Both longtime institutions with friendly clientele, good food, and distinct personalities, Pearl's is Austin music's northern outpost while Wylie's is an anchor of the Sixth Street strip.

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A new trend and a new category, and this first-time winner is located in the burgeoning Arts District west of Congress Avenue.

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Our source says the Tuesday bondage night at Ohms is less thrilling than you'd think but Retro-Wednesdays and Fridays are cool. Our source also suggests trying 404 if you prefer "a classic, Eighties-style gay bar."

404
404 Colorado
512/499-0088

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Not only is it free, but this is also one of the nicest spots to hear some of Austin's music in the open air as the sun goes down in town.

Auditorium Shores at the Long Center
South First at Lady Bird Lake
512/482-0800

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One features the Buzzcocks and Tony Bennett, the other features Hank Williams and Talking Heads. You figure it out.

Deep Eddy Cabaret
2315 Lake Austin Blvd.
512/472-0961
www.deepeddycabaret.com

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Along with the popcorn and other standard fare, Dobie offers healthy candies and snacks, specialty coffees, and other goodies you don't expect from a Jujube vendor.

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Offering great sound, individual screening rooms designed to be theatres (and not previously parts of theaters), and the best prints, The Arbor 7 is a great place to watch movies.

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The foreign and independent films you read about in New York and national publications (but hold no hope that they'll show up here) frequently end up at the Village - they consistently book great independent and foreign films. Austin is blessed with the four screens at the Village, the excellent programming at the Dobie, and the interesting, often innovative films on campus. Fun date suggestion: take a friend to a foreign movie here. When it starts, hiss loudly "You mean we have to read the whole time?"

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Our Parisian friend E. says it's Paris in Austin. Look for local jazz favorites like Connie Blake, Sandy Allen, and Bobby Doyle.

The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos
512/439-1234
driskillhotel.com

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Not just a hang out, but one with swell food. And it just wouldn't be right to spill fancy food on a plain white t-shirt.

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Actually, we knew this already - we overheard it in Slacker.

Captain Quackenbush's
5326 Menchaca Rd.
512/453-3399
captquacks.com

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Interesting tie: let your fingers do the dancing on a bulletin board (the meat market of the info highway), or unleash your Penté-up romanticism whilst swigging down wheatgrass shots.

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Take your cue from the name of this joint -there are 19 tables at the south location and 24 up north.

Clicks Billiards
2121 E. Oltorf, 512/448-4945
10205 N. Lamar, 512/837-4688

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What does one say about a video store with a gazillion rated movies? How does one expand?

Blockbuster
1112-A N. Lamar
512/440-7710
www.blockbuster.com/

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Fifty million Elvis videos can't be wrong. All right, well how about a handful of Elvis and a ton of cult classics? They sport a prime selection of NC-17s, foreign movies, kid stuff, independent works, and more. You'll find those rare titles here and trust the staff, they've watched an extraordinary amount of the inventory.

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Both longtime institutions with friendly clientele, good food, and distinct personalities, Pearl's is Austin music's northern outpost while Wylie's is an anchor of the Sixth Street strip.

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Just what U2 and R.E.M. had in mind when they formed: "Hmmm, let's create stuff that will sound great at that place with the overstuffed bouncers!" But let's not forget Maggie's incredible beer selection. Bottom's up!

Maggie Mae's
323 E. Sixth
512/478-8541
www.maggiemaesaustin.com

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Choose from live music on Friday nights with alternating Tejano bands (though local and touring alternative bands are sneaking in the schedule), or jam to Tex-Mex tunes spun by DJs.

Escape Club
110 E. Riverside
512/444-8452

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Our source says the Tuesday bondage night at Ohms is less thrilling than you'd think but Retro-Wednesdays and Fridays are cool. Our source also suggests trying 404 if you prefer "a classic, Eighties-style gay bar."

404
404 Colorado
512/499-0088

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Described by one patron as a Hyatt Regency lounge meets an airport bar, Harry's is the place to find boys in starched everything.

Oilcan's
211 W. Fourth
512/320-8823
www.fb.com/oilcanharrys

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28 decks 450 feet above Lake Travis offer you and approximately 1,199 of your best friends an opportunity to enjoy a drink while the sun doth sink.

The Oasis
6550 Comanche Trl.
512/266-2442
oasis-austin.com

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Somehow Rick Linklater's yesteryear version seems more safe and romantic than today's real life waifs begging change, toting tots, and smokin' Spirits.

The Drag
Guadalupe, between MLK and Dean Keeton

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