The headline on the front of the new Dallas Observer is “Finding Austin.” Upon seeing this, I immediately thought it odd that our city’s alternative weekly would devote a cover to a story saying that, compared to Dallas, Austin really isn’t as great as its reputation has it. (Does our city still suffer from that tired inferiority complex?) At least, that was my guess as to how the Observer might tackle the subject.
Come to find out that the Observer didn’t tackle the subject at all. It’s a story from their sister paper, Houston Press, which also has it on its cover. The take is more like: Austin isn’t as weird as you think and as it once might have been, plus it has awful traffic. And, yeah, basically the writer compares Austin to Houston and Dallas over and over and says, yeah, it ain’t so special. Except maybe in a few respects:
No, Austin is not a truly gorgeous geographical Shangri-La, like San Francisco, Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Seattle or even Chattanooga, Tennessee, but it’s pretty enough and easily the beauty queen of Texas. What’s more, its violent-crime rate is a merciful fraction of those of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Don’t worry, there’s some local flavor thrown in, near the bottom. Before jumping, take one guess at what aspect of Dallas they praise. Hint: The same aspect that got talked up in the New York Times last weekend.
Jeff Liles made the move back to his native Dallas from Austin in the early ’80s and hasn’t looked back since. A mover and shaker in the glory days of Deep Ellum, Liles has since helped establish an arts colony of sorts in a neighborhood called X-Plus, in the northern part of Oak Cliff.
Oak Cliff is different from the rest of Dallas, Liles says. … The epicenter of that community is the Kessler Theater, a listening room and arts space managed by Liles. While Liles is an interested party and can come across as a (very confident) booster, Joe Nick Patoski vouches for Liles’ claims. Patoski says that the Kessler is one of the best listening rooms he’s ever been in, and he was shocked by the hipness of its environs. “Oak Cliff is now hipper, edgier and more affordable than east Austin is,” he says.
6 comments
I just bought my Junior Brown Tickets for next weekend. Can’t wait for Singapore Slingers opening for Leon Redbone in September.
I also praise Oak Cliff – but East Dallas should be mentioned as a another laid-back alternative to Austin. Junius Heights with its Garden Cafe, wealth of Craftsman Bungalows, proximity to funky shops/pubs/restaurants and eclectic neighbors who hang out together is a good example. East Dallas also has excellent schools.
True Fred, and Good 2 Go Tacos, Cultivar Coffee and soon the Goodfriend Beer Garden are transforming the still funky neighborhoods further north along Garland and Peavy. Also, Green Spot’s Markets (happening this Saturday) is one of the coolest places to sample local farmers, beekeepers, cookie makers, breadbakers, farmers, and crafts.
http://www.whiterocklocalmarket.com/index.html
Finally, We have great local Mexican Bakeries and Restaurants along Ferguson Road.
I’m still trying to figure out the Austin BBQ story that got front page coverage in today’s DMN – above the fold!!!
I read the whole thing trying to figure out what it had to do with Dallas and why it was on the front page.
Did I miss something?
I’d rather read about Austin just once than read daily – strangely – about a California-based fast food joint in Allen.
Austin has its problems, and yes its not the Austin of the Armadillo World Headquarters days, granted. But sorry folks, Dallas and Houston are a beating. Sure there’s pockets of sanity in both cities, but getting there is tough. FW has some cool going on and didn’t even warrant a mention in the article..what’s up with that?