Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with austin

Happy Feet slippers around Austin?

sentient — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:21:42 -0800

Where can I buy Happy Feet slippers in or near Austin, TX? Alternatively, where can I buy other fun/novelty slippers for kids in or near Austin? Hoping to luck out on this one. Is anyone aware of where Happy Feet slippers are for sale in Texas, ideally within an hour by car of Austin, TX?

The slippers look like cartoonish oversized sneakers, and I've seen them in other states in mall kiosks.

The website doesn't list locations, although an article [pdf] about the company says that there are 190 locations in forty states.

I tried the 800 number and got voicemail (large volume of holiday calls, etc.), and I emailed them to ask. No response so far. The website's "Live Chat" feature is offline as of this post.

Has anyone seen them? Any tips? I'd like to get them today!

As a backup, what places in Austin definitely sell fun/novelty slippers in big kid sizes? (Animals, paws/claws, giant-and-fluffy, look like other stuff, that kind of thing.) Thanks!

Couples / marriage therapy in Round Rock / North Austin, TX?

Alias Unknown — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:15:35 -0800

Need to find a therapist for my husband and I in the area. Preferably not affiliated with any religious organization. Need to make the appointment soon. Wanted to go to CAMHC, but they're booked up until January. Recommendations?

Where can I meet fellow grad students?

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:27:11 -0800

Where can I go to meet cool UT grad students in Austin. I am a grad student at UT in Austin in a field full of professional types. Think business, law, public affairs. In college, I had friends from a variety of areas, including creative types (arts, film, music) and science people. I miss this, but my program is very insular. Where do the grad students hang out around campus or in the city? Seeking the ability to meet a variety of people. I need friends outside of my program, and grad students are great because we have similar lifestyles, spend a lot of time on campus, etc. It would also be nice to have a dating pool one day that is not in my same school. I am 25, if that helps. Thanks!

Austin for the weekend

a.steele — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:08:44 -0800

Fun in Austin, TX for a young couple with 2 days to spend, one of which is Black Friday? We are in our mid-twenties. We like comics and toys, art, science, and books . Seafood's the only meat I eat but he's down with everything. We're staying at the Stephen Austin Intercontinental downtown and would love to find places in walking distance, but we will have a car if we need to drive somewhere. Good coffee near the hotel is a must for me. Help us find other fun, interesting, non-touristy places. Or tourist attractions really worth seeing. I've seen previous askme threads on quirky Austin things, but most of them were asked during warmer months. We're going to be there next Friday and Saturday, so we also wanted to know if there's anything fun going on that weekend or anyplace to avoid on black Friday.

We're driving from Ft. Worth (which we're also unfamiliar with) so we're open to anything fun or delicious between those two places, too.

Thanks in advance!

Where can I find a large glass goblet in Austin (or online)?

theRussian — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:32:42 -0800

Where can I find a large glass goblet in Austin (or online)? So, due to an unfortunate Snuggie accident, I broke the bf's favorite drinking glass - a huge glass goblet. Seriously, this thing held about a liter of liquid, and pretty much had this shape.

I've looked around a little, but can't seem to find anything online or the few places I've looked locally. I'm in Austin, so if anyone has any suggestions of where I could find something like this, I promised I would replace it and want to make good on the promise.

Good Prepaid Cellphone for Austin, Tx?

Sentus — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:10:58 -0800

Hey there, I hate dealing with credit cards, signing contracts. Need a good simple and reliable Prepaid cell phone. Hope you folks are having a great weekend...

I am thinking about finally getting a prepaid cellphone.
It's going to be mainly for business purposes. Going to use it in moderation.

A few questions:
1. Voice mail. I need it to have a reliable voice mail service. To be able to customize it with my voice.
2. What happens If I brake it, lose it, it gets stolen? Would I be able somehow to get the same number again?
3. Google Voice - Is any body uses that? Could it work for me?
4. Good/Bad experiences with providers in the area?
5. Other ideas?

Thank you in advance and have a great day,

Kid's Lincoln costume in Austin, TX.

Anonymous — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:35:34 -0800

Where can I buy a little boy's size M or L Abraham Lincoln costume in Austin, TX for less than $35? Looking for a little boy's M or L Lincoln costume last-minute, so I can't buy online. Looking for a place where I could find this in Austin. No luck at Goodwill or Target. Don't want to spend more than $35.

Where can I get a custom PC built near Austin, Texas?

Eastgate — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:15:38 -0800

Where can I get a custom PC built near Austin, Texas? I've just moved to Austin, Texas. Does anyone know a local PC store who would build a custom PC for me at a good price? I am aware of online services like ibuypower who do this sort of thing, but I wondered if anyone knows of any local stores worth going to (good price and service)? I want to be able to choose which parts I want and have someone build the system for me.

Looking for recommendations for sex therapy in Austin, TX.

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:50:22 -0800

Looking for recommendations for sex therapy in Austin, TX. I was going to post a long drawn out question about my issue and whether I should seek treatment, but screw it I'm committed. I need therapy for a sexual problem.

I've never done therapy before, but I've been told that finding the right person is most important. Since cost is second-most important, I'd like to find somebody in my network (BCBS) but I can't figure out the classifications for their website.

So:
1. Any recommendations for therapists in Austin, TX?
2. Failing that, any advice for how to find one in-network, or how to search the BCBS site? I can't figure out the classifications.
3. Since I'm here, any stories or advice regarding delayed ejaculation with erectile dysfunction?

Email: EjaculatoryRetard@gmail.com

Eat, Drink, Man, Austin

mcstayinskool — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:25:32 -0800

Austin TX restaurant recommendations for a group of eight guys getting together for the weekend, esp. BBQ and Mexican. I have an annual trip that brings together a group of guys from around the country to a different spot every year. This year it's Austin TX. We've got a group of eight renting a house outside of town, but will definitely be heading into town for eats and nightlife.

The group tends to lean towards the boisterous, so any recommendations on restaurants? BBQ and Mexican are my preferred Austin cuisine, but open to anything, provided booze can be ordered.

note: I did do my due diligence and found a previous related question, but there's enough turnover in the restaurant biz that I think my Q is still worth asking...

A fun afternoon in Austin, TX

hedonic.muse — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:27:09 -0800

Recommendations on how to spend a afternoon in Austin, TX tomorrow. How to wing a solid "intro to Texas" type mini sampler at the last minute? I have a nearly one full day of layover in AUX, landing at 10:30AM departing at 6PM.

I haven't seen TX, so would like something of a TX (and U Austin) afternoon sampler. Please recommend specific places and things to see and experience, and how (public transit? rental car?) best to accomplish this.

Thanks!

Where should I volunteer in Austin?

MuChao — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:08:42 -0800

Help me find an active, interesting, and rewarding volunteer opportunity in Austin, TX. I've been unemployed for too long and am battling a depressive episode which seems to be crippling my job hunt. I'm not even sure I want to be doing the work I've been doing and going back to school isn't an option at this point. Someone suggested volunteering as a way to build my confidence and social skills as well as help me find a real career goal.

I've spent the last few years sitting behind desks and computers, so I would really like to find an opportunity to be more physically active while giving back to my community. As this is probably the most liberal and socially/environmentally conscientious city in Texas, there are almost too many options to choose from.

I have very little formal education and no experience outside typical clerical/office work. That said, I'd like to learn more about gardening or tending to animals. I would like to spend time outside, enjoying the fresh air and natural beauty that is Austin. I'm not in the best of physical shape, but am not opposed to manual labor. I'm seriously not big on spending a lot of time with children, especially large groups of kids.

I've done some research and am considering the following organizations:
Sustainable Food Center I know next to nothing about gardening or planning gardens, as I've never had the space or opportunity to do so and I fear looking like a moron.
Dream a Dream has opportunities for helping in the barns, which would give me limited time with children and allow me to work with horses.
Green Corn Project would also give me hands-on gardening experience.
Austin Zoo has a variety of volunteer positions available, including things that would utilize the job-skills I already have in their office.

As I'm currently unemployed, I have massive amounts of "free time" so can volunteer whenever, for now, but would like to find something that can be worked into a normal job schedule when I finally have one.

Do any Austin MeFites have experience with any of these organizations? I'm open to other suggestions as well.

Awesome Austin Therapist?

odayoday — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:57:23 -0800

Austin Therapist Recommendations: A friend is looking for a therapist to work through some issues. He wants someone who is active in conversation and is willing to confront him on things when necessary. He's had therapists in the past who were nice but too passive, and just listened more than they offered ideas and suggestions. The ideal therapist would listen without judging but would help stimulate new ideas and change in his life. Do you know of anyone like this?

From Austin to Spring, Texas. How to stay sane.

bodywithoutorgans — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:09:39 -0800

After 7 glorious years in Austin, I have been demoted to relocating to Spring, Texas for a job. After a few days of getting the lay of the land, I am very disappointed. How do I stay sane? If distance makes the heart grow fonder, I now realize the dearth of coffee shops, independently owned businesses, ecological consciousness, artists, and general quirkiness in Spring only confirms my love for Austin.

To get a feel for my personality, I am a mid-20s male who enjoys art installations, large libraries, experimental music, and social theory. The brutal compulsion of the economic has forced me to get a "real job" and move to a suburb dominated by god, country, and guns.

So:
1) I know that I am 20 miles north of Downtown Houston. I have taken a look at this thread for suggestions on interesting things in Houston. Can one suggest interesting venues for my personality type in Houston? For example, the Nameless Sound collective is something I could get excited about.

2) Would it be a better idea to commute 20 miles to work from Downtown Houston instead of living in Spring itself?

3) How does one maintain one's individualism in a deeply conformist community? More specifically, how does one make friends in Spring Texas. I've got Metafilter for esoterica and email to keep in touch with my Austin friends but I'm missing the physicality of meatspace.

4) Does Spring have any secret gems that I've overlooked? Or is it Starbucks Starbucks Starbucks all the way down?

Please help Hivemind!

Does the bus stop come with the yard?

jstarlee — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:41:31 -0800

First time home buyer in Austin, TX. What should I know? I am looking to take advantage of the 8000 tax credit and buy my first home before the end of this year! However everything I know about real estate I heard from friends or co-workers and I have no idea what/whom I should listen to. What advice would you give a first time home buyer?

I also have no idea what area I should be looking for. I have heard that Westgate is a nice neighborhood and East Austin in general should be avoided due to the crime rate. I am looking for 100k~150k and public transit(UT shuttle/Metro) to downtown is a must! (light rail is out of the question due to its limited schedule) A couple blocks walking distance is fine.

I am currently searching online on websites like mslfinders.com(thru Keller William's website) and google real estate. Any advice or suggestion is much appreciated. Thanks!

Big scary decisions are big and scary.

CwgrlUp — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:39:12 -0800

What did you do to choose the next city you moved to? My wife graduates at the end of the year and will then be looking for an elementary teaching job. We have been looking forward to moving out of the sticks and into a city with an active gay community.

She is from Texas and I went to college there (plus we don't want to get too far from our families) so we are looking at the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Austin. This is our first big move and we would like to know what you looked for in a new city before you moved. We are visiting Austin next weekend, but we're not really sure what we should be checking out.

The things we are sure we want: A place more comfortable with gays than where we are now - I understand not everybody is cool with it, but where we are now if you are seen as a couple, you will most likely be confronted verbally and possibly physically. We just want to feel safe holding hands walking down the street.

A job for her. This would have to be lined out before we moved.

An affordable housing market. We've been to San Diego and it was great, but housing was insane and we don't want to live with roommates. Possibly rent to start with until I find a job.

This is all we have at the moment. What else should we be looking at, specifically when we visit? GLBT crowd, I'd appreciate your suggestions and your thoughts on DFW vs Austin.

Thanks for reading my many questions.

Ever heard of Twine Time?

spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:59:53 -0800

Help me identify a Texas Hill Country live music venue. Around the summer of 2000 or 2001 a friend took me to an obscure beer joint that had some outstanding singer/songwriter performances. I think it was somewhere around Wimberly or New Braunfels, and I'd like to go there again sometime. They recorded the performances (they mic'd the audience as well) and posted them online. I think it was called "Twine Time" (I'm aware that there's a KUT show by the same name; I'm almost positive this was called Twine Time as well), and searching for "twine time live music austin" etc just brings results for the radio show. This has nothing to do with KUT.

Things I think I remember:

Wooden floors. The place had the ambiance of the Gruene Dance Hall, but smaller.
They had a small cover charge that went to the artists, but they also sold a membership card that you could buy to either get you in for free in the future, or to knock a couple of bucks off the cover.
They recorded the performances and later posted them online, where you could stream them.
Notably, they spent a lot of time setting up microphones to record the audience's applause. They noted that this is a small venue, but the way they'd record it they would make it sound like there were a million people clapping.
We spent a little time in Gruene and/or Wimberly before we ended up there, so it's probably within a three hour radius.
The place reminded me of an ancient ice house. I'm pretty sure that's what it originally was.

Seeking dog services in ATX

youcancallmeal — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:41:30 -0800

Seeking pooper scooper and dog walker service in Austin, TX. I just have one dog, so only need scooper service about once a month and am willing to spend about $25/mo for that and about $20/wk for the walking. I'd like to hire a walker for about 2x/week and it would be really nice if I could use the same service for both, especially if there was some kind of package deal. There seem to be quite a few choices but not much in the way of reviews. Does anyone have a favorite pooper scooper/dog walker that they'd recommend?

Eugene vs Vermont vs Austin

youcancallmeal — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:13:22 -0800

What the difference between Eugene, OR, Vermont and Austin, TX? I'm considering moving to the Eugene area at some point in the next year for either grad school or to take a farming apprenticeship. I currently live in Austin and most recently have spent some time in Vermont. I'd like to know how the hivemind thinks these places stack up.

(Yes, I've read the Eugene threads, but I think this is a specific question that hasn't been previously answered.)

Things I love about Austin: the lakes, the dog-friendliness, the hills, the amazing food, the niceness of people, the music / film scene, the local stores and stuff

Things I loved about Vermont: the mountains, the trees, the friendliness, the "do it yourself" Yankee vibe, the cheese, the beer

Things I hate about Austin: the heat, the heat, the heat

Things I hate about Vermont: the six months of cold, the isolation

So, tell me. Will I like Eugene? What about it will I like? What about it will I hate?

Help me remember something truly trivial

crush-onastick — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:58:42 -0800

Trying to remember a carbonated ginseng beverage sold between 1988 and 1994 at Whole Foods in Austin (and eventually sold at the incredibly fancy flagship HEB). I seem to recall that it came in a purple can and tasted vaguely like dirt. I haven't seen it since and it's driving me crazy that I can't remember what it was called. And no, it was not Ginseng Up.

Can anybody recommend a personal trainer in Austin for my 70+ dad.

monkeybutt — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:45:35 -0800

Can anybody recommend a personal trainer in Austin for my 70+ dad? my dad is retired and has slowed down. his sedentary life is slowly killing him (and my mother with it). i need somebody i can hire to go to his house and kick his ass. s/he needs to be able to not only train him physically but motivate him psychologically so that he can enjoy his twilight years (and hopefully stay out of a home for a long as possible). nutrition training a plus but not necessary.

he is not infirm by any measure, just lazy and slowing down. i firmly believe that with the proper intervention he could reverse this trend and realize a healthier outlook.

i'm obviously looking for a concrete personal trainer referral that specializes in geriatric clients. however i will gladly welcome any advice from mefiers that have put up with the same situation.

Modesty without sweating to death in the heat?

ishotjr — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:35:58 -0800

Where can I find a selection of cotton-blend slips and half-slips in Austin, Texas? I wear a lot of light cotton skirts (mostly knee-length or just above) in the summer that require half-slips underneath. All I can seem to find are slips made of synthetic material that gets sticky and sweaty in the hot summer weather. I tried Petticoat Fair, but all of their cotton slips/half-slips are way too long for me, and seem overpriced. Target and most department stores I've looked in have nothing in cotton. As a bonus challenge, I'm really short, so I need slips that are short.

Breaking Out Of Break-In Anxiety

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:52:22 -0800

My girlfriend is having a crisis following a burglary at her apartment in Austin, TX. What can I do for her, and more importantly, what can she do for herself? This is actually a two-part question, but the halves are very different matters ('her her her' vs. 'me me me'), so I'll hold back the temptation to cram every last problem in one question.

Last month my girlfriend came home from work one night to find her apartment had been broken into. She is a very sensitive person. Though she lost only a few items, she feels (rightly) violated and anxious. This feeling of violated space troubles her as severely a month later as the night of the break-in. She moved to a new apartment and put on a facade of internal strength. Last night, she broke down in tears, confessing her anxiety never really left her. She can't sleep at night, and she carries either a large knife or hammer to bed and to walk the dog.

In typical Ask MeFi fashion, I told her she seriously needs therapy, but we both knew that's not an easy option. She was already financially tight before the robbery, and she can't afford a therapist, not even the regular co-pay. Group therapy would be a great way for her to heal, but after researching the Central Texas area, all group sessions seem dedicated to victims of violent crime.

What low-budget options are available to victims of non-violent crime in Austin?

Thanks so much.

Veterinarian in Austin, Texas?

marble — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:34:21 -0800

Recommendations for veterinarians in Austin, Texas please? Ideally somewhere I can get an appointment after 5:00pm or on a weekend. Someone who is good at recommending food for a kitty with a sensitive tummy would be great. I just need a rabies shot and checkup for my indoor cat, who is about 2.5 years old. She does not have any health problems that I know of, though there is a bit of a food issue that I could use some guidance on. Namely, I tried switching her from Iams kitten to adult food (tried two different kinds, Iams adult and Natural Balance) and she ended up puking all over the place so I put her back on the kitten food. This probably makes me a terrible cat owner, but I've kept her on the kitten food for a couple years now, since she seems like she's still doing well on it. I'm nervous about trying something new, for I fear she will puke her guts out again and be miserable.

So, know any good low-cost vets that offer appointments in the evening or on the weekend? We have a moratorium on using vacation hours at work right now, and I can't use my sick time for kitty-related issues. I have heard of a place, I think it's Animal Trustees of Austin or something, where you can go on the weekend and wait to be seen, but I really want a place where I can make an appointment.

I live in Hyde Park near 45th and Guadalupe, so something closer to me rather than farther would be nice.

Burned down building, rising health concerns.

fontophilic — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:57:07 -0800

Asbestos, mold and spores! Oh my! Slightly afraid of the burned down building next to me. Should I be? Details, and a heartwarming metafilter-related story inside. We live in a multi building apartment complex. About a month ago, one of the buildings in our complex burned down. No injuries, no other buildings caught, but a whole lot of people lost everything.

We really like our apartment for many reasons, and weren't planing on moving. The burned down building, though very unattractive, isn't in view of our windows, and we don't see it all that often. Doesn't impact our day much. A few weeks ago, big "Danger Asbestos" signs went up around the building. Now, looking into the building, you can see big nasty, Katrina-style, black mold on all the drywall.

I'm asthmatic, and pretty sensitive to allergens. I know you are (probably) not a doctor, but perhaps someone with some environmental science background can tell me, how dangerous is it to live next to a building like this? I'm not about to go jump inside it and play with some toxic mold, but could just living in proximity to this building affect my health? Also, how likely is it that a building built in the late 70's would have asbestos?

Story time.

The BF and I moved to Austin recently, and we've been going to MetaFilter meet ups, like the most excellent white elephant holiday gift exchange, where I "won" a very unique frog shaped teapot. . Our apartment is mostly filled with what fit in the back of two cars, and impersonal Ikea furniture, so The Frog was very welcomed. The night of the fire, we had somehow slept through (no exaggeration) 10 full ladder trucks pulling into our parking lot. We were awoken by a police officer banging on our door-- "Its not your building. Yet." Autopilot kicked on; threw on some clothes, grabbed laptops and insurance papers, cell phones and wallets. In an instant, my boyfriend and I were standing in the entryway, looked at each other and said, "OK. Everything else can burn." He grabs the teapot and says, "At least we'll have the frog", and with that we left.

Metafilter has given us the ultimate conversation piece.