Austin v. Las Vegas

Having been to both places recently, I observed that the two are similar.  The fastest growing city of the 90s v. the fastest growing city of the 2000s.

They both have a cool and unique vibe to their cities, but discerning the original from the manufactured can be a thin line.   And despite that cool, unique vibe, at their hearts, they are many residents who are just on the sidelines of the tourist scene that is such an economic driver.

As Raoul, a car salesman in Las Vegas put it, "You can have a good middle class life here, particularly with two people working.  But you absolutely cannot have a gambling weakness."  Raoul was from Romania, and seemed a believer in the American Dream.

Austin is now a multi-county MSA.  The Downtown/University/Inner City scene is a world away to the Little League-SUV crowd.   Wages are high in Austin for the good jobs, so you probably could have a good life on one income if you're lucky.

But the lower wages jobs get filled quickly, as they are many people who just want to live the Austin lifestyle.

Las Vegas fell hard after the boom, and foreclosures are high there.  Home prices are high in Austin.  Could it be the Vegas of the 2020s?

Roy Kizer Golf Course - Austin

Back in January, I was trying to set up a game at Roy Kizer, the "New" course in Austin (since 1994).  It didn't work out then and that was a good thing.  At that time we were in town for a wedding, and a game of golf would have ate up the schedule.

Fast forward (recall the cassette tape) to August.  Golf game now complete.  I played today with old friend Clint and his friend Tomas and Tomas' son Diego (7) came along too.

Kizer has the repututation of the best city course in Austin.  It is billed as a links course (not many trees) but it does share the same tree-ed sides with its brother course Jimmy Clay right next door.  The links holes were pretty straightforward but the tree-ed holes (my word) were excellent.  Some good holes were 16 (short part 4) and 17 (called Captain Hook).  9 and 18 were fine finishing holes.  The area of the course called Cliffside was scenic, particularly the waste area in the middle of the course.  It takes into account the nearly McKinney Falls and the shallow limestone formations.

Roy Kizer was the longtime greenskeeper at my old home course of Lions Municipal and during the 80s there was a junior tournament at Muny called the Roy Kizer.  So it is fitting that they named this fine "new" course after him.

Next on the schedule is the renovated Morris Williams Course set to be complete in 2013.  Nice to see redevelopment of existing facilities instead of suburban sprawl.

My Next 30 Years

At the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater in Austin, they are showing several movies from the Summer of 1982, such as E.T., Conan the Barbarian, Poltergeist, and noting that it was a good summer for movies.

On another note, it was recently pointed out that the movie Back to the Future where Marty McFly goes back 30 years in time to 1955 - if done today, would be 1982!

I won't go on too much about how things have changed in the last 30 years.  Suffice to say, I've changed with them.  It does get you thinking, as Sarah is about to go off to college, how she'll remember 2012.  As I say, all those songs about being 17 or 18, that's your life right now!

July recap

In the Episcopal priesthood there is a tradition of a sabbatical, every 7 years, to get away from the daily pressure and to get in touch with more spiritual matters.  After 20 years of law practice and 18 years of child raising, I thought that this past month was a good time for a sabbatical.

So I have been gone more than I've been around these past few weeks.  My last post was from our California trip so I'll recap what's been going on (and why).

As my dear readers know, I'm a fan of the Life List or the bucket list.  So I've been hitting several of these list items to cross off

1.  Drive to California.  Done.  From McAllen TX to Las Vegas NV and then an extension to Death Valley, CA.  No one said I had to drive back.  It was a great trip with my friend Bennett.  He enjoyed getting away and the drive as well, and we had a good time doing some things differently.  He was a good sport and we agreed on lots of unusual Vegas things such as:

Carrot Top comedy show
Dinner Buffet at the Green Valley Resort
the trip to Death Valley and Pahrump, NV
Pole Position racing
Toyota Prius shopping
$7.77 Gamblers Special at Hard Rock Hotel
Steak and Eggs for every mean


2. Return to Southern California.  Done.  My last visit there was 1986 and I'm surprised it took so long to get back.  It was as good as remembered.  We did lots of fun things

Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel .  Per cousin Justin's recommendation it was a great classic hotel.
Visit to Rancho Park and Holmby Hills
Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive.  We liked the valet stand at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.  Full of Bentleys.
Century City Mall.
Disneyland Resort
Santa Monica and Muscle Beach
Cal Tech.

3.  Visit the Old Home Place of Muskogee, OK.  This was a highlight because Ed went with me.

Saw the family graves at the Greenhill Cemetery
Played golf at Muskogee CC
Had dinner on the Illinois River at the Sequoyah Club
Found the location of the old Pure Oil refinery
Went to 608 E. Okmulgee and looked all around inside
Drove by 1205 E. Chesnut St.
Learn a lot of family history

4.  Visited Dallas TX and old friend Jeff, Richard and Vic from Austin High.

Did 41 mile Goatneck ride on Saturday
Did sprint triathlon on Sunday

5.  Saw Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney in Houston in concert

the encore was great, best I've seen

Feel Like a Rock Star
She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
Indian Outlaw
The Fireman
Runnin' on Empty

On vacation

We have arrived tonight in Anaheim CA.  The strip of hotels leading past Disneyland is quite impressive.  We are at Sheraton 2.0 as Sarah called it, just past the first Sheraton.  We knew we had it good at the Century Plaza and this hotel is more suburban.  Lots of restaurants on the strip as well.  They know a good location  like Disney when they see it.

We now have our Park Hopper tickets and our shuttle tickets and are figuring out which rides to hit first. The lines form fast so striking early is a good strategy.  Susan announced she was not going to go so she'll sleep in and we will take a break in the afternoon to leave the park and have an early dinner.  Then the kids plan to go back until late.

The visit to Pasadena and Cal Tech was a success today.  Cal Tech is very small, only 1000 undergrads, all lovers of science.   The presentation to the students was the best I've heard.  They did a good job of explaining the student profile they believe will be successful and how to showcase yourself.  Quite the opposite of the larger schools which have an "it depends" mentality.

A most interesting man

Talking with Louis who takes care of my car at the Autohaus, I mentioned I was going to Las Vegas with our friend Bennett. Louis said "I was just there". Bennett and I noticed he was out a few days last week. Louis went to Las Vegas to attend a dinner honoring his friend Attorney Herb Santos. Herb is an influential person, being a former chair of the Nevada Boxing Commission, which regulates the big fights. At the dinner Louis met Bill Lear, of Lear Jet fame. He also got invited to the home of a top level person who was going to show him what went on at Area 52. Even more secret than Area 51. I had just read up on this black ops that have been housed in Nevada for years. To complete the trip he hit the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop of Pawn Stars fame and negotiated a low price on a music box from the 1800s. lots of cool things done in a short trip!

SCOTUS

The Supreme Court Of The United States has spoken:  The Affordable Care Act is constitutional!  Hear Ye/ Hear Ye.

It's amazing how so many people are experts on the Supreme Court.  At lunch today, some random person went on a detailed discussion about the case.   "What do you think?" he asked me.  I couldn't add any more than what he had said.  It shows how far away the cases in the Supreme Court (the Ivory Tower) are from the front lines of the local lawyers.  I always thought that if a case had to go that far, it would be a money/time loser to all involved.

In other legal news, the US Attorney General is in criminal contempt of Congress for withholding requested documents on Operation Fast and Furious.  That is the "gun-walking" (as opposed to gun-running) where US officials allowed guns to be illegally sold and illegally exported, resulting in death and destruction.  There are a lot of local prosecutions for guns now.  Makes me think that the  Fast and Furious was not limited to just the Tucson AZ area and now they are trying to clean up the mess.

Next week is the 4th of July.  It's been slow at work and likely will only get slower, with Wednesday being the 4th.  That means a lot of people will take long weekends, maybe even myself.  If you can't beat them, join them.  Then vacation starts the next week.  But a watched pot never boils.  I expect things will get back to crazy/normal soon.