Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2008 > September > 11 > Entry
Sighting Celebrities, Ike & ACL, Part 3
SoCo — There’s a reason hotelier Bill Gurasich and architect Dick Clark are building another chic hangout on South Congress Avenue. Everybody — including celebrities — want to hang out there. Jo’s Hot Coffee is the epicenter and offers the best sidewalk people-watching in the city.
The Hotel San Jose and, to a different degree, the Austin Motel, lure stars of music, movies, television and otherwise. Mars, Vespaio, Enoteca, Woodland, South Congress Cafe and Güero’s all pull in notables, while the Continental Club is a required stop on the Austin music tour.
Just walk up and down South Congress from Riverside Drive to no farther south than Live Oak Street, and you’ll join a rushing stream of locals, visitors and those inescapable subjects of the tabloids.
Barton Springs Road — This area is less easily defined and is thoroughly scrambled by the tens of thousands funneling in and out of the ACL Fest proper in Zilker Park. Of course, celebrities will drop by for the music (last year, Drew Barrymore and Justin Long smooched their way through the weekend). A few will also take a dip in nearby Barton Springs, as did Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson two weeks ago.
Austin’s Restaurant Row is not known for haute cuisine, but rather burgers, brew, ‘ritas and ‘cue. Celebrities who feel comfortable being seen in flip-flops will dally at Uncle Billy’s, Austin Java, Flipnotics, Chuy’s, Romeo’s, Green Mesquite and, especially, Shady Grove. Of course, the fitness freaks among the stars will take a whirl around Lady Bird Lake on the hike-and-bike trail, probably the best all-round people-watching area in the city.
We really shouldn’t have to point this out, but don’t feed or poke the celebrities, during ACL or otherwise. Look, smile, leave them alone.
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