@Sticks48, my father graduated from the University, and my mother's parents lived in Austin. I have many fond memories of Austin. I have watched it change from a town that would double in population when the "lege" was in session and that had only one TV station (Ladybird's) to what it has become.

I still like Austin, but these days I feel more at home in Long Beach. While Austin and Portland lay claim to weird, Long Beach is its own brand of peculiar, with a very healthy art, music, theater and literature scene. It also has a greater variety of food and better weather. Unfortunately, I realize that a lot of what I love about this place is living on borrowed time and it will eventually go the way that Austin has.

P.S. A few of my favorite memories:
Swimming at Barton Springs on a 100º+ day
Walking from my grandparent's home down to the drug store and buying Lamme's Pralines
Getting pecans from my grandparent's pecan trees
The bats at sundown
"Hippy Christmas"
A dinner with one of my best friends at Threadgill's (when asked if we wanted anything else after desert, my friend responed, "Yes, a wheelbarrow to get us to the car" ).
Seeing the Austin Lounge Lizards live at Antone's