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Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Your A-List: Best Gym
In a battle for the title of Best Gym in the Your A-List poll, David took down Goliath, as the little gym that could, Hyde Park Gym, took home 34 percent of the vote, vanquishing foes with bigger names and bigger budgets (Gold’s, 24 Hour Fitness, etc.).
Looks like someone’s been eating their Wheaties. And pumping some serious iron. Located at 4125 Guadalupe St., the nondescript gym has been in business since the beginning of the Reagan administration. And while it may look small from the outside, the local gym that prides itself on no initiation fees, contracts or pushy sales people, features 7,000 sq. ft. of space for you to work up a sweat.
The gym features an interesting payscale, whereby you can pay for one visit ($8) or two years ($309). So whether you’re trying to sweat out the booze from the night before, fit into that new dress or get totally ripped, Hyde Park has a plan that can work for you. And for those skeptical of the place, you can also try it out for free for seven days by clicking a link on their site.
On a related note, check out Pamela LeBlanc’s recent article about heart transplant Lemuel Bradshaw, who stays heart healthy pumping up at HPG, and watch video of him here.
Hyde Park Gym
4125 Guadalupe St. [map]
459.9174
Others receiving votes
- Lifetime Fitness, 29 percent
- Gold’s, 9 percent
- 24 Hour Fitness, 7 percent
- Pure Austin Fitness, 7 percent
- UT’s Gregory Gym, 6 percent
- YMCA, 4 percent
- Castle Hill, 2 percent
- The Hills Fitness Center, 2 percent
- Premiere Lady, 1 percent
Write-ins: Body Business, Brothers Boxing Gym, Bruce’s KO Boxing Gym, Fit and Fearless, Richard Lord’s Boxing Gym
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Your A-List: Best Live Music Venue
In the Live Music Capital of the World, there may be dozens of excellent venues, but only one can be named the winner of the Your A-List poll for Best Live Music Venue. This year, that honor goes to Stubb’s, which took home 38 percent of the vote.
The outdoor ampitheater with the elevated slope sitting alongside Waller Creek has become quintessentially ‘Austin’ and for a dozen years has anchored the Red River music scene. How many other cities boast a venue where you can see anyone from The Roots to Wilco just after eating a nice barbecue dinner? Not many, I would imagine.
Located at 801 Red River St., the venerable bbq joint first opened in Lubbock before making the wise trip south, where it is equally known for its music as it is for its food, with both the outdoor stage and the club stage inside offering something to suit anyone’s musical tastes. If you really wanna get a taste for both the live music and the food, head over on Sunday for the Gospel Brunch.
Others receiving votes
- The Backyard, 22 percent
- Antone’s, 11 percent
- Emo’s, 7 percent
- Paramount Theatre, 6 percent
- The Parish, 5 percent
- La Zona Rosa, 5 percent
- Elephant Room, 3 percent
- One World Theatre, 2 percent
- Beerland, 2 percent
Write-ins: The Bugle Boy, Hill’s Cafe, Momo’s, Saxon Pub
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Your A-List: Best Running Trail
You can’t be considered a great city if you don’t have an excellent running trail (see: Chicago, Seattle, New York, D.C., etc.). In Austin’s case, the pride and joy of the running community (along with the walking and people watching communities) is the winner of this week’s Your A-List poll for Best Running Trail, Lady Bird Lake.
The 10+ mile trail is accessible from the north, east, south and west and widely considered the crown jewel of Austin’s outdoor scene. Check out a map of the trail here.
Others receiving votes
- Barton Creek Greenbelt, 10 percent
- Enchanted Rock State Nature Area, 2 percent
- Walnut Creek Park, 2 percent
- McKinney Falls State Park, 2 percent
- Pease Park, 2 percent
- Bastrop State Park, 2 percent
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park, 1 percent
- McKinney Roughs, 1 percent
- Lake Georgetown, < 1 percent
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Your A-List: Best Sandwich Shop
Seems you can’t go hardly anywhere in Austin these days without seeing one of the many Thundercloud Subs shops, winner, with 34 percent of the vote, of the Your A-List poll for Best Sandwich Shop.
People like to complain about what Austin used to be like, you know, before the condos and stuff. Maybe they should start using the, “I remember when there were only three Thunderclouds in Austin,” because now, according to their site, there are 26 locations in Austin, Round Rock, San Antonio and New Braunfels. I feel old.
Thundercloud made a name for itself in Austin, before the ubiquity of chain sandwich shops, by offering good sandwiches with fresh ingredients at low prices and served by friendly staff. Three decades later they are still at it, and chances are, if you’ve lived in Austin for more than three months, you’ve eaten at one. And if you’ve lived here three years, you know somebody who has worked at one. And if you’ve lived here 13 years, you’ve probably worked at one. That’s what I call an institution.
Others receiving votes
- Schlotzsky’s, 11 percent
- Which Wich, 10 percent
- Texadelphia, 10 percent
- Jimmy John’s, 9 percent
- Hog Island Deli, 7 percent
- New World Deli, 7 percent
- Kitchen Door, 6 percent
- Texas French Bread, 4 percent
Write-ins: Bambino’s, Delaware Subs, Foodheads, Gene’s New Orleans Food, Hoody’s Subs, Jersey Mike’s, Katz’s, Ken’s Subs, Tacos and More, Little Deli, McAlister’s Deli, Panera Bread, Pita Pit, Tex-Andwich, San Francisco Bakery
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