Airport Transportation: ACUHO-I has arranged for a 10% discount with SuperShuttle.  Look here for more information. Taxi fare will run you approximately $25 one-way, so SuperShuttle will definitely be the most economical choice. Reserve a spot online and then check in at the counter next to Baggage Claim #1.

Evening Activities: don’t forget to buy tickets now to the shows – this the only way you’ll guarantee to get in.  Check do512.com for a list of events happening over the next few days.  I’ve also added some events to my list on Google Docs and will keep adding to the list as I hear of new events.  Once you get to the conference, your complimentary copy of The Austin Chronicle will help you find fund stuff to do.

Conference Updates: There are two ways that you can get important conference updates.  1) check the electronic newsletter on the plasma screens in the Hospitality Lounge and outside Room 18, and 2) follow #acuhoi on twitter.  This is where we will post information about upcoming conference events, program changes and other news.

Learn More about Twitter: Our “twutors” can help you get started using this valuable networking tool! The twutors will be available in the Hospitality Lounge during the following times: Saturday (12:30-5:00), Sunday (12:15-2:15), and Monday (12:15-2:15). Then join us for the 1st Annual TweetUp on Tuesday after the Closing Reception.

Hop On the Bus, Gus: This falls into the category of “things I wanted to blog about, but didn’t get around to it.”  The #4-Montopolis Capital Metro bus runs east-west through downtown and can get you to some really great places (BookPeople, Waterloo Records, Whole Foods, Bess, Z’Tejas, Star Bar, Katz’s . . .). One-way fares are $1.  But: I’ve got a pair of 7-day bus passes to give away! The first registered conference attendee to email the phrase “another one rides the bus” to lellison@americancampus.com will win the pair! But hurry – the giveaway ends on Thursday, June 24th at Noon.

Take a Tour: The Division of Housing and Food Services at UT has graciously arranged tours of the Jester Center and San Jacinto Residence Hall for ACE attendees.  The tours will take place Saturday during the Opening Reception and will depart from the Alumni Center. If you aren’t able to attend the tours on Saturday, you can join in on the regularly-scheduled tours during the week.  The tour schedule will be available at the Local Arrangements Kiosk.

Hot Town, Summer in the City: And the back of my neck is definitely getting dirty and gritty.  The 10-day forecast for Austin: high in the mid-90s, sunny, 0% chance of precipitation.  Keep in mind that the indoor venues could get quite chilly, so plan to bring a light wrap in case the A/C is a little too much for you. And, the weather could change on a dime, so check before you finalize your packing.   As the old saying goes, “Don’t like the weather in Austin? Wait 10 minutes.”

Buy the Book: Sale prices all conference long in the ACUHO-I bookstore, on the 4th floor in the Hospitality Lounge. Add some titles to your student affairs library.

That’s all I’ve got, folks!  Be sure to stop by the Local Arrangements Kiosk on the 4th floor of the Convention Center for even MORE fabulous information about Austin.  The Local Arrangements Committee will be easily identifiable each day by either an official conference polo or tie-dyed “Keep Austin Weird” t-shirt.  Please feel free to stop us and ask a question or simply say “howdy”!

SAFE TRAVELS!  See you all in a few days!

My friend Kayla Hamilton (Emory University) is coming in a few days early for the conference and, of course, Tour Guide Lynn has a basic itinerary planned out.  Here’s a taste of what we plan to do (some of this will sound familiar to regular readers of my posts):

Wednesday, June 23: Kayla arrives; Geeks Who Drink pub trivia quiz at Waterloo Ice House

Thursday, June 24: While I’m in class, Kayla’s going to go to the Walter Cronkite exhibit at the LBJ museum

Friday, June 25: Shopping at the Prime and Tanger outlets in San Marcos before meeting some Tweeps for dinner; possible Glee-Along to follow

Saturday, June 26: Quick trip to San Antonio before the Opening Reception

Once the conference starts, we’ll be attending great sessions during the day and then hitting receptions in the evening.  We’ll wrap our conference experience up with the First Annual ACUHO-I Tweet Up on Tuesday after the closing banquet (more info to come on Twitter via #acuhoi, the conference hashtag).

If your itinerary includes some live music, theatre or other special events, you should start planning now.  I’ve started a list on Google Docs of events around town from June 23-30.  I recommend checking this list now and then before you leave so that you can buy tickets to any events you’d like to attend.  It’s entirely possible that events like the Anthony Bourdain Q&A, Mingo Fishtrap and the Justin Timberlake Sing-Along will sell out – getting tickets now will ensure that you get in.  If I hear of other cool events, I’ll add them to the list.

Most of the events were pulled from the Austin American-Stateman’s excellent city guide, Austin360.  There’s a ton of information on this site about events, restaurants and other happenings in town.  The Austin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has an events widget powered by do512.com that provides live music shows by date. Do512.com’s event listings are incredibly diverse and I’m sure you’ll find an awesome event there.  All ACE attendees will get a copy of the Austin Chronicle, which will also help you plan your evening activities.

Once you get here, the Local Arrangements Committee will be happy to answer your questions or to make suggestions.  We’ll announce each day how you can identify the committee members.  I’ll leave you with this tease: tie-dye is involved.

Foodies should be in absolute heaven in Austin. The Austin Chronicle prints restaurant guides and has a comprehensive restaurant guide online that allows you to filter results by neighborhood and by cuisine. Some of the restaurants you’ll find within a six block radius of the hotel include:

• Carmelo’s Restaurant (Italian – $40+)
• Iron Cactus Mexican Grill (Tex-Mex, $10-$25)
• Chez Nous (French, $25-$40)
• The Old Pecan Street Café (American Cafe, $25-$40)
• Paradise (American Café, $10-$25)
• Fogo de Chao (Brazilian steakhouse, $40+)
• Finn & Porter (steak and seafood, $40+)
• Eddie V’s (seafood, $40+)
• PF Chang’s (Chinese, $10-$25)
• Mongolian Grille (Chinese, $10-$25)

We have a few 2010 James Beard Award semi-finalists in town. I’m not a foodie, but I do watch Top Chef and, as I understand it, the James Beard Award is a Big Deal. La Condesa serves interior Mexican cuisine and was a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant. It’s about nine blocks southwest of the hotel and entrées run from $25-$40. Uchi, a sushi restaurant, was a semi-finalist in two categories: Outstanding Pastry Chef (Philip Speer) and Best Chef/Southwest (Tyson Cole). It’s about 2 miles away from the hotel on S. Lamar. Reservations are recommended for both restaurants.

Don’t worry, there are some less expensive options. The Chronicle’s restaurant guide can help you find a spot near the hotel to fit your budget.

The latest food trend in Austin is trailer eateries. Hey Cupcake! got it all started in 2007 and since then, food carts (usually an Airstream) have popped up all over town. There are two epicenters for trailer park eateries: South Congress and South 1st. Both are a few miles from the hotel. However, if you’re planning to spend some time shopping on SoCo, it’s VERY easy to grab some trailer food while you’re down there.

South Congress features: The Mighty Cone (pictured), Muck-n-Dave’s Texas BBQ, Austin Frigid Frog shaved ice, Hey Cupcake! and Cutie Pies. Personally, I recommend The Mighty Cone’s chicken cone (a popular menu item at the ACL Festival) and Hey Cupcake’s Sweetberry cupcake. I can’t wait to try Cutie Pies’ buttermilk pie (may have to make a run after work today). On South 1st, you’ll find the South Austin Trailer Park & Eatery. Grab some queso and a taco from Torchy’s (I’m fond of The Democrat), and then have a frozen hot chocolate or cake shake from Holy Cacao for dessert.

I’ve only scratched the surface of Austin’s varied dining options. The good eats start at the opening reception, which will include ice cream from Amy’s Ice Cream (complete with Amy’s signature servers).

I suggest you bring stretchy pants to ACE as you’ll need ‘em.

Instead of the multi-plex . . .

Check out a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse. The Drafthouse is my favorite thing about Austin. It’s a movie theater with full menu and bar service at your seat. They typically have food and beverage specials to coincide with the major movie releases (for Inglorious Basterds they featured a scallop dish. Get it? Scallops?). The moviegoing experience is taken VERY seriously at the Drafthouse. Once the show starts, the theater becomes a no talking/texting/tweeting zone and offenders are given one warning before getting thrown out. In addition to the mainstream movies, the Drafthouse screens a variety of independent/art films and hosts special events. I’m particularly fond of the sing-alongs and Master Pancake Theater. While there are several locations around town, the closest to the hotel is only 2 blocks away at the renovated Ritz Theater. You can catch a mock of The Blind Side by Master Pancake, an Anchorman quote-along or a Justin Timberlake sing-along in addition to their usual selections on Music Monday, Terror Tuesdays or Weird Wednesdays. Tickets for the special events go on sale a week before the event. If you want to see a mainstream movie, head to the South Lamar location (which is about a $20 round-trip cab ride). Seriously: I cannot emphasize enough how cool this theater is!

Instead of Borders or Barnes & Noble . . .

Head over to that corner of 6^th and Lamar to shop at BookPeople and Waterloo Records. BookPeople is a gorgeous 2-story independent bookstore with a huge selection. You’ll find it easy to lose a couple of hours wandering the store. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful and the prices are decent. Most books sell for list price, but there’s always a large selection on sale. Most authors include a stop at BookPeople during their tours. Anthony Bourdain will be there on June 29! Watch the events page for more appearances to be added and for ticket/wristband information for the larger events (like Anthony Bourdain).

Waterloo Records has been named by Spin Magazine as one of the nation’s top independent record stores. What makes it so awesome? A knowledgeable and friendly staff, a wide selection CDs from independent and mainstream artists, lots of vinyl and amazing in-store appearances. Again, prices tend to stick to the list price, but there are great sales prices here, too. Keep an eye on their webpage for events happening around the ACE timeframe.

Both stores are a quick bus ride from the hotel (one bus, no transfers). It’s about a 20 minute walk  I’ve done it before and it’s not bad. However, it’s going to be hotter’n you-know-what during June, so take that into consideration. And, while you’re down there . . .

Instead of Super Wal Mart. . .

Visit the Whole Foods flagship store and corporate HQ, also on 6^th and Lamar. Whole Foods is a national chain, but it’s based in Austin, so I think it counts. I call this store Six Flags over Food because it’s such an experience when you go in. Sure, it’s your typical Whole Foods grocery store (on a much larger scale), but there are also mini-restaurants scattered throughout. If you don’t want to have a sit-down meal, there are lots of to-go options. Grab some salad, gourmet entrées or a pizza and head out to the patio for some fabulous people watching. The Culinary Center offers hands-on and demonstration-only classes. I took a Knife Skills 101 class there and loved it. I believe most classes include food and beverages as part of the class fee. If you find a class you’d like to take, go to the registration page to sign up.

Instead of the mall . . .

Go to the 2nd Street District or South Congress. Both feature eclectic boutiques and restaurants. The 2nd Street District is experiencing a ton of growth the new W hotel is currently under construction, which will include the new studio for Austin City Limits (don’t even ask;  hardest ticket to get in town). South Congress (or SoCo) is your classic Austin neighborhood; older, weirder, more laid back. 2^nd street is about seven blocks southwest of the hotel; SoCo is approximately 1.5 miles from the hotel. I’m more “SoCo” than 2nd street and I don’t get to SoCo as often as I’d like. In other words, I don’t have a lot of insider info for this post.

However, that will change next week as I head over to SoCo to scout out the trailer park eateries for next week’s blog!

But, first, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page in terms of what “barbeque” means. According to Wikipedia there are five kinds of Texas barbeque: (Editor’s Note: I’m still trying to figure out if we should spell it “barbeque” or “barbecue” and now you tell me there are different kinds?)

East Texas: The beef is slowly cooked to the point that it is “falling off the bone,” typically over hickory wood, and marinated in a sweet, tomato-based sauce.

Central Texas: The meat is rubbed with spices and cooked over indirect heat from pecan or oak wood.

West Texas: The meat is cooked over direct heat from mesquite wood giving it a somewhat bitter taste.

South Texas: Thick, molasses-like sauces that keep the meat very moist and barbacoa (often prepared with parts from the head of a cow, such as the cheeks).

In Austin, you’ll see mostly Central Texas barbeque. I’m not usually a dry rub fan, but if the barbeque is cooked well, the meat is so moist and the dry rub provides just the right amount of flavor to the beef . . .  Sorry – I got distracted. Anyway. Barbeque is typically sold by the pound and can include brisket, ribs, chicken and sausage links. For me, Texas Barbeque means “brisket.” The brisket is sliced as it’s ordered, so it will still be incredibly juicy. At the old-skool joints, they’ll just toss the barbeque and a couple of slices of white bread on some butcher paper and hand it to you. Then, you’ll pick up some sides such as beans, potato salad or slaw. Notice I haven’t mentioned sauce yet. Sauce is available on the table, but I often find that I don’t need it because the beef is so juicy and flavorful.

Now that we’re all hungry, I’ll highlight some places around the conference hotel where you can get some good barbeque, as well as some great places in surrounding towns that could be well worth the price of a rental car.

Downtown:

• Iron Works (2 blocks south) – features plates and by-the-pound.
• Stubb’s (3 blocks north) – great BBQ and a great live music venue.  Each Sunday, they host a Gospel Brunch with seatings at 11am and 1pm (reservations recommended)
• Lambert’s (9 blocks southwest) – I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard good things

Rudy’s BBQ (6 miles east): home of “the worst BBQ in Texas” (their words), Rudy’s is, in fact, quite tasty.  They sell their ‘que by the half-pound and sell their wonderful sauce in bottles (but, again, the brisket is so tasty, you don’t really need it).  In case you’re wondering, this is where I’ll be stopping tonight on my way home from work tonight (1/4-pound of moist brisket with potato salad, cream corn and banana pudding). There’s also a Rudy’s in New Braunfels (“home of the ‘wurst’ BBQ in Texas”), so if you’re heading down there to do some tubing, it’s easy to make a stop.

The County Line (10 miles east): Many people name The County Line as their favorite barbeque place around.  I respectfully disagree (see below).  However, The County Line is very good, and it’s location in town will make it more accessible to you if you don’t have a rental car.  There’s a location on Town Lake that is absolutely beautiful.  The County Line serves all-you-can-eat Country Style as well as platters.  They also have a location down at the River Walk in San Antonio.  And now, to my favorite . . .

The Salt Lick (20 miles SW or NW): there’s a new location of The Salt Lick in Round Rock (north of Austin), but if you’re going to drive that far anyway, might as well go out to the “real” one in Driftwood.  This is where I take out-of-town visitors for some good barbeque.  The drive out through the Hill Country is beautiful and the food is totally worth it. It’s so popular, that during peak times, they hire off-duty Hays County sheriffs to control traffic into the parking lot (but don’t let that scare you – it’s a large place).  Once you step out of your car, you’ll be hit with the aroma of smoking brisket.  Go to The Salt Lick VERY, VERY hungry – you’ll want to get the family-style meal, where they keep bringing you brisket, sausage, pork ribs and sides until you beg for mercy.  Then, they’ll have the audacity to ask if you want some cobbler.  And, even though you think you’ll blow up like that guy in the Monty Python movie if you eat one more bite, you order some (1/2 blueberry, 1/2 peach with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream on top).  If you like to enjoy certain malted beverages with your barbeque, The Salt Lick is BYOB.  It’s also important to note that it’s a CASH ONLY establishment. If you still need some convincing, check the “press” section of their homepage.  Maybe you’ll believe Bobby Flay and Chef Duff. If you just can’t swing a trip out to Driftwood, don’t worry – there’s a Salt Lick in the airport near gate 12.

Lockhart, Texas (30 miles southeast): When folks talk about Central Texas barbeque, this is usually the place mentioned as the best. Home to three world-class joints, it’s also home to some world-class family drama. Kreuz Market (pronounced “krites”) and Smitty’s once started as the same place – Kreuz Market, owned by the Schmidt family. When the patriarch of the Schmidt family died in 1993, he left the business and the name to his son, but the building and the land to his daughter. Unable to agree on the next step, the son moved Kreuz to a new building up the road and the daughter opened Smitty’s in the original location. Both are excellent, but be warned: if you go to Kreuz’s, you won’t get sauce or forks (at all). Trust me – you don’t need ‘em. Not to be forgotten is Black’s – the oldest joint in the state to be run continuously by the same family.  Check out this video for a great history of Central Texas barbeque in general and Kreuz Market in particular.  (WARNING: don’t watch if you’re hungry, as I just did. Big, big mistake.)

Most of the places I’ve listed above will ship all over the US. I’ve had a brisket from The Salt Lick shipped to my parents’ place in Alabama and it tasted just as good as the ones I’ve had in the restaurant.

That’s it for this week – it’s lunch time and I’m so hungry I could eat . . . Well, a big heaping pile of barbeque (on butcher paper, no sauce)!

On the top of the homepage of the ACUHO-I library, there’s a gray bar. This bar has links to our most-requested documents. Among them are the ACUHO-I Constitution and By-Laws, and the other is our Standards and Ethical Principles. The Standards and Ethical Principles has been shortened to Code of Ethics so everything will fit. We don’t get requests for copies of the Statement of Residents’ Rights and Responsibilities as often, so it’s not on the homepage, but it is in the library. Here’s its record. If you get a log-in screen when you click these links, enter as a guest (see the link to the lower left of the log-in box), no username or password needed.) The catalog usually works better with Explorer than Firefox. We’re going to try to wean it of its prejudices later in 2010, though.

So: here are some celebrities that call Austin home (either full- or part-time).  You might see them around downtown while you’re here for ACE.

Lance Armstrong – his bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, is about 9 blocks west of the Hilton.  He’s also been sighted riding his bike out on Loop 360/Capitol of Texas Hwy in West Austin.

Sandra Bullock – Sandy has a home here and owns a couple of businesses, including Bess Bistro (an easy bus ride – with no transfers – from the Hilton).   I think she lives in LA most of the year, but she just filed for divorce here in Austin.  Come on home, Sandy, and bring that precious baby with you.  We’ve got your back, girl.

Cast of “Friday Night Lights” – I’ve heard of lots of sightings around South Congress when the show is in production (look here if you want to try to be an extra while in town).  Once, at the airport, I saw this really beautiful woman walking arm-in-arm with a really scruffy looking guy. I thought, “Wow – she is way too hot for him.” As they got closer, I realized it was Connie Britton (Tami Taylor) and I thought, “That’s Connie Britton!  She is DEFINITELY too hot for him!”

Shawn Colvin – singer of “Sunny Came Home”

Richard Linklater – filmmaker (“Dazed and Confused”, “The School of Rock”, “Before Sunrise”)

Michael Dell – founder of Dell Computers.  If you are out on Loop 360 and see a blonde woman biking with a very large, very black SUV following along behind her, you’ve just spotted his wife Susan Dell.

Dixie Chicks – I’m not sure which of the group lives in Austin right now, but there’s always a Chick in town.

Roky Erikson – lead singer of the 1970s psychedelic rock band 13^th Floor Elevators – making a comeback after a long period of mental illness (see the documentary “You’re Gonna Miss Me”).

Alex Jones – conservative talk radio host

Matthew McConaughey – I don’t think he lives here any more, but he sure loves Austin.  You never know when he’ll pop up.

Willie Nelson – the Red Headed Stranger is no stranger to Austin (see what I did there?).  He has some property out in West Austin that includes a nine-hole golf course.  Rumor has it that he built the golf course because the other courses in town made him wear a shirt when he played.

Turk Pipkin – now he runs The Nobelity Project, but he’s most famous for playing Aaron Arkaway on “The Sopranos.”

Dennis Quaid – a native Texan, he and his family have relocated permanently to Austin

Bruce Robison – a tall drink of Texas water who has written huge hits for other people (“Travelin’ Soldier”, “Angry All the Time”, “Desperately”) but is a good singer in his own right.  My favorite: the Gary Allen hit “What Would Willie Do?” (the video is pretty jumpy, but the performance is great).

Andy Roddick – tennis superstar and Elton John BFF (he brought Elton to town to sing at his wedding to Brooklyn Decker).

Robert Rodriguez – director of the “El Mariachi” trilogy (EXCELLENT movies, by-the-way.  Be sure to watch the special making-of features on the DVDs), “Spy Kids” franchise and “Sin City”.  Once, I spotted him in the parking lot at Central Market, a local gourmet grocery store, walking back to his yellow Hummer (Me: “OMG! IT’S ROBERT RODRIGUEZ!!” Friend: “Who?” Me: *sigh*).  He was wearing his trademark cowboy hat, even to make a grocery run.

Chuck Woolery – game show host extraordinaire.  I’ve seen Chuck three times in the last five years: the first time at IKEA (Me: “That guy looks like Chuck Woolery.” Friend: “Because it is Chuck Woolery.”), again on the long-term parking shuttle at the airport and most recently at Central Market.  You can have your Norris – my Chuck of choice is Woolery.

Others that call the Austin-San Marcos area home:

• Ray Benson – another tall drink of Texas water and lead singer of Asleep at the Wheel
• Mehcad Brooks – actor (Eggs in “True Blood”)
• Kevin Costner – his status as an Austinite could be only a rumor
• Ben Crenshaw – pro-golfer
• Laura Lane – actress (CC Babcock, “The Nanny”) and faculty member at Texas State
• Eugene Lee – actor and artist-in-residence at Texas State
• Ben McKenzie – actor (“Southland”)
• James McMurtry – son of author Larry McMurtry and a singer-songwriter
• Tim O’Brien – award-winning author (If I Die in a Combat Zone) and faculty member at Texas State
• Wiley Wiggins – actor (the kid who touched his nose all the time in “Dazed and Confused”)
• Kelly Willis – wife of Bruce Robison and a wonderful singer-songwriter (she and Bruce starred in a Claritin commercial a couple of years ago)

Austin is about a 3.5- to 4-hour drive from Dallas, Ft. Worth and Houston. Perhaps living in Texas skews one’s perception of driving times, but I’ve made several trips to these cities and back to Austin in the same day for special events (special exhibits at museums, concerts that aren’t coming to Austin, theatrical events). Just promise me that if you make the drive on I-35 between Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth that you’ll stop off at the Czech Stop for some AH-MAZ-ING kolaches.

Closer to Austin, you can spend several days exploring the Texas Hill Country, a 14K-square-mile region to the west of Austin featuring by rolling hills (which those of from the mountains will mock). The growing Texas wine industry is located mostly in the Hill Country and many of the 22 wineries offer tours. In addition, there are about 55 cities/towns in the Hill Country, each with lots of things to check out while you’re here. I won’t list all 55 (you’re welcome), but here are the highlights from towns that are closest to Austin:

Fredericksburg: Like many towns in the Hill Country, Fredericksburg was settled in the 1800s by German immigrants. There over 200 shops in Fredericksburg, many located on Main Street. Not only will you find all the antiques and arts-and-crafts you could possibly want, you can get some pretty good German food, too. (approx. 85 miles from Austin)

Johnson City: On your way to Fredericksburg, stop off in Johnson City and check out the LBJ Ranch – the “other” Texas White House and the childhood home of President Johnson. (approx. 45 miles from Austin)

San Marcos: Approximately 30 miles south of Austin on I-35, San Marcos is home to Texas State University-San Marcos. This is where you will find the Prime and Tanger outlet malls (which the ladies of The View named as one of the best places to shop). Good tubing, canoeing and kayaking is available on the San Marcos River, where the water is a constant 72-degrees year-round (perfect for those hot Texas summers).

Wimberley: 20 miles west of San Marcos you’ll find Wimberley. Wimberley is a quaint little artist community with great shopping. It’s a beautiful drive out to Wimberley that gives you a taste of the true nature of the Hill Country.

Gruene: Pronounced “green,” Gruene has been gently resisting change since 1872. You can catch some of the biggest names in country, roots rock and Americana at Gruene Hall, the oldest continually-operating dance hall in Texas (132 years and counting). Before the show, grab dinner at The Gristmill, a converted cotton gin overlooking the Guadalupe River. (approx. 45 miles from Austin)

New Braunfels: Just a few short miles south of Gruene, New Braunfels is home to some of the best water recreation in the world — literally. The original Schlitterbahn, frequently cited as the best water park in the world, is in New Braunfels. Pack a cooler, set up a base of operations at a picnic table and spend the day cooling off in the amazing water slides and tube chutes. You can also rent tubes and spend a day floating on either the Comal or Guadalupe Rivers (a Google search of “New Braunfels tubing” will give you links to all the rental places). When Central Texans talk about “tubing,” they are typically referring to New Braunfels.

San Antonio: There are a variety of options in San Antonio, which is about 80 miles south of Austin. San Antonio has a TON of historical and cultural opportunities the most famous being The Alamo. After exploring The Alamo, grab dinner on the River Walk. San Antonio is also home to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Sea World. Fiesta Texas has several good thrill rides (for the roller coaster junkie in your group) and I’ve never experienced huge crowds or Disney-level lines, even on peak days.

Obviously, there are a lot of great places that I didn’t mention. I always tell visitors that if you want to experience it, you can find it in Central Texas. Big city? Small town? Real cowboys? Big hair? Haute cuisine? Hot dog? We’ve got you covered.

Next time: BBQ pilgrimages!

While Stacy has six years of professional experience in the housing field, this will be her first ACE. I asked Stacy why:

I have always worked at small schools with limited financial resources. My professional involvement was dedicated on a regional level to GLACUHO, where I’ve served on committees and the board of directors during my professional career.

IU South Bend opened its first student housing facilities in August 2008. It’s my intention that our students not be able to recognize the difference between their residential experiences and that of their friends who are living on campus somewhere that has offered housing for 75 years.

Stacy believes ACE will be an important opportunity to tap into the vast experience represented at the conference. Along with the educational sessions, she’s also looking to expand her network of housing professionals. Already active on twitter (@StacyLOliver), Stacy plans to schedule in social time with her connections through #sachat and with former colleagues she doesn’t get to see very often.

When ACE ends on June 29, I want to leave feeling confident that I took advantage of the on-site opportunities, but that I’ve also set myself up for continued success by building relationships and sharing resources.

I’m a seasoned professional who has attended several ACEs. Like Stacy, what I have always enjoyed most about ACE is the time to reconnect with colleagues (old and new) from around the country. Our professional network is so important; this is where we find inspiration, encouragement and the occasional kick-in-the-pants throughout the year. Our network is enhanced by attending ACE.

Stacy plans to focus on best practices in business operations and facilities during ACE, because “those are pressing issues for me on a daily basis — keeping costs down, generating revenue, and creating solid processes that support forward movement for our department.” Like Stacy, I typically go into a national conference with a goal in mind and choose programs accordingly. You’ll find a tremendous variety of institutional, regional and cultural contexts represented during the sessions. These different viewpoints will contribute to your holistic understanding of your chosen theme.

This year, however, I haven’t yet identified a particular theme for my own conference. If you are like me and are interested in general development, there are plenty of resources that will help you create a schedule that will be the most beneficial. The ACE program tracks are listed on the conference website. This will give you a sense of what will be offered during the breakout sessions. If you are new to ACE, this is where your professional network comes in handy. Stacy [talks] to colleagues at other institutions who have previously attended ACE to find out their hints for maximizing my time at the conference.

So: if you’re on the fence about attending the 2010 ACE, I encourage you to do so. You’ll learn a lot, you’ll connect with like-minded people (and, let’s face it: we housing folks need to stick together) and you’ll get to spend some time in an AMAZING city. But don’t take too long to decide: early-bird registration ends May 12!

It’s too early to tell, but some of these folks might be playing downtown during the 2010 ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Exposition. (Editor’s Note: I really hope to see Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears. They are excellent!) You can see the full list of winners and nominees at the Chronicle website.

Austin Band of the Year: Bob Schneider & Lonelyland

Austin Musician of the Year: Bob Schneider

Best New Austin Band: Speak

Austin Album of the Year: Lovely Creatures, Bob Schneider

Austin Song of the Year: “40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)”, Lovely Creatures, Bob Schneider

Best Performing Bands:

• Blues: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
• Country/Bluegrass: Sarah Jarosz
• Cover Band: Mysterious Ways
• Experimental: John Pointer
• Folk: Sarah Jarosz
• Hip-Hop/DJ: Tee Double
• Indie: Bright Light Social Hour
• Industrial/Goth: Chant
• Instrumental: McLemore Avenue
• Jazz: Kat Edmonson
• Latin: Brownout
• Latin Traditional: Los Texas Wranglers
• Metal: The Sword
• None of the Above: Mother Falcon
• Punk: One-Eyed Doll
• Rock: Los Lonely Boys
• Roots Rock: Fireants
• U18 (under 18): Schmillion
• World Music: Atash

Best Female Vocals: Sarah Jarosz

Best Make Vocals: Bob Schneider

Best Venues:

• Acoustic: Cactus Café
• All-Ages: Emo’s
• Live Music: Antone’s

Hope this whets your appetite for some great music while you are here!  Next time, we’ll talk about what all that weirdness is about.