texas: The Jolly Area of Jollyville Road - 08/07/10 12:04 AM
Jollyville Road has recently become a mecca for shoppers, business people, and residents, due to its varied character, which is a combination of high tech businesses, shopping venues, and nice but fairly reasonably priced homes with big, shady yards.

The relatively recent addition of the Arboretum and the nearby Domain make the area a shopper's paradise, and there are numerous strip centers, restaurants, fast food establishments, and grocery stores, among other businesses. In addition, Great Hills Baptist Church is in the center of the neighborhood, and it is one of the largest and most active churches in Austin with numerous … (0 comments)

texas: The Town of Georgetown in Texas - 08/06/10 11:35 PM
If there is one Central Texas town that has grown significantly in the last 10 years, it would be Georgetown. The Williamson County seat is a picture-perfect small town, with its town square surrounding the historic courthouse. The town was founded in 1848, the same year Williamson County was established. The charming Victorian style limestone buildings surrounding the domed courthouse reflect Georgetown's early prosperity as a commerce center.

Built near the banks of the San Gabriel River, with fertile farmlands to the east and wide-ranging ranch lands to the west, Georgetown had no problem attracting settlers. The addition of a … (1 comments)

texas: The Town of Wimberley - 08/06/10 11:33 PM
Head west, between Austin and San Marcos, across the seemingly endless Texas Hill Country vistas dotted by quaint towns and you will find the old mill town of Wimberley. The town was first settled in the 1840s, after Texas became a state. Mills powered by Cypress Creek kept the town growing, and changing names, for decades. Each new mill owner gave the settlement a new name, until it officially became Wimberley in 1880 after then mill owner Pleasant Wimberley.

Perhaps the best known spot in Wimberley is Blue Hole. Shaded by Cypress trees, this spring-fed swimming hole is always inviting. … (1 comments)

texas: A Day at the Ballpark - 06/06/10 04:44 AM
For some reason a beer and a hot dog just taste better at the ballpark. Arlington has the Texas Rangers and Houston has the Astros, but Austin has its own baseball team just up the road in Round Rock. The Round Rock Express may be a minor league team, but they've got big league appeal. To begin with, the team is owned by Major League Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

Ryan and Houston businessman Don Sanders bought the Double AA team in 2000 and made the Dell Diamond the new team's ballpark. With Ryan's son as president of the team, … (3 comments)

texas: The Current State of the Texas Economy - 04/22/10 12:38 AM
A recent Associated Press survey on the economy by economists didn't paint a pretty picture. Home values are stagnant, consumers are still cutting back and not enough jobs are being created. While all of this is true in Texas, too, the Lone Star state still seems to be weathering the economic "recovery" better than other states.

In fact, Austin was the featured city in a recent Time magazine cover story on jobs. At a time when other cities are still shedding jobs, Austin is actually creating new jobs. The article featured tech, construction and energy companies that are hiring in … (1 comments)

texas: Austin Museums - 03/17/10 02:12 AM
Austin is known for its live music, but the city also has a rich culture of museums and art galleries. The Austin Museum Partnership is a good place to find information and resources about Austin's diverse museum offerings. The following is a mere glimpse of the Austin museum scene.

Only in Texas
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin gives visitors a larger than life Texas experience. From the Imax theater to the special effects in the Texas Spirit Theater, this museum educates visitors with three floors-worth of fun, interactive exhibits.

Before becoming part of the United … (0 comments)

texas: Hunger and Poverty During a Recession - 12/06/09 02:21 AM
A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine determined that almost half of all U.S. children will be on food stamps at some point of their young lives. After analyzing 30 years worth of data, from good economic times and bad, the authors of the study found that 49 percent of all children had been in a situation to need foods stamps before reaching age 20.

Considering economic times could hardly be qualified as good across the country, that number could be much higher for 2009. Food pantries nationwide are reporting that the need is at … (2 comments)

texas: Crazy Weather from Coast to Coast - 11/16/09 12:56 AM
After an exceptionally hot, dry summer, the rain has finally come to Central Texas. Just how much rain will it take to alleviate the current drought conditions? Considering this is the worst drought Central Texas has experienced since the 1950s, the answer to that is difficult to quantify. Don't expect any let up in the current water restrictions.

According to the Lower Colorado River Authority, year to date the area rainfall is 8 to 12 inches below normal. However, this is the second year of lower than normal rainfall, making it closer to 16 to 20 inches below normal. … (1 comments)

texas: Austin is Festival Central - 11/02/09 01:04 AM
Austin is well known for the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival each spring and the Austin City Limits Music Festival each fall. But music isn't the only thing putting Austin on the map. Austin also hosts the Texas Book Festival and the Austin Film Festival and Conference every year.

Started in 1994, the Austin Film Festival is all about the creative process of screenwriting and film making. The annual film festival and conference held in October highlights local organizations and businesses that work in all elements of the film industry.

This year's festival features … (0 comments)

texas: The Pleasures of the South First Street Area in Austin Texas - 09/14/09 11:39 PM
The South First Street area has become a vibrant community lately, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists, since it is so densely packed with new establishments and businesses. The area is very unique and quirky; many of the businesses cater to the music industry and other artistic types.

There are a number of interesting clubs and restaurants as well, most of which offer live music on a regular basis. Two such venues are Jovita's and Freddie's Place, both delightful locations with shady trees with well known as well as new musical acts which usually perform early in the evening, to the … (2 comments)

texas: The Austin Convention Center in Historic Downtown Austin - 09/07/09 03:20 AM
The Austin Convention Center is a huge, sprawling convention complex in the heart of downtown Austin, and the facility can host just about any gathering, from sports events to conventions, garden shows, car shows, sales of every imaginable kind, and political gatherings, among others. The Center is located between Cesar Chavez to the South, 4th Street to the north, and Red River on one side and Trinity on the other. It covers numerous city blocks, and is practically a city inside a city.

The Convention Center contains more than 800,000 square feet, numerous ballrooms, including the largest ballroom in Texas, … (3 comments)

texas: Austin's Famous Hidden Pond: Cambell's Hole - 09/07/09 03:06 AM
There are many greenbelts in and around the creeks in Austin, and the Barton Creek Greenbelt is one of the most well-known. The greenbelt begins at the south shore of Lady Bird Lake and continues all the way to Loop 360, with starts and stops along the way. Most of the greenbelt is adjacent to the creek itself and Barton Springs while it meanders through the Zilker Park area, and one of the best places to swim under the trees and among the rocks and trails is called Campbell's Hole.

Campbell's hole is actually just an area where the … (3 comments)

texas: The Small Town of Del Valle - 08/29/09 11:41 PM
During the Texas Revolution, around the year 1812, Santiago Del Valle made his way to central Texas and settled with his family on a large piece of land granted to him by the Mexican government in the area now known as Del Valle. Del Valle is 7 miles southeast of Austin and the community is currently unincorporated.

The community is near the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, and is situated near the intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and Highway 71, on which Del Valle is actually located. Del Valle is also very near the communities of Lockhart to the south and … (0 comments)

texas: The Clarksville Dog Park in Austin Texas - 08/10/09 11:27 PM
Clarksville, which is a historic neighborhood in central-west Austin, has a hidden jewel few people know about: the "Dog Park", as it has been known for years. Clarksville is a very eclectic community in the central Austin real estate market, in fact some would say eccentric, but very unique, and the residents love their pets.

Between 9th Street and 10th Street, and a few blocks east of West Lynn, there is a beautiful, green park, shaded by huge, old trees with green leafy canopies covering most of the park, and many of the locals regularly bring their children and dogs … (0 comments)

texas: The Small Community of Hutto, Texas - 08/10/09 11:20 PM
Hutto, Texas is a small community located seven miles east of Round Rock and northeast of Austin, Texas. The current population of Hutto is estimated at around 17k residents, and Hutto has been a very fast-growing city since the construction of State Highway 130, also called the Trans-Texas Corridor.

In the census of 2000, the population of Hutto was just over thousand people, but the recently built toll road has dramatically increased the population and the city is expected to continue expanding in the next few decades, as the highway nears completion.

Hutto was founded in the year 1876 … (1 comments)

texas: Star of Texas Rodeo in Austin - 07/25/09 04:49 AM
This is the time of year when Austin's residents head down to Auditorium Shores for a full, Texan Cowboy Breakfast with all the fixings, the prelude to the Star of Texas Rodeo. Every spring, during the first weekend of March, many Austinites head to the shores of Lady Bird Lake to get a belly full of biscuits and gravy, bacon and sausage, eggs, and various other kinds of grub, including grits and hash browns, and with a full stomach, make plans to attend the rodeo.

This weekend, this extremely exciting event will begin at the fairgrounds: the 72nd Annual … (0 comments)

texas: Texas State Parks - 07/25/09 04:42 AM
It's not the Bahamas, but Texas State Parks can offer surprisingly enjoyable getaways for a fantastic price. The Hill Country offers a bevy of beautiful state parks within a two hour drive. Whether it's a day of picnicking and fishing or a full-fledged camping trip, there are over a dozen state parks in the Hill Country region alone.

Less money in the vacation budget this year doesn't necessarily mean everyone is destined to spend the summer hanging out in the backyard. Even if camping, hiking or fishing have never been activities someone has tried before, a day spent at a … (1 comments)

texas: Blanco, Texas: Gateway to the Hill Country - 07/18/09 05:10 AM
The small city of Blanco, Texas is frequently referred to as both the Gateway to the Hill Country and the Lavender Capital of Texas, and with such colorful descriptions, the town is sure to be a pleasant place to visit or settle down. Blanco is 45 miles west of Austin and about 45 miles northwest of San Antonio, so its rural charm is complimented by close proximity to a couple of the most populous and historic cities in Texas.

Blanco, which is located on the Blanco River in an area of the Hill Country called the Devil's Backbone due … (2 comments)

texas: Top Things To Do When Visiting Austin Texas - 07/18/09 04:27 AM
Austin, Texas, is widely known as the "Live Music Capitol of the World", and proudly so. But excellent live music isn't the only thing Austin has to offer. Here are just five of the many reasons to visit the coolest city in Texas.

1. Live Music
From dive bars and clubs to honky-tonks and Austin City Limits and South by Southwest (SXSW, to those in the know), this town has it all when it comes to music. Country, jazz, hip hop, rock, punk, emo, pop and everything else under the sun can be found here, and talented, up-and-coming bands are … (1 comments)

texas: The Small City of Burnet, Texas - 07/11/09 05:19 AM
Spring is the perfect time of year to discover the small city of Burnet, Texas, which was named the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas by the 67th legislature. The small city is 48 miles northwest of Austin and one mile west of the divide between the Colorado and Brazos River watersheds, in the hills of central Texas.

Burnet was settled in the mid-1800's around Fort Croghan, a military facility. The county of Burnet was formed in 1851, and Burnet was named the county seat, although at the time it was called Hamilton. The town was renamed Burnet in 1858, and … (0 comments)

 

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