On Tue, 27 Feb 2001, dendriite wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jean-Louis Couturier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 1:51 PM
> Subject: Off-topic: What is there to do in Austin this time of year?
>
>
> > I'll be in Austin next week and considering that the
> > list has a few members from that area, I figured that
> > your opinions would be better than the usual hotel
> > publicity filled publications and town guides.
> >
> > So, what are the good restaurants?
> > What should be visited?
> > What are the good radio stations?
> > etc.
> >
> > Jean-Louis Couturier
> > (I'll be there for an XML convention and I have free
> > passes to the exhibit hall if anyone wants some)
>
>
> I recieved this in the mail today.......talk about synchronicity. <G>
>
>
> Travel Guide to Texas
>
> Like it or not, the new White House will be in
> Crawford, Texas and soon will be drawing a number of
> people to the state, including many who are not used
> to Texas ways. They might find the following advice useful.
>
> 1)Don't expect to find filet mignon or pasta primavera
> at the local restaurant. It's a cafe. They serve
> hamburgers and chicken fried steak. Let them cook
> something they know. If you confuse them, they'll
> kick your ass.
If you look hard enough, filet mignon and pasta primavera can be found in
Austin, but it may be more fun to sample the local cuisine. I'd say try
to have chicken fried steak once when you're here, but eat plenty of
veggies that day as well. :)
> 3)Don't order a bottle of pop or a can of soda. In
> Texas it's called a coke. Nobody gives a damn whether
> it's Pepsi, RC, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up or whatever - it's
> still a coke. Accept it. Doing otherwise can lead to
> an ass kicking.
Corollary: When you go up to order Coca-Cola, and you ask for "Coke", you
may be asked for clarification. But if you're just looking for a place to
buy any sort of carbonated soft drink, ask where you can get a coke. (And
most of the places around here that weren't ever owned by Pepsico know
better than to stock Pepsi, but there are exceptions, unfortunately for
some of us.)
> 6)Don't laugh at our Civil War monuments. If Lee had
> listened to Gen. Hood you'd be paying taxes to
> Richmond instead of Washington. If you visit the
> Alamo, take your hat off and be properly humble, or
> we'll kick your ass.
If you go down to San Antonio and to the Alamo, you WILL remove your hat.
If you go to College Station, to Texas A&M, and walk into the Student
Union building there, you WILL remove your hat.
And just generally removing your hat when you walk into a building is
considered good manners around here if you're male.
(And there is a Civil War monument on the grounds of the Capitol. It says
on it, "Died for States' Rights".)
> 8)Do not attempt to eat tamales without first removing
> their corn husk casing. Everyone will instantly know
> that you're a Yankee. DO NOT, under any
> circumstances, complain that the chili is TOO hot or
> contains no kidney beans, this will get your ass
> kicked into next week.
If there are several grades of chili available, ask for the wimpy stuff if
you think you might not be able to take the hotter stuff. Better to know
your own limitations than to make a fool out of yourself by hitting the
ceiling while screaming in pain on the first bite.
> 10.Yes, we know how to speak proper English. We talk
> this way because we don't want to sound like you. We
> don't care if you don't understand what we are saying.
> All other Texans understand what we are saying and
> that's all that matters. Now, go away, or we'll kick
> your ass.
Think of it as local color, and enjoy it. :)
> 12)Don't ridicule our Texas manners. We say sir and
> ma'am. We hold doors open for others. We offer our
> seats to old folks. Such things are expected of
> civilized people. Behave yourselves around our sweet
> little gray-haired grandmothers, or they'll kick your
> ass-just like they did ours.
Do NOT mess with any little grey-haired old ladies. If they got that old
living here, they're tough. Never cross a little old lady from Texas.
(And anyone feeling like holding the door open for me -- I really
appreciate it at this point, just being able to walk through and not have
to think for a minute about where to stand and which hand to start pulling
the door open with, and how to do it without further stressing anything
not already stressed with the changing center of gravity and the extra
weight....)
> 14)DO NOT DARE to tell us how to cook barbecue. This
> will get your ass shot (right after it is kicked).
> Criticize the barbecue and you may go home in a pine
> box-minus your ass.
If you want to try Texas barbecue in Austin, I can recommend a couple of
places. (The stuff at the airport smells good, anyway, but I'm not sure
about how good it tastes, so I wouldn't recommend doing that right off.)
Oh, but if you do want local flavor at the airport -- Amy's Ice Cream is
somewhere near Gate 12 or so, and that stuff is yummy. Trust me. :)
Julia
