Page 12 The Horseshoe Bay Beacon Thursday, June 17, 2010
“Keep Austin Weird” Tour and more-
www.TexpertTours.com
email howie@texperttours.com
512-383-8989
Price: $80 per adult for a 3 hr. tour
Call for details on large groups and out-of-town tours.
to “Keep Austin Weird” Tour
family-owned preserve near “on the hoof” as my British
Belmont, Texas. friend calls it, try one of the
Richey’s green Chevy many great restaurants on
suburban arrived on time and South Congress. You may see
well prepared with a printed many of your HSB friends at
itinerary of my tour. He also South Congress Café (terrific
has vehicles available for for brunch), Perla’s Seafood
larger groups and will pick and Oyster Bar, Guero’s
you up anywhere in Austin. (Mexican food), Vespaio (Ital-
Times of tours vary, but the ian) or Woodland (Southern
Keep Austin Weird Tour is cooking) with its tree bark
about three hours. Below are façade and a live tree inside.
my favorite moments and a The Magnolia Café serves
few of the Texpert’s teach- classic American fare 24
ings. hours a day. Texpert pointed
Our first stop was in South out the weird sign outside
Austin, which the Texpert re- Magnolia, “Sorry, We’re
ferred to this as “Austin’s Open.” South Congress is
weirdest area.” He explained casual, affordable and fun,
that the city of Austin origi- and on a sunny Saturday we
nally covered one square mile saw students, musicians, busi-
and was called “Waterloo” ness people, couples with
when it was founded in 1839. young children and everything
When the Colorado River in between strolling along the
flooded, everything south of wide sidewalks and enjoying
the present Congress Avenue the shops and restaurants
bridge would be cut off from there.
This mural can be found inside Threadgill’s Restaurant on Riverside Drive, featuring musicians who have played at Threadgill’s the rest of the city. The South Next on tour was a look at
and next door at Armadillo World Headquarters over the years. How many can you name? The Beacon will award $100 to one Congress (SoCo) area was some of the homes in “quiet
lucky resident for their favorite charity if you win with the highest number of correct answers. Send us your list! in decline for years but has South Austin,” as one real es-
thebeacon@nctv.com experienced resurgence in tate offering describes it. Like
By Linda Lambert you’ve got a melting pot of raved to me about the “Keep years of tour experience and the late ‘90s to present day. many older areas of Austin,
What makes Austin rugged individuals. By the Austin Weird” tour guided by humor. As we walked into a The appearance of several lots are small but the homes
Weird? way, the Texas Legislature the Texpert, the expert on all small local grocery store, he airstream eateries here adds are generally well maintained.
“Texpert” Howie Richey’s only meets every other things Texas and specifically pointed out a No Public to the area’s funky personal- Texpert pointed out one ten
answers: “Just as NY is about year…now that’s a little Austin. Not only was my tour Restroom sign and said, “I was ity and vitality. Hey Cupcake year-old-home that looks quite
being rich And LA is about weird! But Austinites cel- fascinating, it was peppered hoping for a private one.” is my personal favorite. I de- unremarkable from the out-
stardom, Austin is about self- ebrate weirdness with pride with Richey’s extemporane- Come expecting to learn and voured the standard-vanilla side, but its thick walls are
expression. Austin has an un- and interpret ‘weird’ as dif- ous puns and jokes. There are laugh, and try to stump the cake with a chocolate made entirely of straw bales.
usually high percentage of lo- ferent and unique. Austin’s many Austin tours and guides Texpert with your most burn- buttercream top, but you can The most whimsical house we
cally owned businesses. Add uniqueness has helped make available, but few can match ing question about Texas or find your favorite among the saw (from the car) was Casa
to that the liberal influence of it one of the fastest growing Richey’s unique combination Austin history or geography. other choices, including Neverlandia, which Austin art-
the University of Texas and cities in the U.S.” of incredible knowledge of the Richey was exposed to strawberry and red velvet ist Talbot calls a work in
Texas state government, and Horseshoe Bay friends area’s history and geography, Texas history at a young age cakes. For a great cup of progress. In 1979 he bought
by a scholarly uncle. He soon coffee, try Jo’s Coffee Shop the 1906 bungalow and has
became fascinated with the but be prepared to stand in added shimmering Plexiglas
Lone Star State and made a line amongst those eager for mosaics on the facade, glass
hobby of studying maps, books Jo’s famous lattes and pulled brick columns peering through
and travel brochures on the pork sandwiches. Right next the cedar and oak trees out
subject. “I grew up in Corpus door is the boutique Hotel front and four fire poles be-
Christi but we spent summer San Jose, which was built in tween floors. Climb the back-
vacations in the Hill Country. 1939 as an “ultramodern mo- yard lookout tower for down-
Instead of warm salt water, tel court.” The beautifully town views over the treetops
the rivers there flowed cold; landscaped courtyard bar is of Austin, then walk across
not sand, but limestone rocks popular with Austinites. the chain-and-truss bridge to
lay beneath our feet; and in Browse the SoCo shops for the third-floor balcony. From
contrast to flat coastal plains, that unique gift and don’t miss there you can slide down a fire
cliffs rose towards the sky. If “Lucy in Disguise with Dia- pole to the second-floor bal-
these two parts of Texas were monds,” the store of choice cony. For tours, available by
so different, I wondered, what for many HSB residents for appointment to parties of 10
about the rest of the state?” Halloween costumes. You or more, ($10 per person) con-
He enrolled in UT in 1971 and will also find an enormous tact Talbot or his partner Kay
took every course available collection of costume jewelry, Pils at
about Texas. After he re- sunglasses and other acces- talbot@talbotworld.com.
ceived his degree in geogra- sories. Daytrippin’
phy, he began teaching If you aren’t into eating Continued on Page 8
classes and leading tours.
Richey was also one of the
voices on Austin radio station
KUT (90.5 FM) for 19 years.
He can currently be heard on
station KOOP (91.7 FM) on
the “Shades of Green” pro-
gram promoting outdoor
events. In addition, he
teaches “Becoming a Tour
Guide” classes. Along with
touring and lecturing, he is
nature program director at
Rancho Richey Refuge, a
Keep Austin Weird! View the Fiji
Mermaid at The Museum of the Weird
is located right in the heart of Austin
at 412 E. 6th Street. Enjoy posters
from Frankenstein movies and
Barnum & Bailey Circus and many
ghost and goblin displays.
Page 8 The Horseshoe Bay Beacon Thursday, June 17, 2010
fered in the parking lot. Mov- 0566.
ies are free but you must Since I am a UT alumna,
bring your own chair. I thought of myself as pretty
The Museum of Natural familiar with Austin, but
and vintage posters, which and Artificial Ephemerata Texpert pointed out things I
Continued from page 12 are hand-drawn and colored. had never noticed, such as his-
(things short-lived or transi-
Tours are advisable in cooler The building was undergoing tory) in East Austin (which torically designated homes
weather since Casa renovation in May, but owner Texpert called “the new and their medallions; an abun-
Neverlandia has no air con- Henry Gonzalez normally dis- South”) is a no brainer for the dance of fabulous murals and
ditioning. You can soon view plays photographs and other weird category and definitely Moonlight towers, which look
one of Talbot’s fabulous mo- art from the 1960’s to the Austin’s tiniest museum. Lo- similar to cell phone towers.
saic sculptures at South Con- present. If you are searching cated in the home of Jen Hirt Only 16 of the original 31 re-
gress and Live Oak as part for reasons behind Austin’s and Scott Webel is a truly odd main, but each one lights up
of the City of Austin’s recent unique personality, you’ll find collection, including: strands four city blocks. As we drove
South Congress fine art clues here. Gonzales states, of Elvis’s hair, Marilyn north toward the State Capi-
project. “Our programs trace the evo- Monroe’s last smoked ciga- tol Building, Texpert com-
The South Austin Mu- lution and social context of rette, Victorian artifacts, mented that condomania has
seum of Popular Culture Austin’s cultural production World’s Fairs souvenir pho- hit Austin. “Many residents
(1516 S. Lamar) is fun even from the early 1960s through tographs, and a four-foot-high have street-level shops and
if you just walk around in the the present and interpret the Narwal Whale tooth which live above them now just like
parking lot. It abounds with local, state and national im- was once believed to be the small business owners did de-
artfully painted and deco- pact of the artists, art forms horn of a Unicorn. This non- cades ago.” He pointed out
rated cars—most of them, and recurrent themes that traditional museum experi- a large, copper point that juts
like one covered in painted have shaped the city’s self- ence is enhanced by the out of the north side of City
pigs, are beyond description. conception over the past fifty hosts’ vast historical knowl- Hall over Second Street, pro-
Inside the museum is an im- years.” A summer “Flying edge of each piece. 1808 viding a visual landmark that
pressive collection of current Saucer” series will be of- Singleton Ave. (512) 320- can be seen from many
blocks away. The point has
acquired several nicknames, Tour Guide Extraordinaire Howie Richey (“Texpert”) (right) with
including “the stinger” and
“armadillo tail.” When we
Henry Gonzalez, outside Gonzalez’s South Austin Museum
reached the University of of Popular Culture.
Texas campus he explained located most appropriately music. This restaurant was
that the school’s land holdings right in the heart of Austin at built next door to the Arma-
have grown from 40 acres in 412 East 6th Street. This is dillo World Headquarters,
1883 to 400 acres at present one teenagers and history where Threadgill often per-
(plus satellites.) We passed buffs in particular will love. formed. He operated a gas
UT benefactor Major There are posters from Fran- station on Lamar and at night
Littlefield’s home, built in kenstein movies, Barnum & it was jammed with friends
1893. This Victorian ghost of Bailey circus posters with his- playing music. The original
the past sits alone on the west torical notes, and many ghost Threadgill’s is now a restau-
side of the UT Campus, and and goblin displays. Go to rant at 6416 No. Lamar.
some say it is haunted. An- www.museumoftheweird.com. In addition to his Keep
other fun fact from Texpert 512-476-5493 Austin Weird tour, Texpert
was his answer to “What was Our tour ended with a de- offers the following: Heart of
weird about Austin’s name- licious lunch at Threadgill’s, Austin, Hill Country Wine,
sake (Stephen F. Austin)? His 301 Riverside Drive, which and Live Music History. He
dad was the second Moses is famous for its down-home also offers custom tours
in history to lead his people Southern cooking. Texpert planned around your special
to a land without oil. There is explained that Kenneth interests. He will be on vaca-
oil in almost all other parts of Threadgill is known as the fa- tion until July 11. Take a
Texas.” ther of live Austin music and Texpert Tour and I guarantee
Hey Cupcake! Join the crowd sampling the delicious fare offered from the booming airstream Our final museum stop there are now more than 300 you an interesting and enter-
business on South Congress. was definitely the weirdest- places in Austin to hear live taining experience.