Tell Us About: Why you live where you live.

[Dirty_habiT]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm glad to see that there are so many people here hanging out again. I was brainstorming on some thread ideas that could get some discussions rolling here and this is one I came up with. I was talking with Misteraven the other day and said that this forum has some of the most senior forum members out of most any forum online.

 

Seriously, think about it. How many other forums that are still around and active have members that have been there since 1999? It's quite amazing and unique the community that has been built here by it's people. So I wanted to make a new thread format given that we have people that are 'senior' (no sorry probably not getting discounts at Denny's yet quite yet) holding onto, what I could only believe to be, good stories. In a typical story-time fashion (think Drunk History or Reddit's AMA's) let's have people ask others about things that you wouldn't typically hear about. I've asked 'elderly' people questions about their past before and saw their eyes light up, like they hadn't told their favorite stories in years because nobody asked.

 

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Anyway, tell us about where you live. Why do you live there? Did you end up there because of work, a lover, is it because that's where mom's basement is? What is there to do where you live? I live in Austin, TX and I notice that a lot of people like to come here in a tourist fashion and they always ask the same questions. If you haven't looked at the austin, tx subreddit.... I highly encourage you to. I spent years in tech and avoided getting on reddit because of.... well really because of 12oz Prophet. I had known what a forum was and what it was like to have a wild discussion about wtf ever with strangers.

 

That's what Reddit appealed to with people, it brought 'the forum' to the masses. I didn't care about it because I already experienced it for years on 12ozProphet so it wasn't anything new or alluring to me. So, I check reddit every now and then because the Austin, TX subreddit is such a shit show. You can seriously get a bowl of popcorn, a pickle, a soda, and sit down to read it as a means of entertainment because the people living here are in many cases/ways ridiculous.

 

Anyway, to not derail too far.... people always ask what the cool places to go here are because they only have 2 days and they need to do everything.

 

It's not possible. So it pays to have a friend that knows the joint's in's and out's as I'm sure any of you that have traveled and couch surfed in other cities are aware. It pays huge to have a nice tour guide. I don't claim to know or do all the coolest shit in Austin, TX.... but I've lived here long enough to kinda know a little bit about what's up.

 

 

This is a typical picture that you will see if you look up this city. This is the '360 Bridge'. The views of Lake Travis and the Texas Hill Country that Austin resides near are quite beautiful. The weather here is HOT in the summer as you would expect. I drove to San Antonio and then Uvalde last weekend and my car's ambient temp gauge was clocking 102*F outside.... and that's kinda low. I wouldn't be surprised if we see some days this summer in the 110 range.

 

Austin, TX is amazing and special to me because I went to high school here and most of the people I keep in touch with that I went to high school with all still live in the same area down south. There are a ton of outdoor activities to do here.

 

The Green Belt

Google Map - https://www.google.com/maps/place/Barton+Creek+Greenbelt/@30.2471716,-97.8148779,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x865b4ad6b1f4b669:0xb200ad9d975a19ed!8m2!3d30.247167!4d-97.8126892

Gigantic wooded area with a lot of natural flowing creek/river water. There are a ton of nice secluded spots to get to and many popular ones too all along the water within the woods. It is basically a party outdoors in the summer there all the time. It's accessible from almost anywhere in the city. For instance, if I wanted to stand up and say I'm going to the rope swing to practice my backflips right now, I could be in the water in less than 45 minutes. Recently with the influx of new people moving to Austin there have been a lot more instances of people finding litter. And shitty litter, like literally baby diapers, glass bottles, and the like. You know, just total schmuck type stuff. Anyway, the Green Belt is still awesome and holds a special place in my heart.

 

Pace Bend Park -- Lake Travis

Google Map - https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pace+Bend+Park/@30.4596386,-98.0214358,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x865b3b3681a3b4b3:0x20f207a3de9e2ce8!8m2!3d30.4596386!4d-98.0192471

'Acid Rock':

another view of the same spot:

This, I've jumped off this spot and hung out on that rock in the water a million times. Exaggerating a little but this is an amazing place to go and easy to find within the park if you stick to the right when you go in. When I was younger, a bit more wreckless, and didn't have health insurance/to pay my own bills... I used to do backflips off that cliff. I don't know how high it is. We also used to jump off these cliffs in the dark while 'camping' without any tents on certain psychadelic substances. Nobody ever got hurt or really in too much trouble thank God.

 

 

Tubing at Don's Fish Camp -- San Marcos, TX (30 minutes south on I-35)

Don's Fish Camp is a place you can go to tube for ~4h or so. I used to go down there and do what all the college kiddos are doing which is get drunk af by the time you're at the end where your cars are parked. Nowadays I like to go there kinda early in the morning before all the rugrats wake up from their ragers the night before.... but it never fails. You will always get to witness some crazy drunk shit on that river, whether it's some bro's trying to throw someone their car keys because it has a bottle opener on it (no glass in the river lol) and losing the keys in the water forever, flipping over in your tube while bringing all your important shit with you (phone keys wallet etc) and losing it forever, the guys in full scuba diving gear at the sections of rapids collecting on a sweet payday from all the shit people have lost in the water, the drunk girls at the end saying 'stephanie... .you bitch.... where are you stephanie, i love youuuu.... you bitch.... stephanNNIEEEEE'. You know that kind of stuff. Fun times. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen whether you intend to get torched on beers or not. Also, 'slap the bag' is a thing. They drink bag wine out of the bag.... on the river.

 

Camping - There are basically a ton of state parks to camp at. My favorites are Palo Duro Canyon SP, Colorado Bend SP, Pedernales Falls SP, and Enchanted Rock SP.

 

Food:

Torchy's Tacos

Website: https://torchystacos.com/menu/

Secret Menu: https://austin.com/torchys-secret-menu/

Pretty good, unique tacos. Check out their menu, go there if it sounds good. They probably have some of the best queso you can get from anywhere ever so don't skip on that if you go. My favorites are the Matador (secret menu item), the Tipsy Chick, the Tokyo Drifter (taco of the month taco that comes around once a year), and the typical Trailer Park Trashy style. If you want the OG Torchy's experience visit it at the trailer park location on the east side of South 1st street just south of Oltorf.

 

Dan's Hamburgers

http://www.dans-hamburgers.com/mobile_site/index.php

Legendary in my book. A little greasy, but they use some of the best ingredients without being all fucking hippy about it. Their spot is at Manchaca and 71 (pronounced Man Chak - this is a subject of great contention in the community, again check the subreddit for austin tx for proof. It does come up every now and then).

 

Perry's Pork Chop Friday

http://www.perryssteakhouse.com/promo/pork-chop-friday-lunch/

 

Seriously every other pork chop in the history of ever get fucked.

 

Perry's is in downtown Austin. It's a nice steak house that is in a building that used to be a bank. You can request the vault room which still has the door from the bank vault on it... you know the big round one with huge sliding studs to lock it in place coming out all around the circumference. This is an upscale joint, dress nice if you go... or I would anyway. So the point is, you need to go here on Friday for lunch either with a reservation ahead of time or you show up when the doors open at 11AM. You, otherwise can wait nearly an hour to get a seat because it's very full. On Friday for lunch you can get their porkchop for $14... and that's why it goes nuts there every Friday. And this is not just some pork chop dried out that your grandma made smothered in gravy.... this is like some ill shit you've never put any meat in your mouth before that was this good.

 

Living in Austin:

Traveling/traffic - Sneaking on/off the entrance/exit ramps to avoid traffic/lights. Traffic is terrible here all the time. The city planners didn't anticipate the need for more north/south infrastructure so we're stuck with only I-35 and Mopac to cross the river in downtown Austin. This creates bad congestion. Just north and south of downtown there are many exits where you can get off and back on the highway without sitting through a traffic light and you can go around all the traffic that is waiting. I do this to get home from down town in grid locked traffic in about 20 minutes and I live on the far south side of Austin. People generally are not good at driving here. You have to save your life everytime you drive your car because of the morons. Anyway, I won't get into that too heavily. Plan your trips early in this town and/or sit in traffic, those are your choices.

 

Public Transit - buses run most hours of the day and can get you anywhere for cheap. They have bike racks so you can take your bike. There's a light rail in downtown that heads north west out of town up to Cedar Park and such.... aka South Dallas.

 

South Dallas vs. North Mexico - There's a running theme where people that live in the northern parts just outside of downtown are referred to as living in 'South Dallas'. I lived in Dallas before and don't hate it, it's ok up there. But in Austin, Dallas has a negative stigma, so it's a cutdown to tell someone that they are being all 'Johnny Dallas' right now. Likewise, south Austin is viewed as 'Northern Mexico' and 'trashy' and crappy full of hippies or w/e. I really think it's funny. I live in the South area and I think it's where many of the long time Austinites reside.

 

So that's about as much as I can write about Austin right now. Please tell us about your place and don't be cheap about it.

 

-- DHabz

Edited June 2, 2018 by Dirty_habiT

[misteraven]

Fuck, that’s a packed post. Read it all and honestly I’d never really wanted to check out Austin until now. That river float jam looks so fresh. They have similar stuff up here but seeing as how the rivers are glacier snow melt, sitting idle in a tube floating down a river borders on torture most of the time.

 

Anyhow, still finding my way around after being here 1.5 years but will get back as soon as possible with some highlights.

 

Good post @Dirty_habiT

[Pistol]

I live about 11 miles from downtown Los Angeles. I currently live in a city next to the city I grew up in. I moved away to orange count a few years back. Had my own house a few blocks from Disneyland. Sold that house after a divorce. Moved in with girlfriend. I like it here. I'd like to buy another house I guess. Gotta wait for the housing market to kinda take a shit again so I can jump in again. Shithole fixer uppers in my area are 400k and decent is 500+.

 

Los Angeles is obviously pretty well known for things to do and places to see. I usually avoid those places. I'm on the east side. I feel like it has more history and culture. A lot of people talk shit about LA and the superficial atmosphere. No doubt. But I see that on the west side with rich people and transplants. The true Los Angeles people that have been here trying to carve out a slice of the American Dream before it was a piece of America. The heart and soul of the city that make the city run.

 

I do enjoy going hiking in the San Gabriel mountains near Pasadena. A few minutes north of DTLA. Some short hikes with nice waterfalls.

 

Summer nights at Dodger Stadium are nice. Still trying to get over last seasons ending. Went to all 4 games of the World Series. Weekday games can be had for a great price.

 

The Griffith Park observatory is a great place to go. Obviously the regular observatory stuff but also great views of downtown, Hollywood, and the grids and layout of the city. Lots of hiking trails in Griffith park as well.

 

Griffith park is also home to Travel Town. It's a cool little train museum with a bunch of trains you can get on and explore. They have a small train you can ride on. It's a hidden gem for rail fans and never crowded.

 

The Gene Autry museum is located in Griffith park next to the LA Zoo. Lots of cowboy and native history stuff. But the also have rotating exhibitions there. Some Ive seen there Johnny cash, Yosemite rock climbing history, Los Angeles street names dedicated to saints. Etc.

 

We have the Page museum located at the la Brea tarpits. They have animals the pulled out of the tarpits etc. One of my favorite places as a kid.

 

The natural history museum is a great museum. Dinosaurs, gemstones, animals from around the world. Exhibits with insects, the Los Angeles River, butterflies, along with rotating exhibits. A big tattoo exhibit was held a couple months ago.

 

Theres other museums located on the grounds like the African American museum and science center as well as rose garden and fountain.

 

I generally don't go to Santa Monica, Venice or Malibu for my beach fix. I prefer Orange County beaches like sunset, Huntington, or Bolsa Chica. Sometimes Crystal Cove. Huntington and Bolsa Chica have fire pits so you can have bonfires on the beach. San Pedro is cool at the ports of long beach and Los Angeles.

 

Food wise. Every one knows about In n Out. Taco wise King Taco is the most famous taco place but I don't feel the greatest. There's so many taco, burrito, burger, pizza places around. It's kinda more about where you live. Since Los Angeles is so big. Different area have their local spots.

 

I'd probably like to live here for the rest of my life. Or at least until those im close to die off. Then I'll travel or find a cheap home in green triangle when I retire at 55 from my union city job.

[Pistol]

Damn 5 minute limit. Wrote some more but when I submitted it got deleted.

Brief version.

You can be surfing at the beach and an hour later on the slopes in the mountains or in the desert. Pretty awesome.

 

My gf and I went to a Dodger game. Left early to see Sister Nancy for free at a reggae concert on the Santa Monica pier, then drove to The desert of

Joshua Tree to see a

Meteor shower without light pollution.

Pretty cool day without too much trouble.

[misteraven]

Damn 5 minute limit. Wrote some more but when I submitted it got deleted

 

Sorry man, wasn’t even aware of that. Thought the system auto saved as well. Anyhow, there’s another thread about beta testing the new forum so shouldn’t be an issue much longer.

 

Also, great post man. Will get back on my take on NW Montana.

[Dirty_habiT]

Pistol - It sounds like the side of the city you live on is like how I believe South Austin to be.... it's like that's where the "old people" of the city are. It's not to say they're not in other areas too but I get what you mean. It sounds like you really enjoy museums. There are some great ones in Houston, TX. I think I went to the natural sciences museum there most recently and it was pretty amazing. They had an indoor butterfly area that had some 100s of species of butterflies all just hanging out in there flying around.

 

I think people can also add on about other cities they've lived in as well when they feel like it/get time. I can talk about San Antonio, TX and Dallas, TX a bit as well because I've lived in both of those places.

 

I will add some more to my post about Austin... there are some other things I can talk about and will note here so I don't forget. BMX, COTA, "Dog Friendly" everything, 6th St., Barton Springs Swimming Pool & Free Area, Paddle Boarding/Canoing on Lady Bird Lake, food trucks all over the place and people that desire to eat food from food trucks talking about food trucks.

Edited June 3, 2018 by Guest

[Pistol]

I had wrote the post. Then I went to edit. But I submitted at 6 minutes after original post. So it denied me. Didnt think it saved the message or at least I didn't see it when I scrolled down. All good I think I remember a time when edits weren't allowed at all on here. All good.

 

Yeah DHabz. I enjoy museums and stuff. Didn't even get a chance to talk about the Getty museum and Getty villa or the Broad which I haven't been to yet. I just figured more people go to the super touristy spots like Hollywood, Santa Monica, Disneyland etc. I'll post up some food spots later.

[micahhawaii]

Honestly went thru a bad break up and had nowhere to live. Luckily my sister moved from Hawaii to California so her room was available in Hawaii. Didn’t really have anything to lose by moving to Hawaii so i took the chance. It’s been 6 years may since I’ve moved and life has been more than great. There’s a door graff community here and i live near the beach. I do miss California but with all the pros i have in Hawaii it’s hard to move back. 

[DETO]

I LIVE UP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. I LOVE IT HERE, IT'S A SMALL ARTSY TOWN, BUT TOO MANY RICH TEXANS KEEP COMING IN AND FUCKING THE PLACE UP AND DRIVING UP THE PRICES OF EVERYTHING. BUT IT'S A GREAT LITTLE TOWN FOR ART, MOUNTAIN CLIMBING, FISHING, HIKING AND SNOWBOARDING. WE GOT ONE OF THE BEST MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD. EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY WHICH CAN KINDA SUCK AT TIMES, BUT IT BEATS LIVING IN THE CITY. THAT'S FOR SURE. WE HAVE HARDLY ANY FRANCHISE RESTAURANTS, SO WE HAVE TONS OF GREAT LOCAL EATERIES. THE FOOD HERE IS AMAZING. MY KIDS PLAY OUTDOORS WITH NO WORRIES TILL IT'S DARK OUTSIDE.

[DETO]

MY DAUGHTER WALKING UP OUR DRIVEWAY... 

[misteraven]

@DETOlooks really nice man. On a similar tip myself. Search CH0 for my Off Grid thread. 

[Mercer]

As for now, it's the capitol of the known universe, well, at least the UN is headquartered here and it has the highest GDP per capita of any city on earth. The food is unfuckwitable by any other city on the planet as well which I fully appreciate. I've always wanted to live here since I was a kid, and finally had the balls to move here in 2005.

 

In particular I live in Astoria Queens. the entire part of this boro that used to be called Long Island City but has been broken down into smaller neighborhoods including Astoria is laced with small immigrant communities. I feel like the culinary arts are the most important art form in my life right now,  and being able to choose from 1000 year old family recipes from almost every culture on the planet in this neighborhood keeps me satisfied. There's a Thai neighborhood, Greek, Columbian, Indian, Filipino, etc. to choose from here each with competing restaurants.

 

Manhattan sucks, tried living downtown there for 3 years and it was miserable. This area of Queens isn't so crowded you're getting bumped into by some aggressively walking twat as soon as you walk out your front door, and you can see the sky. There's an East River ferry 2 blocks away, which is good because I don't fuck with the transit system here at all, but still want to commute home drunk from Williamsburg/Manhattan on the cheap after seeing a show.

 

My new building is dope, 6 units and were all pretty tight knit. A couple of months after moving in invited all the neighbors up for pizza and beer and every one of them showed up, we had a great time as well. That shit would have never gone down in Manhattan, or most likely any building I've lived in in other cities like Denver/Pittsburg, but here, it's not too uncommon given Queens historic blue collar culture, and reliance on good relations with neighbors.

 

Really can't complain, I'd prefer to have my own land, a place to shoot guns etc. but realistically, If I stick to my Union gig another 12 years here my wife and I both get free premium health insurance for life. My mom just got done fighting cancer, each chemo treatment was 95K, and the radiation treatment was half a mill. I'm pretty good at saving but if faced with those numbers I'd probably end up dead, homeless or greeting people at Walmart if i was retired without insurance. With that said, working on other side gigs, and avenues of income so I might be posted up like Raven one day with my very own little slice of the planet someplace.

Edited July 18, 2018 by Mercer

[Kults]

Was born here. Would love to make the move to the US eventually but it just hasn't happened yet

[mn1_fuckos]

Chicago

 

born and raised in the hood.

 

Somehow I’ve rubbed shoulders with people who own skyscrapers and I’ve rubbed shoulders with people that were living off welfare. 

 

I wouldn’t trade living here for anything in the world. Growing up here hasn’t been easy but I’m appreciative of the shit I’m able to experience. 

 

 

I live an area of the city thats that’s close enough to everything. Downtown is about 45 minutes on a bad day, Wisconsin is an hour away Indiana is about 45 minutes suburbs are a stones throw away. 

 

[THOR]

On a dirt road in Southern Michigan. It’s cheap to live here. Not a good place to make money, but if you get city money or on the internet it’s pretty inexpensive. The people suck. Surrounded by Trump voters and bible bangers. Winter sucks. When I get too stir crazy I go to Chicago or Detroit a raise hell.

[misteraven]

NW Montana 

 

After 15 years in NYC, i walked away from a successful agency and dream loft in Soho. Daughter was getting old enough to want to go to school by herself and just got tired of the grind, attitudes and ideologies that I could no longer reconcile. Realized, you only live once and I had a great run, so it was time to move on even if I still loved it there (which I didn’t). Was friends with most the building, it was awesome and most were super cool since we shared a historic freight elevator that opened into each apartment. Over friendly  dinners I learned that they were earning between $3mm - $65mm a year in salary when it dawned on me that: A. I was far from that. B. I’m not sure Id ever see that myself, at least anytime soon and C. Their lives weren’t much different than mine. We are at the same restaurants, walked the same blocks. I could afford most the stuff I wanted for myself on the daily and those guys were too bogged down to regularly enjoy the things I couldn’t afford (like a mansion in the Hamptons or a Mclaren GT in the parking garage up the street. Knew there had to be more to life and after finding myself fantasizing over remote, mountain top cabins on Tumblr, I spiraled into depression before finally just making a plan. Knew by that point that the agency stuff I was doing wasn’t what I wanted (whole other story) and that I’d lost sight of what I really enjoyed; namely 12oz. 

 

Now living in the mountains of NW Montana and focusing on 12oz full time. Fortunate to have cashed out enough after the dust settled to get my foot in the door of our dream property. Now have 21 acres on a river, in the valley just outside Glacier. Growing organic vegetables and raising free range chickens and ducks while I learn the ropes and step up to larger livestock. Just trying to tread the earth lightly, make up for too many years living an unfulfilled life, practice self sufficiency, enjoy personal freedom and raise my kids to be quality human beings. Working hard to close some side deals that’ll finally put me in a place to really take whacks at a lot of the ideas and projects I’ve been dreaming up since I was a dumb kid and had a vision for a graffiti zine and brand. 

 

You can read read more in the off grid thread - https://forum.12ozprophet.com/topic/86487-the-off-grid-living-thread-dropping-out-the-rat-race/

 

But that’s the cliff notes version for what it’s worth.