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What's Doing: In Austin February 22,
2004
By PETER H. LEWIS
Austin's official motto is "Live Music Capital of the
World," which is certainly believable for 10 days in
mid-March, when the annual South by Southwest (SXSW)
music, film and interactive-arts festivals attract
thousands of visitors, not to mention more than 1,000
bands from as far away as Uzbekistan, to the capital of
Texas.
But there's another, unofficial mantra in Austin
these days, showing up on T-shirts and bumper stickers:
"Keep Austin Weird." A decade or so ago, that was not a
problem in a town where on a given day a 10-minute
stroll down Congress Avenue might yield sightings of
Willie Nelson, a sky-darkening swarm of bats, and a
thong-and-boots clad transvestite named Leslie, who once
got 8 percent of the vote for mayor.
But for a while during the high-tech boom of the late
1990's, Austin had more incoming U-Haul trailers than
any other city in America, bringing young techies hoping
to become the next Michael Dell, or at least to work for
him. Their tract mansions filled the hills surrounding
the laid-back college town, music saloons were torn down
for office buildings and lofts, and exotic martinis were
ordered in places that used to serve only cold beer and
shots.
Happily, though, even newcomers appear to embrace
Austin's friendly weirdness. It's a young town, with
more than 55,000 students at the University of Texas,
which makes for an active night life. To help light the
way, look for the 17 remaining "moon towers," 165-foot
lampposts from 1894. And on sunny days, when springtime
temperatures can hit 80 and bluebonnets speckle the
ground, it is an outdoor town, with hills for biking
(Lance Armstrong trains here), hiking trails and
waterways for kayaking or lazing on the banks.
Events
In keeping with the "Keep Austin Weird" theme, Little
Richard will be the keynote speaker and performer at the
South by Southwest music festival, an industry event
for up-and-coming musicians and the record labels
looking to sign them that starts March 17 and runs on 50
stages through March 21. Lovers of Texas and Texican
music can look forward to performances by the
Flatlanders and Los Lonely Boys. Badges for all
performances, seminars and workshops are expensive ($525
to $775); for those who aspire only to be in the
audience, a limited number of wristbands, which waive
cover charges but don't guarantee admissions to crowded
shows, are $105, with the price rising to $125 in
mid-March. Those who are really determined can buy
tickets to some individual performances ($10 to $35, but
get in line very early). Free outdoor concerts by acts
including the reggae group Toots and the Maytals will be
held from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 18, 19 and 20 at
Auditorium Shores, downtown on Town Lake.
Information:
www.sxsw.com; (512) 467-7979)
Perhaps inspired by the widely publicized battles in
the state legislature over redistricting last year, the
SXSW Film Festival will focus on political documentaries
starting March 12. Among them is "Bush's Brain," a
profile of Karl Rove, the president's adviser and
electoral strategist. SXSW Film badges cost $250.
Austin's cowboy heritage will be celebrated March 13
to 27 at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, with
professional rodeo events and a music concert each
night. Performers this year include Merle Haggard and
Wynonna Judd. Tickets are $16 to $30. Most events are at
the Travis County Exposition Center; (512) 919-3000 or
www.rodeoaustin.com.
Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road, (512)
477-8672, online at
www.ci.austin.tx.us/zilker, a 360-acre oasis just
west of downtown, is a place where workers can sneak off
for a lunch-time walk, Frisbee golf or some serious kite
flying. On March 27 and 28, the Zilker Garden Festival
will be held at the Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton
Springs Road, with music, games, flower-related arts and
crafts and gardening exhibitions. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5
p.m.; $5.
On March 28 Austin will go wild in the streets as
some 16,000 runners, ranging from the world's top
athletes to goofballs in armadillo costumes, will lace
up for the Austin American-Statesman Capitol
10-kilometer charity road race. It takes place on the
Hike and Bike Trail bordering Town Lake, the dammed
portion of the Colorado River that crosses downtown. Too
many margaritas the night before? There's an untimed
walk, too. The registration fee is $22 for the timed
race, and $20 for the fun run and stroll. Call (512)
445-3598 for details.
The Saveur Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival,
April 1 to 4, combines tastings and fine wine auctions,
cooking classes and tours. More than 35 top Texas chefs
will take part in events ranging from sit-downs at the
Four Seasons Hotel to a bus tour of the best Hill
Country barbecue joints. Tickets: $25 to $125.
Registration begins Feb. 23 at
www.texaswineandfood.org; (512) 542-9463.
Sightseeing
The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, 21st
and Guadelupe Streets, (512) 471-8944,
www.hrc.utexas.edu,
was recently reopened after remodeling; glass panels now
illuminate a research library with more than a million
rare books and manuscripts and five million photos, and
countless works of art. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, and
noon to 5 p.m. weekends. It is closed Monday.
O. Henry, the short-story writer, lived in a small
Queen Anne cottage downtown from 1893 to 1895, where he
published a newspaper called The Rolling Stone. His
restored house, with artifacts and memorabilia, is now
the O. Henry Museum, 409 East Fifth, (512) 472-1903,
www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/ohenry.htm. It is open
noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; admission is
free.
At the Broken Spoke, 3201 South Lamar Boulevard,
(512) 442-6189,
www.brokenspokeaustintx.com, a classic Texas
roadhouse dance hall, Austinites in tight jeans,
Stetsons and exotic boots scoot around the well-worn
wooden floor to live music. Yankees are welcome as long
as they behave. Open 10:30 a.m. to midnight Tuesday to
Thursday, until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Considered the emerald green soul of Austin, Barton
Springs Pool in Zilker Park, 2201 Barton Springs
Boulevard, (512) 476-9044, is a natural swimming hole
over 900 feet long. Gates open at 5 a.m.; from 8 a.m. to
8 p.m. admission is $3. Closed Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
for cleaning.
A grocery store on the sightseeing list? The two
Central Markets (www.centralmarket.com),
at 4001 North Lamar, (512) 206-1000, and 4477 South
Lamar, (512) 899-4300, are no ordinary supermarkets.
Food lovers admire the variety and freshness of produce,
the wine and cheese selections, the cooking classes, the
on-site cafe (often with live music, of course). Open 9
a.m. to 9 p.m.; the cafe is open 7 a.m to 10 p.m.
Where to Stay
Built in 1936 as a motor court, the bungalow-style Hotel
San José, 1316 South Congress, (512) 444-7322, fax (512)
444-7362,
www.sanjosehotel.com, is now a gathering point for
South Congress hipsters attracted to the quasi-monastic
vibe: zen gardens, concrete floors, sparse furnishings
and a tiny courtyard pool. The fastest things about the
place are broadband Internet access, the action at the
bar and the speed with which regulars make return
reservations. Rooms start at $75 with shared bath ($135
with private bath).
Near the University of Texas campus is an elegant bed
and breakfast, the 48-room Mansion at Judges' Hill, 1900
Rio Grande, (512) 495-1800,
www.mansionatjudgeshill.com. The original 1900
mansion has 10 luxuriously appointed rooms; each blends
Texan antiques, rich fabrics and high-speed Internet.
Rooms in the modern north wing, more of a boutique
hotel, are no less opulent. Mansion rooms are $159 to
$295, north wing rooms are $129 to $169, all come with
Continental breakfast weekdays. The restaurant is one of
Austin's finest.
Budget: As the motto says at the Austin Motel, 1220
South Congress, (512) 441-1157, "So Close and Yet So Far
Out." Although within walking distance to downtown,
shopping, the bars and the bats, even the limousine
crowd shows up to hang at the pool. The 41 homey,
eclectically decorated rooms start at $60 weekdays,
($106 for a luxury double weekends). Thanks to the funky
neon sign, you'll never confuse it with the Hilton.
Luxury: In 1886, Col. Jesse Driskill, a cattle
rancher, built the Driskill Hotel, 504 Brazos, (512)
474-5911, fax (512) 474-2214 www.driskillhotel.com, a
neo-Romanesque mansion. Completely refurbished in 1999,
the hotel has cowhide sofas in the lounge under high,
pressed-tin ceilings. Many of the 186 rooms are quite
small, but all decorated tastefully with
Romanesque-inspired furnishings. Rates from $210.
With four championship courses, the Barton Creek Resort
and Spa, 8212 Barton Club Drive, (512) 329-4000, fax
(512) 329-4597, a 20-minute drive from downtown, is a
golfer's paradise. The 300 rooms and suites ($290 to
$1,350) combine Southwestern elegance with
functionality, including high-speed Internet.
Where to Eat
Jeffrey's Bar, 1204 West Lynn, (512) 477-5584, is
considered by many to be the place for special
occasions, like signing a record contract or, say,
getting elected (President Bush asked the owners to open
a branch near the White House when he left Austin in
2001). But any night can be special with a light (and
less expensive) meal at the bar, which takes up one of
the three rooms. A glass of wine goes well with the
crispy oysters on yucca root chips with habanero honey
aioli. For dessert, try the key lime crème brûlée with
Grand Marnier blueberries. If you're really hungry, the
beef tenderloin is substantial. A typical meal for two
with wine would cost about $150. Dinner nightly.
For some, breakfast is the perfect nightcap. The
all-night (and all-day) Magnolia Cafe, 1920 South
Congress, (512) 447-7636, attracts the bejeweled and the
besotted alike. There may be a movie star or a diva at
the next booth. Try on a pair of Three-Alarm Tacos
(eggs, potato, cheese and jalapeños in a flour
tortilla), for $5.75, or a full stack of gingerbread
pancakes ($4.25). Quesadillas come in many variations
for $3.95 to $6.50.
The place for young Austin (and that includes kids)
to see and be seen is Guero's Taco Bar, 1412 South
Congress, (512) 447-7688, a great introduction to
chips-and-salsa Austin Tex-Mex restaurant culture.
President Clinton favored this combo plate and had it
named after him: A chicken breast taco, a tamale, a beef
taco, and guacamole, with corn tortillas ($9.95). A meal
for two with drinks runs around $35. Lunch and dinner
weekdays; breakfast, lunch and dinner weekends. Right
across the street is the Continental Club, one of
Austin's most venerable music venues.
If your religion is barbecue, keep the faith at the
Sunday Gospel Brunch at Stubb's, 801 Red River, (512)
480-8341, fax (512) 480-8345. Gospel groups will get you
on your feet, if only to make it to the Southern
breakfast buffet or for another helping of Texas black
angus beef brisket with Serrano spinach, collard greens,
whipped yams or buttermilk pie. The brunch (reservations
essential) is $14.95 a person. Lunch and dinner Tuesday
to Sunday.
PETER H. LEWIS, a senior editor at Fortune magazine,
lives in Austin.
Read the original article at the NY Times website.
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