Things you LOVE about Texas! Post 'em here.

[Texasgal]

1. Barton Springs in Austin. Natural spring-fed pool.

2. Perdanales River state park. The most beautiful falls and natural area you have ever seen.

3. Big Bend national park, words cannot describe the beauty.

4. Ann Richards. "nuff said.

5. Port Aransas, TX. Best seaside town anywhere, lazy and beautiful on the Texas gulf coast.

6. University of Texas Longhorns. GO HORNS!

7. Houston's galleria. Bring your wallet! :P

8. They don't call Austin the "music capital of the world" for nothing.

9. Ever tried to eat mexican food in WISCONSIN? Texas has the best mexican food in the land!

10. My fellow Dem's in Texas, and my fellow DUer's in Texas. I LOVE YOU.

[StopTheMorans]

1. i don't live there

*ducks*

[Texasgal]

8. Ooooohhhh...

Your gonna get it now! :P

[Schema Thing]

124. We're the only state with a history of cannibalistic Indians

[sasquatch]

201. What state is that?

:shrug:

[Schema Thing]

230. Texas of course

Karankawa Indians. The cannibalism thing might just be legend though. They were a very different people than other Texas and North American tribes, and I speculate that they are perhaps related to the Indians of the Caribbean (even the name seems related).

[Misunderestimator]

68. I don't live there anymore...

:rofl:

[tarkus]

164. I second that! NM

[Sanity Claws]

2. this should be a short thread

[Texasgal]

6. Short?

I don't think so... do you know how many Du'ers are from Texas?

[Texasgal]

89. Hey.... just gloating that this thread

is almost at 90 posts..... Most of them complimentary.

How about that? :P

[maddezmom]

219. hehe...now at 220

:hi:

[Rowdyboy]

232. 24 hours later, thread is still going strong with 231 posts!

Once you got past a handful of cretins who delight in being unnecessarily rude, you created a great thread.

Congratulations!

[meegbear]

3. It's far away from where I live

[tjdee]

10. Ditto, yo. Getting a police record because your kid's late to school? Man!

It's rough out there.

I love the Northeast more a little each day, LOL!

[Texasgal]

20. Oh yeah...

and nothing ever happens in your perfect lil' state ever huh?

Glass houses honey....Glass houses.

[tjdee]

36. New Jersey isn't perfect?!

:silly:

Not to mention, as a black person I am generally very uncomfortable about many states out your way... it's not just Texas I'm staying away from!

I'm sure Texas has a number of good points, though.

[Texasgal]

45. Gee... that's too bad.

That you are actually afraid to come to Texas.

Texas has much to offer... alot to see and very friendly people too.

Does New Jersey have crimes that deal with civil rights? No wait... don't answer. I think I know.

[jobycom]

206. ROFL-- Yeah, that part does suck eggs.

Really rotten eggs.

[Taverner]

4. Stubbs, Salt Lick and Rudys

Even if they don't use gas as God intended ;)

[redqueen]

14. I appreciate that answer...

but scanning through the rest... can you see what we're talking about?

Start a thread about any non-southern state and see if you find similar responses.

[Taverner]

24. True, but my initial intentions were nothing more than smartassery

[redqueen]

49. I know...

:pals:

But still...

:spank:

[BlueCollar]

23. try getting that gas grill in a canoe

nuff said

[Taverner]

33. well the canoe it gets tough...

But I could probably get really inventive with a grasshopper stove and two planks of oak.

[BlueCollar]

5. Ester's Follies

Sundance Square

The Stockyards

[Shell Beau]

7. The water parks and amusement parks.

Also I went on a cool safari somewhere near Waco one time that was awesome!!!

[Book Lover]

9. The U of Texas has one of the best book and paper conservation

programs in the US. I can't comment from personal experience on your other claims, never having been in Texas outside of an airport layover, but wouldn't the world's best Mexican food be found somewhere in Mexico?

[redqueen]

11. I figured by "in the land" she meant the US.

:shrug:

[Texasgal]

15. Native Hispanics

are fast growing as a non-minority here. They bring alot of flavors from Mexico and infiltrate them into Tex-Mex.

Next?

[Xipe Totec]

42. Infiltrate?

We were there and settled when the pilgrims were still looking for Plymouth rock.

[Texasgal]

52. Poor choice of words.

I am a native Texan and I know Texas history, took it in HS and college. Thanks for the history lesson. :P

[redqueen]

62. Were you perhaps going for "integrate"?

I'm sooooo bad about this.

[Texasgal]

67. Actually yes I was...

Thanks Redqueen!

Some of us Texans can spell and use proper english! How about that?? heh heh! :)

[redqueen]

74. My pleasure.

:)

It really is one of my favorite pastimes... suggesting words when people pause to think of one. Bad habit... but I can't seem to stop myself.

[Xipe Totec]

86. You're welcome!

:evilgrin:

[fleabert]

210. I know the woman who does a lot of that work!

she loves books too. I used to own a coffee shop right by the university, not too long ago. many of our customers worked there, she's one who actually works on the really bad off ones.

[crispini]

12. LOL. I know why you posted this.

:yourock:

The hill country in spring. Oh yeah. :)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. 38th street in Austin at Christmastime

[jobycom]

178. How you know about that?

Didn't know you'd been here.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

225. Many times..and that is my favorite holiday treat

to walk those two blocks..front yard and back and see all the incredibly creative lights displays.

[jobycom]

239. Then end the evening with another Favorite Texas Thing...

Amy's Ice Cream!!!! Even in December, it's yummy.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

248. Now AMY's is GOOD

Just don't be telling me about that Blue Bell crap! :D

[jobycom]

251. Blue Bell is tremendously

better than ice milk. Aside from that, I've never quite gotten the excitement.


But they are customers of the company I work for, so I love 'em.

[capriccio]

16. It's far away from California

Sorry...and my heart really does go out to you folks fighting the good fight there, but I'd trade the whole place back to the Mexicans for a case of warm Pacifico and a bag of cold tortilla chips.

Oh, well: Remenmber the Alamo, I guess.

[Texasgal]

26. Feel free to start

your " I love Cali" thread. This one is about Texas and TEXANS.

[redqueen]

17. Barbecue, sunsets, friendly people...

and as you said... Mexican food! :9

[johnnie]

18. I've only been there once

Last year I went to visit a friend for a few days. I didn't do much sight seeing, so I can't really say what I loved about it.
It was fine.

[Lavender Brown]

19. Matthew McConaughey, and one of my college roommates

But mostly, Matthew.

[redqueen]

50. Nice...

Why doesn't he get more work?

[Lavender Brown]

56. He has to stop doing lame romantic comedies

(as much as I like them :D ) because he's good in the dramas and suspense movies too.

[redqueen]

64. I like those too...

Honestly I don't care what he's in... just more more more!

:evilgrin:

[GreenPartyVoter]

135. Yum!

[phaseolus]

21. Lots of things

I don't live there -- I'm in Wisconsin (which you shouldn't diss BTW) but there are a lot of things that makes Texas a special place:

Barbecue brisket
Texas music
Austin, in general
Those amazing Texas women. The strong, funny, smart, beautiful Liberals, not the creepy little suburban white Republican church ladies.

[VelmaD]

28. I've been to Wisconsin...

and it was fun. They held my little brother's Navy boot camp graduation in Milwaukee. WE toured the Pabst brewery...which was WAY cool. Went to see the Rangers play the Brewers. Toured around downtown. All the buildings with clocks were neato. I liked it a lot...and I didn't expect to after growing up LOATHING the packers. :)

[VelmaD]

22. My family has been here for more generations...

than I can count. It's home. :)

[LynneSin]

25. Barbara Jordan and GOPisEvil

:loveya:

[GOPisEvil]

29. Me in the same sentence with Barbara Jordan!

:bounce::woohoo:

:loveya:

[LynneSin]

41. yep - 2 amazing texans

:D

[Gato Moteado]

69. i'll second that

add molly ivins to the list and make an even three.

[dajoki]

27. halfway across the country from me

:woohoo:

[Texasgal]

31. You people just don't stop, do you?

Does this make you feel happy to say something shitty on a thread that was supposed to be complimentary?

And you call yourself a liberal?

Geeez... what the fuck?

[dajoki]

44. it was just a joke, i...

have friends who live in texas and i've been there to visit many times. please forgive me, but i was only joking.:pals: ?

[DinahMoeHum]

30. Jim Hightower. Molly Ivins. They're real treasures.

:kick::kick:

[fortyfeetunder]

169. Especially Molly. She's a hoot! n/t

[BikeWriter]

211. Miss Molly is a Doll, and a genuine journalist!

[Semi_subversive]

32. My dad, a Texas native, says you can always find your way

home from CA. Go east til you smell it, and south til you step in it.

[Xipe Totec]

34. The Clouds over the Gulf on a Warm Summer Day

Like brilliant white mountains hanging from an impossibly blue sky.

Beach combing in Galveston on October evenings, wearing nothing but shorts and t-shirt.

[ComerPerro]

35. Ok

[Texasgal]

40. Are you from Kansas or Chicago?

Couldn't think of anything to say... huh?

[ComerPerro]

84. LOL, no I was listing everything that is great about Texas

Had to do it, to take the cheap shot.

And, no, I've never been there. But I'd like to go.

I'm from Chicago, but live in Kansas.

I'd probably be hard pressed to think of anything great about Kansas as well...

[Texasgal]

88. Well I tell ya what!

Since I am a friendly DEMOCRATIC Texan, I'd be happy to put you up and show you around this great city of ours!

Just lemme know when we can make arrangements! :)

[Redstone]

37. The DUers who live there.

Redstone

[Texasgal]

39. Thank you Redstone.

That was sweet. :)

I was really trying to show people that Texas has so much to offer besides just political BS.

Texas is actually a very beautiful state.

[Redstone]

47. Yeah, it's a nice place.

Except for Beaumont.

And Lubbock.

Redstone

PS: Actually, I do regret not seeing more of the state when I lived in Houston. Was too busy to get around much, but I'd like to see Big Bend some day.

[lastliberalintexas]

118. Ok, here's where I get pissed

Beaumont and the SE Texas area are not perfect by any means, but damn it we've supplied some of the strongest, longest lasting Democratic and liberal public officials in the state. Jack Brooks and Charlie Wilson, to name just 2.

We reliably vote Democratic even though we repeatedly get screwed by the rest of the state, since they act like we're part of LA instead. We voted something like 65% for Lampson, even voted for that shit for brains candidate named Kerry, and have been so reliably Dem that an area of only about 400,000 people has been split into *3* different state senate districts and *4* different Congressional districts in an effort to dilute our votes.

We support unions, labor, and workers far more than the rest of this state. We have many, many African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans who live here, as well as that other SE Texas "minority" known as the Cajun, which gives our area an incredible diversity not seen in the rest of the state.

We've produced incredibly talented musicians and athletes. And we produced one of the all time greatest damn feminists this nation ever saw- Babe Zaharias. You better watch out, or the ghost of THE Babe will kick your ass (who do you think Skittles is, after all?). Not to mention Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards, Molly Ivins, Sheila Jackson Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, the Dixie Chicks, and countless other women who take no shit.


Ok, end of rant. Thank you for reading- and if you're not nice in your response, Skittles will kick your ass for me. :)

[Redstone]

126. Whoa, I didn't say the people in SE Texas weren't nice;

nor did I say that SE Texas in general, though a bit swampy for my taste, isn't a nice place. I just said Beaumont is a pit.

At least it was when I was there (1970s). Is it any better now?

Who do I think Skittles is (you ask)? I dunno, somebody who likes candies that look sorta like M&Ms, but have some kind of gooey fruit-flavored stuff inside instead of chocolate, maybe?

Is there something I'm missing here, maybe because of the hydrocarbon fumes in Beaumont damaging my brain?

Christ, what's next...is somebody going to tear strips off me because I insulted Lubbock, and Buddy Holly was from around there? Yeesh.

Redstone

[lastliberalintexas]

129. Sorry, I was joking

I thought the references to Skittles (a DUer famous for posting that she'll KICK SOME REPUB ASS- all in caps of course) and how over the top I was would make it obvious! :)

No, it really hasn't changed much from the 70s, except that we've experienced 3 or 4 more boom/bust cycles since then. And it's still known as Cancer Alley, with Houston and Lake Charles acting as book ends for that territory. The weather sucks, we've lost all political representation/power due to Delay, and we're just about as stagnant as you can get economically.

Though we do still have some wonderful food, especially Tex Mex and Cajun. :)

[Redstone]

137. You gotta remember that I'm dumb

and the jokes tend to zip past before I can catch hold of 'em.

Though I do take your point about Molly Ivins, especially. That woman ought to be declared a National Treasure of some sort. Our newspaper up here in Hartford carries her column twice a week, and I eat it up every time.

Hey, do they still make Shiner artesian-water beer down there? It was always my favorite, especially compared to that Lone Star horsepiss.

Redstone

(Uh-oh. Y'all hear? Redstone said Lone Star is horse piss. Let's all gang up and whup him! Right after I finish my bottle of horse piss, here.)

[alarimer]

127. You know what Billy Joe Shaver says about Lubbock?

"There's some good folks in Lubbock but they're all DEAD ". In a song. I can't remember the name.

[Redstone]

139. Well I sure DO like Billy Joe Shaver,

so whatever he said has got to be right.

If there was ANY justice in the country music business, he'd be rich, and Tim McGraw would be bussing tables at the place where Billy Joe was playing.

Redstone

[BikeWriter]

136. Thank you, Sir.

[jpak]

38. Birding (from High Island to the Valley)

Tubing on the Frio River in the summer

Shiner Bock (back in the day)

The first Norther after a long hot summer

Tex-Mex food

Chile cook-offs

Tequila runs to border towns

and a second on Port Aransas (lived there for 4 years)

:)

[swag]

43. Cadillac Ranch

Richard Linklater

The Big Boys

The Butthole Surfers

Scratch Acid

Roky Erickson

Rothko Chapel

Much of the food

Long list, really.

[VelmaD]

104. My name is now on one of those Cadillacs...

my parents were there last weekend. :)

[swag]

109. Very cool.

I was there summer solstice 1987. I need to scan those pictures. I have videotape of myself spinning one of the wheels.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

161. Mr. 'pede

looks toward the Ranch, out behind Home Depot, where he says "the earth ends."

[sundog]

46. texas du'ers!

redqueen, velma, bouncy, tex1928, gopisevil, skittles, fenris & you texgal... just to name a few

:bounce:

[Texasgal]

57. Your sweet!

Thank you! :loveya:

[redqueen]

65. Awwwww...

:*

:hi:

[4_Legs_Good]

48. That they've preserved Dealey Plaza

It's amazing being there, like in a dream (and a nightmare).

I think it's a Federal Landmark now, but I'm sure Texas has had chances to "develop" it.

We, OTOH, are tearing down the Ambassador Hotel, if I'm not mistaken.

david

Edit: added Ambassador

[shance]

51. bluebonnets and pine trees

Thunderstorms

Fall days

Lightening bugs

Wood ducks and mallards.

Cane pole fishing

water skiing

Quarter horses

two stepping

cadillac margaritas

Jerry Jeff and Willie (not necessarily in that order)

Thanks for the reminder.

[northzax]

53. the outdoor smoking area

in the garage for the Continental Terminal at Houston Intercontinental.

and the fact that they had to add 'intercontinental' not just international. Yeah, doofuses, every 'international' airport bigger than Toledo is also 'intercontinental' there are only two countries you can fly to that are international and not intercontinental. but if that makes you feel cool and all...

[Burma Jones]

54. Having Lived in Texas - Here's my list

1. Willie Nelson

2. Honest to God Mexican Food (although we have it good here in the DC area)

3. The women, Texas women are prime

4. Crawfish

5. Kemah

6. NASA

7. Beer everywhere

8. A beat up Pickup Truck is still a good thing to drive

9. The Polyphonic Spree

10. Austin

[crispini]

66. OMG, I *love* the Polyphonic Spree!

Are they not just incredibly wonderful!? Best kept secret in rock and roll IMO! :7

[Burma Jones]

75. I wish they would play DC

We really need it.............

[AllegroRondo]

55. Schlitterbahn!

[UncleSepp]

228. WHEEEE!!! My mom lost her top there once

You know that part that you ride on tubes in, from pool to pool? SHe lost her bikini top in one pool just before sliding down the waterfall to the next pool. Funniest family trip ever trying to climb up the fall then find a bikini top in the pool, while she's hiding down in the water!

[Gato Moteado]

58. provincial texans

fill in the blank:

________ is best in texas.

or

________ is bigger in texas.

texans are provincial. moreso than any other group of people i've seen. i lived in texas for 11 years. the place is ok, not great. the progressive people in austin, houston and other areas are great. but no greater than the progressive people from elsewhere in the states (in fact, most of the dems in texas are probably transplants from elsewhere).

austin is the live music capitol of the world. not. once you see the variety of great music in big cities like chicago and new york, you'll quickly realize austin's live music is very limited. sure, there's a lot of it per capita but it's not very diverse. do they have a world class symphony? a big jazz scene? how about blues? no. they have a lot of loud alternative rock and plenty of texas style acoustic music for sure...but not a whole lot else. best band in texas is the nash hernandez band.....catch them if you can at donn's depot in austin when they play. of course, willie nelson is great too.

the hill country is nice in the spring. the rest of the year it's brown. texas is hot as hell for half the year. uncomfortably hot. sorry, but the appalachian trail is far more beautiful.

pedernales state park and falls are nice. hardly the most beautiful natural areas in the world, let alone the country. they're nice for sure...no doubt about it.

texas gulf coast beaches are ok as long as you're not near some oil tankers making noise all night long. i wouldn't put texas beaches on any size list of great beaches in the world.

best mexican food in the land? i don't know about that. try the authentic mexican food in chicago, where there is a very large mexican community. texas probably has the best tex-mex in the land, if you like tex-mex.

big bend? now that's a jewel for sure. nearby guadalupe mountain national park is another. the national parks in texas might actually be the best things about the state.

anyways, i'm glad to be outta there. i do miss my friends there, but i don't miss texas.

[Texasgal]

72. Blues?

Ummm... Austin has one of the BIGGEST blues communities around. Can you say ANTONES? PINETOP PERKINS? BB KING? They play festivals and venues all of the time!

SXSW? The biggest music convention in the United States. Not just country or punk rock either. Lot of acts from around the world! As a matter of fact, SXSW hosted more international music acts this year than any other convention in the United States!

Gee... I am so sorry that you don't find some of the places that I listed beautiful and amazing, I guess it just boils down to personal choices, NOT POLITICS.

Thanks for your input.

[Gato Moteado]

79. good points

yeah, i know there's antone's. and even one or two lesser known blues pubs east of I35. but that hardly makes a big blues scene. chicago, new york, memphis, kansas city...those are cities with real blues scenes. that said, some great blues artists do come out of texas once in a while (though probably not austin)...freddie king, albert collins (who actually moved to chicago). you mentioned b.b. king. he was actually born in mississippi and got his start on beale street in memphis. he plays all over the world now. i don't think texas can claim him.

sxsw is a great big festival. i actually like the film fest better than the music fest, although in the last 8 or 10 years the fest has gotten so crowded it's hard for me to enjoy either of the two. the music venues are jammed packed full of people and totally uncomfortable and smoky. there are a lot of bands that come into the city for the festival from all over the world...you're right about that.

and as for the natural places, it was the national parks that i thought were, in fact, the best things about texas. big bend is an awesome place.

[Texasgal]

81. Oh. I guess I misunderstood.

I thought we were just taking about a Blues scene, I didn't know that you were asking and or stating that they be born in the state. I just thought we were discussing the "Blues scene". Sorry! :P

I did however forget to mention some Austin Blues singers... Marcia Ball and Toni Price. Good stuff.

Edited to add: Austin is going smoke free this september 1st. :)

[Gato Moteado]

96. actually.....

i was talking about a blues scene too. having been born and raised in chicago, it's hard for me to take austin's blues scene seriously. i only mentioned bb king's birthplace because i thought you were trying to claim him for texas.

marcia ball and toni price are nice...in fact i've met them both. but i'm talking about real blues. when i was living in chicago, practically every week you could find dozens of real blues bands playing in the many blues clubs.

albert collins
albert king
muddy waters
willie dixon
fenton robinson
buddy guy
junior wells
blind john davis
son seals
james cotton
koko taylor
luther allison
david bromberg
lonnie brooks
the list goes on and on and on......

and the venues seemed as numerous:
wise fools
lily's
biddy mulligan's
blues on halstead
the checkerboard lounge
they even have a house of blues there (though, that's a yuppie place and not a real blues club)

now THAT's a blues scene.

and where was "the blues brothers filmed"?

austin has some good music, for sure. i just think it's a joke when they say they're the live music capital of the world. and, i don't think you can call it a great blues scene. it's about as good as any other decent sized college town i imagine.

i like austin. i lived there for 11 years. it's a nice place, and way back when, it was a great place. right now, though, i'd call it the allergy capitol of the world.

austin does have a great radio station....KUT. twine time on saturday nights is the best radio show in town.

for music and barbeque, check out monday night at artz ribhouse on south lamar and listen to sarah elizabeth campbell and her awesome band.

[Texasgal]

98. I smell what your steppin' in.

Thanks for your input! :)

[lastliberalintexas]

119. Our beaches suck

With the exception of Padre Island, of course. But the rest of our shoreline is ruined either by the backwash from the Mississippi River Delta or from the offshore drilling rigs. We do have great birding along the coast, though. So if you go for that rather than trying to swim in our infamous red tides, you'll have an enjoyable trip!

[Dukkha]

59. the stars at night are big and bright

:applause:

[Bucky]

60. Livin' in the Montrose!

Best damn neighborhood in the state.

[texanwitch]

76. We are neighbors, I live close to Memorial Park and I 10.

Montrose is a cool place, I love to ride my bike there.:hi:

[Debbi801]

61. Only been there once. Loved the River Walk...

It was so beautiful.

:hi:

[Arugula Latte]

63. That scene in the Alamo in "PeeWee's Big Adventure"

"Can ya'll say maaaaayze?" ... "Here are Pepe and Maria."

That cracked me up.

Also, it's got an "x" in its spelling. That's cool. :shrug:

[Fleshdancer]

70. Schlitterbahn! The best waterpark in the WORLD!

People are nice down here. Sure, we have our lunatics and for some reason they seem to all be in politics, but the normal people are very nice.

[jandrok]

71. Add Lockhart barbecue to the list.

Lockhart is the Barbecue Capital of Texas, after all, and that is sayin' something.

Cheers to you, Texasgal!

:toast:

[Texasgal]

73. CRUES MARKET!

Yuuuumay! :)

[luvLLB]

77. Don't forget to add the Piney woods of East Texas...

[luvLLB]

78. and Los Lonely Boys...

[Texasgal]

agreed./..

Very pretty!

What's the national forset out there? Crockett?

[lastliberalintexas]

120. We have several

Big Thicket National Preserve is actually a combo national forest/preserve/park. In it you can find one of the most diverse biological areas in the world, with piney forest and semi-arid lands coexisting in a weird merger of landscapes. It's absolutely incredible.

And there's also Sabine, Crockett and Angelina National Forests, the Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Toledo Bend Reservoir.

There's much to dislike about SE and East Texas, but the natural landscape is amazing. It's just too bad what we humans have done with it.

[jandrok]

85. Yeah, East Texas is gorgeous.

That whole area up around Palestine and Crockett and Henderson is tremendous. I'm from Texarkana originally, so I kind of grew up in that neck of the woods.

[BikeWriter]

140. I had eight lots in Rye. I loved waking up to the wind in the pines...

and the squirrels tossing pine cones at me. :)

[Maestro]

226. Those East Texas squirrels have some 'tude, don't they?

They learn it from their cousins in Lousiana. :)

[BikeWriter]

229. ROFL! I wouldn't doubt it. They're good at throwing hickory nuts, too.

[Maestro]

235. The ones in Lousiana

have set up checkpoints to find those they feel are unfairly targeting them for roadkill. I snapped this one when they pulled me over. Quite scary. :scared:

[Taverner]

80. The student body of UT on a hot, spring day

Sorry - I am a crass lad, but I dare any of you to spend lunch there, and not be titilated in some fashion, be you straight or gay.

[terrya]

82. I'll go along with # 4, 9 and 10.

Yes, those are good things. :-)

But I hate the entire fucking city of Dallas. :grr: Sorry, guys.

[NoSheep]

83. Gary P. Nunn

[jandrok]

87. Let's add some Texas microbrews to the list.

Shiner doesn't count 'cause it's more of a regional macro than a micro. Here are some GREAT Texas beers to try when you're here:

Anything by St. Arnolds, out of Houston. The Spring Bock and the Elissa IPA are particularly good.

Real Ale in Blanco brews some mighty beers. Their Coffee Porter is divine, but not yet bottled. Try the sampler pack in sixers to get the flavor of their offerings.

Live Oak here in Austin brews a KILLER hefeweizen. They don't bottle, so you gotta catch 'em in pubs. Well worth it.

There's also:

Independence Brewing
The Bitter End
Rahr Brewing
Star Bock in Galveston (currently being sued for copyright infringement by Starbuck's, the bastiches!)

Here's to Texas beer!

:toast:

[Texasgal]

92. Yummmmmmmm!

The bitter end... any of there pale ales with a lemon wedge is hard to beat!

[Taverner]

106. Ok I gotta draw the line here

Texas does many things very, very well

It has the worlds second best BBQ

It has some of the worlds most beautiful people

It has great steaks, great BBQ sauces

It has beautiful rolling hills, big skies and awesome thunderstorms

The people are most certainly friendly, and theyre not stuck up and snobby like us Californians are (hey - I'm the first to admit Californians are unfriendly as hell.)

But beer? It does not do this so well.

Two words, ladies and gentlemen - Shiner Bock

[jandrok]

145. Dude, you'll change your tune if you ever have any....

...of that Live Oak hefeweizen. World-class, I kid you not.

[BeTheChange]

190. Friendly passersby, brisquet, thunderstorms

I lived in texas from age 5-20, VA for a couple years, cali for 5...now Ive been back in tx for about 8 months.

I will be glad to get back home to California. But I sure will miss the bbq. I remember driving into texas and stopping at the first dickey's we saw, because even fast food bbq is better then the best in cali.

And the thunderstorms. I hate the heat of the summer, but it sure as heck beats 4 months of no rain at all in cali... and you have never seen lightening till youve spent a summer in Texas. That's my favorite hobby during the summer.. chasing thunderclouds around.

People in texas are also great on a daily basis.. but as for deep friends... If you can stay away from politics and religion.. most of them would do anything for you.

[48pan]

90. It's summer and I'm not in Texas...

Hahahahahaha!
I'll feel the other way in November.

[sparky_in_ma]

91. crispini and gkhouston

:loveya:

[NeoTraitors]

93. There is plenty to love about Texas!

1. Willie Nelson
2. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
3. Jerry Jeff Walker
4. Big Boys, The Dicks, Butthole Surfers
5. Coach Hayden Fry
6. Earl Campbell
7. Ann Richards
8. Texas Toast
9. Austin City Limits
10. Kinky Friedman

[Texasgal]

94. What a great list!

Yeah... I had forgotten about Kinky Friedman!

Kinky for GOVERNOR!

[GOPisEvil]

108. Nooooooooo...knock that Kinky for Governor stuff off.

Vote Democratic. Chris Bell will be a great candidate. :D

[Texasgal]

132. Oh.... alright!

No Kinky then... :P

Anybody is better than Rick Scary!

[crispini]

95. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

We wuv you too, Sparks! :loveya:

[livetohike]

97. #1 Big Bend National Park - my favorite National Park

2. Canoeing on the San Marcos River

3. The Big Thicket Swamp

4. South Padre Island

5. Seafood in Kemah

6. Friendly people :-)

7. Anywhere in the Hill Country, but I like Lost Maples State Park a lot

8. Tex-Mex food - the best in the United States

9. Wildflowers - thank you Lady Bird Johnson

10. Birthplace of my favorite female rock star - Janis Joplin

[leftofthedial]

99. here you go! the compleat liste

[Texasgal]

101. What is a

Compleat liste?

:P

[leftofthedial]

105. It's sort of like a complete list

but spelled like the name of a theme restaurant.

how about:

Steve Earle
Townes van Zandt
Guy Clark
Rodney Crowell
Joe Ely
Butch Hancock
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Buddy Holly
Waylon Jennings
Willie Nelson
Walt Wilkins
Lloyd Maines

for a few things I like about Texas . . .

[caty]

100. I spent the first 6 weeks of my life in Texas.

Because of the Texas City disaster in April of '47, my parents moved there to help in the rebuilding if the city. I was born there, but they moved back to Michigan when I was 6 weeks old.


http://www.local1259iaff.org/disaster.html

[iconoclastic cat]

102. SXSW festival and the whole Austin music scene.

They're surpassing Chicago now.
:headbang:

[SnohoDem]

103. My family back there,

Music: Wills, Willie, Willis, Winter, Lightnin', too many to list

Padre Island, Big Bend, Lake Travis, Kerrville

Humor

Friendliness

Northeast Texas Women :9

Shiner Beer (from when it was just Beer)

Food

Fishing the Gulf Coast


I just gotta wonder what the F&(K happened to y'all politically.

[Grillydad]

107. They Found a way to get rid of GWB

[Jamastiene]

110. Ann Richards and

DU'ers from Texas. All I know of the place to be honest other than what I have seen on television. Would like to know if the story about the roads being long and deserted with few gas stations is true though. Not trying to be negative, I'm just curious...

[lastliberalintexas]

122. In some parts of Texas, yes

If you're ever in the West Texas parts and you see the sign saying LAST chance to fill up, you should know they really mean it. And if you drive a gas guzzler, you might need to carry a gas can in your trunk. :)

[Jamastiene]

123. No gas guzzler here, but would do that anyhow

just to be sure. I don't know the area.

[texas1928]

111. First off Hex Tex!!!

1. The Texas Hill Country in the springtime.

2. Texas A&M Aggies

3. Anyone who beats Texas, and right now that includes OU.

4. Tex-Mex Food.

5. The Alamo.

6. The Texas Gulf Coast.

7. The Texas Panhandle during storm season.

8. The Caprock

9. Shiner Bock

10. Texas BBQ

11. My home Town Ballinger.

12. Go Ballinger Bearcats.

13. San Antonio Tx.

14. The Piney woods.

15. Texas Rodeos

16. Texas Women.

17. That I am a Texan by birth and a Democrat born and raised.

18. The Texas Sky, it is best, it is big too.

19. Enchanted Rock State Park.

20. New Braunfels

21. Octoberfest

[Left Is Write]

112. BouncyBall.

[chaska]

113. That feeling you get when you finally escape it after driving thru it.

[flvegan]

114. Texasgal lives there.

Along with a number of other DUers. Makes it a better state.

[Texasgal]

130. Awwwww...

Thanks... your sweet! :)

[Rowdyboy]

115. Ya'll have all the best: I'll say Sens Ralph Yarbrough and Lloyd Bentson

Plus my Aunt Louise
Mollie Ivins
Ann Richards
Kinky Friedman
Jim Hightower
Bluebonnets
cactus
cowboys
Tex-Mex cuisine
diners
sexy Hispanic men :)
incredible horizons
Henry Cisneros

etc, etc, etc

If I ever do a similar thread on Mississippi, hope to see you there. Boy, would you need asbestos underwear on that thread!

[jobycom]

180. Who were mortal enemies, btw.

First let me brag that I knew Ralph W yarborough, and have never met a better human being.

Bentsen teamed up with George Bush to defeat Yarborough in the primaries in 1970, then they battled each other in the general election. Bush got his start running filthy, lying commercials in that campaign, and sadly, Bentsen helped him. Yarborough never liked Bentsen.

Just tellin' ya cause I can.

[Rowdyboy]

220. Joby, I had totally forgotten that....

I was thinking of Bentson latter in his career. I never had the pleasure of meeting Senator Yarborough but my admiration for him was enormous. One Texan from that period I did get a chance to meet was Sissy Fahrentholt (my spelling is atrocious). She was, I believe Texas state party chair/gubernatorial candidate in the late '60's, early '70's. She was featured speaker at a political forum my freshman year.

I can't believe the irony of the first two names I listed. I was trying to think of things no one had mentioned earlier in the thread, and picked two mortal enemies! Thanks for reminding me of yet another piece of history that had drifted away from me! :thumbsup:

[jobycom]

227. I worked for Yarborough

a couple of years before he died, as a part time researcher and office assistant while I was in grad school. My first daughter was born while I worked for him, and since the job didn't pay enough for a sitter, I brought her to work with me. I have a picture somewhere of her as in infant in her carrier in Yarborough's office library, with a backdrop of a wall of pictures, all personally signed, of JFK, LBK, Hubert Humphrey, and others.

On the Senator's 90th birthday, they held a joint birthday/anniversary party for he and his wife, Opal. Both turned 90 the same month, and they celebrated their 75th anniversary the same month: June. The party was held at the Governor's Mansion, when Ann was governor.

So there I was, a man with a six week old adorable infant, in a yard full of famous Democratic politicians. I met a lot of people that day! Yes, including Ann Richards, who saw my from about forty yards off, made her way over to me, and said no politician could resist a baby that adorable. At that exact moment, my wife had wandered off with the camera. No picture.

I do have a picture of Ralph and Opal holding her at the party, though.

Ralph Yarborough was a beautiful man. Any time I saw him, no matter how tired or mad or upset I was, I left smiling. There just aren't enough humans like him.

Yeah, I'm getting misty typing this, so I'll stop now. I need to visit his grave--haven't done that in a while.

[lies and propaganda]

116. I stomped all around Tx when I was younger

and living in Louisiana.

Fave thing: Deep Ellum!!!! Its a multiple block area in Dallas with every everything you can think of. The best bars, coffee shops, live music,(TREES!!!!) eating, shopping, I want to go right now.

[texas1928]

117. Deep Ellum was a bar there.

It is called the West End.

:hi:

[lies and propaganda]

121. Deep Ellum is a huge ole section of town now...

at least 3 or 4 blocks.

Trust me I adored it. Every weekend we would drive three hours to go to the punk rock shows in Dallas.

[Lisa0825]

222. I miss Deep Ellum!!!

There is nothing here in Houston that compares to Deep Ellum. Great live music scene, funky shops, tattoo parlors, cafes, etc. Excellent place to people watch!

:hippie:

[lies and propaganda]

233. Does Fitzgeralds still exist

in Houston?
One of the best punk rock bars of all time!

[Lisa0825]

236. Yeah, Fitz is still there.

I'm always nervous about that balcony though! It just doesn't feel stable!LOL!

Two of my old haunts have closed down, Instant Karma and Emo's.

[lies and propaganda]

238. I know what youre saying about that balcony.

I saw that 'bright light' a few times up there.

[Joey Liberal]

125. I love Texas women

They are hot:)........Too bad they are mostly republicans.........

[alarimer]

128. All that and Willie too

Plus Kayaking the Laguna Madre....in January!! Try that in New Jersey (or even Carolina) Brrr

[Maddy McCall]

131. Willie Nelson, Pittsburg Hot Links, Nick's Grocery in Port Arthur.

And too many other things to list.

[jobycom]

187. Port Arthur--birthplace of Janis Joplin, Babe Zaharias, Jimmy Johnson

[luvLLB]

218. and me, too.

[BikeWriter]

133. The Strand in Galveston, and Colonel Bubbie's military surplus store.

http://www.thestrand.com/events/event_dickens2004.php

[Blue_In_AK]

134. The main thing I love about Texas

is that I don't live there anymore. Seven years was MORE than enough.

[Texasgal]

138. One more thing I love about Texas...

Is that we are SENSITIVE about our state.

Maybe it's called PRIDE?

[BikeWriter]

141. Texas women, and Texas horses.

[peekaloo]

142. Houston.....museum district, Montrose Art Festival and watering holes

inside da loop.

[kanrok]

143. Ninfa's mexican restaurant in Houston

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....good.

[Groggy]

144. Been there many times

to visit my republican relatives...in the wealthy Dallas suburbs. It has nice weather I guess...but there is nothing to do there. Nothing but highways, flat land and shopping malls. Please tell me what fun/interesting things are there are to do there? Maybe I can try it out on my next visit!

By the way, I have had Mexican food in Wisconsin and it is very good! They have a large population of mexican immigrants there.

[Texasgal]

231. Do you mean to tell me that

after over 100 posts in this thread, you say you can't find something fun to do in Texas?

re-read the thread.

[JVS]

146. That it is far away

[alarimer]

147. Shiner Bock Beer

I swear I never liked beer that much before I tried it. I don;t think it is available outside the state (I might be wrong). We keep the good stuff for ourselves.

I am a transplant and, while, there are things that I dislike about Texas (some Texans- or supposed Texas- like GWB) there is a lot more that I like.

I like the Texas Open Beaches Act. Passed in 1959, it guarantees public access to the beach. One of the few states to do this. Florida doesn't have this law, California doesn't either. In many coastal states, the public can only use the wet sand areas (and how are they supposed to do that if they can't get there??). Texas prohibits beach property owners from blocking access. It is a great thing and every state needs this badly. Beaches should belong to the people. That law almost assuredly would not pass now, however, given the property rights mania that exists here (one of the things I don't like about Texas)

Sorry got off topic for a second.

I love bluebonnets.
Mi Tierra in San Antonio.
Austin
Texas singer-songwriters like Guy Clark and the late, great Townes van Zant.

[Canadian Socialist]

148. Cowboys!

No, REAL cowboys. We see a lot of them up here during Stampede. Those boys are very cool. And they always will dance with the old, fat women at the Ranchman's.:evilgrin:

[jandrok]

149. Blue Bell Ice Cream!

Yummy!

[BikeWriter]

151. Oh yeah, delicious!

[BikeWriter]

150. "Gaido's" of Galveston and fried crab at "Stingaree."

http://www.galveston.com/gaidos/restaraunts.html


http://houston.citysearch.com/profile/10036538/crystal_beach_tx/stingaree_restaurant_bar.html?specialty_id=55

[TheCentepedeShoes]

162. OMG

Haven't been to Gaido's in ages. Yummm - Gumbo.

[BikeWriter]

165. Their service and foods are great, aren't they? I love the place!

[Writer]

152. Hook 'em, '97

UT on the West Mall, between classes, where you bump into 20 of your friends.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

153. There are some really awesome Texas DUers!

and Austin is pretty nice.

[Maestro]

199. And I know you are talking about me.

Feeling better?

[Mutley]

154. I was born in El Paso.

But we moved to New York when I was two. I don't remember it at all. So, this thread tells me a lot of good things about the state I was born in. Good to hear in light of all the bad things that are said about Texas. Thanks.

[BikeWriter]

155. So when are you coming to visit? :-)

[Mutley]

158. Who knows?

Sometime after I graduate. I've always wanted to go visit!

[BikeWriter]

159. That would be great! I'm sure you'd enjoy it. :-)

[Mutley]

160. Thanks.

:D

[BikeWriter]

166. You're welcome. :-)

[Avalux]

156. SPURS!

Kinda wrapped up in it right now, here in San Antonio. GO SPURS GO!! :applause:

[2bfree]

157. Bless you!

*Garner State Park

*Willie Nelson

*Molly Ivans

*San Antonio

[SmileyBoy]

163. I love that it's over 1,000 miles from me.

I'm sorry, I can't think of anything nice to say about Texas.

[mykpart]

167. We Texans are glad you're that far away, too!

Texas was fine until all the non-Texans started moving in and trying to change it! If things were so great where they came from, why didn't they stay there?

[SmileyBoy]

171. Texans have moved into Minnesota and messed things up here too.

They've been trying to change things here for the worse!!

[BikeWriter]

183. Uh.... We messed Minnesota up?

:shrug:

[SmileyBoy]

184. Hell yeah. Do you know how many Texas license plates there are up here??

I see them all the time. And they're not voting Democratic en masse, my friend.

They're a big part of the reason why Coleman won.

[BikeWriter]

189. There are a large number of Democrats in Texas, so I'm sure we...

couldn't be exporting all repubs... Hmm, if so, I'm sure that will change, too. Hang in there, Pard. We will overcome!

[Lisa0825]

223. Actually, that's the attitude that made it hard

for me to grow to love Texas. I think it isn't as strong now, but when my family moved here, the whole "Yankee go home" thing was really big. We were met with a lot of hostility. My dad was tranferred here by the USCG, then retired, and many people expressed their wish that we go away and leave the job for a real Texan. That was really hard for me to understand as a 10 year old, and it was really hard to make friends. I am glad that attitude seems to have subsided. Cooler heads have prevailed since the oil bust. Now it's a state of transplants more so than natives, so the "go home" bunch are the minority in most metro areas.

[mykpart]

168. Blue Bell Ice Cream!

[Seabiscuit]

243. Double take time. I thought you wrote "Blue Ball Ice Cream!"

[BikeWriter]

170. Shorty's on the Texas City Dike, where they still cook hamburgers...

the same way Granny Harris did nearly fifty years ago.

[medeak]

172. awesome highways... best pavement

(have only driven through) but pavement sucks at state line.

[progmom]

173. bouncy ball and bok tukalo live there!!

[Skittles]

176. forgetting Skittles, are you, progmom?

I WILL KICK YOUR ASS

[BikeWriter]

185. DaMMiTT! May I ask (without getting my ass kicked)...

Is that your specialty? :)

[Skittles]

193. kicking ass?

yes, I have long been DU's premiere ass-kicker. Yes INDEED. :hi:

[BikeWriter]

208. Well, cool. I am an ass-kicker, too. I've never had a formal title...

or anything, I've just jumped up when it seemed to be the thing to do... :)

[progmom]

216. you live there too?

well that makes it doubly good!! :D

[Skittles]

237. been here 29 years now

yes INDEED! I think it was my fate in life to torment conservative Texans. :D

[BikeWriter]

245. It's a mission!

[all.of.me]

174. zero

[Skittles]

175. sunsets

I have lived many places and Texas has some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. :thumbsup:

[Maestro]

177. Easy

1) The Hill Country
2) The only state that has a former embassy in London. It's now a Texas/U.S. theme pub.
3) Many great musicians/groups are from here. Stevie Ray Vaughn, Pantera, Eric Johnson, The Flatlanders, Don Henley, ZZ Top (What is their political leaning?)
4) Many great politicians, Ann Richards, Jim Wright, Barbara Jordan, Martin Frost (victim of DeLay redistricting)
5) Best damn barbecue around
6) Did I mention real, authentic Mexican food? Not the crap from most restaurants which are really Southwest cuisine.
7) Other great liberals such as Molly Ivins and Jim Hightower.
8) Mild winters. I hate the cold for too long.
9) My wife and kids were all born here along with most all my family going back generations.
10) Colorful history Handbook of Texas

[BikeWriter]

181. Hey, way cool. I live about a mile from ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill...

:-)

[Maestro]

186. What are their political leanings?

I would think they would be anti-*, but I think they performed at some rethug gala in Washington once, perhaps election night?

[BikeWriter]

191. I've heard they're radically pro-marijuana, but they did perform...

Dusty explains himself here:

“The gig is very comfortable for us,” says Dusty Hill, the bass-playing longbeard in ZZ Top (the only member of the band who doesn’t sport a long — and real — beard, ironically, is the drummer, Frank Beard). “It’s a Texas thing, so everybody there knows the band real well. And they’re there to have a party, a celebration, so it’s not about politics. It’s not uptight.” As far as Hill is concerned, it is a straightforward honour to be invited to the event.

Hill continues: “He’s the President, and he’s from Texas and he asked us. We knew him from when he was Governor of Texas. It’s my understanding that he listens to our music on the big plane, on Air Force One. He’s a very nice person. We talked about baseball when we met. He doesn’t tell me how to play bass guitar or sing and I don’t tell him about politics. We have an understanding there.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7-1445913,00.html

[Maestro]

203. I can understand that.

I just couldn't picture them as being ardent supporters of * and the neocons.

[BikeWriter]

207. Yep, I think it's a bidness thing. The people I know he parties with...

are all okay.

[PittPoliSci]

179. uh....hot sauce?

maybe?

[jobycom]

182. THE LONE WOLF--HENRY B. GONZALEZ, who tried to impeach both

Reagan and Bush.

They don't grow them like that nowhere else.

[BikeWriter]

192. Freak'n A! :-)

[Maestro]

188. Anybody mention bluebonnets?

blue... and red...

[BikeWriter]

197. Oh, yeah! Another of my favorites is Indian Paintbrushes. :-)

[Maestro]

198. Those were all over the field behind me.

You can almost see them here... All growing wild.

You might see them better here: Do you see the red sheen in the grass?

[BikeWriter]

202. They have a beautiful almost coral color. I love them. :-)

[unsavedtrash]

194. taco cabana, excellent drivers, bluebonnets, and Magnolia Cafe at 4am

:applause:

[jobycom]

196. I'd argue with you on those drivers

At least in Austin. We have the worst drivers in the world.

Then again, the best I've seen are in Dallas, so that's still Texas. Best and worst, same state--that's true in a lot of ways!

[jobycom]

195. Lyle Lovette, Mother's Cafe and Garden in Austin, Dr. Pepper and

El Capitan in the Gaudalupe Mountains National Park

Tubing in San Marcos

Schlitterbahn Water Park

Bluebonnets in April

The Hill Country Tour of Lights at Christmas

LBJ--the good half, not the Viet Nam half

Nolan Freakin' Ryan

The Dallas Cowboys, and screw all you wannabe America's Teams

Houston Museums

Fort Worth art museums, including the Kimball, one of the finest small art museums in the world.

Loyd Doggett

Mickey Leland (May he rest in peace)

Opus the Penquin

[Maestro]

200. How could I forget Opus?

D'oh! Too bad we can't claim Berkely Breathed but he did attend and graduate from UT.

[jobycom]

205. I originally listed Berk, then thought about it, and realized Opus was

the native Texan, not BB.

[friesianrider]

204. Paul Begala :)

And actually, he said that TX has more Dem reps than GOP. I assume he meant in Congress. Can anyone confirm this our of curiousity?

Oh, and the Houston Animal Police are awesome too ;)

[fleabert]

209. THE SPURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and
the missions
my family
my friends
UT
the bats in austin
the tracks in san antonio
King William district in SA
NIOSA
dirt devils in Lubbock
Deep ellum in dallas
south padre and corpus christie
mexican food
North Star Mall in SA
James Avery Jewelry
Las Palapas
Taco Cabana
Alamo Cafe
'the eyes of texas are upon you...'
high school football craziness
the riverwalk during the winter
guadalupe river and tubing
Lake Travis
Marble Falls
The McNay museum
and...

THE SPURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VOX]

212. My Dad -- born in Hubbard, raised in El Paso...

So I've got a little bit of Texas in me. :)

[BikeWriter]

213. Way cool. There have been some super people raised in Texas!

[Dover]

214. Austin has been a world wide leader in Green living and sustainability

techniques. You would be surprised at how much coordinated community involvement and expertise there is in this area.


-- Central Texans began the movement called xeriscaping that conserves water by using native garden and landscape plants
(taught us to love our natural plant life). No need for all those lawn chemicals either.

-- Home of Texas Wildflower Center (thank you Lady Bird!) which is unique in that it not only teaches about various horticultural subjects, but also protects and improves certain species. Did you know you can buy a native grass for your lawn that never grows higher than 6" tall? Saves water and lawncare.

-- Has one of the biggest "Wind Farm" power supplies (and growing) in the country (in West Texas).

-- City tax incentives for those who allow solar panels to be put on their home that feed back into the city power supply. Also incentives for rainwater collection,low flow toilets and other conservation efficient equipment.

-- Tax incentives for large landowners to do wildlife management rather than run cattle that can be very hard on the land due to overgrazing, and other problems connected with the cattle industry.
Management encourages a return to natural grasslands and natural regional habitats, and is protective of many species.

-- Home of Whole Foods....the most successful organic food market in the U.S.

-- Home of Green Builders that instruct home owners and builders alike (as well as their suppliers) all kinds of way to save energy and build using green technologies. Central Texas probably has the most strawbale and cob homes in the country.


-- Austin has one of the most participatory local governments of any state, and strong local organizations like "Save Our Springs", strong neighborhood groups, etc.


These are just a FEW of the reasons why living in CENTRAL TEXAS feels right. As backward as Texas is in some areas, there is a sizable and committed community who has a strong connection to the land and is committed to its stewardship and to a healthy lifestyle. In that sense it has positioned itself well for the future.

I think this area of the country will only grow more important as we are forced as a country to deal with these issues.

P.S. And there is also a movement to preserve the heart of Austin and an equally endangered species of honest to goodness
hippies who live creatively and in peace in South Austin.

[GOPisEvil]

217. That was well-said!

:thumbsup:

[Guy_Montag]

215. VelmaD

:loveya:

[dbt]

221. Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys!!!

HELL yeah!
:smoke:

[benny05]

252. And it doesn't matter who's in Austin

Bob Wills is still the king.

I never got a chance to go to the Turkey Tx day celebration of Bob Wills. Oh well. :kick:

[Lisa0825]

224. Texas Democrats!

We may be in the minority (for now), but we're alive and kickin'! I have had such a blast attending protests, rallies, and other events with them. We refuse to let the party give up on us. We're in this fight for the long haul!

Texas DUers are great, and especially Mr. and Mrs. PDittie and WestHoustonDem, who I have become good friends with in real life.

I could live on TexMex food and margaritas indefinitely.

Deep Ellum ROCKS!!! :yourock: :headbang:

Molly Ivins and Ann Richards :loveya:

Chris Bell :loveya:

Montrose

Dickens on the Strand

The Texas Medical Center (proud former employee)

There is much more, but I have to get back to work now! LOL! :-)

[scarlet_owl]

234. The Rio Grande Valley.

Great place for birding! The Santa Ana Refuge and Laguna Atascosa are some of the neatest places I have ever been.

[UdoKier]

240. BBQ Brisket

[Nailzberg]

241. 72 oz. steaks eom.

[Seabiscuit]

242. Besides the Dixie Chicks, what's there to love about Texas?

sand, dust, bugs all over your windshields, greedy oilmen, corrupt politicians, rednecks galore, and, oh yeah... CRAWFORD!

:puke:

[Texasgal]

249. Ummm... have you not read the thread?

There is PLENTY to love about Texas.

[Seabiscuit]

250. Aw, shit! I forgot to read the thread!!!

:)

I was just posting about my last experience in Texas.

[benny05]

244. A few

1. Bluebonnets and Indian Paints in the springtime
2. Sunsets and thunderstorms in Lubbock
3. Shultz's beer garden in austin and 6th Street in march
4. Kerrville Folk Festival in late May, along with the Hill country in general
5. The Guadelupe River
6. San Antonio during the fall, winter, or spring
7. My family who still live in Texas
8. Aggies and their traditions
9. Texas Tech Lady Raiders, but also the men as well
10. The First UU Church in Houston

[BikeWriter]

246. Good ones!

[enigmatic]

247. The Gourds

Best band ever from the East Texas Pineys...