Back For The Attack

After a brief hiatus I am back.  It's that time of year again:  SXSW madness!  This will be my last SXSW  as a resident of Austin, so I plan on living it up.  Once again, I will be scouring the web for parties and the must-see bands at SXSW 2011.  It's mid-February and the announcements are just starting to trickle in.  SXSW 2011 is upon us! 

Here we go!

Cactus Cafe to close in August

Is Austin losing its soul?

With a projected population of 1.7 million this year, Austin has moved on.  The sleepy college town that people came to know in the past is no more. 

The University of Texas has decided to close the much-loved Cactus Cafe in August of this year.  To some, this was the last bastion representing the "old" Austin.  It will join extinct venues such as Armadillo World Headquarters, Liberty Lunch, and The Back Room in the gallery of lost Austin gems. 

The New York Times featured an eloquent article on the closing. 

Old school vs. new school.

Face it.  Austin is growing.  With its booming growth in full swing, Austin is turning into a big city, much to the chagrin of the old-school, keep Austin weird contigent of the population.  I fall somewhere in between the pro-growth, Dallas-like population and the old-school one.  Seeing that i've only lived here nine years, I don't have the clout to claim to be a "true Austinite."  But i'm also not a newcomer either.  

I have mixed feelings about the whole growth issue.  Yes, the traffic blows, as i'm sure almost everyone living in Austin will agree.  Yes, there are condos sprouting up left and right, prompting the old-schoolers to chime "Who's living in all of these things?"  I've never seen so many cranes in the Austin skyline.  I prefer to live in a house with a yard, but I know that's not everyone's preference.   

Along with the negatives there are some positive things to consider.  First, Austin is slowly becoming a first class dining and arts city.  There are unique restaurants and businesses popping up everywhere, and I love it.  Being an avid diner, I love to try out new restaurants.  I still love the old stand-bys like Uchi (yum!), Vespaio and Wink, but all these new options are refreshing.  Some places I would like to try:  Olivia, Mulberry, Tomo and Primizie to name a few.  

I also like the idea of a walkable, pleasant looking downtown area.  I love what they've done with the whole Second Street District.  I think this can only be a positive thing for our fair city.  

I also like to see all the new upscale boutiques and stores.  I'm far from rich, but I do like to indulge myself every so often.  

The verdict?  Grow on Austin!