Things around the Launch Party site

[Buzzardo]

I thought I'd start a thread to help out-of-towners (and locals from other parts of the city) find the good things near the party site. I lived across the highway from the party location for six years, so I know the area very well. :)

• For folks who want a movie and a meal (and a beer or wine), Alamo Drafthouse is up at Lakeline Mall. (Thanks for the correction, Andrew.)
  
• China Cafe is a decent Chinese place at 183 and Lake Creek.
  
• Midori Sushi is at Anderson Mill and 183 (one intersection south of the party). IMO, it's the best sushi in Austin.
  
• The Melting Pot is also at Anderson Mill and 183. It takes a while to eat there, but for folks who want a nice dinner, it's a good meal.
  
• Freda's Seafood Grille is another good spot for a sit-down meal. It's on Pecan Park Blvd, but that's actually close by. They make good paella and cheesecake. (And I know my desserts. :)
  
• Osaka Mansun is at Anderson Mill and 183. It's another decent sushi place.
  
• Kerbey Lane Cafe is at Anderson Mill and 183. It's a distinctly Austin eatery, with an eclectic menu and an even more eclectic staff. They make a good omelet and good salads and vegetarian fare.
  
• Tino's Greek Cafe (183 and Anderson Mill again) is an order-at-the-counter place that makes some seriously good Greek food. Try the dolmathes. And who doesn't like baklava? :)
  
• There's a game store right in the same shopping center. That's Wonko's, run by the Dow family. Eric Dow works at SJGames and will no doubt be at the party. So if you need other gaming goodies to go with your Ogre swag, there ya go. I suspect Eric may have been instrumental in finding the party location. :)
  
• Half-price Books (which got its start here in Austin) is at 183 and Anderson Mill. In addition to books, they do carry used games. I've found some treasures there over the years.

Other than that, the usual fast food and chain restaurants are all over the place.

[Andrew Hackard]

Alamo isn't there anymore. Moved up to Lakeline.

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

Alamo isn't there anymore. Moved up to Lakeline.

Thanks. I moved to the north central part of town, so I haven't been to that Alamo in about four years.

[Miuramir]

Thanks for starting this. Some more questions for the locals / organizers:

Is there something like a package store nearby (UPS / FedEx / etc.)?

What's particularly interesting in the general area? It's looking like I may be getting in Thur. night or Fri. morning, and if all goes well having much of Fri. free.

Will there be a "hotel block" / convention discount with any of the nearby hotels? Any comments on them? At the moment I'm thinking the Hampton Inn, but open to suggestions.

It looks like it's well outside the Car2Go zone, so that's probably not helpful.

[keithb]

Originally Posted by Miuramir

Is there something like a package store nearby (UPS / FedEx / etc.)?

Yes, just down the highway by Osaka Mansun (which also has Korean) and Half-Price Books

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by Miuramir

Thanks for starting this. Some more questions for the locals / organizers:

Is there something like a package store nearby (UPS / FedEx / etc.)?

Keith got that. Thanks, Keith.

Originally Posted by Miuramir

What's particularly interesting in the general area? It's looking like I may be getting in Thur. night or Fri. morning, and if all goes well having much of Fri. free.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is worth seeing. For a true taste o' Texas, there's The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. If you like caves, there's the Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown (maybe 45 minutes away). If you make it as far as Georgetown, eat at Gumbo's - premiere Cajun food and the best cheesecake in (well, near) the city.

Originally Posted by Miuramir

Will there be a "hotel block" / convention discount with any of the nearby hotels? Any comments on them? At the moment I'm thinking the Hampton Inn, but open to suggestions.

Caveat: My data on this hotel is about six years old. That said, the Comfort Suites Lakeline (across the highway and between Anderson Mill and Lake Creek) is a decent hotel. My family stayed there while visiting me a few years ago. The rooms are basic but clean, and the pool is nice. (My nieces love pools.)

Originally Posted by Miuramir

It looks like it's well outside the Car2Go zone, so that's probably not helpful.

Yup. Too far north of the city center for that.

[mharges]

I'm thinking that we'll be staying closer in town. Any suggestions for a good area of town with a variety of stuff in walking distance? My girlfriend and I will be arriving late Thurs. night and will have Friday to explore together and on Saturday I can head up to the launch party while she continues in town.

I hear that Austin has got some great food trucks - any ones that we should definitely check out? Or a spot where we can find several to pick from?

[bmj]

There are several shipping stores nearby. The closest is Fedex (13729 N Hwy 183, Suite 820, Austin - 512-331-0800). Two others that are pretty close are UPS Store (13492 Research Blvd, Austin - 512-335-5558) and Pak Mail (13359 US 183, Suite 406, Austin - 512-249-7447). I haven't used any of them as I have ones located closer to where I live in the Austin area.

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by mharges

I'm thinking that we'll be staying closer in town. Any suggestions for a good area of town with a variety of stuff in walking distance? My girlfriend and I will be arriving late Thurs. night and will have Friday to explore together and on Saturday I can head up to the launch party while she continues in town.

I hear that Austin has got some great food trucks - any ones that we should definitely check out? Or a spot where we can find several to pick from?

Do you want cultural places or shopping locations? If you want cultural locations, you want to be as close to downtown as possible. The museums and galleries concentrate in the downtown area. For shopping possibilities, downtown still works. However, the Domain and the Arboretum, which are reasonably close to one another in North Austin, offer upscale shopping opportunities. There are also outlet malls in Round Rock (first suburb north of Austin on I-35) and San Marcos (south of Austin on I-35).

I don't know where the food trucks congregate. If I were looking for them, though, I'd start here.

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by bmj

There are several shipping stores nearby. The closest is Fedex (13729 N Hwy 183, Suite 820, Austin - 512-331-0800). Two others that are pretty close are UPS Store (13492 Research Blvd, Austin - 512-335-5558) and Pak Mail (13359 US 183, Suite 406, Austin - 512-249-7447). I haven't used any of them as I have ones located closer to where I live in the Austin area.

I used to use PakMail all the time (shipping games to friends, you know :). Joel, the fellow who runs it, provides good service.