Hawaiians In Texas

[hoku]

Aloha all we live in a small city in the middle of San Antonio and Austin,
we love it here but would love to move back home we have met a huge amount of locals here in Texas I was surprised that there were so many Hawaiians in Texas.

[pinakboy]

hope u guys showing da haole people up dea how fo eat, cook, and grind hawaiian food!! hehehe :D

makem eat rice and stop with da potatoes!! lol no foget da mac salad eh!! :p

[1stwahine]

aloha hoku! welcome to hawaiithreads.com

my cousin from Texas had a wedding party for his daughter this past Friday. Lots of Hawaiians from Texas came too. I know Texas is a big state but do you know the Aspera's?

once again, welcome. see you on the boards.

Auntie Lynn aka Auntie Pupule

[Miulang]

E komo mai, Hoku. Austin is an awesome town. It's also about the only town in TX that I could tolerate because almost everybody is from somewhere else! :) A woman I know there says Austin is like an outpost in the wilderness, about the only place where big hair is not seen too often and not everybody says "y'all" :D

Dallas is OK too (except for the bad tasting water), but I really like Austin a lot.

Miulang

[hoku]

Yah when we have friends over they always ask for the Shoyu Chicken and the sticky rice

[Its the Aloha]

Aloha, can you tell me if there is any island groups in Austin/San Antonio? Formal or informal, or are there any places they seem to gather? Plus do you know if there are any eateries run by island people?

Mahalo...

[Alarick]

Intereting to see that there are so many Texans coming to Hawaii too, is there an exchange program that i missed? :-P

[Ailina]

You could probably contact Tropical Productions (http://www.tropicalevents.com/articles.htm) and Island Rhythms (http://www.geocities.com/island_rhythms/) out of Austin. I've met the folks from both, and they could definitely tell you more about the island groups and businesses.

There are also hâlaus in San Antonio (I don't know how recent this info is. I got it from mele.com (http://www.mele.com/halau.shtml)):


San Antonio - Sharon McCabe-Flores (oahu_nokaoi@yahoo.com) - 210-655-7062 - Halau Ho`ola Ka Mana `O Hawai`i
San Antonio - Renee Park (lolos4@satx.rr.com) - 210-822-9933 - Hula Halau Ohana Elikapeka (http://www.alohasanantonio.com./id20.html)
San Antonio - Julie & Lou McCabe - 210-654-0149 - Na Pua O Hawai`i
San Antonio - Joyce Flaugher (hula_2003@yahoo.com)
I only know of a couple eateries in Houston:

Bad Ass Coffee of Houston (http://www.badasscoffeehouston.com/)
The Lava Hut (http://www.drumsofthepacific.com/thelavahut/)
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ (http://www.marketplacelocal.com/PortalWeb/Portal.aspx?groupid=58&pagename=itemdetails&channelid=9&itemid=8055366&previousPage=browse)

[Its the Aloha]

Mahalo Ailina, very helpful and will certainly put me in the right direction...mahalo plenty. Jimmy

[owens]

We'll be moving to Austin TX in Dec 2005.
Is there a large community of Hawaii-Pacific Islanders there?
(I know in Washington & Oregon - there are a lot of locals).

Quick Question: How do you like Austin, TX? the people? culture? weather? quality of life? job growth?

[Miulang]

We'll be moving to Austin TX in Dec 2005.
Is there a large community of Hawaii-Pacific Islanders there?
(I know in Washington & Oregon - there are a lot of locals).

Quick Question: How do you like Austin, TX? the people? culture? weather? quality of life? job growth?

Don't live there, but have visited there twice. What I know about Austin: it's the bastion of liberalism (compared to everywhere else in TX). Lots of people are from "somewhere else". It's pretty cosmopolitan. It has some large bodies of water, but nothing like being in Hawai'i or on the West Coast. Lots of minimalls all over to the place. Capital of live music. Not as many big haired women as Dallas. :)

Miulang

[Alarick]

Just FYI, big hair mostly died out in the 1980's...

[Miulang]

Just FYI, big hair mostly died out in the 1980's...

Except in the Big D, where big hair is still seen very frequently. :D

Miulang

[Alarick]

Nope, sorry :-P

Spent the last 15 years in "Big D" and the only time big hair was seen, was on TV shows about "Big D" or on little old ladys.

Except in the Big D, where big hair is still seen very frequently. :D

Miulang

[Miulang]

Nope, sorry :-P

Spent the last 15 years in "Big D" and the only time big hair was seen, was on TV shows about "Big D" or on little old ladys.
Saw some at a function for Pres. H.W. Bush at a huge hotel (the Anatole?) across from the Dallas Tech Center where I also happened to be staying. Shaq was staying there with the Magic too. Lots of big haired ladies, smoking cigarettes and wearing these glittery gowns dripping in jewels. They may not be running around with big hair during the day, but in the evening, all bets are off. :D

Miulang

[Alarick]

Political parties are a tad bit different than every day life :p

Of course who's to say that they even want the big hair look anymore, they might not have been able to get all the hairspray out that they used in the 80's.

[Karen]

LOL about big hair in Texas! I was born and raised one very proud Texan, and from what I recall, the big hair that still exists is mainly from the church crowd, and I don't mean this as an insult to anyone that may be. I come from a long line of pentecostals and a few of them still have big hair. Oh! and some wealthy, older cattle industry people, for some reason they still embrace those hair styles. Everyone else seems to have stylish, layered cuts or really long, simple hair.

I lived ten years of my childhood in Austin. Of course I still have many relatives and friends there. They say I won't believe how huge it is now, and that Round Rock, which used to be a sunday drive to the country is now a suburb, a very close one to Austin.

I hear jobs are great there, especially in the computer industry. They call it the second Silicon Valley, so I've lived in both of them, having lived in Sunnyvale, CA. too. I prefer that San Jose CA. area climate, but my heart remains in Texas, cuz that is home.

Very cool to read from people that are moving there, or have done so, recently. Texas' biggest plus? THE ECONOMY! Wow for being able to live large there, on a paycheck. No state income tax, medical and food aren't taxable, houses, well huge brick homes are very cheap, I could buy three for what my house here is worth, and a gallon of milk? Probably still under three dollars.

Ahh....home, there's no place like home. Hope y'all that are living there are enjoying it, while I know if your family is here in Hawaii, so is your heart. Oh, how I know that feeling.

[Alarick]

Have not even been gone for a month, and i already miss the Tex-Mex and long open roads :p

And if i remember right, as of last month, the economy in Texas was in a bit of a slump.
New car and house sales where down, and the unemployment rate is up.

Ever see an aerospace engineer working at Home Depot for $9 an hour?
It's a very sad sight.

And milk was $3.25 at the super Walmart on 635 and Macarthur the week before i left.

[adrian]

I went to Austin a few years ago for a technology conference, and on the first night, they had a hawaiian-themed event, where they served fruits and had the nerve to play country music during it. When my mainland friends asked me if this was like home, I gave them the stink eye and just stormed out of the place.

Of course, this was 3 years ago, and probably they didn't know that there'd be a lot of Hawaiians there (if I remember, there was about 9, out of 200 people), or probably they heard that our flights got cancelled a few times so they just wanted to show the aloha spirit.

Anyway, hope that you can visit home soon, and enjoy the weather there!

[Its the Aloha]

We'll be moving to Austin TX in Dec 2005.
Is there a large community of Hawaii-Pacific Islanders there?
(I know in Washington & Oregon - there are a lot of locals).

Quick Question: How do you like Austin, TX? the people? culture? weather? quality of life? job growth?


Aloha Owens: I spent the entirre month of August in Austin and had a blast and enjoyed it a lot. Yes, it is not Hawai'i, but the only place like Hawai'i is Hawai'i no matter how many island souls one relocates elsewhere. I think Austin is exciting on many fronts especially if yoru business inclined. I was there again recently with my investment group and we bought quite a few pieces of property, comerical and residential. the ONLY issue I see in Austin is the property tax, it is very high if you purchase a $450,000 home, you will be paying about $13,000 in annual property taxes.

Other than that, the people were great, the weather is fine, the opportunities are many and as stated by someone in this forum I did not recognize a depressed economy. I suspect you will enjoy your move as I am anticipating mine. I will be relocating there probably early March from Las Vegas where I have been for 12 years. I am originally from O'ahu in Manoa Valley. You will be happy I am sure, just be open to the area and the people and you will see it is a very nice place. Enjoy and good luck over there.

ALoha Jimmy

[Alarick]

Oh hey, once it warms up there again, ya'll should take a tubing trip down the river.

Try these guys http://www.rockinr.com/

And when you go, pay the extra $5 for the tubes with bottoms in them, it's worth it :p

[owens]

Thanks Jimmy,
That's great to hear.

We're having a phobia about driving ... What was the driving experience like in the Mainland? I hear there are A LOT of Semi-Trucks .... and they just zoom by past you ...

Here in Hawaii - we have a lot of buses ... but hardly any bus accidents.

[MadAzza]

Got something to say to the Hawaiians in Texas ...

GO WHITE SOX!!

<ducking and running>

[Alarick]

I've seen worse driving here on the big island as far as semis go than i ever did in Texas.

Driving in Texas is very simple, if the other vehicle is larger than yours, it has the right of way.

Just stay out of the Semi's blind spots, and remember that the right lane is for the slow traffic that only goes a few MPH over the speed limit and you'll be fine.




We're having a phobia about driving ... What was the driving experience like in the Mainland? I hear there are A LOT of Semi-Trucks .... and they just zoom by past you ...

Here in Hawaii - we have a lot of buses ... but hardly any bus accidents.

[beachbum]

Jimmy, i think we met at the San Marcos Oulet Mall?! I was working the shaved ice stand there.
Owens, i think most of the people posting to your reply have it right on. Austin is a special place in Texas - lots of people from all over, growing, there's a Roy's restaurant... :D and lots of little coffe shops, MALLS, bookstores, outdoor stuff, etc. my only regret of living here are the ALLERGIES. from mold to weeds - you name it. they have it. may not hit you at first. but seems they eventually get to everyone.
find a good allergist.
aloha,
John

[UsoHamo]

I currently live in St. George, Utah and have been looking at jobs and home prices in Austin. I have a cousin that lives there and was born in Hawaii but lived there all of her 40+ years.....She says that there are halaus there, locals such as Filipinos, Chamorros from Guam, Samoans, Tongans, lots of Asians for the Pacific experience and of course, lots of Hawaiians (well maybe her guesstimate is around 500+ scattered around from what she knows talking to some of the locals. They do not have an L&L BBQ but sure could use one.

St. George is too expensive to live because of its proximity to Vegas...now that the market in Vegas is going down because of the lop sided ratio (too many sellers and new homes, not enough buyers).....the homes in St. George are too few and far in between.....home values are ridiculously priced and the wages here are still pretty pathetic.....average 8-10.00/hr.

Been looking to Austin for some affordable home pricing but then again, I give up my connetion to being close to the "local experience" that Vegas and Utah enjoys...or the West Coast in general.

Also, I am having my cousin look around for job leads for me while I continue to search the Internet for my own leads.

Oh yeah, she says that San Antonio is not that far away and that there are quite a few locals up that way too... Hope your guys' move into Austin is smooth and that your families are able to transition well................Good Luck braddahz!


Usohamo :cool:

[NemesisVex]

We'll be moving to Austin TX in Dec 2005.
Is there a large community of Hawaii-Pacific Islanders there?
(I know in Washington & Oregon - there are a lot of locals).

Quick Question: How do you like Austin, TX? the people? culture? weather? quality of life? job growth?

There are people from Hawai`i in Austin but nowhere near the numbers of Washington and Oregon.

Austin is the blue oasis in a very red state. Travis County, which includes Austin, was the only one to reject the recently-ratified constitutional amendment to limit the definition of marriage. (Guess how.) It has a history of being a hippie enclave and college town, which has resulted in a few cultural skirmishes with the more recent tech industry transplants, myself included. Yuppies vs. hippies -- that sort of thing.

The job market in Austin is slowly improving, having been hit hard when the Internet bubble burst. Tech jobs are becoming more available, but employers aren't nearly as desperate for bodies as they were in the late 1990s. Biotech seems to be hiring quite a bit, but not so much tech writers. Service industry hiring also seems to be on the rise.

Austin has a very active music scene, although it skews more to country, folk and Americana. But there's room enough for indie rock and punk. Austin is where the main campus of the University of Texas is located, so a lot of college rock acts pass through Austin on their tours. The two major music events in Austin are South by Southwest and the Austin City Limits music fest.

People around here are laid back, but ethnically, the population is predominantly white and Latino. I often make jokes about being the Filipino community, but in the 8 years I've lived here, I can count all the people Filipino people I've met in that time on one hand. What consists of a gay community is so insular, it may as well not exist.

Most everyone I meet is very polite and nice, and while Austin prides itself on being tolerant and/or accepting, I don't think white Austinites realize just how lacking in diversity their population really is.

Austinites, however, do include a very interesting cross-section of types: young college kids, film and music types, the aforementioned hippies and yuppies, a number of Republicans (but they usually stay in the suburbs) ...

As for the weather, there's a saying -- "If you don't like it, wait five minutes." Weater here is unpredictable. Earlier this month, Austin was hit with an ice storm that shut the city down. Today, the highs are in the mid-70s. Tornadoes and floods are the usual big news weather events, but when it comes to triple digit heat in July-September, the trick is to get all your errands done before 10 a.m., then don't step outside for anything else till sunset (which is usually 9 p.m. in the summer.)

Housing is expensive in Austin. Apartment rent may be cheaper than Honolulu, but they are higher than other cities in Texas. And yes, property taxes are going to get you, since Texas does not have a state income tax. I rent, so I don't know much about property taxes.

Sales tax in Austin is 8.25%.

Austin is very green, and Austinites tend to be quite environmental. Zilker Park and the Hike-and-Bike Trail along Town Lake are quite popular. If you live here for any length of time, though, beware the seasonal allergies! Oak is my enemy in April.

That's about all I can brain dump at the moment.

I've liked living here, even though I'm feeling a bit of a wanderlust to get away from the "red-state-ness" of the rest of Texas.

I hope this answer doesn't arrive too late, since it's practically January already.

[deneen15]

Aloha,

I am from Austin, Tx and now live in Sarasota, FL. I lived in Ewa Beach in 2001. I seemed to be the only blonde on the bus riding into Honolulu from Fort Weaver Rd!

[deneen15]

Wow, I practically grew up in a tube at Rockin R! I am from Austin! I also lived in Ewa Beach in 2001.

[Tiger Beer]

Some interesting stuff here.

I've recently thought of Texas because of all the similar reasons mentioned above. Also have many of the same concerns as the above posts.

That property tax is a killer though! What is property tax in Hawaii now? Is it similar, less or more?

[Legacy06]

I guess i'll be the first to represent Dallas!!!!

[Alarick]

I guess i'll be the first to represent Dallas!!!!

Go to the Lizard Lounge sometime, Thursday is goth/industrial night, Friday is techno/hip hop, Saturday is techno, and Sunday is goth/industrial again.

Best bartender is in the videobar (to the left of the entrance) and order your drinks by color IE "I'd like a blue drink" :p


Damn i miss that place..

[rbinck]

I can't say first hand about Austin vs. Kona, but I can say about Houston vs. Kona and the overall property tax rate was similar. In Texas each school district will have its own tax rate, so the property taxes can vary quite a bit from place to place even in a metro area like Houston. They do have an optional program for seniors where the property taxes can be differed until the home is sold, which for some people is very valuable. Basically the taxes are paid out of the estate reducing the heirs payout, but reducing the cost to seniors on fixed incomes.

There is not an income tax here true, but then the sales tax is 8.25% in most urban areas. Some small towns will have a few % less due to no transportation authority tax, Metro here in Houston. In order to keep the sales tax from being overly regressive, they don't tax every money transaction like they do in Hawaii. Food, drugs, and most labor only services are not taxed - no tax when you got to the doctor, for example. Also at back to school time, they have a tax holiday weekend so people can buy school supplies tax free. The holiday is limited to clothes, shoes, school supplies and other items associated with going back to school. A real help for families with small children.

To fund stadiums and such they have a visitors tax that is like the accommodations tax in Hawaii. There is no tax on ordinary rent either. This is in addition to the standard taxes on rooms, rent cars and taxis, but only in certain areas like the airport and around the stadiums. It's not 25% like I paid on a rent car in Seattle, but the idea is to have the out of towners foot the bill rather than the locals.

Car insurance was about double in Hawaii than it was in Texas a few years ago. It cost me the same for one car in Hawaii as I paid for 2 cars in Houston and Houston is in one of the highest rate areas in the state. The insurance on our condo seemed to be about the same cost per 1000 as on our place in Houston.

So I guess there are pros and cons on the tax front. To me I would think the idea of Hawaii getting rid of or reducing the state income tax and increasing the sales tax with exemptions for necessities would be a better thing for the people of Hawaii. That way the visitors would take on more of the load every time they buy anything. Truth is visitors have been used to paying higher sales tax and would not notice it very much.

[HoustonViaMaui]

Aloha fellow transplants!

I live in Houston and things are very nice in my area. Food, gas, cars, and homes are very affordable. I found a couple of sites on the web that helped with good information before my move www.houstonhawaiians.com (http://www.houstonhawaiians.com) and I found locals right away by contacting a Hawaiian Luau Catering & Entertianment company www.heavenlyhulagrams.com (http://www.heavenlyhulagrams.com). I spoke to one Hawaiian and he knew where to find the rest :) . We can find Aloha Shoyu ($12.99/gal), luau leaves, Hellmann's mayonnaise a.k.a. Best Foods, tako (octopus) and small kine local favorites. I've visited Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio so far but I still like Kingwood the area I live in. I wish all the Islanders the best in making a good life for themselves outside of paradise.

Keepin' it Hawaiian in Texas,
Maui

[Mahi Waina]

I was on a sales trip, staying at a hotel in Bedford, and during an afternoon walk, stopped into a gas station for a coke. Next door was a closet-sized Hawaiian Market run by a nice lady from Waiahae, selling coconuts, mangos, boiled peanuts and some clothes. A nice break in an otherwise cultural void.

[Hapahoku]

Aloha,

I just moved to Austin in June 2007. I'm so home sick for Hawaii. I want to go back and never leave, But thats not going to happen right now. Now that I know there are some of us out this way I was wondering if any one wanted to get together and just hang. Trade e-mails or phone numbers. I miss the local way, you know what I mean. Oh by the way if any of you are from the Pa or Komomua Ohana You just found one more ohana member. Any how, Everyone take care and have a good day.

Aloha,
Hokulani