@4doorsMoreWhores, we have good food, just not those regional specialties. I can get tacos al pastor from a trompo, but it's like a 30 minute drive away. I can make high-quality BBQ but don't feel like tending a fire or, again, driving 25+ minutes. The savory Texas-style kolaches are, uh, something really weird and I love them. I'm 3/4 Slav and there's nothing like that in my communities. I remember my native Texan wife's surprise when I told her that kolaches are not "real" kolacky, but are instead a local creation that's totally different, but crazy delicious.
@Anastasis, I did not. It was like 8am. Not sure I've seen a shift bar in Austin that opens at like 6-7am for folks getting off a midnight shift. @Lobo, I can get pizza at home! Hell, there are two Detroit-style places better than Via 313 within a couple miles of me. It's the pizza-style kolache and the hot polish kolache that I can't get, since those are just local/regional. I grew up eating traditional kolacky and, while they're okay, I love the Texas style and, in particular, those two. And, as for walking, I love walking and exploring new cities to get a feel for them in a way you can't in a bike or car. My BIL is a student at UT and the last couple years we've AirBnb'd a place for 3-4 weeks over the holidays, so I've explored the neighborhoods we've stayed in (Bouldin Creek and E.Austin/Cesar Chavez) and areas adjacent, but I've never had reason to explore that area up Lamar where the Kolache Factory is, or Hyde Park, or West Campus/Tarrytown, etc. So, really, walking is a good way to see a new city and burn calories without the intensity of my usual workout when I'm a bit hungover (or worse) every day.