on empirewake.com and the after parties are at maggie mae and the ranch (and TSR). Any feedback on those? What are cover charges like down there? Looks like Im more than set for food.

[savage3221]

I'm actually sitting next to my friend who was a bouncer at Maggie Mae's right now, he says they are usually free. But, most of the bars are usually no cover for 21 year olds on 6th street. Maggie Mae's is a pretty cool place though, very open with lots of TVs and in a good spot on 6th. I haven't actually been there for prime time, but I've heard it's pretty legit.

Parties at TSR could be badass, I haven't really made it out for the parties they have there. But I imagine there will be lots of people there, and they are all "STOKED" out of their minds for the day.

[jt09]

austin is anti-cover. general rule is the only time you pay cover is when a band is playing.

ranch sucks, but i have a personal grudge against the owner. it should be good if it's hosting a party for you guys.

i don't get to dirty 6th much, but the bars i know do good business and usually have hot ass running through them are:

thirsty nickel
dizzy rooster
blind pig
chuggin monkey
lattitude

i know you are a college student, which usually means you are on the cheap, especially if you are travelling. general rule of thumb for drinking in austin:

6th street is divided by congress avenue
east of congress = cheap drinks for the college crowd
west of congress = expensive drinks for the older crowd

[flixmaster]

Justin has our winch. Not sure what his schedule is like.

[LFADAM]

savage3221, jt09, thanks. Unfortunately I fall in the 18+ crowd, not 21+ so buying drinks at the bar doesnt mean much to me, but its good to know. Thats awesome that theres no cover in Austin. That makes finding a good bar much easier when you arent dropping 10$ a pop. Ill have to check out some of those on your list, I want to see the local talent and see if UT girls live up to the hype.

Anyone on/know anyone in UT wake? We got the hometown boys first round. All I know is they have stephen cahail who is nasty.

[jt09]

if you are <21, i can't offer you any suggestions as almost every bar is 21+. i'm sure there are some 18+, i just have no idea what they are. none will be east of congress.

oh, and texas state girls >>> ut girls

[savage3221]

LFADAM, hmm, under 21, I recently became a legal alcoholic, so I should be able to answer that question... I hope. There's still fun things to do. 6th street does have some 18+ clubs, but I'm not sure how common they are overall, I've only been to shows for those venues. Just walking through 6th, and maybe coming across an 18+ is almost/probably going to be enough fun if it's a poppin' night. They tend to mean business when it comes to fakes. Like, people are chill, but they are good at their job. But, the standard "I don't give a Bubb Rubb" door man is still around if you like to try your luck for 21+ stuff.

If you ever go to Ken's donuts on Guadalupe (that's right on "the drag" which is a shopping strip that is geared to UT. Late night food places, head shops, hookah bars, clothing stores, vendors during the day, etc.) it's right across the street from a UT frat, I think it's FIJI house. You could always try to crash that if it's going on while you're there.

[cmoroy]

You'll have fun even though you are not 21. But since I dont live there i cant tell you where, I spent my entire Austin trip in a complete drunken stupor. If you manage to make it back after your 21st Bday, Maggie Mae's is one of the coolest bars I've ever been to (I'd rank it right behind AJ's in destin FL).

[goofyboy]

18+ = Paradox on 5th and San Jacinto...

[STANG KILLA SS]

[JV]

[jt09]

[goofyboy]

[cmoroy]

[jt09]

[cmoroy]