Austin is great, we enjoy visiting often. My brother-in-law lives there, so it's nice having someone show us around. The best place for a relaxing good time would be Alamo Drafthouse. We went to see a Christmas show last year, so funny! We're actually planning to move to Austin in a couple of years. Don't know how well I'll survive the city, but it's still exciting. There's so much to do.

Austin has a lot of great places to eat! I'm getting hungry for tex-mex thinking about it. Although there are plenty of other options too. I would love to have a meal at Nuevo Leon on east 6th street! Although that's a personal place I like there are many other mexican places to choose from-and not just tex-mex. And speaking of 6th street you should go check it out too. Lot's of clubs and restaurants-live music! I would say Lake Travis is worth checking out-Hippie Hollow. And Zilcher Park is nice too! Austin is known for being a live music city so you might want to check out some live music there. I love Austin and have a ton of happy memories from there. The one bad thing is the traffic.

ROAD TRIP!!! I say let's load all the non-locals at the Advocate (that would be a bunch) up in a chartered bus and take them on a grand tour of the great places in the state.

Knowing what I know about Texas and all things Texas, I can only imagine how overwhelming new folks might think Texas is. What a fun trip that could be, and what a great service we could provide.

Austin is a great place to "play" but high cost of living. My husband and I are from Round Rock (just north of Austin) and spent many wonderful hours in Austin while we were dating 27 years ago. My parents and his parents still live in Georgetown and we still have friends in Austin and Round Rock, so we go back regularly. Sixth Street is great, walking Congress Ave is wonderful. Sit at the Capitol under the trees and feed the squirrels (they love candy corn BTW ha ha ha ha), watch the bats fly from under the bridge, spin under the humongous Christmas tree in Zilker Park in December - there's nothing like it in Texas! La Zona Rosa used to be one of my favorite places to go eat Mexican food and listen to music. There's even a country song about that restaurant ("I Think Amy's Back in Austin - Working at La Zona Rosa Cafe").

Sorry, got carried away there. I KIND of like the slower pace of South Texas, but obviously miss things about Austin and the immediate area. Erica - you need to GO TO AUSTIN - NOW!

Austin and Lake Travis hold years of memories of water skiing and tent camping when young and before the baby years. I'd move to that area in a heart beat. Further memories as family members graduated from college. Tail gate parties before our baby was born. Such fun. So many clubs and stars that got their first breaks there.

Exactly, Pilot, and for those of us who are not fortunate enough to be there full time, we spend as much time there as possible. We're too close to not to.

RUKIDDINGME are you talking about El Flaco?

I'll check with my friends. One of them may agree to talk to you.

Hi OLDRUSTYBUCKET1!

Great to hear from you. Do you know how I could get a hold of them? Feel free to contact me erodriguez@vicad.com or 580-6303.

Hi SmarteePantz!

I'm so glad you're an Austin lover.
Would you be interested in setting up an interview? Please contact me by email or phone: erodriguez@vicad.com or 580-6303.

Austin is great! I love visiting there. Great restraurants, things to do, the bats, the 'horns, the capitol, shopping--it has everything! I have a couple of friends who love to go there, too.

Hey ERICA: PAT HATHCOCK, the greybeard loon, and Pilot can tell you what it USED to be like.