Decided to seek the simple pleasures afforded by life along the Burnet Road corridor. The two pursuits, enrolling in a yoga class and re-activating my library card, I realize now were healing to the body, spirit and mind.
I had been away from yoga for at least twenty years and at one time I could comfortably salute the sun, stretch downward like a dog, and even stand on my head. Maybe my yoga days carried too many negative associations with some less appealing aspects of the decade of my Twenties so I threw the baby out with the proverbial bath water and yoga exercise fell by the wayside. My wife Mona and I attended our first classes of yoga and the early signs are that this is a good thing. Some of the aches in my shoulder diminished and I felt a little lighter on my feet, as if the Twenties were sneaking back into my essence. The yoga teacher adds a spiritual dimension by discussing some of the spiritual under-girdings of yoga, like non-violence to self and others and non-covetousness or non-attachment. She lowered the lights toward the end of class and her soothing commentary helped me fall asleep. I was the Snoring Yogi! Rest assured that Mona, just one mat over, made sure I did not actually snore.
The other return to past pleasures was renewing my library card at the Yarbrough Branch of the Austin Public Library. I learned that the computerization of the library is very impressive. It's easy now to request that any book you desire be sent to your local branch, They even send an email message to you when the book arrives at your branch! The public library is a great American institution and nice to see that it's a popular and well-used community resource.
All in all-- a great day in the neighborhood!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Burnet Road—Desultory Pavement or Charming Austin Road
Before I start, I want to thank my daughter Rosa for increasing my readership by 50%. She brough in Mica from northwest Arkansas! And thanks also to Joe Russell and Kathryn in Waco! But on to the story...
I decided to google Burnet Road and I quickly came to a cyber-voice, a guy named Josh Hikes, with a less than enthusiastic depiction of the place we call home. I’ll just quote Josh in a minute here. What’s interesting was the 138 photos he devoted to what he descries as desultory pavement. He was in town to run a marathon back in 2006. I’ve included the link so you can enjoy Josh’s interesting photos of the wild world of LoBu. Here’s Josh Hikes' opening comment:
“Burnet Road- & other desultory pavement along the 2006 3m half-marathon course…not a pretty street, in a so-called progressive town, in Tom DeLay's home state, Burnet Road was at the heart of the 2006 3M half-marathon route last February. It actually began at the Gateway shopping center and there were plenty of eyesores even before Burnet Road, which are also included for your viewing pleasure.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshhikes/sets/
Compare and contrast that viewpoint with Patrick Caldwell and Joseph Devens, reporters for the Daily Texan, the student newspaper for The University of Texas at Austin. They did a Burnet Road cover story for DT Weekend, the February 8, 2007 and their subtitle --“and a giant octopus to boot”—refers to an exotic piece of advertising sculpture above the Atomic Tattoo shop, well-covered photographically by none other than Josh Hikes, the guy with an anti-Burnet chip on his shoulder!
Here are Patrick and Joseph from the Daily Texan.
bright lights, neon street
and a giant octopus to boot
“Far from the crowds and expense of the Drag and even farther from the noise of Sixth Street is a charming Austin road that’s not only keeping our city weird, but fully stocked with light bulbs and tropical fish as well. Burnet Road, pronounced “bur-net” by out-of-towners and “burn-it” by locals, links 45th Street to Highway 183 with a string of some of the most unusual eye-catching and ridiculous shops and eateries in this town.
“In the daytime, buildings on Burnet compete in a hilarious popularity contest, each one trying furiously to attract more attention than its neighbor. One is disguised as a modernist painting, and another features a giant plaster octopus with a human skull for a head. Then at nighttime, motorists are privy to some of the best neon displays the city has to offer. There is literally something for everyone on Burnet, be you a pirate, a spy, an artist, a musician, a pinball wizard or just someone looking for a good omelot. This weekend, feast your brain on the kaleidoscope of the weird and lovely that has become one of Austin’s premier hotspots.
“It may lack a hip name, but Burnet, with its mixture of top-notch eateries and specialty shops, is worth the trip. Now is the perfect time to hit up oneo fthe city’s best kept secrets. Make said excursion today—before the eventual Wal Mart at Northcross brings an element of existential despair to the area—and be able to tell all your friends you were doing it before it was cool.”
I agree with all of the Daily Texan commentary—except that Burnet Road is actually called “burn-net” by everybody, even the Austin natives. It is the town of Burnet, Texas that Texans refer to as “burn-it” and that’s down the road a piece in Burnet County. Burnet, Texas was the original destination of Burnet Road-- despite the varying pronunciations.
And do check out Josh's photos 'cause Burnet Road is a fabulous place!
I decided to google Burnet Road and I quickly came to a cyber-voice, a guy named Josh Hikes, with a less than enthusiastic depiction of the place we call home. I’ll just quote Josh in a minute here. What’s interesting was the 138 photos he devoted to what he descries as desultory pavement. He was in town to run a marathon back in 2006. I’ve included the link so you can enjoy Josh’s interesting photos of the wild world of LoBu. Here’s Josh Hikes' opening comment:
“Burnet Road- & other desultory pavement along the 2006 3m half-marathon course…not a pretty street, in a so-called progressive town, in Tom DeLay's home state, Burnet Road was at the heart of the 2006 3M half-marathon route last February. It actually began at the Gateway shopping center and there were plenty of eyesores even before Burnet Road, which are also included for your viewing pleasure.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshhikes/sets/
Compare and contrast that viewpoint with Patrick Caldwell and Joseph Devens, reporters for the Daily Texan, the student newspaper for The University of Texas at Austin. They did a Burnet Road cover story for DT Weekend, the February 8, 2007 and their subtitle --“and a giant octopus to boot”—refers to an exotic piece of advertising sculpture above the Atomic Tattoo shop, well-covered photographically by none other than Josh Hikes, the guy with an anti-Burnet chip on his shoulder!
Here are Patrick and Joseph from the Daily Texan.
bright lights, neon street
and a giant octopus to boot
“Far from the crowds and expense of the Drag and even farther from the noise of Sixth Street is a charming Austin road that’s not only keeping our city weird, but fully stocked with light bulbs and tropical fish as well. Burnet Road, pronounced “bur-net” by out-of-towners and “burn-it” by locals, links 45th Street to Highway 183 with a string of some of the most unusual eye-catching and ridiculous shops and eateries in this town.
“In the daytime, buildings on Burnet compete in a hilarious popularity contest, each one trying furiously to attract more attention than its neighbor. One is disguised as a modernist painting, and another features a giant plaster octopus with a human skull for a head. Then at nighttime, motorists are privy to some of the best neon displays the city has to offer. There is literally something for everyone on Burnet, be you a pirate, a spy, an artist, a musician, a pinball wizard or just someone looking for a good omelot. This weekend, feast your brain on the kaleidoscope of the weird and lovely that has become one of Austin’s premier hotspots.
“It may lack a hip name, but Burnet, with its mixture of top-notch eateries and specialty shops, is worth the trip. Now is the perfect time to hit up oneo fthe city’s best kept secrets. Make said excursion today—before the eventual Wal Mart at Northcross brings an element of existential despair to the area—and be able to tell all your friends you were doing it before it was cool.”
I agree with all of the Daily Texan commentary—except that Burnet Road is actually called “burn-net” by everybody, even the Austin natives. It is the town of Burnet, Texas that Texans refer to as “burn-it” and that’s down the road a piece in Burnet County. Burnet, Texas was the original destination of Burnet Road-- despite the varying pronunciations.
And do check out Josh's photos 'cause Burnet Road is a fabulous place!
Saturday, February 3, 2007
LoBu vs. Evil Empire
The LoBu neighborhood in north central Austin presently has an antagonist, a friendly little corporation called Wal-Mart. I gathered with 500 of the LoBu brethren at the Saint Louis Catholic Church on Burnet Road last Wednesday evening to follow the community protest. The room truly pulsed, electric with intensity. Who would win? Wal-Mart has a lease and with the help of Lincoln Property plans to build a super-sized store at Northcross Mall. The neighbors don't like the idea at all. The store will increase traffic flow and add not much else for the benefit to the neighborhood. The neighborhood representatives and their architects proposed a more mixed-use development, and espoused the goal of a creating a real City Square.
The neighborhood group calls itself RG4N-- an acronym for Responsible Growth for Northcross. RG4N sounds like the chirpy robot guy C3PO from Star Wars . The enemies poised here are as daunting as Darth Vader (Lincoln Property) and the Evil Empire (Wal-Mart). You can tell I never understood the plot of Star Wars and I promise never to refer to it again. The meeting was reminiscent of the grassroots purity of Vietnam-era protests. There was a corporate target this time, make that a corporate Wal-Mart, rather than the U.S. government, but local government is involved at Northcross. The City of Austin has sought a low profile but evaded the neighborhood's request for a moratorium on further building and stated it was "already a done deal." One government official was on hand in the person of Jennifer Kim, an Austin City Councilwoman. She got a cool introduction from the emcee, "just two minutes please," but Jennifer Kim got a warm applause when she lauded "vibrant urban redevelopment" as opposed to big box development.
The most pleasureable moment for me occurred at another applause moment. I never thought the phrase "pedestrian-friendly" would rattle the rafters of an American meeting hall with hearty, thunderous applause. I even heard cheers of approval! No exaggeration, literal cheers-- for the right to walk.
Like a kid learning to read my first word, I was caught off-guard, sensing something bigger was off in the future. I was witness to a breathtaking change in consciousness in the land of many roads. America, where people have aways wanted hard rubber circles propelling them anywhere beyond fifty feet, may have a new movement afoot...heh, heh. It starts as a plea, a prayer, a passion... if not yet a plan... for increased use of the lower extremities for locomotion. If so, then sign me up.
Of course, we all got to the meeting in our cars but you've got to start someplace.
The neighborhood group calls itself RG4N-- an acronym for Responsible Growth for Northcross. RG4N sounds like the chirpy robot guy C3PO from Star Wars . The enemies poised here are as daunting as Darth Vader (Lincoln Property) and the Evil Empire (Wal-Mart). You can tell I never understood the plot of Star Wars and I promise never to refer to it again. The meeting was reminiscent of the grassroots purity of Vietnam-era protests. There was a corporate target this time, make that a corporate Wal-Mart, rather than the U.S. government, but local government is involved at Northcross. The City of Austin has sought a low profile but evaded the neighborhood's request for a moratorium on further building and stated it was "already a done deal." One government official was on hand in the person of Jennifer Kim, an Austin City Councilwoman. She got a cool introduction from the emcee, "just two minutes please," but Jennifer Kim got a warm applause when she lauded "vibrant urban redevelopment" as opposed to big box development.
The most pleasureable moment for me occurred at another applause moment. I never thought the phrase "pedestrian-friendly" would rattle the rafters of an American meeting hall with hearty, thunderous applause. I even heard cheers of approval! No exaggeration, literal cheers-- for the right to walk.
Like a kid learning to read my first word, I was caught off-guard, sensing something bigger was off in the future. I was witness to a breathtaking change in consciousness in the land of many roads. America, where people have aways wanted hard rubber circles propelling them anywhere beyond fifty feet, may have a new movement afoot...heh, heh. It starts as a plea, a prayer, a passion... if not yet a plan... for increased use of the lower extremities for locomotion. If so, then sign me up.
Of course, we all got to the meeting in our cars but you've got to start someplace.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
The Low Blow for Lobu-- Letter to the Editor
This Letter to the Editor came in to the Austin-American Statesman on January 23, 2007 and it supports the building of a Wal-Mart at Northcross Mall on the corner of Anderson Lane and Burnet Road. The letter does reveal some of the LoBu landscape, from a decidely negative perspective. Here it is, word-for-word from the Statesman:
Good News for Northcross
It's time the Wal-Mart haters faced reality: A half-dead mall, an abandoned post office and a hodge-podge of used car lots, matress outlets, repair shops fast food joints, pet salons and gin mills aren't the brave new Austin.
Wal-Mart got targeted because it's a threat to grocery unions dear to Democrats. The accusations by the unions' fronts are either false or wildly exaggerated and their fear-mongering about Wal-Mart's effect on communities is sheer demagoguery.
I lived within a mile of a Wal-Mart superstore and its negative effect was near zero. There were no lights or noise, no necessary businesses closed, and the increase in traffic was minimal. the positive effects included 300 new jobs and a source of inexpensive household goods-- a convenience store without the exorbitant prices.
And did somebodymentiond crime? A code word, perhaps? Heaven forbid all the fuss is really about keeping black and brown shoppers in their place.
Edward
Austin, Texas
I have to admit, Edward shows literary talent. His description of LoBu businesses, though bleak, has some accuracy and you gotta love a colorful list for creating a mood. Ironically, he's describing the old Lobu with the list of marginal businesses. But he did use the phrase "hodge-podge" and that sounds like one of my early blog entries where I said the architecture dow here was a mish-mash of styles. I like the his irony with the term "the brave new Austin."
As for his Wal-Mart aesthetic, I don't agree. I don't see the benefits of Wal-Mart and never have enjoyed shopping there. Wal-Mart, as Edward states, is like a big convenience store with its lack of flavor or appeal. Do I need a massive convenience store in theneighborhood and for what-- the opportunity to pick up cheap undershirts in the middle of the night!
My belief is that inner city neighborhoods are going to become very prized real estate entitities. The proximity to downtown and Central Austin means that the land only goes up in value. Sure Wal-Mart can afford the rent but for the most part the quality of the stores and businesses is slowly creeping upward. Wal-Mart wants to get into LoBu early and many of the neighbors are unhappy. Don't know what will happen.
The neighborhood people resisting Wal-Mart have a website. It's called: ResponsibleGrowthforNorthcross.org.
Good News for Northcross
It's time the Wal-Mart haters faced reality: A half-dead mall, an abandoned post office and a hodge-podge of used car lots, matress outlets, repair shops fast food joints, pet salons and gin mills aren't the brave new Austin.
Wal-Mart got targeted because it's a threat to grocery unions dear to Democrats. The accusations by the unions' fronts are either false or wildly exaggerated and their fear-mongering about Wal-Mart's effect on communities is sheer demagoguery.
I lived within a mile of a Wal-Mart superstore and its negative effect was near zero. There were no lights or noise, no necessary businesses closed, and the increase in traffic was minimal. the positive effects included 300 new jobs and a source of inexpensive household goods-- a convenience store without the exorbitant prices.
And did somebodymentiond crime? A code word, perhaps? Heaven forbid all the fuss is really about keeping black and brown shoppers in their place.
Edward
Austin, Texas
I have to admit, Edward shows literary talent. His description of LoBu businesses, though bleak, has some accuracy and you gotta love a colorful list for creating a mood. Ironically, he's describing the old Lobu with the list of marginal businesses. But he did use the phrase "hodge-podge" and that sounds like one of my early blog entries where I said the architecture dow here was a mish-mash of styles. I like the his irony with the term "the brave new Austin."
As for his Wal-Mart aesthetic, I don't agree. I don't see the benefits of Wal-Mart and never have enjoyed shopping there. Wal-Mart, as Edward states, is like a big convenience store with its lack of flavor or appeal. Do I need a massive convenience store in theneighborhood and for what-- the opportunity to pick up cheap undershirts in the middle of the night!
My belief is that inner city neighborhoods are going to become very prized real estate entitities. The proximity to downtown and Central Austin means that the land only goes up in value. Sure Wal-Mart can afford the rent but for the most part the quality of the stores and businesses is slowly creeping upward. Wal-Mart wants to get into LoBu early and many of the neighbors are unhappy. Don't know what will happen.
The neighborhood people resisting Wal-Mart have a website. It's called: ResponsibleGrowthforNorthcross.org.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Undercover in SoCo
The whole concept for LoBu springs from the success and notoriety of SoCo, or South Congress. SoCo is the one Austin district known by a New York City-style abbreviation. South Congress has trendy appeal and a heckuva location-- just south of downtown and with a sight line to the grand old state Capitol building of Texas. But that doesn't make SoCo the be-all and end-all of Austin neighborhood shopping and living districts. The area we call LoBu, or Lower Burnet, has appeal and that's one of the cornerstones of this blog! You gotta love LoBu... and the rallying cry of this blog is "Lobu Baby!"
But last weekend we ventured down to SoCo. We met some friends at an eatery on the grand boulevard itself at Vespaio/Enoteca-- a tasteful place with high quality dining. The width of Congress Avenue is something to behold. You can sense the wild west days in the dimensions of South Congress. The great open continent of North America had room for wide boulevards so why not think big. Central Feed store functioned just a decade or two ago, but now it's Guero's restaurant, the place where Bill Clinton stops for enchiladas. Not many presidential sightings of note in LoBu but maybe that's a plus... Back to Enoteca, the Italian food side of Vespaio. Enoteca actually is Aztec for "cheaper than Vespaio." We sat at an outside table, situated on the side street on a cool Austin evening. The food was good and some of our fellow diners were regulars and actually knew the waiters. We got nice treatment and had a great meal with old friends.
You pay a decent price-- even on the Enoteca side so I'll present a LoBu option, Enchiladas Y Mas on Anderson Lane. Anderson Lane and Burnet Road is the second great LoBu intersection (after Koenig Lane and Burnet Road). Go east on Anderson, a few blocks past Burnet, and you see Enchiladas Y Mas on your right. Breakfast there is highly recommended for both the food and the friendly atmosphere. The LoBu lack of pretension means the waitresses appreciate your presence, even if you leave after spending a mere 5 bucks. You can feel the good vibes and the migas with sausage were awesome. Vaughn and I had a great conversation at Enciladas Y Mas, just another reason to say "Lobu Baby!"
But last weekend we ventured down to SoCo. We met some friends at an eatery on the grand boulevard itself at Vespaio/Enoteca-- a tasteful place with high quality dining. The width of Congress Avenue is something to behold. You can sense the wild west days in the dimensions of South Congress. The great open continent of North America had room for wide boulevards so why not think big. Central Feed store functioned just a decade or two ago, but now it's Guero's restaurant, the place where Bill Clinton stops for enchiladas. Not many presidential sightings of note in LoBu but maybe that's a plus... Back to Enoteca, the Italian food side of Vespaio. Enoteca actually is Aztec for "cheaper than Vespaio." We sat at an outside table, situated on the side street on a cool Austin evening. The food was good and some of our fellow diners were regulars and actually knew the waiters. We got nice treatment and had a great meal with old friends.
You pay a decent price-- even on the Enoteca side so I'll present a LoBu option, Enchiladas Y Mas on Anderson Lane. Anderson Lane and Burnet Road is the second great LoBu intersection (after Koenig Lane and Burnet Road). Go east on Anderson, a few blocks past Burnet, and you see Enchiladas Y Mas on your right. Breakfast there is highly recommended for both the food and the friendly atmosphere. The LoBu lack of pretension means the waitresses appreciate your presence, even if you leave after spending a mere 5 bucks. You can feel the good vibes and the migas with sausage were awesome. Vaughn and I had a great conversation at Enciladas Y Mas, just another reason to say "Lobu Baby!"
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Happy New Year! and Walking the Dog
Happy 2007! As my friend Ken say, "if you want something to be different, you've got to do something different." That may not be a direct quote but it sounds pretty believable. The Lobu Zone blog is something new for me and I'll make writing a blog a new activity for 2007.
The weather in Texas took a rainy approach to the new year. We've received a fair amount of precipitation in the first week and that's definitely a welcome start to the year. My friends know I've had an obsession with global climate change for a long time and even the weather broadcasters on TV scratch their head on a regular basis. They don't say much, usually sticking to the facts, but seem genuinely astounded to see the Dakotas and East Coast running 20-30 degrees above their normal winter temperatures. I don't want to harp on the mysterious and gloomy subject of man's impact on the climate-- but hey I'm a blogger and we're supposed to wax on about our obsessions!
I have one habit that is worth continuing into 2007-- walking our dogs Mojo and Suzi. I've made some observations about dogs, our fellow mammals, after five years of walking-- they have four legs to our two and are excellent walkers and they are closer to the ground than us and very earthy, snoopy animals. Okay, nothing to brilliant there. I've devised several LoBu-area neigborhood walks for my dogs and will discuss two of them-- Northwest Hills and Allandale.
Northwest Hills (walk #1) is hilly, as the name implies, and that has cardio benefits. White-tailed deer can often be sighted in Northwest Hills, especially at dusk, adding a Discovery Channel element to the walk and our little terrier Suzi gets revved up at the sight of deer groupings. They eye us suspiciously. The male deer have horns at this time of year and the sight of a full-grown buck deet with horns blazing is something to behold. We give them a wide berth but marvel at their beauty. I'm astounded to see the families of deer and wonder how they survive and flourish so close to the the center of Austin? My record is 15 deer observed on a single suburban lawn!
The walk in Allandale (walk #2) is flatter than Northwest Hills and it's a great place for the dogs to move around and cover some ground with less traffic than some of the other LoBu neighborhoods. Mojo and Suzi didn't notice the lawn signs stating "No Wal-Mart! Responsible Growth for Northcross!" as dogs can't read-- another big difference between us. The signs reference the biggest controversy to hit the lobu area in my ten years in the neighborhood-- the announcement of a proposed Wal-Mart store in the Northcross shopping center at a key LoBu intersection, Anderson Lane and Burnet Road. Neighbors are concerned over the development of a big box store-- open 24/7-- in a previously sleepy Northcross Mall, located right at the edge of our neighborhoods. Truthfully, it does not sound like a boon to the area or the property values! This is a controversy I will follow in the Lobu Zone blog.
Have a Happy New Year! Maybe try someting a little different this year and see what kind of results you get!
The weather in Texas took a rainy approach to the new year. We've received a fair amount of precipitation in the first week and that's definitely a welcome start to the year. My friends know I've had an obsession with global climate change for a long time and even the weather broadcasters on TV scratch their head on a regular basis. They don't say much, usually sticking to the facts, but seem genuinely astounded to see the Dakotas and East Coast running 20-30 degrees above their normal winter temperatures. I don't want to harp on the mysterious and gloomy subject of man's impact on the climate-- but hey I'm a blogger and we're supposed to wax on about our obsessions!
I have one habit that is worth continuing into 2007-- walking our dogs Mojo and Suzi. I've made some observations about dogs, our fellow mammals, after five years of walking-- they have four legs to our two and are excellent walkers and they are closer to the ground than us and very earthy, snoopy animals. Okay, nothing to brilliant there. I've devised several LoBu-area neigborhood walks for my dogs and will discuss two of them-- Northwest Hills and Allandale.
Northwest Hills (walk #1) is hilly, as the name implies, and that has cardio benefits. White-tailed deer can often be sighted in Northwest Hills, especially at dusk, adding a Discovery Channel element to the walk and our little terrier Suzi gets revved up at the sight of deer groupings. They eye us suspiciously. The male deer have horns at this time of year and the sight of a full-grown buck deet with horns blazing is something to behold. We give them a wide berth but marvel at their beauty. I'm astounded to see the families of deer and wonder how they survive and flourish so close to the the center of Austin? My record is 15 deer observed on a single suburban lawn!
The walk in Allandale (walk #2) is flatter than Northwest Hills and it's a great place for the dogs to move around and cover some ground with less traffic than some of the other LoBu neighborhoods. Mojo and Suzi didn't notice the lawn signs stating "No Wal-Mart! Responsible Growth for Northcross!" as dogs can't read-- another big difference between us. The signs reference the biggest controversy to hit the lobu area in my ten years in the neighborhood-- the announcement of a proposed Wal-Mart store in the Northcross shopping center at a key LoBu intersection, Anderson Lane and Burnet Road. Neighbors are concerned over the development of a big box store-- open 24/7-- in a previously sleepy Northcross Mall, located right at the edge of our neighborhoods. Truthfully, it does not sound like a boon to the area or the property values! This is a controversy I will follow in the Lobu Zone blog.
Have a Happy New Year! Maybe try someting a little different this year and see what kind of results you get!
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