Welcome to South Austin

Forgive the music, but I think we all have done this. Great memory.

Jovita's started as a small restaurant in a house with a garage serving as storage in the back and a small bar in the front. It has changed tremendously in fifteen years as the owners kept pumping profits back into expansion. They did a great job, a little bit at a time, but they have always been improving. Jovita's is in its prime and still getting better, but damn there is a lot of traffic on South First at five o'clock in the afternoon.
http://www.wisegeorge.blogspot.com
http://www.jovitas.com/

Wisegeorge has visited most South Austin Restaurants and Bars. Cool Guy.

She may be almost forgotten now, but Hattie Valdez was one of the most famous madams in Austin history. She had several houses and made millions of dollars.

It is said that when she walked into the Austin National Bank, all the bankers stood up and tried to help her. I figure her little black book contained the names of most of the prominent men in Austin at that time. Of course I have no proof of that.

Her residence was at 1405 E. Riverside Drive. It is on the southeast corner of I-35 and Riverside. Time Insurance Agency has been located there for the past 5 or 6 years.

There are two old homes on the site. I am sure they were beautiful homes in their time. The most interesting thing about these homes is the number of bathrooms. Almost every room has or did have a bathroom. Go figure…..

I have worked at Time Insurance in the past and I have a real good true story. One morning, one of the insurance ladies was writing a policy for this little old man that was probably in his mid 60’s. They were sitting in the dining area in the kitchen. The lady excused herself to go get some other paperwork. This little old man looked up at me and smiled and said, “ I’ve been here before, and it wasn’t no insurance agency”. I had to laugh..

I have another story told to me by an old south Austin wrecker driver. Waldo Harper owned a wrecker company in Austin. His son still owns the company. Waldo was the king of the little racetrack out by the Bergstrom Air Force Base. He almost always won the championship.

The story was told to me this way. Waldo was always looking for sponsorships for his racecar to help pay for the expenses. On day he hit Hattie up for a sponsorship. Hattie had a raspy voice from smoking. She said, “Hell, Waldo, what you put on the car”.

Waldo not missing a beat, said, “That’s easy Hattie, Hattie’s Hardware, the best screws in town.” True story.

I’ll have more to say about Hattie later…..

Below is a google map of Time Insurance Agency....


View Larger Map

This may not be in South Austin, but it's one of the reasons that I love Austin, Texas. This is the spirit of Austin.... Don't come if you don't want to fit in...
This may be the friendliest city in the country, so help pass it on...

These are all taken right along the river.

Dec. 31, 1980....Part 2.

DECEMBER 31, 1980 THE FINAL NIGHT FOR THE ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS...FEATURING COMMANDER CODY, BILL KIRCHEN, JERRY JEFF WALKER, KENNETH THREADGILL, ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND MORE!!

I will post more of these because it is important to South Austin... The Dillo is where Austin got its groove....

Located on Brodie Lane in South Austin. A cool place to go. Used to be a Maudie's Cafe, now real cajun food and music.

Most of the pictures are from South Austin or downtown Austin, just north of the river. Come on down. Lose that tie, put on some sandals and relax, you're in Austin.

From the 1977 Polydor release "high riding". Produced by Tommy Allsup. True Americana Music from Texas. Take a tour inside the "Broken Spoke". I think you will like it. It's worth a visit just to see the museum and eat Chicken Fried Steak.

The Circle C area used to be the Covert Ranch. One of my high school buddies lived on the ranch. His mother owned the ranch. Now a very large subdivision in southwest Austin.

This laps the Austin Veloway at 18 mph. Cool machine. In the spirit of Keeping Austin Weird.

SoCo district of Austin, TX
Nice slideshow of my favorite part of my favorite city in the World. I live here because I'm not all there, and a few hundred other reasons, like I was born here.

In the spirit of Keeping Austin Weird.



Here's his story.....

Thursday night (oct 23 2008) i was driving down to 7-Eleven on Brodie Lane South, around 9-10pm to get some cigs, when i was headed north and i saw a very large bright light low in the sky, next to some radar towers, didnt think much and just figured it was a plane, because the planes always come in from the north to bergstrom airport from that direction. but what i found interesting is it wasnt moving, when i got a few blocks farther east it was on the other side of
these radar towers, so from that angle it appeared to be moving and said ok its
an airplane, i get to the store and there are people standing outside
staring at it, i was there a litle while as i waited in line , approx 5 minutes or so, they where buisy.

When i came outside from the store, the light was in the same place, as i walked by the onlookers, i cracked a joke and said there coming to get us, everyone kinda chuckled.

What struck me as odd tho, was on my wack back home when i got on the main street where i originaly saw it, the bright light was in the same exact location as it was when i first drove down the street, by this time approx 10mins had past. Planes do not stay in the same place for the long of a time period, and it was to big to be a helicopter.

When i got home i asked my wife and her mother if they wanted to see a UFO, they laughed and i said i was dead serious, so we all jumped in the truck, drove down to where i saw it, and of course nothing, nada, zilch, completely gone.

If that was a plane we would have at least caught it coming into bergestrom airport, or other surounding areas.

Now tonight (Oct 25th 2008) they just had on the news KVUE, more sightings from up north in stephenseville, and you guessed it, the sightings where all on thursday night (oct 23 2008), one of the witness's even said his brother in Austin could see it from his location.

7 F16 fighters where scrambled shortly after the sighting, they claimed it was training, all i can say is, that was probably my first real UFO sighting in the sense that it was truly unidentified and could not compare it to anything i know of, not to mention now there have been multiple witness to come forth about it at the same time, same night.

What you see in this video was identical of what i saw from South Austin.

South Austin's Favorite Son. Willie Nelson.
Toby Keith and Scott Emerick singing the song "I'll Never Smoke Weed With Willie Again" during Willie Nelson's 70th birthday celebration

When I was a child, Aussie's used to be the A & W Root Beer Stand. They had cold root beer served in iced mugs. Used to love to go there as a child.

Aussie's has good food. I really like thier Chook Salad with Fried Chicken.

In the summertime, the girls play in bikinis at the sand volleyball pits.

Located in South Austin of course.

A segment of Larry O'Neal's City of Austin Retirement Party held on January 29, 2001. Larry often picked up a burger from Sandy's, a local burger stand where the multi-talented gentleman in the video said he worked

Manchaca is in South Austin. Spent a lot of time on that street.

The Continental Club in Austin,TX -November 8,2008...This video is by sung by Glambilly: HOW I GOT TO TEXAS

This is a famous club just across the river in South Austin on South Congress.

While this event is not held in South Austin, it is the embodiment of everything South Austin is about. Come on down next year.

This annual trail is in Zilker Park in South Austin.

I am posting this in memory of Poodie. He died this week. He worked for Willie Nelson for 30 years as his road manager.
Poodie's needs no introduction to Austinites in the know. It seems like it is a long way out on 71 but actually when you get to 620 and the Aboretum in Bee Caves, you are two thirds of the way there. I'd say 20 miles out of town, maybe twenty five. You never know when you might run into Willie Nelson at Poodie's. They are tight and he and Willie have worked together for decades. Of course, like everyone, he has his detractors. People who do their job well, often do.
http://www.poodies.info/
http://www.myspace.com/poodieshilltop

The above is written by WiseGeorge.
Visit George's blog at: Website: http://www.wisegeorge.blogspot.com

Here we visit the former location of the Armadillo World Headquarters, a legendary venue that brought huge acts to Austin between 1970-1981. Owner Eddie Wilson talks to Austin's own Brothers and Sisters into playing a song about a fallen friend. I took my wife to our first date at the Armidillo. We went to see Tom T. Hall.

This is why people love Austin so much and guess what? It's in South Austin.

They have two of these restuarants in south Austin. They also own Scholz Garden.
http://www.scholzgarten.net/ I am posting a video about Scholz on one of my other blogs: http://txastateofmind.blogspot.com

The reason that they call it Nutty Brown is because the original business at this location was a factory that made Nutty Brown Pralines. Before it became the cafe, someone had a western clothing store there. I still have a couple of western shirts that I bought there. Now it's a big time music venue. A couple of weeks ago, (I live about 3 or 4 miles away as the crow flies)Pat Green played at there. I could hear it from my front porch. I guess it was pretty loud that day.




Read more about the Cafe at: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/11/141634/restaurant/Southwest-Austin/Nutty-Brown-Cafe-Austin

or read more at the Hill Country Hippie Blog: http://hillcountryliving.blogspot.com/2008_05_04_archive.html

Zax is a nice place. Somebody has dumped a bunch of money into this establishment. I remember it as Charlie's Hamburgers then as an Austin Music Venue and later Al Capone's Italian Restaurant. Well, those places are gone and I wish I had video, but I don't. However I take consolation in the fact that I never went to any of them except Charlie's Hamburgers anyway and now I do have video of the current and future incarnation of this building from the past. This was posted by WiseGeorge.

My memories go farther back. When my dad had a shop less than a block away, this old wooden building was a venetian blind factory. According to my mom, during World War II, this building was a skating rink. My mom and her dad were run over by a drunk sailor just outside this building.

This is Oltorf heading east from I-35. Oltorf is about 3 exits south of the river on I-35. Deep South Austin here. They are filming the south side of the street. Not far from my old neighborhood. Travis High School is on Oltorf, just on the west side of I-35. I went to Travis in the 10th grade.

Well, I might be from South Austin, but in my opinion the best enchaladas in Austin are at The Frisco Shop. All their food is good, but I love the enchaladas. This video shows the last day at their old location. It reopened a few months later down the road. Visit The Frisco Shop; http://www.frisconighthawk.com/frisco/regrandopening.html

Amazing sight...........

I found this picture (wisegeorge took the photo) and it reminded me of Jim Green. Jim was a true South Austinite. He was a good businessman but he had electic ways. This old shop just up the hill on South Lamar from our shop has had many reincarnations. But it has always been an automotive repair shop.



After Jim closed this shop, he and a lady named Gertrude opened a pizza restaurant out in Oak Hill in the Albertson's Shopping Center (the Albertsons is now closed). I have got to say that this was some of the best pizza I ever ate in my life. It was there for a long time until Mr. Gatti's decided to open their first GattiTown in the same shopping center. It spelled the end of Gertrudes.


Wisegeorge is doing a great job documenting the real Austin. I wish that you would visit his blog at www.wisegeorge.blogspot.com.

Today is Easter. Some of us are baptists, some catholics and every religion in between. Now in South Austin, they have a celebration of life every sunday at Maria's Hippie Church..

Stevie loved South Austin.

Well, I will give the answers to How Can That Be in a few days. Having too much fun with it right now.

The South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery is fairly new. It is located on South 1st Steet, just a little ways up the hill from Barton Springs Road. If you are still lost, its a couple of miles south of the River on South 1st. It's real close to Freddy's.

This is part of the new "South Austin Look", but it fits the old too. Enjoy

To prove that I really have earned the name of South Austin Lifer, I have posted some questions below. See how many you can solve. Email me with your answers,
mcarlson12@austin.rr.com

How Can that Be?

I have met my cousin with my same name, Mike Carlson. My dad’s father was an only child and I had two uncles, one of my uncles never married and the other one didn’t have any children.

How Can That Be?

I have a cousin that is my first and second cousin.


How can that be?


My brother in law and I have an aunt in common, but we are not related.


How can that be?

My wife’s cousin’s kids are my third cousins. I am not kin to my wife’s cousin.


How can that be?


My momma’s first cousin’s nephew is first cousin with my brother in law.

How can that be?

My sister’s mothers in law’s nieces are my first cousins.

How can that be?

My mom’s first cousins mom is the aunt of my brother in laws first cousin.

How can that be?

My daughter’s maiden name was Cox and my wife’s grandmother’s maiden name was Cox

How can that be?

My sister and her husband have the same first cousins.

How can that be?

My aunt’s child is my dad’s second cousin?

How can that be?

My second cousin’s mom is the sister in law of my brother in law’s aunt.

How can that be?

My second cousin’s mom is the grandmother of my wife’s cousin’s kids.

How can that be?

I went to my wife’s family reunion and met, Mike Carlson.

How can that be?

Have Fun.
I’m normal, I think.

Mike

Here is part 2 of A Few Minutes in South Austin. This is just a few minutes of a look at a SMALL portion of Zilker Park, in South Austin. This park is huge, people. 351 acres. The Rolling Stones played there recently. Also some scenes in the movie "Dazed and Confused" were reportedly filmed at Zilker Park.
The river you see is Barton Creek, and it spills out into Austin' Lady Bird Lake, which is another name for the Colorado River. We called President Lyndon Johnson's wife, Lady Bird. She helped to restore the native areas around Zilker and downtown Austin surrounding the Lake that we used to call, Town Lake.

This is the theme song for "Austin City Limits". Always think of the old "Armidillo World Headquarters" in South Austin when I hear the song. Enjoy

I really like this video by WiseGeorge, because about halfway through the video, he films my dad's old shop. On the video he is cussing Sam's Auto Care. That was the shop that we moved into in 1969. We kept the parking lot full too. Today, Music Makers leases the building from my mom. It looks alot nicer today.

James White opened the Broken Spoke in 1964. The who's who of Country Music has played there. It is a real Texas Honky Tonk. Those old red walls could really tell some stories.

Well, most people think that the charm of South Austin started with the Armidillo World Headquarters. There might be something to that. It was located just behind the area of the current Threadgills. Willie, Waylon and the Outlaws started it and every popular singer at the time showed up at the Armidillo. It was in the seventies and quite weird. The bikers, cowboys and the hippies all went to the Armidillo and got along quite well. The Armidillo was in an old qlansit hut building used previously by the military. My dad's shop was next to the Threadgills location in the 60's. At that time it was the location of the Squirrell's Inn, a beer joint. I remember it was green in color and my dad used to go there and have a few after work. I spent many hours there. Next to it was a Mexican Beer Joint that I don't remember the name of. Across Riverside was the Big Bear Food Mart.
I took my wife on our first date to the Armidillo to see Tom T. Hall. After the Squirrell's Inn was torn down they built the Marimont Cafeteria. This is the building that now houses Threadgills. WiseGeorge shot the video that follows. I have talked to him and he has tried to film most of South Austin, so I will probably use a lot of his videos to tell about South Austin.

Enjoy the film of Threadgills.


flash2pic

I was raised in South Austin, it was much different than today, but it still had the same flavor. We were always laid back.

Enjoy the video


flash2pic