Memories of Our Austin - Places

The Rome Inn

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:23:02 -0800

My Happiest days and fondest memories was when I got hired and worked at the Rome Inn.

It was so much fun, and no as time is going by, am trying hard to remember all the folks I worked with.

My name is Kerry, believe it was Mike Watson and his wife Arlo and Cindy and trying to think of the other bartenders. Of course the ever awesome C-boy who made sure we all had something to eat and kind remarks through our shifts.

Anyone from David Allen COe to Stevie Ray to the time Bob Dylan was playing in town,dropping in to Zorro and the Blue Footballs,Balcones Fault, Lou Ann Barton to whomever may come by to party. It would be an awesome venue now.

am really feeling old about this memory thing, but every night was a good night there. So many folks, The Allience Wagon Yard, where you could pick up a shift working to fill in for a Willie Show, folks came by to make sure all the help was tipped according to the Crazy Crowds.

So thank you The Rome in and Mike and Arlo for giving me real Austin Music in my life.

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

n/a

Clubs not mentioned

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:57:26 -0700

Does anyone remember these clubs

El Paso Cattle Company from back around 76-77-Forgot where it was in town
Had live bands and I went there a lot on Thursday night's

Had mainly cover bands-I went to her The Velvets

Also went to a small club in Riverside Drive call Abby Inn-Had beer, pool and electrical darts. No live music

There was also a club called The Bucket-I think it was off Guadalupe and had a DJ.

First McDonald's In Austin

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:06:09 -0700

I remember the first McDonald's in Austin. Way back before Ronald McDonald, the Happy Meals, the Big Mac, etc. It was parked on the extreme southwestern edge of Capital Plaza, near the H.E.B. This was back in the days when McDonald's didn't have indoor dining. It was more like an old-fashioned hamburger stand where you walked up to the window and gave them your order. Then, if you didn't take the food home, or eat in your car, you could sit on the outdoor benches on either side of the restaurant. It was all a sort of white porcelain look with a golden arch on either side.

Spaghetti Warehouse

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 20:20:19 -0700

Spaghetti Warehouse - that place (for me anyway) that I never went to in over 30 years of living and dining in Austin. It was, after all, a holdover from the 70's: a funky San Francisco manufactured experience with 2nd rate food and even worse decor. All of that being said, SW was a cornerstone of downtown Austin restaurants. It saw the rise and fall of Mezzaluna, oversaw the flourish of Sullivan's and Cedar Street (and the entire 4th Street weird mix of Hip/Gay: Oilcan Harry's? across from Fado?), and survived being the next door neighbor to the Boathouse (and better? Worse?) the Bitter End.

The current vitality of downtown Austin has an immeasurable debt to pay to those that hung in there and tried, tried, tried to make downtown a destination years ago. That's much easier now and I hope that the current venues pay homage to the now defunct Spaghetti Warehouse after all these years.

BTW: who will bet against me that Lance ultimately owns that entire property?

DE Crumley's Store

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:14:42 -0700

I had the need to drive down to SA a few days back and as I flew past Onion Creek, a memory back back pretty strong: DE Crumley's Store on the west side of the freeway. Crumley's had been there forever and it must have taken many years to accumulate the decorations (junk, that is) that was everywhere in and around the store. I remember stopping in there regularly on tubing trips to stock up for the day. Here's a good pic:

The One Knite Dive & Tavern

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:09:49 -0700

With my partners Roddy and Roger I ran this club from 1970 through 1976. Those who are interested can find a couple of Facebook pages on the place, one call The One Knite and the other called Survivors of the One Knite. The latter contains lots of my old poster art for the place and, later, for the Continental Club and La Zona Rosa, and it also contains recordings I made at the dive in the early 70s, of The Storm, Freda and the Firedogs, D.K. Little, and Moon Pie.
click here
Scroll down to Older Posts to find the recorded music.
click here

And, for the guy who remembered on your site the Last Bash on the Hill concert -- we threw that in 1973 on Crady Bond's land on the way to Lake Austin, just before the land was sold out of Crady's family.
It was Willie Nelson's second gig after moving to Austin -- his first had been at Roundup, and, though he agreed to play too late to make my poster, he did appear onstage before The 13th Floor Elevators, briefly united after Roky's release.
The media claimed it drew 10.000, after Dallas and Houston radio started reporting on it. Admission was free, and we took in enough contributions from hippie businesses to give out 70+ kegs of Lone Star.
click here

Downtown Steam Locomotive

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:14:13 -0700

I was downtown today and, as sometimes happens to an Austin old-timer, I had a flash recollection of something long gone... the steam locomotive that sat on track in a park downtown. I couldn't remember where it was exactly but I did recall that it was maintained by the firemen from the nearby station. I also had some vague recollection that the O. Henry house was somewhere nearby. Right on both counts. The park is still there but the train is long gone. It's a good story though, engine 768 was refurbished and actually put back into service as a weekend tour train ride from Cedar Park to Burnet and back. I took that trip several times with my kids and remember the amazing power and noise that engine created.

On a happy related note, in doing the research to help my failing memory I found that Google has this delightful image of how the park is being used today. That simple image sums up a lot about the power of Austin.

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Forgotten Barbecue Joints of Austin Area

Sun, 15 May 2011 12:22:35 -0700

I'm interested in barbecue restaurants of days gone by in Austin and the surrounding area

Ben's Longbranch on E. 11th

Willy Green's Barbecue on E. 11th

Rosewood Barbecue on E. 11th

Captain Tom's Barbecue on N. Lamar

Dale Baker's Barbecue on Lake Austin Boulevard

Charlie's Barbecue in Oak Hill

Jerry Jacob's Barbecue on Barton Springs

Shady Grove Barbecue on Barton Springs

Any information y'all can provide about the above restaurants would be greatly appreciated

Some Freda and the Firedogs songs are up on Grooveshark right now.

Rain

Wed, 11 May 2011 21:15:39 -0700

Tonight, we all thought it would finally rain. Austin back in the day was always a lush green place. These days, I feel that it is turning into a semi-desert. The radar showed promise tonight... the regular and expected line of storms moving in from the west, filling up our lakes, and then raining down the cleansing blast that washed away the debris of spring. This year however, that debris is still with us. Not a single rain storm has come since each species of tree has gone through its annual bloom and drop cycle. Mounds of spent pollen buds line the gutters even now, months after they should have been washed away and put to good use. No rain tonight.

Austin has survived many things... I hope an historic drought is one that it can take in stride.

Update! Shows you the power of thought... this morning, the rains came in full force, thankfully.

After parties got out of hand, refuge at Villa Capri

Mon, 09 May 2011 14:19:28 -0700

I was five. The year was '55. I don't know just what was in the works in the Lege, but whatever it was, my mom and my aunt thought it expedient not to have their families in the Commodore Perry where their husbands and their cronies operated their 'hospitality' suites. We relocated to the Villa Capri which had not only a better pool, but a good reason to cart over to Youngblood's or the Nighthawk instead of waiting endless hours for mediocre room service.

Well, the VC went the way of 19th Street and then on to demolition, but that's the way of the world. At least Scholz's and the Tavern are still with us.

The Good Food Store

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:19:33 -0700

I worked with a bunch of like-minded young people at the Good Food Store in the early 70's. I remember the main store on West 6th where Corezon Restaurant is now. There were also stores on W. 29th and on North Loop. Anyone else have memories of the Good Food Stores?

Shakey's Pizza

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:22:50 -0800

Does anyone remember Shakey's Pizza on the drag? Dad would take us there when we were young kids (early 70's). There was a player piano and we would always play "Yellow Rose of Texas." If you stood on a bench you could look through a window into the kitchen and watch them make the pizzas. Every now and then one of the cooks would grab a handful of flour and throw it at the window. Very cool!!

Rome Inn (for the record)

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 14:13:18 -0800

Hi Austin, My name is Arlo Watson, my husband Mike and I bought the Rome Inn, 1975 (Italian Restaurant) from Jack Davis and with a little help from our friends, Dan Clements and Ian Ridgeway ( carpenters from habitat Vancouver Canada)turned a restaurant into a night club. I booked the talent and Mike ran the business I did not book a style of music just good music. Alvin Crow with Johnny Gimble (twin fiddle night) Jimmy and the thunderbirds did my Blue Mondays one of my most successful nights, Paul Ray and the Cobra's, played Tuesday with the late and great SRV on guitar and the pinball machine on his break. Thanks to a lot of other great musicians, David Allen Coe, Rusty Weir, The Denims, Asleep (thanks Ray) I had to extend the sides of my stage to accommodate everyone, but worth it. 'Two Hot for Snakes' (willies band) had a guest list that filled the club and to the late and great Doug Sahm and the first version of the Texas Tornadoes with the SA west side horns and one of the best rhythm sections in the world George Rains and Jack Barber.There were so many more bands I would have to write a book. At best the club only broke even and we having to much fun, but it was time to do something else. C Boy Parks ran the club for duration of the lease and Stevie had the venue all to himself, a great way to end an era. Again, Thank you, Austin Texas, for the memories, Best to All, Love Arlo Watson (co owner of the Rome Inn)

Downtown outdoor music venue

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:40:52 -0800

Lost my memory years ago (actually Woodstock!). Loved and lived here for a few years in the mid-70's. I remember going to an outdoor music venue (City owned?) that had music by a creek downtown. Not by Town Lake, but rather where possibly Stubbs or someplace nearby. Went to a few shows and remember sitting on stone-like seating. Could be wrong - but the music was a little more laid back. Still it was a lot of fun kicking back on a warm summer's evening.
Since moving back I've been telling & showing my wife the stories of Austin in the 70's. That one venue still remains a mystery!