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Your A-List
March 17, 2010
SXSW 24: A List: Best Blogger
I swear I didn’t vote in this category. And I didn’t encourage any of my readers to do so. Still, I’m tickled to be included in the company of the obsessive writers in the Best Blogger category.
Our own little Out & About made it into a race with 22 percent of the tally.
Here’s an odd statistic: The next four bloggers tied exactly at just over 8 percent — In the Pink, Ain’t It Cool, Austin Tidbits and Grits for Breakfast.
MeanRachel.com, who does me the honor of commenting on my tweets periodically, linked to 6 percent. Pink Dome, Community Matters and Austinist’s Allen Y. Chen rounded out the list with 3 percent or less.
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SXSW 23: A List: Best Place to Catch a Sunset
I have sneaking suspicion that preferences in this category will change over the years, as more people move upward into those downtown towers.
Mount Bonnell, a scenic magnet for centuries, came in second with 18 percent. Iguana Grill managed a respectable 11 percent, while Hula Hut relaxed with 10 percent.
Lake Travis, the whole of it, merited 8 percent. The UT Tower, Zilker Park, Downtown skyscrapers, Loop 360 scenic overlook and Pennybacker Bridge all ended with less than three percent. I think the last two locations are the same.
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SXSW 22: A List: Best Latin Singer or Group
Del Castillo, the flamenco-guitar and family-based act, and Grupo Fantasma, the big-band blasters, both received exactly 25 percent of the vote in the A List poll for Best Latin Singer or Group.
Alejandro Escovedo, who continues to mature as an artist as life throws him more material, received 19 percent. David Garza, also evolving after decades in the local eye, won 13 percent.
Brownout led the rest of the pack with 8 percent. The Brew, Frenetica, Los Bad Apples, Maneja Beto and Patricia Vonne settled for 6 percent of less.
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SXSW 21: A List: Best Locally Produced Beer/Wine/Liquor
OK, so why am I organizing this week’s A List winners under the rubric of “SXSW” as well? Because everything is SXSW this week. And visitors to Our Town want to know these local preferences as well.
Real Ale Brewing and Live Oak Brewing came in second and third with 17 percent and 12 percent of the tally.
Dripping Springs Vodka and Paula’s Texas Orange tied at 8 percent.
Taking 5 percent or less were Independence Brewing, Uncle Billy’s, Draught House, Alamosa wines and Caprock wines. Too bad we can’t count the dozens of wineries in the Hill Country in this poll.
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March 10, 2010
Not SXSW: Your A List: Best Statesman Columnist
I suppose I could have abstained from reporting the results of this week’s A List readers poll for Best Statesman Columnist. Conflict of interest, and all.
(What many people don’t know, he’s one of the kindest, most thoughtful reporters in the newsroom, too. Funny in person.)
The newspaper’s first certified digital star, Addie Broyles, who leads Austin’s food-blogging mob into the future, pulled in 13 percent.
Longtime sports columnist Kirk Bohls came in third with 12 percent. (I once said, almost 20 years ago, I wanted to grow up to be the Kirk Bohls of the arts.)
Marques Harper and I virtually tied at 8 percent, which is fitting, since we’re often at the same social events and we started our current columns around the same time.
Chris Garcia’s film column, Cedric Golden’s sports column, Ben Wear’s transportation column, Andrea Ball’s charity column and Jason Embry’s newly minted political column followed in descending order.
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Not SXSW: Your A List: Best Place to Score a Last-Minute Gift
I’ve labeled the headlines about this week’s A List winners “Not SXSW.” That’s not exactly accurate. Any visitor for the massive three-part festival and conference could use the information contained herein.
Thirty percent of the A List readers recommended Breed & Co., the Austin veteran that is demurely called a “hardware store.” Don’t be fooled. Some of the cleverest gifts in kitchenware, plants, novelties and other household needs can be purchased there.
Waterloo Records, never far from any A List poll, came in second with 14 percent, while Toy Joy and BookPeople split just above and just below 13 percent.
Emerald’s — yes, still on North Lamar Boulevard, minus the Coconuts — rang up 8 percent. Zinger buzzed in with 6 percent.
Tesoros Trading Co. — so perfect for SoCo, it’s hard to believe it didn’t start there — tied with Terra Toys, and just ahead Sue Patrick and Aviary.
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Not SXSW: Your A List: Best Locally Owned Business
A List voters are hungry. And they want fun. Plus some local color.
They ignored publicly-traded powerhouses like Dell, Inc., Whole Foods Market, Inc. or Temple-Inland, or cutting-edge capitalists like Austin Ventures.
Instead, they went with the adorable sweetness of Amy’s Ice Cream, which mixed up 28 percent of the vote.
Homeslice, the New York-style pizza joint that just expanded on South Congress Avenue in time for SXSW, sliced up 15 percent.
Waterloo, the iconic record shop, also a prime SXSW stop, came in third with 12 percent.
Magnolia Cafe and Guero’s — South Congress presences as well — virtually tied for fourth.
Schlotsky’s, Hoover’s and Top Notch did well, hovering around 7 percent. Hotel San Jose and Vulcan Video (again with the SoCo) rounded out the list.
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Not SXSW: Your A List: Best Steakhouse
Texans and our steaks. We can’t get enough of them.
The top six finalists for Best Steakhouse in the A List readers poll were so closely matched, they could have tied. Austin Land and Cattle clearly won, though, with 19 percent of the vote.
III Forks, one of the upscale downtown spots, came in second with with just over 15 percent, while laid-back Hoffbrau carved up just under 15 percent.
Ruth’s Chris — each one is separately owned and operated, so not really a chain — forked out 14 percent. Texas Land and Cattle and Fleming’s scored just under 12 percent.
Others making the tender grade were Truluck’s, Backstage, McCormick and Schmick’s, and Joe DiMaggio’s.
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March 3, 2010
Your A-List: Best Place to Park Downtown
You’ve got to be kidding. No, I’m not going to reveal my secret downtown parking spots. Then they wouldn’t be secrets any more.
Readers agree. Street parking earned 32 percent of the vote in the A List readers poll on Best Place to Park Downtown. You must pay during the day, and you must negotiate those new-fangled meters, but given the alternatives, the cost is minimal. At night, look for streets on the ragged margins of popular entertainment districts — not in between them.
The City Hall garage remains popular — despite recent news-making incidents — driving away with 15 percent of the tally. Valet parking, a profession I deeply respect and use outside of downtown, especially for parties in the hills, came in third with 13 percent.
In descending order, the other voted locations were the Garage at Seventh and Lavaca street, the State garage at Fourth and San Antonio street, Under Interstate 35, Teachers Retirement System lot, U.S. Post Office lot, One American Center garage and Austin Convention Center garage.
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Your A-List: Best Comic Book Store
Who would have predicted that, in 2010, comic books, aka graphic novels, would be bigger than ever, far exceeding their reach to primarily preteen boys 50 or 60 years ago? Now they are an enduring, influential and even cutting-edge part of global culture. (Quick, list the number of movies and TV shows either based on or inspired by comics.)
Iconic Dragon’s Lair fired up 25 percent. Capstone Comics smacked down 12 percent. Half-Price Books — which carries everything printed — 10 percent.
Comics and More flipped 8 percent. Four percent or less went to Bee Cave Comics and Games and First Federal.
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Your A-List: Best Neighborhood Grocery
I grew up in grocery stores, so to speak. My family owned a small supermarket in the Westbury neighborhood of southwest Houston, then later a larger, more modern spot in Clear Lake City. I can recall the location of every item in the original Barnes Westbury Minimax, now a dollar store on West Airport Boulevard.
Newly renovated Wheatsville Food Co-op ran a close second to the IGA with 22 percent. Mandola’s, which is leagues above from our old Minimax in sophistication, carried out 15 percent
Fresh Plus, an Austin oldtimer, rang up 11 percent. Farm to Market, my current neighborhood mart, took 6 percent, to the 5 percent for Avenue B Grocery and Thom’s Market.
Royal Blue, the downtown pioneer, stocked 4 percent, followed by Cissi’s (now mostly a wine and coffee bar) and Bluebonnet Food Mart.
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Your A-List: Best Cocktail
Don’t mess with drinking traditions in Austin. Despite the new wave of top-shelf cocktails mixed at Péché, Perla, Fino, Cover 3, East Side Showroom and elsewhere, A List readers stuck by their longtime orders.
The Mexican martini at Trudy’s slurped up another 25 percent, meaning that species of cocktail — a cousin to the margarita — shook up a full 85 percent of the tally.
The only other drink to manage significant numbers was the precious, floral Prickly pear margarita at Vivo, decorated with 10 percent.
Serving up 1 percent or less were the Purple margarita at Baby A’s, Cucumber martini at Manuel’s, Chilango margarita at El Chile, Batini at Four Seasons, Mango margarita at Hula Hut, Pomegranate cosmopolitan at Belmont and the Caipirinha at Saba.
Cheers.
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February 24, 2010
Your A-List: Best Place to Line Dance
Topping the list were two ancient dance halls — Broken Spoke (36 percent of the vote) and Gruene Hall (27 percent) — where lines have been drawn with boots for decades
Midnight Rodeo on Ben White Boulevard and Dallas on North Lamar Boulevard nearly tied up with Rusty Spurs on East Seventh Street and Graham Central Station in the Pfluger-plex. (All tapping into the 6 to 8 percent range.)
Filling out our list were Coupland Inn and Dancehall, Silver Dollar Dance Hall, Swiss Alp Dance Hall and Sefcik Hall.
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Your A-List: Best Recreation Center
Clay Madsen in Round Rock, with its signature skate park, zipped to the No. 1 spot with 19 percent of the vote.
Bunched up in Places 2, 3, 4 and 5 were Austin, South Austin, Northwest and Hancock with 12 percent to 17 percent of the tally.
New Braunfels scored another win for the outliers with 7 percent for its Landa center. A.B. Cantu/Pan American edged out Dittmar, Parque Zaragoza and Rosewood, all claiming 6 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Place to Spend a Lazy Sunday
Readers agree. Winner of the A List poll for Best Place to Spend a Lazy Afternoon was Zilker Park, blissful with 32 percent of the vote.
Sacred Barton Springs swam into second place with just over 17 percent. Lake Travis floated into third with just under 17 percent.
Dark, delicious Alamo Drafthouse broke the outdoor rhythm with 12 percent.
More indoor and outdoor joints — Shady Grove, Half-Price Books, Mozart’s, BookPeople, Jo’s and Ruta Maya — followed with less than 8 percent.
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Your A-List: Best Local Restaurant Chain
The County Line, the Austin-based and Austin-branded barbecue feeder, indeed has expanded, chain-like, to other cities, including Albuquerque, San Antonio, Houston, Oklahoma City and Lake Conroe. Its local lovers resoundingly endorsed it with 36 percent of the A List vote.
Tex-Mex hacienda Chuy’s, which has expanded to the San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco and Nashville areas, came in second with 14 percent. Much more demure Maudie’s — and here the term “group” really applies to its five Austin locations — topped out at 9 percent.
Taking 6 percent or less were Thundercloud, Mangia, Rudy’s, Schlotzsky’s, Zen and Chango’s.
Of special interest was the third place winner, Freebird’s, the burrito palace that wrapped up 14 percent of the vote. It feels like Austin, but it’s really based in College Station and was inspired by the original shop in Santa Barbara, Calif. But we’ll claim it anyway!
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February 10, 2010
Your A List: Best Place Where You Can Still Smoke
Here’s a dirty little secret: Almost every single establishment that threatened to shut its doors when the City of Austin enacted an indoor smoking ban did not. They are open and, given that we are deep into our second recession since then, most are not doing so badly. So sending smokers outside didn’t, as adverstised, kill Austin nightlife or live music.
Opal Divine’s did divinely with 11 percent, tying with Cedar Street Courtyard.
Crown and Anchor, a pub crossed with a dive married to a student hangout, held down 9 percent.
Shoal Creek Saloon and Lovejoy’s tied at 8 percent. Ruta Maya and Ego’s tied at 5 percent. (That’s a lot of ties.)
G&S Lounge grouched into 4 percent, while Flamingo Cantina emerged with 1 percent.
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Your A List: Best Newscast
What constitutes an ideal local newscast? I’m not sure I can enumerate the elements. At the very least, I want to be engaged. I’d also like to be informed. I’d rather not be irritated. Ideally, I suppose, I’d like to be compelled by the newscast to watch and listen.
Fox 7 followed not so far behind with 27 percent. KXAN (NBC) didn’t do too shabbily with 10 percent. KEYE (CBS) managed more than half that with 11 percent.
Finishing with 5 percent or less were News 8 Austin (Time Warner Cable); Telemundo Austin (2 percent) and KAKW (Univision) at less than 1 percent.
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Your A List: Best Open Mic Night
To the professional critic, the words “open mic” spell trouble. Happily, I am no longer a critic. So I can sample from the unsorted and assorted talent at Austin’s coffee houses, bars and clubs just like anyone else, without worrying about how to couch my ego-sparing phrases.
Velveeta Room, the oft-neglected comic shop on Sixth Street, stoked some votes at 10 percent.
Down-home Hill’s and Cheatham Street Warehouse tied at just under 7 percent.
Making 5 percent or less were Ego’s, Artz Rib House, Trophy’s and Flipnotics.
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Your A List: Best Romantic Meal
A bottle of red. A bottle of white. It all depends on your appetite …
Just plain reporting the results of the Best Romantic Meal contest, as voted by the readers of A List.
The top winners went neck and neck (not necking): old-fashioned Italian purveyor Carmelo’s with just over 16 percent; and higher-end Jeffrey’s with just under.
The next six were closely bunched, too: The Oasis (12 percent); Eddie V’s (11 percent); Vivo (10 percent); Vespaio (9 percent); Eastside Cafe (8 percent) and Hudson’s on the Best (just under 8 percent).
Green Pastures and Wink rounded out the list with 6 and 4 percent.
Notice anything? I don’t think any of these places feature prominently placed television screens.
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February 3, 2010
Your A List: Best Bakery
Some are traditional all-purpose bakeries, such as Upper Crust (which rose to 21 percent of the vote), Sweetish Hill (18 percent); Texas French Bread (8 percent); Quack’s (6 percent) and Russell’s Bakery (5 percent).
Others emphasize a particular baking tradition: La Mexicana (10 percent) and Phoenicia (3 percent).
Still others are newer, kicky creations that are as much about style and entertainment as baking. They include Hey Cupcake (13 percent); Tiff’s Treats (11 percent) and Lucy’s Cakes (4 percent).
I could eat my way through all three varieties.
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Your A List: Best Vietnamese Restaurant
There’s no such thing as a great American city without superior, preferably inexpensive Vietnamese food. There, I said it.
The race for the top Vietnamese spot on the A List readers poll this year pitted Kim Phung (just over 16 percent of the vote) against Pho Hoang (just under 16 percent).
Four others — Sunflower, Hai Ky, 888 and Tam Cafe and Deli — bunched together at 10 to 12 percent of the tally.
Mekong River and Pho Van tied exactly at just under 8 percent. Saigon Kitchen and Triumph Cafe rounded out the list at 5 percent.
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Your A List: Best Newcomer to Austin's Music Scene
Ooooo. I love this sort of A List contest category. Asking readers to name the Best Newcomer to Austin’s Music Scene means exposing me, along with everybody else, to some fresh talent. And more social options built around live music in the coming weeks.
Jazz sweetheart Kat Edmonson led the rest of the pack with 6 percent of the tally. The followers — Neon Indian, the Trishas, League of Extraordinary Gz, Downtown Rulers Club, LAX, TV Torso and Shurman — managed 3 percent or less.
Still, I’m up for sampling them all. Kat’s the only one I already listen to obsessively. In fact, she’s on the Bose right now.
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January 27, 2010
Your A-List: Best Radio Station-Sponsored Event
When the results of Your A List’s Best Radio Station-Sponsored Event contest popped onto my screen, I breathed a sigh of relief. The winners are indeed popular Austin social intersections, most often combined with live music. (What if they were unknown, rogue events? What would I do?)
KVET’s casual series of free concerts behind Hill’s on South Congress Avenue strummed up 11 percent. (Check on parking in advance.)
Scampy Bobby Bones headlines two events: Second-Chance Prom (7 percent) and Anniversary Bash (5 percent). 101X also landed two events among the finalists: Homegrown Live (5 percent) and X-Mas Party (3 percent).
That leaves JB and Sandy’s Beach Party (6 percent), Mix 94.7’s Pink Slip Party (5 percent) and Bobaritaville (2 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Improv Group
I adore improvisation, well done. Yet I don’t seek it out like I did in the past. Entirely my fault. Something about a social schedule.
Frank Mills also scored well with 19 percent. ColdTowne shook loose 8 percent. Snackers — what a crunchy name! — served up 7 percent. Midnight Society snuck in 5 percent.
The remainder — Maestro, Girls, Girls, Girls, Confidence Men and GetUp — came up with 4 percent or less.
Note: The accompanying photo about racing pigeon doctors has nothing to do with the winning improv group. I just thought it was funny.
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Your A-List: Best Place to Spot a Celeb
While it is true that a bevy of celebrities attend University of Texas sporting events, it’s not always easy to spot them among a crowd of, say, 100,000 fans. Without a zoom lens.
Cut them some slack, though: Your A List voters picked UT Longhorns games as the Best Place to Spot a Celeb. Credit UT with 28 percent of the tally.
South by Southwest, Austin’s biggest single social event, perked up 23 percent, while the Four Seasons Hotel — especially the lobby — did quite well at 12 percent.
Austin City Limits, which points the spotlight on the house as well as the stage, picked up 10 percent. The Lady Bird Lake Trail ran up 6 percent.
The rest — Whole Foods, Guero’s, Hotel San Jose, Chuy’s and Continental Club — racked up 5 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Popcorn
Popcorn is evil. It’s soooo good. And only in great quantity. But even sick evil things deserve credit for their temptations.
It’s cousin, Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek, didn’t do so badly at 13 percent, nor did Cinemark Round Rock at 9 percent.
The next three — Regal Westgate, Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz and Regal Gateway — almost tied, leaving Alamo Drafthouse Village, Cinemark Austin Southpark, AMC Barton Creek and Regal Arbor to sweep up the ramains.
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January 20, 2010
Your A-List: Best Place to Buy Home Accessories
Long ago, Breed & Co. stood alone. Very few other locally owned businesses carried stylish, practical stuff for the home.
Newer Zinger Hardware Loft and Mercury Design Studio fared well enough with 16 percent, 13 percent and 8 percent of the tally.
Wildflower Organics and IF + D also did themselves proud with 7 percent and 6 percent.
Taking 5 percent or less were Feather Your Nest, Extraordinaire, Gardens and Finch.
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Your A-List: Best Vegetarian Cuisine
Almost every Austin restaurant of any reputation offers vegetarian options. Yet some eateries specialize in their meat-free menus. They were the main contenders in the A List competition for Best Vegetarian Cuisine.
Eastside Cafe, longtime anchor to the Manor Road dining district, came in second place with 12 percent.
Thai Passion edged out Casa de Luz, Mother’s and Mr. Natural, which tied at 7 percent.
Those three barely beat out the Clay Pit, leaving Bouldin Creek Coffee House, Wheatsville and Sarovar to complete the list with 4 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Pickup Bar
Funny, I had always thought of Six, the tri-level lounge at Colorado and West Fourth streets, as a cool place to relax. Maybe catch up with friends. Or to join a party in progress on the rooftop.
Rain, often the busiest gay bar in town, managed 5 percent. It’s near-neighbor on West Fourth Street, Oilcan Harry’s, took 3 percent. A few of the others — J. Black’s, The Ranch and The Belmont — stretch more toward the West Sixth Street district, which has been friendly to the pickup demographic.
Lucky Lounge nabbed 2 percent. Vicci, now christened Kiss & Fly, also eked out 2 percent. Upstairs/downstairs neighbors Cuba Libre and the Phoenix convinced only 1 percent.
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Your A-List: Best Addition to Austin's Nightlife Scene
This vote boiled down to two-way contest. The A List readers poll on Best Addition to Austin’s Nightlife Scene pitted a Houston import against an Austin classic reclassified.
The renovated Star Bar, once and future gateway to West Sixth Street, twinkled with 30 percent.
Kiss & Fly, the giant gay dance club that’s morphed continuously since the 1980s, flew away with 4 percent.
All the rest — the Lustre Pearl, the Phoenix, renovated Cedar Door, East Side Show Room, Malverde, Peche and Clive — accomplished less than 1 percent each.
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January 13, 2010
Your A-List: Best Shoe Store
Hey, it was a race!
Pun emphatically intended.
Yet Goodie Two Shoes gave it a run for its riches by tapping into 19 percent. Strut held its frame high with 12 percent.
Three stores tied for fourth: Karavel, Rogue Equipment and Adelante at almost 7 percent each.
InStep and Fitting Stool were not far behind at 6 percent, while Blackmail and Bettysport brought up the rear with 5 percent and 4 percent.
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Your A-List: Best Sportscaster
Come on! Mike Barnes, what happened? Sharing a name with the newspaper’s social columnist was not enough? I can’t believe you didn’t win. Punishment laps for you, sport.
KVUE’s Mr. Barnes did very well, placing second in the A List reader poll for Best Sportscaster, racking up 32 percent of the vote.
But the winner is KXAN’s Roger Wallace, pictured, who stretched for 37 percent.
FOX 7’s Dave Cody and KEYE’s Bob Ballou were neck and neck for third place, taking 14 percent and 12 percent respectively.
News 8’s Jeff Power rounded out the list with 5 percent.
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Your A-List: Best Cheap Drinks
Years ago, the State of Texas clamped down on really cheap alcoholic drinks. Remember 10-cent-drink nights back in the 1980s? Probably a good thing that trend dried up.
The top dog is located on East Sixth Street, land o’ shots: Treasure Island (24 percent of the tally); as are two of the other contenders — Cheers (11 percent) and Jackalope (2 percent).
Others are scattered up north: Barfly’s (12 percent); Ginny’s Little Longhorn (12 percent); Poodle Dog Lounge (10 percent), Nasty’s (8 percent) and Carousel Lounge (7 percent).
One is south: Horseshoe Lounge (7 percent). Another is east: Longbranch Inn (6 percent).
Sounds like the neighborhood dives are keeping up with the downtowners on this score.
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Your A-List: Best Low-Fat/Health Conscious Option
Before we get to the winner of the A List readers poll for Best Low-Fat/Health Conscious Option, let me share a little story.
Everything I had was fantastic! Cheese and pepper tamales, black beans, spinach salad and stir-fry veggies all spiced and cooked to perfection. Just goes to show what an idiot I had been for passing on this low-fat/health conscious option more often than not.
Actually, I like all these A List eateries to some extent or another. And three contenders nearly tied for first: Zen Japanese Fast Food (21 percent; pictured); Whole Foods (20 percent) and Central Market. The next two bunched up together, too: Eastside Cafe (12 percent) and Mr. Natural (9 percent)
The rest — Casa de Luz, Mother’s, Wheatsville, Sun Harvest and Leaf — fell to 5 percent of the vote or less.
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January 6, 2010
Your A-List: Best Pet Store
All those pets downtown — and their humans — needed a club house. They found one in Lofty Dog, the West Second Street all-in-one pet stop. It won the A List reader poll for Best Pet Store.
Two other Austin institutions did reasonably well in the contest: steady Bark ‘n Purr (17 percent) and expanding Tomlinson’s (12 percent).
All the rest — Gallery of Pets, Zookeeper Exotic Pets, Bark ‘n Bubbles, Herpeton, Rivers & Reefs Pet Center, Just for Pets and River City Aquatics — harnessed 3 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Theater Company
I’ve been reporting the results of A List reader polls for a couple of years. I can usually predict in advance which reports will receive the most comments. This is one.
Esther’s Follies, an Austin comic tradition since 1978, took second with 14 percent.
Greater Tuna, almost as old as Esther’s, came in third with 6 percent.
Hyde Park Theatre, The Vortex, Salvage Vanguard, Austin Playhouse, Rude Mechs, ColdTowne and Latino Comedy Project bunched up below that.
Zach, Austin’s largest and most acclaimed theater company, received no votes.
Those are the results. Unhappy readers should vote next time. And if you must leave comments, snarkiness persuades no one here.
Congratulate City Theater and move on.
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Your A-List: Best Hard Rock/Metal Group
Reassuring news: Sex, violence and ribaldry still rule the names of hard rock and metal acts. That’s a quick conclusion one can draw from the winners of the A List reader poll for best Central Texas band in that combined category.
Only Tia Carrera appears to break the naming rule, although there may be a ribald reference to actress/model Tia Carrere somewhere in there. Although her last name is spelled slightly differently, she did inspire the local artists. (When he first arrived in Austin, former Statesman music critic Joe Gross thought he was going to review her pop band, then three shaggy musicians came out on stage to make big noise.)
Those rolling up 6 percent or less of the vote fit the norm, name-wise: New Disaster (6 percent); Devil’s Right Hand (5 percent); At All Costs (5 percent); Amplified Heat (3 percent) and — ta da! — Supercrash (3 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Late-Night Snack
Ever so slowly, Austin is adding places to snack late at night. Since this is prime dining time for your social columnist, I couldn’t be happier. Many more spots are serving into the wee hours than you’ll find on this A List, but count this as a fair start.
Relative newcomer Home Slice, purveyors of fine New York-style pizzas, came in third with 13 percent. Longtime West Sixth Street deli Katz’s zoomed into fourth with 10 percent.
Taking 6 percent or less: Mrs. Johnson’s Donuts, Pluckers, Roppolo’s, 24, 888 and Wan Fu.
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December 30, 2009
Your A-List: Best Music Store
Seems like just yesterday I was writing about which business had won the A List contest for Best Record Store. It was, to cut the suspense, Waterloo Records.
Music Mania did well again with 16 percent, as did Cheapo, taking 11 percent.
Critics’ darling End of an Ear summoned 9 percent and Texas tradition Half-Price Books kept in the race with 8 percent.
Low on the charts with 1 percent or less were Antone’s, Friends of Sound, Backspin and DJ Dojo.
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Your A-List: Best Women's Clothing Shop
As a man, it’s hard not to envy the range of options women enjoy shopping for clothing in Austin. Besides the traditional department stores and specialty shops, as well as high-end and bargain alternatives, boutiques pop up wherever you look.
Coming in second was a certified Austin institution, By George, which ran up 16 percent. Third went to newer Strut, which tried on 14 percent.
Emerald’s, another veteran, took 10 percent, while Goodie Two Shoes stomped up 9 percent.
Following behind: Blackmail (7 percent); Parts and Labour (6 percent); C. Jane (6 percent); Girl Next Door (5 percent); and Feathers (3 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Local Web Site
We blush at the results.
Thanks folks.
Also, it’s not beyond reason that the same readers might apply 13 percent of their vote to austin360.com’s sister site, statesman.com.
Tying for third place in the A List competition were social media activists Austinist.com and Do512.com, each rallying 11 percent.
Two print publications with online presences — TexasMonthly.com and AustinChron.com — followed with 10 percent and 7 percent.
Not far behind: News8Austin.com, BurntOrangeReport.com, LonghornNation.com and DailyTexanOnline.com.
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Your A-List: Best Italian Restaurant
First, a moment of silence for Primizie, one of Austin’s finest Italian restaurants. The news of its untimely departure was confirmed yesterday by food writer Mike Sutter.
The winner was buffet king Cannoli Joe’s, which gathered up 39 percent of the tally. Romeo’s, the sweet spot on Barton Springs Road, seduced 27 percent of the voters, while Asti, the outstanding Hyde Parker, served up 23 percent.
Rounding out the list were Ciola’s (5 percent); Vespaio (3 percent); Mandola’s (1 percent); Brick Oven (1 percent); La Traviata (1 percent) and Joe DiMaggio’s.
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December 23, 2009
Your A-List: Best Record Shop
And, in a city that worships local businesses, as well as music, especially live music,Waterloo Records can do almost no wrong.
Witness the A List contest for the Best Record Store, which gave Waterloo a staggering 58 percent share of the readers’ vote.
Other shops did not do too shabbily. Music Mania (11 percent); Half-Price Books (8 percent); and Cheapo (7 percent) kept Waterloo honest.
Other cherished outlets for music include Antone’s (5 percent); End of an Ear (4 percent); Backspin (3 percent); Friends of Sound (2 percent); DJ Dojo (1 percent) and Austin Record Convention (less than 1 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Place to Take Tourists
I’m an inveterate tour guide. As a youth, I’d show visitors the hidden gems of Houston (most of them are well hidden).
Yet little did I know, when Kip and I moved to the Bouldin neighborhood 12 year ago, that a mostly decrepit strip of shops along nearby South Congress Avenue would become a top tourist attraction. As a pedestrian, I appreciated the incomplete commercial density, gentle grade and wide sidewalks. But tourist magnet? Twenty-four percent of A List voters think so.
SoCo beat out such powerhouses as the Oasis (19 percent); Barton Springs Pool (16 percent); Mount Bonnell (10 percent); and the Texas Capitol (10 percent).
Falling even further behind were the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail (7 percent); Bullock Texas History Museum (5 percent); Zilker Park (3 percent); Whole Foods Market (2 percent) and UT Tower (1 percent).
Funny, you can reach all but two of these on foot from our house. Accidental tourists, we.
Picture: Bethany Andree of Snack Bar, the new SoCo social hub
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Your A-List: Best Post-Workout Fueling Spot
Whole Foods Market is the key to all the development in the western quarter of downtown. The flagship store fits the lifestyle of the urban residents who also enjoy the proximity to the trails around Lady Bird Lake, multiple gyms, scores of clubs and slews of restaurant and shops.
Three other options were particularly popular with the voting readers: Daily Juice (14 percent); Central Market (13 percent); and Tacodeli (9 percent).
Six others picked up the voting slack: Mr. Natural (6 percent); Jo’s (5 percent); Austin Java (5 percent); Wheatsville (3 percent); People’s Pharmacy (2 percent) and Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse (1 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Hangover Breakfast
Water, aspirin, vitamins, exercise, sleep, electrolytes, hot shower, cold shower — the cures for hangovers begin with these familiar ingredients. Many Austinites feel a hearty breakfast with juice and a dash of hard beverage helps. Spice is important, as the prominence of migas and breakfast tacos consumed at these sessions attest.
Other contenders were Maria’s Taco Xpress (11 percent); The Omelettry (6 percent); Tamale House (4 percent); Taqueria Arandinas (4 percent); El Chilito (3 percent); Star Seed (3 percent); and El Sol y La Luna (2 percent).
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December 9, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place to Be Surrounded by Pretty People
My write-in ballot for Best Place to Be Surrounded by Pretty People would be — all over Austin!
Nevertheless, plenty of readers endorsed their favorite places for people watching — and meeting — in the A-List poll. The winner: Qua, best known for its shark tank dance floor, but also a creatively conceived lounge on West Fifth Street. It danced away with 22 percent of the vote.
Classy and stylish, the Belmont wrapped up 19 percent, while the in-progress shopping center, the Domain, strolled away with 17 percent.
The Four Seasons Hotel, beloved by celebrities, took 11 percent; the Second Street District, which hosts several hot boutiques, snapped up 10 percent.
Six percent or less voted for Beauty Bar, Rain, Imperia, Phoenix and Six.
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Your A-List: Best Sporting Goods Store
Austinites do love a local business. Alhough Academy Sports and Outdoors was founded in San Antonio and is headquartered in Houston, the business first flourished in Austin. As a military surplus outlet in the 1950s.
Rugged REI crossed line with 12 percent and local runner’s mecca, RunTex, followed with 10 percent. Two behemoths — Dick’s and Cabela’s — made fourth and fifth with 9 percent and 7 percent respectively.
The rest — Whole Earth, Sports Authority, Bicycle Sports Shop, Soccer World and Jack and Adam’s Bicycles — charged up 6 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Music Festival
Never say the underdog can’t win an A-List reader poll. The top dog in the fight for Best Music Festival is, once again, Heart of Texas Rock Festival. It pounded the competition with 47 percent of the vote in heavy balloting.
Everyone else — Old Settler’s, Kerrville Folk Festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Raggae Fest, Urban Music Fest, Extreme Texas Metal Fest and Chaos in Texas — barely registered.
So what is it about the Heart of Texas? Their fans voted. And they know the rules. Plain and simple.
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December 2, 2009
Your A-List: Best Magazine
The granddaddy of regional magazines, Texas Monthly, is always the favorite to win any Best Magazine contest in this part of the world. It took a full 32 percent of the vote in our recent A-List poll.
Austin Monthly, for instance, pulled 25 percent of the tally, while the Austin American-Statesman’s own Glossy brought in 17 percent.
(A reminder that the author of Out & About, which often appears in Glossy, does not vote in the A-List polls.)
Other contestants — Austin Music + Entertainment, Misprint, Tribeza, Brilliant, Rare, Austin Fit and L Style G Style — made 8 percent or less.
Believe me, your Out & About columnists reads them all — also Austin Monthly Home and Austin Woman — and they are the key decor on my newsroom desk.
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Your A-List: Best Place to Buy Funky Furniture
The word “funky” is slippery. Thus, when we asked readers to vote on their favorite place to buy funky furniture, the results embraced global importers, vintage boutiques and bare-bones charity resale outlets.
Uncommon Objects, the stylish vintage consignment shop on South Congress Avenue, came in second with 18 percent.
Goodwill, which has long recycled objects to help people with barriers to employment, came in third with 14 percent, followed closely by hip Room Service Vintage at 13 percent.
Receiving 4 percent or less: Uptown Modern, Nest, Prototype Vintage, Aviary, Mercury Design Studio and BoConcept.
(Photo courtesy of Four Hands.)
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Your A-List: Best Chinese Restaurant
Followers of Austin’s food scene could have predicted the showdown between Chinatown and Suzy’s as the city’s favorite Chinese restaurant. In the A-List reader’s poll, Chinatown came out on top with 31 percent of the vote. Suzi’s was not far behind with 25 percent.
T & S Seafood made a statement in third place with 12 percent, followed by Mama Fu’s (8 percent) and critic’s favorite Pao’s Madarin (6 percent).
Grouped together at 4 percent or less were Hunan Lion, Snow Pea, Wan Fu, Twin Lions and China Cafe.
A side note to Chinese food lovers: Fortune on North Lamar Boulevard is another eatery to watch for next year’s contest. Your suggestions are always welcome.
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November 25, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place for Blind Date
Judging from the A-List readers poll, many Austinites take a coltish view of blind dates.
Landing in first place, seriously playful Hula Hut with 21 percent of the tally. In second, retro Shady Grove with 17 percent. In third, a Texas Rollergirls match with 14 percent, just ahead of Peter Pan Mini-Golf with just under 14 percent.
Socializing meets high art at the B Scene at the Blanton Museum of Art, which earned 8 percent. Dave and Busters and Dart Bowl virtually tied at 7 percent. Closing out the list were Adult Skate Night at Playland and two coffee shops, Halcyon and Austin Java.
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Your A-List: Best Sale
One of the city’s older and quirkier traditions, the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, won the A-List readers poll for Best Sale with 23 percent of the vote. This year, it returns to the Austin Convention Center, which doesn’t exactly match the sale’s funky character.
No. 2 was the City-Wide Garage Sale with 21 percent; No. 3 Four Hands Warehouse Sale at 15 percent; and No. 4 A Christmas Affair with 11 percent. Assembled in the middle of the pack were Blue Genie Christmas Bazaar, Settlement Home Garage Sale and Buffalo Exchange Sidewalk Sale.
Also in the running: Austin Record Convention, Service Menswear 50-Percent-Off Sale and Literacy Austin Bookfest.
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Your A-List: Best Radio Station
KLBJ-FM was once owned by a president’s family. It’s now run by Indianapolis, Ind.-based media conglomerate Emmis Communications. The classic rock broadcaster won the A-List readers poll for best radio station with 24 percent of the vote.
KGSR, which just lost its longtime leader, Jody Denberg, and moved its position on the dial, registered a strong second with 19 percent. Competing for third place were KUT, 101X and Newsradio 590.
The next step down belonged to KVET, BOB-FM, 96.7 KISS-FM and Mix 94.7. Filling out the bottom of the chart were KASE 101, KOOP and KTSW.
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Your A-List: Best Buffet
The restaurant easily won the A-List reader poll for Best Buffet with 44 percent of the tally.
Buffet Palace and Clay Pit came close to tying for second place at just under 11 percent. Double Dave’s, Mongolian BBQ and Mr. Gatti’s bunched together just behind those two. Rounding out the buffet masters list were Taj Palace, Thai Passion, China Star and Alborz.
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November 18, 2009
Your A-List: Best Bookstore
In a city that worships local businesses, you could pretty much bet your life that BookPeople would win the A-List reader poll for Best Bookstore. The Austin institution shelved a full 47 percent of the vote.
Mega-chains Barnes & Noble and Borders landed respectably at 10 and 6 percent. All the rest — 12th Street Books, Moneywrench, Austin Books and Comics, Brave New Books, Resistencia and Domy — achieved 2 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Beauty Salon
Earlier this year, Beauty Store Salon and Spa won the A-List readers poll for Best Place to Get Your Hair Done with 39 percent of the vote.
Competitors didn’t even clip close. Jackson Ruiz buzzed up 10 percent. Avant curled up 9 percent. Birds Barbershop shaved off 6 percent.
The rest — Urban Betty, Wet Salon, Salon 505, Vain, Salon Sirrah and Zig Zag — rinsed out four percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Basketball Courts
A little thing called “hand-eye coordination” has, for the most part, kept me off area basketball courts. I show up often enough as a spectator to actual basketball games. But no, despite my height, there’s really no excuse for my handling a ball in public.
Two spots — Barton Hills Playground and Wooten Park — tied for third place with 7 percent. Three — Ramsey Park, Givens District Park and Brentwood Park — tied for fourth with 5 percent. The back of the pack: Walnut Creek Park, Alamo Park and Shipe Park.
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Your A-List: Best Breakfast
That’s the case with the top winners in the Best Breakfast readers poll for Your A-List. Kerbey Lane served up a full 30 percent. Magnolia Cafe dished out 22 percent. And Juan in a Million fired up third place with 16 percent.
Some of the remaining breakfast spots have not been around so long, others are even older: Galaxy Cafe (8 percent); Omelettry (7 percent); The Frisco (5 percent); Counter Cafe (5 percent); Curra’s (3 percent); Austin Java (3 percent) and El Sol y La Luna (2 percent).
I adore each and everyone.
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November 11, 2009
Your A-List: Best Fruits and Vegetables
So no eyebrows will be raised when we announce that virtually all the winners in the A-List readers’ poll for Best Fruits and Vegetables are home grown.
No. 1 is industry pioneer Greenling.com, which delivered 38 percent of the vote. Austin Farmers’ Market didn’t wilt at 34 percent, while Manor Farmers’ Market reflected its agricultural past with 7 percent.
Central Market, Sunset Valley Farmers’ Market and Whole Foods Market harvested 4 percent each, while all the rest — Boggy Creek Farm, Sprouts, Wheatsville Co-op, South Austin Farmers’ Market, Newflower and Sun Harvest — finished off the list.
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Your A-List: Best Jeans
At least that’s what your votes implied. Twenty-six percent of the readers voted for Blue Elephant in the A-List poll for Best Jeans.
Hem and Buffalo Exchange tied exactly for second place at 17 percent. So nice that all three are close to campuses — and to each otheer.
Lucky lucked out with 10 percent, while Urban Outfitters slipped into 8 percent. Service Menswear in 04 tailored 6 percent of the vote.
Taking 4 percent or less were Diesel, Physical Fit, Luxe Apothetique, By George and Therapy.
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Your A-List: Best Addition to Austin's Dining Scene
No-frills Counter Culture, which I confused with Counter Cafe yesterday, did itself proud with 24 percent of the vote.
I have to tell you, the numbers dropped off pretty fast after Nos. 1 and 2, despite the high quality of Carillon, Perla’s, Garrido’s, East Side Show Room, La Condesa and Justine’s, which grouped between 3 and 5 percent of the vote. Rounding out the list were House Pizzeria, Good Seed Organic, Frank and Shuck Shack.
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Your A-List: Best Burgers
Readers had their chance to register an opinion through the A-List vote for Best Burgers (in Central Texas, at least). Winner: P. Terry’s, the expanding local chain with the attention to detail and history. It won just over 15 percent of the vote, ahead of Casino El Camino on East Sixth Street, which earned just under 15 percent.
Mighty Fine did mighty fine with 12 percent, ahead of Hut’s at a tad under 12 percent.
Another local institution, Dan’s, cooked up 8 percent, while Dirty Martin’s eased into 6 percent. Phil’s (5 percent) and Top Notch (4 percent) placed on the next rung down while Roaring Fork, Hillbert’s, Waterloo Ice House, Shady Grove, Crown and Anchor, Sandy’s, Hill’s, Fran’s, Frisco Shop, Freddie’s Place, Chez Zee and Aussie’s all received 3 percent or less.
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November 4, 2009
Your A-List: Best Video Store
The A-List reader’s poll produces very few exact ties. Numerically, the more votes, the less chance for a tie. Yet we are faced with one in first place this week.
Austin’s other traditional video spot, I Luv Video, came in a respectable third with 14 percent. Blockbuster and the Austin Public Library tied at 6 percent. Hastings, an older Texas chain, managed 4 percent.
Three percent or less of the voters chose Tapelenders, Encore and the Movie Store.
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Your A-List: Best Shopping Center
I’m serious. Twelve years ago, when we moved two blocks off South Congress Avenue, we had no idea it would become one of Austin’s top tourist attractions. The parking overflow annoys at times, but who would argue with the snappy shops, cool restaurants and sidewalks full of fellow pedestrians? (We’ll leave out any discussion of property values and tax rates.)
The somewhat similar but boxier Hill Country Galleria bagged 9 percent, while the Arboretum rang up 5 percent, tying with the Second Street District. The rest — Shops at the Galleria, Lakeline Mall, Highland Mall, Prime Outlets, Tanger Outlets, La Frontera, Wolf Ranch and Capital Plaza — earned 3 percent or less.
Sweet that ol’ Capital Plaza was remembered.
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Your A-List: Best Festival That's Not ACL or SXSW
The A-List reader poll for Best Festival That’s Not ACL or SXSW turned into a showdown between the Old Settlers Music Festival and Kerrville Folk Festival. Both are full-saturation events, out of doors and packed with music, so related thematically to the biggest fests. Old Settler’s took 50 percent of the ballots; Kerrville 41 percent.
Pretty much everything else fell to 3 percent or less: Fun Fun Fun Fest, Texas Book Festival, Austin Kite Festival, Austin Raggae Festival, Austin Film Festival, Batfest, Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival, Keep Austin Weird Festival, Urban Music Festival, Art City Austin, Fantastic Fest, Cine Las Americas, Out of Bounds Improv Festival and Fuse Box.
I think I’ve covered all but one of these. Wanna guess which?
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Your A-List: Best Happy Hour
When you ask: What’s your favorite Austin happy hour, are you asking about the drinks? Or the food? Or the scene? Or the whole package?
The winner is an old friend: multi-sited Trudy’s, which earned just over 20 percent of the votes, while funky South Congress music venue Continental Club came close with just under 20 percent.
Downtown restaurant McCormick & Schmick’s came in third with 13 percent. Saxon Pub and Baby Acapulco tied at 10 percent. Close behind were Doc’s, Roaring Fork, Cedar Door and Kyoto, with Brown Bar bringing up the rear.
All good happy hours. Where were Trio or Maria Maria in all this? Maybe they are still too new.
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October 28, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place for a First Date
What’s required for a first date? A little food and drink? Some entertainment? The chance to find out more about each other?
Campy Peter Pan Putt-Putt — a good test for your date’s sense of humor — came in second with 15 percent. Hula Hut, a gregarious eatery and drinkery on Lady Bird Lake, took third with 12 percent.
Most of the others are cozy, low-lit places with opportunities to satisfy multiple needs. Running from 9 percent down to 3 percent were Hyde Park Bar & Grill, Mozart’s, Enoteca Vespaio, Romeo’s, Vivo, Chez Zee and the Steeping Room.
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Your A-List: Best Tennis Courts
But if I still played, I’d head to one of three spots that nearly tied for Best Tennis Courts in the most recent A-List poll. Caswell Tennis Center in West Campus, South Austin Tennis Center in Galindo and Austin High on Lady Bird Lake rushed the net at 18 to 21 percent.
The World of Tennis and Westwood Country Club — where Andy Roddick is known to practice — rallied for 10 to 11 percent. All the rest — Penick-Allison Tennis Center, Old Settlers Park, UT Intramural Fields, Little Zilker Park and Austin Tennis Academy — lagged much further behind.
And, oh, that’s not even remotely me in the photograph. I wish.
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Your A-List: Best Outdoor Event
Our Austin lifestyle is often defined by the out of doors. Despite our Amazonian summers, we’re out on the streets, in the parks, on the greenbelts, at the lakes all year long.
The holiday Trail of Lights/Zilker Tree — a tradition that might soon change drastically with the introduction of a private contractor — came in second with 21 percent. Longhorn tailgaiting — as important an activity as the actual UT sporting events to participants — served up 12 percent.
Three other customs — Eyore’s Birthday, Old Pecan Street Festival and Republic of Texas biker rally — grouped between 6 and 8 percent. Attracting 3 percent or less were the Zilker Kite Festival, Fourth of July fireworks at Zilker, Gay Pride Festival, Movies in the Park, Zilker Summer Musical and Keep Austin Weird Festival.
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Your A-List: Best Ice Cream
Even if Steve and Amy Simmons were not sweet as cream, and philanthropic to boot, Amy’s would be Austin’s ice cream source. The local emporia are convenient, entertaining and the treats seriously ambrosial.
Four others — Baskin Robbins, Marble Slab, Dairy Queen and Sandy’s — chilled at 4 to 6 percent. The rest — Ben & Jerry’s, Viva Chocolato, Cold Stone, Maggie Moo’s, Austin Scoops, Kaleidoscoops and Carvel — melted below 3 percent.
Hey, I’d take any of them. Ice cream is the one dish I can’t resist summer, winter, spring or fall.
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October 21, 2009
Your A-List: Best Men's Clothing Store
A-List readers plainly preferred one particular shop when asked to pick the city’s Best Men’s Clothing Store. Capra & Cavelli — which sells exquisite suits alongside casual apparel — figured in a full 46 percent of the vote.
A nationwide, youth-targeted chain, Urban Outfitters, and a local, hip joint, Service Menswear, battled for second place. The first slipped by the second 12 percent to 11 percent.
Men’s Wearhouse measured up to 8 percent, while Buffalo Exchange brought in 7 percent. Upscale Jos. A. Bank rang up 6 percent.
Hutson, Estilo, Keepers, Blackmail, Slate and Creatures — rounded out the list with 2 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Karaoke
Two clubs fought it out for the coveted A-List Best Karaoke crown. Nobody else even came close.
Winning outright was Beerland, the music venue on Red River Street, with 52 percent of the vote for its Rock ‘n’ Roll edition.
Fighting to the end was Common Interest, which specializes in karaoke and sports on Burnet Road. It dialed up a very competitive 42 percent.
Note the drop-off after that. Everyone else plugged in 2 percent or less: DK Sushi, Karaoke Apocalypse, Austin Karaoke, Rain, La Palapa, Baby A’s, Water Tank, Seoul Karaoke Studio and Too Much Music.
No cracks about that last entry.
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Your A-List: Best Place to Go When You're Broke
This is not a recession-inspired A-List category. We’d ask Austin readers where to go when you’re broke whether the economy soared or soured. There’s an eternal slacker/survivor in all of us.
OK, OK, the library also offers books, recordings and Internet access as well.
For entertainment — and Austinites quickly turn to entertainment — we hang out at Waterloo Records’ in-house concerts (7 percent); Alamo Drafthouse’s Terror Thursdays (7 percent); Blanton Museum of Art’s free Thursdays (7 percent)’ Alamo’s Weird Wednesdays (5 percent); Alamo’s Music Mondays (4 percent), and Austin Museum of Art’s $1 Tuesdays (4 percent).
Three percent or less voted for art gallery openings, BookPeople readings, Ruta Maya yoga and fitness classes, Cheapo’s in-store concerts, the Hideout’s improv jams on Tuesdays and the Continental Gallery.
I guess you can hear the music up there, too.
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Your A-List: Strongest Drinks
Here’s another A-List category destined to make a few readers irritable. (As if they weren’t already.) Others will find the news tasty.
The Side Bar, a hipster hangout on East Seventh Street, came in second with 28 percent, while Six Lounge, the upstairs/downstairs club on Colorado Street, took third with 11 percent.
Longstanding Cedar Door joined the list with 6 percent and burger king Casino El Camino downed 4 percent.
Stirring up 3 percent or less were Rain, Club de Ville, Brown Bar, Stephen F’s Bar and Terrace, Hole in the Wall, Mohawk and Back Alley Social.
I’d add to this fine tour: Longbranch Inn, Annies and Cover 3.
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October 14, 2009
Your A-List: Best Movie Theater
Well, the four winners tell you something right away.
Three of those belong to the original Alamo theater group founded by Tim and Karrie League. Lake Creek was part of the first franchise wave. A second regional expansion is underway.
We don’t have to tell why all four Austin outlets are loved. Recite the formula: Movies, food, drink, fun and respect. (The final element reflects the founders’ devotion to the cinematic experience. When they say “no talking,” they mean it.)
Tying for fifth place at just over 4 percent were the Bullock Museum’s IMAX and Tinseltown Pflugerville.
Taking 3 percent or less were the Paramount Theatre, Regal Gateway, Regal Arbor, AMC Barton Creek Square, Cinemark Hill Country Galleria, Regal Westgate, Dobie, Galaxy Highland, Cinemark Southpark, City Lights, Cinemark Cedar Park, Cinemark Round Rock, Regal Metropolitan, Regal Lakeline Mall, Chestnut Square, Showpace, Millennium, Tinseltown South and Starplex.
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Your A-List: Best Sushi
Sushi is ubiquitous.
But there’s sushi, and there’s Uchi. Tyson Cole’s innovative restaurant on South Lamar Boulevard does things with sushi that respect traditions, but twist them every which way.
Uchi won 30 percent of the vote in the A-List reader poll Best Sushi.
Placing second with 16 percent was Musashino, which made a huge splash when it opened at Greystone Drive and MoPac a few years ago.
DK Sushi, which boasts of its signature Sushi Cam on South First Street, sliced up third place with 10 percent.
Midori and Kenichi virtually tied at just under 6 percent. Veteran Kyoto rolled up 5 percent, while Umi, Tomo, Korea House, Mikado, Sushi Sake, Maru, Maiko, Kenobi and Imperia did not lag too far behind.
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Your A-List: Best Record Label
Here’s another contest with only two serious contenders.
Xylo was started in 1993 by musician Woode Wood: “My first release ‘Brothers”’ was cassette only and my latest on CD was ‘Be,’ released last year,” Wood says. “I’m half way through recording my latest, ‘Come On Sun’ which will be out by 2010.” Xylo won 40 percent of the vote.
Chicken Ranch Records was a tad easier to track down. Note that they back Knife in the Water, Willie Heath Neal, Beautiful Supermachines and other acts. The label came in a strong second with 30 percent.
Deep Eddy, New West and Texas Music Group/Antone’s exactly tied at just over 7 percent. That’s pretty neat. Taking 2 percent or less were Arc Light, Peek-a-boo, Sweatbox, I Eat Records, Dead Oceans, Australian Cattle God and Dorato.
Based purely on cool names, I’d pick Australian Cattle God. But I know little or nothing about recording, so don’t listen to me.
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Your A-List: Best Liquor Store
In one corner, stands Twin Liquors. Local, neighborly, charitable.
In the other corner, Spec’s. Insurgent, vast, comprehensive.
In the A-List bout for Best Liquor Store, Twin won. Not quite a knock-out, but close, punching up 62 percent of the vote.
Spec’s, the Houston-based upstart, kept its head high with 24 percent.
Taking 3 percent or less were other fine beverage purveyors: Centennial, Whip-In, Grape Vine Market, Reuben’s, Wiggy’s, Favorite Liquor, Warehouse Liquors, Avery Fine Wine & Spirts and the nimbly named Spirits.
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October 7, 2009
Your A-List: Best Running Trail
Not sure why we bother to count the votes in this category.
The Lady Bird Lake Trail outdistanced all others with 78 percent of the A-List vote.
Rugged, scenic Barton Creek Greenbelt fell way behind with 7 percent. Mystical Enchanted Rock State Nature Area — which seems to receive votes in A-List contests no matter the category — tied with Lake Georgetown and Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Um, are we talking about the one that’s 400 miles to our northwest?
Closer candidates — Pease Park, Walnut Creek Park, Bastrop State Park, McKinney Falls State Park and McKinney Roughs — lost to that far-out selection with 2 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Music Venue
Austin claims more than 150 music venues. 150. Yet not all of them are ideal for consuming music. Blame lazy bookers, poor acoustics, chatty customers.
Stubb’s, alternating indoors and outdoors on Red River Street, pounded out 30 percent. Antone’s, originally home of the blues, now incredibly eclectic, fell far behind with 6 percent. Finely tuned the Parish got 5 percent, while critically acclaimed Emo’s drummed up 4 percent, Just ahead of indoor/outdoor La Zona Rosa.
Settling for 3 percent or less were Paramount Theatre, Momo’s, Elephant Room, One World Theatre, Beerland and Tim’s Porch at the Backyard.
Really, there’s not a bad spot on this list.
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Your A-List: Best Gym
Gyms serve many purposes in Austin. Fitness fits into the overall scheme. So does socializing, flirty or friendly. And for some, it’s just another place to go, a chance to get out of the house. Hey, if it leads to good health …
Virtually tying for second place were 24 Hour Fitness (3 Austin locations) and Lifetime Fitness (2 Austin locations), each taking between 16 and 17 percent of the tally. Veteran Gold’s generated 13 percent. UT’s renovated Gregory Gym and the YMCA pulled down close to 8 percent.
Ending up with 6 percent or less were Castle Hill, Hyde Park Gym, the Hills Fitness Center, Body Busienss and Premiere Lady.
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September 30, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place to Ride a Bike
Smooth or rough. Long or short. Easy or hard. All kinds of ways to roll in Austin. And the A-List poll for Best Place to Ride a Bike tenders fresh evidence.
Mountain-biking Barton Creek Greenbelt, bumped up to 15 percent, while the Park road linking Bastrop and Buescher state parks” smoothed out to 13 percent. The Dam Loop and the Driveway (have to admit I don’t know that one) virtually tied at 9 percent.
Hitting 6 percent or less were Walnut Creek Park, Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail, Muleshoe Recreation Area and Pace Bend Park.
Wish I biked.
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Your A-List: Best Beer & Wine Selection
Whoa.
The second-place winner is not as well known, but it has attracted a fierce following. Davenport Wines & Spirits, with one location on North Capitol of Texas Highway, copped a full 38 percent of the ballots. Spec’s, the Houston-based chain that has made a full-scale assault on the Austin market, trailed with only 6 percent.
Whip In, the charmingly eccentric shop on South Interstate 35, led the also-rans — Central Market, Grape Vine Market, Whole Foods, Reuben’s, Wiggy’s and Austin Wine Merchant — with 2 percent or less.
A lot of people voted in this category, so even 2 percent earns my respect.
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Your A-List: Best Pizza
Pizza is one of those culinary imperatives that Austin once neglected. No longer. The round pies now fly out of the oven in countless varieties.
Austin’s Pizza, with locations north, south, east and west, came in third with 12 percent of the tally. Longtime Austin institution, Mangia, served up 8 percent. East Side Pies and Saccone’s almost tied at 6 percent.
Cooking up 4 percent or less were Brick Oven, Conan’s, Frank and Angie’s, Salvation Pizza, Rounders and Onion.
Anybody calling out?
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September 23, 2009
Your A-List: Best Campgrounds
Where’s the area’s best place to camp? Well, it depends on your fancy.
Prefer a vest-pocket lake with superior fishing and nearby tourist caverns? Inks Lake State Park (16 percent).
Like hiking a narrow canyon with a brief shock of fall foliage? Lost Maples State Natural Area (12 percent).
Swimming? Pace Bend Park (10 percent) or Krause Springs (10 percent).
Pine forests on gentle hills? Bastrop State Park (6 percent) or Buescher State Park (3 percent).
Water-side camping right in the city? McKinney Falls State Park (6 percent) or Emma Long Metropolitan park (3 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Dog Park
Located at the busy intersection of Riverside Drive and Interstate 35, Norwood Estate is Austin’s most visible dog park. The hilltop with the former swimming pool was adopted by a village of dog owners who believed their pets could form their own communities around a leash-free zone. It fenced in a full 41 percent of the A-List vote for Best Dog Park.
Rugged Bull Creek Park, recently put off limits because of the drought, commanded 7 percent. Sprawling Walnut Creek District Park pulled up with 4 percent. Taking 3 percent or less were Georgetown’s Bark Park, Shoal Creek Greenbelt, West Austin Park, Emma Long Metropolitan Park, Onion Creek District Park, Turkey Creek Trail and St. Edward’s Park.
Nick and Nora have frolicked in all but one.
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Your A-List: Best Mexican Food
Austinites like their Mexican food with a healthy dash of fun. Also mashed with local tradition. Just good food is not enough. It’s dining as entertainment. And as cultural comfort.
Holding the No. 2 spot — with intensely loyal followers — was Maudie’s at 14 percent. Fonda San Miguel, which practically introduced Austin to interior Mexican cuisine, cruised into third with 13 percent.
Polvo’s, another lively spot, snatched 10 percent, while Curra’s, no slouch on the interior Mexican front, served up 7 percent. Trudy’s, known for multiple attractions, shook up 6 percent, and that SoCo pioneer, Guero’s, was not far behind with 5 percent, just ahead of Neuvo Leon and El Chile.
Trailing with less than 4 percent were El Arroyo, Serranos, Baby Acapulco, Vivo and Flores.
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September 16, 2009
Your A-List: Best Brunch
We salute the shining exceptions. Moonshine, which delights with its innovative, high-quality comfort food in a quiet downtown niche, won the A-List competition for Best Brunch with 20 percent of the tally.
Trudy’s has always served a lively and extremely popular brunch. No wonder it attracted 16 percent of the endorsements. Chez Zee, best known for its desserts, also fared well on the brunch menu with 13 percent, just ahead of jaunty Z’ Tejas.
Hyde Park Bar & Grill, Galaxy Cafe and Fonda San Miguel — the last probably Austin’s most famous brunch, beyond our borders — virtually tied at 8 percent. Tried and true Omelettry maintained 7 percent, while Taverna and Manuel’s swept up the rest with 5 and 3 percent.
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Your A-List: Best WiFi Hot Spot
Remember when all of downtown Austin was supposed to go wireless? For free? I don’t recall if the plan hit technical problems, or, more likely, it was just too expensive to create and operate. But we WiFi addicts kissed that dream goodbye.
Jo’s, always busy indoors and outdoors, generated 17 percent. The Austin Public Library took in 15 percent, the same amount as Freebirds, the burrito shop. Bookpeople attracted 10 percent.
Pulling 5 percent or less were Flipnotics, Round Rock Public Library, Austin Convention Center, Capital Metro buses/park-and-rides and Woolridge Square.
There are many more. Yet you’d think, if any city could have made free public WiFi work, it would have been Austin.
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Your A-List: Best Radio Morning Show
Funny that this category would come up this week. Recently, I appeared on J.B. and Sandy’s show. This morning on the KGSR Late Show with Andy Langer and Bryan Beck. And I hear Bob Fonseca was ticked at me on the air because he didn’t make the Fortunate 500 list. (He really shouldmake it. Hope to see him Out & About more this year.)
Coming in second was Hot 93.3’s D-Train with 23 percent of the votes. Third went to KLBJ’s Dudley and Bob Morning Show with 9 percent. KVET’s Bucky and Bob and Mix 94.7’s J.B. and Sandy were not far behind with approximately 7 percent.
Taking less than 5 percent were 101X’s The Morning X, Kiss-FM’s Bobby Bones Show, KUT’s Morning Edition, KGSR in the Morning, NewsRadio 590’s Austin’s Morning News, BOB-FM, 1530 ESPN Austin’s The Morning Rush, River 102.3’s Family Friendly Mornings, Majic 95.5’s Majic in the Morning with Kim and Alex, Jammin’ 105.9’s Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, La Ley’s El Chulo y La Bola, The Zone’s Wake-Up Call, KAZI, KMFA and La Que Buena’s El Piolin.
Hard to keep up, isn’t it?
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September 9, 2009
Your A-List: Best Gay Bar
It has, however, loyal fans. Lots of them, judging by the margin of its win in the A-List vote for best gay bar. It served up an astounding 46 percent of the tally. Not bad for Austin’s lone suburban gay club.
Charlie’s, cheek-to-jowl by the State Capitol, powered 21 percent. Densely populated Rain lined up 13 percent. Long-ascendant Oilcan Harry’s managed 10 percent. Brand new Rusty Spurs lassoed 4 percent and equally country Rainbow Cattle Country trailed with 3 percent. Chain Drive and the CP took under 2 percent.
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Your A-List: Best Landmark
Daniel Johnston’s froggy “Hi, how are you” mural proved Austin’s still as weird as it wants to be by winning 8 percent of the tally. (Kind of like voting for Leslie for mayor.) The ice-sculpture-like Frost Bank Tower rose to 6 percent, while all-encompassing Mount Bonnell was not far behind.
The Pennybacker Bridge — graceful, but an icon? — and the chummy Stevie Ray Vaughan statue virtually tied at 4 percent. Bringing up the rear were Enchanted Rock, Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, 360 Tower and Austin City Hall with less than 3 percent.
Pretty good list, voters.
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Your A-List: Best Evening Newscast
The A-List voters gave their overwhelming endorsement for Best Evening Newscast to KVUE’s fresh-faced Terri Gruca and Tyler Sieswerda (virtually an old-timer, since he’s been with the station since 2005).
The duo out-read the competition — some trailing decades of local exposure — with 28 percent of the tally.
Veterans Judy Maggio and Ron Oliveira over at KEYE cruised into a distant second with 21 percent.
KTBC’s Loriana Hernandez and Mike Warren earned a respectable 12 percent rating.
Crestina Chavez (New 8 Austin) and Gustavo Monsante (KAKW) wrapped with 8 and 2 percent respectively.
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September 2, 2009
Your A-List: Best Park
Ever wonder who lent Zilker Park its name? This is from the Handbook of Texas online:
Huh. Anyway, Zilker Park, cooled by ice or not, won the A-List vote for Best Park by a wide margin, beating “nudity may be happening” Hippie Hollow 51 percent to 10 percent. Barton Creek Greenbelt — to some an extension of Zilker Park — zipped into third with 8 percent.
Pine-studded Bastrop State Park followed with 7 percent, then Auditorium Shores and Pace Bend tied with just under 5 percent. Voters gave 4 percent or less to McKinney Falls State Park, Bull Creek Park, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Waterloo Park, Republic Square and Rollingwood Park.
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Your A-List: Best Country Singer or Group
You thought this would be competitive? Austin’s best country singer or group? Really? Really?
Western Swing vets Asleep at the Wheel boogied into second place with 12 percent, while hard-working Kevin Fowler took third with 10 percent. Jack Ingram and Dale Watson stayed pretty close with 8 and 6 percent respectively.
It drops off rather steeply after that: Pulling 4 percent or less were Derailers, Mother Truckers, Dale Watson, Heybale!, Kelly Willis, Alvin Crow, Pauline Reese and High Country, Jon Emery, Sunny Sweeney, James Hand, Wes Hayden, Cornell Hurd Band, Jesse Dayton and Roger Wallace.
Sounds like a music scene all to itself.
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Your A-List: Best Athlete
Who can really argue with these results? Seven-time winner of the Tour de France, one of sports’ most demanding tests? After cancer? Later, he rejoins the tour, looking pretty resurgent for a 37-year-old, also balancing two households, and spearheading a huge anti-cancer organization.
Speaking of football, long-retired but still beloved Heisman winner Earl Campbell ran up 21 percent, while Heisman hopeful and current UT quarterback Colt McCoy was not far behind with 17 percent. Other football greats: Vince Young (8 percent); Major Applewhite (4 percent); Drew Brees (4 percent) and Ricky Williams (3 percent).
That leaves a position each for tennis (Andy Roddick, 10 percent); softball (Cat Osterman, 5 percent) and basketball (Kevin Durant, 3 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Barbecue
Last year, when Texas Monthly crowned a tiny smokehouse in Lexington as serving the best barbecue in a barbecue-crazy state, the pilgrimages from Austin and elsewhere clogged the highways. It settled nothing. Every Central Texas town, it seems, is a battleground for barbecue, with competing smokers facing off like gunfighters.
It barely beat out The Salt Lick, which has served as a rural mecca in Driftwood for years. The addition of locations in Round Rock and at the Austin-Bergstrom Airport — and for a while on Loop 360 — only increased its popularity. It smoked out 20 percent of the vote.
Cooper’s in Llano and New Braunfels, Rudy’s at multiple Texas-area locations and Kreuz Market in Lockhart virtually tied at 9 to 10 percent.
Grouping around 4 to 5 percent of the vote were Smitty’s, Luling City Market, Artz Rib House and Black’s. Taking 3 percent or less were Iron Works, Green Mesquite, Snow’s, Chisholm Trail, Stubb’s and Buster’s.
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August 26, 2009
Your A-List: Best 24-Hour Restaurant
In fact, all the nominees in the A-List brawl for Best 24-Hour Restaurant — locals and chains — have been around forever.
Four-headed Kerbey Lane, long a college redoubt, triumphed this time with 42 percent of the vote.
Doubled-up Magnolia Cafe, forever open, challenged with 33 percent.
Katz’s, which never “klozes” on suddenly popular West Sixth Street, lagged at 13 percent.
Hipster hangout Star Seeds served 5 percent, while chainies IHOP, Waffle House and Denny’s made do with 4 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Margarita
The primacy of the margarita as Austin’s preferred strong beverage has not been seriously challenged, even during the martini renaissance and the more recent cocktail mania. The Best Margarita in Austin can be found at — Antonio’s?
Tried-and-true Trudy’s, with four locations, if you include the South Congress Cafe, trumped up 20 percent. Vivo, whose margaritas are suitably vivid in looks and tastes, tripped up 10 percent. Baby Acapulco — a party magnet if there ever was one — came in fourth with just under 10 percent.
Another group of reliable favorites — Z’Tejas, Chuy’s, Guero’s and Manuel’s — grouped at 4 to 6 percent. Serving less than 4 percent were Iron Cactus, Cedar Door, El Arroyo, Serrano’s, The Oasis, Aubelo’s, Four Seasons and Tres Amigos.
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Your A-List: Best Celeb with Local Ties
He’s the undisputed king of Austin culture. Even though he’s on the road most of the year and owns a second home in Maui. But how can you argue with international superstardom that’s lasted 40 years.
Sandra Bullock, who insists she’s a dyed-in-the-wool Austinite — she votes and pays taxes here — was rewarded with 16 percent of the tally. Matthew McConaughey, now more Malibu than Highland Lakes, still rode a 12 percent wave of popularity to third place.
Robert Rodriguez (pure Austin) and Lance Armstrong (part-Aspen) nearly tied at 9 percent. Dragging up the rear were Luke Wilson (5 percent); Andy Roddick (3 percent) and Dennis Quaid (2 percent).
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Your A-List: Best Vintage Store
Top-notch or trashy, you’ll find the right look at Austin vintage stores. And usually for a fair price. It may take some shopping around, but that’s part of the larger sartorial undertaking, right?
Buffalo Exchange, national chain based in Tucson, Ariz. and represented in Austin on the Upper Drag, stampeded into second place with 17 percent. Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics on South Lamar Boulevard and Goodwill outlets at numerous locations were not far behind with 13 percent and 11 percent respectively.
Stocking the finals slots were Room Service (5 percent); New Bohemia (4 percent); as well as Big Bertha’s, Flashback, Salvation Army and Feathers, all at 2 percent.
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August 19, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place to Buy Fashion Accessories
Always choose the accessories last. That’s what people notice. And, after following the social circuit, I can attest that’s true. A bright scarf, a richly hued tie, a flattering necklace, a fashionable watch — they all catch the eye first.
The winner, however, is Luxe, also known as Luxe Apothetique. Located in the Domain, it’s a full-service establishment, with hair, skin, gift and apparel functions, as well as delicious accessories.
Emeralds, the longtime, bustling shop on Lamar Boulevard formerly known as Emeralds and Coconuts, came in second with 14 percent.
All the rest — Goodie Two Shoes, Downstairs Apparel, Girl Next Door, Parts and Labour, SoLA, New Bohemia, Peyton’s Place, Eliza Page, Blackmail, Creatures, Garden Room, Feathers, Minx, Shiki, Estilo and By George — crowded together at less than 10 percent.
Hey, you might not guess by looking at me, but I shop at some of these places!
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Your A-List: Best Pool Hall
Austin’s favorite pool hall hustles every night in Austin’s favorite entertainment district. Makes sense.
Clicks, a multi-state chain with Austin locations north and south, scored 27 percent of the vote. Slick Willie’s, which operates 12 Houston pool halls as well as two in Austin — and has absolutely nothing to do with Willie Nelson or President Bill Clinton — tallied 17 percent of the vote.
Warehouse Saloon and Billiards, a single-location sports and game bar, drew 12 percent. Following with 10 percent or less were The Grand, Dave & Busters, Stardust Club, Main Event and Side Pocket Billiards.
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Your A-List: Best Thai Restaurant
Madam Mam’s has served up reasonably priced Thai food at its Guadalupe Street location for years. These days, the restuaruant group includes Westgate and Village incarnations. Which helps explain why it won the A-List vote for Best Thai Restaurant handily with 32 percent of the vote.
Thai Passion, another three-location group, came in second with 19 percent; Thai Kitchen, a third three-spot chain, copped third with 14 percent.
Thai Tara on bustling West Sixth Street posted the fourth best score at 7 percent.
No. 5, Satay Restaurant, operates only one eatery, but it’s popular with 5 percent of the voters.
Thai Spice was not far behind, followed by Little Thailand, Pad Thai, Mekong River, 888, Thai Village, Chon Som, Thai Spoon, Bangkok Cuisine and Classic Thai.
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August 12, 2009
Your A-List: Best Rock Climbing
Sigh.
But if I rock climbed, I’d certainly head directly to the winner of the A-List vote for such activity — Enchanted Rock. As it is, I just walk up the bald pate of basalt poking up from the Llano Uplift. Inspiring. The rock slammed 42 percent of the A-List vote.
The Barton Creek Greenbelt, whose wooded cliffs arc for miles and miles, came in second with 16 percent. Reimers Ranch — which I’ve never visited — took 11 percent.
Guadalupe Peak, way out in West Texas, pulled up 7 percent, followed closely by physically closer Pace Bend State Park. Runners-up: McKinney Falls State Park, Bull Creek boulders (currently off-limits?), Hueco Rock Ranch and Monster Rock.
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Your A-List: Best Dive Bar
Some, like the Ginger Man, move. Others, like Trophy’s, change their core clientele. But these dark, scruffy, comforting watering holes never lack for barstool occupants.
This year’s A-List highly contested vote crowned Ginny’s Little Longhorn on Burnet Road as dive-iest. The original home of chicken(expletive) bingo scooped up 12 percent of the vote.
Deep Eddy Cabaret, snug off Lake Austin Boulevard, came in second with 11 percent. Relocated on Lavaca Street, Ginger Man pulled 9 percent, followed closely by Lala’s, just off Burnet Road.
Donn’s Depot, Hole in the Wall and Horseshoe Lounge virtually tied, right behind Ginger Man and Lala’s. Nipping at their heels were G&S Lounge, Poodle Dog Lounge, The Jackalope, Scoot Inn, Barfly’s, C. Hunt’s Ice House, Ego’s, Carousel Lounge and Trophy’s.
I am positive that 11 of these 16 were here when I arrived in 1984. And haven’t changed a wink. Anyone for a chauffeured dive crawl?
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July 29, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place to Rent a Canoe or Kayak
A colleague at work has been spilling stories about her kayaking group. It sounds enticing. I’m a canoe guy myself — I owned at least two in my early adulthood — but I could be converted.
Capital Cruises steered into a respectable second place with 21 percent of the tally. The Texas Rowing Center paddled up 14 percent, while the veteran Zilker Park Boat Rentals pushed off with 13 percent.
Sloshing 3 percent of less were Rowing Dock, REI, Mud Outdoor Center, Lone Star Kayaks and Kozmik Kayaks.
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Your A-List: Best Seafood
Twenty-five years ago, seafood was one of those ignored Austin food categories. Sure, Quality Seafood had been serving up mostly wholesale riches from the sea since 1938. Yet I can’t recall one Central Texas restaurant that matched the care and sophistication of seafood servers found on the Gulf Coast.
Winner of the A-List vote for Best Seafood is not on my regular circuit, but maybe it should be. Ancho’s in the Omni Hotel at Eighth and San Jacinto streets the netted 30 percent of the vote. Roy’s, the breakthrough Hawaiian fusion group with a prominent downtown location, came in second with 27 percent.
A homegrown hero, Eddie V’s, sailed into third with 13 percent, while deeply adored Quality Seafood reeled in 10 percent. Truluck’s — which farms killer crabs — swept up 9 percent.
Taking 3 percent or less were Gumbo’s, Perla’s, Catfish Parlour, T&S Seafood Restaurant, Mariscos Seafood, Boiling Pot, Alligator Grill, Crawfish Shack and Oyster Bar, III Forks, TJ’s Seafood, Ajua and Saba.
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July 22, 2009
Your A-List: Best Tapas
Tapas stormed Austin almost 20 years ago. The Spanish-style bites befit a snacking nightlife culture that values intense flavors complemented by equally delectable drinks.
Three runners-up, all downtown, were all founded as tapas specialists: Malaga (24 percent), Saba (8 percent) and Louie’s 106 (5 percent).
This happens every once in a while with the A-List votes: Tierra del Fuego earned 3 percent, despite being long closed. Wrapping up the list with 2 percent or less were Wine Cellar at Barton Creek Wine Bar, Segovia and Hyatt Regency Austin’s Marker.
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Your A-List: Best Sno-Cones
Two iceries battled it out for the tallest cone of votes: SnoBeach, with 38 percent of the vote, and Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs, with 32 percent. It’s almost a geographical clash, since SnoBeach sells finely spun “Hawaiian Shaved Ice,” while Casey’s are Crescent City transplants.
Three other outlets— Jim-Jim’s Waterice, Big Top Candy Shop and Raspas — scooped up significant tallies, from 7 to 13 percent to be more precise. Four others — Shelby’s SnoCones, SnoCones, Etc., Treat and Baety’s Snocones — scraped by with less than 1 percent each.
(Thanks to Boots in the Oven for the image lend.)
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July 15, 2009
Your A-List: Best Art Gallery
When you’re popular, you’re popular. Art on Fifth has dominated the A-List vote for Best Gallery for the second year running. The veteran seller of fine-art prints, celebrity creations and more took a full 33 percent of the vote.
Another longtime commercial space — Gallery Shoal Creek — attracted 7 percent, while Austin Museum of Art-Laguna Gloria and Austin Museum of Art-Downtown split the difference with 6 and 5 percent.
Two more institutions, the Ransom Center and Arthouse at Jones Center, along with near-campus D Berman Gallery, virtually tied at 4 percent.
Garnering less than 4 percent were Stephen L. Clark Gallery, Okay Mountain, Austin Galleries, Flatbed press, Art Palace, Women & Their Work, Lora Reynolds Gallery, Artworks, Slugfest Printmaking, Russell Collection of Fine Art, Davis Gallery, Haven Gallery and 4 Walls Fine Art.
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July 8, 2009
Your A-List: Best Desserts
Among the white-linen eateries on the Best Desserts list were Driskill Grill (31 percent), Hudson’s on the Bend (6 percent), Wink (4 percent), Jeffrey’s (4 percent), Aquarelle (2 percent) and Zoot (1 percent). If I’m not mistaken, the Driskill pastry chef doubles duty for the 1886 Cafe & Bakery on the south side of the historic hotel, so one need not sign up for the whole Grill experience to get the goods.
Coffeehouses did very well, especially those that double as bakeries: Mozart’s (17 percent), Austin Java (5 percent) and Quack’s (3 percent).
The gelaterias: La Dolce Vita (15 percent), Teo (10 percent) and Paciugo (4 percent).
Note on the last entry: It is sometimes spelled online with an “h” after the “c.” In Italian, “ci” already produces the “ch” sound, so no need for an “h” in this chain name.
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July 1, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place to Smooch
Does one really need a special place to smooch? I hope not. PDA aside, smooching should be encouraged anywhere discretion allows.
The hands-down winner: towering Mount Bonnell with 32 percent of the vote. Placid Lady Bird Lake and a riotous UT football game were neck and neck at 11 to 12 percent. Barton Springs, Zilker Park, Zilker Botanical Gardens and the Capitol grounds bunched together around 7 to 8 percent.
Trailing at the end of the tally were the Pennybacker (Loop 360) Bridge, Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Eeyore’s Birthday Party.
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Your A-List: Best Cheap Lunch
Good economy or bad economy, Austinites demand a cheap lunch. Whole cultures have grown up around the city’s best — and cheapest — tacos, wrap, barbecue, hamburgers, sushi, or deli sandwiches.
The first took 26 percent of the vote; the second 23 percent.
Wrap economists Freedbirds and Japanese fast-fooders Zen virtually tied at 8 percent. Hut’s Hamburgers, Lulu B’s and Galaxy Cafe clustered between 4 and 6 percent. Taking 3 percent or less were Green Mesquite, Hai-Ky, Billy’s on Burnet, Enoteca Vespaio, Fire Bowl Cafe, Tam Deli, 620 Cafe, 10th Street Tacos, Tino’s, Arts Rib House, Iron Works, Buffet Palace, El Mason and Cafe Java.
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June 24, 2009
Your A-List: Best View
Everybody in Austin seeks a view. Not just the condo-dwellers lounging in glassy downtown towers. Also folks who look out on tidy little patios, porches and yards.
Most of the city’s wide-angle, deep-focus views rise west of downtown, looking down from the Balcones Escarpment, the “balcony” of the Hill Country.
One of those balcony views spreads from the County Line barbecue joint. It was endorsed by 30 percent of the voters for Best View in this week’s A-List poll, and I can only assume they meant the County Line at Bee Cave Road and Loop 360 rather than the one on Lake Austin. That’s nice, too, but not exactly the same, view-wise.
Mount Bonnell, the well-trod tourist spot above Lake Austin, came in second with 26 percent of the tally, while the Lake Travis watering hole, the Oasis, made third with 24 percent. No. 4 is confusing — the Loop 360 Bridge — do did 8 percent of the voters mean the view from the bridge or the view of it?
The only two downtown-proximate buildings garnering votes are older structures: UT Tower (4 percent) and the Capitol (1 percent). Barton Creek Square Mall, which flattened the top of a beloved hilltop, still earned 4 percent, while lakeside Hula Hut eeked out 3 percent.
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June 17, 2009
Your A-List: Best Singles Hangout
The winner of the A-List vote for best singles hangout is a laid-back joint that doubles as a sports bar and an after-game gathering spot for Austin’s amateur athletic teams. Usually open to the elevated sidewalk, Lavaca Street Bar grabbed a full 34 percent of the tally.
Dark, velvety, cosmopolitan Red Fez came in second with 26 percent, while gay newcomer Kiss & Fly raced ahead of its more-established compatriots with 25 percent. (And may I beg the critics of this huge club to restrain from libelous accusations in the commentary block of this blog? I can’t print unsubstantiated rumors of illegality. You may hate the club. Or hate the manager. Or hate the owner. But respect libel laws.)
The swank Belmont secured a distant fourth place with 4 percent, followed by Gingerman (2 percent) and Union Park, Brown Bar, Six, Star Bar, Beauty Bar, Apple Bar (all around 1 percent). Ironic Peacock Lounge came in last, with much less than 1 percent of the vote.
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Your A-List: Best Neighborhood
Do Austinites adore their neighborhoods, or what? More than 30 residential districts received significant endorsements in this week’s A-List contest. They included fuzzy geographical designations like Far South Austin and high-dollar, platinum-plated zones such as Pemberton Heights and Tarrytown.
Victorian-era Hyde Park — conceptually, a flexible area north of the UT campus — snapped up 3 percent of the tally, trailed by northwestern Windsor Park, western Tarrytown and southern Travis Heights, all nearly 2 percent.
Taking less than 2 percent were Far South Austin, Circle C, Northwest Hills, South Congress, Zilker, Clarksville, Cedar Park, North Shoal Creek, Avery Ranch, Bouldin Creek, Pemberton Hights, East Cesar Chavez, Cherrywood, Wells Branch, Barton Creek, Cat Hollow, Sun City, Bryker Woods, French Place, Far West, Turtle Creek Estates, Belterra, West Campus and Judges’ Hill.
Photo: The Spess family, from left, Kristi, Isabel, Matthew and Mike stand outside of their new home at 1406 Ruth Avenue in the Crestview neighborhood.
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May 27, 2009
Your A-List: Best Camp
Summer camp is one reason I live in Austin. Coming from Houston, our Boy Scout troop could choose between flat, steamy Camp Strake near Conroe, or steep, semi-arid El Rancho Cima near Wimberley. Guess which one I liked better. And remembered all my life.
The Art School at Laguna Gloria — a very different kind of experience on Lake Austin — came in second with 37 percent of the tally. Camp Longhorn fell far behind with 4 percent, while Mo-Ranch, Camp Doublecreek and Austin YMCA virtually tied at 1 percent to 2 percent.
All the rest — Camp Mystic, T Bar M Camps, Austin Nature Center, First Tee of Greater Austin, Wet and Wild Adventure Camp, Art Garage, Austin School of Film, Lost Pines (Boy Scouts), Camp Buckner, Paul Green School of Rock Music, Champions Academy, Sports Country, MasterSchool, Vista Camps, Camp Arrowhead, Camp Stewart, Outdoor Texas Camp, Camp Texas Ski, Echo Hill Ranch, GameCamp and Natural Ear Music Rock Camp — all scared up less than 1 percent of the vote.
Lots of camps. Lots of choices.
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Your A-List: Best Doughnuts
Central Texans are compulsive about doughnuts. Perhaps not as fanatically as in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, they fiercely promote their hometown pastries above all comers.
Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery, the ancient institution on Airport Boulevard, came in second with 18 percent of the vote. Shipley Do-Nuts, a Houston-based chain since 1936, swallowed up 13 percent, while Ken’s Doughnuts was right behind with 12 percent.
The merrily named hangout, The Donut Hole, encircled 4 percent, ahead of KC Donut Store with 3 percent. The rest — River City Donut & Coffee House, River City Donuts, Howdy Donuts, Donut Palace, The Kolache Shoppe and Lone Star Kolaches — bit off less than 2 percent each.
Don’t you love the names for these shops?
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May 20, 2009
Your A-List, Best Place to Get Your Hair Did
Winner of the A-List vote for Best Place to Get Your Hair Did is the appropriately named — but still not widely known — Beauty Store Salon and Spa, found at multiple locations. The company glammed up 39 percent of the vote. Primping not far behind was rapidly expanding Avant with 32 percent.
Jackson Ruiz, one of the first to offer a fully modern beauty experience, combed out 6 percent, just ahead of the self-consciously ironic Birds Barbershop at 5 percent. Salon Sirrah, Wet Salon, Ann Kelso and Salon 505 bunched together, as did Vain, Urban Betty, Zig Zag, Maximum FX, Electra, Roar, Fringe and Path. Trimming the last spots were Bradz and Method.
Note: The Internet image attached to the text is not related to the Beauty Store. We could find nothing — a first for Your A-List reports — from Beauty Store to use for our posting. Open to suggestions…
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Your A-List, Best Ethnic Eatery
Top spot on this eclectic list was the Clay Pot with 25 percent of the vote. The midtown purveyor of innovative Indian food and entertaining happy hours far outpaced relatively new Fogo de Chao, the latest edition from the high-quality Brazilian restaurant group. It took 11 percent.
Buenos Aires, which blessedly has opened a second location on East Sixth Street, came in third with 10 percent. Tino’s and Habana virtually tied at 9 percent. Sarah’s Mediterranean Grill and Phoenicia, appropriately, also virtually tied, but at 6 percent. Close behind were Sao Paulo’s and Aster’s Ethiopian at 5 and 4 percent.
Scooping up the last votes, each totaling 3 percent or less of the tally, were El Greco, Sarovar, Marakesh, Swad, Casa Colombia, Madras Pavillion, Latin Cafe and Jerusalem Cafe. Some of these are new to me, which means, next lunch…
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Your A-List, Best Album from the Last Year
Austinites produce scores of albums each year. So one might guess that the A-List vote on “Best Album from the Last Year” would be split among many artists.
Yet only two ended up in the serious running: Spin Alley’s “Victims” (34 percent of the vote) and the Gourds’ “Haymaker” (30 percent). Critically acclaimed Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears’ “Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is” and Alejandro Escovedo’s “Real Animal” lagged far behind at 12 and 11 percent, respectively.
Populist Reckless Kelly’s “Bulletproof” swung for 9 percent. Kat Edmonson, whose set at the recent Paramount Gala excited a full house, came in fifth with 6 percent. Infectious Grupo Fantasma’s “Sonidos Gold” and Los Lonley Boys’ “Forgive” virtually tied at 9 percent.
Clustered together below 4 percent were Del Castillo’s “Del Castillo,” Riverboat Gamblers’ “Underneath the Owl,” Balmorhea’s “All Is Wild, All Is Silent,” Ruthie Foster’s “The Truth According to Ruthie Foster,” Eliza Gilkyson’s “Beautiful Word” Ian McLagan and the Bump Band’s “Never Say Never,’ Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada’s “The Alchemist Manifesto,” Ume’s “Sunshine,” Seth Walker’s “On the Outside,” Rapid Ric’s “What It Dew 5” mixtape, and Nakia’s “Water to Wine.
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May 13, 2009
Your A-List, Best Place to Get Married
That day you say “I do.” In front of other people. That’s the most important thing. They witness it. It’s a public, social act, not just the joining of two people already engaged.
(Kip and I traveled all the way to Toronto for this social blessing, but who’s complaining?)
In Austin, readers voted One World Theatre the best place to get married. The Italianate villa, planned as a private residence above Barton Creek, later a nonprofit theater showcasing world arts, it now is a premium location for tying the knot. Twenty-nine percent of you said so.
Laguna Gloria, last year’s winner, also located amid natural beauty, came in second with 16 percent. Green Pastures, the gracious grande dame of South Austin restaurants, took third will 11 percent. Zilker Botanical Gardens, right there in urban Zilker Park, earned 7 percent.
The next three — Barton Creek Resort, Vintage Villas and City Hall were virtually tied. As were the next three — Mount Bonnell, Mansion on Judges’ Hill and Umlauf Sculpture Garden. Garnering less than 3 percent were the French Legation, Plantation House and Caswell House.
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Your A-List, Best Sports Bar
A sports bar can be a thing of social beauty.
Which sports bar did Austinites choose for the top spot in the A-List poll? An oldie but goodie: Lavaca Street Bar, already a hang-out for amateur sports teams. And now with a Hog Island Deli attached. Lavaca Street scored 33 percent of the tally.
Third Base, the phenomenally successful venture with two big locations, came in second with 19 percent. Pluckers, also quickly expanding, racked up 14 percent, while the renovated The Tavern intercepted 11 percent.
Docs, also with multiple locations and a supremely informal feel, chalked up 9 percent, while Irish-themed Fado won 4 percent. Reckoning 3 percent or less were Aussie’s, Joe’s Bar, Bikini’s, Champions, Mulligans, Legends and Buffalo Wings and Rings.
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May 6, 2009
Your A-List, Best Wait Staff
Tip them well!
Ordering up first place in the A-List vote for Best Wait Staff was Hyde Park Grill, which attended to 23 percent of the tally. The always thoughtful folks at Vespaio rang up 14 percent, while the classy veterans at Jeffrey’s carried off 13 percent.
The Ruthies at Ruth’s Chris set out 13 percent and the Winksters at Wink trayed out 8 percent. Not far behind was the staff at Güero’s, Clay Pit, Mansion on Judge’s Hill and Mother’s. Arriving late with 2 percent or less were La Traviata, El Borrego del Oro, Musashino, Salvation Pizza, Sazon and Cibo (closed).
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Your A-List, Best Place to Skate
The A-List vote for Best Place to Skate included all variety of skate spots. Place No. 1 was earned by Whole Foods, whose upper plaza hosts an ice-skating rink during the holidays. It triple-salchowed into 35 percent of the vote.
The outdoor Veloway lutzed the No. 2 spot with 19 percent, while the indoor Playland Skate Center axeled within one vote of a tie. Chapparal Ice jumped into fourth place with 9 percent. Skate Park of Austin and Skate World were closely matched at 6 and 5 percent respectively. Mabel Davis Park toe-looped into 4 percent, while Intellect Rollers Realm and Millenium Youth Entertainment Complex tied for last place with 2 percent.
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April 29, 2009
Your A-List, Best Wings
Well, the showdown this week was between Third Base, the phenomenally successful sports bar with two Austin locations, and Pluckers, its laid-back rival that, in fact, is called, tellingly, “Pluckers Wing Bar.”
Between the two, Third Base and Pluckers shared more than 91 percent of the high-volume vote. Third Base won out with 48 percent. Pluckers kept it close with 43 percent. Congrats to both teams for activating their fan bases.
The only other outlet with a significant chunk of votes was Wing Stop with 4 percent. All the others — Wings ‘N More, The Tavern, Casino El Camino, Hoover’s, Alamo Drafthouse, Uncle Billy’s, Buffalo Wings & Rings, Waterloo Icehouse, Wings-n-Things, Gene’s New Orleans Style, Bone Daddy’s, Billy’s on Burnet, Mangia, Player’s, Wing Zone and Woody’s Pizaa and Wings — earned less than 1 percent of the tally.
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Your A-List, Best Place to Write
The tradition continues, with a local twist. Austinites adore the out of doors, so they choose Zilker Park as the No. 1 place to write. The city’s key urban park offers acres of shade, relative isolation and picnic tables for the seating-inclined. Zilker attracted 23 percent of the vote.
Mozart’s, the fragrant coffee roaster on Lake Austin, came in second with 19 percent. Barton Springs, the city’s iconic swimming hole, took third with 14 percent. (Really? Your writing implements don’t get wet?)
High up on Mount Bonnell, 10 percent of our voters like to write. (Would have never guessed it.)
The LBJ Library pulled in 5 percent, but all the rest were coffee shops — Spider House (10 percent); Ruta Maya (3 percent), Dominican Joe (3 percent); Flipnotics ( 3 percent), Genuine Joe’s (3 percent). Taking 2 percent or less were more coffee shops: Cafe Mundi, Rito Rita, Quacks, JP’s Java and Green Muse.
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April 22, 2009
Your A-List, Best Rock Singer or Group
Almost tied with Ghostland was Americana act Reckless Kelly, also at 21 percent. Austin mainstay Bob Schneider came in third with 13 percent. Indie rock band Zykos took 6 percent, closely followed by singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo and Boxing Lesson. Okkervil River snuck up behind this tight cluster with 5 percent.
The list is long of those earning 3 percent or less — a good thing if you like democracy. They include Broken Teeth, Vallejo, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Black Angels, White Denim, Octopus Project, The Strange Boys, Patrice Pike, Shearwater, Gulf of Mexico, The Mercers and Tammany Hall Machine.
Lots of talent on parade.
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Your A-List, Best Quick-Service Restaurant
The Taco Trailer Age has arrived. The streets of central Austin and beyond are dotted with mobile purveyors of everything from crepes to chicken cones. They aren’t the only ones serving up food rapidly.
Second place went to a veteran Austin chain — Thundercloud Subs — with 16 percent of the vote. Third place was nabbed by a wrap chain — Freebirds — which many people think is an Austin institution (it’s headquartered — horrors! — in College Station). It chomped down on 9 percent.
Torchy’s Tacos, leaders in both the mobile and stationary taco-firing fields, and P. Terry’s, the innovative hamburger joints, nearly tied at 8 percent. Taco Deli, another perennial favorite, and Zen, which serves Japanese fast food, virtually tied at 4 percent. Taking 3 percent or less were Schlotzsky’s, El Chilito, Dan’s, Sandy’s, Texadelphia, Jason’s Deli, Tamale House, El Regio, Fran’s, Pita Pit, Dog Almighty, Baby Greens, Chango’s and Longhorn Po-boys
All of the sudden, I’m hungry.
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April 15, 2009
Your A-List, Best Place to Impress a Date
Yet romance still blooms at ages 54 and 45. So the A-List winners for “Best Place to Impress a Date” also make do for “Best Place to Impress Your Husband of 18 Years.”
The winner has been Austin’s hottest restaurant of the past decade — Tyson Cole’s twist on Japanese cuisine, Uchi. The South Lamar retreat encloses a grown-up patio and bar, superb sushi as well as dramatic creations from the master himself. Uchi ruled with 23 percent of the vote.
Places No. 2 and 3 went to long-established, high-atmosphere restaurants with their own celebrity chefs — Driskill Grill (11 percent) and Hudson’s on the Bend (10 percent). Truluck’s, the small restaurant group with the astonishingly fresh seafood, made No. 4 with 8 percent.
Jeffrey’s, once best known as the Bush family’s favorite haunt, culled 7 percent, with hip Hotel San Jose right behind. Refined Wink squeezed out 6 percent, while Italian eye-opener Vespaio took 5 percent. Next in line were not restaurants, but instead a museum event and a performing arts center — B Scene at the Blanton (4 percent) and Long Center (3 percent).
Virtually tied after that were Cru, One World Theatre, Paggi House, and Vino Vino. Bringing up the rear with 2 percent or less were Aquerelle, Cafe Jose and Zoot. And if those are your closers, you know everything on this list will impress.
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Your A-List, Best Recording Studio
Years ago, to record a really hot disc, musicians were forced to camp in Los Angeles or New York, or at the very least, Nashville. Now Austin is home to numberless high-quality recording studios, along with domestic improvisations that, because of the digital revolution, can equal the top products of the past.
Bismeaux stomped with 38 percent of the vote. Nelson’s own Pedernales Studios — with its magnificent equipment — came in second with 18 percent, while Xylo, unknown to this writer, picked up 16 percent.
Congress House came in fourth with 6 percent. Receiving 3 percent or less were Ohm, The Finishing Studio, Sweatbox, The Bubble, Wire Recording, Addison Studio, Cacophany, Murray Music, Music Land, Premium, Top Hat and Flash Point.
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April 8, 2009
Your A-List, Best Club DJ
DJ Dallas won the title Best Club DJ fair and square with 70 percent of the vote. Nobody else even came close. I’m fairly sure he is also known as DJ Dallas Downs, and he’s at Rain on Thursdays and Fridays.
The next five aspirants to the throne clumped around the 3 to 5 percent mark — DJ Mel (5 percent), DJ Manny (4 percent, DJ Kurupt (3.5 percent), DJ Chicken George (3 pecent) and Seth Cooper.
Spinning less than 2 percent were Toddy B, Car Stero Wars, DJ Orion, Boba Fett, Waxploitation DJs, DJ Bang, Rapid Ric, Prince Klassen, Mike Swing, Syko, Big Face, DJ Hobo, DJ Aquaman Chill, Holland Hart, DJ Hella Yella and Stay Gold.
I personally know the work of about half of these DJs. If the others sent me some samples…
Image is by artist Carlos Aires, whose work you can find here.
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Your A-List, Best Place to Hike
But, wow, the basalt dome’s fans aren’t rock climbing or camping 24 hours a day. They are alert to online contests. The ancient gathering place north of Fredericksburg has won another: Your A-List Best Place to Hike with 30 percent of the vote. No doubt about it, the state park does offer varied hiking experiences — straight up, sideways, or around the crinkled base of the near-monolith.
Comparatively urban Barton Creek Greenbelt came in second with 26 percent, while Pedernales Falls State Park — splitting the distance between the two — took third with 9 percent. Hamilton Pool, which is more about swimming, jumping and lounging, snapped up 6 percent and lady Bird Lake trails wasn’t far behind with 5 percent.
Inks Lake State Park, which isn’t on the agenda of newer Austinites, but is a wonderful, older park, nabbed 4 percent, as did spectacular McKinney Falls State Park and education-minded McKinney Roughs Nature Area. Piney Bastrop State Park and Brushy Creek Lake Park settled on 3 percent.
Taking 2 percent or less were Bull Creek Park, Wild Basin Preserve, Longhorn Cavern State Park, Pease Park, Blunn Creek Preserve (talk about a forgotten treasure!), Balcones State Park and Boggy Creek Greenbelt.
Pull on those hiking boots! Your columnist is almost healed.
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April 1, 2009
Your A-List, Best Dance Floor
Oh no. Drinks will spill. Curses will fly. It’s won’t be pretty. Or maybe the tempest in a tea dance has passed.
As regular readers know, this column generated a volcano of comments, many libelous or just plain hateful, when we reported that Vicci was going gay — again. Supporters and detractors of the new Kiss & Fly club made their feelings plainly felt through the commentary box.
Now the A-List runs a contest for best dance floor — and Kiss & Fly doesn’t even make the list. In all fairness, it’s probably because the large gay dance club just changed formats. After all, Vicci won the contest cold last year.
Its major competitors, the well-established and always lively Oilcan Harry’s and Rain, took, together, 72 percent of the vote. Oilcan’s, for years the city’s dominant gay club, snapped up 42 percent, while relative newcomer and near neighbor, Rain, pulled in 30 percent. Now that’s a statement.
Storied South Austin dance hall Broken Spoke waltzed away with 7 percent, while legitimately historic Gruene Hall strummed up 5 percent. Salsa-flavored Copa shook up 5 percent and jewel-like Barcelona got down with 3 percent.
Talking 2 percent or less were Prague, Graham Central Station, Midnight Rodeo, Dallas Night Club, Tejano Ranch, Aquarium and Friends.
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Your A-List, Best Day Trip
In addition to being a swell city, Austin is close driving distance from isolated, crystal springs, rare geological formations, light-flecked lakes, quaint, history-sated towns and authentic cultural meccas. (Getting to the edge of town may be tougher these days, with the increased traffic, but once into the country, travel goes smooth.) Maybe that’s why the A-List vote for the area’s top spot for a day trip was so amiably split.
Nearby Fredericksburg — a bit of German tidiness and charm nestled in the Hill Country — is, in contrast, a townie experience. One strolls up and down the main avenue, dipping into shops, nipping at snacks, watching people who are watching people. It comes by its 19th-century German/frontier look honestly and earned 17 percent of the tally.
Gruene is just as authentic, even though is core cluster of buildings, retroactively, feels a bit like an amusement park. Nobody cares, not when one of the world’s great old dance halls is the town fulcrum. It seduced 11 percent.
A bit closer in, Hamilton Pool, an exquisite sinkhole when in silt-free condition, sucked in 11 percent, while German-founded, spring-fed New Braunfels, home to the region’s biggest fall fest and plenty of tubing, took 8 percent. Pedernales Falls, which matches splendid rock sluices with hike-happy canyons, drew 6 percent.
Another swimming hole, Krause Springs, trapped 4 percent, just ahead of slender, boat-friendly Lake LBJ with 3 percent. Taking 2 percent or less were small towns from the Hill Country to blackland plains and the cross-timbers — Wimberley, Lockhart, Shiner, Dripping Springs, Brenham, Blanco and Elgin — each with their own allurements.
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March 25, 2009
Your A-List, Guiltiest Pleasure
This may be a first for Your A-List.
We received exactly one endorsement for this category: In Touch Med Spa.
OK, we’ll go with that.
According to its My Space page, this spa offers: “Facials, Endermologie, Medical Aesthetics, Chiropractic, Eyelash Extentions, Medical Weight Loss”
We called the listed number 328-0333 and confirmed that the establishment thrives at 3425 Bee Caves Road. It’s for real.
We wondered why it was hard to dig up information on In Touch. “Our Web site is still under construction,” apologized helpful office director Ajay Bryan.
Ah.
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Your A-List, Best Toy Store
Austin likes to play. And it likes to do so in singular ways. So it insists singular toy stores.
Romping into the No. 1 slot was Kid Genius, with stores in South Austin and West Lake Hills. It scooped up 37 percent of the vote. (Pictured: Story time at Kid Genius.)
Whole Earth Provision Company — more of an outdoor gear shop — came in second with 30 percent.
Two longtime faves — Toy Joy and Terra Toys — virtually tied at 13 percent of the tally. The rest drew 1 percent or less: Over the Rainbow, Anna’s Toy Depot, Monkey See Monkey Do, Kaleidoscope Toys, Hog Wild, Great Hall Games, Atomic City, BookPeople, Wonko’s Toys and Games and Kerbey Lane Doll Shop.
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March 18, 2009
Your A-List, Best Latin Group or Singer
Ages ago, the musical category “Latin Group or Singer” would have naturally attracted a long list of Tejano artists. No longer. Austin’s Latino music scene has diversified in a dizzying manner, leaving A-List voters with a hemisphere of candidates.
No. 3 on these particular charts was an old Austin hand who still retains a boyish charm — David Garza with 11 percent. No. 4 is one of the city’s ecstatically embraced bands — Grupo Fantasma with 9 percent. Critically lauded Alejandro Escovedo took 7 percent, while large-sound Del Castillo snapped up 4 percent.
Salvaging 1 percent or less were Brownout, The Brew, Manejo Beto, Patricia Vonne, Lila Downes, Los Bad Apples, Ocote Soul Sounds, Charanga Cakewalk, Kanko and Latin at Heart.
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Your A-List, Best Blog
Austin’s first role — other than that buffalo camp thing — was as capital of an independent republic. Every since, politics has overshadowed most other activities in the city. And despite the rise of higher education, sports, high tech and entertainment as competing pastimes, politics still makes for popular reading.
The only entertainment blog in the Top 5? Out & About with 5 percent of the tally. (Thank you, thank you.) Dear friend Eugene Sepulveda and his aptly named Community Matters — also pretty political — followed closely with 4 percent (my husband, Kip, vote for CM over O&A).
Attracting 3 percent or less were Kat Candler’s noodlings, Austinist’s Allen Y. Chen, Harry Knowles’ Ain’t It Cool News (surely the most read blog of all these on a global scale), Austin Tidbits, Scott Henson’s Grits for Breakfast, Austinist’s TrueCraig, Austin Chronicle’s Earache, (newsroom colleague) Matthew Odam’s The M.O., Bryan Poyser’s Austin Film Society entry and Random Neural Misfirings.
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March 11, 2009
Your A-List, Best Place to Score a Last-Minute Gift
A-List voters have done your work for you. They’ve voted on the best shops to score a last-minute gift. And Numero Uno was the local hardware store with the high-end accessories, Breed & Co., which attracted 20 percent of the vote. You can purchase flowers, plants, food, cookware and decorative accents as well as hammers, paint and ladders.
BookPeople — selling much more than just books — took second with 13 percent of the vote. Waterloo Records, which carries all your favorite local musicians, came in third with 12 percent. And look: Another hardware store, Zinger, scored fourth with 10 percent.
Several traditional Austin businesses did well in this category — Toy Joy (9 percent); Emeralds (8 percent); Sue Patrick (6 percent); Tesoros Trading Co. (6 percent); Terra Toys (4 percent). Following the parade with 3 percent or less are Aviary, Blanton Museum of Art gift shop, Sparks, Austin Museum of Art store, Mercury Design Studio and Big Red Sun.
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Your A-List, Locally Owned Business
Maybe that’s why Amy’s topped the A-List vote for Best Locally Owned Business with 22 percent of the vote. Waterloo, the classic local record store on North Lamar Boulevard, came in second with 12 percent. Top Notch burger stand piled up 10 percent, and Schlotzsky’s, the once and future sandwich chain, 9 percent, followed closely by 24-hour munchie oasis Magnolia Cafe.
Soul Food haven Hoover’s won 8 percent, while Homeslice, the New York-style pizza on South Congress grabbed 7 percent. Guero’s, the Tex-Mex fiesta across the street from Homeslice, carved out 6 percent. Taking 3 percent or less where Vulcan Video, Hotel San Jose, Spiderhouse, I Love Video, Birds Barbershop, Daily Juice, Ruta Maya, Service Menswear, Flipnotics and Aviary.
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February 25, 2009
Your A-List, Best Rec Center
They picked Clay Madsen. Located at 1600 Gattis School Road in Rock Rock, it includes a cool skate park, that much I know. It triumphed with 19 percent of the vote.
South Austin at 1100 Cumberland Road — where I sometimes walk our dogs — came in second with 18 percent, and Northwest at 2913 Northland Dr. took third with 11 percent.
All the rest — Dittmar, Austin, A.B. Cantu/Pan American, Hancock, Landa (New Braunfels), Parque Zaragoza, Rosewood, Alamo, Dove Springs, Dottie Johnson, Givens, Camacho, Lockhart — generated less than 10 percent of the vote. But at least people are using them and giving their support.
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Your A-List, Best Place to Spend a Lazy Sunday
Zilker Park, our closest approximation of Central Park, won with 25 percent of the vote. Lake Travis, our Mediterranean coast, came in second with 15 percent. Barton Springs, often considered the soul of Austin, took third with 13 percent.
Several of the other winners offer purely indoor pleasures: Alamo Drafthouse (10 Percent), Half-Price Books (5 percent), BookPeople (4 percent). Others, especially the coffee houses, split their allurements between outside and inside: Shady Grove (7 percent), Ruta Maya (5 percent), Jo’s (2 percent, if you include the Second Street edition), Mozart’s (1 percent), Spiderhouse (1 percent), Clementine and Flipnotics (both less than 1 percent).
Three more outdoor attractions round out the list: Pease Park (3 percent), Pace Bend Park (2 percent) and Deep Eddy (1 percent, assuming voters meant the spring-fed pool and not the dive next door).
That’s a guy throwing a boomerang in Zilker Park, by the way.
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February 18, 2009
Your A-List, Best Neighborhood Hangout
One thing Austinites defend with their lives: Their neighborhood hangouts. These homes away from home usually lie within walking distance of work or domicile, and fit one’s personality like a broken-in boot. No need to switch clothes, by the way, these watering holes embody the Old Austin insistence on dressing down.
The others are located in older Austin districts, central, but not quite next to UT. The list starts with No. 2 Billy’s on Burnet (13 percent); No. 3 Mean Eyed Cat (8 percent); No. 4 Doc’s (7 percent); No. 6 Pluckers (6 percent); No. 7 Deep Eddy Cabaret (6 percent); No. 8 Jo’s (5 percent); No. 10 Horseshoe Lounge (4 percent); No. 11 Hotel San Jose (4 percent); No. 14 Parmer Lane Tavern (2 percent); No. 15 Flipnoticcs (2 percent); No. 16 Longbranch Inn (2 percent); No. 18 Progress Coffe (1 percent), No. 19-22 Red’s Scoot Inn, Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse, Joe’s Bar and Grill and Peacock (all less than 1 percent).
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Your A-List, Best Place You've Been Kicked Out Of
Sometimes the A-List question-cobblers come up with something singular for austin360.com readers to ponder. “Best Place You’ve Been Kicked Out Of” certainly qualifies in that category.
Voters chose just three places, making it a tie.
Another venue makes sense: Buffalo Billiards. The East Sixth Street establishment — there are DC and Philly outlets — is a cornucopia for games players, not just pool but all sorts of gizmos I wouldn’t know the first thing about. It also pumps up testosterone levels that can lead to bad behavior, hence the kicking out part.
Now the last one is a cipher: Jason’s Deli? How do you get kicked out of an upscale chain deli? Manipulate the salami? Run your fingers through the potato salad? Loudly insist on non-kosher preparation for all your orders? I don’t know, but voters can send me their explanation.
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February 4, 2009
Your A-List, Best Newcomer to Austin's Music Scene
The raw rockers, the Steps, gained entry into the Austin City Limits Festival — not once, but twice — the second time by winning the fest’s battle of the local bands contest. They do well at contests, drumming up 42 percent of the vote in a hotly contended A-List rally.
SXSW-headed songwriter Ben Mallott and his band came in second with 31 percent of the tally. Indie rockers Built by Snow took third with 18 percent.
After that, the vote drops off precipitously. T-Bird and the Breaks lead a parade receiving under 2 percent: Bellville Outfit, Harlem, Foot Patrol, Dana Falconberry, Goldcure, Joanna Barbera and Gospel Truth.
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Your A-List, Best Computer Store
Still, readers voted in the A-List poll for best computer store. And the winner should not shock anyone who realizes that Apple has been cultivating university students here for almost three decades. The Mac Alliance on Old Koenig Lane won a thwacking 64 percent of the tally.
Mr. Notebook rallied to second place with 11 percent, while Discount Electronics cashed in third with 8 percent. Another Apple helper, Happy Mac, came in fourth with 5 percent, just ahead of PC Guru. Last year’s winner, Logic Approach, failed to top 3 percent; leaving just scraps for PC Doctors, Computer Doctor, Computer Geeks and Computer Solutions.
Wonder why the two Apple stores didn’t rate?
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Your A-List, Best Vietnamese Cuisine
Now, good Vietnamese food is fairly available all over Austin. Kim Phung, with two eateries on the north side, won the A-List vote for best Vietnamese cuisine with 16 percent of the vote. The next nine vote-getters bunched up together between 7 and 11 percent. In descending order, they were Hai Ky, Sunflower, Pho Hoang, Triumph Cafe, 888, Tam Cafe and Deli, Mekong River, Saigon Kitchen and Pho Van.
Wrapping up the list with less than 4 percent were Pho Saigon, Tan Mi, Le Soleil, Thanh Nhi and Rosie Pho’s.
Photo courtesy of Veggie Delight blog.Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Food, Your A-List
January 28, 2009
Your A-List: Best Improv Group
To tell the Lord’s own truth, we’d heard of only three of the following companies receiving votes in the A-List poll for best improv group.
Two mobs out-muscled the others in the voting: Midnight Society (45 percent) and Flying Theater Machine (40 percent). Nothing. Nada. No memories of either from me. Which can only be my fault.
ColdTowne Theater, one of the three I’ve witnessed, came in third with 4 percent, virtually tied with Girls, Girls, Girls, another familiar to me.
The aspirationally named Parallelogramophonograph led the troupes with 2 percent or less of the tally. They included Knuckleball Now, Heroes of Comedy, Look Cookie, Mr. Bossman, Improv for Evil, Murphy, Get Up and Starter Kit.
Time to hit the improv clubs.
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Your A-List, Best Place to Spot a Celeb
This is an A-List category we know something about. Not that we spot celebs every day. But we know where they cluster, because readers let us know.
Next in the vote was the University of Texas sports games with 20 percent. That’s logical, too, since UT games represent the greatest concentrations of Austinites in one place anyway. The Four Seasons Hotel and South by Southwest, the first a celeb watering hole, the second our biggest festival, tied with just over 13 percent of the vote.
Guero’s, the venerable South Congress Tex-Mex spot, gobbled up fifth place with 7 percent. The Austin City Limits Music Festival — our town’s No. 2 fest — earned 6 percent, while Whole Foods cashed in 5 percent. Taking 3 percent or less were Hotel San Jose, Continental Club, Chuy’s, Uchi and Jo’s Hot Coffee.
As a professional social columnist, I have to say this is a pretty darn good list.
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January 21, 2009
Your A-List, Best New Addition to Austin's Nightlife Scene
Giving Cissi’s a run for its money was the rooftop oasis on Congress and Fifth, Lanai. You know, the one with all the diaphanous fabric and the feel of a tropical resort, even in winter. It heated up 30 percent. Mulberry, the compact, urban wine bar in the 360 Tower, served up a respectable 4 percent, followed closely by the intriguing Beso Cantina on West Fifth Street.
Annie’s West, a spacious, classy add to West Sixth Street, tied with Rusty Spurs, the country-themed gay bar on East Seventh. Uncorked, the wine bar in a former house/restaurant on East Seventh, followed right behind with 2 percent — almost matched by the burlesque-themed Aces Lounge on East Sixth Street.
Black & Tan, a promising spot on East Seventh with a mixed pubic persona, Blu, Malaia, Taste, Mint Terrance and House Wine wound up the list. Note that five of the contenders are wine bars!
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Your A-List: Best Pick-Up Bar
We have to be careful reporting on this A-list category. The whole idea of “pick-up bars” and “pick-up artists” is patently offensive to some readers. We prefer, instead, to let people make the own social choices, if even they don’t always comport with a generalized opinion about responsible behavior.
The Belmont, Lucky Lounge, J. Black’s and Union Park all scored between 8 and 9 percent of the tally. Pangaea, Rain, Cuba Libre, Fado (reallly?), Six and Vicci filled the third tier with between 4 and 6 percent. Gruv, The Marq and Betsy’s Bar trailed with 3 percent or under.
For those who enjoy finding and being found, happy hunting!
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January 14, 2009
Your A-List, Best Low-Fat/Health-Conscious Options
Nowadays, everyone and their mother offers natural, low-fat or health-conscious foods. Still, Whole Foods won the A-List vote for this function with 23 percent of the vote. Zen, the Japanese fast-food joint, came in second with 20 percent. Central Market, which, for a while, operated the finest grocery stores in Texas earned 13 percent. (CM is still great, but Whole Foods and others learned from these gourmet masters.)
Eastside Cafe, which grows much of its food right next to its restaurant on Manor Road, served up 7 percent, while Mr. Natural — naturally — too just under that. Casa de Luz, Baby Greens, Mother’s and Wheatsville virtually tied in the next spot, while Leaf and Sun Harvest brought up the rear.
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Your A-List, Best Sportscaster
Veteran Dave Cody of KTBC tripped into third place with 23 percent, while Bob Ballou (KEYE) edged Jeff Power (News 8 Austin), both straddling 5 percent of the count.
Hey, stray thought: Where are the women?
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January 7, 2009
Your A-List, Best Late Night Snack
When Austinites get the munchies around midnight, they gravitate to eateries that have finished off evenings for decades.
No. 4, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer — a welcome one — Home Slice, the South Congress Avenue pizza parlor. It took 8 percent. Best Wurst, the felicitously named Sixth Street food cart with the long line, served up 5 percent, just beating out dark-eyed Star Seeds on Interstate 35.
Following those in the tally were Pluckers, Roppolo’s and Mrs. Johnson’s Donuts. Reaping 3 percent or less were The Onion, Thai Passion, 888 and Wan Fu III.
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Your A-List, Best Hard Rock/Metal Group
Coming in Numero Uno is glammy, New York Dolls-ish Broken Teeth, with 20 percent of the vote. Not far behind is Sword with 18 percent. Tia Carrera and Super Heavy Goat Ass (would love to have witnessed that band-naming session) follow with 12 percent and 10 percent respectively.
Whore of Babylon hustled up 8 percent, while Honky and Grady split the difference at approximately 7 percent. Devil’s Right Hand pulled off 5 percent. Cashing in at 3 percent or less were At All Costs, New Disaster, Amplified Heat, Supercrash, Set Aflame, Rhoades Diablo, Ruins of Honor.
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December 31, 2008
Your A-List, Best Music Store
The shatteringly popular choice for austin360 readers is — ta da! — Waterloo. The local biz with the longtime local buzz tuned into 58 percent of the vote. Was there ever any doubt?
Music Mania lagged far behind with 14 percent and Cheapo chimed in with 12 percent. The Half-Price Books chain got 4 percent, narrowly beating out End of an Ear, Antone’s, and Sound on Sound. Bringing up the rear with less than 2 percent were the nevertheless fascinating resources Encore, Backspin, DJ Dojo and Friends of Sound.
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December 24, 2008
Your A-List, Best Place to Buy New Records
Where’s the best place to buy new records? Our A-List voters overwhelming chose a shop that serves as a poster child for local businesses. Waterloo Records, which earned 67 percent of the vote, not only provides a pleasant, welcoming place to browse, it stages countless special events — a proven way to personalize and socialize the music experience.
Antone’s, with its deep, broad collection of blues and related forms, came in second with 7 percent. Cheapo Discs, the warehouse-style retailer of discounted and recyled records, came in just behind. End of an Ear, the South First haven beloved by afficiandos, nabbed 5 percent, while multiply located Half-Price Books and Backspin tied with just under 4 percent. Copping less than 3 percent were Austin Record Convention, DJ Dojo, Music Mania, Sound on Sound and Friends of Sound.
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Your A-List, Best Post-Workout Fueling Stop
No. 2 and No. 3 — Daily Juice and Central Market — nearly matched each other’s vote totals with 15 percent and 14 percent respectively. Tacodeli, an A-List regular, came in fourth with 8 percent. Austin Java and Jo’s — two coffee shops selling substantial food — tied for No. 5 with 6 percent. Talking 3 percent or less were People’s Pharmacy, Mr. Natural, Wheatsville, Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse, Food 4 Fitness Cafe and Sun Harvest.
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December 17, 2008
Your A-List, Best Sports Team
Minor-league sports have not gained much big-league cultural or social traction in Central Texas, with the exception of the Round Rock Express, which came in third with 3 percent of the vote, well behind UT football, which scored second with 37 percent. Yet the Toros have earned their fleet-fingered fans, playing at the Austin Convention Center and standing second in the Southwestern Division with a 5-3 record.
Resurgent Texas State football — the Bobcats made the playoffs this year — took third, edging UT men’s basketball with just over 2 percent of the tally. UT baseball, always a winner under Augie Garrido, UT women’s basketball, back in booming business with Coach G, and UT softball all garnered 2 percent of the vote or less.
The defunct Austin Wranglers almost beat UT softball.
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December 10, 2008
Your A-List: Best Place to Be Surrounded Pretty People
Yet every contest must have a winner. So it’s our duty to report that the top A-List spot went to Qua with 27 percent of the vote. The Fourth Street ultra-lounge made a splash last year when it installed sharks in a pool underneath the dance floor and because its dress code is slightly less casual than other Austin clubs’. (More recently, they’ve instituted college nights, when just about any attire goes.)
The Belmont, a little bit of old Vegas or Hollywood on West Sixth, came in second with 19 percent, while The Domain, the upscale shopping destination arranged like an amusement park, took third with 10 percent. Seven places — Second Street District, Beauty Bar, Four Seasons, Driskill, Union Park, J. Black’s and Pangaea — tied for fourth with 5 percent. Rain was not far behind with 4 percent, followed closely by Six with 3 percent. Red Fez, Peacock and Brown Bar took 2 percent or less.
Two credible write-ins: Parkside and Imperia
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Your A-List, Best Music Festival
Stranger things have happened. Yet it sends a little shock to the system to find that Heart of Texas — also known as the Heart of Texas Quadruple Bypass Music Festival and Texas Rockfest — won the A-List vote for best music festival. Ten years old, the March event receives a tiny fraction of the attention lathered on SXSW or ACL. Here, it trumped both with 48 percent of the vote. Not content, the fest’s fans increased its lead — RockFest won with 35 percent last year.
ACL came in second with 28 percent; SXSW third with 14 percent. All the rest — Kerrville Folk Fest, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Old Settler’s, Extreme Texas Metal Fest, Raggae Fest, Urban Music Fest and Chaos in Texas — accrued 3 percent or less each, totally less than 10 percent combined.
When will that blizzard hit?
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Your A-List, Best Sporting Goods Store
Where’s the best place to buy a heart monitor, for instance? A sporting good store. (That’s on my list this week.)
The winner of the A-List poll for best sporting goods store is a longtime Texas institution, which started, if memory serves, selling military surplus in crammed, old-fashioned stores. Academy Sports + Outdoors, now found in bright big boxes, took 38 percent of the vote.
REI, a higher-end outfitter, came in second with 18 percent. RunTex, snugly tied to Austin’s fitness community, scored third with 13 percent. Whole Earth, which takes an ecological angle on outdoor activities racked up 9 percent, while giant retailer Cabela’s nabbed 7 percent.
Settling for 3 percent or less were Bicycle Sports Shop, Sports Authority, Dick’s, Soccer World, Ozone Bikes, Austin Tri-Cyclist, Jack and Adam’s Bicycles and University Cyclery.
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December 3, 2008
Your A-List, Best Magazine
Austin Monthly, the most successful localization on the TM formula, has kept abreast of its city’s trends and celebrities with confident, low-key style. It earned 18 percent of the tally. Rare and Tribeza came in third and fourth with 9 percent and 8 percent. The first is geared to a slightly younger, jazzier set, while the more established second is the epitome of class — and, in fact, revolutionized coverage of the “glamor industries” in Austin with its superb photography and design.
Brilliant, a lavishly produced statewide slick, also based in Austin, came in a close fifth with 7 percent. Austin Fit, printed on no-nonsense paper and covering the city’s obsession with healthy lifestyles, won 6 percent. Culling less than 3 percent were Souncheck, Misprint, Austin Music + Entertainment, Austin Woman, Glossy, L Style G Style, Capital City Sports Report, A, Austin Wide Open and Fave.
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November 26, 2008
Your A-List, Best Place for a Blind Date
Blind dates are trouble. Face it, they hardly ever work. The anticipation is so pressing, the actual date can hardly bear the stress.
The more conventional fun of Hula Hut came in second with 15 percent. The even more sedate Shady Grove made third place with 11 percent, and the extra-laid-back Dart Bowl took fourth with 9 percent, right ahead of the perennial — and slightly camp — favorite Peter Pan Mini-Golf.
Dave and Buster’s, especially lakeside, is an ancient Austin date tradition and earned 8 percent. The B Scene at the Blanton Museum of Art, only a couple years old, offers at classy option with 4 percent. Attracting 3 percent or less were Halcyon, Austin Java, Adult skate night at Playland, Little City and 300 Austin.
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Your A-List, Best Sale
Merrily, two of the biggest sales are on their way. I don’t mean the Black Friday madness, but rather two retail/cultural traditions cherished by Austinites.
The Blue Genie Christmas Bazaar and Armadillo Christmas Bazaar came within one vote of tying for the A-List Best Sale contest — the Genie getting the upper hand. One event is thrown by scruffy artists on the East Side, the other by scruffy — well, more cleaned up these days — artists on the West Side. Each obtained 17 percent of the vote.
The City-Wide Garage Sale, a similar group effort without the holiday requirement, came in third with 15 percent of the tally, while Four Hands warehouse sale cleaned up 10 percent. Le Garage Sale got 8 percent and A Christmas Affair, the tony Junior League fundraiser raised 7 percent.
The Buffalo Exchange sidewalk sale pulled in a respectable 6 percent, just ahead of the Literacy Austin Bookfest. A very targeted retail event, the Service Menswear 50 percent-off sale, earned 4 percent while the Austin Record Convention and Strut’s first-of-the-month sale tied at just over 3 percent. Taking less than that were the Flipnotics sidewalk sale and Austin Books and Comics anniversary sale.
Can you tell what Austin collects?
Write-in: Settlement Home Garage Sale
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Your A-List, Best Radio Station
Despite the onslaught of Internet and satellite radio, locality still matters. People want to hear what Central Texas sounds like. And faux regional identity does not ring true over the terrestrial radio waves.
Also striking a local note is KGSR 107.1. Staying somewhat near the mellower singer/songwriter end of the spectrum, the resonantly Austin station caught 19 percent of the tally.
Write-in 89.9 FM KTSW, Texas State University’s radio station, was third with 14 percent, while 96.7 KISS-FM, with the insurgent Bobby Bones, was fourth with 9 percent. In fifth was Mix 94.7, starring recently profiled J.B. & Sandy, with 8 percent. Slickly trimmed to the local market, 103.5 BOB-FM, reached sixth place with 7 percent.
KVET 98.1 and its country coeval, KASE 100.7, each took close to 5 percent, followed closely by that peregrinating collective, KOOP 91.7.
Taking 3 percent or less were 101X, KLBJ 93.7, KLBJ 590 AM, Hot 93.3, Jammin’ 105.9, ESPN Radio 1260/1530, 102.3 The River, SportsRadio 1300, Majic 95.5, KAZI 88.7, KMFA 89.5, KVRX 91.7, Talk Radio 1370, La Ley 98.9, Digital 92.5, 107.7 Hitz and La Que Buena 104.3.
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Your A-List, Best Buffet
The A-List winner for best buffet this year goes to a relative newcomer, Cannoli Joe’s on U.S. 290 West, which picked up 20 percent of the vote. The aptly named Buffet Palace virtually tied for second place with the Clay Pit and Mr. Gatti’s, each sweeping up approximately 13 percent of the tally.
Two other eateries tied for fifth, Double Dave’s and Mongolian BBQ, each snatching 7 percent. China Star scooped up 5 percent and Taj Palace 4 percent. Taking 3 percent or less were Thai Passion, Alborz, Star of India, Bombay Bistro, Sarovar, Thomas Super Buffet and Madras Pavilion.
Never quite figured out whey Asian restaurants tend to the buffet option.
Write-ins: Sirloin Buffet, Wok-A-Holic
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November 19, 2008
Your A-List, Best Beauty Salon
Snatching second with 31 percent is a smaller salon group with three Austin locations — Avant. Everybody else, mostly one-off Austin salons — Jackson Ruiz, Birds, Aziz, Salon 505, Ann Kelso, Bradz, Joie de Vie and Vain — took 3 percent or less of the vote.
Looks like it pays to locate where the traffic allows.
Write-ins: Innu, Milk+Honey, Topaz, Two Wild Sisters, Urban Betty, Viva
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Your A-List, Biggest Eyesore
Sometimes at Your A-List, a category is created just for write-ins. Such is the case with Biggest Eyesore. And the five-way tie for the top spot indicates that people are irritated, but we aren’t exactly sure at what.
The Monarch, for instance, is a high-rise apartment executed in a safe, almost bland modernist style. The only possibly offensive elements are the wing-like structures on the top. Are they really eyesores? Given the context of other Austin high-rises, are the wings so out of character?
One reader wrote in “empty house near the dog park at Interstate 35 and Riverside.” That would be the historic Norwood estate, stripped of its ornaments and mothballed by a well-meaning group hoping to salvage it. It’s a mess now, but it’s really “in storage” until someone restores it.
Still another decries the condos going up behind Shady Grove. Fine, you are mad that the mobile homes and some trees are gone. But there’s no building there yet. How can a temporary construction site be a permanent eyesore?
The final “winner” is the most interesting: the Holly Street Power Plant. Here’s a decommissioned utility structure destined to be gutted and replaced with something more neighborhood friendly — a park. Why expend a vote on a dead building on its way out? Unless its simply to continue the political discussion of why it was built and maintained there in the first place. I suspect that’s the case.
You have spoken, but the message remains unclear when it comes to defining “eyesore.”
Photo: City council member Mike Martinez, left, and former Austin Energy general manager Juan Garza, right, look over an artist rendering of suggested park space that will eventually replace the Holly Street Plant
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November 12, 2008
Your A-List, Best Burger
The top four mouth-watering slots were spaced pretty closely: P Terry’s (17 percent), Phil’s Ice House (16 percent), Hut’s (14 percent) and Casino El Camino (13 percent). The next three were also very close calls — Top Notch, Dan’s and Dirty Martin’s - coming in just under 7 percent.
Hill’s trailed (surprisingly) with just 3 percent. Taking 2 percent or less were Shady Grove, Roaring Fork, Hillbert’s, Fran’s, Hyde Park Bar & Grill, Sandy’s, Frisco Shop and Freddie’s Place. (Now, I’m not just hungry, I’m burger crazed.)
Write-ins: Artz, Aussie’s, Chez Zee, Crown and Anchor, Dona Emilia’s, Five Guys, Mighty Fine, Mike’s Pub, Parkside, Waterloo Ice House
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Your A-List, Best New Restaurant
No. 2 on the list is actually an oldie revived: Paggi House, located on Riverside Drive in one of the city’s oldest buildings. Now overshadowed on two sides by condos, it’s still a pleasant retreat and won 15 percent of the vote. The Good Knight, the latest outing from the owners of Beerland and Rio Rita, continues the improvement of dining choices along what we are calling East East Sixth. It took 12 percent.
The other candidates — Lulu B’s, Olivia, Cuatros, Corazon, Kenobi, Maria Maria, Moonlight, Sago, Shuggie’s, Trio, Perry’s, Mulberry, Yume Sushi, Crave — each earned 5 percent or less. Of course, some have been open mere days, so there’s time to welcome all these foodie freshmen.
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November 5, 2008
Your A-List, Best Festival not ACL or SXSW
Any party planner, entertainment journalist or just plain Austinite will tell you that two festivals — ACL and SXSW — pretty much eclipse everything else when they are in session. Just try to wave down some attention for your normal, wonderful Austin event if either of those fests conflict with it.
Old Pecan Street Festival, the longtime celebration of Sixth Street, arts/crafts, bands and festival food, came in second with more than 17 percent. Fun Fun Fun Fest, alternative to ACL or SXSW with its outdoor punk, hardcore, electronica and other acts in Waterloo Park, almost tied OPCF with 17 percent. The Texas Book Festival, which practically reinvented the notion of a populist literary fest, came in fourth with 11 percent.
Attracting 6 percent or less were all sorts of guaranteed fun: Austin Kite Festival (6 percent), Austin Reggae Festival (6 percent), Kerrville Folk Festival (6 percent), Old Settler’s Music Festival (4 percent), Out of Bounds Improv Festival (2 percent), Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival (3 percent), Keep Austin Weird Festival (3 percent), Cine Las Americas (2 percent), Art City Austin (1 percent), Urban Music Festival (1 percent) and Fuse Box (1 percent).
Write-ins: Austin Celtic Festival, Batfest, Bydee Festival, Fantastic Fest, Roky Erickson’s Annual Psychedelic Ice Cream Social
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Your A-List, Best Video Store
Vulcan, which has been around Austin almost as long as video could be rented, has maintained its loyal customer base through these strategies, plus something indefinable — character. You know when you in a Vulcan video store. It won 46 percent of the A-List vote for best video store.
Netflix, which revolutionized the market with its delivery service and lack of late fees, came in second with 17 percent. I Luv Video, another ground-based Austin veteran, came in third at 15 percent. Blockbuster, the chastened chain that once dominated the industry, took fourth with 9 percent. Waterloo Records & Video, which, I believe is getting out of the video-renting game, earned 5 percent.
Pulling in less than 2 percent were The Movie Store, TapeLenders, Austin Public Library, Encore and Hastings.
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October 29, 2008
Your A-List, Best Place for a First Date
The A-List winner for Best Place for a First Date is also a theater, but a movie house, to be more specific. In fact, it’s a small group of movie theaters that have won numerous A-List awards for combining food, drink, film and socializing. Alamo Drafthouse — no particular location — took 28 percent of the vote.
Hula Hut, the playfully themed restaurant on Lake Austin, come in second with 13 percent. Eternally youthful Peter Pan Putt-Putt was not far behind with 13 percent. Two restaurants — Hyde Park Bar & Grill and Vivo — virtually tied at 9 percent. The coffeehouse and roasters next to Hula Hut, Mozart’s warmed to 8 percent, while the Restaurant Row veteran, Romeo’s, earned 7 percent of the love. Coming in under 6 percent were Enoteca Vespaio, Chez Zee and Mars.
Write-ins: Carrabba’s, The Steeping Room
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October 22, 2008
Your A-List, Best Karaoke
The Asian-inspired custom of singing popular songs to recorded instrumental tracks has not abated in this city. It’s everywhere. Still. And the rave fave spot for karaoke is Common Interest, by a yodeling 43 percent of the A-List vote.
DK Sushi came in a distant second with 17 percent, while Austin Karaoke nabbed third with 11 percent. The other hot spots — which must include generous portions of alcohol I presume — are La Palapa (7 percent), the Water Tank (7 percent), Baby A’s (5 percent), Beerland (5 percent), new Seoul Karaoke Studio (3 percent), Rain (3 percent) and Karaoke Apocalypse (1 percent).
Why does the one with the best name get the least votes?
Write-in: Too Much Music
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Your A-List, Best Place to Go When You're Broke
But the clever bums among us can figure out how to get by on charm or good looks (the former for me, the latter for you). The No. 1 and No. 2 winning ideas in the A-List poll for Best Place to Go When You’re Broke are sample grazing at Whole Foods (25 percent) and Central Market (23 percent). Have to admit we’ve done it.
In-store concerts at Waterloo Records are also popular (11 percent), while the Austin Public Library tied with the Alamo Drafthouse for their Music Mondays, Weird Wednesday and Terror Thursday (8 percent apiece).
Opening receptions at area art galleries won the acceptance on just 4 percent. Making 3 percent or less in the poll were the LBJ Library and Museum, readings at BookPeople, In-stores at Cheapo, yoga and fitness classes at Ruta Maya, Blanton Museum of Art on Thursdays, Continental Gallery, Tuesday improv jams at the Hideout and $1 Tuesdays at the Austin Museum of Art.
Pretty cultured, these Austin bums.
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October 15, 2008
Your A-List, Best Sushi
Sushi is sushi is sushi. Right? Wrong.
The fight for second place was close: Midori (19 percent) and Musashino (17 percent), with Maiko (8 percent) making a strong fourth. Sushi Sake copped 6 percent, while Kenichi probably disappointed its legions of fans by earning only 6 percent. Kyoto, once an oasis of Japanese food in a town without Asian stand-outs, took 4 percent. Coming in under 5 percent were Umi, Korea House and DK Sushi. Imperia’s sushi bar was probably too new to compete.
Write-ins: Express Teriyaki & Grill, Japon, Kenobi, Korea Garden, Maru, Mikado, Mizu, Nikko Sushi, Origami, Thai Spice, Tokyo Steakhouse, Tomo
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Your A-List, Best Movie Theater
Entertainment Weekly named Alamo Drafthouse the best movie theater. In the country. How can you argue with the smash-up of sensitively selected movies, filling pub grub and potent potables?
Its kin — still run by Tim and Kerry League’s gang — took three spots: Alamo South Lamar (25 percent); Alamo at the Ritz (11 percent) and Alamo Village (7 percent). The only other serious contender was Regal Gateway (9 percent). Its art house sibling, Regal Arbor, earned only 3 percent.
The list of theaters taking 2 percent or less is long: Bulluck Museum IMAX, Paramount, Regal Westgate, Tinseltown Pflugerville, Cinemark Southpark, Millennium, Dobie, Galaxy Highland, Regal Metropolitan, Cinemark Cedar Park, City Lights, Cinemark Round Rock, AMC Barton Creek Square, Cinemark Hill Country Gallleria, Showplace, Tinseltown South, Regal Lakeline Mall, Starplex and Chestnut Square.
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October 1, 2008
Your A-List, Best Hotel
Compared to the Driskill, the Hotel San Jose is a boutique outfit, a former motor court on South Congress Avenue. Meticulously transformed into the epitome of Austin cool with a paradisical courtyard garden by Liz Lambert and pals, it took 24 percent. The lakeside Four Seasons Hotel, the supremely tasteful representative of the global chain that boasts immaculate service, earned 17 percent.
The InterContinental Stephen F. Austin, downtown’s other historic hotel and a genteel retreat, took in 6 percent. The still relatively new Hyatt Lost Pines Resort, located in spectacular setting out near Bastrop, got 5 percent. Hilton Austin, which commandeers the majority of convention business, reeled in 4 percent. Taking less than 4 percent were Omni Austin Downtown, Lakeway Resort & Spa, South Austin Motel and Renaissance Austin.
When the Stephen F. opened a few years back, we claimed the right to spend a night each at all three downtown luxury hotels for a special XL report. We liked all three equally, for different reasons. Still, that year’s expense account never recovered.
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Your A-List, Best Pizza
Just a few years ago, you couldn’t find a decent slice of New York-style, thin-crust pizza in Austin. At least not from an urban pizzeria with sidewalk window service. Heck, you couldn’t find a pizza at all along South Congress Avenue, even after it had become a major pedestrian magnet.
Mangia, an old Austin friend with deeper dish pizzas and reliable home delivery, came in second with 20 percent. (We devour the carnivore.) Austin’s Pizza, with multiple locations in the city and suburbs, took third with 12 percent. Student fave, Conan’s, which pre-dates even my arrival in Austin, pulled in a respectable 9 percent.
Saccone’s, located at U.S. 183 and Anderson Mill Road, earned 7 percent, while new East Side Pies scored 6 percent. Taking less than 5 percent were the Onion, Salvation Pizza, South Austin Flying Pizza (another terrific addition to SoCo) and Rounders.
Write-ins: Austin Pizza Garden, Brick Oven, Brooklyn Pies, Frank and Angie’s, Giovanni’s, Maggiore’s Pizza & Wings, Milto’s, Pizza Nizza, Reale’s, Red House Lounge
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September 24, 2008
Your A-List, Best Mexican Restaurant
Chuy’s, the goodtime restaurant on Barton Springs Road, or an aggregate of its offshoots, came in No. 2 with 18 percent. Maudie’s, a homey Austin favorite, also with multiple locations, came in third with 10 percent. Tex-Mex took the top three spots, but interior cuisine was not far behind, as Fonda San Miguel also earned almost 10 percent.
Three South Austin veterans — Polvo’s, Guero’s and Baby Acapulco — followed with 8 percent, 5 percent and 4 percent. Vivo, part of the Manor Road surge, tied BA exactly, while it’s neighbor, El Chile, took 2 percent. El Arroyo, perhaps best known for its sassy street sign, wedged between the East Austin neighbors with 3 percent.
Austin is home to — no kidding — hundreds of good Mexican eateries, so this list is far from complete. If you are in town for the Austin City Limits Festival, just ask a resident. They will know.
Write-ins: Abuelo’s, Amaya’s Taco Village, Angie’s, Casa Garcia’s, Casa Maria, Curra’s, Dario’s, El Azteca, El Gallo, El Mercado, El Patio, Elsi’s, Enchiladas y Mas, Evitas Botanitas, Flores, Habanero’s, Jardin Coron, Juan in a Million, La Reyna, Matt’s El Rancho, Nueva Onda, Pappasito’s, Sazon, Serranos, Rio Grande, Rosie’s Tamale House, Trudy’s
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September 17, 2008
Your A-List: Best Icehouse
When A-List voters were asked about the best icehouse in town, they picked a local outfit with an historic Austin name, years of service and the word “icehouse” — well, “ice house” — in their name. Waterloo, located on North Lamar Boulevard, Burnet Road and at Southpark Meadows, keeps it simple — cold beer, hot comfort food and live music — in open, well-lighted spaces. The group won the A-List contest for best icehouse with 44 percent of the vote.
Doc’s Motorworks, the converted garage that looks like a traditional icehouse and has opened a second location, came in second with 14 percent. C. Hunt’s and Freddie’s Place nearly tied at 11 and 10 percent respectively. Five of the next six also come with possessive names — Phil’s (7 percent), Billy’s (5 percent), Aussie’s (4 percent), Junior’s (2 percent) and Angel’s (2 percent), leaving only Chisholm Trail (2 percent with the odd name out).
Write-in: Hut’s
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Your A-List: Best Wifi
Remember when the powers that be were promising universal wifi all over town? That and jet-packs for everybody? Well, it didn’t happen, and I’m not sure if that failure can be blamed on economics or technology.
Winner of the A-List poll was Freebirds at 31 percent of the vote, and luckily there’s one right across the street from the Statesman and near three major entertainment districts (downtown, SoCo and Barton Springs Road).
Whole Foods also garnered a lot of votes (26 percent) as did one of my standbys, Jo’s Hot Coffee (12 percent). Several government-sponsored sites got votes: Austin Public Library (9 percent), Round Rock Public Library (4 percent), Cap Metro buses/park and rides (3 percent), Austin Convention Center (2 percent) and Wooldridge Square (just under 1 percent.). That leaves a couple of commercial providers: BookPeople (7 percent) and Flipnotics (5 percent).
Write-ins: Pflugerville’s Blue Marble Java, Dairy Queen
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September 10, 2008
Your A-List: Best Landmark
Let’s face it, the Capitol is not entirely original in inspiration. It follows the patterns of Renaissance palaces and Baroque cathedrals, as well as other American government buildings, that antedated it. Yet, rising almost symmetrically from its green grounds in burly, native pink granite, it says “Texas” and only “Texas” to anyone who has ever beheld it.
That’s why it easily won the A-List poll on Best Landmark with 38 percent of the vote, topping the University of Texas Tower ( 24 percent), the ice-sculpture Frost Bank Tower (9 percent), the “Hi, how are you” mural (8 percent) and Mount Bonnell (7 percent). Others receiving votes were the Stevie Ra Vaughan statue (5 percent), Pennybacker Bridge (4 percent), Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge (2 percent), Enchanted Rock (2 percent) and Austin City Hall (1 percent).
Write-in: 360 tower
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Your A-List: Best Breakfast Taco
You can add up all the yellow wristbands, Crocs, Bluetooth earpieces and burnt orange bumper stickers in Austin, and collectively their popularity will still pale in comparison to that of the omnipresent breakfast taco. Austinites of all ages, races and sexes worship at the Church of the Breakfast Taco.
Despite my personal preference for fruit or cereal in the morning, it seems most in this town can not get their day started without a heaping helping of eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, beans, salsa, and whatever else your little heart desires, wrapped into a warm tortilla.
Since you can’t fling a tortilla without hitting a breakfast taco-vending establishment in town, how does one purveyor distinguish himself from the glut of glutton-feeders? Convenient locations? Good service and prices? Friendly staff? Sure, all of those need to be in place, but it seems TacoDeli has made its mark with a unique take on potatoes. Instead of browned and quartered potatoes, TacoDeli mashes their taters with a nice garlic concoction, giving their tacos a flavor and texture that lets you know exactly who made the delicious grease bomb you are about to use to kick off your morning.
Beyond the unusual treatment of their primary starch, TacoDeli also appeals to its regular customers with crispy bacon, fresh fish tacos and a creamy green sauce that has just the right amount of kick.
And, unlike many restaurants, gas stations, street vendors, TacoDeli more or less sticks to the idea that breakfast tacos are meant as a morning or daytime snack. The two TacoDeli locations are only open for breakfast and lunch, closing at 3 p.m. each day to focus on the next morning’s onslaught of hungry (and sometimes hungover) patrons.
Others receiving votes
Maria’s Taco X-Press: 15 percent
Juan in a Million: 14 percent
Taco Shack: 14 percent
Rudy’s: 10 percent
Tamale House: 5 percent
Taqueria Arandas: 4 percent
Las Manitas: 3 percent
Taco Cabana: 3 percent
El Chilito: 3 percent
Write-ins: Amaya’s, Angie’s, B’s Tacos, Curra’s, Dan’s Hamburgers, Dona Emilia’s, El Arroyo, El Charrito, Enchiladas y Mas, Hill Country Taco, Jim’s, Ken’s Tacos, La Casita, La Mexicana, La Posada, Little Mexico, Luviana’s, Maudie’s, Mi Gordis, Mi Madre’s, Michael’s Tacos, Lockhart’s Mr. Taco, Nuevo Leon, Nueva Onda, Polvo’s, Porfirio’s, Ross’s Old Austin Cafe, Marble Falls’ Super Taco, Taqueria Las Palmas, Texas Honey Ham Co., Round Rock’s Tio Dan’s Puffy Tacos, Torchy’s
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September 3, 2008
Your A-List: Best Athlete with Local Ties
But there’s room for only one sports superstar in Austin and that’s Lance Armstrong, who won 31 percent of the vote for Best Athlete with Local Ties in the A-List poll. He’s mostly running now, but the seven-time Tour de France cycling winner is hard to beat, when you consider his historic accomplishments and global philanthropy — not to mention headline-grabbing social exploits.
In the end, though, this is Texas and football rules. Of the other athletes receiving votes, six are — or were — football players, five of those appearing in Burnt Orange — Earl Campbell (26 percent), Vince Young (23 percent), Colt McCoy (3 percent), Major Applewhite (3 percent) and Ricky Williams (2 percent).
One, Drew Brees, played high school ball here, only to move up to Purdue University and the NFL. That leaves softball pitching machine Osterman (6 percent), tennis pro Andy Roddick (3 percent) and roundball prodigy Kevin Durant (1 percent). Maybe if Andy wins the U.S. Open again, he’ll move up in the ranks!
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Your A-List: Best BBQ
Only few purists can get to Snow’s by 8 a.m. Instead, convenience, volume and gregarious ambiance surely played parts in County Line’s win in the A-List poll for by BBQ in Austin. No matter the location, it’s certainly a full-body experience, from the singular views to the mounds of mouth-watering meats and sides shared by ever larger groups of noisy followers.
If the CL won 33 percent of the vote, comparatively small and old-fashioned Artz Rib House, with its sole location on South Lamar Boulevard and authentic musical sounds, came in a respectable second with 19 percent. Not far behind at 18 percent was Salt Lick, which includes the magical setting in Driftwood, plus a planned one in Round Rock (the Davenport Village edition faded away).
Rudy’s — not Ruby’s, the campus-area fave (thanks to our reader for catching that) — with multiple locations took 8 percent, while famed Kreuz Market in Lockhart pulled in 7 percent. Trailing at less than six percent were Cooper’s, Iron Works, Smitty’s, Stubb’s and Green Mesquite.
Come to think of it, what happened to Mann’s Smokehouse up on U.S. 183 and Lambert’s Downtown, which TM also had high on its list, plus other famous marts in Luling, Elgin and Lockhart? Voters?
Write-ins: Black’s, Buster’s, Chisholm Trail, Luling City Market, Opie’s, Taylor Cafe
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August 27, 2008
Your A-List: Best 24-hour Restaurant
Both local restaurant groups have garnered support for decades with bountiful breakfasts, quickie lunches and unconventional dinners. (In recent news, KL announced it would move its Northwest location to the Anderson Arbor Shopping Center at U.S. 183 and Anderson Mill Road).
Another well-trod Old Austin haunt, Katz’s, with it signature martinis, over-stuffed deli sandwiches and constantly burbling atmosphere on West Sixth Street, came in third with a respectable 14 percent, although that’s a big come-down from last year’s 40 percent. (What happened, Marc?)
IHOP, a corporate behemoth that has felt the sting of competition from fast-food breakfasting, hit the fourth spot with 5 percent. Star Seeds, the completely singular diner with decidedly eclectic clientele on Interstate 35 North, pulled in 5 percent, while two chains, Waffle House and Denny’s, settled for less than 3 percent.
Write-in: Jim’s
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Your A-List: Best Vintage Store
Buffalo Exchange, a mere write-in candidate last year, zoomed up to second place with 20 percent of the vote. Goodwill, also a previous write-in, got a full 15 percent. South Congress veteran New Bohemia dropped from 21 percent to 7 percent (where are my SoCo homies?), while another longtimer, Room Service, nabbed 6 percent, closely followed by Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics.
Taking less than 5 percent were Salvation Army, Flashback, Feathers and Big Bertha’s. A few more workouts and I’ll hit the resale ranks hard again.
Write-ins: Assistance League of Austin Thrift Store, Let’s Dish, Roadhouse Rags
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August 20, 2008
Your A-List: Big Band
But give us some brass or a little organ on the side. Amplify some strings or expand the vocal mix — although only Polyphonic Spree really needs a full symphonic choir.
The A-List battle of the big bands turned out to be fairly close, at least at the top of the marquee, with Monster Big Band and Grupo Fantasma churning out 23 percent and 20 percent of the vote, respectively. The race for the No. 3 slot was also tight, with the Scabs taking 15 percent and Asleep at the Wheel 13 percent. Foot Patrol stood alone at No. 5 with 8 percent.
Lagging behind the 5 percent mark were some golden oldies and fresh newbies: Nelo, White Ghost Shivers, Austin Lounge Lizards, the Scabs, Boombox ATX, Brownout, Invincible Czars, Tribal Nation, Ocote Soul Sounds, Golden Hornet Project and Don Chani.
Low vote count does not equal low talent count. Some of these bands are superlative.
Write-ins: Al Shire and the Henchmen, Black Joe Lewis, Brothers and Sisters, The Brew, Del Castillo, The Johns, Larry Lange and His Lonely Knights, Mike Truth and the Replacement Killers, Moonlight Towers, Much Love, Nakia and His Southern Cousins
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Your A-List: Best Thai Food
Not so in Austin, where it seemed the global Thai revolution was slow getting started.
Since then, Austin’s Thai banquet has spread all over Central Texas. One can find this often hotter-than-Mexican cuisine in downtown high-rises and suburban strip centers. Taking first place in the A-List vote for Best Thai Food is Madam Mam’s, the one with the delicate herbs and floating umbrellas, which burned up 38 percent of the tally.
Coming in second with a thoroughly respectable 22 percent was Thai Passion. Matched at between 9 and 10 percent were Thai Tara and Satay Restaurant.
Earning 5 percent or less were Thai Village Restaurant, 888 Fusion Asian Cuisine, Thai Spice Cafe, Bangkok Cuisine, Chon Som, Classic Thai, Thai Spice Buffet & Restaurant and Thai Spoon Restaurant.
Write-ins: Little Thailand, Mekong River, Pad Thai, Thai Kitchen
(Found this lovely image on the Internet without attribution.)
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Your A-List: Best Accessories
And Austin has no shortage of shops for selecting just the right baubles, bangles and beads. Coming in first in the A-List vote for Best Accessories, with 28 percent of the tally, is SoLA, part of the raging South Lamar revival.
Grouped not far behind with 18 percent to 22 percent were Goodie Two Shoes, New Bohemia and By George. Another pack herded between 10 and 15 percent: Downstairs Apparel, Girl Next Door, Legendary Beads and Eliza Page. Pulling in less than 10 percent were Petyon’s Place, Blackmail, Estilo, Moxie & the Compound, Sona, Angelica DeBiase, Shiki and Creatures. That’s some pretty stylish company.
Write-ins: Love, Parts and Labor, Blanton Museum gift shop
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August 13, 2008
Your A-List, Best Place to Go Rock Climbing
Barton Creek Greenbelt, where cliffs enclose a winding West Austin canyon, came in second with 16 percent. Reimers Ranch, 30 miles southwest of Austin but still in Travis County, tripped third at 15 percent. McKinney Falls State Park, the smooth, moundy rapids practically in sight of the Austin-Bergstrom Airport, pulled up 8 percent. Pace Bend State Park out on Lake Travis sailed into the next spot with 7 percent. Accruing less than 5 percent: Bull Creek Boulders, Guadalupe Peak, Hueco Rock Ranch and Monster Rock.
Aren’t a few of those way out in West Texas? I guess you can’t go too far for a good rock.
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Your A-List, Best Locally Produced TV Show: 'The Biscuit Brothers'
The far older “Austin City Limits,” which pretty much defines our town for PBS viewers all over the country, came in a surprisingly distant second with 20 percent. “Downtown,” the sleek documentary series on central Austin, took 12 percent. “Friday Night Lights,” Austin’s main contribution to network television scored only 8 percent.
The quietly productive “Central Texas Gardener” raised 2 percent, as did “InfoWars.” Rating less than 2 percent were “ME Live! from Austin,” “Texas Monthly Talks,” “Smash,” “Red River Rocks,” “Tex-Mix,” “Sonido Boombox,” “Timeline,” “Airwaves,” “Hill Country, “Smooth” and Texas Legends.”
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August 6, 2008
Your A-List, Best Dance Party: Rock the Casbah
Write-ins: Kick Butt Blues, Little Lounge Lizards
