502875 Wed Mar 26 07:36:45 -0700 2008 23 61 Austin 0 3529001 Has anyone seen on people's blogs or other places Google Maps of Austin preferred chow locations like this one from Jim Leff: Obscure Street food in Eastern Jackson Heights http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115495487393878104919.00000111c286a9eac4500 or this one (from searching this board) of Austin-Area Farmer's Markets: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108964723796492027295.000434d7e6febe2fc8601&z=8&om=1 Wed Mar 26 07:36:45 -0700 2008 57335 sweet100s 1 3532775 No, I haven't. Let me know if you do. I use google a lot when I'm in a weird area - type in your location's physical address and then hit "find businesses." Enter "restaurants." You have to week through all the Jack in the Boxes, etc. You prob know that, though. To do what he did, you have to start an account and just start entering places. I'd like to do that, but I haven't had the time! You'd think that someone in Austin has done it, though. Thu Mar 27 08:35:12 -0700 2008 3529001 17648 rudeboy 2 3535533 >> Google ---> type in your location's physical address and then hit "find businesses." Enter "restaurants." You have to week through all the Jack in the Boxes, etc. You prob know that, though. Yep. That's a great tip though, rudeboy, and something not very obvious. What's missing is the much-needed added context and selectivity that chowhounders could provide of course. Is it something that a group of people could contribute to? For example, if someone were to start it using their GMAIL account, and if I got a GMAIL account, and if you got a GMAIL account.... could we contribute to a single Google Map so that it's a group thing done over a period of time? Thu Mar 27 20:41:31 -0700 2008 3532775 57335 sweet100s 3 3536175 Sounds like that would be a good thing to have, but it would have to be a couple of people with like minds. If too many people were involved, we'd all be arguiing over whether each restaurant "deserves" to be on the map! Fri Mar 28 06:36:51 -0700 2008 3535533 17648 rudeboy 4 3540992 Oh, as an aside, Austin just got street view on Google Maps. Every 50 feet, all over Austin, there's a 360 degree photo. Pretty amazing. For example, if you want to see a picture of Polvo's, the finest mexican food in Austin Texas, you can go to google maps, type in 2034 S 1st, and use the arrows to do the 360. You can also see your house. My sister was backing out of her driveway when they took the photo on her street. Sat Mar 29 13:47:29 -0700 2008 3536175 17648 rudeboy 4 3541334 >> "but it would have to be a couple of people with like minds. If too many people were involved, we'd all be arguiing over whether each restaurant "deserves" to be on the map!" hello rudeboy, one philosophy could be -- if a chowhounder likes it, and they want to add a 'peg', so be it. Just like if someone wants to write a good review of someplace, they do. For example, (this would be cool) If it were possible to filter our Austin Google Chowhound map based on "Best Calamari", I would definitely add pegs to "Carabba's" locations for that, because I can find no better, no more delicious restaurant serviing VERY consistently deliciously prepared Calamari. Other places my friends have referred me to in search of delicious calamari have either been lots more greasy or lots more tough or the tomato sauce has been not as good. So my feeling on that is -- if people want to take the time to add a peg - so be it! Sat Mar 29 16:07:57 -0700 2008 3536175 57335 sweet100s 1 3536137 Taco Journalism has a map of the tacos reviewed here - http://tinyurl.com/2tpgnx Fri Mar 28 06:17:36 -0700 2008 3529001 19915 looper 1 3540950 Not restaurants, but I put together a google map of Austin area farm stands, farmer's markets and community gardens http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108964723796492027295.000434d7e6febe2fc8601&t=h&z=8 Sat Mar 29 13:31:54 -0700 2008 3529001 10225 potluck 2 3541431 Thank you potluck! Sat Mar 29 16:35:45 -0700 2008 3540950 57335 sweet100s 1 3543541 As a temporary step on the way to customizing Google maps and searches for a food blog that's in the works, I've created this: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=117433741323189269606.0004438f92f4440a50e4c At this point, the map has just about everything I've reviewed in Austin, San Antonio, and the surrounding area. Maybe this will help, sweet100s? Sun Mar 30 14:28:57 -0700 2008 3529001 10608 MPH 2 3543590 Yayyyyyyyyyyy !!!! That is just too cool! Thanks MPH ! 124 links! Wow, I forgot all about Pao's Mandarin House in Lakeway! Chowhound places on Google Maps + a Garmin / Magellin / whatever GPS would be a killer monthly subscription to have. Little stars could sparkle when driving in the vicinity of a CH place. Did you follow instructions from a page, or is it all obvious? And anyone with a GMAIL account can add to it? ------------------- Places MPH added location marks and links to his reviews (note: the presence of a link does not indicate a recommendation, just either a positive or negative review. Ex : zTejas...) Abarrotes Mexicanos Ácenar Comida Mexicana Al Pastor Taco Trailer Aljohn's Artz Rib House Asia Market Café Asti Backstage Steakhouse Ben's Long Branch Barbecue Bistro 88 Bombay Grill Bountiful Bakery & Café Burger Tex Café 909 Café Josie Carne & Pollos Asados Casa Dos Pedros Casa Moreno Castle Hill Café Centerpoint Station Chez Nous Cibo Cipollina City Café Crosstown Bar-B-Q Dan's Hamburgers Don Luis Supertaco & Café Driskill Grill Eastside Café El Borrego d'Oro El Gringo El Jacalito El Mesón Taquería El Pollo Regio El Pollo Regio El Ranchito El Taquito Enoteca Vespaio Evangeline Café Fiesta Tortillas Galloway's Sandwich Shop Guëro's Gumbo's Habanero Mexican Café Hai Ky Hill-bert's Burgers Hog Island Deli Home Slice Pizza Hoover's Cooking Hudson's on the Bend III Forks Jacala Mexican Restaurant Janitzio Jeffrey's Joe's Bakery King Taco La Cocina de Consuelo La Fogata La Hacienda Meat Market La Michoacana Meat Market La Monita La Pasadita Night Club & Taquería La Pulga La Regio Montana La Terraza Grill and Bar Leo's Tortas y Supertacos Madam Mam's Mandola's Italian Market Moy's Tacos Nau's Enfield Drug Lunch Counter NG House Nubian Queen Lola Nutty Brown Café Olmecas Panadería (Name?) Pao's Mandarin House Pho Saigon Phoenicia Market Pollo Asado y Carne Azada Polvo's Poodie's Hilltop Porfirio's Tacos Primizie Ray's Bar-B-Q Reggie's RO's Outpost Rosita's Al Pastor (Restaurant) Rosita's Al Pastor (Truck) Rudy's Barbecue Saccone's Pizza and Subs Saigon Market Salvation Pizza Seis Mesas Shady Grove Café Shoreline Grill Southside Flying Pizza Sport Taco Springhill Restaurant Starlite Sunflower Super Burrito Taquería Alayna Taquería Arandinas Taquería el Rico Taquería el Rinconcito Taquería Guadalajara Taquería Jalisco Vallarta Taquería la Fonda Taquería La Tapatia Taquería las Chivas Jalisco Taquería Piedras Negras #2 Taquería Rodriguez Terry's Seafood and Chicken Thai Kitchen The Kitchen Door The Roaring Fork TomGro Grocery Tony's Southern Comfort Top Notch Torchy's Tacos Vespaio Wing Stop Wink Restaurant Z'Tejas Sun Mar 30 14:53:30 -0700 2008 3543541 57335 sweet100s 3 3545106 I was just thinking "we haven't heard from MPH in a while." Now I see why - he's been a busy bee working up this awesome resource! Mon Mar 31 07:21:23 -0700 2008 3543590 17648 rudeboy 2 3544146 That is pretty freakin' awesome. Nice work MPH. Sun Mar 30 18:47:26 -0700 2008 3543541 19915 looper 2 3545413 Very cool! Mon Mar 31 08:44:32 -0700 2008 3543541 14268 Rene 3 3546518 Thanks all. Your feedback makes all the effort worthwhile. It's not hard in theory, sweet100s. Anyone who can log in to Google can click on "create map" to make up their own. It's fairly self-explanatory. The hard part was dredging up all my old reviews and trying not to leave anything out. Having a map of my chowhounding activity (and results) makes it a lot easier to remember what I've covered and what still needs to be done. Eventually, I plan to map some other off-the-beaten track options—like scrumptiouschef's work in the areas around Austin, places to eat on the way to San Antonio or Houston, etc. Since I have a day job, however, achieving this grand plan will take time! Best, MPH Mon Mar 31 12:59:50 -0700 2008 3545413 10608 MPH 4 3547776 MPH>> Anyone who can log in to Google can click on "create map" to make up their own. But... mine would be small and insignificant compared to yours :-). No seriously ! Wonder if it would be possible to merge several independently-created ones... Thanks again MPH. Mon Mar 31 19:08:32 -0700 2008 3546518 57335 sweet100s 2 3547118 Sweet lord almighty. This is amazing. Sincere thanks for this triumphant effort. Mon Mar 31 15:20:45 -0700 2008 3543541 47618 tom in austin 3 4195800 This post should've garnered way more attention when sweet100's dreamed it up. Montopolis has existed as a community since the 1830's.It's been interesting riding around the neighborhoods over there the last 5-6 years noting the recent changes.The eating's really good with my two favorite food groups[Barbecue and Mexican]quite well represented. What's your favorite place to eat in Montopolis? Sun Nov 23 09:42:31 -0800 2008 3547118 16897 scrumptiouschef 4 4221189 Scrumptious, This has indeed been very useful to me in 2 mediums. Via cell phone - Google Maps installed with no problems at all on my phone (I expected issues)! Via old fashioned paper - After my choice became either "laptop modem" or "data plan on cell phone", I opted for laptop modem. and dropped the data plan on my cell. With no more Google Maps on my cell, Plan B needed. Plan B: - I printed out the map in 4 quadrants that I find myself in. I couldn't figure out how to get the peg info to print out so I wrote the Restaurant Names in manually. When needed, I send a text message to the number 466453 containing the text: Burger Tex, Austin, Tx and then google IMMEDIATELY replies with: Burger Tex 5420 Airport Blvd Austin 78751 (512)453-8772 (cool trick: Did you know you can get weather forecast that way? text to 466453 with: weather and it gives you current day + 2 days of forecast for Austin or weather, philadelphia if you are traveling to Philly for example. I click on the text message phone number, my phone calls the restaurant, and I ask when they stop serving food. (I'm frequently out near the closing time of places.) This works well (I reach under my car seat at a red light when the moment hits to see what is around me). If the 'peg' info would print out automatically without writing it in, it actually would be better than trying to look quickly for map info on such a small screen. The gotcha is that one blew out and, umm, got slightly wet and ... smudged before I retrieved it. Until I re-print I'll be trying to decipher smudges ;-). But that was sufficient to squint out Sunflower, Al Pastor, Top Notch and Burger Tex! Clearly what's needed is a 1-800-MPH-Knows subscription service "Hi MPH, I'm at the intersection of Lamar and 183, what do you recommend..." Thu Dec 04 15:27:02 -0800 2008 4195800 57335 sweet100s 5 4221441 sweet100s Do you have the google phone? If so you should consider hacking open the firmware. Check out the #android channel on freenode:Here's what one hacker pulled off "I hacked my camera's firmware manually by using an exploit to cause it to execute arbitrary code - and then blinking out the entire firmware in 0's and 1's on the autofocus LED - read in by a photo transistor attached to a sound cable plugged into my microphone port - and then put back into 0's and 1's... Then disassembled the ARM9 code in it and worked on porting CHDK to it... I'm pretty sure having a whole OS at my disposal should make this a lot easier ". I'm a luddite at heart but if food's at stake I'll do what I have to. Hopefully your post will spring MPH out of a long slumber. But in the meanwhile,I'm waiting to write a full report but please check out Candy's Tacos,a cart in the parking lot of Genesis Auto at Shady and E.7th street. This could become a major player. Delicious meats,homemade tortillas and good salsas.Definitely worth a visit. I rode a bus for an hour and a half to get there while Rudy G was blathering on at the Civic Center a couple days ago.Glad I didn't blow the $4.95 for a bushel of piffle. Thu Dec 04 17:24:27 -0800 2008 4221189 16897 scrumptiouschef 6 4221786 Yea we need to roust that MPH guy. Thanks for the rec to Candy's. Already entered into my phone as: First Name: Mex next downtown Last Name: Candy's Taco Phone: Shady & E 7'th (should be enough for my GPS to find Shady) That's my tactic for making myself go to new places to supplement smudged inkjet quadrant mph map printouts. I only put "next" in the names of places I've never visited before. Then, when I'm downtown and haven't planned ahead, I just enter "next downtown" and, voila!, up pops a list of downtown places recommended I've never tried. It's not easy trying to be a hound. Thu Dec 04 19:58:15 -0800 2008 4221441 57335 sweet100s 7 4350321 Just moved to Austin and wanted to say thanks for the great map - what a great way to get to know the city! Coming from Brooklyn, I was overjoyed to see Austin had a Chow Board, hooray!!! Fri Jan 23 06:57:35 -0800 2009 4221786 142345 ccamp1 1 4558811 Here's mine: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106324921966915789140.0004585e078a49e893c72&ll=30.204487,-97.583313&spn=1.286524,2.120361&z=9 My son lives here. I have relatives here and I was born near here. I don't claim to know all the good places, but I'm working on it. BTW, the only problem I have with MPH's map is that they are not color coded by type of food and there are no comments, just links. Some seem to be mediocre when you look them up. I only put up one's I would recommend. Just a suggestion... PS: we will be in Austin 4-20 (one day and two nights), and we will probably concentrate on Q and Mexican food. Any recommendations? Places I should add or not to be missed? Wed Apr 01 15:18:31 -0700 2009 3529001 137946 Scargod 2 4567405 I realized I had a lot of duplication from combining two maps, so I fixed that. I hope I haven't stabbed some sacred cow. I was hoping for some input. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106324921966915789140.0004585e078a49e893c72&ll=30.304058,-97.742636&spn=0.0093,0.019312&z=16 Sat Apr 04 11:18:46 -0700 2009 4558811 137946 Scargod