Realtors show you that magic apartment, and your eyes put on their jogging glasses and sprint across the lease contract until that final signature and date input line, where the most jagged, incomprehensible blurb of name is etched onto parchment.

Then you and your roommate(s) move in, and start, or end up, to hate one another.

These are some tips/legal things you skipped/need to know:

TIP: Never put your name under the utilities/electric bill. Cable is okay because you can cancel at any time and leave the place a reasonable environment (step 1: take modem, step 2: turn it in). The other is far more complicated to cancel or switch names for, and you don’t want a bill under your name eroding into some bad credit on your wonderful colleagues’ behalf.

LEGAL FACTS:

• Make sure to distinguish between an “application fee” and an “application deposit.” The fee is non-refundable, so better make sure you got the place secured before you throw away that money.
• Landlords are not required by law to fix minor repairs, as in repairs that don’t endanger health or safety. Inspect, inspect, inspect.
• If the landlord does not repair a major problem after a second written notice, there are a few choices:
  • have it repaired and let it be deducted from your rent.
  • sue (many Texas lawyers are dying to meet you).
  • move on out.
• The landlord can only lock a tenant out or change the locks after notification and if rent is past due.
• Subleasing behind the landlord’s back is cause for eviction and legal action.
• The security deposit cannot be kept for simple “wear and tear;” in other words, a carpet that has an imprint from furniture, or carpet that is slightly worn cannot be considered damage.

Happy moving, and choose roomies wisely.

Once upon a time, Alanis Morissette sang about ironic things.

It wasn’t anyone we know’s wedding day, but last night, some companions of mine and I visited the Elephant Room, which, if you don’t know, is located in a basement cellar and has live jazz every single night of the week.

We arrived around 10 p.m. We left around 1 a.m. Basically, the world looked like some Will Smith/ I Am Legend shit when we got out. We were buzzed and confused. And it looked like the trees of Austin threw up everywhere.

Which brings me to my next point. We were safe drinking away at a jazz bar in a basement during a “tornado.”

Isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think?

I have posted a picture of some of my apt. damage to our lovely Flickr (let us know if you want to submit yours for display).

Elephant Room: the place to booze during inclement weather.

It doesn’t take much to draw the attention of the hungry and thirsty West Campus community. In fact, if the anticipation of the opening of Cuatro’s is any indication, all that is needed is an advertisement boasting beer, tacos and burgers.

I started hearing talk of this new and improved WC hangout (i.e. Cain and Abel’s ‘dos’) months ago when construction began on west 24^th in place of the remains of the late Bongo’s. With the promise of beer, tacos and burgers, Cuatro’s seemed to be on the right track in providing the ‘necessities’ for much of WC’s residents- as well as some good ole’ competition for Abel’s down the road.

Alas, disappointment has ensued. The root of dissatisfaction comes not from the quality of food and beverage for bar food will always be bar food (anything can taste good with enough drinks, so I hear), but from the ‘chillin and grillin’ service. When an out-of-state ID belong to a twenty-one year old Illinois resident was turned down, the dissatisfied customer told the waiter that he was leaving to go to Cain and Abel’s. The waiter’s response- “Oh, if you’re a Cain and Abel’s customer we don’t want your business to begin with.”

I was excited for a little West Campus competition but it does not look like this will be the case. In fact, unless Cuatro’s loses the ‘tude, their place in the West Campus domain may be short lived.  

Hole in the Wall on Guadalupe is making some changes. They’ve completely transformed the back room by taking out the upper-level seating and adding a huge stage. They’ve also opened the side door where the shuffleboard table was. All patrons must enter and exit the patio through those double doors. The back bar is also extended to block the door that used to lead to the outdoor patio.

Don’t worry. The beer, liquor and food selections are still great. The bar just isn’t a hole anymore. They’re movin’ on up……..

  With the Texas vs. Stanford Sweet Sixteen showdown fast approaching, Longhorn fans are only tearing themselves away from their brackets for one thing- deciding where to watch the game.  While this decision may seem insignificant to some, the truly impassioned Longhorn bracketologist knows that the precise recipe for the ultimate tourney-watching location must fulfill a few definitive criteria. Location, quantity and quality of televisions, and drink prices (making the ‘celebratory’/’drinking your NCAA sorrows away’ bar tab a bit easier to swallow come morning) are all crucial in finding that heavily sought after sports bar nirvana. Here is a short list of places that I can only hope will provide you with all the sweet basketball watching pleasure you are hankering for.  

So there is a relatively new bar on West 6th Street that everyone should check out. Its called “The Ranch” and ironically looks like the inside of a ranch. It has this Colorado-esque feel to it, which is probably because of the animal heads hanging on the wall. Order draft beer because it is served in these heavy glass mugs, totally cool. They also double as an arm workout which is perfect if you’re arms are getting a little flabby. You should expect to wait in line because its getting more and more popular. Either way, just go. You’ll have fun.