Best Adult Lemonade Stand
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Run-Tex Hydration Station
- OK, it's not lemonade, it's sports drink, but why quibble? You need the electrolytes,
the price is right (free!), and it's right where you want it, right when you need
it: At the north end of the MoPac footbridge on the Town Lake Hike & Bike. Our
favorite flavor? Blue.
North end of MoPac footbridge, noon-2pm and
5-7pm M-F, 7am-noon, Sat-Sun.
Maplewood Elementary
- Oh, sure, there are bigger blacktops, with more basketball hoops and ample
four-square space, and there are smoother blacktops, better for marbles and
skateboards, but Maplewood is the only one we know of with a six-color map of the
world painted on it, in all its cartographical glory. Think you can hit a jump shot
from Australia? How 'bout Sweden? Talk about your Mercator projections ...
3808 Maplewood, 414-4402
Best Fledgling Altruistic Tradition
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The Ride for the Roses
- With Corpus Christi native Bobby Julich finishing third in this year's Tour de
France, Lance Armstrong may no longer even be the best cyclist from Texas much less
from the U.S. No matter, he's still tops in our town. Who else could bring Miguel
Indurain, Greg LeMond, and Jakob Dylan to Austin? With rides of 25, 50, and 100 miles,
the annual bicycle trek through the Hill Country allows anybody to help Armstrong
help cure cancer. And with his buddies bringing the rock, even lazy people can help
the cause by simply going to a party.
Lance Armstrong Foundation, 1210 Parkway, 236-8820
UT's Gregory Gym
- We've gotten steadily healthier since the renovated Gregory Gym reopened last
November. Before, we used the Texas heat as an excuse not to run, now we jog on the
AC'd indoor track overlooking the basketball courts. We used boredom as an excuse
not to go on the Stairmaster, now we can watch sweet television as we pump away.
Gregory is so beautiful, airy, and expansive that sometimes we want to go there just
to hang out, and the gym provides ample opportunity to do just that: We can watch
the ball game while sitting in the Sports Cafe, play a game of pool or table tennis
in the underused lounge, or throw spitwads at the humans splayed all over the indoor
climbing wall. Our love for the Gregory is so mighty that we (usually) don't mind
the crowds or the parking nightmare. Of course, you have to be a UT student to take
advantage of all this, or - and this also gives Gregory the award for "Best
Reason to Kiss Up to a UT Affiliate" - be sponsored by a UT student or staff
member for a membership, which is quite reasonably priced.
Speedway & 21st Streets, 471-6370 (Recreational Sports)
UT Softball
- While coaching controversies and disappointing records grabbed headlines in football,
baseball, and basketball, the University of Texas softball team christened its new
stadium with a stellar season that saw them go all the way to the College World Series
in only their second year of Division I play. Led by pitching phenom Christa Williams,
Coach Connie Clark's team provides one of the best shows in town, blending stunning
talent with enthusiasm for the game, its fans, and each other.
UT Dept. of Women's Athletics, 471-7693
Lady Longhorns Track & Field Team
- Last year, the Lady Longhorns missed a national crown by one agonizing point.
This year, it was close again: Coming into the last event, they trailed UCLA by five
points, and had to place at least third in the 4x400 relay to win the meet. Despite
having an inexperienced freshman on the leadoff leg, they pulled out a gutsy come-from-behind
finish to win the race and take home the trophy.
UT Dept. of Women's Athletics, 471-7693
Best Pick-up Soccer Games
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Sunday Night, UT Intramural Fields
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photograph by Jana Birhcum
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Athletes from a range of nations, showing skill and passion and love for what Brazilians
call "the beautiful game" - there was plenty of that going around during
this year's superlative sporting event, the World Cup, but this is also the weekly
scene at 51st and Guadalupe. Each week, as the sun relents, a rotating group of international
students and locals lace up their cleats, throw their backpacks into the goal nets,
and attempt to outdo each other on the pitch. It's a better workout than softball,
for sure, and transcends the muscled machismo of pick-up basketball into sport that
often, even at this grassroots level, masquerades as art. Those Brazilians are right.
51st & Guadalupe
Best Place to Teach a (Scaredy) Pup to Swim
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Cypress Creek Park on Lake Travis
- Low lake levels, a narrow channel, warm water, and gentle currents conspire to
make Cypress Creek the perfect place to let your trepidatious pooch develop his dog
paddle. We've spent a few years searching the Hill Country and the Gulf Coast for
a place to share some sun-soaked frolics with our dogus. We'd sort of given up ever
coaxing our cowardly canine into any body of water when we stumbled over Cypress
Creek during a leisurely tour of lakeside recreation areas. Since the boat ramp was
closed, we were completely alone. When we swam across the channel and called to our
furry friend we were surprised to see her wade into the shallows and begin to swim
to us. She easily completed the crossing and was still eager for more when it was
time to go home.
Cypress Creek Park
Best Place to Get Rid of Your Stale Bread
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San Gabriel Park, Georgetown
- If you're going to do the feed-the-birds thing, might as well do it someplace
where the birds know that they, not you, are in control, and ham it up accordingly.
If the geese (a sizeable flock) in this downtown Georgetown park wait for you to
get out of your car before honking for your bread, they're having a bad day. Watch
your unprotected fingers.
On the San Gabriel River, east of I-35 at the Andice/Lake Georgetown exit
Best Place to Impersonate Sisyphus
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Jacob's Rail at the Veloway
- Sisyphus, the despot of Corinth, was condemned in Hades to roll a huge boulder
uphill, which always rolled back before he reached the top. If you're looking to
atone for some sins, pick a summer ozone day when the heat hangs in the air like
a wet towel and at, say, 2pm, head down to the Veloway with your favorite brand of
in-line skates. After a mile or two of baby hills and level ground, when you've had
enough and your heart is about to explode, there it looms, what an Austin writer
nicknamed "Jacob's Rail," a hill whose degrees in steepness rival Barton
Springs' degrees in coldness. By then you're so sweaty that even if you clung to
the rail for dear life, you'd skid back down. You're on wheels, remember, so no boulder
is necessary; your fat ass will suffice.
4103 Slaughter
Best Place to Play Hoops in a Thunderstorm
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Metz Park
- In many ways, Metz is like any other outdoor hoops court: a stretch of asphalt
with hoops on the perimeter, rims slightly bent, and nets in need of repair. What
sets Metz apart is that it's got a ceiling 25 feet overhead. It's not just a roof
in a rainstorm, but shade in the summertime. Lights, too, making it one of the best
places in Austin to take it to the hole.
2407 Canterbury
Best Place to Run the Pooch
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St. Edward's Park
- This park has it all: endless meadows in which to run or Frisbee, cliffsides
to hike and explore, lots of wild animal scats to sniff, and an old spillway. Fido
won't know where to go first, but you'll always know where he is no matter which
way he chooses. The park is laid out in rough wedge. The fields open up into limestone
cliffs and heavily wooded perimeters, the line of sight is uncluttered, and the entire
tract leads one away from dangerous roads. The park is usually not crowded, but the
parking lot is a little tricky to spot.
On Spicewood Springs north of 360
Best Place to Unleash Your Inner Eastwood
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Cook's Shooting Range
- We popped on our goggles and our ear protection and stepped into the airlock.
We were soon on Planet Gunpowder, and boy was it loud. Of course, we spent the first
five minutes jumping and yelping every time our partner discharged his weapon (whew!).
We were a bit afraid of our Glock 9mm at first, of its surprising weight, and even
more suprising kick in our hands. We had perhaps an unseemly enjoyment when we "killed"
our target. When we were done we felt the giddy, nauseous exhilaration we get after
a really scary roller coaster ride. The staff was patient and kind even though we
were obvious amateurs. We plan to take a bunch of chicks from the office down some
Monday night for their ladies happy hour from 5-9 pm. They provide the lane and the
weapon, shooters buy the ammo. Good, cheap, unconventional fun.
516 W FM 1825, Pflugerville, 251-1022
Pin Shrine at Dart Bowl
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photograph by Ada Calhoun
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Four display cases at the entrance to Austin's Dart Bowl celebrate not only the noble
bowling pin, but also its hard-headed bud, the bowling ball, plus an occasional ode
to its sister, the towel. The cases brim and strain at the weight of this massive
collection of bowling-themed everything: pins painted like Santa Claus and the Three
Wise Men, statuettes of celebrity bowlers like Fred Flintstone, Porky Pig, and the
Peanuts Gang, and mug, steins, and glasses to outfit any real bowler's bar. In
addition to the key fobs, lamps, koozies, lighters, and pewter figurines, the cases
also include some items from the Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri: a turn-of-the-century
hardwood ball, a 19th-century king pin for a 9-pin set, and the first rubber bowling
ball made in 1905. It's a skittle homage you can sink your fingers into.
5700 Grover, 452-2518
Best Place to Unload Your Quiver
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Archery Country
- À la Ted Nugent, bow hunters are a burly, macho lot. If you stumble into
Archery Country on a Monday (Monday night and Saturday mornings are reserved for
leagues), you'll be in over your heads, kids. (Although it is worth a look-see.)
Better to go on a quieter night when you can sink deep into your Xena warrior princess
fantasy uninterrupted. Fit your arrow into the bow string, pull back and - thwing!
Enjoy the satisfying thunk when your missile finds its mark. If the screeching of
the resident cockatoo starts to get to you, just holler at him like the pros do!
Note to the sensitive: This store contains big, dead, stuffed bears.
8910 Research, 452-1222
Best Place to Watch Football (American or European)
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House Park
- Built in 1939, these unassuming bleachers play host to both the Austin Lone Stars
soccer club and a regular schedule of AISD football. With peaceful greenspace Pease
Park lying just west and the downtown skyline crouching benignly to the south and
east, this central city park is a decidedly Austin spot to spy a speck of sport.
Got that? Play ball.
15th & Lamar
Best Place to Work Out Aggression
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Richard Lord's Boxing Gym
- Maybe it's the countless posters, photographs, and other boxing memorabilia lining
the walls that provide Richard's boxers with the motivation they need to survive
his grueling workouts. Perhaps it's his constant encouragment that helps them get
through the heat; the warehouse is hot, really hot. Whatever the stimulus, they work
hard - beating those heavy bags for all that they are worth. Stop by to watch champion
Texas boxers and amateurs hone their skills; there was a time when you could see
Jesus "El Matador" Chavez prepping for a match. If you are truly brave,
Lord offers lessons. Just remember, you've been warned.
5400 N. Lamar, 451-8424
Austin's Summer of 1998
- Remember last year, when our cup ranneth over with unseasonable rains? Instead
of heat, there was warmth. Instead of heat stroke, there was the backstroke. This
year you begin to wonder why you moved to Austin in the first place. You begin to
worry if air conditioning causes cancer. You begin to wonder why the cotton/poly-blend
was invented. You begin to think that modesty can be carried only so far. You begin
to accept your cellulite, and your neighbor's cellulite, as symbols of wisdom and
maturity. After all, what is skin for if not to breathe?
Best Reason to Visit Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium
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Ricky Williams
- The NFL paperwork was signed and Longhorn fans were resigned: The nation's highest-rated
running back was surely going pro. But then - surprise - Ricky Williams decided to
stay his senior year at UT, a decision which catapulted him to the top of the list
of Heisman trophy contenders and added a much-needed jolt of excitement to an otherwise
questionable Longhorns football season. This may be a rare time to believe the hype:
The dreadlocked teddy bear has got mountains of talent - and he's actually a nice
guy, too. Run, Ricky, Run!
UT Dept. of Men's Athletics, 471-4602
Best Reason to Visit Springfield, MA
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Jody Conradt in Basketball Hall of Fame
With more than 700 wins under her belt, Jody Conradt is women's college hoops'
most successful coach and - along with the likes of Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp -
one of the winningest coaches in all of college basketball. Next month, she will
join Celtic star-turned-Pacers coach Larry Bird and other basketball legends in the
Hall of Fame. Conradt, only the second woman to ever receive the honor, can take
more than a little credit for the development of the women's game and its explosion
in popularity on both the collegiate and professional level. Conradt's talent, humor,
and grace have long been prized here in Austin. We're thrilled to see it celebrated
on the national stage as well.
UT Dept. of Women's Athletics, 471-7693
Red Bud Trail
- As an alternative to MoPac or even Bee Caves Road, we take the long way home
whenever there's time. Running from Lake Austin Boulevard to Bee Caves Road, Red
Bud Trail crosses Lake Austin just east of Tom Miller Dam and wends through Hill
Country terrain and wildlife. Driving toward town, this route has the added bonus
of a Capitol vista.
Red Bud Trail, between Lake Austin & Bee Caves
Red's Indoor Range
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photograph by Ada Calhoun
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Practice makes perfect, and here at Red's 100-yard concrete range, you can rent a
lane for a nominal fee to work on your shooting accuracy. Gruff but helpful attendants
will rent you a gun, or there's a gun store attached in case you want to invest in
a weapon of your own. This is an ideal date spot, plus keep an eye out for regular
special days. Monday is "Ladies' Night;" Thursday is the night of the fully
automatic weapons.
6200 Hwy290W, 892-4867
Best Tree (Utilitarian Grounds)
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The Tree at...
- It's not much of a tree, as trees go. Twenty feet tall and a little sparse between
the limbs. But this young deciduate, growing on the grounds of the Gynics Associates
medical offices, is big enough to completely block out the billboard behind it. I
think that I shall never see, a billboard lovely as a tree. Score one for Mother
Nature.
1007 E. 41st
Best Two-Hour $5 Vacation
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Ski Shores Lakeside Restaurant
Out near City Park, 30 minutes from downtown, a relaxed resort attitude permeates
this hamburger joint like the smell of motor boats and beer. The cheap menu is the
hook and the yummy food is the sinker. Off-duty usicians (like Stevie Ray Vaughan)
have been coming to hang out at this quiet little piece of Austin-yesteryear for
years now. Swimsuited kids let out water-logged, caffeine giggles as they run up
and down the docks. Boaters lean way back in their chairs, letting their sunburns
heal in the faint porch lights that shine across the water like idle fireflies.
3301 Pearce on Lake Austin, 346-5915
Disch-Falk
- The triangular area which includes Disch-Falk Field and UT Press is bordered
by a broad sidewalk on all sides that makes an excellent walking/jogging track. One
"lap" is almost a perfect mile. The terrain is well landscaped and surprisingly
pleasant, with good trees and lamp posts for stretching. Plus, when the ball park
is not in use, the stadium stairs make a fantastic place to do stamina training.
But what really makes this place a favorite of ours is the evening entertainment.
During the fall, you can jog to the sound of the Longhorn band booming out the "Wabash
Cannonball," a truly invigorating experience, and during baseball season they
let you stand by the sidelines free after the sixth or seventh inning. It puts a
little spunk into your eight o'clock exercise.
MLK & I-35
Best Way to Lower Your Internal Thermostat
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Barton Springs, Nighttime Hours
- On the heels of a summer that's been an infernal and cussed mess, a surly swatch
of unmitigated torment, an unholy amalgam of unpardonable heat and unacceptable drought,
we're more grateful than ever for the 68 degree waters of ye ole city swimmin' hole.
Barton Springs for Best of Austin? Old hat, to be sure, but this time we give the
nod to the cooler, calmer nighttime hours, when admission is waived and the sun has
mercifully set. Still the best way to cool down before bedtime.
2201 Barton Springs Rd., 476-9400
Best Place to Live Out a Hitchcock Movie
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North End of Drake Bridge at Twilight
- If Austin harbors a place where you can regularly be chased by a cropduster or
scale the giant stone nose of a president, á la Hitchcock's North by Northwest,
we've yet to find it. But we have discovered a spot thatlets us be menaced
by scores of seemingly malevolentwinged creatures right out of Hitch's The Birds.
Almost every day at sunset, staggering numbers of birds flock around the north shore
of Town Lake at Drake Bridge on South First. They swarm, they swoop, they cover the
trees in the small triangle of greenspace at the end of the bridge, all of them squawking
and shrieking like berserker warriors pumping up for battlein some holy war - which
maybe they are. In any case, they're good for a Hitchcockian case of the creeps.
North end of Drake Bridge
