I have to agree. I wish I'd known about Williamson when we were house-hunting! I lived in Oak Hill (Travis Cty) for 4 years and couldn't believe all the "Green Thumbs" coming to my door on a daily basis... asking me to sign petitions to up my taxes, cut my water supply, save the salamanders (those little suckers RULED my back yard!) and various other enviro antics. I breathed a sigh of relief when I moved back to my property in E. Texas. That PC crowd just wore me out. For the past 20 yrs, I've loved doing long weekend trips to the Hill Country... but living there was a conservative's worst nightmare. :)
Hadn't really been there since....................................until last week.
Ya know what struck me most on this trip? How much Austin has been "California-ized" (note: I've also lived nearly a dozen years in California, although I'm now in N. Carolina; I'm entitled to say what I wish about the Golden State). Formerly rowdy, really cool haunts are now....................um.............."proper". NO smoking anywhere. Spots that used to be alive are now sterile, boring, bland, and............dead. The Oasis used to be a jumping, loud hangout for partyers out on the decks overlooking Lake Travis. Hoppin'. Lots of smoke (but hell, it was outside, so who cared???), lots of booze and beer, loud tables-full of revelers. Now? Again, "proper". Fancy, expensive menu. Quiet. Don't smoke except over "here". BOOOOOOOOORING, if still a beautiful view. Chuy's? Sit in a crowded, smoke-free bar while waiting to sit in questionable environs to eat sub-standard Tex-Mex fare.
......and on and on and on. Austin lost its heart. It's gone totally P.C. Used to be a let-your-hair-down, devil-may-care town of blues, rock-'n'-roll, and booze. Now? It's the sushi and bottled water crowd.
Depressing. DAMN those who screwed up my favorite town that I've ever lived in...........and I've lived all OVER this country over the last 46+ years.
BTW, is there anyone running for City Council who is worth voting for????